The CIMA is an investment consulting certification from the Investments & Wealth Institute, covering portfolio construction, risk, performance measurement and manager selection.
Candidates need three years of verified experience in financial services and pass two background checks. They complete an education program through a provider such as Chicago Booth or Yale School of Management, which typically takes six to nine months, then pass a four-hour exam.
To keep it, certificants complete 40 hours of continuing education every two years, including two hours of ethics and one of tax or regulation, and agree to the Institute's Code of Professional Responsibility. NASAA's model rule lists the CIMA among the five designations states can accept in place of the Series 65 exam.
The CIMA is about investments, not the whole household plan, and it doesn't say how someone is paid or whether they're a fiduciary. In the public graph, 45 fee-only advisors list a CIMA.
How to check
Ask the advisor for the link to their digital CIMA badge: its verification page shows the credential and whether it is current. You can also contact the Investments & Wealth Institute. Check their registration on the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure site separately.
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