Expertise and Knowledge
Financial planners can provide you and your family with guidance over your lifetime, playing a central role in helping you manage your life goals and work toward financial well-being. Consequently, take the time to select a financial planner who is competent and trustworthy, one on whom you can depend for professional advice and services.
At Stein Wealth Advisors, we take your financial well-being seriously. We’ve worked hard to obtain our licenses and accreditations, and we continue to meet the highest standard of excellence through ongoing education and continual learning.
Most people think that all financial planners are “certified,” but this isn’t true. Anyone can call himself or herself a “financial planner.”
CFP® is a certification mark owned by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. (CFP Board), which can help you identify financial planners who are committed to competent and ethical behavior. Individuals certified by the CFP Board have taken the extra step to demonstrate their professionalism by voluntarily submitting to the rigorous CFP® certification process that includes “The Four Es”: Education, Examination, Experience and Ethical requirements.
EDUCATION: CFP® professionals must complete a comprehensive course of study at a college or university offering a financial planning curriculum approved by the CFP Board. The education component can also be satisfied by submitting a transcript review or previous financial planning-related coursework or by showing the attainment of certain professional designations or academic degrees.
EXAMINATION: CFP® practitioners must pass a comprehensive two-day, 10-hour certification exam that 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: CFP® practitioners agree to abide by the CFP Board’s Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility. CFP® practitioners agree to act fairly, objectively and diligently, putting your interests first and offering you professional services that are based on your needs. They are required to provide you with information in writing about their sources of compensation and conflicts of interest.
Every two years, CFP® practitioners must renew their certification by completing a minimum 30 hours of continuing technical and ethic education. Two of these hours are spent studying or discussing the CFP Board’s Code of Ethics or Practice Standards. Additionally, 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.
For more information, download the CFP Board brochure, What is the CFP Certification?
Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC®)
Individuals who hold the CRPC® designation have completed a course of study encompassing pre-and post-retirement needs, asset management, estate planning and the entire retirement planning process using models and techniques from real client situations. Additionally, individuals must pass an end-of-course examination that tests their ability to synthesize complex concepts and apply theoretical concepts to real-life situations. All designees also agree to adhere to Standards of Professional Conduct and are subject to a disciplinary process.
Designees renew their certification every two-years by completing sixteen hours of continuing education, reaffirming adherence to the Standards of Professional Conduct and complying with self-disclosure requirements.
CRPC conferred by College for Financial Planning.