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Professional Certification Resources

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Useful Resources About the College's Certification Marks

Students who successfully complete the requirements of the College’s professional certification programs and comply with standards of professional conduct are authorized to use the College’s certification marks for a given program. The College’s certification marks may only be used by those specifically authorized by the College.

Learn more about communicating your recent educational accomplishment(s), renewing or relinquishing a certification or designation or filing a complaint or grievance against a designee.

Communicate Your Professional Certification Accomplishment

The College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company has developed this Professional Designations Toolkit to support our professional certification holders in creating communications and awareness about the credential(s) you have earned and what that means to the clients you serve. This toolkit contains ideas for how to communicate your recent educational accomplishments and other resources.

Renew a Professional Certification

Following the initial conferment of one of the College for Financial Planning®—A Kaplan Company’s professional certifications and designations, authorization for continued use of the credential must be renewed every 2 years.

To avoid possible suspension of your certification or designation, click here to review and become familiar with renewal requirements. 

Designations are eligible for renewal beginning 120 days prior to the expiration date. You can complete your renewal online in less than 10 minutes by logging into your student account. If you require assistance with the process, please contact the Student Support Department at 800-237-9990, option #2

Reinstatement after Expiration

Understanding Designation Renewal, Reinstatement, and Termination Timelines
To determine your tier or the number of years lapsed from your designation, please use the date of your designation's renewal as a reference point. This will help determine whether you are eligible for renewal, reinstatement, or if your designation has been terminated.

120 Days Before Renewal

You can renew your designation online 120 days prior to the renewal due date.

Designation Renewal Date

You can renew your designation online 120 days prior to the renewal due date.

Late Designation Renewal Period

After 60 days of non-renewal, students will receive a "Designation Cease and Desist" email notification, informing them that their rights to continue using the designation have been revoked.

Expired Period 60 Days-2 years

Designees are given a two-year period from the renewal date to renew their designation. 

Reinstatement Period 2 years and 1 day up to 6 years

See reinstatement steps below.

Designation Termination 6 years or more

Individuals who do not reinstate within 6 years following their renewal date are ineligible for reinstatement and are instead required to re-enroll in the education program and fulfill all designation requirements.

120 Days Before Renewal

$100.00 Renewal Fee

Designation Renewal Date

$100.00 Renewal Fee

Late Designation Renewal Period

$100.00 Renewal Fee

Expired Period 60 Days-2 years

$100.00 Renewal Fee

Reinstatement Period 2 years and 1 day up to 6 years

$250 Reinstatement Fee

Designation Termination 6 years or more

Tuition for re-enroll

120 Days Before Renewal

No Penalty

Designation Renewal Date

No Penalty

Late Designation Renewal Period

Penalty:

Expired Period 60 Days-2 years

Penalty

Reinstatement Period 2 years and 1 day up to 6 years

Penalty: 

Designation Termination 6 years or more

Penalty: 

Reinstatement Steps

Students who do not complete the renewal within 2 years of the renewal date become ineligible for renewal and enter the reinstatement period. Those in the reinstatement period, which spans 2 to 6 years from their renewal date, can petition for reinstatement by fulfilling all outstanding reinstatement requirements and paying any applicable fees.

To complete the reinstatement process, students need to fill out the renewal application available in the portal and attest to having completed 16 continuing education (CE) credits. 

  1. Access your student account to initiate the reinstatement process: Login here

If you are unable to process your reinstatement via your student portal please complete the forms below and email renewals@cffp.edu to petition for a manual reinstatement. 

Please complete the following forms for review to request a reinstatement: 

  1. Professional Designation Reinstatement Request Form.

  2. Professional Designation Renewal Application.

  3. Provide proof of 16 credits of continuing education (CE).

Should you have any questions during this process, please don't hesitate to contact us at renewals@cffp.edu.

AWMA® Designation Petition (for current SE-AWMA designees only)

Individuals who are currently authorized to use the SE-AWMA® designation are invited to broaden their expertise in wealth management by obtaining the AWMA® designation. To request authorization to use the AWMA® designation completion of the AWMA® Designation Petition is required to supplement your current SE-AWMA® designation application. Need assistance or have a question? Please contact us at renewals@cffp.edu.

Fill Out the form linked here to petition for additional approval to use the AWMA®️ designation.

Relinquish a Professional Certification

If you need to voluntarily relinquish your certification or designation from the College, please complete the designation relinquishment form.

File a Grievance Against a Designee

Individuals authorized to use one of the College for Financial Planning’s professional certifications are subject to a disciplinary process. Complaints against a designee may be filed by a designee’s client, employer, or any other individual with whom the designee has established a formal business engagement for purposes of providing asset management, retirement planning, or financial planning services to that individual. The College for Financial Planning investigates all complaints and its Ethical Conduct Committee determines whether allegations are justified and whether the conduct warrants disciplinary action.

Contact Us

If you need further assistance or have questions, please contact us directly at renewals@cffp.edu.