The AAMS is an entry-level investment designation from the College for Financial Planning, a Kaplan company, earned with one self-study course and a final exam.
There are no prerequisites. Candidates complete an online course on topics such as asset allocation, investment taxes, retirement and estate planning for investment clients, and ethics, then pass an 80-question final exam with a score of 70% or higher, all within 120 days.
To keep it, holders complete 16 hours of continuing education and pay a $100 renewal fee every two years.
The AAMS is a useful grounding but much narrower than a CFP, which takes a degree, a comprehensive exam and thousands of hours of experience. It doesn't say how someone is paid. It is rare among fee-only advisors: in the public graph, 24 list an AAMS, against 9,930 who list a CFP.
How to check
Search the College for Financial Planning's Find a Financial Advisor tool at kaplanfinancial.com, which lists people credentialed by the College. Then check the person's registrations on FINRA BrokerCheck and the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure site.
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