Fraternal Financial Services Counselor Program (FFSC)

*Diplomas are printed directly through the Fraternal Portal’s Administrator. Lapel pins are provided after completion of the FFSC Designation from the Authorized Portal Administrator.

Course Work

• FIC designees can obtain the FFSC by completing any three of the four courses listed below.
• FICF holders can obtain the designation by taking any two of the four courses listed below.

Principles of Retirement Planning

This course familiarizes agents with the retirement planning market and the retirement planning process by covering three main areas: analyzing and identifying retirement income needs and how to address those needs; health care and health insurance options; and estate and distribution planning. Topics include needs analysis, Social Security, life insurance and annuities, investment products, qualified plans and IRAs, plans for small business owners, long-term care, and wealth distribution.

Investing Retirement Assets

Numerous factors must be taken into account to formulate suitable strategies for investing retirement assets for today’s retirees. This course provides an introduction to distributions from tax qualified retirement plans, as well as an overview of principles of asset allocation that may be appropriate for a retired or retiring client.

Retirement Income Strategies

Retirees need to stretch their assets for 20 to 30 years or more. Savvy distribution planning can help. Learn when to tap different asset categories and how taxable funds differ from tax-free and tax deferred funds. Manage your client’s risk so they won’t outlive their resources.

Financial Planning Process

Get clued into the financial planning process and the financial services industry. This course covers the basic analytic tools of the trade, income tax planning, risk management planning, retirement planning, wealth accumulation planning, estate planning, and business planning, and concludes with a look at the profession.

Qualification Requirements

The FFSC designation is intended for fraternal members that hold both an insurance and securities license. To successfully complete the FFSC program, all new candidates must meet the following qualifications:

• FFSC candidates must currently hold the FIC or FICF designation.
• FIC designees can obtain the FFSC by completing any three of the four FFSC courses.
• FICF holders can obtain the designation by taking any two of the four FFSC courses.

Applying for an Exam

• Application: Exams are included as part of the online course package purchased for each candidate by their society official. No formal application is needed to take the exam with Kaplan Financial Education.
• Timeframe: Candidates have an online subscription period of one year. They may take the exam as many times as they want until they attain a passing score.
• Fees: The cost of each examination is the responsibility of the candidate or the candidate’s society.

Exam Administration and Proctoring Rules

• The candidate shall have a private place free from distractions in which to take the exam.
• The candidate must not have at hand, or refer to, the study courses or any sources of reference. Exams are designed to be fair and adequate tests of a candidate’s knowledge of the FIC/FICF/FFSC course materials.
• The candidate must not see the test questions before sitting for the exam.
• If the exam is being taken for state CE credit, any state proctoring or other course completion rules will apply.

Reciprocal Course Credit

Fraternal Financial Services Counselor

• FIC designees can obtain the FFSC by completing any three of the four FFSC courses.
• FIC & FICF designees can obtain the FFSC by taking any two of the four FFSC courses.

The College for Financial Planning’s LUTCF® Professional Designation

• Fraternal Insurance Counselor (FIC) designation holders receive direct credit for the completion of LUTCF® Course 1: Introduction to Practice Management & Life Insurance. FIC designees are only required to complete LUTCF® Course 2 and LUTCF® Course 3 to be eligible for the LUTCF® Designation. Additional details on the LUTCF® Program can be found here.
• Fraternal Insurance Counselor Fellow (FICF) designation holders receive direct credit for the completion of LUTCF® Course 3: Risk Management Applications.
• Individuals who hold both the FIC and FICF designations are only required to complete LUTCF® Course 2: Insurance & Investment Products to be eligible for the LUTCF® Designation. Additional details on the LUTCF® Program can be found here.

The American College’s Financial Services Certified Professional FSCP®

• Upon successful completion of the FIC, students will earn reciprocal credit saving students $302 towards the designation. Credit will be granted for The American College’s FA 202 (Techniques for Meeting Client Needs) if the student has passed the FIC’s Basic Introduction to Life Insurance course.
• Upon successful completion of the FICF, students can receive reciprocal credit toward the FSCP designation. This is a savings of over $1,000, and students will have completed 60% of their FSCP education requirement. Credit will be granted for The American College’s FA 271 (Foundations of Estate Planning) and/or FA 251 (Essentials of Business Insurance) courses if the student has passed the FICF Graduate I Estate Planning and/or FICF Graduate II Business Insurance Concepts courses, respectively.