New learning science data shows why completion rates and actual learning outcomes are two very different things - and what financial professionals deserve instead
OVERLAND PARK, KS / ACCESS Newswire / May 19, 2026 / Here's a number that should concern every compliance leader and every adviser who cares about doing their job well: within 24 hours of finishing a training session, the average person forgets 70% of what they just learned.
That finding comes from the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve, a foundational piece of research in cognitive science that has been studied and replicated since the 1880s, and in PMC/National Library of Medicine. Within one hour of completing a course, learners have already forgotten roughly half of it. Within a month, up to 90% is gone. It explains something a lot of advisers already know from personal experience: clicking through continuing education for financial professionals and, unfortunately, retaining the information are two very different things.
A 2024 study from the Learning and Performance Institute found that active learners who engage through practice, real-world scenarios, and applied examples retained 93.5% of content, compared to 79% for passive learners. On actual test scores, active learners performed 54% better. Engagement was 16 times higher.
"There's a real difference between an adviser who has finished their CE and the one who learned from it," says Kimberly Flewelling, National Securities Expert for A.D. Banker. "When advisers understand why a regulation exists, not just that it exists, they handle client situations differently. That's what a good education offers. Checking a box doesn't make you memorable to your clients either."
For compliance leaders, this matters beyond the classroom. Advisers who don't retain what they learned are more likely to misapply regulations in client situations, create documentation gaps, and expose firms to audit risk. That risk often comes down to a gap between what people said they learned and what they can actually apply in practice.
A.D. Banker's IAR CE courses are built on a different model of active learning CE. Content is tied to real scenarios advisers encounter with clients, not abstract regulatory summaries. That means assessments test application, not just recall. Learning paths are organized around professional roles and decades of research, so advisers build skills that are directly relevant to their actual work, creating truly effective CE training.
The NASAA 12-credit annual requirement includes six hours in Products & Practice and six in Ethics & Professional Responsibility. At A.D. Banker, those aren't just credit categories, they're career development opportunities for compliance training effectiveness, and the courses are built to treat them that way.
For firms ready to invest in CE that sticks, contact Sales@ADBanker.com. Advisers can enroll directly here.
NASAA does not endorse any particular provider of CE courses. The content of the course and any views expressed are our own and do not necessarily reflect the views of NASAA or any of its member jurisdictions.
About A.D. Banker
For over 46 years, students have turned to A.D. Banker & Company for the knowledge they need to pass insurance and FINRA licensing exams and continue their insurance education. The high-quality learning design produces outstanding results, and our knowledgeable customer care team provides friendly, responsive support to make the roads to licensing and career advancement easier. Learn more at ADBanker.com. A.D. Banker is part of the Career Certified family of educators. Learn more at CareerCertified.com.
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SOURCE: A.D. Banker
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/education/most-online-ce-gets-forgotten-within-a-day-a.d.-banker-is-doing-something-about-that-1163047
