You may have noticed the letters “CFP” after some of our names on the website — and those three little letters make one big difference in the way we approach our work and how we serve our clients.
CFP® stands for the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification, known throughout the industry as the standard of excellence in financial planning. Financial professionals who achieve CFP® certification go through a rigorous two-part education requirement, pass a comprehensive exam, complete at least 6,000 hours of professional experience to date, and pledge to adhere to the highest ethical standards of financial planning.
“Being a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ means a lot to me,” says Terry Hartigan, CFP® Managing Director, Private Wealth, one of nine CFP® certificants on the Capital Directions team. “First and foremost, I think there’s a lot of trust behind it — whether I’m interacting with my colleagues or working with my clients. It really shows your commitment to putting clients first and doing your very best on their behalf.”
The CFP® certification process is overseen by the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board), a non-profit organization that sets and enforces the requirements for becoming a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™. As of 2022, there are more than 93,000 CFP® professionals in the United States — roughly 30% of all financial advisors nationwide.
“It’s a special designation that says a lot about your approach to the work,” says Richard O’Donnell, CFP®, Director of Financial Planning. “Not every financial planner is a CFP® professional. It takes time and effort to attain it, as well as a career-long dedication to acting in your clients’ best interest at all times.”
Check out our team profiles to learn more about the CFP® professionals on the team here at Capital Directions. Their certification and experience play an important role in how we put our clients first every day.