Investment Adviser - Foundational to Advanced Combo Books (NISM) By Taxmann

Edition : 2026

Investment Adviser – Foundational to Advanced Combo is a comprehensive, certification-aligned reference set comprising two authoritative workbooks that together establish the knowledge, analytical framework, and regulatory understanding required for professionals engaged in investment advisory and personal financial planning in India. Rather than treating investment advisory as a purely theoretical discipline or limiting preparation to examination-oriented study, this workbook set presents a structured and practice-oriented understanding of advisory functions as performed in real-world client environments. It recognises the progressive competency requirements across the NISM-Series-X certification pathway and accordingly integrates the foundational Level 1 workbook with the advanced Level 2 workbook. Together, it ensures that every stage of the advisory lifecycle—from financial goal assessment, product selection, and portfolio construction to risk profiling, taxation planning, retirement and estate strategies, and regulatory compliance—is addressed with conceptual depth, practical clarity, and regulatory precision.

This Combo is designed for stakeholders who require practical, defensible, and regulation-aligned knowledge of investment advisory for professional application. It is particularly suited for:

• Aspiring Investment Advisers preparing for SEBI registration under the Investment Advisers Regulations, 2013 and appearing for NISM-Series-X-A and X-B Certification Examinations

• SEBI-Registered Investment Advisers (Individual & Non-individual) seeking to meet knowledge requirements and enhance advisory competence
• Principal Officers & Associated Persons working with investment advisory firms, wealth management companies, and financial intermediaries
• Wealth Managers, Financial Planners & Portfolio Advisory Professionals aiming to deepen domain expertise and strengthen client advisory skills
• Compliance Officers & Advisory Support Teams responsible for ensuring regulatory alignment and ethical advisory practices
• Students & Career Aspirants pursuing careers in financial markets, personal finance, and investment advisory
• Finance Enthusiasts & DIY Investors keen to understand portfolio construction, financial planning, and regulatory compliance for informed decision-making

This Combo comprises two authoritative workbooks developed by the National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM) and published exclusively by Taxmann. Each workbook has been prepared in close collaboration with NISM's Certification Team and seasoned industry experts, and rigorously reviewed by senior practitioners. The key features of this Combo include:

• [End-to-end Advisory Coverage] Covers the complete spectrum of investment advisory practice—from foundational financial planning concepts to advanced advisory specialisations
• [Regulator-aligned Content] Editorially developed in collaboration with NISM, ensuring technical accuracy, regulatory relevance, and industry consistency
• [Conceptual & Practical Orientation] Combines structured theory with illustrations, caselets, exercises, and application-based scenarios reflecting real advisory situations
• [Client-centric Advisory Focus] Emphasises suitability assessment, ethical conduct, investor protection, grievance redressal, and behavioural considerations
• [Updated & Current] Reflects recent regulatory guidelines, market practices, and accepted best practices in the Indian securities ecosystem
• [Modular & Progressive Learning Design] Enables readers to move seamlessly from foundational knowledge to advanced advisory decision-making

The coverage of the Combo is as follows:

• Foundation Level Advisory Workbook – The foundation-level workbook establishes the essential knowledge framework required for entering and operating within the investment advisory profession
  • Personal Financial Planning
    • Financial goals, budgeting, cash-flow analysis, time value of money, and debt management form the base of structured financial advice
  • Indian Financial Markets
    • Market structure, regulatory architecture, key participants, and functioning of primary and secondary markets
  • Investment Products
    • Equity, fixed income, derivatives, and alternative investment avenues—features, risk-return characteristics, and suitability considerations
  • Managed Portfolio Solutions
    • Mutual funds, Portfolio Management Services (PMS), and Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs)—structure, regulatory positioning, and suitability assessment
  • Portfolio Construction & Evaluation
    • Asset allocation strategies, diversification principles, risk measurement techniques, performance evaluation, and benchmarking
  • Operations, Compliance & Ethics
    • Client onboarding, KYC requirements, account processes, SEBI regulatory framework, ethical standards, and grievance redress mechanisms
• Advanced-level Advisory Workbook – The advanced-level workbook develops specialised advisory competence required for holistic, client-centric, and regulation-aligned financial planning
  • Risk Management & Insurance Planning
    • Risk assessment, mitigation strategies, insurance principles, and integration of insurance solutions into comprehensive financial plans
  • Retirement Planning & Retirement Solutions
    • Retirement instruments, retirement portfolio construction, income sustainability strategies, and adviser responsibilities in long-term wealth planning
  • Estate Planning & Succession Frameworks
    • Wills, nominations, trusts, gifts, powers of attorney, and legal principles governing wealth transfer and succession
  • Taxation of Financial Securities
    • Capital gains taxation, exemptions, tax treatment across asset classes, and tax-efficient portfolio structuring strategies
  • Behavioural Finance & Risk Profiling
    • Investor behaviour and biases, risk profiling methodologies, suitability assessment, and integration of behavioural insights into advisory recommendations
  • Application-oriented Learning & Examination Support
    • Caselets reflecting advisory scenarios, multiple-choice questions, practical illustrations, and exam-support material aligned with NISM certification standards

The structure of the Combo is as follows:

• Module-based Architecture – Each workbook is organised strictly as per NISM's syllabus-driven modular design
• Concept → Illustration → Application Flow – Concepts are followed by examples, caselets, and problem-solving exercises
• Case-based Learning – Level 2 includes six detailed caselets (with sub-questions) simulating real advisory engagements
• Self-assessment Tools – MCQs, practice questions, and structured exercises to reinforce learning
• Regulatory Extracts & Notes – Important regulatory expectations and advisory guidelines highlighted contextually