NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisor

Benefits available to NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisors:

• Participation in NAPFA's (Find An Advisor) Consumer Referral System
• Marketing support via NAPFA’s Media Request and Public Relations Outreach Programs
• Use of the “NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisor” logo to prove you meet the highest standards in the financial planning profession
• Use of the Fee-Only certification mark
• Subscription to The NAPFA Advisor
• Reduced registration fees for NAPFA conferences and Cutting Edge Webinars
• Access to the "Community" portion of the web site - including the popular Discussion Forum and Library Room where members share ideas and solutions 
• Eligible to serve on the NAPFA National Board of Directors 
• Membership certificate suitable for framing
• Vote on all matters that come before the membership  

• Always act in good faith and with candor.
• Be proactive in disclosing any conflicts of interest that may impact a client.
• Not accept any referral fees or compensation contingent upon the purchase or sale of a financial product.

1. Case submission. The applicant may submit a case which documents work performed for an actual client over a service cycle completed within the 12 months prior to submission. The case does not need to be written but must be documented. The case should follow NAPFA’s current peer review checklist and should meet the following guidelines:
   1. It must summarize all relevant facts and financial data for the client; identify the client’s values, goals, and needs; provide a list of client problems, issues and opportunities that were addressed; summarize specific recommendations, including rationale and supporting documentation, and how the recommendations were implemented.
   2. It must address, or document consideration of, all the following functional areas of personal finance: income tax, financial position and cash flow, retirement planning, estate planning, investments, and risk management.
   3. It must show evidence of applying an integrated approach, tying together issues and opportunities across all of the functional areas listed above 
2. Traditional written Financial Plan submission. The applicant may submit a traditional written financial plan. The plan, which must be prepared within the 12 months prior to submission, must meet the following guidelines:
   1. The plan must apply an approach to advisory services that includes: collection and assessment of all relevant data from the client, identification of client goals, identification of client financial problems, provision of recommendations, assistance in implementation of the recommendations, and the offer of periodic review.
   2. The plan must address all of the following factors: income tax, cash flow, retirement planning, estate planning, investments, risk management, and any special needs planning.
   3. The plan must be either the author’s original work product or a plan created under the supervision of the applicant and should follow the current peer review checklist. It may reflect an actual client case or a fictitious case.
3. Financial Plan based on a fact pattern provided by NAPFA. The applicant may submit a traditional written financial plan using a fact pattern provided to them by NAPFA. The plan, which must be prepared within the 12 months prior to submission, must meet the following guidelines:
   1. The plan must apply an approach to advisory services that includes: collection and assessment of all relevant data from the client, identification of client goals, identification of client financial problems, provision of recommendations, assistance in implementation of the recommendations, and the offer of periodic review.
   2. The plan must address all of the following factors: income tax, cash flow, retirement planning, estate planning, investments, risk management, and any special needs planning.
   3. The plan must be either the author’s original work product or a plan created under the supervision of the applicant and should follow the current peer review checklist. It may reflect an actual client case or a fictitious case.

NAPFA’s definition of a Fee-Only Financial Planner— NAPFA defines a Fee-Only financial advisor as one who is compensated solely by the client with neither the advisor nor any related party receiving compensation that is contingent on the purchase or sale of a financial product. Neither Members nor Affiliates may receive commissions, rebates, awards, finder’s fees, bonuses or other forms of compensation from others as a result of a client’s implementation of the individual’s planning recommendations. “Fee-offset” arrangements, 12b-1 fees, insurance rebates or renewals and wrap fee arrangements that are transaction based are examples of compensation arrangements that do not meet the NAPFA definition of Fee-Only practice. If you have questions about specific compensation arrangements, please contact the NAPFA Membership Manager.

• must abide by the NAPFA Code of Ethics, Standards of Membership and Affiliation, Bylaws, resolutions adopted by the Board and all rules set forth in the NAPFA Policies and Procedures Manual.
• agree to comply with all federal and state statutes, rules, regulations, administrative and judicial rulings, and other authorities applicable to the provision of financial planning or advisory related services.
• agree that they will make all appropriate filings, amendments and renewals as appropriate to required filings with regulatory authorities. This shall include, but is not limited to, Form ADV. As a condition of NAPFA membership, any and all Form ADV filings may be reviewed by the Membership Task Force.

• any disciplinary inquiry or proceeding initiated by any federal, state or local civil or criminal authority or regulatory body, including any inquiry or proceeding relating to the firm with which the individual is associated;
• any disciplinary inquiry or proceeding initiated by a credentialing or membership organization or authority to which the individual is subject, e.g., Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, State Board of Public Accountancy;
• any bankruptcy, receivership, or other type of assignment or arrangement for the benefit or protection of creditors of the individual or any entity in which the individual holds an interest of 5% or more.

Join NAPFA Now