Certified Senior Consultant (CSC) Definition

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Julia Kagan is a financial/consumer journalist and former senior editor, personal finance, of Investopedia.

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Updated May 16, 2023
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Certified Senior Consultant (CSC)

Investopedia / Julie Bang

What Was a Certified Senior Consultant (CSC)?

A Certified Senior Consultant (CSC) was a professional with specific knowledge, education, and insight into the unique challenges seniors face with financial planning, investments, and life in general. The designation has since been retired by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

Those that sought this designation had already become financial planners of some sort but wanted to focus on those people in the latter stages of life and nearing retirement.

Key Takeaways

  • The Certified Senior Consultant (CSC) designation was provided by the Institute of Business & Finance (IBF) but is now no longer offered or recognized by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
  • The CSC was a professional with specific knowledge, education, and insight into the unique challenges seniors face with financial planning, investments, and life in general.
  • CSCs had to know about government benefits such as Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, SSI, and veterans’ benefits.

Understanding Certified Senior Consultants (CSCs)

The Certified Senior Consultant (CSC) program was a 30-hour self-study program comprising of five modules totaling 25-30 hours offered by the Institute of Business & Finance (IBF). The course included three final exams administered by the National Association of Securities Dealers and required 15 hours a year of continuing education for the first five years following certification.

After candidates took and passed a series of courses and exams, they understood the older population's intricacies and, by law, were required to put their clients’ interests above all.

In some cases, slowing cognitive development and health conditions can add to the need for good communication between some clients and their counselors. For example, CSCs often helped ailing seniors who may have been facing spending their final years in a nursing home make decisions about selling property and developing a stream of income that covered the high costs of long-term care.

Certified Senior Consultant (CSC) Areas of Knowledge

CSCs also had to know about government benefits such as Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, SSI, and veterans’ benefits. While most people cannot live on these resources alone, they remain crucial in determining the quality of life in later years.

To that end, the six-part program focused on the following topics:

  • Aging and Society
  • Health Transitions as People Grow Older
  • Quality-of-Life Choices for Older Adults
  • Financial and Estate Planning for Age 65 and Older
  • Federal and State Programs for Retirement and Healthcare
  • Essential Ethics for Working with Older Adults
Article Sources
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  1. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. "Certified Senior Consultant (CSC)."

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