Professional Designation Disclosures

AFC

The Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC) is a designation given by the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education.  Accredited Financial Counselors must meet education, experience, and ethical requirements before receiving their certifications.  AFC candidates must have at least 1000 hours of relevant experience as a financial counselor and must pass a final examination. Once the designation has been awarded, certificants must complete 30 hours of continuing education every two years.

AIF®

The Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®) designation is granted by fi360, formerly known as the Center for Fiduciary Studies. Those who earn the AIF® mark successfully complete a specialized program on investment fiduciary standards of care, pass a comprehensive examination, and attest to a Code of Ethics.

AWMA®

The Accredited Wealth Management AdvisorSM (AWMA®) designation is offered by the College for Financial Planning®.  Candidates must complete education requirements in topics relevant to serving high net worth clients such as tax strategies, considerations for business owners, executive benefits planning, and estate planning.  Certificants must pass a final exam and complete 16 hours of continuing education every two years.

BFA

The Behavioral Financial Advisor designation is issued by Kaplan Financial Education.  Candidates must complete 2 courses related to behavioral finance and well as a certification exam.  Certificants must complete 20 hours of continuing education ever two years.

CFA®

The Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) is a professional designation given by the CFA Institute that measures the competence and integrity of financial analysts. The CFA Program is a graduate-level self-study program that combines a broad-based curriculum of investment principles with professional conduct requirements. Candidates are required to pass three levels of examinations covering areas such as accounting, economics, ethics, money management and security analysis. Before a candidate is eligible to become a CFA® charterholder, he/she must meet minimum experience requirements in the area of investment/financial practice. To enroll in the program, a candidate must hold a bachelor’s degree.

CFP®

The CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) designation is granted by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (the “Board”). To attain the CFP® designation, the candidate must complete the required educational, examination and experience requirements set forth by the Board. Certain other designations, such as the CPA, CFA® and others may satisfy the education component, and allow a candidate to sit for the CFP® Certification Examination. The Examination tests the candidate’s ability to apply financial planning knowledge to client situations. The 10-hour exam is divided into three separate sessions over a 2-day period. At least 3 years of qualifying full-time work experience are required for certification. Qualifying experience includes work in the area of the delivery of the personal financial planning process to clients, or the direct support or supervision of others in the personal financial planning process.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Center for Financial Planning, Inc. owns and licenses the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the United States to Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., which authorizes individuals who successfully complete the organization’s initial and ongoing certification requirements to use the certification marks.

CLU®

Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®) is a professional designation awarded by The American College of Financial Services to individuals who specialize in life insurance underwriting and estate planning. Candidates are required to complete eight courses, as well as eight examinations. The designation requires 30 hours of continuing education every year.

ChFC®

Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®) is a financial planning designation for the insurance industry conferred by The American College of Financial Services. Candidates must meet education, experience, examination, and continuing ethical requirements. Candidates must have at least three years of experience in the financial industry, or an undergraduate or graduate degree from an accredited university and two years of experience in the financial industry. Candidates are required to take nine academic courses each followed by an exam. The courses and exams cover topics in finance, investing, insurance, and estate planning.

CRPC®

The Chartered Retirement Planning CounselorSM (CRPC®) designation is a retirement planning credential awarded by the College for Financial Planning to individuals who meet its educational, examination and ethical requirements. Certificants are required to have completed the CRPC® Designation Program, a self-taught educational program focused on various pre- and post-retirement needs of individuals.  Recipients are further required to have successfully passed a multiple-choice examination addressing a range of retirement related matters, such as estate planning and asset management.  On an ongoing basis, CRPC® designees are also required to affirm their adherence to the applicable Code of Ethics and complete at least 16 hours of continuing education every two years.

CPA

A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is a designation given by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) to individuals that pass the Uniform CPA Examinations and meet additional state education and experience requirements. Certification is administered by each state.

CPA (Inactive)

A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) whose license is in inactive status. No CPE credits required once inactive status is finalized.

CPFA®

The Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor credential is issued by the National Association of Plan Advisors. Candidates must pass an exam demonstrating knowledge required to act as a plan fiduciary or help plan fiduciaries manage their roles and responsibilities. The credential requires 10 hours of continuing education annually.

EA

An enrolled agent is a tax practitioner who is licensed at the federal level by the Internal Revenue Service. Candidates must pass a background check, pass a written exam or have accepted IRS experience. Designees must complete 72 hours of continuing education credits over a three-year period, with a minimum of 16 hours each year. Six hours of ethics training must be completed over a three-year period.

IACCP®

Investment Advisor Certified Compliance Professional® (IACCP®) is a designation issued by National Regulatory Services “NRS” and sponsored by the Investment Advisor Association and NRS which measures qualification of compliance professionals.  An IACCP® candidate must complete 20 hours of courses and one certifying exam in the following areas: The Advisors Act, Ethics, and Disclosure.  Designees are required to complete 12 hours of continuing education each year.

JD

The Juris Doctor (JD) is a graduate degree in law.

LL.M. 

The LL.M. degree is a specialized law degree that practicing lawyers who have already passed the bar exam pursue as a way to advance their knowledge of law.

MBA

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a graduate level degree providing theoretical and practical training for business.

PFS

The Personal Financial Specialist designation (PFS) is awarded by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) to candidates who display their expertise in the field of financial planning.  Candidates must be a member of AICPA, hold an unrevoked CPA certificate issued by a state authority and have at least two years of teaching or business experience (3,000 hours equivalent) in personal financial planning within the five-year period preceding the date of the CPA/PFS application. Candidates must have 75 hours of personal financial planning education within the five-year period preceding the date of the PFS application and pass a final examination. The designation requires 60 hours of continuing education every three years.

RICP

The Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP) designation is issued by The American College of Financial Services.  Candidates must have 3 years of professional experience and complete 3 required courses and a final exam for each course.  The designation requires 15 hours of continuing education every two years.