A Clear Advantage
“We don’t want to simply take the pulse of the markets, we want to understand their nature, the environment we're in, and where tomorrow’s opportunities will originate.”
– J. Threlkeld, President & Founding Partner, Advantage Wealth Advisors
Providing a Clear Advantage for Affluent Families and Investors
Wealth optimization requires multiple levels of proficiency and expertise.
The complexities of building, preserving and transferring wealth have never been greater. Affluent investors are increasingly seeking guidance and comprehensive strategies that consider their unique circumstances and long-term goals. Yet for many, finding the expertise they seek can be elusive.
Advantage Wealth Advisors brings the experience and credentials to specialize in advanced case design for high-net-worth and affluent individuals, families, business owners, and entrepreneurs.
Advantage Wealth Advisors, Milton K. Guzman, CFP®, RICP®, and Dwight Peterson, RICP® have the advanced training required to leverage resources and experience across multiple financial disciplines to develop a comprehensive strategy for managing wealth.
What does it mean to have a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and Retirement Income Certified Professional® looking out for you?
The CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® and federally registered CFP (with flame design) marks (collectively, the “CFP® marks”) are professional designation marks granted in the United States by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (“CFP Board”).
The CFP® certification is a voluntary certification; no federal or state law or regulation requires financial planners to hold CFP® certification. It is recognized in the United States and a number of other countries for its (1) high standard of professional education; (2) stringent code of conduct and standards of practice; and (3) ethical requirements that govern professional engagements with clients.
To attain the right to use the CFP® marks, an individual must satisfactorily fulfill the following requirements:
- Education – Complete an advanced college-level course of study addressing the financial planning subject areas that CFP Board’s studies have determined as necessary for the competent and professional delivery of financial planning services, and attain a Bachelor’s Degree from a regionally accredited United States college or university (or its equivalent from a foreign university). CFP Board’s financial planning subject areas include insurance planning and risk management, employee benefits planning, investment planning, income tax planning, retirement planning, and estate planning;
- Examination – Pass the comprehensive CFP® Certification Examination. The examination includes case studies and client scenarios designed to test one’s ability to correctly diagnose financial planning issues and apply one’s knowledge of financial planning to real world circumstances;
- Experience – Complete at least three years of full-time financial planning-related experience (or the equivalent, measured as 2,000 hours per year); and
- Ethics – Agree to be bound by CFP Board’s Standards of Professional Conduct, a set of documents outlining the ethical and practice standards for CFP® professionals.
Individuals who become certified must complete the following ongoing education and ethics requirements in order to maintain the right to continue to use the CFP® marks:
- Continuing Education – Complete 30 hours of continuing education hours every two years, including two hours on the Code of Ethics and other parts of the Standards of Professional Conduct, to maintain competence and keep up with developments in the financial planning field; and
- Ethics – Renew an agreement to be bound by the Standards of Professional Conduct. The Standards prominently require that CFP® professionals provide financial planning services at a fiduciary standard of care. This means CFP® professionals must provide financial planning services in the best interests of their clients.
The Retirement Income Certified Professional®, (RICP®) professional designation is granted by the American College of Financial Services, Bryn Mawr, PA. Candidates for the RICP® designation must complete a minimum of three college-level courses and are required to pass a series of two-hour proctored exams. They must also have three years of experience, meet stringent ethics requirements, and participate in the College's continuing education program.
The RICP® educational curricula is the most complete and comprehensive program available to professional financial advisors looking to help their clients create sustainable retirement income. The rigorous three-course credential helps advisors master retirement income planning, a key focus area not fully covered in other professional designation programs. From retirement portfolio management techniques and mitigation of plan risks to the proper use of annuities, employer-sponsored benefits and determining the best Social Security claiming age, the RICP® provides a wealth of practical information for advisors.
Using the most current techniques, RICP®s identify retirement income needs and objectives and evaluate a client's current situation relative to those goals. Individuals who earn a RICP® designation can provide expert advice on a broad range of retirement topics including income needs and objectives, estate issues and other risks to retirement income planning, Social Security, health insurance, and housing decisions.
Discover how an integrated approach to wealth optimization can help you pursue and maintain the financial confidence you desire. To schedule a no-obligation consultation, contact us today.
