Why Work with an AIF?

Simply put, a “fiduciary” is someone who is managing the assets of another person and stands in a special relationship of trust, confidence, and/or legal responsibility. A fiduciary is required by law to always act in the best interests of their client, beneficiary, or retirement plan participant. Yet, many fiduciaries are not even aware of their duties and responsibilities.

AIF® designees have acquired a thorough knowledge of fiduciary responsibility and can be an invaluable resource to investment fiduciaries and individual investors alike. An AIF® designation represents that person’s knowledge of a Global Fiduciary Standard of Excellence and their application of the global standard into their own practice.

AIF® designees have the training necessary to ensure that an investment process is managed to an appropriate fiduciary standard of care.

What training is required to become an AIF® designee?

AIF® designees have successfully completed an educational curriculum focusing on investment fiduciary responsibility and portfolio management. In addition to the training program, designees must also successfully pass a comprehensive examination and agree to adhere to a code of ethics. Annual continuing education is also required to ensure that designees keep up to date on industry changes affecting their fiduciary responsibility.

The granting organization, fi360™, began in 1999 through the University of Pittsburgh’s Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, with the goal of providing a full-time training program and research organization for the investment industry, focusing solely on the areas of fiduciary responsibility and portfolio management. You can learn more about fi360 by visiting their website.

Prudent Process for Investment Fiduciaries

Legislation, case law, regulatory opinion letters, and industry best practices have been compiled to form The Prudent Practices™, which provides a step-by-step investment process for fiduciaries. Regardless of your advisor’s fiduciary role (Investment Steward, Investment Advisor, or Investment Manager), AIF® designees can work with you and your organization to consistently apply the appropriate practice standards, leading to a prudent, long-term investment strategy that meets the fi360™ standard of care.

About fi360™

Fi360™ helps financial intermediaries use prudent fiduciary practices to profitably gather, grow, and protect investors’ assets.

Vision: All investors’ wealth and retirement accounts managed with a fiduciary standard of care. Mission: To help financial professionals use prudent fiduciary practices to profitably gather, grow, and protect investors’ assets. Values: Fi360™ believes that, as individuals and collectively as an organization, we must demonstrate the following values in our actions:

• Responsibility – We are obligated to our clients, our co-workers, our shareholders, the community, and society.
  
• Excellence – Give our best effort and never compromise fiduciary aspects of the quality of all of our products - excellence in product and service delivery.
  
• Integrity – Be honest, fair, and accountable.
  
• Client service – Exceed the expectations of those we serve.
  
• Collaboration – Our collective achievements exceed the sum of our individual efforts.
  
• Knowledge – Seek continual improvement and professional development.
  
• Security – reliability/dependability
  

AIF®, ACCREDITED INVESTMENT FIDUCIARY™ and are certification marks owned by Fi360™