401(k) Plans and Same-Sex Couples

CFP® Certificants in the News Financial planning for same-sex couples is as important as planning for opposite-sex couples according to CFP Board.  For context, the Supreme Court’s 2015 decision in Obergefell gave same-sex couples the right to marry and, once married, to enjoy the same rights as opposite-sex married couples.  However, the new rights generally…

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How Safe is Your Client’s Cash?

CFP® Certificants in the News CFP Board expects certificants to understand “safe haven investments” of cash.  A safe haven in this context is an account with a low default risk, as in bank deposits guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).  You may have heard that cash deposited into a federally chartered bank is…

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This Short Quiz Can Keep You Out of Trouble With CFP Board

CFP® Certificants in the News CFP Board reminds us of the duty to report ethical matters in their July Newsletter article—Focus on Ethics: Duty to Report Information to CFP Board.  This brief quiz will test your understanding. True or False, a CFP® professional must report the following to CFP Board within 30 days? Being named…

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Trailing Commissions and Sales-Related Compensation

CFP® Certificants in the News True or false, a CFP® professional who receives trailing commissions cannot represent their practice as “fee-only” under any circumstance.  The answer may surprise you.  Read on to see why. CFP Board “Standard A.12 of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct provides that a CFP® professional may not make false or misleading representations…

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CFP Board Urges Senate to Pass Bill to Protect Seniors

CFP® Certificants in the News You may be encouraged to know that the U.S. House of Representatives, regardless of their political party, can still rally behind a noble cause.  The Financial Exploitation Prevention Act passed the House with a bipartisan vote of 419 to 0 and now awaits action by the Senate. How exactly would…

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Results From March CFP Board Exam

CFP® Certificants in the News The results are in. We saw a continuation of existing trends and at least one surprise from the results of the March 2023 CFP Board Exam, including: Number of examinees taking the exam, Primary reason for taking the exam, Employer-provided financial support. Number of Examinees Taking the Exam An impressive…

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Opportunities for Financial Advisors

CFP® Certificants in the News What do an aging financial advisor community and an increasing demand for financial planning tell us? According to CFP Board, our profession needs a talent pipeline; CFP Board is supporting this effort in three ways: GUIDE TO CAREERS IN FINANCIAL PLANNING publication, FINANCIAL PLANNING CAREER PATHS Guide, and SCHOLARSHIPS. We’ll…

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CFP Board Continues Its Diversity Focus

CFP® Certificants in the News According to CFP Board “The Abacus Wealth Partners Scholarship for Increased Diversity in Financial Planning aims to advance the financial planning profession by providing financial assistance to students pursuing CFP® certification who are from populations underrepresented in the profession and have a financial need (emphasis added).” About The Sponsor Abacus…

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Your Smart Watch Can Void Your Passing Score on the CFP® Board Exam

CFP® Certificants in the News CFP Board’s recently revised PATHWAY TO CFP® CERTIFICATION AGREEMENT (PATHWAY) highlights key requirements for certification. We’ll address select topics contained within this CFP Board publication, beginning with when you can publicly represent yourself as a “Candidate for CFP® Certification. Candidate for CFP® Certification You can represent yourself in this manner…

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Making Sense of the Duty to Report Information to CFP Board

CFP® Certificants in the News Are CFP® Certificants obligated to report merely being charged with a felony or misdemeanor to CFP Board? How about being notified of a regulatory investigation or action? Read on to get the answers, based on CFP Board’s Duty to Report Information publication. Text in quotation marks is taken from this…

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