Definitions & Resources

Definitions

The CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® and federally registered CFP (with flame design) marks (collectively, the “CFP® marks”) are professional certification marks granted in the United States by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (“CFP Board”). The CFP® certification is a voluntary certification; no federal or state law or regulation requires financial planners to hold CFP® certification. It is recognized in the United States and a number of other countries for its (1) high standard of professional education; (2) stringent code of conduct and standards of practice; and (3) ethical requirements that govern professional engagements with clients. Currently, more than 71,000 individuals have obtained CFP® certification in the United States.

To attain the right to use the CFP® marks, an individual must satisfactorily fulfill the following requirements:

  • Education – Complete an advanced college-level course of study addressing the financial planning subject areas that CFP Board’s studies have determined as necessary for the competent and professional delivery of financial planning services, and attain a Bachelor’s Degree from a regionally accredited United States college or university (or its equivalent from a foreign university). CFP Board’s financial planning subject areas include insurance planning and risk management, employee benefits planning, investment planning, income tax planning, retirement planning, and estate planning;
  • Examination – Pass the comprehensive CFP® Certification Examination. The examination, administered in 6 hours, includes case studies and client scenarios designed to test one’s ability to correctly diagnose financial planning issues and apply one’s knowledge of financial planning to real world circumstances;
  • Experience – Complete at least three years of full-time financial planning-related experience (or the equivalent, measured as 2,000 hours per year); and
  • Ethics – Agree to be bound by CFP Board’s Standards of Professional Conduct, a set of documents outlining the ethical and practice standards for CFP® professionals.

Individuals who become certified must complete the following ongoing education and ethics requirements in order to maintain the right to continue to use the CFP® marks:

  •  Continuing Education – Complete 30 hours of continuing education hours every two years, including two hours on the Code of Ethics and other parts of the Standards of Professional Conduct, to maintain competence and keep up with developments in the financial planning field; and
  • Ethics – Renew an agreement to be bound by the Standards of Professional Conduct. The Standards prominently require that CFP® professionals provide financial planning services at a fiduciary standard of care. This means CFP® professionals must provide financial planning services in the best interests of their clients.

CFP® professionals who fail to comply with the above standards and requirements may be subject to CFP Board’s enforcement process, which could result in suspension or permanent revocation of their CFP® certification. To learn more, visit https://www.letsmakeaplan.org/

Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®) is an advanced professional certification granted by the Investments & Wealth Institute for financial planners and financial advisors who work with high-net-worth clients on the life-cycle of wealth: accumulation, preservation, and distribution. Candidates who earn the certification learn to identify and analyze challenges high-net-worth individuals face, and understand how to develop specific strategies to minimize taxes, monetize and protect assets, maximize growth, and transfer wealth. There are experience and education requirements, and candidates must also pass a comprehensive examination to earn the designation. Certificants sign a license agreement to adhere to the Investments & Wealth Institute’s Code of Professional Responsibility and the appropriate use of the certification marks. [Source:https://investmentsandwealth.org/cpwa]. To learn more, visit https://investmentsandwealth.org/cpwa and https://investmentsandwealth.org/investors.

Certified Public Accountant (CPA) CPAs are licensed and regulated by their state boards of accountancy.  While state laws and regulations vary, the education, experience and testing requirements for licensure as a CPA generally include minimum college education (typically 150 credit hours with at least a baccalaureate degree and a concentration in accounting), minimum experience levels (most states require at least one year of experience providing services that involve the use of accounting, attest, compilation, management advisory, financial advisory, tax or consulting skills, all of which must be achieved under the supervision of or verification by a CPA), and successful passage of the Uniform CPA Examination.  In order to maintain a CPA license, states generally require the completion of 40 hours of continuing professional education (CPE) each year (or 80 hours over a two year period or 120 hours over a three year period). Not all individuals licensed as a CPA at SBSB are currently providing CPA services to the public or on behalf of their employer and therefore. may be exempt from the required continuing professional education requirements. Additionally, all American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) members are required to follow a rigorous Code of Professional Conduct which requires that they act with integrity, objectivity, due care, competence, fully disclose any conflicts of interest (and obtain client consent if a conflict exists), maintain client confidentiality, disclose to the client any commission or referral fees, and serve the public interest when providing financial services. The vast majority of state boards of accountancy have adopted the AICPA’s Code of Professional Conduct within their state accountancy laws or have created their own.

The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter is a professional designation established in 1962 and awarded by the CFA Institute. To earn the CFA charter, candidates must pass three sequential, six-hour examinations over two to four years. The three levels of the CFA Program test a wide range of investment topics, including ethical and professional standards, fixed-income analysis, alternative and derivative investments, and portfolio management and wealth planning. In addition, CFA charterholders must have at least four years of acceptable professional experience in the investment decision-making process and must commit to abide by, and annually reaffirm, their adherence to the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct.

CIMA® Certified Investment Management Analyst. CIMA® is a registered certification mark of the Investment Management Consultants Association, Inc. in the United States of America and worldwide. It is an advanced professional certification for financial advisors and investment consultants. The certification program requires professionals to learn and apply sophisticated technical investment knowledge necessary to meet real-world needs of individual and institutional investors. This is accomplished by completing a series of courses and passing a certification examination. Certificants must renew their certification every two years.

Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP®) is a financial professional who specializes in retirement income planning. Financial professionals earn the RICP designation after following the program for retirement income professionals. Once qualified, RICPs advise retirees and near-retirees as to the best way to use the assets they have accumulated for retirement to live comfortably within a realistic budget and not run out of money prematurely. To learn more, visit https://www.theamericancollege.edu/designations-degrees/RICP.

Resources

Resources for Retirement Plan Sponsors:

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