CWS

Why Choose a CWS®?

Delivering Sound Advice and Exceptional Service

The Certified Wealth Strategist® moves beyond portfolio management to meet and exceed these new consumer requirements.

Today’s financial services consumers demand more value and a broader approach than mere asset allocation and model-portfolio-based investing to help them reach the aspirational life they want. In addition, as technology has made finding specific answers to questions about financial planning topics such as taxes, social security elections, and retirement easier, consumers want an advisor capable of taking a comprehensive approach to deal with all of the issues they will face in their life.

A CWS® designee delivers value beyond the capability of today’s technology and meets the consumer’s new expectations for what is valuable. They are prepared to holistically address financial and life issues to help clients make decisions across the complete spectrum of wealth management issues.

A CWS® knows many life issues have little to do with investing or managing a portfolio, but all issues are interrelated. Consequently, they must be discussed and understood within the client’s situational context as these issues occur. Only then can strategies be created or adjusted to provide the best chance of achieving the client’s goals.

A CWS® has earned a certification that ensures their processes, technical knowledge of wealth management, and client engagement skills place them at the highest level of professionalism to deliver sound advice and exceptional service with integrity and in compliance with financial services regulations. You can expect a CWS® to provide the following in delivering sound advice and exceptional service:

Understand their client's current situation, future, feelings, family dynamics, and the client’s aspirational goals for themselves and their family
Form reasonable and logical opinions for addressing life and financial issues and engage other professional resources to analyze and inform choices as appropriate
Craft holistic wealth management strategies within the situational context of the client to achieve the client’s goals, and as changes occur, adjust as needed
Act as an emotional counselor, relying on disciplined processes and engagement skills to help clients achieve their goals

A Certified Wealth Strategist®

Understands their clients’ situation, future, feelings, and family dynamics- the big picture of where they need to be and helps to reconcile any gaps
Places the client’s aspirational goals for themselves and their family in the context of a wealth management strategy
Forms reasonable and logical opinions for addressing financial issues and engages appropriate professional resources
Acts as an emotional counselor, relying on a disciplined process to help clients achieve their goals

Responsibilities of a Certified Wealth Strategist

To maintain the Certified Wealth Strategist® Designation a CWS® practitioner must meet three mutually inclusive requirements within each two-year reporting period to maintain their Active status:

1

Completion of 30-Hours of Continuing Education (28 General and 2 Ethics) in
each 2-year reporting period

2

Timely Payment of their Certification Renewal Fee

3

Attestation of Compliance with Regulatory Authorities and CWS® Code Ethics

Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility

I am responsible to the public to provide accurate and truthful representation in advertising and public statement regarding services and expected results.

I am responsible to the client to provide objective, accurate and truthful professional services.

I am responsible to maintain and respect confidentiality of sensitive information obtained in the execution of professional responsibilities.

I am responsible to ensure that a client's interest are not compromised by conflicts of
interest or other unethical and inappropriate influence of professional judgment.