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What Does a Certified Senior Consultant Do for You?

The designation of certified senior consultant [1] (CSC [1]) describes a certification that indicates knowledge in specific issues which face the aging individuals. These issues include Social Security [2], Medicare, Medicaid planning and housing and retirement concerns. The individuals which a CSC works with usually fall into the age range of 50-70 years.

To gain the title of a certified senior consultant a 30-hour self-study program is completed. The program contains five modules and is offered by the Institute of Business and Finance. Upon completion of the coursework, three final exams are taken. There is a requirement for 15 hours of continuing education annually for the first five years after certification is complete.

The CSC certification is just one of several that have cropped up in the last few years. In fact, the popularity of such designations has exploded as the baby boomer generation is reaching retirement age. While it is understandable that financial advisors want to have numerous professional titles, not all such achievements actually indicate a higher level of competence.

Many seniors have fallen prey to scam artists who claim to be experts after obtaining a specific certification. State regulators have begun to question both the training and the approach taken by less than ethical individuals. Some states are moving to abolish the designation of CSC and several others which are supposed to be specific to the senior demographic.

For now it is probably best to stick to working with a Chartered Senior Financial Planner, a Chartered Life Underwriter or Chartered Financial Consultant, since the level of academic training required is much greater and the designations are well defined.