American Academy of Financial Management

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American Academy of Financial Management
AbbreviationAAFM
Formation1996
Dissolved2015
TypeCertifying and accreditation body
PurposeProfessional certifications
Headquarters Colorado Springs, Colorado
Region served
United States and overseas
Leader George Mentz
Website AAFM

The American Academy of Financial Management (AAFM) was a US-based board of standards, certifying body, and accreditation council focused on the finance sector and wealth management professionals. [1] AAFM was superseded by the Global Academy of Finance and Management (GAFM).

Contents

History

The AAFM was founded in 1996 through a merger of the American Academy of Financial Management & Analysts (AAFMA) and the Founders Advisory Committee of the Original Tax and Estate Planning Law Review. [2]

In January 2015, the AAFM sold its intellectual property to the Global Academy of Finance & Management – the logo for which is the same as that of the AAFM with different letters [3] – and the International Board of Certification Standards, which now awards the AAFM's certifications in the United States. [4]

The AAFM offered multiple professional membership, certifications, and designations. Members had to have come through one of the AAFM-recognized university programs or through a government-recognized executive educational program, although the board waived these requirements in some cases. [5] The AAFM board has never directly provided training, but has recognized hundreds of approved providers. [6]

Certifications/designations

The AAFM awarded a number of its own designations, including chartered asset manager (CAM), chartered market analyst (CMA), chartered portfolio manager (CPM), chartered trust and estate planner (CTEP), chartered wealth manager (CWM), and master financial professional (MFP). [7]

Some of these designations were available to anyone with an accredited degree or license in finance, investments, securities, economics, or accounting upon payment of a fee. [7] CWM certification normally involved about 80 hours of online study, although holders of certain professional designations, such as a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) or Certified Public Accountant (CPA), needed only to take a test and pay a fee; and anyone with sufficient professional experience could skip the test and get the designation by only paying fees. [1] Those with a degree that involved at least some business coursework could also take an AAFM certification course, pay a fee, and receive an MFP. [7]

According to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) eight designations were "offered and recognized by the issuing organization" (i.e., AAFM). [8] FINRA does not state on these pages that they, or anyone else, recognises them. [8] FINRA does state that it does not approve or endorse any professional credential or designation listed on its website. [9]

In October 2010, The Wall Street Journal published an article detailing the use of questionable credentials by financial advisors that discussed the AAFM extensively. [7] The article noted that the AAFM included among its Global Board of Academic Advisors & Professors several individuals who had never given their permission to be listed as board members. The article criticized the practice of many standards boards, AAFM included, of awarding credentials without requiring applicants to undergo any sort of assessment or examination, quoting the AAFM's founder, George Mentz, as evidence of this practice.

A claim on the AAFM website that it had a special affiliation with both the CFA Institute and the CFP Board, which administer Chartered Financial Analyst and Certified Financial Planner certificate programs, respectively, was rebutted by representatives of both organizations in the article. The CFP Board said that the AAFM had once helped provide continuing education for CFPs, but that it hasn't done so since 2006. [7] Some of the individuals listed in a board of advisors told the WSJ they had no idea they were listed and hadn't agreed to it. [7]

The AAFM has countered that individuals listed on its board of advisors did consent to be listed, posting emails from two individuals on its website. [10] The organization also posted to its website part of the signature page of a document agreeing that the Association for Investment Management Research (the precursor to the CFA Institute) would not contest the AAFM's trademarks, with the signature itself blanked and replaced with the type-written statement, "Signed by Sharon Glover, who must have been Jeannie Andersons Boss at the time" [sic]. [11] What appears to be a version of the same faxed agreement can be found on the GAFM website, with a signature by "Sharon Glover" and the handwritten information "VP & Assoc. General Counsel 1/5/04". [12]

Affiliations and collaborations

Global Academy of Finance and Management (GAFM)'s certifications and trademarks are owned by Colorado, United States–based International Board of Standards (IBS), a certifying body which is in operation around 40 countries globally. IBS is a charter member signatory to the Washington, D.C.–based Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and has agreement with the Kansas, US–based Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) since 2004. [13]

GAFM supported ‘Asian Digital Finance Forum and Awards 2023’ which was held at Hilton Colombo in Sri Lanka. [14]

Related Research Articles

Professional certification, trade certification, or professional designation, often called simply certification or qualification, is a designation earned by a person to assure qualification to perform a job or task. Not all certifications that use post-nominal letters are an acknowledgement of educational achievement, or an agency appointed to safeguard the public interest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stockbroker</span> Professional who buys and sells shares for others

A stockbroker is an individual or company that buys and sells stocks and other investments for a financial market participant in return for a commission, markup, or fee. In most countries they are regulated as a broker or broker-dealer and may need to hold a relevant license and may be a member of a stock exchange. They generally act as a financial advisor and investment manager. In this case they may also be licensed as a financial adviser such as a registered investment adviser.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Institute of Certified Public Accountants</span> American trade group of financial transaction trackers

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) is the national professional organization of Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) in the United States, with more than 428,000 members in 130 countries. Founded in 1887 as the American Association of Public Accountants (AAPA), the organization sets ethical standards and U.S. auditing standards. It also develops and grades the Uniform CPA Examination. AICPA is headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, and maintains additional offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Ewing, New Jersey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Certified Management Accountant</span> Professional credential

Certified Management Accountant (CMA) is a professional certification credential in the management accounting and financial management fields. The certification signifies that the person possesses knowledge in the areas of financial planning, analysis, control, decision support, and professional ethics. There are many professional bodies globally that have management accounting professional qualifications. The main bodies that offer the CMA certification are:

  1. Institute of Cost Accountants of India;
  2. Institute of Management Accountants USA;
  3. Institute of Certified Management Accountants (Australia);
  4. Certified Management Accountants of Canada.
<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Securities Institute</span> Canadian organization

The Canadian Securities Institute is a Canadian organization that offers licensing courses, advanced certifications, continuing education and custom training for financial services professionals in Canada and internationally.

The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) program is a postgraduate professional certification offered internationally by the US-based CFA Institute to investment and financial professionals. The program teaches a wide range of subjects relating to advanced investment analysis—including business analysis, statistics, probability theory, fixed income, derivatives, economics, financial analysis, corporate finance, alternative investments, portfolio management, ethics applicable to the finance industry—and provides a generalist knowledge of other areas of finance.

The CFA Institute is a global, not-for-profit professional organization that provides investment professionals with finance education. The institute aims to promote standards in ethics, education, and professional excellence in the global investment services industry. Since 1945, the institute has published the peer-reviewed, quarterly journal, the Financial Analysts Journal. It also publishes the Enterprising Investor blog.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Financial planner</span> Professional who prepares financial plans for people

A financial planner or personal financial planner is a qualified financial advisor. Practicing in full service personal finance, they advise clients on investments, insurance, tax, retirement and estate planning.

The Certified Financial Planner certification is a professional certification mark for financial planners conferred by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards in the United States, and by 25 other organizations affiliated with the Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB), the owner of the CFP mark outside of the United States. The certification is generally considered the gold standard in the financial planning industry. The certification is managed by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., which was founded in 1985 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization; it is neither a government designation nor an accredited degree.

Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination, also called the Series 65 exam, is a test taken by individuals in the United States who seek to become licensed investment adviser representatives. The exam covers topics necessary to provide investment advice to clients.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs</span> Educational accreditation organization

The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), formerly the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs, is a United States–based organization offering accreditation services to business programs focused on teaching and learning.

Certified Risk Analyst (CRA) is a risk management professional designation offered by the Global Academy of Finance and Management (GAFM). CRA risk management training and certification is available in New York, California, Asia, the Middle East and other locations.

Following is a partial list of professional certifications in financial services, with an overview of the educational and continuing requirements for each; see Professional certification § Accountancy, auditing and finance and Category:Professional certification in finance for all articles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CMT Association</span>

The CMT Association is a non-profit, global, professional association of technical analysts headquartered in New York City, servicing over 4,500 market analysis professionals in around 137 countries. The CMT Association is a global credentialing body with nearly 50 years of service to the financial industry. The CMT Association certifies that an individual is competent in the use of technical analysis via the Chartered Market Technician (CMT) designation.

The Chartered Financial Planner is a qualification for professional financial planners and financial advisers awarded by the Chartered Insurance Institute.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., is an American 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization that sets and upholds standards for financial planning. It administers Certified Financial Planner certification - which is widely recognized by the public, advisors, and firms as the standard for financial planners - so that the public has access to the benefits of competent and ethical financial planning. CFP certification is held by more than 100,000 people in the United States.

Chartered financial consultant (ChFC) is the advanced financial planning designation awarded by The American College of Financial Services to individuals that have completed the specific training and have had three years of relevant business experience. Charter holders use the designation ChFC on their resumes and are qualified to provide comprehensive advanced financial planning for individuals, professionals, and small business owners.

Chartered Financial Divorce Specialist (CFDS) is a Canadian professional designation that can be earned by eligible individuals holding a recognized financial designation and have completed specific training in the financial aspects of life transitions with respect to collaborative (mediated) cohabitation, marriage agreements, relationships or marital breakdowns. It is based on professional best practice standards and a code of professional ethics, granted and monitored by the Academy of Financial Divorce Specialists in Ontario, Canada and other relevant licensing authorities.

References

  1. 1 2 "Is Your Wealth Manager Certifiable?", The Wall Street Journal : D1, October 27, 2004.
  2. ↑ "American Academy of Financial Management FAQ". Archived from the original on December 2, 2010. Retrieved December 6, 2010.
  3. ↑ "Home" GAFM website
  4. ↑ "Press" GAFM website
  5. ↑ "Requirements". American Academy of Financial Management. Archived from the original on December 2, 2010. Retrieved December 6, 2010.
  6. ↑ "ACBSP-Alliance-Mentz Letter" (PDF). November 13, 2004.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Is Your Advisor Pumping Up His Credentials?", The Wall Street Journal, October 16, 2010.
  8. 1 2
  9. ↑ "FINRA Designations Lookup" . Retrieved August 21, 2014.
  10. ↑ Recognized by Wall Street Journal Again, American Academy of Financial Management.
  11. ↑ CFA Contract (JPEG), AAFM.
  12. ↑ Copy of fax from C. Jeannie Anderson, Esq., Associate General Counsel, AIMR to Mr. George Mentz, AAFM, dated January 5, 2004 GAFM website
  13. ↑ "Jeevan receives GAFM 'Master Fintech Professional' certification". Daily FT . November 3, 2021. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
  14. ↑ "AFTA hosts 'Asian Digital Finance Forum and Awards 2023'". Daily FT . March 28, 2023. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
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