OSAM-Formations
Consultation

Practical preparation training For the examination

Financial Advisor
with Federal Certificate

For exam success
the federal diploma for financial advisers.

Duration

15 months of training: hybrid, online and face-to-face

Start

Choose between our February, May or September start dates.

Approach

High-level active trainers and personalised teaching.

Schooling

CHF 12,900. Reimbursed to 50% by the confederation*.

Context and issues

In a financial environment that is constantly changing, with increased regulation, more complex products and more stringent requirements under the new Financial Services Act (LSFin), mastery of all aspects of financial advice has become a strategic imperative for all professionals in the sector. Today, the Swiss federal diploma for financial advisers is the benchmark qualification recognised by the Swiss Confederation for private client advisers. It attests to the ability to support clients throughout their financial life cycle, from wealth accumulation and retirement planning to estate planning and the management of family contingencies (marriage, divorce, inheritance).

This federal qualification also provides official recognition of the specialist knowledge and rules of conduct required by the Financial Services Act, making it an essential prerequisite for any advisor wishing to work in compliance with the Swiss legal framework. In a market where credibility and regulatory compliance are major competitive differentiators, obtaining this qualification represents a career investment with a high return: professional recognition, client legitimacy, access to positions of responsibility in banks, insurance companies and independent firms. OSAM has positioned itself as a preparation partner for this demanding exam, offering structured training delivered by experienced practitioners and rigorously aligned with the official directives in force.

Your comments

Programme

STEP 1 - Financial adviser diploma

Conditions for admission to the final examination for the federal diploma

Module 1: Heritage (written exam)

Building up and investing private assets, financial instruments and investment products, investment strategies according to risk profile, calculating returns and performance, legal framework applicable to investment advice and financial services, advisers' duties of care and conduct.

Module 2: Pensions (written exam)

Architecture of the Swiss pension system (1st, 2nd and 3rd pillars), capital-accumulating pension provision, cover for life risks (invalidity, death), planning for early or deferred retirement, calculating pension gaps, BVG buy-backs, vested benefits, pillars 3a and 3b.

Module 3: Insurance (written exam)

Personal insurance (life, disability, sickness), property and wealth insurance, qualified life insurance and its tax and inheritance specificities, analysis of the insurance needs of a private household, cover for professional and personal risks.

Module 4: Real estate (written exam)

Buying a home, mortgage financing, calculating financial capacity and eligible expenses, direct and indirect amortisation, civil and tax consequences, deductibility of maintenance and renovation work, early withdrawal of housing provident funds (EPL).

STEP 2 - Brevet fédéral: Preparing for the final exam

On the basis of validated Diploma modules

Block A: In-depth Wealth and Financial Planning (online exam)

Revision and deepening of wealth management knowledge, incorporation of current legal requirements, practice MCQs on regulatory and technical knowledge, application to complex client situations.

Block B: In-depth study of pensions (online exam)

Advanced retirement planning, special situations (divorce, death of spouse, early retirement, gifts, inheritance), advice for the self-employed (voluntary AVS, voluntary occupational pension provision, pillar 3a), interaction between the pillars, pension and capital calculations.

Block C: Comprehensive and integrated financial planning (written exam)

Handling of complete client cases simultaneously integrating asset, pension, insurance and property aspects. Structured advice methodology, drafting of well-argued recommendations, applied financial calculations using official formulas.

Block D: Preparation for the oral exam (oral exam)

Simulation of advisory interviews in front of a panel of judges, presentation and argumentation of a personalised financial plan for a fictitious client, handling objections, professional advisory posture, training in financial communication and teaching. Individual debriefing sessions.

  • SKILLS ACQUIRED

  • Overall financial planning
  • Expert wealth management advice
  • Pension strategy
  • Insurance risk analysis
  • Controlled property financing
  • LSFin compliance assured
  • Support in family situations
  • Optimised estate management
  • Structured independent advice
  • Professional customer interview
Simon Pawolleck

Let's discuss your training project!

Simon Pawolleck - Training Director

They train with us

OSAM Customers - Companies

FAQ

To be admitted to the final examination for the federal diploma, candidates must :

  • Have successfully completed the four written modules for the IAF Diploma in Financial Advisers (wealth, pensions, insurance, real estate), these modules are the regulatory admission requirement.
  • Be domiciled in Switzerland (condition for federal subsidies)
  • Register for the exam by the deadline set by the IAF (online registration, deadline must be respected)

Equivalences may be granted on explicit request at the time of registration, on presentation of the corresponding diploma. The list of equivalences is available at iaf.ch.

This course is aimed at employees of financial institutions (banks, insurance companies, fiduciaries, tax consultancy firms), as well as independent advisers and intermediaries involved in advising customers and selling financial and pension products.

More specifically, it targets :

  • The bank customer advisers, from retail to private banking
  • The employees of life insurance companies in customer contact
  • The independent financial intermediaries (AGF, brokers, asset managers)
  • Experienced middle-aged advisers who want to validate their experience with a recognised certification after several years of practice without any formal training.

Examination sessions for the Swiss Federal Certificate in Financial Advice are held at the following locations every year in June. The registration fee is CHF 1,000 for the full examination.

The exam is organised by IAF (Community of interest for training in the financial sector).
Candidates registered with the IAF will be informed of the locations of the examinations, which have historically been in German-, French- and Italian-speaking Switzerland.
The exact dates 2026 and 2027 are available in the official documents on iaf.ch (IAF Exam dates 2026 - version 5).

This course can be fully customised (content, format, language). Contact us for a free quote.

The final examination for the federal diploma consists of three separate parts:

Online exam -> MCQs covering regulatory, technical and behavioural knowledge (LSFin, rules of the road).

Written examination -> Case study in comprehensive financial planning. Candidates deal with a complete client situation, integrating wealth, pension provision, insurance and inheritance aspects. A collection of IAF formulas, which can be downloaded from iaf.ch, is permitted in all parts of the exam; candidates may bring it in printed form. 

Oral examination -> Mock advisory interview with a panel of two IAF experts. The candidate presents and argues a personalised financial plan for a fictitious client, demonstrating his/her advisory, analytical and communication skills. A video presentation documenting the oral examination is available on the IAF website. A video presentation documenting the oral examination is available on the IAF website. The IAF examination fee is CHF 1,000.00 (for all modules).

For more information, contact us!

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