Abbreviation

Name

Description

AEP®

Accredited Estate Planner®

Designation granted by the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils (NAEPC). The AEP® designation is a graduate-level designation specializing in estate planning and recognizes estate planning professionals who meet stringent requirements of experience, knowledge, education, professional reputation, and character. To receive the AEP® designation, candidates must successfully complete the AEP® education program, pass the final exam, meet ethics standards and have a minimum of five years of experience in estate planning and hold one or more of the following professional credentials: JD (active law license required), CPA, CLU®, CFP®, ChFC®, CPWA®, CFA, CAP®, and MSFS. Continuing education requirements to maintain the AEP® designation must be satisfied every two years.

AIF® ‎

Accredited ‎Investment ‎Fiduciary

A “fiduciary” is managing another person's assets and stands in a special ‎relationship of trust, confidence, and/or legal ‎responsibility. A fiduciary is required by law to always act ‎in the best interests of their client, beneficiary, or the retirement plan participant. AIF® ‎Designees have ‎acquired a thorough knowledge of fiduciary responsibility and can be an invaluable resource to ‎investment fiduciaries and ‎individual investors alike. An AIF® designation represents that person's ‎knowledge of a Global Fiduciary Standard of Excellence and their ‎application of the global standard into ‎their own practice.‎

BFA™

Behavioral Financial Advisor™

Certification granted by Kaplan Financial Education. The BFA™ program, developed by Kaplan and think2perform®, provides training to demonstrate how traditional finance practices are influenced by psychology and neuroscience to help financial professionals mentor and coach clients in their financial decisions and transition to advice-based fees and offer a holistic approach to strengthen the advisor-client relationship. To receive the BFA™ certification, candidates must successfully complete the BFA™ education program and pass the final exam. Continuing education requirements to maintain the BFA™ designation must be satisfied every two years.

CDFA®

Certified Divorce Financial Analyst

A certified divorce financial analyst (CDFA) helps couples and their attorneys ‎achieve equitable divorce settlements using knowledge of tax law, asset ‎distribution, and short- and long-term financial planning. A CDFA can provide ‎in-depth financial analysis and advice to attorneys and couples relating to the ‎divorce. CDFAs are required to have several years of relevant experience and ‎pass an exam designed by the Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts (IDFA) ‎to receive the designation. A certified divorce financial analyst (CDFA) uses ‎knowledge of tax law, asset distribution, and financial planning to achieve ‎equitable settlements for divorcing couples. The CDFA works in conjunction ‎with divorcing couples and their attorneys. CDFAs must have several years of ‎relevant experience and pass an exam designed by the Institute for Divorce ‎Financial Analysts to receive the designation.‎

CAP®

Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy®

Designation granted by The American College of Financial Services. The CAP® provides the knowledge and tools needed to help clients articulate and advance their highest aspirations for self, family, and society when considering philanthropic planning and giving. Courses provide an insight into the philanthropic planning process, including, but not limited to, tax, tools, and techniques. To receive the CAP® designation, candidates must successfully complete three graduate-level courses and meet experience requirements and ethics standards. Continuing education requirements to maintain the CAP® designation must be satisfied every two years.

CFP®

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™

Designation granted by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board). The CFP® designation is a professional certification for financial professionals who have completed extensive training and experience requirements and are held to rigorous ethical standards. These financial planning topics include general principles of finance, insurance, employee benefits, investments and securities, state and federal income taxes, retirement, and estate and asset protection. To receive the CFP® designation, candidates must successfully complete the CFP® education program, pass the final exam, and meet experience requirements and ethics standards. Continuing education requirements to maintain the CFP® designation must be satisfied every two years.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the CFP® certification mark, the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification mark, and the CFP® certification mark (with plaque design) logo in the United States, which it authorizes the use of by individuals who successfully complete the CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.

ChFC®

Chartered Financial Consultant®

Designation granted by The American College of Financial Services. The ChFC® designation provides education covering the essentials of financial planning, including insurance, income taxation, retirement planning, investments, and estate planning. It also addresses areas such as behavioral finance, financial planning for families with special needs dependents, small business planning, financial planning for clients in the LGBT community, financial planning for divorce, and more. To receive the ChFC® designation, candidates must successfully complete the ChFC® education program, pass course exams, and meet experience requirements and ethics standards. Continuing education requirements to maintain the ChFC® designation must be satisfied every two years.

CLU®

Chartered Life Underwriter®

Designation granted by The American College of Financial Services. The CLU® program serves the diverse needs of individuals and business clients through in-depth insurance knowledge. Upon completion, financial professionals have the knowledge to provide guidance to clients on types and amounts of life insurance and make recommendations on aspects of risk management and various insurance solutions. Topics include fundamentals of financial planning, life insurance, life insurance law, estate planning, and planning for business owners. To receive the CLU® designation, candidates must successfully complete the CLU® education program, pass the course exams, and meet experience requirements and ethics standards. Continuing education requirements to maintain the CLU® designation must be satisfied every two years.

CPFA®

Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor

This is offered through the National Association of Plan Advisors. By earning the CPFA, an advisor "demonstrates the expertise required to act as a plan fiduciary or help plan fiduciaries manage their roles and responsibilities." To achieve this designation, applicants need only to pass a proctored exam and earn 20 continuing education credits every two years. 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.

MSFS

Master of Science in Financial Services

The Master of Science in Financial Services is an accredited degree program providing individuals with the tools needed to analyze, plan and implement integrated financial and life strategies. Topics include effectively working with high-net-worth clients, integrating ethical considerations into the financial planning process, wealth accumulation process, how work with business owners to develop compensation, succession planning, and retirement strategies, and how to guide individuals in the areas of tax minimization, retirement planning, and estate planning. A bachelor's degree is required for admission.

RICP®

Retirement Income Certified Professional®

Designation granted by The American College of Financial Services. The RICP® designation equips financial professionals with the knowledge to effectively manage the transition from asset accumulation during a client’s working years to asset decumulation in retirement demonstrating value by delivering smart strategies for creating secure, sustainable income for a client's retirement. Topics include retirement income planning, best practices in social security claiming, risk management, distribution strategies, and more. To receive the RICP® designation, candidates must successfully complete the RICP® education program, pass the course exams, and meet experience requirements and ethics standards. Continuing education requirements to maintain the RICP® designation must be satisfied every two years.