The CLU is a life insurance designation from The American College of Financial Services, earned with four required courses and three years of experience.
Candidates complete four required courses, each with its own exams and no cumulative final, and need three years of experience in financial planning or a related field to use the designation. They agree to the College's Code of Ethics.
To keep it, client-facing designees complete 30 hours of continuing education every two years, including one hour of ethics, and pay an annual recertification fee.
A CLU signals insurance expertise, which helps when reviewing a policy or planning an estate. It isn't a broad planning credential and doesn't say how someone is paid. Life insurance is usually sold on commission, so if a CLU recommends a policy, ask whether the insurer pays them. In the public graph, 51 fee-only advisors list a CLU.
How to check
Search the advisor's name on The American College's Verify a Designation page at youradvisorguide.com/verify. Check FINRA BrokerCheck for a broker registration, which means they can earn commissions.
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