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Professional Designations

The College for Financial Planning offers several professional designation programs spanning the asset management, retirement, mutual fund and financial planning sectors of the financial services industry. Students who successfully complete one of the College’s designation programs are conferred the right to use the College for Financial Planning’s Registered Mark(s) subject to Terms and Conditions and its Professional Designation Requirements.

The professional designations include:

1. AAMS^® and Accredited Asset Management Specialist^SM
2. AWMA^® and Accredited Wealth Management Advisor^SM
3. APMA^SM and Accredited Portfolio Management Advisor^SM
4. ADPA^SM and Accredited Domestic Partnership Advisor^SM
5. CRPC^® and Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor^SM
6. CRPS^® and Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist^SM
7. CMFC^® and Chartered Mutual Fund Counselor^SM
8. RP^® and Registered Paraplanner^SM

The College for Financial Planning awards its designations to students who successfully complete the educational program, pass the final examination and complete the designation application which includes:

• Standards of Professional Conduct. The Code establishes minimum standards of acceptable professional conduct for persons authorized to use one of the professional designations.
• Self-Disclosure. Designees must disclose of any criminal, civil, self-regulatory organization, or governmental agency inquiry, investigation, or proceeding relating to their professional or business conduct. Initial conferment and renewed authorization to use the designation is contingent upon the College for Financial Planning's review of matters either self-disclosed or which are discovered by the College that are required to be disclosed.
• Terms and Conditions Statement. The Terms and Conditions statement outlines designees' rights to use the College's Marks and acknowledges the rights of the College to protect the Marks from unauthorized use by individuals or entities.
• Internship. RP^®, Registered Paraplanner^SM designation applications only. After passing the Foundations in Financial Planning course, applicants must obtain verification from their immediate supervisor or employer documenting their completion of a three-month internship and mastery of a set of basic skills.

Students must complete the designation application within six months of passing the final exam. Failure to complete the application within this time frame will result in termination of the individual’s candidacy. If an individual wishes to apply for authorization to use the Marks in the future, he or she will be required to re-enroll in the program and fulfill the initial designation requirements in place at the time of the request.

Successful applicants receive a certificate and are granted the right to use the designation on correspondence and business cards for a two-year period.

Continued use of the designation is subject to ongoing renewal requirements. Every two years individuals must renew their right to continue using the designation by:

• completing 16 hours of continuing education;
• reaffirming to abide by the Standards of Professional Conduct, Terms and Conditions, and self disclose any criminal, civil, self-regulatory organization, or governmental agency inquiry, investigation, or proceeding relating to their professional or business conduct; and
• paying a biennial renewal fee of $75.

Details on the renewal requirements can be found on the Renewal Requirements page.