Fiduciary Focus

A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®) professional is bound by the CFP Board’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct to act as a fiduciary at all times when providing financial advice, prioritizing the client's best interests above their own or their firm's. This duty entails a strict duty of loyalty, duty of care, and adherence to client instructions.

Key Aspects of a CFP®'s Fiduciary Duty

Best Interest Standard: The core obligation is to put the client's financial well-being first, ensuring all advice is tailored to the client's goals, risk tolerance, and circumstances.
Duty of Loyalty: CFP® professionals must avoid or fully disclose and manage any material conflicts of interest.
Duty of Care: Acting with the skill, prudence, and diligence of a professional, including acting with honesty and integrity.
Comprehensive Advice: The fiduciary duty applies to all financial planning and advice, not just investment recommendations.

Unlike advisors held only to a "suitability" standard, a CFP® must provide advice that is not influenced by commissions or incentives, but rather what is best for the client.