By James Langton

(March 20 – 11:45 ET) – The Investment Dealers Association has issued a reminder for brokers seeking to be grandfathered from the requirements of the new financial planning proficiency exam.

Although the new financial planning regime proposed by the Canadian Securities Administrators is not being adopted by British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec or Manitoba, the IDA is reminding brokers in provinces that will face the new regime that the deadline for grandfathering is the end of March.

The new rules governing the use of titles that imply financial planning don’t actually take effect until Feb. 15, 2002, but the IDA points out that grandfathering provisions must be met by March 31, 2001.

Brokers who wish to identify themselves as financial planners, and who wish to avoid writing the new common exam being set by the CSA, must be enrolled in one of the qualifying financial planning education programs before March 31.

Naturally, the IDA is touting the Professional Financial Planning Course offered by its educational arm, the Canadian Securities Institute.