As December 31st looms, the IAR CE deadline draws near. If you’re like many professionals, approaching deadlines can trigger a wave of self-doubt. Did you complete all the necessary credits? Were they properly reported? Have you met the 12-credit requirement, or do you need more?

Take a deep breath. In this article, we’ll alleviate your concerns by clarifying: who’s responsible for reporting CE credits, how to verify that your credits have been recorded and steps to ensure you’re stress-free come December 31st.

Who submits my IAR CE credits to FINRA?

The good news is, you’re off the hook for reporting your IAR CE credits to FINRA. That’s your authorized vendor’s job, and they’re usually pretty quick about it. For instance, here at Quest CE we’re on it by the next business day.

However, while completing your CE courses is a significant achievement, it’s not quite time to celebrate yet. Several factors can potentially disrupt the smooth recording of your credits. For instance, you might have forgotten to provide your CRD number. Or perhaps you accidentally repeated a course from a previous year – remember, courses can’t be repeated annually. These oversights could result in your credits getting “lost in the shuffle.”

To avoid the last-minute panic of “where did my credits go?”, it’s crucial to double-check your records, which we’ll address next.

Where do I go to check this in my FinPro account?

First, allow some time for processing. Give the system a few days after completing a course before you start checking. Next, log into your FinPro account. This is where your official CE credit record is maintained. Take a careful look at your recorded credits to ensure everything is in order.

FinPro is the go-to hub for managing securities registration information. To get started, head over to FinPro’s website and create your account. If you’re new to FinPro or need a refresher, don’t worry – FINRA’s got your back. Check out their User Guide, here for step-by-step assistance in setting up your account.

How will I know if I met the requirement?

The image below illustrates a typical dashboard view, highlighting a user with ‘incomplete’ credits. By examining the dashboard, one can easily identify missing credits by tallying each credit type. Remember, the requirements are six “Ethics and Professional Responsibilities” credits and six “Product and Practice” credits. In this example, only five ‘Product and Practice’ credits are shown, explaining the ‘incomplete’ status.

For information on how to apply Regulatory Element CE to IAR CE, see our other article titled “How to Apply Regulatory Element CE to IAR CE.”

In the world of license renewals, knowledge is power. While vendors are responsible for reporting your credits, it’s wise to verify them in your FinPro account to avoid last-minute surprises. A little due diligence now can save you from a lot of stress later. And always remember – you can’t retake courses from previous years.

For those looking for a hassle-free way to meet these requirements, Quest CE offers pre-built course packages that are designed to include new content each year, eliminating the risk of accidentally retaking a course. This approach saves you time and ensures you’re always on track with your CE obligations. To learn more about Quest CE’s IAR CE offerings, click here.