A Profession, Almost
In reading the cover story ("Why Aren‚t We There Yet?") by David Drucker in the April edition of Financial Advisor, we found ourselves in full agreement with those comments that suggested financial planning is closer to being a profession than many observers might believe. We at Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. are committed to making the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification the recognized standard of excellence for the financial planning profession.
Without such a standard, there can be no public trust. In the case of those who hold the CFP® certification, consumers can be assured that they are working with a professional who has undergone a rigorous credentialing process and who must uphold the highest ethical standards in the industry.
In acting in the public interest by fostering professional standards in personal financial planning, CFP Board establishes and enforces rigorous education, examination, experience and ethics requirements for CFP® certificants. As noted by Timothy Kochis, CFP®, these standards help separate financial planning from the accounting or legal professions. In addition to those four Es, which instill the principles of integrity, objectivity, competence, fairness, confidentiality, professionalism and diligence when dealing with clients, CFP Board includes a rigorous enforcement process to ensure compliance with those principles.
We have also elevated the standard of care by CFP® professionals who offer financial planning services to the "duty of care of a fiduciary" when our revised Standards of Professional Conduct take effect July 1, 2008. These new standards are designed to improve trust in the financial planning profession among the public and highlight the value of the CFP® certification.
Although we have not reached the point at which the public fully understands financial planning as a profession, we are convinced that our ongoing efforts to safeguard the public interest–and our efforts to gain a greater voice in the public policy debate here in Washington, D.C.–will bring us closer to that goal.
Kevin R. Keller
CEO, Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc.

Nice Redesign
I enjoy the new look of the magazine. More importantly, the articles and content are very valuable. I learn something from each issue. Thanks for all you do to advance our profession so that we can provide better advice and guidance to our clients.
David H. Bugen, CFP, MBA
RegentAtlantic Capital LLC
Chatham, N.J.

Thanks FOR Nick Murray
Thanks so much for putting Nick Murray‚s article (Financial Advisor, March 2008) before my eyes. It so encapsulates my thinking, not only in regard to financial markets, but also in regard to religious belief and the artistic impulse, both of which I suspect are "hard-wired" responses of the human mind to the intolerable chaos, that it takes my breath away.
Madeline I. Novek
Novos Planning Associates Inc.
New York.

Thanks TO Nick Murray
My partner and I currently manage $20+ million in assets. We are a small firm in a small town working with everyday people dealing with everyday life. Recently our largest employer, the textile mill giant Springs Industries (now Springs Global), closed multiple plants and have terminated thousands of employees.
Because of these transitions, we have found ourselves working with many new investment clients. In a time of market fluctuation, we are having many discussions with clients about their accounts. I always enjoy your magazine and it has helped me in my own money management practices many times.
This has perhaps never been truer than one particular article in the January ‚08 issue by Nick Murray. Mr. Murray was the keynote speaker at our fall ‚07 HD Vest broker-dealer conference.
The article "It‚s Yesterday Once More" has been a life (and client) saver for me. His casual use of the analogy of Davy Crockett in The Alamo movies breaks through my clients‚ misunderstanding of the market we find ourselves in today. As Mr. Murray says "… no matter what‚s happening at any given moment, you‚ve seen this movie before, and you know pretty much exactly how it ends."
We know this to be true but getting our clients to grasp this is not always easy. I have the article highlighted and in a plastic jacket to use for years to come. It is as if a light goes on in my clients‚ minds and their fears are calmed. They mostly realize they, too, have seen this movie before.
John W Hess, EA, ATA
Mungo Nichols & Hess
Lancaster, S.C.