Complaint Procedures

Disciplinary Procedures

Common Questions

Submit a Complaint

Disciplinary Actions

Disciplinary Statistics

Code of Ethics

Practice Standards

Complaint Procedures

The following information is being provided in an effort to assist the public in becoming acquainted with CFP Board’s investigation and complaint procedures while encouraging CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals to maintain high ethical standards. These procedures provide for a thorough review and a decision as to whether there has been a violation of CFP Board’s Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility or non-compliance with Financial Planning Practice Standards and if internal sanction is warranted.

A charge against the conduct, actions or recommendations of a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional is a matter that CFP Board takes seriously. Accordingly, if you feel that the Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility or Rules of Conduct have been violated or that there has been a lack of compliance with Financial Planning Practice Standards, you should not hesitate to begin the grievance procedure against a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional.

The Board of Directors of this organization provides for a Disciplinary and Ethics Commission that determines whether allegations are justified and whether the unethical conduct warrants disciplinary action. There is no cost to you.

Because one of the functions of CFP Board is the evaluation of grievances, please be assured that your grievance will be investigated vigorously and impartially.

Ethics and Discipline

When authorized to use the CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and CFP® certification marks (the “CFP® marks”), a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional agrees to abide by the Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility, Rules of Conduct and Financial Planning Practice Standards and to comply with the philosophy and mission of CFP Board.

A grievance filed against a designee must be considered very carefully since it could negatively affect a certificant's career, reputation and ability to earn a living. Thus, it takes more than a claim of misconduct to justify disciplinary action. Proof of misconduct must be established by a preponderance of the evidence.

A grievance should relate to unethical conduct -- a violation of CFP Board’s Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility or Rules of Conduct -- that can be proven by evidence. An honest disagreement about how a matter should or should not have been handled would not normally constitute unethical conduct. An error in judgment is not necessarily unethical conduct. CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals, as any other professionals, may not always give the perfect response to a given set of circumstances.

For instance, disagreements about fees do not necessarily constitute unethical conduct. An unexpected decline in security values or the length of time it may take to respond to a client with a completed plan do not necessarily constitute unethical conduct.