With over 200,000 financial advisors across the country, how do you find one who understands and appreciates what you do as a CRNA? The financial advisor with whom you choose to work will have a significant impact on your investment strategy, the fees you pay, and the confidence you have in your financial future. This is not a decision to take lightly, especially since each advisor offers a different level of service, expertise, and ability. Does your advisor really understand the difference between an RN and a CRNA? Whether you’re a W-2 CRNA or a 1099 contractor, you deserve an advisor who not only recognizes the specific opportunities and challenges that accompany your profession, but also has the education and expertise to provide you with the services you need. (1)
What Is A CFP®?
Nowadays, anyone can use the term “financial planner” but that doesn’t mean he or she is actually ‘certified’ as a financial planner. A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) is an advisor who has earned his or her title through courses held by the CFP® Board. When providing financial advice and services, he or she is held to a standard of fiduciary care. What differentiates a CFP® advisor from other financial advisors? Here are the Four E’s; standards that every CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ has attained in order to best serve their clients:
1. Education
Anyone with a CFP® designation following his or her name has undergone a rigorous and intensive program approved by the CFP® Board. Once an advisor has completed his coursework, he or she must submit a transcript to the CFP® Board for approval before being considered for the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation. This ensures that CFP® advisors are held to high educational standards.
2. Examination
Once the coursework is completed, advisors working for the CFP® credential must then pass the comprehensive CFP® Certification Exam, which tests comprehension on topics such as the planning process, tax planning, retirement planning, estate planning, insurance, and investment management. The exam gives an advisor the chance to prove that he or she can apply financial planning knowledge to real-world situations.
3. Experience
Knowledge is crucial when it comes to your finances, but when you trust someone with your money, you want to know that they have the hands-on, real-world experience to back their education. That is why the CFP® board requires advisors to have seven years of experience related to financial planning services. If you work with a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, you can count on them to create a realistic financial plan that fits your needs.
4. Ethics
Have you heard the term “fiduciary” thrown around in regards to financial advisors and their duties? The concept can seem confusing to people, as many assume that all advisors, whether they’re stockbrokers, financial planners or insurance agents, are required to act in their client’s best interest. Unfortunately, that’s not the reality.
Advisors with the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation are fiduciaries and are held to the highest standards. They are obligated to uphold certain principles. CFP® advisors must have integrity, objectivity, competence, fairness, confidentiality, professionalism, and diligence. They must put their clients’ best interests above everything else.
Work With A CFP® Who Understands What You Do
Your money is one of the most important aspects of your life, and we want you to know we value it as much as you do.At CRNA Financial Planning® we want to help you reach your financial goals and have confidence in us as your partner. All of our advisors hold the CFP® designation and these Four E’s set us apart from other financial planners out there, so don't settle for anything less. If you’d like to learn more about the value we bring to the table, please call our office at 855.304.3748 or email inquiry@crnafinancialplanning.com for a complimentary review.
About Jeremy Stanley
Jeremy Stanley is the founder of CRNA Financial Planning® as well as CRNA Tax Associates®. He has been providing advice and guidance for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) for over two decades. As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, Jeremy has met rigorous certification and professional standards set by the CFP® Board. He is committed to adhering to the principles of integrity, objectivity, competence, fairness, confidentiality, professionalism and diligence when dealing with clients.
Jeremy is also the author of The Wealthy CRNA and A CRNA’s Life After Anesthesia. The Wealthy CRNA features insights into becoming a financially successful CRNA and how to start planning for your financial future, and has been prior approved for up to 4 Class A CE credits by the AANA. A CRNA’s Life After Anesthesia serves as your financial roadmap for a smooth emergence into retirement. It reviews recent changes in the CRNA industry along with the new rules of retirement and the final steps of legacy planning. This book has been prior approved by the AANA for up to 2 Class A CE credits.
The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly.
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