Welcoming Our Newest Professor of Practice, Jeffrey Levine

Who is Jeff Levine?

Jeffrey Levine, CFP®, CPA/PFS, ChFC®, RICP®, CWS®, AIF®, BFA™, is the quintessential lifelong learner—an alumnus of The American College of Financial Services who holds several designations and professional credentials, and who has spent much of his career obtaining and sharing knowledge that can help fellow practitioners and clients alike.

He got his start in the profession by learning IRA and retirement planning from one of the best – and another professor of practice at The College – Ed Slott, CPA. Jeff went on to become chief retirement strategist at training firm Ed Slott and Company, LLC. (Incidentally, he’ll be a great addition to our epic retirement experience next year.)

As impressive as his academic acumen is, Jeff’s success as a practitioner also speaks for itself. He’s excelled in several leadership roles within financial services firms and is presently chief planning officer at Buckingham Wealth Partners.

Like Liam Neeson’s character in the blockbuster “Taken,” Jeff has “a very particular set of skills” – primary of which is the uncanny ability to translate the nuances of tax regulation into practical to-dos (and don’ts) for financial advisors. He has killer instincts when it comes to helping professionals understand this very complex topic.

Why tax planning?

Only two things in life are certain. And taxation is one of them. It’s no secret today’s clients are interested in tax-informed financial planning. Yet what has been taboo until now is offering it—or what’s more, specializing in it. I believe this stems from a misunderstanding and conflation of “tax planning” versus “tax advice” (the latter of which is left to CPAs). But make no mistake: Tax planning is an essential part of financial planning.

The College’s recently released 2024 Advisory Services Study revealed some interesting facts about this nuanced area: first, (whether they realize it or not) most advisors are offering some services we would define as tax planning; and second, that nearly all of them are missing opportunities by not offering other tax-planning services. For example, small business owner tax planning is clients’ most frequently requested service that investment advisor representatives (IARs) are not currently providing.

Why do unmet client needs matter so much more in today’s market than they did even five years ago? Because driving revenue is so much harder as services become more commoditized – and it’s past time to take a new approach. We believe applied knowledge will be the key to a breakthrough for future-thinking financial professionals who seek to specialize in an area some are uncomfortable addressing. One of the best ways advisors can grow business organically will be by offering additional services, in turn, increasing client satisfaction, client retention, and client lifetime value.

What makes this program different?

One of the things I love about The College is that we don’t do anything without first “studying up” on the subject. It’s not often we see such a clear need for specialized, applied knowledge – nor do we hasten to develop solutions that are not fully researched or thoughtfully built. The TPCP™ will be the first new designation program The College has offered in over seven years and the first since I joined.

Presiding over the research, development, and launch of the TPCP™ excites me not simply because it’s new to The College, but broadly speaking, because it’s new to the world of financial services. There is no other professional educational program that’s fully focused on tax-informed financial planning to support clients – including business owners – throughout their life. And at present, there’s no designation program that signifies a financial advisor is well-versed in tax planning, except in the relatively rare case (Jeff is one) of a practitioner who is credentialed as both a CPA and a CFP® professional. And even then, the CFP® only trains on income taxation, and the CPA is broadly a compliance credential for someone licensed to practice public accounting.

On one hand, the TPCP™ can help financial advisors build tax-smart strategies as a valued (and value-add) service to their clients who want more than investment management. On the other hand, it can help CPAs incorporate financial planning for their clients who want more than public accounting services. We believe this credential will be a big differentiator for the professionals who earn it, giving early adopters a first-mover advantage with the clients and prospects who have been expecting a broader spectrum of services.

I know the individuals who are drawn to the TPCP™, including thousands already on our waitlist, have this in common with Jeff Levine: they dare to be different. With his string of credentials, his sharp wardrobe of signature vests, and his unmatched ability to simplify complicated subject matter, Jeff has always been a standout professional. And I couldn’t be happier to congratulate him on becoming a professor of practice and welcome him to our team of outstanding academics as we usher in our newest program.

More From The College

• Join the waitlist for the Tax Planning Certified Professional^TM (TPCP^TM) Program
• Meet Levine at the new, epic retirement planning conference: Horizons
• Learn more about Ed Slott and Company’s IRA Success