Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) CPE Requirements

How to reach the regulator directly.

IMCA - Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA)
5619 DTC Parkway, Suite 500
Greenwood Village, CO 80111

Tel: (303) 770-3377
Fax: (303) 835-0578
Email: recertification@imca.org

The regulator's own published rules and related resources.

IMCA Continuing Education

The total continuing education hours required.

40 hours.

The detailed rules behind that total -- category minimums, ethics, and other conditions.

For certification renewal periods beginning on or after July 1, 2009: All CIMA professionals must meet the 40-hour CE credit requirement. The 40 CE hours must include two ethics hours and the CE reported must be earned during the current two-year certification renewal period.

For certification renewal periods beginning prior to July 1, 2009: All CIMA professionals must meet the 40-hour CE credit requirement. The 40 CE hours must include two ethics hours and at least 20 IMCA-sponsored hours and the CE reported must be earned during the current two-year certification renewal period. CIMA professionals with six or more years of certification whose current two-year certification renewal period began on or after January 1, 2008, qualify for IMCA's 6+ Rule and do not have to report a minimum IMCA-sponsored CE.

The two ethics continuing education credits may be 'IMCA-sponsored' or 'non-IMCA-sponsored'.

How the reporting cycle is structured.

Biennial.

When a reporting cycle begins.

The certification period begins on the first day of the month that the license is effective, runs for two years, and expires on the last day of the renewal month.

Every subsequent period will begin two years from the previous start date.

How completed credits are reported to the regulator.

There are three requirements to renew the CIMA certification:

1. Complete and report a minimum of 40 hours of continuing education (CE) credit, including 2 ethics hours.
2. Pay a certification renewal fee for the next two-year certification renewal period.
3. Complete a compliance disclosure and indicate continued adherence to IMCA's "Code of Professional Responsibility" and "Rules and Guidelines for Use of the Marks," as well as disclose any federal/state regulatory actions or complaints. CIMA certificants must also adhere to IMCA's "Standards of Practice."

All CE hours must be processed by IMCA and payment and completed disclosure must be submitted before the expiration date to meet the three certification renewal requirements.

IMCA sends several reminders via email and regular mail to certificants in the months and weeks leading up to the certification renewal period expiration date. Six months prior to your certification renewal period end date, you can log in to "My IMCA" and pay the certification renewal fee and complete the compliance disclosure online. You are responsible for reporting CE to IMCA and assuring that it has been posted to your CE record. Please keep a copy of any materials submitted to IMCA for your records and for auditing purposes.

Reporting CE Credits

Each CIMA professional is responsible for reporting CE hours earned for both IMCA-sponsored and non-IMCA-sponsored events. IMCA reserves the right to audit CE submissions at any time, so certificants must retain proof of attendence and any other documentation for all CE submissions. Certificants may check the CE hours that IMCA has accepted toward their certification renewal by logging into their “My IMCA” account online at www.IMCA.org/user.

To Report IMCA-Sponsored CE

• Certificants may visit their “My IMCA” account. Log in and click on “Report IMCA CE” link
• CE records are automatically updated by IMCA for successful completion of IMCA CE broadcasts and Investments & Wealth Monitor quizzes and IMCA Educational Programs

To Report Non-IMCA-Sponsored CE

• Certificants may visit their “My IMCA” account and click the “Report Non- IMCA CE” button. When reporting CE by fax or mail using the CE Submittal Form, certificants should include all documentation required per the form and keep a record of all submissions for auditing purposes
• To report teaching/speaking events to professional audiences, include the documentation of the actual time spent teaching or speaking before a class or professional audience (credit is awarded for a class or speaking engagement only once per accepted topic, per reporting period). Note—presentations to client/ consumer audiences will not be accepted
• To report published articles, submit a copy of the article(s) including documentation of the amount of time spent researching and writing. Note—articles required as part of a certificant’s job responsibilities or normal business procedures will not be accepted

If you have additional questions, please contact IMCA’s Certification Department.

The renewal or reporting deadline.

Individuals must report compliance by the end of each compliance period. Compliance periods will end on the last day of the month in which a licensee has successfully passed his certification course every two year anniversary.

Note that all CE credits hours must be reported by the certification period deadline.

→ Get monthly reminders before this deadline

What happens if the requirement is not met.

All CE hours must be processed by IMCA and payment and signed disclosure must be submitted before the expiration date to avoid losing the CIMA certification. Failure to meet all certification renewal requirements will result in loss of the right to use the CIMA marks. IMCA will issue a certified cease and desist letter to the address of record to all certificants who fail to meet all recertification renewal requirements. Certification renewal requirements may change at the discretion of IMCA's volunteer Certification Committee. CIMA professionals will be notified in advance of any changes.

Reduced or prorated requirements for a first renewal.

The certification period begins on the first day of the month that the license is effective, runs for two years, and expires on the last day of the renewal month.

Who may be excused from all or part of this requirement.

Hardship Leave of Absence

CIMA professionals who are unable to meet the CE requirement because of unusual circumstances may apply for a hardship Leave of Absence (LOA). A certificant seeking a hardship LOA must submit a detailed written request to IMCA's Certification Programs Manager at least 30 calendar days before the certification renewal period expires. Examples of unusual circumstances include, but are not limited to, personal illness, family emergency, pregnancy issues, returning to school, and military duty. Unemployment, job change, or being busy are not considered an unusual circumstance for hardship LOA purposes. IMCA will notify an applicant for hardship LOA in writing of a decision before the renewal period expires. Email recertification@imca.org for more information.

Voluntary Drop

A CIMA professional may choose to drop the certification. A certificant who is not under review by IMCA's Professional Review Board may contact IMCA to relinquish his/her right to the use the certification marks. Please note that any fees paid to the date of the request are nonrefundable. Reinstatement is available pursuant to the guidelines following.

Reinstatement Policy (Updated April 1, 2016):

There are two options available to former CIMA certificants to reinstate their right to use the registered Marks.

Option A: Reinstatement Within 2 Years of Certification Termination:

Continuing Education: A reinstatement application must be submitted within two years of the individual's certification termination notice date. (If more than 2 years have passed from the date of the certification termination notice, reinstatement in only available under Option B.) A reinstatement fee must accompany the application, and the individual must pass a background check for the reinstatement application to be accepted. Up acceptance, the applicant must complete and report 60 hours of CE hours, including 2 hours of ethics. CE hours earned during the last, active two-year certication period can be applied toward the 60 hour reinstatement requirement.

Option B: Reinstatement After 2 Years of Certification Termination:

Certification Examination: A reinstatement application must be submitted with an exam fee. The individual must pass a background check for the reinstatement application to be accepted. Upon acceptance, the applicant must take and pass the current CIMA Certification Examination.

Please contact the Certification Department to obtain a reinstatement application or to ask questions.

Whether unused credits can apply to the next period.

A maximum of 10 excess CE hours that were earned in the last six months of the recertification renewal period may be carried over to the next two-year certification renewal period.

→ CE Tracking calculates carryover for you

Rule changes the regulator has finalized, with effective dates.

Credit for Teaching and Repeat Credit:

• NOTE: February 22, 2012: CeriFi CPEdge has confirmed with the CIMA Board that CE hours earned through teaching and/or speaking is limited to a maximum of 20 hours per year regardless of whether it is IMCA sponsored CE or non-IMCA sponsored CE. In addition, a subject taught repeatedly can only be used for CE credit once every certification reporting period, which is two years. In other words, an individual can only receive credit one time per reporting period.

Credit for Writing:

• NOTE: February 22, 2012: CeriFi CPEdge has confirmed with the CIMA Board that publishing a book is limited to a maximum of 40 hours and can only receive credit one time regardless of whether it is IMCA sponsored or non-IMCA sponsored.

General Characteristics of Accredited Education:

Effective October 1, 2011: The CIMA Board has updated its list of approved CE topics. Refer to the list above.