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“I look to never relive the experience of my family. Clients trust that we will give them clear and objective advice as if they were our own family. Every client interaction is a privilege and we will never take that for granted."
- Ryan C. Stout
Explanation of Designation
CFP®: (Certified Financial Planner™)
The Certified Financial Planner™, CFP® and federally registered professional certification marks (collectively, the “CFP® marks”) granted by the United States by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (“CFP® Board”).
The CFP® certification is a voluntary certification; no federal or state law or regulation requires financial planners to hold a CFP® certification.
To attain the right to use the CFP® designation, an individual must satisfactorily fulfill the following requirements:
Individuals who become certified must complete ongoing education and ethics requirements in order to maintain the right to continue to use the CFP® marks.
This requires 30 hours of continuing education hours every two years, including two hours on the Code of Ethics and other parts of the Standards of Professional Conduct, to maintain competence and keep up with developments in the financial planning field; and renewal of an agreement to be bound by the Standards of Professional Conduct.
The Standards prominently require that CFP® professionals provide financial planning services at a fiduciary standard of care. This means CFP® professionals must provide financial planning services in the best interests of their Clients.
CFP® professionals who fail to comply with the above standards and requirements may be subject to CFP Board’s enforcement process, which could result in suspension or permanent revocation of their CFP® certification.
ChFC®: Chartered Financial Consultant
The ChFC® designation is issued by The American College of Financial Services and designed and meant to prepare a financial professional to advise a full range of potential clients on a diverse set of subjects. The ChFC® designation program covers some of the top challenges faced by a financial professional. Through a college-level curriculum focused on practical application and case studies, one gains expertise in long-standing fundamentals such as financial planning process (personal and business-related), retirement planning, estate planning, income tax strategies, and risk management strategies. The seven core and two elective courses are equivalent to 27 semester credit hours. Includes a final closed-book, proctored exam for each course.
The qualification and educational requirements for the ChFC® are three years of full-time business experience within the five years preceding the awarding of the designation. 30 hours of continuing education are required every two years.
CLU®: Chartered Life Underwriter
The CLU® designation is issued by The American College of Financial Services. A CLU® certification is designed to give advisors:
The Certified Financial Planner™, CFP® and federally registered professional certification marks (collectively, the “CFP® marks”) granted by the United States by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (“CFP® Board”).
The CFP® certification is a voluntary certification; no federal or state law or regulation requires financial planners to hold a CFP® certification.
To attain the right to use the CFP® designation, an individual must satisfactorily fulfill the following requirements:
- Education – Complete an advanced college-level course of study addressing the financial planning subject areas that CFP Board’s studies have determined as necessary for the competent and professional delivery of financial planning services, and as of January 2007, attain a Bachelor’s Degree from a regionally accredited United States college or university (or its equivalent from a foreign university). CFP Board’s financial planning subject areas include insurance planning and risk management, employee benefits planning, investment planning, income tax planning, retirement planning, and estate planning;
- Examination – Pass the comprehensive CFP® Certification Examination. The examination includes case studies and Client scenarios designed to test one’s ability to correctly diagnose financial planning issues and apply one’s knowledge of financial planning to real world circumstances;
- Experience – Complete at least three years of full-time financial planning-related experience (or the equivalent, measured as 2,000 hours per year); and
- Ethics – Agree to be bound by CFP Board’s Standards of Professional Conduct, a set of documents outlining the ethical and practice standards for CFP® professionals.
Individuals who become certified must complete ongoing education and ethics requirements in order to maintain the right to continue to use the CFP® marks.
This requires 30 hours of continuing education hours every two years, including two hours on the Code of Ethics and other parts of the Standards of Professional Conduct, to maintain competence and keep up with developments in the financial planning field; and renewal of an agreement to be bound by the Standards of Professional Conduct.
The Standards prominently require that CFP® professionals provide financial planning services at a fiduciary standard of care. This means CFP® professionals must provide financial planning services in the best interests of their Clients.
CFP® professionals who fail to comply with the above standards and requirements may be subject to CFP Board’s enforcement process, which could result in suspension or permanent revocation of their CFP® certification.
ChFC®: Chartered Financial Consultant
The ChFC® designation is issued by The American College of Financial Services and designed and meant to prepare a financial professional to advise a full range of potential clients on a diverse set of subjects. The ChFC® designation program covers some of the top challenges faced by a financial professional. Through a college-level curriculum focused on practical application and case studies, one gains expertise in long-standing fundamentals such as financial planning process (personal and business-related), retirement planning, estate planning, income tax strategies, and risk management strategies. The seven core and two elective courses are equivalent to 27 semester credit hours. Includes a final closed-book, proctored exam for each course.
The qualification and educational requirements for the ChFC® are three years of full-time business experience within the five years preceding the awarding of the designation. 30 hours of continuing education are required every two years.
CLU®: Chartered Life Underwriter
The CLU® designation is issued by The American College of Financial Services. A CLU® certification is designed to give advisors:
- In-depth knowledge of life insurance underwriting concepts and life insurance law within the context of overall risk management
- The necessary knowledge to help clients address their estate planning needs
- An understanding of solutions addressing the life insurance underwriting needs of business owners and professionals