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By Lyn R. Link, CeM, CSA, CHECMS Let's face it. As a
professional trying to demonstrate integrity and devotion to
your senior clients by going that extra step to gain one or more
professional designations, it is highly unlikely that they will
understand what all those letters behind your name really mean.
After all, a count of the Financial Industry Regulatory
Authority (FINRA) professional designation database indicates 89
different designations. These are just the number of
designations for financial professionals and, according to FINRA,
are not inclusive of all financially-related designations.
When you include all the designations for other professions
such as medical, legal, real estate, and geriatrics, it becomes
overwhelming, confusing, and unreasonable to expect a senior
adult to understand and appreciate the distinctions.
Along with the vast number of designations senior adults are
being bombarded with today, unscrupulous individuals are using
professional designations as a way to gain their trust and to
scam them out of money.
So, should you just give up on gaining a designation?
Absolutely not!
Those who have completed a course, passed an exam, and have
met qualifications to earn a professional designation are likely
to be more competent and provide better service, on average,
than those who haven't.
Typically, businesses will make referrals to professionals
holding a designation, not because it guarantees quality of
service but because it increases the probability they will
provide quality of service.
Although it's true that the public may not understand what
the letters behind your name mean, their perception, especially
among senior adults, of professionals with a designation is
increased.
In the absence of knowledge necessary to make an informed
decision, we all rely upon clues to help us. One such clue is
the appearance of authority, whether real or perceived.
Professional designations convey the appearance of authority,
and that's what makes them more powerful in affecting a
consumer's decision.
A professional designation sets you apart from the
competition and often indicates a higher level of competence and
standard of professionalism.
Professionals with a designation gain a real competitive edge
over their competition by receiving an increased number of
referrals, opening doors of opportunity, and having greater
influence with their clients.
Proof of the increased earning power a designation can bring
may be found in a 2008 survey by the National Association of
Realtors® (NAR). According to NAR, brokers and agents with at
least one designation earned $67,900, while those without a
designation earned only $33,200. This survey concludes that a
professional designation doubles your income.
Professionals who work with senior adults are increasingly
finding it a necessity to demonstrate knowledge about reverse
mortgages. Reverse mortgages continue to grow in popularity year
after year. This continued growth is primarily due to economic
hardships being experienced by senior adults and a growing aging
population.
Reverse mortgages enable homeowners 62 and older to borrow a
portion of the equity in their home with no repayment for as
long as they live in their home.
Funds from a reverse mortgage are being used by seniors in
many ways such as to buy a home, pay for long-term care, make an
investment, provide liquidity for an estate, pay off an existing
mortgage or other debts, and fill the gaps in retirement income.
Professionals who gain a reverse mortgage designation further
distinguish themselves from their competition. After all,
professionals may hold their industry's recognized designation,
but how many have also earned a reverse mortgage designation?
Having a reverse mortgage designation can attract new
clients. This is especially true as seniors turn to
professionals for help with ways to secure their retirement.
Lyn R. Link, CeM, CSA, CHECMS is the founder and president of
the National Reverse Mortgage Education Center (NRMEC), and has
been actively involved in the reverse mortgage industry for over
20 years. NRMEC provides educational resources for professionals
who service the senior adult market. For additional information
on the benefits of a reverse mortgage professional designation,
visit
NRMEC.org
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About the ICFE:
About the
ICFE:
The Institute of Consumer Financial Education (ICFE), founded in 1982 by the
late Loren Dunton (creator of the “certified financial planner” (CFP)
designation) and it is dedicated to helping consumers of all ages to improve
their spending, increase savings and use credit more wisely. The ICFE trains and
certifies Personal Finance Instructors for its own curriculum. It also trains
and certifies Credit Report Reviewers and Identity Theft Prevention Specialists.
The ICFE is an award winning, nonprofit, consumer education organization that
has helped millions of people through its education programs and resources. It
publishes the Do-It-Yourself Credit File correction Guide, now in its 16th
printing and has distributed over one million “Credit/Debit Card Warning Labels”
and “Credit/Debit Card Sleeves” world wide.
The ICFE became an official partner with the Department of Defense/Financial
Readiness Campaign in June of 2004.
The ICFE is also a partner in the national Jump$tart Coalition for Financial
Literacy and the California Jump$tart chapter. The ICFE staff is also active
with San Diego Saves, an offshoot of America Saves, and the California Student
Debt Resource Awareness Project (CASDRAP) (studentdebthelp.org).
The ICFE’s on-line help for consumers who spend too much was featured in PARADE
Magazine in the Intelligence Report section. The money helps and tips are from
“The Money Instruction Book,” a course in personal finance, positioned to become
among the premier programs in the new bankruptcy and debtor education
initiatives.
The ICFE Web site at:
http://www.icfe.info helps consumers with mending spending, learning about
the proper use of credit, budget and expense guidelines, how to set up and
implement a spending-plan and also how to access financial education courses and
videos and how to teach children about money. Other ICFE services include a free
eNewsletter, and an online resource center of financial education learning
tools, including videos, books, software and personal finance courses.
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