Designations & Continuing Education
In addition to CIGNA Financial Advisors’ 3-year initial training program (which was approximately 2,100 hours of classroom education), Brad has continued to grow his cross-disciplinary knowledge base in taxation, estate & business succession (legal), risk management & insurance and of course, investment management & retirement income planning.
Specifically, Brad has continued his commitment to education throughout his financial services career and has "put in the time" to obtain nine (9) professional designations including:
AAMS®, Accredited Asset Management Specialist
AIFA®, Accredited Investment Fiduciary Analyst™
CFS®, Certified Fund Specialist®
CLTC®, Certification in Long-Term Care
CPFA®, Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor®
Brad obtained a BA in Economics at UCLA in 1989. Brad’s formal education in economics provides him with additional insight and understanding when reading and evaluating market and economic commentary. Further, this economics background provides a strong foundation to better serve his clients which is further enhanced through his financial services education.
Additionally, Brad completed the course of study necessary to qualify to sit for the CFP® designation through the University of California at Irvine in 2006. However, while preparing to sit for the CFP® exam, Brad ultimately chose not to sit for the designation as doing so would not contribute to his ability to properly serve his clients.
In 2007, the CFP® Board announced that they would impose a fiduciary standard of professional conduct for all CFP® professionals who offered financial planning. Having obtained his AIFA® (Accredited Investment Fiduciary Analyst™) designation in 2004, Brad was already well aware of the fiduciary standards and the duties imposed upon those professionals who served in a “trusted” position.
Brad felt the CFP® Board’s new policy would potentially limit the range of products and compensation options he could offer his clients. He chose not to pursue the CFP® in order to continue to offer his clients both fee-based financial planning advice as well as implementation of his planning with continued access to the broadest possible array of investment & insurance products and services.