What do all these designations mean for you?

Scott Fredstrom has been a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) since 1981. He prepares individual and business tax returns.

Scott became a CFP (Certified Financial Planner) in 1998.

Scott was awarded the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) charter in 2012.

Michelle Minisci became a CFP in 2010.

Why Choose a CFA® Charterholder to Manage Your Wealth?

"Think about it. You would never work with a doctor who did not have the proven intellectual capability to make an accurate diagnosis. Similarly, you would probably not work with someone who lacked the emotional intelligence to understand the thoughts and feelings which could affect you during your treatment. Why should managing your wealth be any different than managing your health? Selecting a wealth adviser is not a decision to be taken lightly. Wealth is complex, all-encompassing and touches all facets of life—from family to career, hopes to fears, and goals to needs." CFA Institute

Members of CFA Institute (including Chartered Financial Analyst ® [CFA®] charterholders) and candidates for the CFA designation must:

Act with integrity, competence, diligence, respect, and in an ethical manner with the public, clients, prospective clients, employers, employees, colleagues in the investment profession, and other participants in the global capital markets.
Place the integrity of the investment profession and the interests of clients above their own personal interests.
Use reasonable care and exercise independent professional judgement when conducting investment analysis, making investment recommendations, taking investment actions, and engaging in other professional activities.
Practice and encourage others to practice in a professional and ethical manner that will reflect credit on themselves and the profession.
Promote the integrity and viability of the global capital markets for the ultimate benefit of society.
Maintain and improve their professional competence and strive to maintain and improve the competence of other investment professionals.

For the complete Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct, please visit http://www.cfainstitute.org/utility/application/ethics.aspx

CFP® CERTIFICATION: THE STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE

If your financial life seems to be spinning out of control, you’re not alone.

Today more than ever, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals are an essential resource. From budgeting, to planning for retirement, to saving for education, to managing your taxes and your insurance coverage, “finances” doesn’t mean just one thing for most Americans — and “financial planning” means much more than just investing. Bringing all the pieces of your financial life together is a challenging task.

Although many professionals may call themselves “financial planners,” CFP®professionals have completed extensive training and experience requirements and are held to rigorous ethical standards. They understand the complexities of the changing financial climate and know how to make recommendations in your best interest.

https://www.cfp.net/about-cfp-board/cfp-certification-the-standard-of-excellence

The CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® and federally registered CFP (with flame design) marks (collectively, the “CFP® marks”) are professional certification 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. Currently, more than 71,000 individuals have obtained CFP® certification in the United States.

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:

CFP® professionals who fail to comply with the above standards and requirements may be subject to CFP Board’s enforcement process, which could result in suspension or permanent revocation of their CFP® certification.