What Do All Those Designations Mean that your Financial Advisor Has?

You have certainly seen several of those two-letter, three-letter, and four-letter designations after the names of your financial advisers. These common ones include CPA, EA, CFA, CFP, CLU, and ChFA. But have you ever heard of AAMS, ATA, AWMA, C(k)P, C3DWP, CCC, CDFA, CMAA, CPWA (2 different designations with the same initials), CSA, DIA, EHBA, FSS, LUTCF, QFP, and many dozens more. These also include such designations as Certified Professional Divorce Practitioner and Qualified Kingdom Advisor.

If you ever want to know what any of these designations mean, who issues them, and what education and qualification requirements are, you can go to the Understanding Professional Designations web page at the FINRA web site.