A professional designation provided by the International Research Association (IRA) designed for investment professionals throughout the world. The Licensed International Financial Analyst (LIFA) designation attempts to help candidates attain higher levels of professionalism and ethics in the global industry of investment management and analysis. The LIFA examinations require an in-depth knowledge of investment principles, along with an understanding of global capital markets.

|||Similar to the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation, the LIFA designation requires candidates to pass three proctored examinations. Also similar to the CFA designation, the examinations attempt to keep the pass rate at an acceptable (or lower) level. The IRA believes that the validity of the designation is based on pass rates, and thus the quality of the designees: lower pass rates equal a more valuable designation.