04-13-2009, 03:40 PM
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, san" id="quote">quote<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>The Institute of Financial Consultants (IFC) is an international professional organization chartered in the United States and Canada. The Institute has 8,500 members in more than 17 countries to date.
IFC offers an educational program leading to the designation of Certified Financial Consultant (CFC) issued to qualified graduates. The Institute is multidisciplinary, drawing its members from the related but separate fields of accountancy, insurance, law, funds management, tax and pensions. The Institute is forging a "new" profession that adopts the best features from these related professions and encourages the development of membersâ qualifications as financial consultants on the basis of their current professional qualifications.
Financial consultants provide advice to clients in a wide variety of situations from the financial planner advising individual clients on investments to those working as corporate financial officer, portfolio manager, security analyst and investment banker in organizations as diverse as brokerage firms, mutual funds, banks, trust companies, corporate finance departments, insurance companies and other financial management firms.
IFC aims to ensure its members provide competent, ethical and objective financial advice. This is to the advantage of clients and employers, the profession and individual members of the Institute.
VISION
The vision of IFC is to be the global leader in educating and certifying financial consultants.
MISSION
The mission of IFC is to provide education and certification for financial consultants so that members qualified to use the designation Certified Financial Consultant are recognized internationally as trusted financial advisors.
The objectives of IFC are to
offer thorough and accessible educational programs for professionals anywhere in the world to qualify as competent financial consultants.
issue the designation of Certified Financial Consultant (CFC) to qualified graduates of the education program.
ensure each member adheres to the Instituteâs code of ethics.
grow public respect for, and confidence in, the profession of financial consulting.
gather and circulate current information relevant to financial consulting to Institute members.
encourage and provide opportunity for Institute members from all countries to share their knowledge and experience in financial consulting.
promote and enhance professional and career opportunities for Institute members throughout the world by maintaining the high standards of the Certified Financial Consultant designation.
MEMBERS
The Institute accepts as members individuals who have a minimum of one year of experience in financial management. Members are entitled to use the designation MIFC (Member, Institute of Financial Consultants). The Institute issues a Certificate of Membership annually to members in good standing.
Members who successfully complete the Instituteâs educational program and acquire three years of experience in financial management are granted the right to use the internationally respected designation CFC (Certified Financial Consultant). The Institute issues a Certificate of Graduate Membership to members who complete all the requirements.
IFC is committed to the highest professional competence and ethical standards for the financial consulting profession. Members of the Institute must at all times comply with the content and spirit of the Instituteâs Code of Ethics.
Both the Certificate of Membership and the Certificate of Graduate Membership remain the property of the Institute and shall be returned upon demand. A member may withdraw from the Institute at any time by writing to the Instituteâs Board of Directors and returning the Certificates of Membership and of Graduate Membership.
Membership Benefits
There are many benefits to membership in the Institute of Financial Consultants Canada
access to the educational program leading to the CFC designation.
the privilege of using the internationally respected CFC designation.
ongoing information on issues and trends in the field of financial consulting.
networking and information-sharing with members from around the world through the Instituteâs Web site.
support from the Institute for the highest professional and ethical standards for the profession of financial consulting.
subscription to the informative bimonthly newsletter The Folio.
CODE OF ETHICS
Members have a professional obligation to clients, prospects, employers, employees, the general public and other members to act competently and ethically at all times. Members are expected to comply with the content and the spirit of the Code of Ethics in order to fulfill this professional obligation. This obligation extends to employees and others who are supervised by the member. The Instituteâs Board of Directors reserves the right to discipline members who do not comply with the Code, and may terminate membership and the privilege of using the CFC designation for breaches of the Code.
Competence
Members shall
keep themselves informed of all relevant laws, regulations and professional codes
keep themselves informed of all relevant professional knowledge relating to their financial consulting practice
take on only those assignments for which they have the necessary knowledge and skills to perform competently
inform the client (or employer), where they discover they do not have the necessary knowledge and/or skills to perform competently on an assignment, and assist the client (or employer) to find the services of a professional who has the necessary knowledge and skills
base all recommendations and advice to clients on the thorough and diligent research and analysis expected of a professional financial consultant serving the best interests of the client
ensure they understand the circumstances and needs of clients so they can best meet their needs.
Integrity
Members shall
not knowingly participate in, assist or ignore violations by a client of relevant laws, regulations and professional codes
not misrepresent their credentials, their qualifications to perform services or any other information provided to clients, prospects or employers
not act (including failure to act) in any manner that discredits the professional image of a financial consultant as a "trusted advisor"
refuse any gift, favor or other benefit that could influence, or be seen to influence, the member to act against the clientâs best interests or against this Code of Ethics
comply with all relevant laws, regulations and professional codes
determine their fiduciary duty of care to each client and comply fully with that duty
make reasonable effort to avoid all conflicts of interest, immediately declare any conflict of interest to clients, seek legal advice or the advice of the Institute if necessary, and take the required action to resolve the conflict
inform clients (or employers) of their professional obligation to comply with this Code of Ethics and any other such code
charge clients fair and reasonable fees that are agreed upon in writing before work begins, and inform the client at once if any additional financial benefit is realized by the member in the course of the assignment
encourage other financial consultants to comply with this Code.
Objectivity
Members shall
avoid any circumstance that may keep them from acting objectively and independently in the best interests of the client
disclose to clients all information that will enable clients to determine when recommendations and advice are based on fact and when on opinion, and generally to enable clients to understand the underlying rationales.
Confidentiality
Members shall
not disclose confidential information of clients unless legally required to do so by relevant laws and regulations and/or due to illegal activity
not use confidential information of clients for personal gain or for the benefit of anyone other than the client.
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL CONSULTANT PROGRAM
The CFC curriculum is an applied, self-study program to provide candidates with the knowledge and skills required for financial management and consulting and with the ability to apply that knowledge in real-life financial management situations. The CFC examinations are rigorous tests of the candidateâs understanding of the course content and of the candidateâs ability to apply that knowledge.
Members who complete the CFC curriculum, pass the examinations are eligible to receive the Advanced Diploma in International Financial Consulting (ADipFC) from the Canadian School of Management and after acquiring three years of financial management experience are eligible to receive and use the Instituteâs internationally respected designation as a Certified Financial Consultant (CFC). The Advanced Diploma carries advanced standing for up to 15 transfer credits to different MBA universities overseas such as Herriot Watt University, University of New England, City University of Washington and University of Queensland. The Institute issues this designation by means of the Certificate of Graduate Membership.http//www.ifcphilippines.com/</i><hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
IFC offers an educational program leading to the designation of Certified Financial Consultant (CFC) issued to qualified graduates. The Institute is multidisciplinary, drawing its members from the related but separate fields of accountancy, insurance, law, funds management, tax and pensions. The Institute is forging a "new" profession that adopts the best features from these related professions and encourages the development of membersâ qualifications as financial consultants on the basis of their current professional qualifications.
Financial consultants provide advice to clients in a wide variety of situations from the financial planner advising individual clients on investments to those working as corporate financial officer, portfolio manager, security analyst and investment banker in organizations as diverse as brokerage firms, mutual funds, banks, trust companies, corporate finance departments, insurance companies and other financial management firms.
IFC aims to ensure its members provide competent, ethical and objective financial advice. This is to the advantage of clients and employers, the profession and individual members of the Institute.
VISION
The vision of IFC is to be the global leader in educating and certifying financial consultants.
MISSION
The mission of IFC is to provide education and certification for financial consultants so that members qualified to use the designation Certified Financial Consultant are recognized internationally as trusted financial advisors.
The objectives of IFC are to
offer thorough and accessible educational programs for professionals anywhere in the world to qualify as competent financial consultants.
issue the designation of Certified Financial Consultant (CFC) to qualified graduates of the education program.
ensure each member adheres to the Instituteâs code of ethics.
grow public respect for, and confidence in, the profession of financial consulting.
gather and circulate current information relevant to financial consulting to Institute members.
encourage and provide opportunity for Institute members from all countries to share their knowledge and experience in financial consulting.
promote and enhance professional and career opportunities for Institute members throughout the world by maintaining the high standards of the Certified Financial Consultant designation.
MEMBERS
The Institute accepts as members individuals who have a minimum of one year of experience in financial management. Members are entitled to use the designation MIFC (Member, Institute of Financial Consultants). The Institute issues a Certificate of Membership annually to members in good standing.
Members who successfully complete the Instituteâs educational program and acquire three years of experience in financial management are granted the right to use the internationally respected designation CFC (Certified Financial Consultant). The Institute issues a Certificate of Graduate Membership to members who complete all the requirements.
IFC is committed to the highest professional competence and ethical standards for the financial consulting profession. Members of the Institute must at all times comply with the content and spirit of the Instituteâs Code of Ethics.
Both the Certificate of Membership and the Certificate of Graduate Membership remain the property of the Institute and shall be returned upon demand. A member may withdraw from the Institute at any time by writing to the Instituteâs Board of Directors and returning the Certificates of Membership and of Graduate Membership.
Membership Benefits
There are many benefits to membership in the Institute of Financial Consultants Canada
access to the educational program leading to the CFC designation.
the privilege of using the internationally respected CFC designation.
ongoing information on issues and trends in the field of financial consulting.
networking and information-sharing with members from around the world through the Instituteâs Web site.
support from the Institute for the highest professional and ethical standards for the profession of financial consulting.
subscription to the informative bimonthly newsletter The Folio.
CODE OF ETHICS
Members have a professional obligation to clients, prospects, employers, employees, the general public and other members to act competently and ethically at all times. Members are expected to comply with the content and the spirit of the Code of Ethics in order to fulfill this professional obligation. This obligation extends to employees and others who are supervised by the member. The Instituteâs Board of Directors reserves the right to discipline members who do not comply with the Code, and may terminate membership and the privilege of using the CFC designation for breaches of the Code.
Competence
Members shall
keep themselves informed of all relevant laws, regulations and professional codes
keep themselves informed of all relevant professional knowledge relating to their financial consulting practice
take on only those assignments for which they have the necessary knowledge and skills to perform competently
inform the client (or employer), where they discover they do not have the necessary knowledge and/or skills to perform competently on an assignment, and assist the client (or employer) to find the services of a professional who has the necessary knowledge and skills
base all recommendations and advice to clients on the thorough and diligent research and analysis expected of a professional financial consultant serving the best interests of the client
ensure they understand the circumstances and needs of clients so they can best meet their needs.
Integrity
Members shall
not knowingly participate in, assist or ignore violations by a client of relevant laws, regulations and professional codes
not misrepresent their credentials, their qualifications to perform services or any other information provided to clients, prospects or employers
not act (including failure to act) in any manner that discredits the professional image of a financial consultant as a "trusted advisor"
refuse any gift, favor or other benefit that could influence, or be seen to influence, the member to act against the clientâs best interests or against this Code of Ethics
comply with all relevant laws, regulations and professional codes
determine their fiduciary duty of care to each client and comply fully with that duty
make reasonable effort to avoid all conflicts of interest, immediately declare any conflict of interest to clients, seek legal advice or the advice of the Institute if necessary, and take the required action to resolve the conflict
inform clients (or employers) of their professional obligation to comply with this Code of Ethics and any other such code
charge clients fair and reasonable fees that are agreed upon in writing before work begins, and inform the client at once if any additional financial benefit is realized by the member in the course of the assignment
encourage other financial consultants to comply with this Code.
Objectivity
Members shall
avoid any circumstance that may keep them from acting objectively and independently in the best interests of the client
disclose to clients all information that will enable clients to determine when recommendations and advice are based on fact and when on opinion, and generally to enable clients to understand the underlying rationales.
Confidentiality
Members shall
not disclose confidential information of clients unless legally required to do so by relevant laws and regulations and/or due to illegal activity
not use confidential information of clients for personal gain or for the benefit of anyone other than the client.
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL CONSULTANT PROGRAM
The CFC curriculum is an applied, self-study program to provide candidates with the knowledge and skills required for financial management and consulting and with the ability to apply that knowledge in real-life financial management situations. The CFC examinations are rigorous tests of the candidateâs understanding of the course content and of the candidateâs ability to apply that knowledge.
Members who complete the CFC curriculum, pass the examinations are eligible to receive the Advanced Diploma in International Financial Consulting (ADipFC) from the Canadian School of Management and after acquiring three years of financial management experience are eligible to receive and use the Instituteâs internationally respected designation as a Certified Financial Consultant (CFC). The Advanced Diploma carries advanced standing for up to 15 transfer credits to different MBA universities overseas such as Herriot Watt University, University of New England, City University of Washington and University of Queensland. The Institute issues this designation by means of the Certificate of Graduate Membership.http//www.ifcphilippines.com/</i><hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">