Professional Financial Certifications

Understanding professional financial certifications

All members of the East Bay Advisors Network hold the professional financial certifications, credentials, licenses and registrations necessary to provide you with expert financial advice. All members are also CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals or candidates. In addition, many hold certifications such as PFS, EA, MBA and CFA.
The Certified Financial Planner certification 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 governing professional engagements with clients.

 Certified Financial Planner (CFP®)

Certified Financial Planner™  is an international  certification recognized in the United States and a number of other countries. No federal or state law or regulation requires financial planners to hold the CFP® mark, so obtaining it is completely voluntary.  The mark is characterized by its:

1. high standard of professional education
2. stringent code of conduct and standards of practice
3. ethical requirements governing professional engagement with clients

Certification is granted in the United States by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. More than 62,000 individuals have currently obtained CFP® certification in the United States. To attain the right to use the CFP^® mark, an individual must satisfactorily fulfill all of the following requirements:

Education

Attain a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited United States college or university (or its equivalent from a foreign university).

Complete an advanced college-level course of study addressing the financial planning subject areas that the CFP Board has determined to be necessary for the competent, professional delivery of financial planning services. 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 is administered in 10 hours over a two-day period. It includes case studies and client scenarios designed to test students’ ability to correctly diagnose financial planning issues and apply their 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).

Ethics

Agree to be bound by the CFP Board’s Standards of Professional Conduct, which consist of a set of documents outlining the ethical and practice standards for CFP. ^® 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:^®

Complete 30 hours of continuing education every two years, including two hours on the Code of Ethics and other parts of theStandards of Professional Conduct to maintain competence and keep up with developments in the financial planning field.

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 the CFP Board’s enforcement process, which could result in suspension or permanent revocation of their CFP^® certification.

NAPFA Registered Financial Advisor

The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) is an association of fee-only financial advisors who have a fiduciary responsibility to their clients.  Certification requirements include:

• Completion of the CFP® requirements as set forth by the CFP Board.
• Completion of 60 hours of continuing education every two years.
• Successful completion of the Candidate Fitness Standards and background check.
• Adherance to the NAPFA Fiduciary Oath, Standards of Membership and Affiliation, and Bylaws.
• Signing a Code of Ethics that includes agreeing to abide by the Standards of Professional Conduct and Terms and Conditions.

Personal Financial Specialist (PFS)

The PFS is a specialty credential awarded by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) to CPAs who specialize in personal financial planning. PFS applicants study estate planning, retirement planning, investing, insurance and other areas of personal financial planning. To become a PFS, candidates must be active members of the AICPA, have at least three years of financial planning experience, meet all requirements for being a CPA, receive recommendations and pass a written exam.

Registered Investment Adviser (RIA)

A Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) is a firm that has filed with the Federal Securities and Exchange Commission or State Securities Commission and adheres to certain disclosure requirements. The RIA is not a professional designation. This qualification is necessary for the rendering of investment advice. Investment Advisers who manage less than $100 million are generally state registered.