| Best For: | Financial advisors seeking to hone critical skills in prospecting, selling, business planning, and product knowledge |
|---|---|
| Commitment: | 12 months |
| Format: | Virtual Learning |
| Tuition: | For NAIFA members, starting at $350 per course with 3-course package available for $900. Non-member tuition is $450 per course and $1,000 for the 3-course package. The additional $100 is applied as first-year NAIFA membership dues |
The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) is the sole owner of the Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow and LUTCF trademark.
NAIFA’s LUTCF® is the training program that has prepared more than 70,000 insurance and financial advisors to survive and thrive in the industry.
Since 1984, the LUTCF® Designation Program has been considered the first designation any insurance professional should earn. When you earn the LUTCF® designation, you receive so much more than a recognized designation. You gain fundamental, yet critical prospecting, selling, and practice-management skills, along with a thorough working knowledge of life and multi-line products and services.
The curriculum integrates four practice specialties – life insurance and annuities, health and employee benefits, multi-line, and financial advising and investments – providing both an overview of each but also addressing their interdependencies, which are critical for agents and advisors to understand when advising clients. Topics cover the real-life issues of today, from multigenerational homes to single-parent households and special needs planning.
The requirements for obtaining the LUTCF designation are as follows:
Successful completion of the three courses that comprise the LUTCF education program is required. As part of the education program, students must view self-paced educational modules and complete student learner guides with input from a mentor. This mentor will be selected by the student or if necessary, NAIFA will select a mentor for the student. All fieldwork assignments for each course module must be completed in no fewer than two and no more than three weeks following the completion of the viewing of Topic content.
Individuals must pass an end-of-course examination covering the content of each educational module. This is a proctored examination that will be administered at testing centers conveniently located throughout the U.S. The examination fee is $375. Individuals must also pass an online test at the end of each of the three LUTCF Courses with a score of 80% or higher.
After the successful completion of the education program, individuals apply for authorization to use the LUTCF designation. This application requires the student to be a member in good standing with NAIFA and to adhere to the NAIFA Code of Ethics.
Students must complete the Designation Application within six months of completing the education program. Failure to complete this component within this time frame will result in termination of the individual’s candidacy.
LUTCF stands for Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow. This designation program has been in existence since 1984. The LUTCF curriculum was recently recreated and consists of self-paced micro-learns that can be accessed from an electronic device. The new program consists of three courses and a final examination. The courses are:
Course 1: Advising Process, Risk Management, and Life Insurance
Course 2: Investment and Protection Products
Course 3: Wealth Management, Retirement Planning, and Estate Planning
NAIFA Membership is required at the time of LUTCF conferment and LUTCF renewal. The designation applicant must be a NAIFA member and attest to a commitment to adhere to the NAIFA Code of Ethics.
When you earn the LUTCF® designation, you receive so much more than a recognized designation. A new agent or advisor will gain fundamental, yet critical prospecting and selling skills, along with a thorough working knowledge of life, financial planning, and multi-line products and services. More than 70,000 insurance professionals know the value of the LUTCF®, which is considered the first credential any agent should earn. Recommended for individuals in the first 1-5 years of their business.
The courses are:
Course 1: Advising Process, Risk Management, and Life Insurance
Course 2: Investment and Protection Products
Course 3: Wealth Management, Retirement Planning, and Estate Planning
Each course takes approximately three to four months to complete.
The requirements for obtaining the LUTCF designation are as follows:
Successful completion of the three courses that comprise the LUTCF education program is required. As part of the education program, students must view self-paced educational modules and complete student learner guides with input from a mentor. This mentor will be selected by the student or if necessary, NAIFA will select a mentor for the student. All fieldwork assignments for each course module must be completed in no fewer than two and no more than three weeks following the completion of the viewing of Topic content.
Individuals must pass an end-of-course examination covering the content of each educational module. This is a proctored examination that will be administered at testing centers conveniently located throughout the U.S. The examination fee is $375. Individuals must also pass an online test at the end of each of the three LUTCF Courses with a score of 80% or higher.
After the successful completion of the education program, individuals apply for authorization to use the LUTCF designation. This application requires the student to be a member in good standing with NAIFA and to adhere to the NAIFA Code of Ethics.
Students must complete the Designation Application within six months of completing the education program. Failure to complete this component within this time frame will result in termination of the individual’s candidacy.
The cost of the LUTCF designation program is $350 per course for a NAIFA member and $450 for non-NAIFA members (includes 1 year of NAIFA membership). The bundled price for all three courses is $900 for members and $1,000 for non-members (includes 1 year of NAIFA membership). The program consists of three courses that are required to sit for the LUTCF examination. The examination fee is $375.
To enroll, visit LUTCF - Click here
Students who successfully fulfill the designation requirements receive a certificate and authorization to use the LUTCF designation. Authorization to use the designation is granted for an initial period of three years. Continued use of the designation requires the designee to renew prior to the end of the authorization period. Subsequent authorization periods are three years in length.
Following the initial conferment of the LUTCF designation in 2025, authorization for continued use of the designation must be renewed every three years at the end of the authorization period. Subsequent authorization periods are three years in length.
Each designee applying for renewal is required to:
Anyone who earned the LUTCF designation prior to 2016 is subject to the program requirements that were in effect at that time. Therefore, these individuals have no renewal requirements to maintain the LUTCF designation.
Those who earned the LUTCF designation between 2016 and 2022 must renew through NAIFA.
2016-2022 designees applying for renewal are required to:
The LUTCF designation is completely within NAIFA’s control. Please disregard any communications from other organizations concerning your LUTCF status or renewal. You may direct any questions to Brendan Bernat at bbernat@naifa.org.
LUTCF® Trademark:
NAIFA owns the registered trademark LUTCF®. Only those individuals who hold the valid LUTCF designation are authorized to use the mark. Unauthorized use of the mark by any individual is prohibited, and NAIFA may take appropriate measures to address all unauthorized use that comes to its attention.
Disclaimer
The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors reserves the right to amend or expand the requirements to obtain or maintain authorization to use the LUTCF designation without notice. Designees are responsible for staying up-to-date and meeting the current standards.
Copyright © 2025 NAIFA
National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) Certification Commission
1000 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1890
Arlington, VA 22209
Phone: 877-866-2432
lutcf@naifa.org
