But, they cannot call themselves a Chartered Accountant unless they have completed a course of studies and are a member in good standing of their professional association. It is a shame that, after all of the financial degrees and courses I had taken that I still had to compete with a disbarred lawyer. When I left the meeting with the Judge I was determined to do something to make sure I would stand out above the crowd. It is sad to say but many in our business are not very honest and even more are motivated to sell the client only those products that pay them the most money. Some stockbrokers would have people believe they are 'Financial Advisors' when in fact they are simply stock salespeople.

Most have almost no training in Taxation or Estate Planning, both of which impact a great deal on any investment recommendation. Many Life Insurance Agents hold themselves out as 'Financial Advisors' after taking a single course on insurance. Banks promote some of their people as 'Financial Advisors', when in fact they have taken a simple course in Mutual Funds and have in most cases no experience beyond that bank's products. There are some very good and well qualified people in all of these professions and financial institutions. But, the point is, how do you tell the difference? Shortly after the incident with the Judge, I joined the Canadian Association of Financial Planners (CAFP).

As a member I was required to subscribe to their code of ethics and answer to their disciplinary committee. In this way my clients would know that I had attained a certain level of competence and that they could report me to the Association if I did something wrong. The Association grants the RFP (Registered Financial Planner) degree. To maintain that degree I must be a Regular member of the CAFP and have at least one Academic degree (such as CFP, CLU, CA. etc) in one of the Financial Planning disciplines.

1 must then have at least two years experience with a financial planning firm and have passed a six hour competency exam, which covers all areas of financial planning. In addition, I must produce proof of at least $1,000,000.00 of Errors & Omissions Insurance, subscribe to the Code of Ethics and adhere to the "Six Step Financial Planning Process". Each year I must prove that I have kept up to date with new developments through their requirements for continuing education. Ten years ago there was no Financial Planning industry as it emerged because the average investor required someone to guide them through the complexity of the tax regulations and investment choices. I think the growth of the financial planning industry is due in no small part to the growth in service industries.

As everything in our daily lives becomes so specialized we need to turn ever more to people who specialize in areas we need help in. Today the association is recognized as the national organization for the regulation and development of financial planning in Canada. It is possible to phone in any major city in Canada to Inquire if someone is a regular member, an associate member in good standing, or is even a member at all. In British Columbia the Association is called the British Columbia Association of Financial Planners. The phone number is (604) 684-8843.

Last month I was honored to be elected President of the British Columbia Association of Financial Planners. Bring on that disbarred lawyer!Copyright ? www.money-software.com.

The CFEBS program equips financial planners, insurance agents, accountants, investment advisors, stock brokers, tax preparers, and other professionals with a thorough understanding of federal employee benefits and associated retirement planning. "Achieving CFEBS certification helps financial planners to learn the ins and outs of these benefits programs and to reach federal employees who are in need of quality financial planning services," Snow explained. Snow is a 20-year veteran financial and estate planner, who has more than 10 years experience in assisting federal employees.Snow says the federal and postal employee market ? consisting of more than. 2.5 million workers ? is often overlooked by the financial planning community. U.S.

federal government employment statistics indicate that approximately 50% of federal workers will be eligible to retire in the next five years. "The opportunity in this market for financial planners is a goldmine. Thousands of federal employees have $500,000 or more invested in a 401(k)-like savings plan. These are funds that can be rolled over into other investment options at retirement," Snow states. Snow also points out that in addition to investment options, federal employees face many important decisions regarding health, life and long-term care insurance options, as well as special tax considerations.CFEBS training courses ? offered by independent study or conducted on-site at financial service firms -- provides professionals with numerous helpful training materials.

The materials include resources to help the professional identify the retirement needs of federal employees, as well as strategies on the best ways to reach potential clients in this market.Snow states that hundreds of financial professionals now hold the CFEBS certification or are enrolled in the course, which was first offered in 2003. Information on the CFEBS program can be found at http://www.FEBSI.com or by calling FEBSI at 1-800-696-3505.???? Federal Employee Benefits Specialist, Inc. is a private, woman-owned small business in Castle Rock, Colo., and is an affiliate corporation of the Snow-Cap Agency, Inc. (http://www.snow-cap.com), a leading producer of employee benefits seminars and workshops for federal workers..

"We want to help make sure people are on track, and sometimes the best way to do that is by talking directly with a financial expert."From 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. EST on two separate Fridays?February 18 and March 4?NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisors will be standing by to answer people's most pressing financial questions. Examples: Am I saving enough to live the lifestyle I want in retirement? Is my money invested properly? What kind of IRA should I have? How should I be investing my 401(k)? What do I need to know about estate planning? Should I purchase a long term care insurance policy? Are annuities a good investment? This service is free for absolutely everyone.NAPFA is a 1,200 member organization of Fee-Only comprehensive financial advisors. NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisors must meet the highest professional education, competency and compensation standards.

They are knowledgeable not just about investments, but also insurance, estate planning, tax planning and retirement planning. Normally, their services cost between $100 to $250 an hour."Retirement is a major issue for many people, regardless of age," says NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisor Martin Mesecke. Self Worth Financial Planning, 5100 Tennyson Parkway Suite 1000, Plano, Texas, "Client's are not just concerned about when they will be able to quit working, they're worried about if they will actually be able to retire." "I look forward to the opportunity to help people who call the toll-free hotline."The toll-free number to call during the Kiplinger Jump-Start Your Retirement Plan Days is 1-888-919-2345. Further information on this initiative and on reviving your retirement plan can be found in the upcoming March 2004 issue of Kiplinger's Personal Finance.Contacts: Martin P Mesecke, CFP? Ellen Turf, NAPFA CEOe-mail protected from spam bots e-mail protected from spam bots(214) 774-4826 (847) -483-5400.

As a fee-only professional, Mr. Blankenship receives no commissions or other rewards for selling financial products. About Heritage Financial PlanningSteve Blankenship, CFP? is the Founder and Principal of Heritage Financial Planning, an independent financial planning firm located in Grapevine, Texas. A Certified Financial Planner? professional, Steve was recently featured on the cover of Financial Planning magazine and profiled in the related article. Steve has also just been named as one of the "Best Financial Planners in Dallas" by D Magazine.

He is a Member of The Garrett Planning Network, Inc., the nation's largest organization of hourly as-needed financial planners. He is also a member of the Financial Planning Association, the largest organization of professionals dedicated to championing the financial planning process. He can be reached at (817) 310-5171. For more information, visit www.HeritageFinancialPlanning.com..

• How can you accumulate a sizable estate to pass on as a family legacy?
• How will your hard-earned assets be distributed after your death?
• How can you minimize federal estate taxes and state inheritance taxes?
• How can you best provide for your surviving spouse and children?
• Whom do you want to carry out your wishes?

• How can you accumulate enough in retirement savings and pension benefits to enjoy a comfortable retirement free of financial worry and not be a burden to your family?
• How much (or little) can you expect to receive from Social Security?
• How can you coordinate your IRA, 401k, pension, Social Security, and other retirement benefits for maximum effectiveness?
• At what age can you really afford to retire, especially if you have children to send to college?

• Are you taking full advantage of the tax laws so that you are not paying more than necessary?
• Are there changes you could make in your business structure that would reduce your income taxes?
• Do you have access to changes in tax law that affect you?

• How are you protected against the unpleasant and potentially catastrophic losses associated with natural disasters, illness or accident, disability, property loss, personal liability, and premature death?
• Is your business protected against these potential losses?
• How would your business be affected if your key people were no longer able to function?

• Do you really have a structured investment strategy or do you just invest haphazardly in the latest investment fad?
• Do you know how to increase your investment returns and lower your investment risk through the use of the principles of the Modern Portfolio Theory of Asset Allocation?
• Is your asset mix appropriate for your short-term needs as well as your long-term goals?
• Do you adjust your investment strategy as your investment objectives change?
• Are your investments effectively overcoming the ravages of inflation and taxation?
• Do your investments accurately reflect your risk/reward profile?

• Current and projected financial statements
• "What if" scenarios with different assumptionsv *Cash flow objectives
• Retirement goals and tax-efficient ways to achieve them
• Funding children's education
• Protecting against the financial impact of premature death or disability
• Implementation schedule with a time frame to follow.

Free financial planning resources are available at http://www.flanancialplanninginfo4u.com when you are ready to begin..

A court is set to decide the ten year old case shortly before Christmas. Moldon's property is valued upwards of $12 million, but the City has taken Moldon to court to force a sale to the City for an artificially low price of less than $800,000. The windfall purchase price, which is $11.2 million below the property's estimated fair market value would be passed along to Billionaire Icahn, according to disclosures made by the City in court. After ten years of litigation, Moldon has yet to see a dime in compensation. Trippon says "Although the Moldon case is an extreme example of how litigation can ruin one's retirement the eight other pitfalls are just as dangerous." Jim Trippon CPA, a former senior Price Waterhouse financial statement auditor, runs a retirement planning firm in Houston, Texas that specializes in working with accredited investors.

He has appeared on CNBC and Fox News, and is often quoted in national publications. How Millionaires Stay Rich Forever: Retirement Planning Secrets of Millionaires and How They Can Work For You by Jim Trippon, CPA; ISBN: 0-9723389-1-8 Media kits and review copies available on request. Jim Trippon is available throught the holidays for interviews. To arrange an interview call Beth O'Neal at 713-661-3806, or contact Jim Trippon directly at 713-498-8849..

will only deal with someone other than the owner if authorized by a court order or under Durable Power of Attorney. Obtaining authority from the court can be an expensive and on-going process, ending with someone other than who you would have wanted handling your money and financial affairs.Creating a Durable Power of Attorney allows you to select who will make your financial decisions if you are unable, and to control the powers given. You can provide broad power, allowing your agent to do whatever you could do, or restrictive the powers given to certain specified financial areas. You can also have the Durable Power of Attorney be "immediate," meaning the person selected has the power to act on your behalf as soon as it is signed; or it can be "springing," which means the Durable Power of Attorney does not become effective until (and unless) you become incapacitated.In addition to planning for handling your financial affairs if you become incapacitated, you should consider similar incapacity planning for your health care decisions. To find out more, please see our article titled Why You Need an Advanced Health Care Directive at http://www.baconlaw.com/estateplanning/health-care-directive.htm..

He is one of only a handful of advisors in the nation who has both the certified financial planner and the certified senior advisor designations. The company focuses on preserving, protecting and growing the assets of small business owners in the Charlotte and Greensboro, NC metro areas so they can focus on running their businesses and pursuing their personal goals..

Steve is a Member of The Garrett Planning Network, Inc., the nation's largest organization of hourly as-needed financial planners. He is also a member of NAPFA, the largest organization of professionals dedicated to championing fee-only financial planning. He can be reached at (817) 310-5171. Or email him at e-mail protected from spam bots. For more information, visit www.HeritageFinancialPlanning.com..

She also mentioned that many married women have better credit score than their husbands, even if they do not make as much. When another show guest, Dan Contreras talked about financial planning, he stressed using a professional. ?Don't rely on hearsay, get some real understanding about your situation." And Linda Hollander the author or Bags to Riches says "Mentors are the fast track to success". Find someone who has reached the same financial goals you want to reach and then do what they did. This simple technique works even if your goals are modest.

While everyone's situation is different, I really just want to motivate you to do something to have a positive effect on your finances. Here are a few simple things you can do that will start the ball rolling.1. Get a copy of your credit report and check it for errors( free if you have been turned down for credit)2. Look at your savings plan, are you on track, do you need to increase or decrease the amounts you are trying to save?3. Look for your insurance policies, be able to get them immediately, know exactly where they are.4.

Start some financial education with your children. Start a student saving account.5. Start planning next year's financial goals. What do you want to change, what goals do you want to accomplish, what new accounts do you need to open and which accounts should be closed.If you handle your finances you'll be in The Wright Place!.