SIFMA Challenges CFP Board

Posted on November 14th, 2024 at 10:46 AM
SIFMA Challenges CFP Board

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law

According to InvestmentNews, the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) released a whitepaper criticizing the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Board’s standards enforcement, asserting it operates as a “de facto, private regulator.” SIFMA claims the CFP Board’s disciplinary practices create complications for its member firms, which employ tens of thousands of CFP professionals.

SIFMA's primary concern is the overlapping “regulatory” oversight, as CFPs already must comply with rules from the SEC, FINRA, and state securities regulators. For example, the whitepaper highlights potential conflicts when CFPs under investigation share firm-owned documents with the CFP Board, which SIFMA argues disrupts firm control over proprietary information.

The whitepaper contends that the CFP Board’s enforcement structure and independent rulemaking closely resemble a governmental regulator.

According to SIFMA, no other private credentialing body has enacted a comparable system of regulatory functions, including investigations, adjudications, and publicly accessible disciplinary records.

 

Eccleston Law LLC represents investors and financial advisors nationwide in securities, employment, transition, regulatory, and disciplinary matters.

Tags: eccleston, eccleston law, sifma, cfp

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next

Thank you so very much for your guidance, patience, and expertise.

Beth and Steve K.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

February 11, 2026
Ameriprise Advisor Phishing Incident Potentially Exposes Client Data

A phishing incident involving an Ameriprise Financial advisor potentially exposed the personal information of hundreds of clients, according to a disclosure posted by the Maine Attorney General’s office.

February 10, 2026
Merrill Lynch Expands Client Disclosures on Crypto and AI Risks

Merrill Lynch updated its required client disclosure brochure to address, for the first time, the evolving risks tied to cryptocurrency-linked investments and the firm’s expanding use of Artificial Intelligence tools.

February 9, 2026
FINRA Orders Osaic Unit to Pay Over $5 Million for Misleading Bank Deposit Program Disclosures

The Financial Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ordered independent broker-dealer Osaic and its acquired firm, American Portfolios Financial Services, to pay more than $5 million after finding that American Portfolios misled customers about how it calculated fees in its bank deposit program.