Our Credentials

We are proud to have members of our financial team who have earned and maintain some of the most respected credentials in our profession. Here is how these specific designations may benefit you.

CFP®

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 provides that sense of security by allowing only those who meet the requirements the right to use the CFP® certification marks.

Education: CFP® professionals must complete theoretical and practical financial planning knowledge curriculum approved by CFP Board.

Examination: CFP® practitioners must pass a comprehensive CFP® Certification Examination test verifying their financial planning knowledge.

Experience: CFP® professionals require three years of financial planning experience prior to earning the right to use the CFP® certification marks. As a result, CFP® practitioners develop financial counseling skills in addition to financial planning knowledge.

Ethics: CFP® practitioners agree to abide by a strict code of professional conduct that sets forth ethical responsibilities to the public, clients and employers.

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. Practitioners are to act with integrity, offering you professional services that are objective and based on your needs along with providing you with information about their sources of compensation and conflicts of interest in writing.

CFA®

Professionals with the Chartered Financial Analyst designation have completed the educational and ethical requirements requiring skills in high-level, specialized asset-management, including social security analysis, portfolio creation, development and ongoing management and business reporting.

Members of CFA® Institute must:

  • Act with integrity, competence, diligence, respect, and in an ethical manner
  • 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 investing and engaging in other professional activities
  • Maintain and improve professional competence in the profession

CIMA®

CIMA® professionals have advanced investment management knowledge and they use that in-depth knowledge to analyze and personalize the investment products that make the most sense for you.

What does this designation mean for you? Professionals with a CIMA® designation understand how your individual investments are being managed and how they work together – no matter how complex the investment portfolio. Your CIMA® certified professional provides objective investment advice and guidance integrating a complex body of investment knowledge systematically and ethically resulting in prudent investment decisions.

Investments & Wealth Institute (The Institute) is the owner of the certification marks “CIMA,” and “Certified Investment Management Analyst.” Use of CIMA, and/or Certified Investment Management Analyst signifies that the user has successfully completed The Institute’s initial and ongoing credentialing requirements for investment management professionals.

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.