Certification and Designation. Knowledge Bureau awards certificates to graduates who have demonstrated verifiable workplace skills in their individual vocations. Students may also enter a designation program, either directly or indirectly, to learn a body of knowledge leading to expertise in an area of specialization.
Indirect Entry - Declaring a Specialty. Students may enter certain designation programs (DMA™, DFA-Specialist™, MFA™) indirectly, by taking their required certificate courses one course at a time. In that case, they may declare a specialty and earn a designation after completing 6 courses or 180 hours of certificate training. Four of these courses must be chosen from a specific area of specialization and two from any other area. A designation declaration fee is required to process this application ($395).
Designation Program Selections. Successful graduates demonstrate they have met knowledge proficiencies, ethical and professional standards by successfully passing skills-based examinations. Knowledge Bureau students are licensed to use the following marks:
RWM-Real Wealth Manager™ - Graduates of this program hold themselves out as the steward of a multi-generational plan attended by a team of professional advisors to meet the needs of a family stakeholder group. Direct entry only.
DMA-Distinguished Master Advisor™ - Recommended for students who are seeking to broadened their knowledge in all technical aspects of tax, accounting and wealth management areas, courses are chosen from a broad spectrum of curriculum. Direct or indirect entry. Requires 6 30-hour courses.
DFA-Personal Tax or Accounting Services Specialist™ - Graduates of these two areas of specializations hold themselves out in the marketplace as personal tax or accounting advisors with deep, specialized expertise in tax preparation (personal, proprietorships, trusts), bookkeeping and accounting services. Direct or indirect entry. Requires 6 30-hour courses.
MFA-Business or Retirement and Estate Services Specialist™ - Graduates of these two programs specialize in in tax, retirement, and estate services for owner-managers within a holistic wealth management framework. Direct or indirect entry. Requires 6 30-hour courses.
MFA-P-Philanthropic Services Specialist™ - Graduates of this program work in a collaborative team (charity, financial advisor, accountant, legal advisor and client) to development and monitor strategic philanthropic giving. Direct Entry Only.
FDFS-Fellow of Distinguished Financial Services™ - These professionals are recognized for their outstanding contribution to their field of specialization through the acquisition and stewardship of knowledge skills, ethical and regulatory compliance and mentorship of others. You may apply for fellowship after the achievement of the following:
- Designation with Knowledge Bureau, in one of the programs above.
- Educational mentorship path: volunteering to do each of the following within one academic year, July to June:
- Beta testing of one certificate course (15 hours)
- Writing of 10 articles in your area of specialization for Knowledge Bureau Report (6 hours)
- Webinar presentation for 5 online courses (5 hours)
- Total: 30 hours qualifies for Knowledge Bureau CE Credits
Teaching pathway: Presentations at 4 CE Summits (2-1 hour sessions). 30 CE Credits
Course Components and Personalized Student Support Included. All study materials, lesson plans, Knowledge Journal, software, applicable financial calculators, quizzes, instructor support, use of the extensive research library, Evergreen Explanatory Notes is included in the tax deductible tuition fees, as well as a complimentary subscription to Knowledge Bureau Report, to stay up-to-date with breaking tax and economic news.
Educational Support Services. Students may tap into personal email support from faculty members; a reasonable number of questions are included at no extra charge. In some cases, students require more support and may opt to pay for tutoring or attend the CE Summits, workshops or conferences offered by Knowledge Bureau for peer-to-peer networking and live/virtual instruction.
New Effective 2022. The title “financial advisor” is being regulated in Ontario. An approved credential from an approved credentialing body is required in the province of Ontario as a minimum standard to use the title “financial advisor” or “financial planner”. Evidence of an approved credential from an approved credentialling body must be provided to use those titles or any similar variations.
Some graduates from Knowledge Bureau Designation Programs may be affected by these rules in Ontario and must change the way they hold out their titles and designations, as follows.
- Graduates who hold the DFA, MFA and MFA-P designations must indicate their title before attaching their designations behind their names. Examples:
- Joe Smith, Tax Accountant, MFA-Business Services Specialist
- Jane Smith, Chief of Administration, MFA-P-Philanthropic Services Specialist
- Sanjit Kumar, Senior Bookkeeper, DFA-Accounting Services Specialist
- Transitional Rules. Those who earned their designations prior to January 1, 2022 must make these changes by the end of 2023; those who have earned the designations since January 1, 2022 must comply immediately.
Practice Management Framework. Designates are trained in the Real Wealth Management™ framework, which teaches a strategy for multi-disciplinary collaboration with other professionals and a consistent process to enhance the Know Your Client process used in the financial services. This enables the development of a strategic approach to joint decision-making with clients in providing tax, retirement, estate, succession and other required financial services. The RWM™ processes focuses on four pillars of practice: the accumulation, growth, preservation and transition of sustainable family wealth, which is defined to mean, after taxes, inflation and fees.
Standards of Conduct. Holders of registered marks licensed by Knowledge Bureau are held to a high standard of professional conduct and continuing education requirements after graduation. To that end, it is necessary to relicense the use of their designation marks on an annual basis. The academic year for these purposes is July 1 to June 30. See Standards of Conduct.