FPA and Its Members

FPA Profile Primary Aim & Strategic Directive Core Value Who Are Our Members? Mission Statement Members’ Code of Ethics FPA MN Bylaws Benefits of Membership How to Contact Us

FPA - The Heart of Financial Planning™: The community that brings together those who deliver, support and benefit from financial planning.

FPA Profile
The Financial Planning Association (FPA®) is the membership association for nearly 25,000 CFP® professionals, financial planners, specialists and organizations dedicated to advancing the financial planning process. FPA of Minnesota is a dynamic association with over 800 members. FPA believes that everyone needs objective advice to make informed financial decisions and that when seeking the advice of a financial planner; the planner should be a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ licensee. Our members are committed to honesty, integrity, and open communication. Through the spirit of service, we foster stewardship and the development of recognized knowledge and competence.
FPA Membership Demographics

FPA Primary Aim
FPA® is the community that fosters the value of financial planing, and advances the practice and profession of financial planning.

Strategic Directive
To be the recognized and unquestioned professional membership resource and advocate for CFP® professionals by embracing the concept of “one profession/one designation” as our sole business directive and policy filter.

Core Values
At FPA, our core values are who we are. They describe our intended state of being. They are so integral to our being that we would not abandon them even if we were penalized for holding them. They are values of FPA, and we want to attract as members those who share our values.

• Competence: Our dedication to competence requires not only lifelong learning, but also that we continually assess our ability to appropriately and effectively address the needs of those whom we serve.
• Integrity: We strive to have ever more congruence between our words and deeds, and to deliver genuine value to those whom we serve.
• Relationships: We are committed to open, inclusive and respectful relationships, including collaboration among diverse parties on common interests.
• Stewardship: We recognize our responsibility to act with vision, ever mindful of the effects of our actions on the future.
  

FPA of Minnesota Vision Statement
The primary aim of FPA is to benefit the public by helping to ensure that financial planning is delivered through competent, ethical financial planners. FPA is the community that fosters the value of financial planning and advances the financial planning profession. The FPA aim is achieved through its objectives:

• Facilitate the success of our members
• Cultivate the body of knowledge of personal financial planning.
• Grow the organization by bringing together those who champion the financial planning process.
• Unify the voice, focus and resources of the financial planning community.
• Advance brand awareness for professional financial planners, building the CFP certification as the hallmark of the brand.
• Define and effectively communicate a common understanding of the discipline of personal financial planning and the benefits of its use.

Who Are Our Members?
The Financial Planning Association members include:

• Financial Planners: CFP certificants and other professionals who have made a commitment to the financial planning process. All members are encouraged to pursue and attain the CFP certification.
• Allied professionals include accountants, attorneys, bankers, charitable giving specialists, insurance agents, investment consultants and others who advance the financial planning process in their work with clients.
• FPA’s Corporate membership consists of firms who have products and services that are appropriate for financial planners as well as financial planning broker-dealers who find value in having access to other Corporate members as well as to FPA’s individual members.

FPA of Minnesota Mission Statement
The Financial Planning Association of Minnesota champions the value of the financial planning process and advances the financial planning profession with the CFP mark as its cornerstone. FPA of Minnesota seeks to:

• Foster competent, committed and ethical members;
• Provide educational and networking opportunities to assist members in their efforts to achieve personal and professional fulfillment;
• Build and retain a growing membership with a shared vision; and
• Help people recognize the value of the financial planning process as a way to achieve their goals and dreams.

Code of Ethics
This Code of Ethics is an expression of the financial planning profession's recognition of its responsibilities to the public, to clients, to colleagues, and to employers. These principles apply to all Financial Planning Association (FPA) members and provide guidance to them in the performance of their professional services.

Principle 1 - Integrity
An FPA member shall offer and provide professional services with integrity.
Principle 2 - Objectivity
An FPA member shall be objective in providing professional services to clients.
Principle 3 - Competence
An FPA member shall provide services to clients competently and maintain the necessary knowledge and skill to continue to do so in those areas in which the designee is engaged.
Principle 4 - Fairness
An FPA member shall perform professional services in a manner that is fair and reasonable to clients, principals, partners, and employers and shall disclose conflict(s) of interest(s) in providing such services.
Principle 5 - Confidentiality
An FPA member shall not disclose any confidential client information without the specific consent of the client unless in response to proper legal process, to defend against charges of wrongdoing by the FPA member or in connection with a civil dispute between the FPA member and client.
Principle 6 - Professionalism
An FPA member's conduct in all matters shall reflect credit upon the profession.
Principle 7 - Diligence
An FPA member shall act diligently in providing professional services. Diligence is the provision of services in a reasonably prompt and thorough manner. Diligence also includes proper planning for and supervision of the rendering of professional services.

This abridged version of the FPA Code of Ethics was derived from the Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility © 2003 Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. All rights reserved. For a complete version, please visit the FPA Web Site at www.fpanet.org.

Benefits of Membership
FPA offers:

• A network of nearly 26,000 financial planning professionals;
• Opportunities to develop relationships with colleagues and other financial experts;
• Monthly chapter meetings offering outstanding continuing education programs (Minnesota insurance, NASBA CPE and CFP Board, including expanded Code of Ethics program);
• Two day annual Symposium offering nationally known speakers and educational credits;
• Nationally recognized conferences at substantial member discounts;
• Career Development Center programs covering employment, CFP certification, internships, new planner online community and residency programs;
• Practice management and business tools including Journal of Financial Planning, online information and networking services; and
• Strengthened advocacy and public awareness efforts to promote the value of financial planning and the CFP mark.

To view 108 Member Benefits, click here.
To view the national Member Benefits, click here.
To complete an application to join, click here.

How to Contact Us
3900 Main Street NE • Minneapolis, MN 55421
763-781-1212
Fax: 763-226-2393
Email: office@fpamn.org