The American College announced Monday that it has added the Chartered Special Needs Consultant (ChSNC) designation to its curriculum and that on Jan. 1 it will launch a new Financial Services Certified Professional program.
The ChSNC designation includes three college-level courses and is intended to help advisors manage the emotional and financial complexities of planning for families who care for loved ones with special needs.
The Financial Services Certified Professional program — the successor to the LUTCF designation — "is the first stop for new and experienced advisors who want to refresh their practices," said Larry Barton, president of The American College, in the College's Connections newsletter.
While the program officially launches Jan. 1, advisors can begin courses that will provide credit toward the FSCP now.
Barton said an average of two new educational modules will be added to the program every quarter "in 2014 and beyond, tapping the best experts across a variety of relevant, critical topics."
Such topics, he said, include:
- More information about the Affordable Care Act
- How advisors can leverage social media to grow their practices
- Forthcoming statutory changes that can impact clients
- How to counsel clients on divorce planning.
Thomas Brinker, JD, one of the contributors to the ChSNC program, said in a release that the program offers the practitioner "a unique perspective into the emotional, legal, financial and tax implications of working with a family with a special-needs child."
