Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)
Three Lafayette Centre
1155 21st Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20581
Phone: 202-418-5000
Web site: www.cftc.gov

The CFTC was created by Congress in 1974 as an independent regulator of the commodity futures and options markets in the United States. The CFTC is responsible for fostering the economic utility of futures markets by encouraging their competitiveness and efficiency, ensuring their integrity and protecting market participants against manipulation, abusive trade practices and fraud. Through effective oversight regulation, the CFTC better enables the commodity futures markets to serve their vital function in the nation's economy, providing a mechanism for price discovery and a means of offsetting price risks.

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
450 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20549
Phone: 202-551-6551 (Office of Investor Education and Assistance)
Toll-Free Number: 800-SEC-0330
Web site: www.sec.gov

The SEC was created by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as an independent, quasi-judicial U.S. government agency. Its mission is to administer securities laws in the securities field (principally the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Advisers and Investment Company Acts of 1940) and to protect the investing public. The SEC has the authority to examine investment advisers, investment companies and broker/dealer firms and bring enforcement actions against parties it believes are violating the federal securities laws. Currently, approximately 7,500 investment advisers with $25 million or more under management are registered with the SEC. Investment advisers managing less than $25 million are registered with their state securities agencies. Investors can contact the SEC to request information on a particular individual or firm providing securities and investment services or to lodge a complaint against an investment adviser.

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
1735 K Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: 202-728-8000
Toll-Free Number: 800-289-9999
Web sites: www.finra.org

Created in July 2007 as the result of a merger between NASD and the member regulation, enforcement and arbitration functions of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), FINRA is largest self-regulatory organization for all securities firms doing business in the United States. FINRA develops rules and regulations and conducts regulatory reviews of member activities for the protection and benefit of investors. FINRA oversees and registers the nation’s more than 5,100 brokerage firms, approximately 173,000 branch offices and more than 665,000 registered securities representatives. Consumers can contact FINRA to obtain disciplinary and work histories, as well as other background information, on member firms and individual brokers through its BrokerCheck program, or to get investor information materials on its Web sites.

National Futures Association (NFA)
200 W. Madison Street, Suite 1600
Chicago, IL 60606-3447
Phone: 312-781-1410
Toll-Free Number: 800-621-3570
Web site: www.nfa.futures.org

The NFA is a congressionally authorized self-regulatory organization of the futures industry and is entirely financed by the futures industry. No person or firm may engage in any business that involves buying or selling futures contracts for the public without being an NFA member. NFA provides innovative and efficient regulatory programs that safeguard the integrity of the futures marks and protects the investing public.

A professional regulatory organization (PRO) regulates a given profession in the public interest. A non-governmental entity, a PRO sets appropriate standards of competency and ethical practice for a profession. Unlike an SRO, it does not have members. Its primary obligation is to develop and apply standards that serve the public.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board)
1425 K Street, NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: 202-379-2200
Toll-Free Number: 800-487-1497
Web site: www.CFP.net

CFP Board is a nonprofit professional regulatory organization that fosters professional standards in personal financial planning so that people benefit from competent, professional and ethical financial planning. CFP Board owns the CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements. Consumers can contact CFP Board to confirm whether a financial planner is currently certified, to determine whether a CFP® certificant has been publicly disciplined by CFP Board, to lodge a complaint against a CFP® certificant or to receive general information and brochures about financial planning.

National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)
2301 McGee Street, Suite 800
Kansas City, MO 64108-2662
Phone: 816-842-3600
Web site: www.naic.org

The NAIC was created in 1871 by state insurance commissioners to provide a level of uniformity among individual states’ regulatory activities, serve as a clearinghouse for information among individual states, develop model regulatory legislation to be approved by each state and organize political unity among the insurance commissioners of each state.

National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA)
150 Fourth Avenue North, Suite 700
Nashville, TN 37219-2417
Phone: 615-880-4200
Web site: www.nasba.org

Established in 1908, NASBA serves as a forum for the 54 U.S. boards of accountancy that administer the Uniform CPA Examination, license public accountants and regulate the practice of public accountancy in the United States. NASBA’s mission is to enhance the effectiveness of state boards of accountancy. NASBA focuses on licensing requirements (education, experience and examination), as well as international reciprocity, legislation, landmark legal decisions and how changes in the accounting profession affect the regulatory scheme.

North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA)
750 First Street, N.S., Suite 1140
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: 202-737-0900
Web site: www.nasaa.org

NASAA is the international organization devoted to investor protection. NASAA was founded in 1919 and is speaking for securities agencies responsible for grassroots investor protection and efficient capital formation. Its membership consists of the securities administrators in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Investors can contact NASAA to get phone numbers and Internet addresses of state securities regulators.

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State Bars (50)

Contact state government or the American Bar Association for information about each state bar association.

Any financial advice provided by an attorney or law practitioner acting in the capacity of a financial planner could fall under the jurisdiction of a state bar association if it involves unethical or unprofessional conduct, and then, only if that particular state has a unified state bar association. Not all states have unified state bar associations requiring compulsory membership from all legal practitioners in that state. A state bar association’s principal functions are to promote and maintain high standards in the practice of law and in the constitution and operation of the courts, improve the justice system and its administration, enhance the ethical conduct and professional competence of its members and advance public understanding of the law.

State Boards of Accountancy (50 + 4 U.S. Districts)

Contact state government or the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy for information about each state board of accountancy.

The state boards of accountancy protect the public interest by regulating the practice of public accountancy. Each state board of accountancy is a government agency that defines the role of, and upholds rules of professional conduct for, Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) and public accountants practicing in that state or district; grants licenses based on applicants meeting examination, experience and education requirements; and monitors the continuing competence of licensees through mandated continuing professional education and practice review programs. The state boards regulate more than 550,000 practitioners.

State Insurance Commissions (50)

Contact state government or National Association of Insurance Commissioners information about each state insurance commission.

All states require that anyone who sells insurance must be licensed to sell that specific type of insurance. Each state’s insurance commission, headed by an insurance commissioner, administers and enforces that state’s insurance laws. A number of states prohibit persons from giving advice about insurance products unless they are licensed as counselors. Also, many states prohibit insurance agents from holding themselves out as financial planners if their sole activity is selling insurance or unless they disclose the fact that they are paid for selling insurance. Many insurance commissions provide toll-free numbers for the public to lodge complaints against individuals providing insurance products or advice.

State Securities Agencies (50)

Contact state government or North American Securities Administrators Association for information about each state securities agency.

States, more than the federal government, are the chief enforcers of securities activities. State securities agencies license individuals and brokerage firms to trade in securities in the state(s) in which they practice, and pursue investment or securities fraud cases on behalf of the public. Nearly all states have laws regulating investment advisers and their representatives (only Wyoming does not). Several states have laws specifically regulating, in some manner, use of the term "financial planner" or include "financial planners who give investment advice" in their definition of an investment adviser. States with investment adviser laws require examinations in order to register for investment adviser representatives. All states use NASAA-developed exams administered by the NASD^® such as the Series 65 Competency Exam for investment adviser representatives.

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American Bar Association
(Offices in Chicago and Washington, DC)
321 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60610
Phone: 312-988-5000 or 202-662-1000
Web site: www.abanet.org

The ABA is a national organization of the legal profession. With more than 400,000 members, the ABA provides law school accreditation, continuing legal education, information about the law, programs to assist lawyers and judges in their work and initiatives to improve the legal system for the public. Financial planners often use attorneys in the ABA’s Taxation, Real Property, Probate and Trust, and Business Law sections to provide specific legal advice for clients in the areas of taxation and estates, trusts and business ownership planning.

The Financial Planning Association (FPA®)
4100 E. Mississippi Ave., Suite 400
Denver, CO 80246-3053
Toll-Free Number: 800-322-4237
Web site: www.fpanet.org

FPA® is the membership organization for the financial planning community. Its 28,000 members are dedicated to supporting the financial planning process in order to help people achieve their goals. FPA believes that everyone needs objective advice to make smart financial decisions and that when seeking the advice of a financial planner, the planner should be a CFP® professional. Consumers may contact FPA to obtain a list of CFP® professionals in their area and to request free brochures on various financial planning topics. FPA also publishes the Journal of Financial Planning, a publication that addresses all aspects of financial planning, including practice management and news that shapes financial planning community.

National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA)
3250 N. Arlington Heights, Suite 109
Arlington Heights, IL 60004
Toll-Free Number: 800-366-2732
Web site: www.napfa.org

NAPFA is a professional membership organization of more than 1,000 fee-only comprehensive financial planners, many of whom are CFP® certificants. NAPFA publishes the monthly NAPFA Advisor and offers educational opportunities inclucding conferences, seminars and distance-learning programs. Consumers may contact NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisors for a list of fee-only comprehensive financial planners in their area and useful financial planning information.

American Institute of Certified Public Accountants- Personal Financial Planning Community (AICPA-PFP Community)
210 Plaza 3
Harborside Financial Center
Jersey City, NJ 07311-3881
Phone: 212-938-3828 (option 1)
Toll-Free Number: 888-777-7077
Web site: pfp.aicpa.org

The AICPA is a national professional organization for CPAs. The AICPA-PFP Community estimates that 80,000 members currently provide personal financial planning services. The Personal Financial Planning Community has approximately 7,800 members who specialize in financial planning, approximately 3,200 of whom have earned the AICPA’s Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) designation.

CFA Institute
560 Ray C. Hunt Drive
Charlottesville, VA 22903-2981
Phone: 434-951-5499
Toll-Free Number: 800-247-8132
Web site: www.CFAInstitute.org

CFA Institute is a global membership organization that awards the Charter Financial Analyst® (CFA®) designation. CFA Institute oversees ethical and professional standards for members and the investment industry, reviews disciplinary matters, offers membership benefits, develops conferences and seminars and advocates for fair and transparent capital markets.

Society of Financial Service Professionals (SFSP)
17 Campus Boulevard, Suite 201
Newtown Square, PA 19073-3230
Phone: 610-526-2500
Web site: www.financialpro.org

Founded in 1928, SFSP is composed of more than 22,000 members. The Society welcomes into membership any financial service professional who has earned one or more of the following credentials: CLU, ChFC, CFP® certification, CPA, RHU, REBC, CEBS, CLF, J.D. (licensed), master’s of science in financial services and master’s of science in management degrees. Consumers may contact the Society for free financial information and the names of members in their area by calling 888-243-2258 or visiting the Society's Web site at www.financialpro.org.

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Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd. (FPSB)
1700 Broadway, Suite 700
Denver, CO 80290
Phone: 720-917-0006
Web site: www.FPSB.org

FPSB's mission is to benefit the global community by establishing, upholding and promoting worldwide professional standards in financial planning; its commitment to excellence is represented by the CFP® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ marks.

FPSB was formed to serve the needs of global consumers by establishing, maintaining and enforcing consistent, high level standards for the affiliates that currently administer the CFP® certification program around the world.

CFP Board formed the FPSB as a separate organization to further the international certification of financial planners. The FPSB, with an International Council of member organizations and associates in 19 countries, will promote and maintain CFP certification programs and standards around the world. To date, there are more than 90,000 CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certificants worldwide. FPSB owns the CFP marks outside the U.S.

International Council

Australia
Financial Planning Association of Australia, Ltd. (FPA)
www.fpa.asn.au

Austria
Oesterreichischer Verband Financial Planners-Austrian Financial Planners (AFP)
www.CFP-austria.at

Brazil
Instituto Brasileiro de Certificação de Profissionais Financeiros (IBCPF)
www.ibcpf.org.br

Canada
Financial Planners Standards Council (FPSC)
www.CFP-CA.org

Chinese Taipei
Financial Planning Association of Taiwan (FPAT)
www.fpat.org.tw

France
Association Française des Conseils en Gestion de Patrimoine Certifiés (CGPC)
www.CGPC.net

Germany
(DEVFP) Deutscher Verband Financial Planners e.V.
www.CFP.de

Hong Kong
Institute of Financial Planners of Hong Kong (IFPHK)
www.ifphk.org

India
Association of Financial Planners (AFP)
www.afpindia.org

Japan
Japan Association for Financial Planners (JAFP)
www.jafp.or.jp

Malaysia
Financial Planning Association of Malaysia (FPAM)
www.fpam.org.my

New Zealand
Financial Planners and Insurance Advisers Association, Inc. (FPIA)
www.fpia.org.nz

Republic of Korea
Financial Planner Standards Board Korea (FPSB)
www.fpkorea.com

Singapore
Financial Planning Association of Singapore (FPAS)
www.fpas.org.sg

South Africa
Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa (FPI)
www.fpi.co.za

Switzerland
Swiss Financial Planners Organization (SFPO)
www.sfpo.ch

United Kingdom
Institute of Financial Planning, Ltd. (IFP)
www.financialplanning.org.uk

Associate Members

Belgium
Association belge des Conseillers en Planification globale de patrimoine-Belgische Vereniging van Adviseurs in globale Vermogensplanning (ACP-VAV)
www.acp-vav.be

Bermuda
Financial Planning Association of Bermuda (FPAB)
www.fpab.bm

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