Certifications & Designations
- Accredited Estate Planner® (AEP®)
Designation is awarded by the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils and awarded only to estate planning professionals who meet special requirements of education, experience, knowledge, professional reputation, and character.
- Active practice for a minimum of five years within the following disciplines; accounting, insurance and financial planning, law, philanthropy, trust services
- Devote at least 1/3 of one’s time to estate planning.
- One or more of the following professional credentials: JD (active law license required if this is the only credential with which you are applying), CPA, CLU®, CFP®, ChFC®, CPWA®, CFA, CAP®, CSPG, CTFA, MSFS, MST
- Three professional references from individuals with whom you have worked with on estate planning cases and assignments.
- Current membership in an affiliated local estate planning council.
- Two graduate courses provided through The American College of Financial Services.
- CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®)
The CFP® designation is issued by the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER Board of Standards, Inc. and is a voluntary certification recognized by the United States and 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. A candidate for designation must first obtain a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with courses that included financial planning subject areas (e.g. insurance planning, risk management, employee benefits planning, investment planning, income tax planning, retirement planning and estate planning). Candidates must also complete either 6,000 hours of professional experience related to the financial planning process, or 4,000 hours of apprenticeship experience that meets additional requirements. CFP® candidates must pass a 2-day comprehensive examination designed to test their ability to correctly diagnose financial planning issues and apply their knowledge to real world circumstances. Candidates must also agree to be bound by the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER Board’s Standards of Professional Conduct. Anyone earning designation as a CFP® must complete 30 hours of continuing education each reporting period and renew the agreement to be bound by the Standards of Professional Conduct.
- Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®)
The following “Four E’s” are required to complete your CIMA® certification:
- EXPERIENCE – Candidates must exhibit three years of relevant work experience in financial services before certification.
- ETHICS – Applicants must disclose any potential or real violations of the Investments & Wealth Institute Code of Professional Responsibility. Additionally, they must successfully pass two comprehensive background checks.
- EDUCATION – Before certification, candidates must complete an executive education course at one of several CIMA® registered education provider programs.
- EXAMINATION – All candidates must pass a stringent examination administered at a third -party testing center prior to certification.
CIMA® certification maintains accreditation by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) under an international standard for personnel certifiers (ANSI/ISO 17024). ANSI is a prominent, independent, third-party accreditation organization that ensures essential quality requirements are met within the certification program. ANSI accreditation assures regulators, industry firms, and consumers that the program meets international best practices for bona fide certifications.
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
A CPA primarily provides financial audit services, including attesting to the reasonableness of disclosures, freedom from material misstatements and adherence to applicable generally accepted accounting principles. To become a CPA, a candidate must pass the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination set by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and administered by the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy. Typically, eligibility to sit for the examination requires a candidate to have a bachelor’s degree that includes a minimum number of qualifying credit hours in accounting and business administration plus an additional one-year study. Candidates are also required to have public accounting work experience, with minimum requirements varying from state to state. Applicants for CPA status must also complete a special examination on ethics, including a review of state specific rules for professional practice. All CPAs are required to take continuing education courses. The requirements vary by state but usually require 80 hours of continuing education every two years including 20 hours in accounting and auditing and 4 hours for a board approved ethics course.
- Certified Regulatory and Compliance Professional (CRCP)®
Developed by FINRA, which regulates brokerage firms doing business with the public in the United States, the CRCP® program is a career-enhancing designation designed specifically for securities industry regulatory and compliance professionals, practicing attorneys, and foreign, federal and states securities regulators. Participants who successfully complete the two-week program and pass two written assessments are designated Certified Regulatory and Compliance Professionals by the FINRA Institute at Georgetown (Formally the FINRA Institute at Wharton). CRCP® designees are required to complete 12 hours of continuing education (CE) every three years as of their certificate anniversary award date.
- Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®)
The American College of Financial Services CAP® Program is a graduate-level program that provides the specialized knowledge and tools you need to help clients articulate and advance their highest aspirations for self, family, and society. In order to receive the CAP® designation, you must successfully complete the three required courses, agree to comply with The American College Code of Ethics and Procedures, and have three years full-time, relevant business experience. To maintain designation, CAP® designees are required to complete 30 hours of continuing education (CE) every two years and recommit to The College’s Code of Ethics.
- Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®)
The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) charter is a professional designation established in 1962 and awarded by 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.
- Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®)
The American College of Financial Services ChFC® Program is a comprehensive education in the essentials of financial planning, including insurance, taxation, retirement, and estate planning. It also addresses advanced areas such as behavioral finance, non-traditional family structures, and small business planning. In order to receive the ChFC® designation, you must successfully complete the eight required courses and their final exams, agree to comply with The American College Code of Ethics and Procedures, and have at least three years of experience in financial planning or a related profession. To maintain designation, ChFC® designees are required to complete 30 hours of continuing education (CE) every two years and recommit to The College’s Code of Ethics.
- Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®)
The American College of Financial Services CLU® Program offers an in-depth understanding of the practical, legal, and ethical aspects of life insurance and its techniques and tools. In order to receive the CLU® designation, you must successfully complete the five required courses, agree to comply with The American College Code of Ethics and Procedures, and have three years of experience in financial planning or a related profession. To maintain designation, CLU® designees are required to complete 30 hours of continuing education (CE) every two years and recommit to The College’s Code of Ethics.
- Equity Compensation Associate (ECA)
Equity Compensation Associate (ECA) designation is a Level I competency path offered through The Certified Equity Professional Institute (CEPI), at Santa Clara University, which is the only certification body for equity compensation professionals. The ECA Exam teaches the fundamentals in equity compensation. Candidates are introduced to the terminology and are given a basic understanding of policy, procedures and routine transactions. Candidates must take and pass the Level 1 ECA exam to be awarded the certification. Designees are required to complete 30 hours of industry-related continuing education (CE) every two years in order to continue using their designation.
- Juris Doctor (JD)
A JD degree is a professional graduate degree in law. It is the standard degree required to practice law in the United States and in most other common law jurisdictions. Most JD programs typically involves three years of full-time study or its equivalency in part-time studies.
- Master of Science in Financial Planning (MSFP)
The Master of Science in Financial Planning (MSFP) is an accredited graduate degree program from the American College of Financial Services, that gives aspiring and active financial professionals the practical and relevant skills they need to improve the financial well-being of their clients. In order to receive the MSFP, you must have an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university and successfully complete 10 courses: four core residency and six concentration courses. The American College of Financial Services is an educational institution dedicated to the development of financial services professionals. Graduates of The American College of Financial Services have studied, passed rigorous exams, and proven that they not only have the technical knowledge to serve their clients, but have sworn to practice ethically and in the best interest of the people they serve.
