Becoming a successful investor is not something you can do overnight; it takes time to learn the ropes and develop your skills. Ultimately it could make sense to pursue a qualification in a relevant field, especially if you want to make your capabilities marketable and manage investments for others.
For any aspiring investors out there, here are just a handful of the best certifications to consider acquiring and the skills that will go along with them.
Certified Public Accountant
Becoming licensed as a CPA will give you the credentials you need to prove to prospective clients, and indeed to yourself, that you are clued up on the ins and outs of money management in a professional context.
In some senses this is the baseline qualification that will open up new doors to you if you want to launch a career in finance and ultimately specialise in investment. You can take advantage of the AIS-CPA guide to find out more about this qualification and the other options that are available.
Chartered Financial Analyst
As a certified CFA you will be taking a step up in the world of investment, embracing the abilities needed to manage portfolios, adhere to industry standards and best practices, assess the quality of investment opportunities and much more besides.
All of this will feed into your understanding of economics and allow you to better judge the ebb and flow of the business world in a wider socio-political context. Being able to do this will let you make important insights that will in turn throw up fresh investment opportunities that you might have otherwise overlooked. A well-chosen investment can change lives and even save celebrities from financial ruin, after all.
Qualified Investor
This is a more nebulous term than either of the concrete certifications mentioned so far, but it is no less worthy of investigation. Also referred to as an ‘accredited investor’, this title is effectively one which is bestowed automatically onto individuals who meet the minimum requirements laid out by the SEC.
A qualified investor is essentially anyone with a high net worth who has both the means and the understanding to take on investments which might be too complex or risky for average earners. If you meet the criteria, which include having a net worth of over $1 million or earning more than $200,000 annually, then you will be able to tap into opportunities that would otherwise be off the table.
The definition changes from nation to nation and there are often different legal precedents determining what rights and opportunities are afforded to qualified investors. This is worth keeping in mind if you plan to make investments outside of the US.
Investment Adviser Compliance Certification Program
Targeted at those who want to check up on investment advisers and make sure they are not shirking their responsibilities to provide effective, ethical guidance, an IACCP qualification has lots of benefits.
Of course this approach is most appropriate for anyone who has an interest in the regulatory side of the industry, so may not be suitable for people looking to actively invest in the short term.