Professional recognitions
CFP® - CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™
In life, it’s important to find a financial planner you trust to provide sound, unbiased advice and professional services. Being CFP® certified means someone has voluntarily taken the extra steps needed to provide the highest possible standard of financial planning to those they serve. To become a Certified Financial Planner™ one must pass the comprehensive CFP® Certification Exam, have a minimum of three years’ professional experience in financial planning process and must be approved by the CFP Board, which involves an extensive background check – including an ethics, character and criminal check. To maintain certification, CFP® license holders must complete 30 hours of continuing education accepted by the CFP Board every two years.
How does working with a CFP® certified advisor benefit you? Certified Financial Planner™ professionals are held to the utmost standards of ethics and professional responsibility, which prepares them for a career-long commitment to provide truly personalized services to meet your needs; all while maintaining high levels of financial planning and professionalism. CFP® professionals maintain their professional edge through ongoing education and training in addition to the rigorous requirements to represent a high level of integrity, objectivity, competence, fairness, confidentiality, professionalism and diligence when working with you.
CIMA® - CERTIFIED INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT ANALYST℠
Certified Investment Management Analysts℠ (CIMAs®) are dedicated to elevating their practice through education, experience, examination and the highest standards of ethics. CIMA® professionals have the advanced investment management knowledge necessary to truly – fully – serve affluent clients, and they use that in-depth knowledge to analyze and hand-select the investment products that make the most sense for your circumstances. Earning a CIMA® designation requires three years of broad experience in investment management consulting and completion of the demanding educational program put forth by the CIMA® board. To maintain this designation, CIMA® professionals are required to adhere to a rigorous code of professional responsibility and complete 40 hours of continuing education every two years.
But what does this designation mean for you? It means that when you work with an investment consultant who has taken the time to become CIMA® certified, you’re working with someone who understands the financial complexities and risks that come with being in the highest tax bracket, is well-versed in modern concepts of investment advice, and, perhaps most important, is educated enough to understand how your individual investments are being managed and how they work together – no matter how complex it may be. These skills, along with a commitment to advanced education, enable them to provide you with the kind of service that you not only want, but deserve.
CPFA – Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor
The Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA) credential — developed by some of the nation’s leading advisors and retirement plan experts — demonstrates your knowledge, expertise and commitment to working with retirement plans.
Plan advisors who earn their CPFA demonstrate the expertise required to act as a plan fiduciary or help plan fiduciaries manage their roles and responsibilities.
RIAC - Raymond James Retirement Plan & Institutional Advisory Council
The Raymond James Retirement Plan & Institutional Advisory Council (RIAC) is a group of financial advisors who uphold the highest level of fiduciary care for serving retirement plans and retirement plan sponsors. Based nationwide, this dedicated group of advisors has made retirement plan consulting its primary focus and continually develops and adheres to best practices that clients can depend on.
RIAC advisors serve as trusted consultants with a wide array of available solutions and access to dedicated support through Raymond James Institutional Fiduciary Solutions (IFS) and are under no obligation to use proprietary products. RIAC advisors utilize a prudent process that includes understanding your needs, designing the most appropriate plan, implementing a diversified offering of investments to minimize risk and finally, managing the outcomes to meet your participants’ goals and satisfy the terms of the plan.
RIAC advisors act with prudence and diligence, implementing a fiduciary standard of care with regard to investment recommendations and monitoring of plan investments. We understand the challenges that plan sponsors face as well as how important it is to attract and retain quality employees through value-added programs like retirement plans. Through our commitment to the success of your plan and the retirement readiness of your employees, our goal is to build and foster long-term relationships with you and your company.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Center for Financial Planning, Inc. owns and licenses the certification marks CFP®, Certified Financial Planner®, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the United States to Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., which authorizes individuals who successfully complete the organization's initial and ongoing certification requirements to use the certification marks.
Raymond James’ Retirement Plan & institutional Advisory Council membership is based on assets under management, number of qualified group retirement plans, designations obtained, and compliance record. Membership is not an endorsement, is not representative of any one client’s experience, and is not indicative of future performance. No fee is paid in exchange for this membership. Requalification is not required.
