CFP® and AIF® designations

CFP®

The Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) is a professional certification that demonstrates that a financial advisor has met the rigorous qualifications needed by the CFP® Board. It is the standard of excellence in financial planning. CFP® practitioners are highly skilled in areas such as retirement planning, college savings, financial planning, investing, and wealth management and utilize a comprehensive and customized approach when working with clients to seamlessly integrate all aspects of their financial well-being.

When you hire a CFP® professional, you are hiring a trusted advisor who has made a commitment to putting your interests first. As part of their certification, a CFP® professional commits to the CFP Board to act as a fiduciary—which means to act in the best interests of the client at all times when providing financial advice and financial planning.

Most people think that all financial planners are “certified,” but this isn’t true. Anyone can call themselves a “financial planner.” But only those who have fulfilled the certification and renewal requirements of the CFP® Board can display the CFP® certification marks. CFP® professionals meet rigorous education, training, and ethical standards, and not only prioritize their clients’ current needs but diligently work to secure a stable future.

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AIF® 

The Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®) Designation is a professional certification that demonstrates an advisor has met educational, competence, conduct, and ethical standards to carry out a fiduciary standard of care and serve the best interests of their clients. The purpose of the AIF® Designation is to assure that those responsible for managing or advising on investor assets have a fundamental understanding of the principles of fiduciary duty, the standards of conduct for acting as a fiduciary, and a process for carrying out fiduciary responsibility.

AIF® designees have been certified specifically to follow a fiduciary process with their client’s best interests at heart. Designees must provide documented industry and educational experience to qualify for the designation, as well as complete AIF® training covering Prudent Practices® for managing fiduciary assets for wealth, nonprofit, and retirement clients. After passing the necessary examination, designees showcase their professionalism by committing to follow the AIF® Code of Ethics and Conduct Standards and completing the continuing education requirements to maintain their designation.

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