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.
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.
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 security analysis, statistics, probability theory, fixed income, derivatives, economics, financial analysis, corporate finance, alternative investments, portfolio management—and provides a generalist knowledge of other areas of finance.
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 American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) is the American Planning Association's professional institute. AICP certifies professionals in the United States in the field of town planning and assists planners in the areas of ethics, professional development, planning education, and the standards of planning practice. Members of AICP pledge to adhere to a detailed Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. Once certified, professional planners may place the designation "AICP" after their name to indicate their membership in AICP, and their mastery of the principles, skills, knowledge, and experience determined by the organization as essential for a professional planner.
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 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.
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. AAFM was superseded by the Global Academy of Finance and Management (GAFM).
A financial adviser or financial advisor is a professional who provides financial services to clients based on their financial situation. In many countries, financial advisors must complete specific training and be registered with a regulatory body in order to provide advice.
The financial management advisor (FMA) is a professional designation of the Canadian Securities Institute (CSI), the official educator of the Canadian securities industry. The FMA is a personal financial planning designation which is usually a precursor to the certified financial planner (CFP) designation. There are over three thousand FMA holders in Canada. The FMA designation is not recognized in the province of Quebec.
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. As the field of finance has increased in complexity in recent years, the number of available designations has grown, and, correspondingly, some will have more recognition than others. Note that in the US, many state securities and insurance regulators do not allow financial professionals to use a designation — in particular a "senior" designation — unless it has been accredited by either the American National Standards Institute or the National Commission for Certifying Agencies.
Advocis, The Financial Advisors Association of Canada (TFAAC) is the largest voluntary professional membership association of financial advisors in Canada, representing more than 13,000 members and 40 chapters across the country.
The Korea Financial Investment Association is a non-profit, self-regulatory organization (SRO) in South Korea, founded under the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act. It was established on February 4, 2009 through the merger of the Korea Securities Dealers Association, the Korea Futures Association, and the Asset Management Association of Korea.
The Canadian Securities Administrators (“CSA’) have made the harmonization of the registration rules among the jurisdictions of Canada a key goal. Pursuant to this goal new national securities regulations have been drafted - NI 31-103 to provide uniform requirements and categories of registration for dealers in exempt market securities across the country.
Steven George Conville is the Founder and CEO of Kronic Relief Jamaica and is a former IIROC advisor. Steven has twenty years of experience in the financial industry overseeing over $750 million in assets. He is a Certified Financial Planner Licensee (CFP), a Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute (FCSI), and has a Canadian Investment Manager designation (CIM). Steven was licensed to sell securities in both Canada and the United States. Steven has appeared on Business News Network (BNN) as an advisor and formerly was vice president at Macquarie Private Wealth, which is part of Macquarie Group.
Chartered financial consultant (ChFC) is the "advanced financial planning" designation awarded by The American College of Financial Services. 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. The authority to use the ChFC mark is granted by the Certification Committee of the Board of Trustees of The American College, and is contingent on adherence to a set of ethical guidelines. According to the American College, "[a]ll ChFC advisors are required to do the same for clients that they would do for themselves in similar circumstances, the standard of ethical behavior most beneficial for their clients." Since 1982, approximately 40,000 people have earned the ChFC through regionally accredited program courses and exams. Successful completion of the ChFC qualifies designees to register as an Investment Adviser Representative (IAR) with FINRA without sitting for the Series 65 examination.
The Fellow of CSI (FCSI) is the highest credential offered by the Canadian Securities Institute (CSI)
The Investments and Wealth Institute (IWI), previously known as Investment Management Consultants Association (IMCA), was founded in 1985 in Colorado to provide investment consulting and wealth management credentials and educational offerings for its members. IMCA is both a certification organization and a membership association.
The Chambre de la sécurité financière is the self-regulatory organization for representatives subject to Autorité des marchés financiers (Québec) distributing financial products and services, and Financial Planners of Quebec (Canada).
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.
