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The American Academy of Financial Management, or AAFM as it is known, is a professional association dedicated to the finance sector and finance professionals. It has membership in over 140 countries, and is recognized by most governments in the countries where members reside.

Background

The AAFM was founded in 1996, via a merger between the American Academy of Financial Management & Analysts (AAFMA) and the Founders Advisory Committee of the Original Tax and Estate Planning Law Review.

The AAFM is a professional association governed by a Board of Standards and a membership code of ethics and standards of practice. The AAFM operates in most countries as a ‘society’ or non-profit association, with the members of the local or regional chapter making up the ‘owners’ of the society. At all times the AAFM and its members are accountable to the community and to the board of standards. The Academy’s legal and operational structure is somewhat dictated by a landmark US Supreme Court case (Ibanez vs. Florida) and this case also dictates the use of the AAFM marks as respect its members.

Graduate Post Nominal designations

The American Academy of Financial Management maintains more than 20 designations in the finance arena, with highly specialized role-based post-nominal awards.

Members must either have come through one of the AAFM Accredited University Finance programs (such as Universities within AACSB, ACBSP, etc), through an Executive Training Program, or in some rare cases through grandfathering by way of board/peer review.

One of the fastest growing professional bodies, AAFM is best recognized for its designations being listed with various authorities such as: Investor Education, Dept. of Labor, or National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD).

The following designations are the only certifications in their field that have reached worldwide acceptance North and South America as well as Asia, India, and the Middle East.

Chartered Wealth Manager

The CWM is only available for wealth managers with an accredited masters degree, law degree, CPA, PhD or specialized executive training. The Chartered Wealth Manager board certification program was featured in the Wall Street Journal in 2004. It has also been featured in The Beijing Times, South China Post, The Hindu National, El Norte Mexico, Financial Times, and the Arab Times.

Chartered Asset Manager

The CAM is only available for asset managers with an accredited masters degree, law degree, MBA, CPA, PhD or specialized executive training.

Chartered Portfolio Manager

The CPM is only available for portfolio managers with an accredited masters degree, MBA, law degree, CPA, PhD or specialized executive training.

Master Financial Professional

The MFP is only available for financial planning managers with an AACSB or ACBSP accredited degree, ABA law degree, MBA, CPA, PhD or specialized executive training.

The AAFM has mutual legal recognition agreements with over 560 accredited and registered business schools to convey this credential to registered graduates of these top institutions.

Certified Market Analyst

The Certified Market Analyst or Chartered Market Analyst credential is only available for financial analysts and market analysts with an earned & accredited masters degree, law degree, MBA, CPA, PhD or specialized AAFM executive training. The CMA has a focus on technical and fundamental analysis. Requirements are very high which include: graduate education, ethics, continuing education, and vast experience with research, publications and investments.

Chartered Trust and Estate Planner

The CTEP is only available for estates and trust managers with an accredited degree, law degree, MBA, CPA, PhD or specialized executive training. Trust and estates experience and knowledge is required.

Registered Financial Specialist

The RFS is only available for financial planning managers with an accredited degree, MBA, law degree, CPA, PhD or specialized executive training. Criteria for this award includes ethics, continuing education, testing, education, and degree.

Legal and Other Recognition

• The American Academy is the 1st Graduate Financial Organization in the world to have mutual recognition agreements from the AACSB and ACBSP.

• AAFM has over 561 registered and recogized accredited certification degree programs worldwide.

• The American Academy has global agreements with 2 of the Top Business Accreditation Agencies Worlwide.

• The AAFM and the CWM Certified Wealth Manager programmes have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times Asia, The Hindu National, The El Norte Latin America and the Arab Times.

• The AAFM was the first US organization for graduate certification to receive governmental recognition from China.

• The AAFM was the first to have designated ABA accredited law school courses that lead to certification.

• The AAFM was the first organization to require a college degree from an AACSB or ACBSP accredited business school.

• AAFM was the first financial organization in the world to provide government approved training in the Middle East, Dubai and the UAE.

• The AAFM maintains that over 60% of their membership holds an MBA, CPA, PhD, CMA, LLM, MS, MSc. or Law Degree.

• AAFM Board of Standards and Designations have the highest standards and criteria for admission in the Graduate Credentialing Area as they require degrees from double accredited business schools.

• AAFM recognizes ABA law school credits and Equis accredited business school credits on a selective basis.

• AAFM has co-existence trademark agreements with the financial analyst institute and the financial planner insurance organization.

• AAFM recognizes training from the esteemed Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners of the United Kingdom for the CTEP Chartered Trust and Estate Planner designation.

• AAFM is the originator and founder of the wealth management certification training of CWM board certification.

Standards

Other major insurance and financial planner organizations are only now (2007) requiring a college education after 30 years of granting financial planner credentials to those who took only 5-6 courses. In contrast, an AACSB or ACBSP business school graduate would need over 30 college level courses and exams along with ethics and professionalism courses to earn a degree to then be eligible for board certification.

Accredited Education and Certification

Due to global cross-recognition agreements with the the 2 major accrediting agencies AACSB and ACBSP which accredit over 560 of the best business school programs, the Certification of MFP Master Financial Planner Professional from the American Academy of Financial Management is available to AACSB and ACBSP business school graduates with finance or financial services related concentrations.

Books Related to Financial Planning

Critical Relationship Skills in Financial Advisory Business by Dr. Helen Gan and Lim Yuen Seong ISBN No: 981-41148-5-0 (English Version only) Published by D'Wealth Publication (M) Sdn. Bhd. website: www.dwealthpub.com.my:9000/

Smart Financial Planning for Your Retirement by Dr. B.C. Ghosh, Paul Chan and Lim Yuen Seong ISBN No: 983-2983-02-9 (English Version only) Published by Prentice Hall

Retirement Planning by Lim Yuen Seong ISBN No: 981-244-610-9 (English Version only) Published by D'Wealth Publication (M) Sdn. Bhd. website: www.dwealthpub.com.my:9000/

Supporting Business Succession Planning with an Insured Buy-Sell Agreement by Lim Yuen Seong ISBN No: 983-2983-03-7 (English only) Published by D'Wealth Publication (M) Sdn. Bhd. website: www.dwealthpub.com.my:9000/

Mastering Financial Computation by Dr. Chai Kon Lim ISBN No: 983-2983-05-3 (English only) Published by D'Wealth Publication (M) Sdn. Bhd. website: www.dwealthpub.com.my:9000/

External links

• AAFM Official Site
• AAFM Middle-East
• AAFM Hong Kong Board
• AAFM Asia
• AAFM India
• AAFM China
• AAFM Taiwan
• AAFM Latin South America Spanish
• AACSB International Alliance
• AAFM USA Wealth Management Training
• AAFM Singapore Wealth Management Training
• AAFM Hong Kong Wealth Management Courses

References or Sources

• NASD Investor Education

• US Department of Labor

• AACSB International & AAFM Global Alliance Press Release

• ACBSP Accreditation Body

• ACBSP AAFM Global Alliance Press Release in PDF Adobe

• AACSB AAFM Membership

• Professional associations