AAMS -Accredited Asset Management Specialist. A designation awarded by the College for Financial Planning upon completion of a 12-module study program and a comprehensive final exam.

AEP- Accredited Estate Planner. A credential awarded by the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils to estate planning practitioners who complete a comprehensive exam grounded and trust, insurance, accounting, and law, and need annual education requirements. About 1,200 members are holding licenses. A credential awarded by the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils to estate planning practitioners who complete a comprehensive exam grounded and trust, insurance, accounting, and law, and need annual education requirements. About 1,200 members are holding licenses.

AFC- Accredited Financial Counselor. A designation awarded by the AFCPE, primarily to academic military or extension persons who pass an exam and experience requirements. AFC Accredited Financial Counselor. A designation awarded by the AFCPE, primarily to academic military or extension persons who pass an exam and experience requirements.

ATA Accredited Tax Advisor--National Society of Accountants and Accreditation Council for Accountancy and Taxation- 703-549-2228 Awarded to tax professionals who complete educational, examination, and experience requirements. CE is required. Accreditation Council for Accountancy and Taxation 703-549-2228 A designee who has completed six courses through the College for Financial Planning. The ATA designation is granted by the Accreditation Council for Accounting and Taxation (ACAT).

ATP -Accredited Tax Preparer. A designee who has completed a one module program through the College for Financial Planning. The ATP designation is granted by the ACAT also. Also, A designee who has completed a one module program through the College for Financial Planning. The ATP designation is granted by the ACAT also. National Society of Accountants and Accreditation Council for Accountancy and Taxation 703-549-2228 Awarded after completing educational, examination, and experience requirements. CE is required. Accreditation Council for Accountancy and Taxation 703-549-2228

CEA -Certified Estate Advisor. Students must complete and pass an exam. Currently 90 members. A designation awarded by the National Association of Financial and Estate Planning. Watch out!!! These guys want you to sign a contract and sell stuff. If you sign up to sell their products, then you can use their designations. Sounds like a great Multi Level Operation!

CEBS -Certified Employee Benefit Specialist. This credential is gained by completing a 10-course program. The courses cover every aspect of employee benefit package development. Organizational and financial areas are discussed. No license is required unless a participant gives advice on policies. Enrollees include: may be: bankers, attorneys, government employees, accountants, insurance company representatives, agents, actuaries, trust fund managers, benefit personnel and anyone interested. In Canada and the U.S., there are over 8,000 graduates of the program.

CEC Certified E-Commerce Consultant This is a business & financial graduate certification for specialists in the e-commerce management field. This designation is from the IIPA International Institute of Professional Analysts. These guys run internet companys and really know stock options. Candidates are granted the CEC after completing experience in WWW/Internet, skill sets in listed areas, courses, an ethics agreement, and other work in CE. This is becoming the hottest designation for web and business/financial consultants.

CEP-Certified Estate Planner-Yes it is out there and popular with the CPA crowd. They also offer the CRP-certified retirement planner.The designations are offered by The National Institute for Excellence in Professional Education, LLC utilizing top quality Surgent and Associates course materials. The Certified Estate PlannerTM course is another designation. The Certified Estate PlannerTM (CEP) or the Master Certified Estate Planner (MCEP) is available.

CEPP-Certified Estate Planning Practicioner is trademarked but may be a private designation. We will keep looking.

CAM Chartered Asset Manager"CAM Designations"

MFP Master Financial Professional Charter "MFP Designations"

CWM Chartered Wealth Manager "CWM Designations"

CTEP Chartered Trust and Estate Planner"CTEP Designations"

CFA -Chartered Financial Analyst--Association for Investment Management and Research 800-247-8132Securities analysts, money managers, and investment advisors who complete a course and pass a three-level exam. CE is encouraged, but not required. Has completed five comprehensive exams on securities and portfolio management offered by the Association for Investment Management and Research (AIMR). Must also meet reference, ethics and experience requirements. 19,000 U.S. members. You do not need a law degree, MBA, or a business degree to receive this designation. CFA -Chartered Financial Analyst. Has completed five comprehensive exams on securities and portfolio management offered by the Association for Investment Management and Research (AIMR). Must also meet reference, ethics and experience requirements. 19,000 U.S. members and many more charters are sold around the world. This group is now doing what everybody else does and selling another designation to people who have the CFA. So, now you can receive a CIC which is a Certified Investment Counselor if you are in the business of supervisory services and managing money. Sounds like everybody wants to be a counselor. By the way, CFA's are heavily trained in fundamental analysis concepts. The problem is that they rarely use the skills they learn because the technology and software already has the information available.

MFP Master Financial Professional-Offered by the Master Financial Professional Board of Standards--An International Organization not based in Hong Kong and the USA. Must Meet Education and Experience and Testing and Ethics.

Try http://www.aafma.8m.com "MFP Designations" Meet requirements to become an international financial professional.

CFC-Certified Financial Consultant-Offered by the Institute of Financial Consultants--An International Organization not based in the USA. Must Meet Education and Experience and Testing and Ethics.

Try http://www.ifcusa.com

Meet requirements of experience, study, education, focus on finance, financial analysis, investment management, estate planning, and banking. Highly regarded at an international level. Sort of the international financial planner designation.

CFC-Certified Financial Consultant--Here is a another one from the Institute of Financial Consultants.

Try "CFC & Institute of Financial Consultants" http://www.ifcusa.com

Meet requirements of experience, study, education, focus on finance and banking. Excellent organization that requires diverse knowledge of investments, tax, banking, financial planning, finance, insurance and retirement, and estate planning. This credential is for investment advisors, officers, trust and banking officers, financial advisors, financial counselors, financial managers etc. You can earn the CFC along with the MIFC designation.

Certified Financial Counsellors? --CFC may or may not be out there.

CFM-Certified Financial Manager-another financial planning designation which is probably given by the same people as the CMA which is the Certified Managerial Accountant. The CMA and CFM may be from a Canadian Organization. This also might be a designation that Merrill Lynch is granting to its brokers after they take a few classes and a quiz. "CFM & CMA" Try http://web.imanet.org/cert2.htm

CFLA-Certified Financial Management Analyst--American Academy of Financial Management Analyst. For Bankers, Trust Officers, Money Managers, CFO and CEO types. Must meet experience and education requirements.

CFMA-Chartered and Certified Financial Management Analyst--American Academy of Financial Management & Analysts--International Institute grants this to qualified financial managers after meeting education, ethics, testing, reference, and knowledge criteria. See http://www.aafma.com--Becoming the new financial analyst favorite designation. This is fairly easy to get if you already have a CPA, Law degree, MBA, or financial analyst background.

CFP- Certified Financial Planner. This person has completed an approved educational curriculum with five or more exams, passed two additional certifying exams, meets continuing education requirements of 15 hours per year, and is licensed by the CFP Board of Standards. About 32,853 people have this license. Wow that a lot people. CFP Certified Financial Planner Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. 800-647-0526 Licensed and certified after meeting extensive educational requirements ( many never took the comprehensive exam so beware!) by the College for Financial Planning or another approved educational program. A bachelors degree, examination and experience requirements must also be met. All graduates must complete CE requirements, complete an ethics update, and pay a license fee to maintain this designation. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. 800-237-6275 "CFP Board" http://www.cfp-board.org

CFS -Certified Funds Specialist. This credential is given and sponsored by its own private company, but is regulated. After enrolling in the program, participants complete a 60-hour self-study course and take a two-hour final exam. All materials and testing supplies cost . There are currently 5,000 people with this designation. The Institute of Business and Finance offers this designation. Also The CFS is described as: CFS -Certified Fund Specialist Institute of Business and Finance 800-848-2029 Awarded after completing educational, examination and experience requirements in the area of mutual funds. CE is required. Institute of Business and Finance 800-848-2029

ChFC Chartered Financial Consultant The American College 610-526-1000 Awarded after completion of education, examination, and experience requirements. Those who received this designation after July 1, 1989 have CE requirements. For others, CE is voluntary. American Society of CLU and ChFC 800-927-2427 Has completed an educational program offered by The American College, passed 10 exams covering financial planning, investments and insurance. Has also met experience and ethical standards and achieves continuing education requirements of 15 hours yearly. About 31,000 have received the ChFC designation. Thats a lot of people. Makes me curious about the American College?

CIC-Certified Insurance Consultant or Counselor-is a designation that may be out there too.

"IMCA"

CTFA-- Certified Trust and Financial Adviser. The Institute of Certified Bankers awards this designation. Recipients must meet educational requirements, pass exam, and pledge to meet continuing education requirements in the future. Designees have studied tax law, investments, personal finance and fiduciary responsibilities. These are mainly trust officers. A three year deal for 2 weeks each year we think.

PFS Personal Financial Specialist- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants- 800-862-4272- Awarded to CPAs who become an AICPA member, pass a comprehensive financial planning examination and fulfill work experience requirements. CE is required. American Institute of Certified Public Accountants 800-862-4272 Sounds like a greasy way for tax guys to sneak into the business and put more letters after their names.

FINANCIAL PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

These professional organizations may be of value to you, even if you are not a member. For example, the Million Dollar Round Table offers a wide variety of educational and motivational materials, which might be useful even to a fee-only financial planner or a bank trust officer. Please attach no significance to the order or data. We will be happy to add new groups and extend the references - if readers will send us the data.

Contact and Address Information

Investment Management Consultants Association- which awards the CIMA Designation "IMCA" http://www.imca.org/index.html

The American College 270 Bryn Mawr Avenue Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 V: 610 526 1000 F: 610 526 1310 "American College" www.amercoll.edu