Accredited Investment Fiduciary resource hub
AIF® certification, explained.Build your fiduciary knowledge and exam plan.
Check the requirements, practice Organize, Formalize, Implement, and Monitor, and learn how fiduciary decisions apply to advisory and retirement-plan work. Free resources come first; the optional PDF gives you one structured study companion.
Prefer a downloadable plan? Preview the 153-page AIF PDF — $19 once.
Current verified exam facts
80
Questions
70%
Passing score
120 min
Time limit
6 hrs
Annual CE
Based on Fi360's current candidate handbook, exam blueprint, and 2026 recertification guidance.
What this site covers
AIF certification, fiduciary duty, IPS design, committee monitoring, ERISA basics, credential comparisons, and practical exam prep tied to the actual blueprint.
Who it is for
Financial advisors, wealth managers, retirement-plan specialists, RIAs, plan sponsors, investment committee members, and readers evaluating fiduciary responsibility more broadly.
How it is structured
23 articles, a fiduciary-process video, five free practice quizzes, direct official-source links, and clear routes through the questions AIF candidates weigh most.
Choose your path
Start with the question you need answered.
AIF research is easier when you begin with your actual decision: whether the designation fits, how to prepare, how to practice, or how it applies to your work.
Start with the designation
Understand what AIF means, who it fits, and what candidates need before they begin.
Prepare for the exam
Move from the exam structure into domains, a practical study plan, and scenario reasoning.
Practice your reasoning
Use explanation-led questions to test how you apply fiduciary process under pressure.
Compare credentials
Choose based on the work you want to do, not on a generic ranking of designations.
Connect AIF to your role
See where fiduciary-process knowledge matters for advisor careers and plan oversight.
Start here
Core AIF resources
prep
AIF® Exam Retake Policy: Fees, Waiting Period, and Next Steps
The AIF exam retake policy allows another attempt after a three-calendar-day waiting period, charges $75 per retake, and limits candidates to five lifetime exam attempts. Those five include the initial attempt. A retake follows the same examination requirements as the first sitting; passing still leaves the other designation requirements to complete.
Read guide →
comparison
AIF® vs. AIFA®: Requirements, Assessment, and Career Fit
AIF® and AIFA® serve different stages of fiduciary work. AIF develops the foundation for applying a prudent investment process; AIFA develops the ability to assess whether an organization follows that process. AIFA requires an active AIF designation and additional experience, so it is a progression rather than an alternative starting credential.
Read guide →
guide
AIF® Certification: Requirements, Exam, Fees, and Renewal Guide
AIF is a fiduciary-process credential: it tests whether you can apply, document, and monitor prudent investment decisions—not whether you can predict markets.
Read guide →
Video pages
Two indexable video resources with transcripts and audio
These pages are meant to be useful even if the visitor never presses play. Each one includes a hosted video, transcript-style text, FAQ content, and schema.
Video 1
What Is the AIF® Designation?
A short overview of what AIF means, who it is for, and how it connects to fiduciary responsibility and investment governance.
Video 2
Prudent Fiduciary Process Explained
A practical explanation of organize, formalize, implement, and monitor using retirement-plan and advisory examples.
Exam prep
Preparation that stays tied to the blueprint
AIF® Exam Retake Policy: Fees, Waiting Period, and Next Steps
The AIF exam retake policy allows another attempt after a three-calendar-day waiting period, charges $75 per retake, and limits candidates to five lifetime exam attempts. Those five include the initial attempt. A retake follows the same examination requirements as the first sitting; passing still leaves the other designation requirements to complete.
How to Pass the AIF® Exam: A 30-Day Study Plan That Mirrors the Blueprint
The AIF exam rewards applied fiduciary process. This plan turns the blueprint into four weeks of evidence-based drills rather than a vague reading schedule.
AIF® Practice Questions With Answers and Fiduciary Explanations
Use these original scenarios to practice identifying the missing fiduciary process step—not to memorize exam questions or predict Fi360’s live item bank.
AIF Exam Scenario Traps: How to Spot Tempting but Weak Answers
A strong AIF scenario answer does not merely sound sensible. It identifies the next prudent process step that the facts leave unfinished.
Credential decisions
Comparison pages for real practice choices
AIF® vs. AIFA®: Requirements, Assessment, and Career Fit
AIF® and AIFA® serve different stages of fiduciary work. AIF develops the foundation for applying a prudent investment process; AIFA develops the ability to assess whether an organization follows that process. AIFA requires an active AIF designation and additional experience, so it is a progression rather than an alternative starting credential.
AIF® vs. CFP®: Compare the Credential Paths Before You Enroll
AIF is a focused Fi360 fiduciary-process path; CFP certification combines education, examination, experience, and ethics for comprehensive financial planning.
AIF® vs. CFA®: Choose the Right Credential Path Before You Enroll
Choose AIF for a defined fiduciary-process credential path; choose the CFA Program when a three-level investment-analysis program matches your long-term role.
Go deeper with AI
Study with an AI Tutor Built for the AIF® Exam
The native AIF® study coach asks you fiduciary questions, explains process reasoning and the Prudent Investor framework, and identifies exactly where you need more practice — available 24/7.