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Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. and Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Center for Financial Planning, Inc.

Terms of Use

1. Introduction

The Terms of Use are a binding agreement between you, on the one hand, and Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. and Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Center for Financial Planning, Inc. (collectively, "CFP Board," “we,” “us,” and “our”), on the other hand. By accepting these Terms of Use using a mechanism provided by CFP Board or otherwise accessing and using any of the websites (including www.cfp.net and www.letsmakeaplan.org) or mobile apps operated by CFP Board (collectively, the “Sites”), except for the limited purpose of reviewing these Terms of Use, you are representing to CFP Board that you (a) have reached the age of majority in your jurisdiction of residence and (b) agree to be bound by and comply with these Terms of Use and all applicable laws.

Please read these Terms of Use carefully, as well as our Privacy Policy, as updated from time to time. Among other important provisions that affect your legal rights, these Terms of Use include an arbitration requirement and class action waiver in Section 20, which, subject to limited exceptions, requires you and CFP Board to arbitrate any Disputes (defined below) on an individual basis. Arbitration on an individual basis means that neither party will have the right for a judge or jury to decide its claims or to proceed in a class, consolidated, or representative capacity. If you disagree with any of the language in these Terms of Use, or if these Terms of Use are not enforceable where you are located, please terminate your use of the Sites.

If you are an individual using the Sites on behalf of, or for the benefit of, any corporation, partnership, or other entity with which you are associated (an “Organization”), then you are agreeing to these Terms of Use on behalf of yourself and such Organization, and you represent and warrant that you have the legal authority to bind such Organization to these Terms of Use. In that case, references to “you” and “your” in these Terms of Use refer both to you, the individual using the Sites, and to your Organization.

2. Additional Terms and Conditions

Additional terms and conditions will be applicable to certain portions of the Sites (collectively, “Additional Terms and Conditions”). We may provide Additional Terms and Conditions to you via links, postings, pop-up notices, or other means at the time that you access or use the relevant portion of the Sites. All Additional Terms and Conditions are incorporated herein by reference and made a part of these Terms of Use. Any reference to these Terms of Use includes all Additional Terms and Conditions. The Additional Terms and Conditions include the Terms and Conditions of the CFP Board Candidate Forum and the Terms and Conditions of the Find a CFP® Professional Search. To the extent that there is a conflict between these Terms of Use and any Additional Terms and Conditions, the Additional Terms and Conditions shall govern.

3. Profiles and Forums

Visitors to the Sites may make available certain materials (each, a “Submission”) through or in connection with the Sites, including on profile pages or on the Sites’ interactive services, such as message boards and other forums and commenting and other messaging functionality. CFP Board has no control over and is not responsible for any use or misuse (including any distribution) by any third party of your Submissions. IF YOU CHOOSE TO MAKE ANY OF YOUR PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE OR OTHER INFORMATION PUBLICLY AVAILABLE THROUGH THE SITES, YOU DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK.

4. Products

The Sites may make available, either directly or indirectly, goods or services (“Products”) and related information, such as listings, descriptions, images, coupons, and discounts, as well as references and links to Products (collectively, “Product Information”). Products may be made available by CFP Board or by third parties, and may be made available for any purpose, including general information purposes. The availability through the Sites of any Product does not imply our endorsement of the Product or affiliation with the provider of the Product. We make no representations as to the completeness, accuracy, reliability, validity, or timeliness of any Product Information (including any features, specifications, or prices). Product Information and the availability of any Product (including the validity of any coupon or discount) are subject to change at any time without notice. Certain weights, measures, and similar descriptions are approximate and are for convenience only. We make reasonable efforts to accurately display the attributes of Products, including the colors; however, the actual colors you see will depend on your computer system, and we cannot guarantee that your computer will accurately display the colors. It is your responsibility to ascertain and obey all applicable local, state, federal, and foreign laws (including minimum age requirements) regarding the purchase, possession, and use of any Product.

We may make available the ability to purchase or otherwise obtain certain Products through the Sites (a “Transaction”). If you wish to make a Transaction, you may be asked to supply certain information, such as your credit card number and its expiration date, your billing address, and your shipping information. You represent and warrant that you have the right to use any credit card that you submit in connection with a Transaction. By submitting information in connection with a Transaction, you grant to us the right to provide it to third parties for purposes of facilitating Transactions. Verification of information may be required before acknowledgment or completion of any Transaction. By making a Transaction, you represent that the Products will be used only in a lawful manner.

Subject to applicable law, CFP Board reserves the right, including without prior notice, to limit the available quantity of (or discontinue making available) any Product; to impose conditions on honoring any coupon, discount, or similar promotion; to bar any user from making any Transaction; and to refuse to provide any user with any Product. Refunds and exchanges will be subject to CFP Board’s applicable refund and exchange policies. You agree to pay all charges incurred by you or on your behalf through the Sites, at the prices in effect when the charges are incurred, including all shipping and handling charges. In addition, you are responsible for any taxes applicable to your Transactions. While it is our practice to confirm orders by email, the receipt of an email order confirmation does not constitute our acceptance of an order or our confirmation of an offer to sell a Product.

Products will be shipped to an address designated by you, if applicable, so long as the address is complete and complies with our shipping restrictions. All Transactions are made pursuant to a shipment contract and, as a result, risk of loss and title for Products pass to you upon delivery of the Products to the carrier. You are responsible for filing any claims with carriers for damaged and/or lost shipments.

5. Trademark

CFP Board owns a family of certification marks, including CFP®, the federally registered CFP & Design marks, and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®. CFP Board owns a number of other marks in addition to its certification marks, including CFP BOARD® and LET’S MAKE A PLAN! ®. CFP Board's trademarks may not be used absent express authorization from CFP Board. Unauthorized use or misuse of CFP Board's trademarks is strictly prohibited. CFP Board reserves the right to aggressively enforce its intellectual property rights to the fullest extent of the law.

Third-party product and service names found on the Sites may be trademarks of their respective owners. The absence of an identification of third-party marks or the lack of an attribution of ownership of such marks on the Sites should not be construed as any claim of rights by CFP Board.

6. Copyright

Copyright © 2025 CFP Board. All rights reserved.

Everything you see or read on the Sites, including all information, text, graphics, trademarks, images, audio and video content, data compilations, and the design, selection, and arrangement thereof (collectively, the “CFP Board Content”), is the exclusive property of CFP Board or our licensors. You should assume that all CFP Board Content is protected by law including, but not limited to, Unites States copyright and trademark law, as well as other state, federal, and international laws and regulations. The CFP Board Content may not be used, except as provided in these Terms of Use, without the prior written consent of CFP Board or the applicable licensor. Because the CFP Board Content is a component of the Sites, all references to “the Sites” herein include the CFP Board Content.

We are providing you with access to the Sites pursuant to a limited, non-exclusive, non-sublicensable, non-transferable, fully revocable license (the “License”). The License is available to you unless and until you or we terminate these Terms of Use, we otherwise suspend or terminate your access to the Sites, or you are barred from using the Sites by applicable law. CFP Board reserves all right, title, and interest not expressly granted under the License to the fullest extent possible under applicable law.

Under the License, you are permitted to use the Sites for non-commercial purposes and only in the following limited ways: (a) you may access and browse the Sites, and use the features made available to you, using a device that you own or are authorized to use (a “Device”); (b) you may download the CFP Board Content from the Sites and print out a hard copy, provided that you do not modify or reproduce it and do not remove or alter any copyright or other notice contained thereon; (c) you may install a copy of any mobile applications that we make available from time to time (collectively, the “Apps”) on a Device; and (d) your Device may temporarily store copies of the CFP Board Content incidental to your use of the Sites. Except as permitted by applicable law, the CFP Board Content may not otherwise be sold, licensed, republished, copied, adapted, modified, or otherwise used or exploited without the prior written consent of CFP Board or, if applicable, our relevant licensor. You agree to comply with reasonable written requests from us to help us protect our proprietary and intellectual property rights.

CFP Board may grant permission to use the CFP Board Content in a manner that exceeds the limited rights granted in the License upon a user's written request. To request CFP Board's written consent to such use, please complete the Copyright Permission Request form below and CFP Board's Trademark Department will review your request and notify you by email if your request has been approved or rejected, or if we require more information.

You may download the CFP Board Copyright Permission Request Form (pdf) and send the completed form to CFP Board via the contact information below:

CFP Board
Attention: Trademark Department
1425 K Street NW #800
Washington, DC 20005
Fax: (202) 379-2299
Email: [email protected]

The Sites are intended for users genuinely interested in the CFP Board Content and our Products. Under no circumstances may the Sites be used for the purpose of, or with the intention of, initiating litigation or arbitration, including using the Sites in order to trigger or induce an alleged violation of any law (“Litigation Purposes”). Use of the Sites for Litigation Purposes is strictly prohibited, exceeds the parameters of the License, and, as such, constitutes a breach by you of these Terms of Use. In such circumstances, CFP Board may elect to terminate these Terms of Use, without prejudice to our ability to seek damages, including attorneys’ fees, resulting from your breach.

7. License to Use Submitted Content

If you make any Submissions in connection with the Sites, including in the CFP Board Candidate Forum or any other areas that allow for public posting, you hereby grant CFP Board a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty free, nonexclusive, and fully sub-licensable right and license to use, reproduce, distribute, and create derivative works of all such Submissions for any purpose and in any media or forum, all without any compensation or attribution owed to you and without any right of approval by you. You warrant by sharing any such Submissions that you own, control, or otherwise have the rights necessary to share the Submissions and to grant CFP Board the license set forth above.

In addition, if you provide to us any ideas, proposals, suggestions, or other similar information or materials (collectively, “Feedback”), whether related to the Sites or otherwise, the Feedback will be deemed a Submission, and you hereby acknowledge and agree that the Feedback is not confidential, and that your provision of the Feedback is gratuitous, unsolicited and given without restriction, and does not place CFP Board under any fiduciary or other obligation.

You also represent and warrant that your Submissions, and your provision of them through and in connection with the Sites, are complete and accurate, and are not fraudulent, tortious, or otherwise in violation of any applicable law or any right of any third party. You further irrevocably waive any “moral rights” or other rights with respect to attribution of authorship or integrity of materials regarding each Submission that you may have under any applicable law and under any legal theory.

For clarification, all Submissions that are visible to you on the Sites are considered CFP Board Content. As such, except for the limited rights granted to you in the License, you are not permitted to use the Submissions of another user without the express prior consent of the owner of such content.

8. Digital Millennium Copyright Act

CFP Board has implemented procedures for receiving written notification of alleged infringement of intellectual property rights and for processing such claims under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”). If you become aware of content on the Sites that infringes a copyright that you own or are authorized to enforce, please submit a written DMCA request to CFP Board to the following contact information:

Leo Rydzewski
DMCA Agent
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Center for Financial Planning, Inc.
1425 K Street, NW, #800
Washington, DC, 20005
Phone: (202) 379-2200
Fax: (202) 379-2199
Email: [email protected] with the subject line "Copyright Policy - DMCA Notification."

A written DMCA request must include the following information:

  • A physical or electronic signature of a person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.
  • Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed, or, if multiple copyrighted works at a single online site are covered by a single notification, a representative list of such works at that site.
  • Identification of the content that is claimed to be infringing or to be the subject of infringing activity and that is to be removed or access to which is to be disabled, and information reasonably sufficient to permit the CFP Board to locate such content.
  • Information reasonably sufficient to permit CFP Board to contact the complaining party, such as an address, telephone number, and, if available, an electronic mail address at which the complaining party may be contacted.
  • A statement that the complaining party has a good faith belief that use of the content in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.
  • A statement that the information in the notification is accurate, and under penalty of perjury, that the complaining party is authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.

Any notice that fails to comply substantially with the provisions above shall not be considered as providing actual knowledge or an awareness of the infringement. Misrepresentations of infringement can result in liability for monetary damages.

If CFP Board removes your content in response to a copyright or trademark notice, we will notify you in writing. If you believe CFP Board has erroneously removed your content, you may file a counter-notice with CFP Board that must include the following information:

  • Your physical or electronic signature;
  • Identification of the content that CFP Board removed and where the content was located before it was removed;
  • A statement of your belief that CFP Board removed the content as a result of a mistake or misidentification of the content removed;
  • Information reasonably sufficient to permit the CFP Board to contact you, such as your name, address, telephone number, and, if available, an electronic mail address; and
  • A statement in which you consent to the jurisdiction of the federal district court for the judicial district in which the address you provided is located, or if your address is outside of the United States, for any judicial district in which we may be found, and that you will accept service of process from the person who provided notification of allegedly infringing material or an agent of such person.

Upon receipt of a substantially compliant counter notice, we will notify the complaining party that CFP Board may restore the content within 10 business days if the complaining party does not provide proof that they have filed an action to enjoin your use of the content.

9. Privacy Policy

For information about CFP Board’s collection, use, and disclosure of personal information, please read our Privacy Policy, which is hereby incorporated by reference into these Terms of Use.

By agreeing to these Terms of Use, you are representing to CFP Board that you understand and accept how we collect, use, and disclose information concerning your use of the Sites, as set forth in our Privacy Policy. You further understand and agree that (a) CFP Board is justifiably relying on this representation in granting you access to the Sites and (b) if you later take legal action inconsistent with this representation, such action will constitute evidence that your representation was false. In that case, CFP Board may elect to terminate these Terms of Use, without prejudice to our ability to seek damages resulting from your breach. If you do not agree to the practices described in our Privacy Policy, you may not use the Sites or provide us with any information.

10. Video Content; Use of Cookies

The Sites may contain video content, audiovisual content, or content of a like nature (collectively, “Video Content”). Video Content is provided for the purpose of enhancing the user experience on the Sites and is, therefore, provided in connection with CFP Board’s activities related to the certification of financial planner professionals and enhancing public awareness concerning the value of competent and ethical financial planning services. CFP Board is not in the business of renting, selling, or delivering Video Content in a commercial manner. By using the Sites, you agree that CFP Board is not a “video tape service provider,” as defined in the Video Privacy Protection Act (“VPPA”), 18 U.S.C.A. § 2710 or similar state laws.

CFP Board may use cookies, advertising pixels, web beacons, software development kits, and other tracking technologies, including those operated by third parties, that collect and transmit information about your use of the Sites (collectively, “Cookies”). Cookies allow CFP Board to enhance your browsing experience, conduct marketing, including to serve personalized ads or content, and analyze our traffic. Cookies may result in information about your activity on the Sites being transmitted from your browser to CFP Board and to third parties, and such third parties may use your information for their own purposes, as described in our Privacy Policy. By using the Sites, you consent to our use of Cookies.

Whether Cookies on the Sites result in your browser’s transmission of information to third parties depends on a number of factors that may be outside of CFP Board’s knowledge or control, including what External Sites (defined below) you use, what information you have provided to those External Sites, and whether and the extent to which you have limited the use of Cookies by the operators of External Sites. You hereby acknowledge and agree that, if Cookies on the Sites result in your browser’s transmission of information to third parties, (a) such transmissions do not constitute a “knowing disclosure” of “personally identifiable information” by CFP Board under the VPPA and (b) you will not initiate any litigation or otherwise assert any claim against CFP Board based, in whole or in part, on such transmissions, whether under the VPPA, the California Invasion of Privacy Act (Cal. Penal Code § 630 et seq.), or any other statute, regulation, or cause of action.

11. Mobile Messaging Terms

By providing your phone number on the Sites and opting in to receive text messages, you acknowledge and agree that you are providing prior express written consent to receive automated, recurring text messages (including SMS and MMS) from CFP Board at the phone number you provided (the “Mobile Alert Program”). These messages may include promotional offers, account updates, and other information related to our services. The number of text messages you receive may vary based on your interactions with CFP Board. There is no fee from CFP Board to participate in the Mobile Alert Program. Message and data rates may apply to each text message sent or received, as provided in your mobile telephone service plan. Consent to the Mobile Alert Program is not a condition to purchase any Products. Unless we expressly state otherwise, your participation in the Mobile Alert Program is subject to all terms and conditions of these Terms of Use.

You may opt out of the Mobile Alert Program at any time by replying “STOP” to any message you receive from us. You understand and agree that alternate methods of opting out, such as using different words or requests, will not be considered a reasonable means of opting out and may not be honored. If you opt of the Mobile Alert Program, you may receive an additional text message confirming your decision to opt out. The Mobile Alert Program may recognize or respond to additional commands and keyword queries. Thus, you may receive additional text messages based on your interaction with the Mobile Alert Program, even after opting out. Notwithstanding any prior opt-out, you consent to receive further messages from or on behalf of CFP Board that result from your continued communication with the Mobile Alert Program. If you have any questions, text HELP to the number you received a text message from or contact us at [email protected].

We have the right to modify any telephone number or short code we use to operate the Mobile Alert Program at any time. You will be notified on such occasions. You agree that any messages you send to a telephone number or short code we have changed, including any STOP or HELP requests, may not be received, and we will not be liable for honoring requests made in such messages. Data obtained from you in connection with our Mobile Alert Program may include your mobile phone number, your carrier’s name, and the date, time, and content of your messages. For more information on collection and use of personal information, please read the Privacy Policy.

Messages may not be delivered if your mobile phone is not in range of a transmission site, or if sufficient network capacity is not available at a particular time. Even within a coverage area, factors beyond the control of the wireless operator may interfere with message delivery, including the customer’s equipment, terrain, proximity to buildings, foliage, and weather. We will not be liable for any delays in the receipt of any text message, as delivery is subject to effective transmission from your network operator. Wireless operators do not guarantee message delivery and will not be held liable for delayed or undelivered messages.

12. Informational Purposes Only

The CFP Board content is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The Sites are not intended to provide tax, legal, accounting, financial, or any other type of professional advice. While the Sites may contain perspectives and opinions on matters related to the financial planning profession, the CFP Board Content is general in nature and does not take into account any individual’s specific professional or financial circumstances. Users are strongly encouraged to seek out qualified professionals that can provide advice on these issues specific to their own circumstances or those of their clients.

13. DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES

THE SITES ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS, WITHOUT REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND. CFP BOARD EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL SUCH REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF TITLE, NONINFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY, OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. CFP BOARD DOES NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE CFP BOARD CONTENT, LINKS CONTAINED ON THE SITES, OR THE INFORMATION OR ITEMS CONTAINED ON EXTERNAL SITES.

WHILE CFP BOARD STRIVES TO KEEP THE CFP BOARD CONTENT ACCURATE AND CURRENT, CFP BOARD CANNOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS OR TIMELINESS OF THE CFP BOARD CONTENT. WITHOUT LIMITING THE PRECEDING SENTENCE, THE SITES MAY CONTAIN TECHNICAL INACCURACIES OR TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO EVALUATE THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, AND USEFULNESS OF THE CFP BOARD CONTENT AND TO CONSULT PROFESSIONALS AS NEEDED IN SUCH EVALUATION. FURTHER, WE DO NOT GUARANTEE THAT THE SITES WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS, OR THAT THEY ARE ERROR-FREE, RELIABLE, WITHOUT INTERRUPTION OR AVAILABLE AT ALL TIMES, OR THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE SITES FROM ALL LOCATIONS OF YOUR CHOOSING. CFP BOARD RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES, CORRECTIONS AND/OR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE CFP BOARD CONTENT AT ANY TIME, WITHOUT NOTICE.

PLEASE NOTE THAT SOME JURISDICTIONS MAY NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN WARRANTIES, SO SOME OF THE EXCLUSIONS IN THESE TERMS OF USE MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. FOR CLARIFICATION, NOTHING IN THESE TERMS OF USE SEEKS TO EXCLUDE ANY WARRANTIES THAT CANNOT BE EXCLUDED PURSUANT TO APPLICABLE LAW. YOU AGREE, HOWEVER, ALL WARRANTY DISCLAIMERS IN THESE TERMS OF USE SHALL APPLY TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PERMITTED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW.

14. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

YOUR USE AND BROWSING OF THE SITES ARE AT YOUR OWN RISK. IN NO EVENT SHALL CFP BOARD, ITS PARENTS, SUBSIDIARIES, AFFILIATES, SUCCESSORS, ASSIGNS, SUPPLIERS, AND LICENSORS, OR ANY PARTY INVOLVED IN CREATING, PRODUCING, OR DELIVERING THE SITES, OR THE OFFICERS, SHAREHOLDERS, MANAGERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, OR DIRECTORS OF ANY OF THE FOREGOING (COLLECTIVELY, THE “RELEASED PARTIES”) BE LIABLE FOR THE FOLLOWING DAMAGES, IF ANY, ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF, OR INABILITY TO USE, THE SITES: (A) INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES; (B) LOSS OF USE, DATA, BUSINESS, REVENUE, OR PROFITS, IN ALL CASES WHETHER DIRECT OR INDIRECT; (C) DAMAGES, INCLUDING FOR ANY DELAY OR FAILURE IN PERFORMANCE, ARISING FROM CAUSES BEYOND THE REASONABLE CONTROL OF THE RELEASED PARTIES; (D) DAMAGES ARISING FROM THE CONDUCT OF OTHER USERS OF THE SITES OR THEIR SUBMISSIONS OR OTHER THIRD-PARTY MATERIALS; OR (E) DAMAGES RELATING TO THE DELAY, FAILURE, INTERRUPTION, DISCLOSURE, OR CORRUPTION OF ANY DATA OR INFORMATION TRANSMITTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE SITES.

THE MAXIMUM AGGREGATE LIABILITY OF THE RELEASED PARTIES FOR ALL DAMAGES, LOSSES, AND CAUSES OF ACTION, RELATED TO ANY DISPUTE (DEFINED BELOW) SHALL BE THE GREATER OF (A) $250 OR (B) THE TOTAL AMOUNT, IF ANY, PAID BY YOU TO CFP BOARD TO USE THE SITES DURING THE 12-MONTH PERIOD IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE DATE ON WHICH THE FIRST CLAIM RELATED TO THE DISPUTE AROSE.

ALL LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY OF ANY KIND (INCLUDING IN THIS SECTION 14 AND ELSEWHERE IN THESE TERMS OF USE) APPLY REGARDLESS OF LEGAL THEORY, EVEN IF THE APPLICABLE RELEASED PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, AND EVEN IF A REMEDY FAILS OF ITS ESSENTIAL PURPOSE.

NOTWITHSTANDING THE PRECEDING PARAGRAPH, SOME JURISDICTIONS PROHIBIT THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CERTAIN DAMAGES, SO SOME OF THE LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY IN THESE TERMS OF USE MIGHT NOT APPLY TO YOU. FOR CLARIFICATION, NOTHING IN THESE TERMS OF USE SEEKS TO LIMIT OUR LIABILITY IN A MANNER INCONSISTENT WITH APPLICABLE LAW. YOU AGREE, HOWEVER, THAT THE LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY IN THESE TERMS OF USE SHALL APPLY TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

15. Links/Third Party Websites/Advertising

For your convenience, CFP Board may provide links to various third-party websites that may be of interest to you (“External Sites”). However, CFP Board does not control External Sites and is not responsible for their content, nor is it responsible for the accuracy or reliability of any information, data, opinions, advice, or statements contained within those websites. Furthermore, these Terms of Use and CFP Board's Privacy Policy are applicable only when you are on our Sites. Once you arrive at an External Site, you should read that website's terms of use and privacy policy, if any, before disclosing any personal information or otherwise using the website. If you decide to access any of the External Sites linked to on our Sites, you do so at your own risk. CFP Board reserves the right to terminate any link or linking program at any time.

CFP Board, in its sole discretion, may post the advertisements of third parties on the Sites. Your correspondence or any other dealings with advertisers found on the Sites are solely between you and the advertiser. You agree that CFP Board shall not be responsible for any loss or damage of any sort incurred as a result of any of those dealings or as the result of the presence of those advertisers on the Sites.

16. Opening Account/Password Policy

Your use of certain portions of the Sites may require you to become a registered user and enter a password. By agreeing to these Terms of Use, you agree to be solely responsible for the confidentiality and use of your respective password, as well as for any communications entered through the Sites using your password. You agree to provide CFP Board with accurate, complete, and updated information. You further agree to notify us of any known or suspected unauthorized use of your account credentials. You are responsible for the acts and omissions of any person who uses the Sites while logged into your account.

17. Third-Party Content on the Sites

Certain portions of the Sites may contain content authored by third parties, including content available on forums designed for users to share information and opinions related to the financial planning profession, including Submissions (collectively, “Third-Party Materials”). Views or opinions expressed in Third-Party Materials belong solely to the authors or the relevant content and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of CFP Board. CFP Board does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of any Third-Party Materials available through the Sites. Nothing in these Terms of Use shall be deemed to be a representation or warranty by CFP Board with respect to any Third-Party Materials. We have no obligation to monitor Third-Party Materials, but we may block or disable access to any Third-Party Materials (in whole or part) through the Sites at any time. In addition, the availability of any Third-Party Materials through the Sites does not imply our endorsement of, or our affiliation with, any provider of such Third-Party Materials, nor does such availability create any legal relationship between you and the provider. You acknowledge that CFP Board is not responsible for any Third-Party Materials available through the Sites and that any reliance upon Third-Party Materials is done solely at your own risk.

18. Limitations on Use

You agree not to do any of the following:

(1)          Restrict or inhibit any other user from using and enjoying the Sites. This includes: (a) using, or attempting to use, any account without the owner's permission, (b) obtaining or soliciting another person's password or other personal information under false pretenses, or (c) impersonating another user or otherwise misrepresenting yourself to CFP Board, or other entities.

(2)          Interfere (or attempt to interfere) with the operation of the Sites. This includes (a) interfering with, defeating, or circumventing any security function of the Sites, or attempting to do so, or (b) accessing, or attempting to access, any portion of the Sites that you are not authorized to access. Unauthorized access (or attempts) may subject you to civil and/or criminal penalties.

(3)          Post, store, or transmit on the Sites any unlawful, threatening, libelous, defamatory, obscene, inflammatory, pornographic, profane, or otherwise objectionable (as determined by CFP Board’s sole discretion) information or material.

(4)           Post, store, or transmit on the Sites any information or material that could constitute or encourage conduct that would be considered a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability, or otherwise violate any law.

(5)          Post, store, or transmit on the Siters any advertising, promotion, or solicitation of goods or services for commercial purposes except in any areas of the Sites specifically designated for that purpose (and subject to applicable rules).

(6)          Use the Sites to post, store, or transmit any information or software that contains a virus, worm, Trojan horse, or other harmful or disruptive component.

(7)          Use the Sites to post, store, or transmit materials in violation of another party's copyright, trademark or other intellectual property rights. You are solely responsible for determining whether any material you post, store, or transmit is subject to a third party's rights.

(8)          Use the Sites for any unlawful purposes or in violation of these Terms of Use or encourage any third party to do the same./p>

(9)          Modify, adapt, sublicense, translate, resell, retransmit, reverse engineer, decompile or disassemble any portion of the Sites.

(10)          Use of the CFP Board Content for any machine learning and/or artificial intelligence purposes, including to train artificial intelligence models.

(the foregoing actions are, collectively, the “Prohibited Conduct”). CFP Board may, from time to time, monitor or review the Sites for the purpose or determining and enforcing compliance with these Terms of Use, and we shall be free to delete, remove, modify, or refuse to post any Submissions or other Third-Party Materials if we determine (a) that the content violates these Terms of Use, (b) the content is stale or off topic, or (c) that the removal of the content is otherwise necessary or convenient in connection with our administration of the Sites. However, CFP Board is under no duty to do any of the foregoing and assumes no responsibility or liability arising from the Prohibited Conduct of any user of the Sites.

You agree that CFP Board has the right to (a) disclose your identity or other relevant information about you to any third party who claims that content shared by you violates their rights; (b) take legal action, including referral to law enforcement, with respect to any suspected illegal or unauthorized use of the Sites; and (c) cooperate with any law enforcement authority or court order directing us to disclose your identity or any other information concerning your use of the Sites. You hereby waive any claims related to or resulting from any action or inaction of CFP Board with respect to (i) monitoring the Sites; (ii) deleting, removing, modifying, or refusing to post any Submissions or other Third-Party Materials; (iii) determining or enforcing compliance with these Terms of Use; and (iv) cooperating with law enforcement or a court order regarding any matter related to the Sites.

Notwithstanding the use restrictions in this Section 18, nothing in these Terms of Use shall prohibit or restrict your ability to (a) make any “statement” protected by Cal. Civ. Code § 1670.8; (b) engage in a “covered communication” as defined by the Consumer Review Fairness Act, 15 U.S.C.A. § 45b; or (c) express or publish any review, performance assessment, or similar analysis (collectively, “Reviews”) about CFP Board, its employees or agents, or its products or services, to the extent that such Reviews are protected under applicable law.

19. Indemnification

To the fullest extent permitted by law, you agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Released Parties from and against any and all claims, proceedings, damages, injuries, liabilities, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses), relating to or arising from your use of the Sites, your Submissions or other Third-Party Materials, and any violation by you of these Terms of Use, or any other matter for which you are responsible under law.

You agree that we (or any other Released Party, as applicable) is entitled to assume exclusive defense and control of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by you and you agree to cooperate with us if and as requested in the defense and settlement of such matter. In any case, you agree never to settle any matter for which your indemnification is required absent our prior written consent or that of the applicable Released Party.

Separately, if you initiate (or threaten to initiate) any litigation, arbitration, or otherwise assert any claim against the Released Parties that is based or relies, in whole or in part, upon a repudiation or breach of any promises, representations, warranties, agreements, or consents that you have made or provided pursuant to these Terms of Use (collectively “Prohibited Legal Actions”), you agree to indemnify the Released Parties from and against any liabilities, claims, damages, costs, and expenses, including attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses, arising from or related to the Prohibited Legal Action (or your threat of the same).

20. Dispute Resolution; Agreement to Arbitrate

If there is any controversy, claim, action, or dispute between you and CFP Board arising out of or related to your use of the Sites, including any Products acquired on or through the Sites, or the breach, enforcement, interpretation, or validity of these Terms of Use (each, a “Dispute”), you and CFP Board agree to resolve the Dispute using the dispute resolution procedures set forth in this Section 20, even if the Dispute arose prior to the Effective Date of these Terms of Use or your acceptance of these Terms of Use.

A. Informal Dispute Resolution

You and CFP Board agree to first attempt to avoid the costs of formal dispute resolution by giving each other a full and fair opportunity to address and resolve the Dispute informally. The party with the complaint (the “Complaining Party”) shall send written notice to the other party (the “Receiving Party”) describing the facts and circumstances of the Dispute (a “Dispute Notice”).

All Dispute Notices must: (a) be signed by the Complaining Party; (b) include the Complaining Party’s name, physical address, and email address; (c) describe with specificity the nature and basis of the Dispute in a manner sufficient for the Receiving Party to evaluate the merits of the Complaining Party’s individualized claim, and (d) set forth the alleged damage and harm suffered and the specific relief sought with a calculation for it. Each Dispute Notice is limited to a single Dispute between you and CFP Board. As such, your Dispute and the Disputes of other parties may not be combined into a single Dispute Notice.

Dispute Notices shall be sent to:

  • To CFP Board: You must send notice (a) by email to [email protected] and (b) by first-class or certified mail to 1425 K St NW #800, Washington, DC 20005, ATTN: Office of the General Counsel.
  • To You: We will send notice by (1) first class or certified mail to the physical address we have on file for you (if any) and (2) by email to the email address we have on file for you (if any). If we do not have any address on file for you, or if we are, for any reason, unable to provide notice via the contact information on file, we reserve the right to provide notice by other reasonable means.

You and CFP Board will attempt to resolve the Dispute through informal negotiation within sixty (60) days beginning on the date that a valid Dispute Notice is sent (the “Informal Negotiation Period”). During the Informal Negotiation Period, the parties are required to conduct an individual meet-and-confer in person, or via teleconference or videoconference, that addresses only the Dispute between you and CFP Board (the “Conference”). If you are represented by counsel, your counsel may participate in the Conference, but you will also need to participate. CFP Board will participate in the Conference through one or more representatives, which may include our counsel.

Both you and CFP Board agree that the foregoing dispute resolution procedure (the “Informal Dispute Resolution Procedure”) is a condition precedent that must be satisfied before initiating any arbitration or litigation against the other party. If any aspect or requirement of the Informal Dispute Resolution Procedure has not been completed or satisfied, the parties agree that (a) a court of competent jurisdiction can enjoin the filing or prosecution of any arbitration or litigation and (b) unless prohibited by law, no arbitration administrator shall accept or administer any arbitration or demand fees in connection with the Dispute.

B. Individual Arbitration

IF ANY DISPUTE CANNOT BE RESOLVED BY THE INFORMAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCEDURE, YOU AND CFP BOARD AGREE THAT SUCH DISPUTE SHALL BE DECIDED BY BINDING ARBITRATION ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS. ARBITRATION ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS MEANS THAT NEITHER PARTY WILL HAVE, AND WE EACH HEREBY WAIVE, THE RIGHT TO HAVE A JUDGE OR JURY TO DECIDE ITS CLAIMS, AND THAT NEITHER YOU NOR CFP BOARD IS PERMITTED TO PROCEED IN A CLASS, CONSOLIDATED, COLLECTIVE, OR REPRESENTATIVE CAPACITY. OTHER RIGHTS THAT YOU AND WE WOULD OTHERWISE HAVE IN COURT WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE OR WILL BE MORE LIMITED IN ARBITRATION, INCLUDING DISCOVERY AND APPEAL RIGHTS.

All such Disputes shall be exclusively submitted to JAMS (www.jamsadr.com) for binding arbitration under its rules then in effect (as modified by these Terms of Use), before one arbitrator to be mutually agreed upon by both parties (a Dispute submitted to JAMS for arbitration being a “Demand for Arbitration”). The arbitration shall be conducted in accordance with the JAMS Consumer Arbitration Minimum Standards (the “Minimum Standards”) if (and only if) it is determined by JAMS or the arbitrator that the Minimum Standards are applicable to the Dispute. The Minimum Standards are available at www.jamsadr.com/consumer-minimum-standards. The location of any hearings will be determined by the applicable JAMS rules, provided that if the claim is for $5,000 or less, you may choose to (a) have the arbitration conducted solely on the basis of the documents submitted to the arbitrator or (b) hold a hearing by teleconference or videoconference.

The arbitrator, and not any court or agency, shall have exclusive authority to resolve any Dispute arising under or relating to the interpretation, applicability, enforceability, or formation of these Terms of Use, including any claim that all or any part of these Terms of Use is void or voidable. For the avoidance of doubt, you and CFP Board agree that the arbitrator shall have the exclusive power to rule on his or her own jurisdiction, including any objections with respect to the existence, scope, or validity of this Section 20 or the arbitrability of any claim or counterclaim. The award rendered by the arbitrator may be confirmed and enforced in a court of competent jurisdiction.

C. Mass Arbitration

This Section 20(C) applies to Mass Arbitrations (defined below) and supersedes any provision to the contrary in these Terms of Use.

If you or CFP Board files a Demand for Arbitration that is one of fifty (50) or more similar Demands for Arbitration filed against the other party (i.e., against you or CFP Board, as applicable) by parties represented by the same law firm or law firms acting in coordination (“Mass Arbitration”), the arbitration of the Dispute, and all other Disputes constituting the Mass Arbitration, shall be conducted in accordance with the JAMS Mass Arbitration Procedures and Guidelines, including the JAMS Mass Arbitration Fee Schedule (the “Mass Arbitration Rules”). The Mass Arbitration Rules are available at www.jamsadr.com/mass-arbitration-procedures.

You and CFP Board agree that, in the event of a Mass Arbitration, any issues arising under or relating to (a) the interpretation, applicability, enforceability, or formation of these Terms of Use, including any claim that all or any part of these Terms of Use is void or voidable or (b) the jurisdiction of the arbitrator, including any objections with respect to the existence, scope, or validity of this Section 20 or the arbitrability of any claim or counterclaim, shall be decided by a court of competent jurisdiction.

D. Exceptions

In lieu of the dispute resolution procedures set forth in Sections 20 (A)-(C), you or CFP Board may (a) bring an individual claim or elect to resolve a Dispute in small claims court in the United States consistent with any applicable jurisdictional and monetary limits that may apply (so long as the action is litigated exclusively in small claims court and is not removed or appealed to a court of general jurisdiction) and (b) file an individual claim in court to (i) enjoin the infringement or other misuse of its intellectual property rights or (ii) seek a declaration that the other party is in breach of these Terms of Use. In addition, nothing in these Terms of Use prohibits you or us from bringing issues to the attention of federal, state, or local agencies. Such agencies can, if the law allows, seek relief against us on your behalf (or vice versa).

21. Applicable Law

The Sites are controlled by CFP Board from its offices within Washington, District of Columbia, the United States of America. As such, U.S. federal laws and the laws of the District of Columbia will govern these Terms of Use, notwithstanding any conflicts or rules of law that may direct the application of the law of another state. Any arbitration conducted pursuant to these Terms of Use shall be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act (9 U.S.C. §§ 1-16).

Except for Disputes properly lodged in a small claims court in the United States, any Disputes not subject to arbitration pursuant to Section 20, including those referenced in Section 20(D), shall be resolved by the courts of the District of Columbia and/or the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. You hereby irrevocably and unconditionally consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts for the purpose of litigating any such Disputes, waive any objection to the venue of any such litigation in such courts, and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that such litigation brought therein has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES ITS RIGHTS TO A JURY TRIAL OF ANY CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION BASED UPON OR ARISING OUT OF THESE TERMS OF USE OR THEIR SUBJECT MATTER.

22. Miscellaneous

A. Waiver and Severability

The failure of CFP Board to exercise or enforce any right or provision in these Terms of Use shall not constitute a waiver of that right or provision. All of the rights and remedies of CFP Board shall be cumulative with, and in addition to, any other rights, remedies or causes of action allowed by law and shall not exclude any other rights or remedies available to CFP Board.

If any provision of these Terms of Use is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, unlawful, void or for any reason unenforceable, then that provision shall be deemed severable and, to the fullest extent of the law, shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any remaining provisions herein.

B. Updates to these Terms

CFP Board reserves the right to make changes to these Terms of Use at any time. When we do so, we will provide notice to you by updating the “Last Modified” date at the bottom of this page. For material changes, we will seek to supplement such notice by email, a pop-up message on the Sites, another prominent notice on the Sites, or by other reasonable means.

You should visit this page from time to time to review the then-current Terms of Use. Your use of the Sites following any changes to the Terms of Use constitutes your agreement to follow and be bound by these Terms of Use as changed. If any change is unacceptable to you, your only recourse is to terminate your use of the Sites.

C. Termination of these Terms

These Terms of Use will continue to apply until terminated by either you or CFP Board. We may terminate these Terms of Use, or suspend or terminate your access to the Sites, at any time if (a) we believe you have breached any of these Terms of Use, (b) we stop providing the Sites or any material component thereof, (c) as we believe necessary to comply with applicable law, or (d) we otherwise consider necessary or convenient in connection with our operation of the Sites.

You may terminate these Terms of Use at any time by discontinuing your use of the Sites and, if applicable, deleting your account. To delete your account, follow the instructions provided in your account settings or, if you are unable to locate any such instructions, contact us at [email protected].

If you or we terminate these Terms of Use, or if we suspend or terminate your access to the Sites, you agree that (a) your right to access and use the Sites ceases immediately, (b) we shall have no liability to you in connection with such suspension or termination, and (c) except as expressly provided otherwise by CFP Board, we will not refund any amounts that you have already paid to us. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, if you voluntarily terminate these Terms of Use, and you are not barred from using the Sites by CFP Board or applicable law, you are permitted to resume use of the Sites at a later date. Your continued use of the Sites after such termination constitutes your renewed acceptance of the then-current version of these Terms of Use.

The following provisions shall survive the termination of these Terms of Use: Sections 5, 6 (excluding the License), 7, 9, 10, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22, and any other provisions of these Terms of Use that, either explicitly or by their nature, must remain in effect even after termination of these Terms of Use.

D. Modification and Termination of the Sites

CFP Board provides the Sites at its convenience and CFP Board may alter, modify, suspend, or terminate the Sites at any time, and we shall have no liability to you in connection with any such actions.

E. Entire Agreement

These Terms of Use contain the entire agreement between you and CFP Board regarding your use of the Sites and supersede all previous agreements between you and CFP Board regarding your use of the Sites. These Terms of Use will not affect or supersede any agreement you enter into with CFP Board regarding (a) the pathway to CFP® certification (e.g., the Pathway to CFP® Certification Agreement) or (b) your acquisition or maintenance of CFP® Certification (e.g., The Terms and Conditions of Certification and Trademark License). You acknowledge that you have read these Terms of Use and understand their full force and effect.

F. Notice Regarding Apple

If you download any of our Apps from Apple, Inc.’s (“Apple”) App Store, or if you are using an App on an iOS device, the following terms and conditions apply to you:

i. These Terms of Use are between you and CFP Board. Apple is not a party to these Terms of Use and Apple is not responsible for the Apps or the content thereof. To the extent that you download an App from the App Store or use an App on an iOS device, the License is (a) limited to a license to use the App on Apple-branded Device and (b) subject to (i) the Usage Rules set forth in the App Store Terms of Service and (ii) any applicable third-party terms.

ii. Apple has no obligation to furnish any maintenance or support services with respect to the Apps. In the event of any failure of the App to conform to an applicable warranty (if any), you may notify Apple and Apple will refund the applicable purchase price of the App (if any) to you. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Apple has no other warranty obligation whatsoever with respect to the App. Apple is not responsible for addressing any claims by you or any third party relating to the App, including (a) product liability claims; (b) any claim that the App fails to conform to any applicable legal or regulatory requirement; (c) claims arising under consumer protection or similar legislation; and (d) claims with respect to intellectual property infringement. Apple is not responsible for the investigation, defense, settlement, and discharge of any third-party claim that the App or your possession and use of the App infringes that third party’s intellectual property rights.

iii. Apple, and Apple’s subsidiaries, are third-party beneficiaries of these Terms of Use. Upon your acceptance of these Terms of Use, Apple will have the right (and will be deemed to have accepted the right) to enforce these Terms of Use against you as a third-party beneficiary.

G. Notice to California Residents

If you are a California resident, with respect to any limitations or disclaimers of warranties or liability included in these Terms of Use, you hereby waive California Civil Code Section 1542, which states, “A general release does not extend to claims that the creditor or releasing party does not know or suspect to exist in his or her favor at the time of executing the release and that, if known by him or her, would have materially affected his or her settlement with the debtor or released party.”

H. Assignment

You may not assign, transfer, or sublicense any or all of your rights or obligations under these Terms of Use without our express prior written consent. We may assign, transfer, or sublicense any or all of our rights or obligations under these Terms of Use without restriction.

I. No Relationship

These Terms of Use do not, and shall not be construed to, create any partnership, joint venture, employer-employee, agency, or franchisor-franchisee relationship between you and CFP Board.

J. Interpretation

In these Terms of Use, the words “include,” “includes,” and “including” shall be construed as if followed by “without limitation,” and the word “or” shall not be exclusive. Titles and headings to sections herein are included for convenience only and are not intended to affect the meaning or interpretation of these Terms of Use. Any limited or specific disclaimers or limitations of liability found in these Terms of Use shall not limit the effect, force, or breadth of any other disclaimers or limitations of liability in these Terms of Use. When these Terms of Use refer to a decision or action that will or may be made or taken by CFP Board, such decision or action shall be made, taken, or refrained from in CFP Board’s sole discretion and judgment.

K. Admissibility

You agree that all agreements, notices, disclosures, and other communications that CFP Board provides to you (a) via a posting on the Sites or (b) an email to an address that we have on file for you will satisfy any legal requirement that such communications be in writing. You agree that a printed version of these Terms of Use and/or any notice given in electronic form shall be admissible in judicial or administrative proceedings based upon or relating to these Terms of Use or your use of the Sites to the same extent and subject to the same conditions as other business documents and records originally generated and maintained in printed form.

Last Modified: August 20, 2025