Ethics, Laws, and Code of Ethics (Lesson 1) Flashcards
What does the CFP Boards Code and Standards do?
- Benefits and protects the public
- provides standards for delivering financial planning
- advances financial planning as a distinct and valuable profession
Code of Ethics: CFP professional must: A A E A M A
- Act with honesty, integrity, competence, and diligence
- Act in the clients best interests
- Exercise due care
- Avoid or disclose and manage conflicts of interest
- Maintain the confidentiality and protect the privacy of client information
- Act in a manner that reflects positively on the financial planning profession and certification
Standards of Conduct (What is Fiduciary Duty?)
Duty of loyalty, duty of care, and follow client instructions
Confidentiality and Privacy (When is Client Consent needed?)
Ordinary business - requires client consent
Legal and Enforcement Purposes - does not require consent
When providing Financial Advice that does not require finanical planning a CFP must provide the following seven elements prior to or at the time of the engagement:
D C C B C E O
- Description of Services
- Costs of products
- Compensation
- Bankruptcies/Regulatory Events
- Conflicts of Interest
- Economic Benefit of Referrals
- Other Material Information
Fee Only means
- direct fees charged to clients or as a percentage of financial assets
- Hourly fees, flat fees, subscription fees, AUM, custodial platform fees, salary or bonus not related to sales or production goals, travel to custodian or research conference
Fee Based means
Fees and sales related compensation
Soft Dollar fees are
research or speaking services supplied by an investment company and are not sales related compensation
Standards of Conduct (What is Integrity)
CFP professional should be honest and upstanding
Standards of Conduct (What is Competence)
- Provide professional services with relevant knowledge and skill to apply that knowledge
- When not competent in an area CFP must gain competence, obtain the assistance of a competent professional, limit or terminate the engagement, or refer to another CFP professional
- CPE 30 hours every two years and two hours are ethics
Standards of Conduct (What is Diligence)
Respond to client inquiries in a timely and thorough manner
Standards of Conduct (What is Disclose and Manage Conflicts of Interest)
- Full disclosure of material conflicts of interest and provide the client with sufficiently specific facts so that a reasonable client would be able to understand
- Written consent to a conflict is not required
Standards of Conduct (How does a CFP keep Sound and Objective Professional Judgement)
CFP professional may not solicit or accept any gift, gratuity, entertainment, non cash compensation, or other consideration that reasonably could be expected to compromise the CFP professional objectivity
Standards of Conduct (What is Professionalism)
treat clients, fellow clients, and others with dignity, courtesy and respect
Standards of Conduct (Comply with the Law)
Comply with laws, rules, and regulations governing Professional services
Standards of Conduct (Confidentiality and Privacy)
Ordinary business
- with client consent
- To a CFP professionals firm or other persons with whom the CFP professional is providing services to or for the client, when necessary to preform those services
Legal and enforcement purposes
- to law enforcement authorities concerning suspected unlawful activities to the extent permitted by the law
Standards of Conduct (Providing Information to a Client)
Providing financial Advice
- does not require a financial planning in accordance with the practice standards Providing Financial Planning
- must be provided with accordance with the financial planning standards updating information
- material changes and updates to public disciplinary history or bankruptcy information must be disclosed to the client within 90 days
Standards of Conduct (Duties when Communicating with a Client)
Provide accurate information and respond to client requests in a manner they will understand
Standards of Conduct (Duties when representing compensation method)
Cannot mislead the client in terms of compensation
- Fee Only
- Fee-Based
- Sales related compensation (Soft dollar, 12b-1 fees, transaction fees, etc.)
Sales related compensation
Front load, back load, 12b-1 fees, insurance product commissions, sales based non cash travel incentives, salary or bonus based related to sales or production goals
Standards of Conduct (Duties when recommending engaging and working with additional persons)
- reasonable basis for the recommendation
- disclose compensation levels
- exercise reasonable care to protect clients interests
Standards of Conduct (Duties when selecting, using, and recommending technology)
- reasonable care and judgement when selecting software
- reasonable understanding of the assumptions
- reasonable basis for believing that the technology produces reliable, objective, and appropriate outcomes
Standards of Conduct (Refrain from Borrowing or lending money and commingling financial assets)
Can’t borrow money from client unless:
- client is a member of the CFP’s family or
- lender is a business organization that is in the business of lending money
Financial Planning Definition
- Collaborative process
- that helps maximize a Clients Potential for meeting life goals
- through financial advice that integrates relevant elements of the clients personal and financial circumstances
Integrating Factors (Factors that the CFP board will weigh in determining whether a CFP professional has agreed to provide or provided financial Adivce)
- Number of relevant elements the financial advice may affect
- portion and amount of the clients financial assets that the advice may affect
- length of time
- effect on the clients exposure to risk
- barriers to modifying the actions taken
What is the Financial planning process
- Understanding the clients Personal and financial circumstances
- Identifying and selecting goals
- Analyzing the clients current course of action and potential alternative courses of action
- Developing the financial planning recommendation
- Presenting the financial planning recommendation
- Implementing the financial planning recommendation
- Monitoring Progress and Updating
Qualitative Data
Clients health, life expectancy, family circumstances, values, attitudes, expectations