RESUMELANGUAGE

Questions and Answers About Continuing Education and Insurance Licenses in the State of Florida

Question: Who is required to complete continuing education courses in order to maintain their licenses?

Answer: In order to maintain a license the following licensees are required to take continuing education courses as required by the Florida Department of Financial Services: adjustors (public, independent, and employees of insurance companies), customer representatives, and insurance agents who self, general lines (property and casualty insurance), personal lines, health only, industrial fire or burglary, life and health, life including variable annuity, and life including variable annuity and health agents, life only, limited surety, motor vehicle insurance agents (physical damage and mechanical breakdown), professional bail bondsmen, surplus lines, and title agents.

Question: When am I required to take intermediate and advanced level continuing education courses?

Answer: Once you have been licensed for six years, you can no longer take beginner level continuing education courses, meaning from then on, you are required to take only intermediate and advanced level courses.

Question: I am a non-resident Florida licensee living in the state of Michigan. My status shows that I am out of compliance in Florida. How do I meet compliance in Florida?

Answer: In order to meet compliance, you’ll need to verify your home state, which in your case is Michigan, and update your CE compliance. You can do this by requesting a letter of certification from the state of Michigan verifying that you meet compliance. You can also request a copy of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ database showing your active resident license status. You won’t be considered ‘out of compliance’ until 45 days after your compliance date so you’ll need to wait to send your letter until after your compliance cycle has ended.

Question: I took a course online but it isn’t showing up on my transcript. What do I do?

Answer: Your continuing education provider has 20 days after you’ve completed your course to submit course credit for you. If they have no submitted your course credit after the 20 day period, you should contact the provider directly. If you still have problems, you can call the Florida Department of Financial Services at 850-413-3137.

Question: I’m changing my adjustor license from one adjustor to another adjustor license. How does this affect me meeting CE compliance? What are the dates and requirements of compliance?

Answer: Your compliance period will remain the same and your requirements will not change if you switch from one adjustor type to another.…

An Online Continuing Education Insurance Course – Will It Be Right For You?

With today’s numerous demands of our time, attempting to keep up with the insurance continuing education prerequisites sometimes feels out of the question. Yet, complying with the licensing regulations to your state and staying current with today’s laws and processes is needed in the insurance industry. So what can be an easy solution to do this? Without doubt web based classes come to mind as they can be achieved anywhere whenever you want, as long as you have access to the internet. But what features is best to find in selecting an online course? Listed here are suggestions for you to think about.

1) The online continuing education insurance site should present each of the courses and materials you must have for all of the 50 states. This is very important therefore you aren’t required to go to different sites, depending upon the course, which makes this inconvenient for you personally. A good provider knows the prerequisites for any state and will present you with these details as well.

2) Different people have different styles of acquiring knowledge, not to mention different lifestyles. A reliable provider should accommodate you, not the other way round. They must provide you with supplies in different formats including visual, audio download, and even, printed form. Currently, material downloadable to an iPod, Music player or CD certainly are a must.

3) Classes must be created so that people in the course can choose if they choose to complete it fairly quickly or over several weeks or a few months. Being able to login to a system, as many times as they want, and proceed right where they left off is definitely a necessity. This feature reduces frustration and a lot of wasted time.

4) The materials should really be comprehensive, easy to understand, and all-inclusive so they can allow people in the course to pass the test, as in the end that is the objective of any continuing education course. On the other hand, when enrollees do not successfully pass the exam, for whatever reason, they must be permitted to retake it as frequently as they really need to so that they can successfully pass the course.

5) After deciding to buy an internet based course, the course provider should certainly offer prompt test outcomes and handle almost any interaction and licensing requirements with the state certification board directly (some states do not allow this). The student must not have to take care of these typically irritating requirements, and a lot of paperwork, whatsoever. Additionally, the paperwork must be executed automatically in just a couple of days at no extra cost.

6) Lastly, though extremely vital, an individual taking a continuing education insurance online course should promptly receive their proof for completing any exam. The provider will need to produce them with certificates of Completion which should be down loadable and printable instantly. If your student needs future access, in the event that evidence is essential or they forgot to print the proof, it must be obtainable then also.

This is simply not a comprehensive list, but it should provide you with some initial tips to provide help to pick an internet-based continuing education insurance provider to satisfy your annual requirements in a very flexible, user friendly manner.…

Engineering Continuing Education – What Are Professional Development Hours?

Suppose in a few months you will be renewing your Professional Engineering license. Going through the checklist, you notice that you need a few more engineering continuing education credits. Oh no, there is not enough time left to register for a college class or find a convention or seminar in your local area. What are you going to do? What about online? Are there any websites offering engineering continuing education courses? Yes there are. You have found several websites, but will your State Licensure Board accept the courses? And what is the difference between a Continuing Education Unit (CEU) and Professional Development Hour (PDH)?

Many engineers with a Professional Engineer license obtain their technical and managerial skills by mostly attending professional monthly meetings, which generally accumulate 0.5 PDH per meeting, and either attending conferences or seminars, where 1 or more PDHs are offered for each presentation. At least 30 states require continuing education units with the minimum requirement usually 15 PDHs per year or 30 PDHs every two years. The courses have to be related to engineering and can be on topics that are technical, ethical, or managerial. According to the National Society of Professional Engineers, one acceptable activity to earn PDHs is attending continuing education courses. Online courses are usually acceptable in all states, but a few states do limit the number of online courses. Five states (New York, Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Oklahoma) require the State Licensure Board to pre-approval of PDH sponsors. Licensees should look into their state’s requirements.

Licensed engineers, on a voluntary or mandated basis, attend continuing education courses not only for licensure renewal but also to ensure competency. These engineers earn Professional Development Hours (PDH) for attending these courses. A Professional Development Hour is considered one contact hour of course work of either instruction or presentation. The licensee is responsible for maintaining records to be used to support credits claimed. Currently, 30 of the 50 states mandate ongoing education to maintain competency for licensed engineers.

1 Continuing Education Unit (CEU) = 10 Professional Development Hours (PDH)

Examples:

1 hour luncheon with presentation 0.05 CEUs = 0.5 PDHs

1 day seminar granting 0.7 CEUs = 7 PDHs

1.5 day seminar granting 1 CEU = 10 PDHs

2 day seminar granting 1.3 CEUs = 13 PDHs

3 day seminar granting 2 CEUs = 20 PDHs

In this article we have discussed what a professional development hour is for engineers. Many states are requiring that engineers attend these courses to stay current in their area of expertise. For the most part engineers are required to qualify and document the course they have completed each renewal period. In our rapidly changing industry completing the appropriate course can be the difference between an employed and an unemployed engineer.…

Veterinary School Continuing Education

If you are thinking about becoming a vet tech, you should learn about veterinary school continuing education now, so you will know what you’re getting into. This is a highly rewarding career, and if you are passionate about animals you should have no problem with getting the required education to best serve your clients and their pets. The two years of schooling and state examinations that are required to get your professional license are just the beginning, though. Depending on what state you live in, you may also need to complete continuing education through an accredited school to stay on top of the latest advancements and continue to work in this field.

Many states now require veterinary technicians to complete a minimum 16 hours of continuing education courses in order to renew your license every two years. Some states require as many as 30 hours. This coursework might include college credit courses, seminars or workshops. It may seem like a lot, but this continuing education really helps ensure that vet techs are prepared to meet the demands of tomorrow and best care for the animals that they see everyday. As long as you’re always on the lookout for eligible education opportunities you should have no problem finding plenty of courses, seminars or workshops that fit with your schedule.

There are many different ways to fulfill the veterinary school continuing education requirements for vet techs. You can take courses at local community colleges or even through an online university from the comfort of home. You can also contact the American Veterinary Medicine Association for more information about continuing education opportunities in your area. These courses should provide information about new technologies, procedures and equipment and give you a chance to brush up on the skills that you learned during your first degree program. This may include anesthesia, dentistry, lab work, nutrition information, radiography, record-keeping, surgical methodologies and more.

It is important to continue your education throughout your career as a veterinary technician. This will ensure that you are always on top of your game and providing the best care possible.…

Continuing Education: The Importance of Reading for the Professional Musician

If you are anything like me, I was thrilled when I graduated from college that I would not have to sit in a classroom again on a regular basis. I imagined my days filled with lots of time to practice and perform. What a wistful dream that was! As I continue on my own professional journey, I am continually reminded of how important it is to continue learning at all cost.

Musicians are eternally aware of the necessity of regular practice. We thrive on the opportunity to appear on stage and share our music with an audience. When we think about it, our education involved so much more than just practice and performance. Why would we think the reading, writing and listening that occurred during those formative years are less important to our continued growth?

I love to read fiction. It’s my major method of relaxation and escape. I do not find the same enjoyment reading about music. Biographies, articles, and reviews can feel as though they are work and needed to be read with an analytical and intellectual eye. Since I have recognized my feelings toward reading this material, I treat it as part of my work. I schedule time each day to do a little of it and don’t read while on vacation or taking a day off.

It’s impossible to read everything that comes across my desk that I think is valuable. Here’s a brief description of the types of reading that I try to include in my weekly reading times.

Books: I am fascinated with composer biographies and spend the majority of my lecture time at the community college devoted to this material. When I read a new biography on a composer, I tend to rework the corresponding lectures. This helps to keep my lectures fresh, but it can also be distracting from other pressing tasks during the school term. When possible, I limit my reading of new biographies to the school breaks.

I continue to consult books throughout the year, however. They serve as a first stop whenever I am doing any type of research. What I find is that as I read the passages indicated in the index related to my topic, I get a sense of the author’s writing style as well as the depth and breadth of the material. Usually I have a good sense of whether I want to read the entire work or allow it to maintain its status as a research tool. Those books I discover that I do want to read are placed on my active reading list that I consult when choosing my next reading goal.

Blogs: What I miss most about school is the opportunity to share ideas with others in my field and listen to their thoughts. Open dialogue about issues directly related to the field of music is an invaluable tool for personal development. Every morning begins with a reading of the blogs that I follow. Rarely do I comment on the post right away. I enjoy allowing the ideas to simmer in my mind throughout the day. This way I find the thoughts of another author sparking new ideas in me; very often these new ideas find their way here to be developed.

I include blogs outside of the musical realm in my daily reading as well. I was surprised at how often an article about reading, crafting, cooking, or children have given me inspiration that improves my musicianship.

Reading blogs are not the only way the blogosphere has a positive influence on the musician. In the coming days I’ll tell you why I find writing a blog so valuable as well.

Magazines and Journals: I neglected periodicals for far too long because I always seemed to be interrupted while reading the articles. I also felt that there was simply too much material to read each month to make my subscription worth the cost.

Currently I organize journals into three categories: 1) must read entirely; 2) scan and read selections; 3) want to read. At the moment, there are only two magazines in the first category: Clavier Companion and Worship Leader. These two works keep me grounded in the major areas of responsibilities that I currently hold as a pianist. When my copy ofAmerican Music Teacher arrives, I scan it quickly and identify the articles I want to found itself in this category because many of the blogs I follow are pedagogical in nature and this was one way to allow additional reading in other areas. The list of magazines I would like to read constantly changes. Opera News is currently at the top of the list since I am playing more and more opera scenes and this is a genre about which …

Continuing Education Psychologists Need

Being in the field of psychology necessitates knowledge in a variety of areas. Continuing education psychologists need is often required for them to keep their license if they have a clinical practice. If you are in this field you may even be a teacher. Much of the knowledge gained with a psychology degree is very important for teachers.

If you are a teacher with a degree in the field of psychology then you are not likely to be required to take the same type of continuing education psychologists are required to have. This does not mean that you as a teacher should ignore expanding your knowledge. The school where you work may require some continued learning anyway. Being a teacher is a field that necessitates a broad range of knowledge even if you are only teaching one subject.

Even though you may already have a psychology degree, as a teacher it would not hurt to learn even more in this field. Working with kids can do a number on the brain of a teacher. It is important for a teacher to really understand his or her students and the age group that they are teaching. Knowing the different stages of how students think will help you a great deal as a teacher. Courses in continuing education psychologists need might be a benefit to you as a teacher as well.

Taking these courses will also look good on your resume in case you decide to change directions in your career. You could have the opportunity to become a social worker, counselor, or even a psychologist. The more courses that you have under your belt in this field, the better it will look to prospective employers.

As a teacher, you should also be reading all of the time. You could do some of this reading in topics of psychology to help you have more insight into your students. Some institutes that offer courses in continuing education psychologists use may also offer a magazine with topics in psychology and even in other topics that pertain to what you need to learn. Getting a subscription to one of these magazines may be helpful for you so that you do not have to necessarily take a course.

If you think you are too busy for extra courses, you may be right. Teachers can be very busy with making tests, grading papers, as well as having the extra-curricular activities that often come up. If you do have an hour a day though that is free, you probably have time for an online class. You might not even have to do an hour a day. You might have more time in one day, and you may be able to put in more time during that day.

Whatever the case, as a teacher, you should keep learning. Your students will appreciate it, and they will respect you for being knowledgeable in your subject matter as well as in how to deal with them.…

Quick Tax CPE Covering Unusual Deductions

“Is it deductible?” is the most common question asked of tax professionals. Enrolled agent continuing education requirements keep those with the EA designation on top of essential tax matters. Tax deductions arise from home ownership, charitable giving, medical costs, casualty losses, and business. Sometimes an unusual expenditure is tax deductible because of its association with one of these categories.

You may be left scratching your head over some potential tax deductions even after completing EA continuing education. But, as an enrolled agent, you are expected to possess the highest level of tax knowledge. Here are some not too unusual situations involving tax deductions.

Don’t expect the family pet to provide someone with any tax deductions. However, there are instances where an animal is tax-deductible. One such situation involves guard dogs. Such dogs have to involve a business purpose to qualify as a tax deduction.

Therefore, your enrolled agent ethics course become applicable when assuring that business income is only reduced by ordinary and necessary expenses. A tax-deductible guard dog must protect inventory, livestock, or other business property. If the dog qualifies, you can depreciate its original cost plus all, um, “operating expenses” for the dog – such as food and veterinary care.

Another type of tax-deductible animal is a seeing eye dog. The cost of a medically necessary guide dog is fully deductible in the purchase year; no need to depreciate over the dog’s useful life. Costs for training and maintaining a guide dog are also included in medical expenses for determining tax deductions. Limitations apply to the deduction of medical expenses, as covered in your tax CPE.

Medical assistance is applicable to any service animal. Seeing eye pigs do actually exist. In addition, the tax rules apply to anyone using an animal to assist with physical limitations, not just the visually impaired.

The key factor in ethics CPE is that all income is taxable regardless of its source. For example, individuals must report income from illegal activities on their tax returns. As a consequence, taxpayers may deduct legal fees for criminal defense of illegal activities that produced taxable income. Tax professionals should remember this when preparing tax returns for thieves or extortionists.

Every taxpayer is entitled to deduct interest payments for two homes. Even a boat that has sleeping, cooking and sanitation facilities qualifies as a home. Therefore, interest paid on a loan obtained to purchase or improve a houseboat is tax-deductible. The lender should have a security interest in the boat. Of course, taxpayers must itemize deductions in order to qualify for deducting the houseboat interest expense.

IRS Circular 230 Disclosure

Pursuant to the requirements of the Internal Revenue Service Circular 230, we inform you that, to the extent any advice relating to a Federal tax issue is contained in this communication, including in any attachments, it was not written or intended to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (a) avoiding any tax related penalties that may be imposed on you or any other person under the Internal Revenue Code, or (b) promoting, marketing or recommending to another person any transaction or matter addressed in this communication.…