AAMS® or Accredited Asset Management Specialist℠

How does the AAMS® Program work?

The College’s professional designation programs all feature open enrollment. You can enroll and begin whenever you like. While we offer periodic live classes, these are completely optional and are available to all students at no additional charge.

When you enroll you will receive immediate access to the College’s exclusive online student portal. Within this portal you will find copies of your written study materials, streaming video lectures, downloadable MP3’s, interactive quizzes, and even access to live classes when they are in session. You will also be able to contact your professor with questions or issues.

All of these things are included with your enrollment and we pride ourselves on not charging for additional 3rd party books, online functionality, access to professors, etc.


Course Topics:

Students must successfully pass the course’s single final examination within one year of their enrollment date. Final exams can be administered at our approved testing centers: PSI, Prometric, or ISO Quality Testing. The first examination is included as part of your enrollment. Subsequent examination attempts are $100 each. Students must attempt the exam within six months of enrollment and have one year to complete the program.


The next live course will be offered during these dates. Remember that you can enroll and begin at any time using pre-recorded course lectures.

Module 1. The Asset Management Process

• Chapter 1. The Asset Management Process
• Chapter 2. Establishing an Investment Policy Statement (IPS)
• Chapter 3. Dealing With Change

Module 2. Risk, Return & Investment Performance

• Chapter 1. Risk
• Chapter 2. The Risk/Return Relationship
• Chapter 3. Managing Risk in Portfolios
• Chapter 4. Measuring Investment Performance

Module 3. Asset Allocation & Selection

• Chapter 1. Asset Allocation
• Chapter 2. Asset Classes, Characteristics & Performance
• Chapter 3. Stock Valuation Methods
• Chapter 4. Bond Valuation Methods

Module 4. Investment Strategies

• Chapter 1. The Importance of Strategy
• Chapter 2. Buy-and-Hold: The Benchmark Strategy
• Chapter 3. Timing Strategies
• Chapter 4. The Contrarian Strategy
• Chapter 5. Value Investing
• Chapter 6. Growth Stock Investing
• Chapter 7. Small Stock Investing
• Chapter 8. Active versus Passive Management
• Chapter 9. Bond Strategies
• Chapter 10. The Enemies of Effective Strategy

Module 5. Taxation of Investments

• Chapter 1. Taxes & Investments
• Chapter 2. General Income Tax Principles
• Chapter 3. Taxation of Investment Products

Module 6. Investing for Retirement

• Chapter 1. Assessing Retirement Needs
• Chapter 2. Sources of Retirement Income
• Chapter 3. Accumulating Capital for Retirement
• Chapter 4. Accumulating Retirement Funds in Tax-Deferred Arrangements
• Chapter 5. Retirement Distributions
• Chapter 6. Investment Planning During Retirement

Module 7. Deferred Compensation and Other Benefit Plans

• Chapter 1. Comparison of Qualified versus Nonqualified Plans
• Chapter 2. Methods of Funding
• Chapter 3. Types of Nonqualified Plans Used for Retirement Funding
• Chapter 4. Life Insurance Plans
• Chapter 5. Equity-Based, Incentive Compensation Plans

Module 8. Insurance Products for Investment Clients

• Chapter 1. The Purposes of Life Insurance
• Chapter 2. Measuring the Need for Life Insurance
• Chapter 3. Types of Life Insurance
• Chapter 4. Settlement Options
• Chapter 5. Annuities

Module 9. Estate Planning for Investment Clients

• Chapter 1. The Nature & Objectives of Estate Planning
• Chapter 2. Estate Transfer Taxes
• Chapter 3. Estate Transfer Techniques During Life (inter vivos)
• Chapter 4. Estate Transfer Techniques at Death (Testamentary)
• Chapter 5. Planning for Incapacity

Module 10. Fiduciary, Ethical, and Regulatory Issues for Advisers

• Chapter 1. History of U.S. Financial Regulation
• Chapter 2. Forces Changing Financial Services
• Chapter 3. The Fiduciary Standard
• Chapter 4. Formal Ethical Codes and the Investment Professional