"Michael Bennett" <michael_bennettxyz[at]hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:160c7b46.0401130920.45f6ecb2[at]posting.google.com...
- quote -

I think your guess is spot on. A lot of companies have sprouted up recently
offering "credentials" for the unwary. They allow "Investment professionals
with at least 5 years of work experience" to skip the first two levels.
That's a sham, IMO.

Brent D. Gardner, ChFC
Chartered Financial Consultant
http://members.cox.net/brentdgardner1378/

"Be ever questioning. Ignorance is not bliss. It is oblivion. You don't go
to heaven if you die dumb. Become better informed. Learn from other's
mistakes. You could not live long enough to make them all yourself." - Hyman
George Rickover (1900-86), Admiral, US Navy, advocated development of
nuclear subs & ships

The Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and Chartered Financial Consultant
(ChFC), designations owned and exclusively offered by The American College,
signify the highest standards of academic study and professional excellence
in the financial services industry.

Has anyone ever heard of a new certification called Licensed
International Financial Analyst(LIFA)? It is offered by an outfit
called The International Research Association (IRA). Information is
here: http://www.the-ira.org

The LIFA exam is a three-stage exam and they try to compare themselves
to the CFA. They will waive the first two stages/exams if you have an
MBA, CPA, CFA, etc. and register by a certain date. I cannot determine
the credibility of the organization. It seems like a certification
mill but I am not 100% certain. The word "licensed" in the
certification concerns me. Once they award the certification, there
are no containing education requirements. The address of IRA is
"Harvard Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts". Are they trying to
legitimize themselves with this address? This could all be perfectly
legitimate but I do have a suspicious nature. Anyone? Thanks.

Mike

Please remove the "xyz" if you want to respond to me personally.
Thanks.