CFP®
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 requirements the right to use the CFP® certification marks.
Education: CFP® professionals must complete theoretical and practical financial planning knowledge curriculum approved by CFP Board.
Examination: CFP® practitioners must pass a comprehensive CFP® Certification Examination test verifying their financial planning knowledge.
Experience: CFP® professionals require three years of financial planning experience prior to earning the right to use the CFP® certification marks. As a result, CFP® practitioners develop financial counseling skills in addition to financial planning knowledge.
Ethics: CFP® practitioners agree to abide by a strict code of professional conduct that sets forth ethical responsibilities to the public, clients and employers.
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. Practitioners are to act with integrity, offering you professional services that are objective and based on your needs along with providing you with information about their sources of compensation and conflicts of interest in writing.
CFA®
Members of CFA® Institute must:
- Act with integrity, competence, diligence, respect, and in an ethical manner
- Place the integrity of the investment profession and the interests of clients above their own personal interests
- Use reasonable care and exercise independent professional judgment when investing and engaging in other professional activities
- Maintain and improve professional competence in the profession
