Professional Designations

Use this tool to decode the letters that sometimes follow a financial professional’s name. You can also see whether the issuing organization requires continuing education, takes complaints or has a way for you to confirm who holds the credential.

3 (1) | A (22) | B (6) | C (121) | D (3) | E (3) | F (11) | G (1) | I (1) | L (2) | M (5) | N (1) | P (4) | Q (2) | R (24) | W (1)

Designation Sort descending	Acronym	Compare
3 Dimensional Wealth Practitioner	C3DWP	Add	View Details
Accredited Adviser in Insurance	AAI	Add	View Details
Accredited Asset Management Specialist	AAMS	Add	View Details
Accredited Domestic Partnership Advisor	ADPA	Add	View Details
Accredited Estate Planner	AEP	Add	View Details
Accredited Financial Analyst	AFA	Add	View Details
Accredited Financial Counselor	AFC	Add	View Details
Accredited Investment Fiduciary	AIF	Add	View Details
Accredited Investment Fiduciary Analyst	AIFA	Add	View Details
Accredited Management Accountant	AMA	Add	View Details
Accredited Pension Representative	APR	Add	View Details
Accredited Portfolio Management Advisor	APMA	Add	View Details
Accredited Retirement Plan Consultant	ARPC	Add	View Details
Accredited Tax Advisor	ATA	Add	View Details
Accredited Tax Preparer	ATP	Add	View Details
Accredited Wealth Management Advisor	AWMA	Add	View Details
Asset Protection Planner	APP	Add	View Details
Associate in General Insurance	AINS	Add	View Details
Associate in Insurance Services	AIS	Add	View Details
Associate in Personal Insurance	API	Add	View Details
Associate, Financial Services Institute	AFSI	Add	View Details
Associate, Life Management Institute	ALMI	Add	View Details
Associate, Secure Retirement Institute	ASRI	Add	View Details
Behavioral Financial Advisor	BFA	Add	View Details
Board Certified in Annuities	BCA	Add	View Details
Board Certified in Asset Allocation	BCAA	Add	View Details
Board Certified in Estate Planning	BCE	Add	View Details
Board Certified in Mutual Funds	BCM	Add	View Details
Board Certified in Securities	BCS	Add	View Details
Certificate in Investment Performance Measurement	CIPM	Add	View Details
Certified 401(k) Professional	C(k)P	Add	View Details
Certified AML Specialist	CAMLS	Add	View Details
Certified Annuity Advisor	CAA	Add	View Details
Certified Annuity Consultant	CAC	Add	View Details
Certified Annuity Specialist	CAS	Add	View Details
Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist	CAMS	Add	View Details
Certified Asset Protection Planner	CAPP	Add	View Details
Certified Business Exit Consultant	CBEC	Add	View Details
Certified College Financial Consultant	CCFC	Add	View Details
Certified College Funding Specialist	CCFS	Add	View Details
Certified College Planning Specialist	CCPS	Add	View Details
Certified Compliance Specialist	CCOS	Add	View Details
Certified Compliance Specialist	CCS	Add	View Details
Certified Credit Counselor	CCC	Add	View Details
Certified Debt Management Professional	CDMP	Add	View Details
Certified Divorce Advisor	CDA	Add	View Details
Certified Divorce Consultant	CDC	Add	View Details
Certified Divorce Financial Analyst	CDFA	Add	View Details
Certified Divorce Planner	CDP	Add	View Details
Certified Educational Consultant	CEC	Add	View Details
Certified Educator in Personal Finance	CEPF	Add	View Details
Certified Elder Planning Specialist	CEPS	Add	View Details
Certified Employee Benefit Specialist	CEBS	Add	View Details
Certified Equity Indexed Annuity Specialist	CEIAS	Add	View Details
Certified Estate Advisor	CEA	Add	View Details
Certified Estate and Trust Specialist	CES	Add	View Details
Certified Estate Planner	CEP	Add	View Details
Certified Exit Planner	CExP	Add	View Details
Certified Exit Planning Advisor	CEPA	Add	View Details
Certified Financial Consultant	CFC	Add	View Details
Certified Financial Divorce Practitioner	CFDP	Add	View Details
Certified Financial Education Instructor	CFEI	Add	View Details
Certified Financial Education Professional	CFEP	Add	View Details
Certified Financial Educator	CFEd	Add	View Details
Certified Financial Fiduciary	CFF	Add	View Details
Certified Financial Gerontologist	CFG	Add	View Details
Certified Financial Marketing Professional	CFMP	Add	View Details
Certified Financial Planner	CFP	Add	View Details
Certified Financial Transitionist	CeFT®	Add	View Details
Certified Financial Wellness Educator	CFWE	Add	View Details
Certified Fixed Income Practitioner	CFIP	Add	View Details
Certified Fund Specialist	CFS	Add	View Details
Certified Housing Counselor	CHC	Add	View Details
Certified in Social Security Claiming Strategies	CSSCS	Add	View Details
Certified Income Specialist	CIS	Add	View Details
Certified Insurance Counselor	CIC	Add	View Details
Certified Insurance Industry Professional	CIIP	Add	View Details
Certified Insurance Service Representative	CISR	Add	View Details
Certified Investment Management Analyst	CIMA	Add	View Details
Certified Investment Management Consultant	CIMC	Add	View Details
Certified IRA Professional	CIP	Add	View Details
Certified IRA Services Professional	CISP	Add	View Details
Certified Kingdom Advisor	CKA	Add	View Details
Certified Long-Term Care	CLTC	Add	View Details
Certified Management Accountant	CMA	Add	View Details
Certified Medicaid Planner	CMP	Add	View Details
Certified Merger and Acquisition Advisor	CM&AA	Add	View Details
Certified Pension Consultant	CPC	Add	View Details
Certified Personal Banker	CPB	Add	View Details
Certified Personal Finance Counselor	CPFC	Add	View Details
Certified Personal Retirement Specialist	CPRS	Add	View Details
Certified Personal Risk Manager	CPRM	Add	View Details
Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor	CPFA	Add	View Details
Certified Portfolio Specialist	CPS	Add	View Details
Certified Private Wealth Advisor	CPWA	Add	View Details
Certified Professional Insurance Agent	CPIA	Add	View Details
Certified Professional Insurance Man	CPIM	Add	View Details
Certified Professional Insurance Woman	CPIW	Add	View Details
Certified Professional Retirement Coach	CPRC	Add	View Details
Certified Public Accountant	CPA	Add	View Details
Certified Regulatory and Compliance Professional	CRCP	Add	View Details
Certified Retirement Administrator	CRA	Add	View Details
Certified Retirement Counselor	CRC	Add	View Details
Certified Retirement Education Specialist	CRES	Add	View Details
Certified Retirement Financial Advisor	CRFA	Add	View Details
Certified Retirement Planner	CRP	Add	View Details
Certified Retirement Services Professional	CRSP	Add	View Details
Certified Risk Manager	CRM	Add	View Details
Certified Risk Specialist	CRS	Add	View Details
Certified Senior Advisor	CSA	Add	View Details
Certified Senior Consultant	CSC	Add	View Details
Certified Specialist in Estate Planning	CSEP	Add	View Details
Certified Specialist in Retirement Planning	CSRP	Add	View Details
Certified Student Loan Advisor	CSLA	Add	View Details
Certified Student Loan Professional	CSLP	Add	View Details
Certified Tax Specialist	CTS	Add	View Details
Certified Treasury Professional	CTP	Add	View Details
Certified Trust and Financial Advisor	CTFA	Add	View Details
Certified Wealth Consultant	CWC	Add	View Details
Certified Wealth Management Specialist	CWMS	Add	View Details
Certified Wealth Preservation Planner	CWPP	Add	View Details
Certified Wealth Smart Strategist	CWSS	Add	View Details
Certified Wealth Strategist	CWS	Add	View Details
Certified Workplace Money Coach	CWMC	Add	View Details
Chartered Advisor for Senior Living	CASL	Add	View Details
Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy	CAP	Add	View Details
Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst	CAIA	Add	View Details
Chartered Asset Manager	CAM	Add	View Details
Chartered Estate Planning Practitioner	CEPP	Add	View Details
Chartered Federal Employee Benefits Consultant	ChFEBC	Add	View Details
Chartered Financial Analyst	CFA	Add	View Details
Chartered Financial Consultant	ChFC	Add	View Details
Chartered Financial Engineer	ChFE	Add	View Details
Chartered Financial Risk Engineer	CFRE	Add	View Details
Chartered Investment Counselor	CIC	Add	View Details
Chartered Life Underwriter	CLU	Add	View Details
Chartered Market Analyst	CMA	Add	View Details
Chartered Market Technician	CMT	Add	View Details
Chartered Mutual Fund Counselor	CMFC	Add	View Details
Chartered Portfolio Manager	CPM	Add	View Details
Chartered Private Wealth Advisor	CPWA	Add	View Details
Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter	CPCU	Add	View Details
Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor	CRPC	Add	View Details
Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist	CRPS	Add	View Details
Chartered Senior Financial Planner	CSFP	Add	View Details
Chartered SRI Counselor	CSRIC	Add	View Details
Chartered Trust and Estate Planner	CTEP	Add	View Details
Chartered Wealth Manager	CWM	Add	View Details
Christian Financial Professionals Network Certified Member	CFPN	Add	View Details
College Funding and Student Loan Advisor	CFSLA	Add	View Details
Direct Participation Professional	DPP	Add	View Details
Disability Income Associate	DIA	Add	View Details
Diversified Advanced Education	DAE	Add	View Details
Employee Healthcare Benefits Associate	EHBA	Add	View Details
Endorsed Local Provider	ELP	Add	View Details
Enrolled Agent	EA	Add	View Details
Fellow of the Academy of Life Underwriting	FALU	Add	View Details
Fellow, Financial Services Institute	FFSI	Add	View Details
Fellow, Life Management Institute	FLMI	Add	View Details
Fellow, Secure Retirement Institute	FSRI	Add	View Details
Financial Analyst Designate	FAD	Add	View Details
Financial Paraplanner Qualified Professional	FPQP	Add	View Details
Financial Risk Manager	FRM	Add	View Details
Financial Services Specialist	FSS	Add	View Details
Fraternal Insurance Counselor	FIC	Add	View Details
Fraternal Insurance Counselor Fellow	FICF	Add	View Details
Fraternal Professional Certificate	FPC	Add	View Details
Global Financial Steward	GFS	Add	View Details
International Mergers & Acquisitions	IM&A	Add	View Details
Life and Annuity Certified Professional	LACP	Add	View Details
Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow	LUTCF	Add	View Details
Master Certified Estate Planner	MCEP	Add	View Details
Master Financial Planner	MFP	Add	View Details
Master Planner Advanced Studies	MPAS	Add	View Details
Master Registered Financial Consultant	MRFC	Add	View Details
Mergers & Acquisitions Professional	M&AP	Add	View Details
National Social Security Advisor	NSSA	Add	View Details
Personal Financial Specialist	PFS	Add	View Details
Personal Retirement Planning Specialist	PRPS	Add	View Details
PLANSPONSOR Retirement Professional	PRP	Add	View Details
Professional Plan Consultant	PPC	Add	View Details
QFP—Qualified Financial Planner	QFP	Add	View Details
Qualified Plan Financial Consultant	QPFC	Add	View Details
Registered Banking Professional	RBP	Add	View Details
Registered Business Broker	RBB	Add	View Details
Registered Employee Benefits Professional	REBP	Add	View Details
Registered Estate Planner	REP	Add	View Details
Registered Fiduciary	RF	Add	View Details
Registered Financial Associate	RFA	Add	View Details
Registered Financial Consultant	RFC	Add	View Details
Registered Financial Gerontologist	RFG	Add	View Details
Registered Financial Planner	RFP	Add	View Details
Registered Financial Specialist	RFS	Add	View Details
Registered Insurance Professional	RIP	Add	View Details
Registered Investment Banker	RIB	Add	View Details
Registered Legal Professional	RLP	Add	View Details
Registered Medicare Insurance Professional	RMIP	Add	View Details
Registered Merger & Acquisition Advisor	RM&AA	Add	View Details
Registered Mortgage Professional	RMP	Add	View Details
Registered Paraplanner	RP	Add	View Details
Registered Property & Casualty Professional	RP&CP	Add	View Details
Registered Social Security Analyst	RSSA	Add	View Details
Registered Tax Professional	RTP	Add	View Details
Retirement Income Certified Professional	RICP	Add	View Details
Retirement Income Specialist	RIS	Add	View Details
Retirement Management Advisor	RMA	Add	View Details
Retirement Plans Associate	RPA	Add	View Details
Wealth Management Specialist	WMS	Add	View Details

2017 Exam Findings Report
2018 Exam Findings Report
2019 Exam Findings Report
A Few Minutes With FINRA
About FINRA
Announcement
Annual Regulatory and Examination Priorities Letters
Arbitration and Mediation
Blog Post
Board of Governors Meeting
Capital Market Insights
Communications to Firms
Compliance Tools
Conference Call
Content Hub
Content Outline
Continuing Education
Disciplinary Action Report
Election Notice
Email to Firms
Events & Training
Exemptive Letter
FAQ
Filing and Reporting
Financial Reports
FINRA's Financial Guiding Principles
FINRA360 Progress Report
Form
From Small Firm Advisory Board (SFAB)
Get Involved
Guidance
Hide From What's New
Information Notice
Interpretive Letter
Investor Alert
Investor Education
Investor Highlights
Investor Insights
Investor Resources
Key Topic
Manage Your Career
Market Integrity
Market Safety
Monthly Disciplinary Actions
Neutral Corner
News Release
Notice
Notice to Members
Oversight & Enforcement
Podcast
Publication
Qualification Exam
Quarterly Disciplinary Review
Registration
Regulation and Compliance
Regulatory and Compliance Alerts (RCA)
Regulatory Notice
Report / Study
Report Card
Request for Comment
Responsible Citizenship
Rule
Rule Filing
Special Notice
Speech / Testimony
Targeted Examination Letter
Technical Documentation
Technical Notice
The Alert Investor
Trade Reporting Notice
Training
Video
Webinar

401(k)
403(b)
457
529 Prepaid Tuition Plans
529 Savings Plans
Accounts At Other Broker Dealers and Financial Institutions
Advertising Regulation
Agency Bonds
Algorithmic Trading
Alternative and Complex Products
Alternative Display Facility (ADF)
Annual Audit
Anti-Money Laundering
Arbitration and Mediation
Asset Backed Securities
Auction Rate Securities
Back testing
Bank Products
Best Execution
Best Practices
Block Chain / Distributed Ledger Technology
Blue Sheets
Bond Funds
Bond Mutual Fund Volatility/Risk Rating
Bonds
Books and Records
Branch Offices
Breakpoints
Broker Dealer Registration
Broker Migration
Broker-Dealer Recruitment Disclosures
Brokerage
BrokerCheck
Business Cards
Business Continuity Planning
Business Development Company (BDC)
Capital Acquisition Brokers
Capital Formation
Carrying Agreements
Cash Equivalents
Catastrophe Bonds
Central Registration Depository (CRD)
Certificates of Deposit (CDs)
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (CMOs)
College Savings Plans
Commodities and Futures
Communications with the Public
Compensation
Compliance Resources
Comprehensive Automated Risk Data System (CARDS)
Conflicts of Interest
Consolidated Audit Trail (CAT)
Consolidated Reports
Continuing Education
Continuing Membership Applications
Continuing Membership Applications
Corporate Bonds
Corporate Financing
Correspondence
Correspondence
Coverdell Education Saving Accounts (ESAs)
Credit for Cooperation
Custodial Accounts (UGMA and UTMA)
Customer Account Statements
Customer Account Transfers
Customer Information Protection
Customer Orders
Cybersecurity
Day Trading
Deferred Annuities
Department of Labor
Derivatives and Other Balance Sheet Items (OBS)
Digital Experience Transformation (DXT)
Direct Participation Programs (DPPs)
E-Bill
Education
EFocus
Electronic Communications
Electronic Filing Requirements
Electronic Fingerprint Processing
Electronic Fingerprint Submission (EFS)
Enforcement
Enforcement Process
Engagement
Equities
Equity-Indexed Annuities
Essentials Exam
Event Linked Bonds
Exam Restructuring
Exams
Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)
Expense Ratio
Expertise
Fee Disclosure
Fees
Filing Requirements
Financial and Operational Rules, Interpretations of
Financial Responsibility
Financial Stress Test
Fingerprints
FINRA Foundation
FINRA Logo
FINRA Membership/Name
FINRA360
FinTech
Firm Examination Program
Fixed Annuities
Fixed Income
Foreign Exchange Trading
Free Writing Prospectus
Funding and Liquidity
Funding Portal Registration
Funding Portals
Funds
GASB Accounts Support Fee
Generation X
Ghost-writing
Gifts and Gratuities
Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB)
Hedge Funds
High Risk Brokers
High Yield Bonds
High Yield Securities
Home Equity Funded Investments
Hyperlinks
Illiquid Investments
Indications of Interest
Individual Registration
Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs)
Inexperienced
Information and Testimony Requests
Initial Public Offering (IPO)
Innovation
INSITE
Institutional Communications
Insurance
International and Emerging Market Bonds
Investment Analysis Tools
Investment Products
Investors
Junk Bonds
Letterhead
Life Settlements
Limit Order
Linking to BrokerCheck
Margin Accounts
Margin Risk Disclosure
Mark-ups / Mark-Downs
Market Access
Market Order
Market Regulation
Market Transparancy
Materiality Consultation Process
Member Application Program
Mergers Acquisitions and Business Transfers
Military
Military Spouses
Millennials
Money Market Securities
Mortgage Backed Securities
Mortgages
Municipal Advisor Regulation
Municipal Fund Securities
Municipal Securities
Mutual Funds
National Adjudicatory Council (NAC)
National Do-Not-Call Registry
National Market System Plans
Near Retirement
Negative Response Letters
Net Capital
New Account Process
New Firm Communications
New Investor
Non-cash Compensation
Office of Fraud Detection and Market Intelligence
Office of Hearing Officers (OHO)
Office of the Chief Economist
Office of the General Counsel
Operations
Options
Options Exchange Filings
Order Audit Trail System (OATS)
Order Handling
OTC (ATS & Non-ATS) Transparency
OTC Bulletin Board (OTCBB)
Over-the-Counter Reporting Facility (ORF)
Oversight
Penny Stocks
Pre-investor
Preferred Securities
Principal Approval
Principal Protected Notes
Private Placements
Product Vetting
Professional Designations
Projections
Promissory Notes
Proprietary Trading
Public Disclosure Program
Public non-traded REITS
Public Offerings
Qualification Exams
Rankings
Real Estate Investment Trusts
Registered Investment Advisers (RIA)
Registration and Disclosure (RAD)
Regulation A Offerings
Regulation Best Interest (REG BI)
Regulation D Offerings
Regulation M
Regulation M Filings
Regulation NMS
Related Performance
Renewal Program
Reporting
Reprints
Research Analyst Rules
Research Disclosures
Research Reports
Retirement Savings Plans
Reverse Convertible Notes (RCN)
Risk Management
Rule 4530 Reporting Requirements
Sales Practices
Sanction Guidelines
Savings Accounts
Securities Investor Protection Corporation - SIPC
Security Futures
SEC’s July 2013 Financial Responsibility Rule Amendments
Senior Designations
Senior Investors
Shareholder Reports
Short Interest Reporting
Short Selling
Social Media
Statutory Disqualification
Stocks
Structured Products
Subordination Agreements
Suitability
Supervision
Supplemental Statement of Income (SSOI)
Technology
Teens
Telemarketing
Television and Video
Templates
Tenants-in-Common Interests
Third Party Research
Thrift savings plan (TSP)
Tick Size Pilot Program
Trade Reporting and Compliance Engine (TRACE)
Trade Reporting Facility (TRF)
Trading Activity Fee
Treasury Bills
Treasury Bonds
Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS)
Treasury Notes
U.S. Treasury Securities
Uniform Practice Code (UPC)
Update a Firm's Registration
Variable Annuities
Variable Life
Variable Life Insurance Products
VIX-Linked Products (Volatility Index)
Women