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April 14, 2000
TO: ADVERTISING COMPLIANCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE No. 13-00
AUDIT COMMITTEE No. 5-00
BROKER/DEALER ASSOCIATE MEMBERS No. 5-00
COMPLIANCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE No. 17-00
CONTINUING EDUCATION/TRAINING MEMBERS No. 5-00
DIRECT MARKETING COMMITTEE No. 7-00
HUMAN RESOURCES MEMBERS No. 5-00
INVESTMENT ADVISER MEMBERS No. 12-00
OPERATIONS MEMBERS No. 9-00
PENSION MEMBERS No. 22-00
PRIMARY CONTACTS - MEMBER COMPLEX No. 27-00
PUBLIC INFORMATION COMMITTEE No. 15-00
RESEARCH COMMITTEE No. 8-00
SALES FORCE MARKETING COMMITTEE No. 7-00
SEC RULES MEMBERS No. 26-00
SHAREHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE No. 7-00
RE: NEW TRAINING COURSES ON RETIREMENT PLANS AND IRAS
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The Investment Company Institute is pleased to introduce two new computer-based training courses:
Retirement Plans: Basic Training provides a detailed overview of the fundamentals of tax-qualified
retirement plans. This 3- to 4-hour course consists of interactive software divided into 14 modules, a
series of final exercises (some with an option for audio), an online glossary and three job aids. Topics
include the general characteristics of retirement plans, retirement plan regulations, an exploration of
the differences between tax-qualified and nonqualified retirement plans, types of tax-qualified
retirement plans (including those commonly offered by both larger and smaller-company employers)
and retirement plan distributions and loans.
IRAs: Basic Training provides a detailed overview of Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs). This 1½-
to 2-hour course consists of interactive courseware divided into eight modules, a series of final
exercises (some with an option for audio), an online glossary and three job aids. Topics include the
three types of IRAs: traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs and Education IRAs; IRA distributions; and the
fundamentals of IRA recharacterizations and conversions.
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The course exercises include simulated telephone conversations between investors and retirement
planning specialists and between 401(k) plan participants and benefits coordinators. The exercises also
provide trainees with the opportunity to work with hypothetical advertisements and sales literature
related to retirement plans and IRAs. Upon completion of these courses, trainees should be prepared to
answer investor questions about retirement plans and IRAs and to draft retirement plans-related sales
literature.
Both courses are designed for employees of mutual fund groups, banks, brokerage firms, service
providers to mutual funds and others who want to learn about retirement plans and IRAs. If the courses
are purchased together, a price discount applies. Please note that these new courses replace the
Institute’s existing Retirement Plans & IRAs: Basic Training course.
An order form and flyers providing more detailed information about the courses’ subject matter, pricing
information and the technical requirements are enclosed. In addition, sample screens and downloadable
demonstrations of the courses are available on the Institute’s member-only website at
http://members.ici.org.
If you have any questions about the course or about other Institute training resources, please contact me
at 202/326-5883 (brenner@ici.org) or Judy Lee at 202/218-3575 (jlee@ici.org).
Linda Brenner
Director, Operations & Training
Enclosures