The distinctions that make up our difference

Alan Lazzara holds the Chartered Financial Analyst^® designation, a globally recognized professional designation given by the CFA Institute, that measures and certifies the competence and integrity of financial analysts. Successful candidates take an average of four years to earn their CFA^® charter. Alan has the skills needed for high-level, specialized asset-management responsibilities, including security analysis, portfolio management and business reporting.

Members of CFA Institute, including charterholders and candidates for the CFA^® designation, must:

• Act with integrity, competence, diligence, respect, and in an ethical manner with the public, clients, prospective clients, employers, employees, colleagues in the investment profession, and other participants in the global capital markets.
• 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 conducting investment analysis, making investment recommendations, taking investment actions, and engaging in other professional activities.
• Practice and encourage others to practice in a professional and ethical manner that will reflect credit on ourselves and the profession.
• Promote the integrity of, and uphold the rules governing, capital markets.

Maintain and improve their professional competence and strive to maintain and improve the competence of other investment professionals.

CFA^® and Chartered Financial Analyst^® are registered trademarks owned by CFA Institute.

Most people think that all financial planners are “certified,” but this isn’t true. Anyone with proper licenses can claim to be a “financial planner.” Only those who have fulfilled the certification and renewal requirements of CFP Board can display the CFP^® certification marks.

Individuals certified by CFP Board have taken the extra step to demonstrate their professionalism by voluntarily submitting to the rigorous CFP^® certification process that includes demanding education, examination, experience and ethical requirements. These standards are called “the four E’s,” and they are four important reasons why the financial planning practitioner you select should display the CFP^® certification marks.

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 can help to provide that sense of confidence by allowing only those who meet the following requirements the right to use the CFP^® certification marks.

CFP^® CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: THE FOUR E’S

Education: CFP^® professionals must develop their theoretical and practical financial planning knowledge by completing a comprehensive course of study at a college or university offering a financial planning curriculum approved by CFP Board. Other options for satisfying the education component include submitting a transcript review or previous financial planning-related coursework to CFP Board for review and credit, or showing the attainment of certain professional designations or academic degrees.

Examination: CFP^® practitioners must pass a comprehensive two-day, six-hour CFP^® Certification Examination that tests their ability to apply financial planning knowledge in an integrated format. Based on regular research of what planners do, the exam covers the financial planning process, tax planning, employee benefits and retirement planning, estate planning, investment management and insurance.

Experience: CFP^® professionals must have three years’ minimum experience in the financial planning process prior to earning the right to use the CFP^® certification marks. As a result, CFP^® practitioners possess financial counseling skills in addition to financial planning knowledge.

Ethics: As a final step to certification, CFP^® practitioners agree to abide by a strict code of professional conduct, known as CFP Board’s Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility, which sets forth their ethical responsibilities to the public, clients and employers. CFP Board also performs a background check during this process, and each individual must disclose any investigations or legal proceedings related to their professional or business conduct.

HOW THE CFP BOARD'S CODE OF ETHICS BENEFITS YOU

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. The Code of Ethics states that CFP^® practitioners are to act with integrity, offering you professional services that are objective and based on your needs. They are required to provide you with information about their sources of compensation and conflicts of interest in writing.

ONGOING CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

Once certified, CFP^® practitioners are required to maintain technical competence and fulfill ethical obligations. Every two years, they must complete a minimum 30 hours of continuing education to stay current with developments in the financial planning profession and better serve clients. Two of these hours are spent studying or discussing CFP Board’s Code of Ethics or Practice Standards. In addition to the biennial continuing education requirement, all CFP^® practitioners voluntarily disclose any public, civil, criminal or disciplinary actions that may have been taken against them during the previous two years as part of the renewal process.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP^®, Certified Financial Planner^®;, CFP^® (with plaque design) and CFP^® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.

The renowned economist Benjamin Graham once stated that “the essence of investment management is the management of risks, not the management of returns.” It is a strategy we heartily endorse.

We take each client’s specific goals, needs and risk appetite into account before building their investment portfolio. Beginning with equity strategy model portfolios that we have trusted for years, we round out each portfolio with individual equities we hand-select by carefully considering rating changes, market commentaries and research, particularly the award-winning equity research of Raymond James.

Every investor's situation is unique and you should consider your investment goals, risk tolerance and time horizon before making any investment. Prior to making an investment decision, please consult with your financial advisor about your individual situation.

Investing involves risk and you may incur a profit or loss regardless of strategy selected, including diversification and asset allocation.

To us, a one-size-fits-all, cookie-cutter investment portfolio doesn’t really fit anybody. How could it? Everyone is unique in their goals, needs, concerns, family dynamics and financial scenario. This is why we truly customize a plan and portfolio for every client. This is how we choose to work – and here is how we go about it.

We’ll begin by listening to your goals, learning about your family and looking at your current financial situation. We’ll create a plan with recommendations tailored specifically for you. We’ll consider different investment options and coordinate with your CPA and attorney, when appropriate.

Then once we put your plan into action, we’ll monitor its progress on an ongoing basis to ensure it remains aligned with your goals, personal circumstances, stages of your life and the financial market.

Raymond James does not provide tax or legal services. Please discuss these matters with the appropriate professional.

Keep in mind that there is no assurance that any strategy will ultimately be successful or profitable nor protect against a loss.

We utilize Goal Planning & Monitoring, proprietary planning software from Raymond James, that can help align financial decisions with your vision of retirement and other highly personalized goals. This powerful resource, used in conjunction with our deep planning experience, helps us ensure that your goals and our strategy for pursuing them are well-defined.

With goals-based planning, success is measured by how clients are progressing toward their personalized goals rather than against a benchmark index such as the S&P 500 stock index.

The projections or other information generated by Goal Planning & Monitoring regarding the likelihood of various investment outcomes are hypothetical in nature, do not reflect actual investment results and are not guarantees of future results. Goal Planning & Monitoring results may vary with each use and over time.

The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index of 500 widely held stocks that is generally considered representative of the U.S. stock market. Keep in mind that individuals cannot invest directly in any index.

We know that our clients deserve responsive, attentive service, and that includes quick follow-ups to their requests, questions and concerns. It’s why we are deeply committed to ensuring our clients receive high-touch service and regular communication. We want them to know that we are always looking out for them and their financial well-being.