CFPs at Windsor

What is a CFP?

A CFP, or Certified Financial Planner, is a designation awarded to financial advisors who complete years of coursework, training, and pass an examination to prove their competency in all areas of financial planning.

To become a licensed financial planner and have the letters CFP displayed proudly before their name, one must undergo years of training. These years of training usually amount to a total of 4,000-6,000 hours in which the advisor was working through coursework or training in an area of financial planning. The requirements for learning and continuing education do not stop there, though. Even after a CFP earns certification and becomes a CFP professional, they must continue to attend courses and complete coursework to maintain their status.

In the roughly three years of training, a CFP is taught to do many things. The main goal for a CFP is to be able to identify short and long-term goals for one’s financial life, make a plan for that person to achieve those goals, and then execute the plan which they laid out.

CFPs are held to a strict fiduciary duty, meaning that they must put their client’s financial best interests ahead of their own. For example, CFP fiduciaries are barred from purchasing financial products for their clients simply because they would earn a high commission off the purchase. This means that when you choose a CFP to manage your wealth, you can rest assured that they will always act in your best interest.

CFPs and Financial Advisors—What’s the Difference?

Understanding the difference between a financial advisor and a CFP is important for a number of reasons. While all CFPs are financial advisors, not all financial advisors are CFPs.

A financial advisor is an individual who helps another individual manage their money. This can be anyone, no licensing or certification is required for someone to claim they are a financial advisor. Financial advisors can be fiduciaries but are not held to a fiduciary standard. This means that they are not obligated to always act in the best interests of their clients, which could lead to mismanagement.

A CFP professional is a financial advisor who has proven their ability, through coursework and an examination, to provide comprehensive financial planning services. Advisors with a CFP designation may also provide investment advice and retirement planning services. Certified Financial Planners must always act as fiduciaries when working on behalf of a client.

Windsor Wealth CFPs

Here at Windsor, we have 2 experienced CFP professionals on our team of advisors. Windsor Wealth CFPs Carlos Dominguez and Christina Jones have over 50 years of combined experience helping clients reach their financial goals.

In addition to his position as the Senior Financial Advisor, Carlos is also responsible for directing investment approaches and methods for the company. Receiving numerous recognitions throughout his career including being named a Premier Advisor by Wells Fargo Advisors, Carlos’ experience speaks for itself. With a long track record of providing excellent client service and attention to detail, it is easy to see why Carlos is one of the most trusted CFP professionals in North Georgia.

Christina, in addition to her role as a Financial Planner, is responsible for developing working investment strategies and alternatives for Windsor clients. Through her work as a Certified Financial Planner in Gainesville, Christina discovered a sector of the industry needing attention—woman investors. Understanding the discrepancies between how male and female clients are approached in the industry, Christina saw an opportunity to advise female investors and provide them with a resource for financial questions and guidance. By focusing her efforts on woman investors, Christina has built a large client base of women who now feel confident that they are making the right financial decisions for themselves and their families.