WHY WE'RE DIFFERENT

Our principles, process and credentials make the difference

The driving principles of our firm’s culture are to fully understand the goals and objectives of each client, determine the best available solutions for pursuing those goals and objectives, and to provide those solutions with knowledgeable guidance.

We believe all too often people receive advice that may sound correct when analyzed independently, but may have unintended consequences on a different aspect of their financial life; this is a critical difference in our approach to financial planning. Our focus transcends any one component of a client’s finances; rather, it takes into account the intertwined nature of the many areas that comprise financial planning. Whether that means considering the tax implications of what type of investments should be used or how the ownership of life insurance might affect estate taxes, it is vital to have a financial relationship with a firm that has the knowledge and expertise to understand the complexities that arise and, more importantly, understand how the individual pieces affect the big picture.

In addition to providing a solid foundation on which to build a strong financial base, we are also committed to providing honest and objective advice when working with our clients to pursue their financial goals.

At the core of our firm and the heart of our business model is the financial planning process. We use a step-by-step process because it reveals the minutest of details and steadily and methodically guides our actions. From the process come discussions about specific areas of interest, including the management of assets, retirement planning, estate planning and many other areas of your financial life that may need attention. In short, the process provides a foundation upon which to build a lifelong plan that can help you and your family pursue your financial goals and objectives.

There are six basic steps in our financial planning process:

The members of our established team have decades of combined experience. You’ll find industry veterans and seasoned financial planners with education and career backgrounds in finance, not some unrelated degree or job history. Many of our team members have one or more respected professional designations from the financial services industry, including Certified Financial Planner™ practitioner, Chartered Financial Consultant®, Personal Financial Specialist and Certified Public Accountant. You deserve nothing less – and the financial well-being of you and your family demands it.

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 course work to CFP Board for review and credit, or showing the attainment of certain professional designations or academic degrees.

Examination
CFP^® practitioners must currently pass a 6-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, that 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.

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.

A Chartered Financial Consultant^® is someone who has completed what may be the most extensive educational program required for any financial services credential. Each ChFC^® has taken nine or more college-level courses on all aspects of financial planning from The American College, a nonprofit educator with the highest level of academic accreditation.

The average study time for the program is more than 400 hours, and advisors many times spend years earning this designation. Each ChFC^® must also complete a minimum of 30 hours of continuing education every two years, adhere to strict ethical standards, and meet extensive experience requirements – all to help ensure that clients receive the professional financial advice they need.

A Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) who meets the financial planning requirements established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). The credential is awarded only to CPAs who demonstrate the requisite experience, education, examination and ethical standards established by the AICPA.

The requirements
In order to obtain the PFS credential, an applicant must:

Be a CPA in good standing
Be a member in good standing with the AICPA
Earn a minimum of 80 hours of personal financial planning education
Pass a comprehensive Personal Financial Planning exam
Have at least two years (or 3,000 hours equivalent) of full-time financial planning business experience
Agree to be bound by the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct
Meet continuing education requirements

What a CPA/PFS does
CPAs with the PFS credential are able to address their clients’ comprehensive financial planning needs through their training in business, tax, estate, charitable giving, investments, risk management, and retirement planning. Every area of your plan has potential tax implications. You can be assured with a CPA/PFS credential holder that these issues will be integrated into your financial plan and not overlooked.

Some areas in which a CPA/PFS may offer services include:

Taxes. As a CPA, the PFS professional is educated and trained in corporate, estate and income taxation. A CPA/PFS is able to help you make financial planning decisions with a clear understanding of the tax impact.
Business planning. A CPA/PFS has the experience and background to help with succession planning and other issues that affect your financial goals.
Investments. A CPA/PFS can provide information on the investments you have, and advise you on the changes that will be in your best interest, based on your financial goals.
Estate planning. Service can include enhancing your estate value, conserving existing assets, minimizing estate and transfer taxes, and facilitating the transfer of your assets to your heirs or charitable organizations.
Retirement planning. A CPA/PFS can help you identify your retirement goals and establish a plan to maximize your income for a comfortable retirement.
Risk management. Many PFS credential holders can offer expertise in risk management. While addressing these needs, it is important to understand the standard of care to which a CPA/PFS is held. As CPAs, they are licensed and regulated by their state board and must provide a standard of care defined by the law.