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Marks of Quality
CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ & 
are certification marks owned by Certified Financial Planner
Board of Standards Inc. (CFP Board), which can help you identify
financial planners who are committed to competent and ethical
behavior when providing financial planning. Individuals certified
by CFP Board have taken the extra step to demonstrate their
professionalism by voluntarily submitting to the rigorous
CFP® certification process that includes demanding education,
examination, experience and ethical requirements. These standards
are called “the four Es”, and they are four important
reasons why the financial planning practitioner you select
should display the CFP certification marks.
Why are the CFP® Certification Requirements Important?
Most people think that all financial planners are “certified”,
but this isn’t true. Anyone can call himself or herself
a “financial planner”. Only those who have fulfilled
the certification and renewal requirements of CFP Board can
display the CFP certification marks. When selecting a financial
planner, you need to feel confident that the person you choose
to help you plan for your future is competent and ethical.
The CFP® certification provides that sense of security
by allowing only those who meet the following requirements
the right to use CFP certification marks.
CFP® Certification Requirements
Education: CFP® professionals must develop their theoretical
and practical financial planning knowledge by completing a
comprehensive course of study at a college or university offering
a financial planning curriculum approved by CFP Board. Other
options for satisfying the education component include submitting
a transcript review or previous financial planning-related
course work to CFP Board for review and credit, or showing
the attainment of certain professional designations or academic
degrees.
Examination: CFP® practitioners must pass a comprehensive
two-day, 10-hour CFP® Certification Examination that tests
their ability to apply financial planning knowledge in an
integrated format. Based on regular research of what planners
do, the exam covers the financial planning process, tax planning,
employee benefits and retirement planning, estate planning,
investment management and insurance.
Experience: CFP® professionals must have three years
minimum experience in the financial planning process prior
to earning the right to use the CFP certification marks. As
a result, CFP practitioners possess financial counseling skills
in addition to financial planning knowledge.
Ethics: As a final step to certification, CFP® practitioners
agree to abide by a strict code of professional conduct, known
as CFP Board’s Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility,
that sets forth their ethical responsibilities to the public,
clients and employers. CFP Board also performs a background
check during this process, and each individual must disclose
any investigations or legal proceedings related to their professional
or business conduct.
How does CFP Board’s Code of Ethics Benefit me?
Through the Code of Ethics, CFP® practitioners agree
to act fairly and diligently when providing you with financial
planning advice and services, putting your interests first.
The Code of Ethics states that CFP practitioners are to act
with integrity, offering you professional services that are
objective and based on your needs. They are required to provide
you with information about their sources of compensation and
conflicts of interest in writing.
Ongoing Certification Requirements
Once certified, CFP® practitioners are required to maintain
technical competence and fulfill ethical obligations. Every
two years, they must complete a minimum 30 hours of continuing
education to stay current with developments in the financial
planning profession and better serve clients. Two of these
hours are spent studying or discussing CFP Board’s Code
of Ethics or Practice Standards. In addition to the biennial
continuing education requirement, all CFP practitioners voluntarily
disclose any public, civil, criminal or disciplinary actions
that may have been taken against them during the previous
two years as part of the renewal process.
Registered Representative with
and Securities Offered Through
Financial West Group Member NASD/SIPC
Global Financial Advisory Services, Inc.
And Financial West Group are not affiliated entities
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