You will be working with a full team of experienced professionals who have worked to obtain the most respected academic credentials in the industry: CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®), Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP®), Certification in Long-Term Care (CLTC®), and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®).
CFP® - Certified Financial Planner
What it is: The CFP® designation is a high recognition of expertise in the financial planning industry. CFP® professionals have expertise in the areas of financial planning, taxes, insurance, estate planning, and retirement.
What it means: The CFP® designation is considered as the standard of excellence for financial planners. It requires that an individual complete rigorous training, coursework, and comprehensive tests, as well as have several years of industry experience. What’s more, a CFP® professional is held to the highest ethical standards and they commit to always putting their clients interests first as a fiduciary. Read the code of ethics here.
What it requires: The CFP® designation is one of the most difficult to earn in this industry. If you know a CFP® professional, give them a hug and tell them well done. It requires more than 6,000 hours of experience, 250 hours of study, and takes 12-18 months to complete. Only 29% of financial advisors are CFP® professionals.
ChFC® - Chartered Financial Consultant
What it is: The ChFC® is a well-rounded and distinguished financial planning certification from the American College of Financial Services. Advanced financial planning for every person and every need is the credo of the ChFC® designation.
What it means: The ChFC® certification enhances a financial advisor’s knowledge and expertise, and requires an ongoing commitment to doing business with the highest ethical standards.
What it requires: To obtain the ChFC®, candidates must pass a total of eight courses and exams covering all areas of financial planning, as well as have three years of relevant industry experience.
RICP® - Retirement Income Certified Professional
What it is: The RICP® designation is an official recognition of specialization in retirement income and distribution planning.
What it means: An RICP® has extensive knowledge in guiding retirees and those approaching retirement in building a sustainable retirement plan. They are experts in things like distribution planning, long-term care, Medicare, Social Security, guaranteed income diversification, legacy planning, and more. It is their job to plan for the risk of outliving your money and making sure your assets are protected from long-term care needs that come with older age.
What it requires: To become an RICP®, you need to pass the rigorous exams which take over 180 hours of study and about one year to complete. You must also have three years of relevant industry experience.
Certification in Long-Term Care - CLTC®
What it is: The CLTC® is a designation focused around long-term care planning, recognized by the American College and NAIFA.
What it means: A professional with a CLTC® designation is specialized in planning for longevity risk and understands how that affects a family - financially, physically, and emotionally. Clients' needs in retirement extend far beyond income needs, which is why a long-term care plan is of critical importance to a successful retirement plan.
What it requires: To become a CLTC®, you must take a two-day master class and pass a comprehensive 100 question exam.