Designations & Associations

Designations

Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP™)

To obtain the CFP designation, candidates must complete a rigorous education program, pass a national exam and demonstrate three years of qualifying work experience. To maintain certification, CFP professionals must keep their knowledge and skills current by completing 25 hours of continuing education each year. They must also adhere to the FP Canada Standards Council™ Standards of Professional Responsibility, including a Code of Ethics which mandates that CFP professionals place their clients’ interests first. The Standards Council vigilantly enforces these standards..

Qualified Associate Financial Planner™ (QAFP™)

QAFP™ certification demonstrates a financial planner’s competence and commitment to the highest ethical standards of responsibility. QAFP professionals have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, experience, and ethics to provide holistic financial planning strategies and solutions for average Canadians with typical financial planning needs.

Chartered Life Underwriter

In order to become a Chartered Life Underwriter one must complete three specialized in depth courses in insurance law, taxation and applied estate planning. Course Curriculum Includes: Advanced Taxation which provides information on income tax rules and regulations that affect those involved and presents it within a series of practical case scenarios relevant to the advisor. Law provides practical knowledge to the advisor on the rules and regulations in various jurisdictions that will affect their practice. Applied Estate Planning draws upon technical knowledge gained and emphasis is placed on the application of that knowledge. The program requires financial advisors to identify problems and gather comprehensive data that are essential to their client’s planning.

Chartered Life Underwriter, Life Insurance, Estate Planning

Certified Health Insurance Specialist

The CHS curriculum consists of courses, authored by leading experts in living benefits. Critical Illness, Long-Term Care and Group Benefits: Topics covered include critical illness and long-term care insurance including underwriting and claims. This course also considers a variety of group insurance products and how they impact your overall financial security. Disability Income Insurance: Topics covered include the design of disability income insurance products, public and private disability insurance plans, underwriting disability income insurance, the individual disability contract, disability income claims, and the marketing of and future trends in disability income insurance.

Certified Health Insurance Specialist, Living Benefits

Trust and Estate Practitioner

The four courses making up the diploma are: Law of Trusts: This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the law of trusts in Canada. It provides the theoretical underpinning to the entire Diploma program and the basic legal knowledge required by all trust and estate practitioners. The course examines the legal nature of a trust and how trusts can be used to achieve client objectives. It also addresses legal issues related to the proper creation and interpretation of trusts, as well as the duties and responsibilities of trustees and the rights of beneficiaries. Taxation of Trusts and Estates: This course covers the tax consequences of creating a trust, taxation of income in a trust, and the tax consequences of distributions to a beneficiary. The tax consequences of death are examined along with taxation of the first year of an estate and basic post mortem tax planning. Reporting and filing requirements are included along with an introduction to tax planning strategies for trusts and estates. Wills, Trust and Estate Administration: This course covers the law of wills, will preparation, probate fee planning and planning for incapacity. The consequences of dying without a will and potential claims against an estate are examined. The duties of the estate trustee are included, along with details of the steps necessary to properly administer an estate or trust. Trust and Estate Planning: This course builds on the previous three courses and provides a framework for students to apply the concepts and technical knowledge already acquired. Using a case study method, the students will be able to develop comprehensive trust and estate plans. Advanced tax planning and more complex estate planning issues are examined including unique family situations, charitable giving, U.S. estate tax, and planning for business owners.

STEP Canada - Trust and Estate Practitioner - Tax Planning

 

Associations

Advocis, Financial Advisor, Tax Planning

Advocis

Advocis is the home and voice of Canada’s financial advisors and it recognizes that a professional financial advisor best serves consumers. Advocis has more than 13,000 members in 48 chapters across Canada that serve the financial interests of millions. It is a voluntary organization committed to professionalism and adheres to an established code of conduct. The members at Advocis provide a full range of financial services such as estate and retirement planning, wealth and risk management and tax planning.  Advocis is committed to the future of the financial industry and with the use of Recruitment, Apprenticeship, Mentoring and Succession (RAMS) they are assuring that the advisor community with continue to grow.

Conference for Advanced Life Underwriting

Conference for Advanced Life Underwriting

Conference for Advanced Life Underwriting (CALU) represents the interests of Advocis and CALU members to Parliament officials, in particular, the Canada Revenue Agency and the Department of Finance.

FP Logo

FP Canada

FP Canada is a not-for-profit organization established in 1995 to benefit the public by leading the evolution of the financial planning profession in Canada. They develop, enforce and promote the highest competency and ethical standards in financial planning as defined by individuals who have earned the Qualified Associate Financial Planner™ (QAFP™) and Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP™) designations.

The CLU Institute, Life Insurance, Estate Planning

The CLU Institute

The CLU Institute is the organization that is responsible for the administration and the promotion of the CLU (Chartered Life Underwriter) designation. The Institute administers the code of professional conduct to which all Advocis members must adhere. The Institute sets the standards of practice expected of CLU designates when engaged by clients on matters involving life and health insurance and estate planning. For more than 80 years, the CLU designation has been widely recognized as a mark of excellence in the industry.

Certified Health Insurance Specialist, Financial Advisor

Certified Health Insurance Specialist

Certified Health Insurance Specialist is a professional financial advisor specializing in living benefits, including income replacement and risk management solutions for individuals, business owners and professionals. The CHS is the only designation in Canada denoting specialized knowledge in all areas of living benefits and is the premier credential in the health insurance industry.

Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, Estate Planning

Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners

The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) is the leading international organization for trust and estates professionals. Headquartered in London, England, it has more than 16,500 members worldwide in 66 countries. TEP is a multi-disciplinary organization with the most experienced and senior practitioners in the field, including: lawyers, accountants, financial planners, insurance advisors and trust professionals. They provide domestic and international advice on trust and estates, including planning, administration and related taxes. The TEP designation is the hallmark for trust & estate practitioners.