Certified Financial Planner Board Of Standards Inc

Programs: Public awareness campaign:one of the cfp board's strategic outcomes is to build the public awareness of the cfp certification. In pursuit of this priority, cfp board has developed and implemented a public awareness campaign that includes a mix of cable television, radio, social media, and online advertising. Additionally, cfp board is maintaining and regularly updating relevant content on "let's make a plan," a consumer-targeted website to increase the public's awareness of the value of financial planning and how a cfp professional can help them improve their economic and financial well-being. Our campaign has increased the awareness of cfp certification since 2011 among our target audience with an overwhelming majority stating that they have heard of the designation. As a result, cfp board has approved the public awareness campaign to continue to run indefinitely and to promote to the public a stronger affinity and understanding of the value of cfp certification.

communications and outreach:during 2016, cfp board communications and outreach included public relations, consumer advocacy and outreach, cfp professional communications, educational materials, cfp. Net and letsmakeaplan. Org websites and other initiatives to increase and enhance awareness of cfp certification and the benefits of financial planning. Our efforts utilized earned media and social media, our websites, direct mail and email, and speaking appearances to educate the public about the benefits of financial planning and the role and value of the cfp professional in providing competent and ethical personal financial planning services that is in their best interest. We also reached out to local media and consumer groups through our brand ambassador program and our consumer advocate to communicate these messages.

enforcement of professional standards:as a condition to certification, all cfp professionals agree to abide by cfp board's standards of professional conduct (standards), which includes the code of ethics and professional responsibility, rules of conduct, and financial planning practice standards. Cfp board has established disciplinary rules and procedures that provide a fair process for enforcing cfp board's standards. Cfp board provides notice to cfp professionals who are under investigation, identifies the general nature of the investigation, and offers an opportunity to respond. In 2016, cfp board staff opened in excess of 464 such investigations. Where the investigation concludes with a determination that there is probable cause to believe that grounds for discipline exist, cfp board may issue a complaint that reasonably sets forth the grounds for discipline with which the cfp professional has been charged and the conduct or omission that gave rise to those charges. Cfp professionals have the opportunity to respond, to submit documents, to file motions, to produce and cross-examine witnesses, and to be represented by counsel at an evidentiary hearing on the record. Cfp board's disciplinary and ethics commission (dec), a peer-review body made up of cfp professionals and public members, reviews and takes appropriate action with respect to the allegations set forth in the complaint. A three-person hearing panel holds a hearing, considers the evidence, and reports its findings and recommendations to the full dec, which decides whether there are grounds for discipline, and if so, what sanction is appropriate. In 2016, the dec held 66 such hearings. Cfp professionals also have the right to appeal an adverse decision. On appeal, a cfp board appeals panel issues a written decision, and the appeals committee of cfp board's board of directors issues the final decision of cfp board.