Financial Advisor Centre - Help and Information

Welcome, With so many different ways to invest today, it is wise to have a qualified financial advisor take a close look at your personal situation and make recommendations that take into account both the current market conditions and your financial needs. globefund.com's Financial Advisor Centre is an ideal place to begin a search for a financial advisor. If you select Advisor Centre from the globefund.com home page, the Financial Advisor Centre main menu is displayed. There you will see that there are three components to the Financial Advisor Centre -- Profiles, Seminars, and Newsletters. All three components are interconnected, but you can begin a search by looking for an advisor profile, a seminar, or a newsletter article. All three areas of the Financial Advisor Centre are continually updated, so you'll find new advisors, seminars, and newsletter articles each time you visit. The following sections have been provided to assist you in using the Financial Advisor Centre: Listing and Locating Financial Advisors Financial Advisor Credentials Listing and Locating Seminars Searching and Reviewing Newsletter Articles Frequently Asked Questions How To Pick An Advisor (from Steven Kelman's Understanding Mutual Funds) If you have any ideas or suggestions of how globefund.com can enhance the Financial Advisor Centre, please send an e-mail to npechmann@globeandmail.ca. Your comments are most welcome.     Listing and Locating Financial Advisors Financial Advisors have many different talents and different areas of expertise, and the Financial Advisor Centre is a place where you can search for advisors that meet your specific criteria. To find an advisor that meets your selection criteria, follow the steps below. 1. On the Financial Advisor Centre main menu, click on the Profiles image (or the word 'advisor' in the description) to display the Find Advisor page. 2. On the Find Advisor page, you will see that you can search for an advisor by: Location (City or Province) Company Credentials Languages spoken Area of specialty (e.g., tax planning, insurance products, estate planning) You can search by one or more of these criteria by selecting values from pull-down menus or by clicking in checkboxes beside the area(s) of specialty that are key to your search. Note: Values listed in the pull-down menus are determined by the advisors that are part of globefund.com’s Financial Advisor Centre. For example, the City pull-down menu lists the cities where the advisors are located. If a city is not on that list, the Financial Advisor Centre does not have an advisor from that city. You can also enter a keyword search for an advisor. For example, you can enter ‘segregated funds’ in the Search Keyword box and globefund.com will search for advisors that have the words ‘segregated funds’ together somewhere in their profile. Keywords can be entered in conjunction with other search criteria. 3. After you enter your search criteria, click the Go button. globefund.com produces a listing of the advisors that meet your criteria. You can see if any of the advisors matching your search criteria are holding any seminars that you might attend or if they have any newsletter articles published on globefund.com that you could read. You can also send them an e-mail message asking a particular question or requesting a meeting. 4. Click on an advisor name to display the profile for that advisor.   Financial Advisor Credentials Financial Advisor credentials are listed below in alphabetical order. More information is available by visiting the Web site of the Institute/Association. ACUIC Associate of the Credit Union Institute of Canada Institute/Association: Credit Union Institute of Canada Description: The CUIC is the national educational association for the Canadian credit union system. The Associate of the Credit Union Institute of Canada (ACUIC) designation indicates competency in the key areas in credit union business management. A requirement is 5 years, full time in the financial services industry, two years of which must be in the co-operative financial services industry. Adm.A. Administrateur Agréé Institute/Association: L'Ordre des administrateurs agréés du Québec Description: L’Ordre des Administrateurs Agréés du Québec favorise auprès des professionnels de l’administration, l’innovation et l’atteinte d’un niveau de compétence supérieur pour qu’ils contribuent de façon proactive et dynamique au développement des entreprises et des organisations. De plus, il assure la protection du public en garantissant le respect des normes et standards professionnels en administration, en conformité avec le code de déontologie et par le biais des mécanismes prévus au code des professions. Enfin, il contribue à l’avancement de l’administration, discipline essentielle au développement social et économique du Québec. CA Chartered Accountant Institute/Association: Canadian Institute Of Chartered Accountants  Description: The Canadian Institute Of Chartered Accountants (CICA) sets accounting and auditing standards for business, not-for-profit organizations and government. It issues guidance on control and governance, publishes professional literature, develops continuing education programs and represents the CA profession nationally and internationally. CFA Chartered Financial Analyst Institute/Association: Association for Investment Management and Research Description: Founded in January 1990, the Association for Investment Management and Research (AIMR) is an international, nonprofit organization of investment practitioners and educators. AIMR offers services in three broad categories: Education; Professional Conduct and Ethics; and Professional Practice and Advocacy. Three years of acceptable professional work experience are required before the CFA charter can be awarded. This experience may be accrued while the candidate is in the CFA Study and Examination Program or after the candidate has passed all three levels of examinations. Acceptable work experience includes activities that consist to a significant extent of collecting, evaluating, or applying financial, economic, or statistical data (as appropriate) as part of the investment decision-making process; or supervising, directly or indirectly, those who practice such activities; or the teaching of such activities. The investment decision-making process is the professional practice of financial analysis, investment management, securities analysis, or other similar profession. CFA candidates are required to spend at least 40 percent of their time in these activities to accrue the required professional work experience. CFP Certified Financial Planner Institute/Association: Financial Planners Standards Council of Canada Description: The Financial Planners Standards Council of Canada (FPSCC) was incorporated on November 10, 1995. The FPSCC is comprised of seven associations whose members deal with the personal finances of individuals. They are: the Canadian Association of Financial Planners, the Canadian Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, the Canadian Institute of Financial Planning, the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada, the Credit Union Institute of Canada, and the Society of Management Accountants of Canada. The goal of the FPSCC is to benefit the public by establishing and enforcing requirements for financial planners who choosse to be licensed. These requirements involve the 4Es of Education, Examination, Experience, and Ethics. The use of the CFP designation after the name of a financial planner will assure the general public that the planner has adhered to a uniform set of standards, can provide comprehensive advice, and will conduct himself/herself in an ethical manner. You can find consumer information here. CGA Certified General Accountant Institute/Association: Certified General Accountants Association Description: Founded in 1908, the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada is an association of professional accountants working in industry, commerce, finance, government and public practice. They are represented nationally through CGA-Canada, and regionally through their provincial Associations and local chapter structures. As a regulatory body, the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada regulates qualification, performance and discipline standards for certified general accountants, while advocating the use of their professional expertise in the public interest. CH.F.C. Chartered Financial Consultant Institute/Association: Canadian Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors Description: Founded in 1906, Canadian Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (CAIFA) is a voluntary professional association of financial advisors, committed to representing the interests of its members and their clients. The association sets ethical and market conduct standards for its members. A Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) is a financial planner with advanced knowledge in life and heath insurance and employee benefits. You can find consumer information here. CIM Canadian Investment Manager Institute/Association: Canadian Securities Institute Description: Created in 1970, the Canadian Securities Institute (CSI) is committed to two goals: enhancing the knowledge of securities and financial industry professionals, and promoting knowledge and understanding of investing among Canadians. The CSI is sponsored by the Investment Dealers Association of Canada and The Montreal Exchange, The Toronto Stock Exchange, The Alberta Stock Exchange and the Vancouver Stock Exchange. The Canadian Investment Management (CIM) is the CSI's most advanced course. Its graduates are in high demand as private client wealth advisors and as discretionary portfolio managers. The course has eleven modules: Business cycles and economic forecasting Bank of Canada and its role in the financial system The Canadian money market The benefits of foreign exchange markets Federal government finance Bond market and trading techniques Determining your client's investment policy Portfolio management and asset allocation Determining a security's value Appraising portfolio performance Designing and implementing a risk hedge strategy CLU Chartered Life Underwriter Institute/Association: Canadian Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors Description: Founded in 1906, Canadian Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (CAIFA) is a voluntary professional association of financial advisors, committed to representing the interests of its members and their clients. The association sets ethical and market conduct standards for its members. A Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) is a financial planner with advanced knowledge in life and heath insurance and employee benefits. You can find consumer information here. CMA Certified Management Accountant Institute/Association: Society of Management Accountants Description: The Society of Management Accountants of Canada is a federation representing Canada's Certified Management Accountants. The CMA designation is based on national uniform standards including entry standards, examinations, a professional development program and satisfaction of experience requirements. A CMA is a financial management professional who combines accounting expertise and business management skills. CMC Certified Management Consultant Institute/Association: Institute of Certified Management Consultants of Canada Description: The professional designation, Certified Management Consultant, is granted to individuals who have demonstrated their knowledge of management, and their capacity to consult, according to international standards of practice and ethics. The CMC designation is earned through a combination of experience, peer review and a rigorous examination process. Core areas in which candidates must demonstrate tested knowledge include: Human Resources Management Strategic Planning Management Marketing Management Information Technology Management Financial Management Operations Management CSC Canadian Securities Course Institute/Association: Canadian Securities Institute Description: Created in 1970, the Canadian Securities Institute (CSI) is committed to two goals: enhancing the knowledge of securities and financial industry professionals, and promoting knowledge and understanding of investing among Canadians. The CSI is sponsored by the Investment Dealers Association of Canada and The Montreal Exchange, The Toronto Stock Exchange, The Alberta Stock Exchange and the Vancouver Stock Exchange. The Canadian Securities Course (CSC) provides an in-depth knowledge of securities products by covering a wide range of subjects: How the capital markets and financial services industry work Why companies are incorporated and how to read their financial statements How to analyse financial statements through financial ratios Key components of the Canadian economy Understanding fixed-income products, equities, investment funds and derivatives Analysing securities and the factors affecting their prices How the securities industry is regulated Taxes on investments and the importance of financial planning How to manage a portfolio FCSI Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute Institute/Association: Canadian Securities Institute Description: Created in 1970, the Canadian Securities Institute (CSI) is committed to two goals: enhancing the knowledge of securities and financial industry professionals, and promoting knowledge and understanding of investing among Canadians. The CSI is sponsored by the Investment Dealers Association of Canada and The Montreal Exchange, The Toronto Stock Exchange, The Alberta Stock Exchange and the Vancouver Stock Exchange. The Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute (FCSI) designation recognizes exemplary individuals in the wider financial services industry. Regarded as the highest honor in financial services, this prestigious designation is confered only after careful review of the credentials of qualified candidates, including their education and work history. Professionals must meet a rigorous set of eligibility requirements: EDUCATION All candidates must successfully complete: The Canadian Securities Course; and, The Canadian Investment Management Program; and, The Conduct and Practices Handbook Examination; or the Branch Managers Qualifying Examination; or the Partners, Directors and Officers Qualifying Examination; and, An ethics module; and, One additional CSI Course of the candidate's choosing, e.g. the Derivatives Fundamentals Course or the Canadian Operations Course, etc. All FCSIs are subject to ongoing education requirements. EXPERIENCE All candidates must have five years' experience -- obtained within the past eight years -- in the wider financial services industry, i.e. banks, trusts, mutual funds, insurance, financial planning, etc. ENDORSEMENT Candidates must include three letters with their applications: Sponsorship letter from another Fellow Letter from the candidate's direct supervisor, outlining the candidate's daily duties. A letter from the candidate outlining reasons for applying and willingness to adhere to the high ethical standards needed to earn and keep designation FCUIC Fellow of the Credit Union Institute of Canada Institute/Association: Credit Union Institute of Canada Description: The CUIC is the national educational association for the Canadian credit union system. The Fellow of the Credit Union Institute of Canada (FCUIC) designation indicates competency in the key areas in business management. A requirement is 2 years full time in the co-operative financial services industry. FICB Fellow of the Institute of Canadian Bankers Institute/Association: The Institute of Canadian Bankers Description: Founded in 1967, the Institute of Canadian Bankers offers a general business education program to bankers at universities across Canada. The Fellow of the Institute of Canadian Bankers (FICB) is the highest designation the Institute confers. It indicates a graduate-level understanding of the key issues faced by senior managers of financial institutions. This designation is earned upon successful completion of the Professional Banking Program. FLMI Fellow Life Management Institute Institute/Association: Life Office Management Association Description: Founded in 1924, LOMA is an international association of insurance and financial services companies. The FLMI continually strives to master all aspects of his or her business and discharges all duties with objectivity and fairness, applying standards of integrity and professionalism to the business environment. IFIC Canadian Investment Funds Course Institute/Association: Investment Funds Institute of Canada Description: Established in 1962, the Investment Funds Institute of Canada (IFIC) is the Member association of the investment funds industry in Canada. IFIC provides the licensing requirements for individuals wishing to sell mutual funds and as further education in financial planning. OLC Options Licensing Course Institute/Association: Canadian Securities Institute Description: Created in 1970, the Canadian Securities Institute (CSI) is committed to two goals: enhancing the knowledge of securities and financial industry professionals, and promoting knowledge and understanding of investing among Canadians. The CSI is sponsored by the Investment Dealers Association of Canada and The Montreal Exchange, The Toronto Stock Exchange, The Alberta Stock Exchange and the Vancouver Stock Exchange. In Canada, advisors must complete the Derivatives Fundamentals Course and the Options Licensing Course if they want to be licensed to sell exchange-traded options to the public. The Options Licensing Course (OLC) explores the mechanics of trading listed options and explains option trading strategies, option pricing and the margining of options. Pl.Fin. Planificateur Financier Institute/Association: L'Institut québécois de planification financière Description: Contribuer à la protection et au mieux être économique des consommateurs québécois, en veillant sur la formation et la qualification des professionnels regroupés en un réseau de planificateurs financiers solidaires d'une approche intégrée de la planification financière. PDO Partners, Directors and Senior Officers Qualifying Examination Institute/Association: Canadian Securities Institute Description: Created in 1970, the Canadian Securities Institute (CSI) is committed to two goals: enhancing the knowledge of securities and financial industry professionals, and promoting knowledge and understanding of investing among Canadians. The CSI is sponsored by the Investment Dealers Association of Canada and The Montreal Exchange, The Toronto Stock Exchange, The Alberta Stock Exchange and the Vancouver Stock Exchange. Mandatory for all partners, directors and senior officers, the PDO covers the often-complex regulatory aspects of running an investment firm. Course content includes: Understanding the policies and regulations of self-regulatory organizations Managing minimum capital and compliance requirements Supervising account activity Understanding the procedures, rules and practices for running a firm PFP Personal Financial Planner Institute/Association: Institute of Canadian Bankers Description: The Institute of Canadian Bankers, founded in 1967, is the leading provider of financial services education in Canada, and its programs are offered in 44 countries around the world. The Institute's ultimate goal is to serve the interests of financial consumers and does so by ensuring that the professionals who serve them are thoroughly competent. Last year, with more than 33,000 students enrolled in its courses and 110 faculty members, the Institute of Canadian Bankers is comparable in size to the seventh largest university in Canada. Two Canadian graduate schools of business (Quebec & Dalhousie) have accepted Institute courses as part of their MBA programs. This reflects the high academic standards and commitment to program excellence that is the hallmark of the Institute of Canadian Bankers. The Personal Financial Planner (PFP) designation indicates knowledge and competency in providing sophisticated guidance to high-end clients requiring customized wealth management. A PFP has a comprehensive understanding of the legal and ethical issues relating to the management of investments and estates in Canada and a familiarity with financial systems in other key countries around the world. The PFP is awarded by The Institute of Canadian Bankers upon successful completion of the institute's Personal Financial Planning Program and Designation Qualification Process. Candidates for a PFP must have three years of related work experience; complete the program's five courses; complete a six-month apprenticeship program and an in-class coaching session; and pass a case-based written exam and behavioral exam. PFPC Professional Financial Planning Course Institute/Association: Canadian Securities Institute Description: Created in 1970, the Canadian Securities Institute (CSI) is committed to two goals: enhancing the knowledge of securities and financial industry professionals, and promoting knowledge and understanding of investing among Canadians. The CSI is sponsored by the Investment Dealers Association of Canada and The Montreal Exchange, The Toronto Stock Exchange, The Alberta Stock Exchange and the Vancouver Stock Exchange. The Professional Financial Planning Course (PFPC) stands out as Canada's top financial planning curriculum. It covers a comprehensive range of financial planning topics: Business practices and ethical behavior in a financial planning practice Techniques for net worth and cash management planning General provisions for mortgage loans, land title and repayment plans Basic legal issues related to contract law Financial aspects of marriage, separation and divorce Contracts for property, liability and life insurance Tax planning and tax minimization techniques Determining retirement needs and estate planning Risk and return characteristics of investments The role of insurance in financial planning Managing clients' investments P.R.P. Professional Retirement Planner Institute/Association: The Canadian Association of Pre-Retirement Planners Description: The designation, Professional Retirement Planner or P.R.P., is awarded by the Board of Directors to those practitioners who: Submit their credentials for review by a committee of peers Pursue continuing education and personal development in the field of retirement planning Conduct their practices under a code of ethics with a commitment to provide the highest standard of service to the public Commit their time and expertise to the development of the field of retirement planning in Canada Professional Retirement Planners bring to the planning process a holistic view of the individual in retirement. Rather than focus on financial security alone, Professional Retirement Planners bring in the added perspective of lifestyle choices. Professional Retirement Planners can be found in a number of fields of specialization and fulfil a variety of roles including: Personal Financial Planning Lifestyle Planning Pension Consulting Retirement Income Planning Risk Management/Insurance Planning Retirement Educator Portfolio Management In order to receive the designation, registrants must complete an application, provide sponsors and attend a one day workshop. R.F.P. Registered Financial Planner Institute/Association: The Canadian Association of Financial Planners Description: The Canadian Association of Financial Planners (CAFP) is dedicated to raising the standards of financial planning, raising consumer awareness of the value of financial planning services and promoting its membership as the most qualified and credible financial planners in Canada. Only a person who has been a full time financial planner for at least two years, who has been a member of the CAFP for one year and who carries professional liability insurance can attempt the rigorous R.F.P. examination. R.F.P. candidates must also submit a sample of a comprehensive financial plan for peer review. (By 2001, these criteria will change. R.F.P. candidates will be required to have a CFP designation, five years full-time financial planning experience, and must have been a Practitioner member of CAFP for at least two years). To return to the top of the page, please click here.     Listing and Locating Seminars Using the Financial Advisor Centre, you can get a list of seminars in your area or on a specific topic of interest by following the steps below. 1. On the Financial Advisor Centre main menu, click on the Seminars image (or the word 'seminar' in the description) to display the Find Seminar page. 2. On the Find Seminar page, select values from pull-down menus, or enter a keyword to indicate a subject of interest. Note: Values listed in the pull-down menus are determined by the seminars that are part of globefund.com’s Financial Advisor Centre. For example, the names listed in the pull-down menu for Speaker are the names of all the speakers associated with the Financial Advisor Centre seminars. 3. After you enter your search criteria, click the Go button. globefund.com produces a listing of the seminars that meet your criteria. 4. Click on a seminar title to display the details for that seminar. The Seminar Profile page lists the details for the seminar including a link to the profile of the financial advisor sponsoring the seminar and details on how to register. In many cases, you can register for seminars by simply clicking on an e-mail address included in the Seminar Profile and sending a message. To return to the top of the page, please click here.     Searching and Reviewing Newsletter Articles Many financial advisors produce a monthly or quarterly newsletter that they send to their clients as a customer service. Some of the articles from these newsletters are part of the Financial Advisor Centre and can be searched and displayed by following the steps below. 1. On the Financial Advisor Centre main menu, click on the Newsletters image (or the word 'newsletters' in the description) to display the Search for Newsletter Articles provided by Financial Advisors page. 2. On the Search for Newsletter Articles provided by Financial Advisors page, type in a word or short phrase to indicate a subject of interest. For example, you might type 'Asia' to see if there are any articles pertaining to investment in this region. 3. After you enter a keyword(s), click the Search button. globefund.com produces a list of articles that contain that keyword including the first paragraph of the article. 4. To display the entire article, click on the article title. To return to the top of the page, please click here.     Frequently Asked Questions I am looking for a seminar, and on the Find Seminar page I selected a particular speaker name from the pull-down list under Speaker but no seminars were found. Why? This is likely the result of the Time frame you selected. The particular speaker may not be available for the default time frame on the pull-down menu, which is: Next 30 days. You should select a different time frame, possibly even selecting Next 365 days. Why is my financial advisor not listed in the Financial Advisor Centre? The Financial Advisor Centre is open to all licensed individuals who wish to become a member. There is an annual membership fee of $495. Feel free to direct information to your Financial Advisor on how to become a member. To return to the top of the page, please click here.