Veterans Day is a solemn reminder of the sacrifices made by these heroes to protect our freedom, uphold our values, and preserve our way of life.

These veterans have faced adversity on the front lines, away from their homes and loved ones, often in the harshest conditions. They have demonstrated courage, resilience, and unwavering dedication. Their service transcends political divides, uniting us in our collective gratitude for their sacrifice.

Veterans Day is a day of remembrance, reflection, and appreciation. It is an opportunity to express our profound thanks to those who have worn the uniform, to recognize the challenges they’ve faced during and after their service, and to provide our support as they transition back into civilian life.

As a nation, we must not only celebrate Veterans Day with parades and ceremonies, but also strive to make a lasting impact by supporting our veterans through initiatives that offer education, employment, and healthcare. These heroes deserve nothing less for their immense contributions to our country.

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Let us stand together and salute the veterans who have given so much for us, on this Veterans Day and every day. Their sacrifices remind us that freedom is not free, and our gratitude should be boundless.

KING OF PRUSSIA, PA – October 31, 2023 – The American College of Financial Services announces Knowledge Hub+, a new learning platform that curates insights from sought-after academics, industry innovators, financial planning experts, and practice management leaders into one dynamic experience. Knowledge Hub+ will launch with over 50 hours of combined CFP® and College continuing education (CE), with 10 hours of new growth-focused content planned quarterly.

Launching in January, The College will first exclusively introduce Knowledge Hub+ to over 27,000 designees participating in The College’s Professional Recertification Program (PRP), followed by a public launch of the new learning platform later in 2024. The College’s vast community will benefit from a robust library of CFP Board and College approved CE provided by in-demand subject matter experts, including Michael Finke, PhD, CFP®, Wade Pfau, PhD, CFA, RICP®, Ed Slott, CPA, Steve Parrish, JD, RICP®, CLU®, ChFC®, AEP®, Jamie Hopkins, Esq., LLM, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, RICP®, Kelly Waltrich, Tyrone V. Ross, Jr., and more.

“The College has conducted several studies to determine the knowledge formats financial advisors and agents prefer most. In a fast-paced marketplace, where expertise is the unique value that professionals bring to client conversations, they often need to know … now,” said Jared Trexler, Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer of The American College of Financial Services. “We are excited to deliver another avenue for lifelong learning.”

“Having the ability to immediately provide education that is critical to professionals is a game changer,” said Chet Bennetts, CFP®, CHFC®, CLU®, RICP®, CLF®, Assistant Professor, Financial Planning and ChFC® and CFP® Certification Education Program Director at The American College of Financial Services. “We are able to bring cutting-edge knowledge around topics like AI to professionals in real-time, as they most need it.”

Knowledge Hub+ provides learning to accelerate practice advancements in nine areas, including:

• Financial Planning
• Retirement Planning
• Wealth Management
• Insurance and Risk Management
• Advanced Planning
• Philanthropic Planning
• Practice Management
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Ethics in Financial Services

"The ability to partner with The American College of Financial Services and provide actionable and timely insights is an exciting journey," said Jeff Levine, CPA, PFS, CFP®, RICP®, ChFC®, CWS, AIF, BFA™, Chief Planning Officer of Buckingham Strategic Wealth. “Knowledge Hub+ will allow me to bring critical tax-related learning to professionals, aiding them and thus impacting their clients.”

The platform for applied knowledge will launch with the following industry experts.

The American College of Financial Services Academics:

• Chet R. Bennetts, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, RICP®, CLF®
• David Blanchett, PhD, MSFS, CFA, CLU®, ChFC®, CFP®
• Chia-Li Chien, PhD, CFP®, PMP®, CPBC
• Sophia Duffy, JD, CPA, AEP®
• Azish Filabi, JD, MA
• Michael Finke, PhD, CFP®
• Timi Joy Jorgensen, PhD
• Jennifer Lehman, PhD, JD, CFP®, CAP®
• Eric Ludwig, PhD, CFP®
• Joellen Meckley, JD, MHS, ChSNC®
• Steve Parrish, JD, RICP®, CLU®, ChFC®, AEP®
• Ed Slott, CPA

Industry Innovators, Experts, and Practice Management Leaders:

• Dave Alison, CFP®, EA, BPC – C2P Enterprises
• Denise Appleby – Appleby Retirement Consulting
• Ian Berger, JD – Ed Slott and Company, LLC
• Sarah Brenner, JD – Ed Slott and Company, LLC
• Adam Holt, CFP®, ChFC® - Asset-Map
• Jamie Hopkins, Esq., LLM, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, RICP® - Bryn Mawr Trust, Income Lab, and FinServ Foundation
• Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® - Ed Slott and Company, LLC
• Jeff Levine, CPA, PFS, CFP®, RICP®, ChFC®, CWS, AIF, BFA™ - Buckingham Strategic Wealth
• Rick McClanahan - National Association of Certified Financial Fiduciaries, LLC
• Alex Murguia, PhD – RISA
• Wade Pfau, PhD, CFA, RICP® - RISA
• Tina Powell - Intention.ly
• Meghan Richter - Intention.ly
• Tyrone V. Ross, Jr. - 401 Financial
• Heather Schreiber, RICP®, NSSA® - HLS Retirement Consulting
• Matt Seitz – C2P Enterprises
• Jason L. Smith, CEP®, BPC – C2P Enterprises
• Deirdre Van Nest - Crazy Good Talks
• Kelly Waltrich - Intention.ly

Additionally, Knowledge Hub+ will provide automated reporting to the CFP Board and The College’s records, making it easier for alums and CFP® certificants to fulfill the thirty-hour continuing education requirement every two years without administrative headaches.

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ABOUT THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF FINANCIAL SERVICES   

Founded in 1927, The American College of Financial Services is the nation’s largest nonprofit educational institution devoted to financial services professionals. Holding the highest level of academic accreditation, The College has educated over 200,000 professionals across the United States through certificate, designation, and graduate degree programs. Its portfolio of applied knowledge also includes just-in-time learning and consumer financial education programs. The College’s faculty represents some of the foremost thought leaders in the financial services industry. Visit TheAmericanCollege.edu and connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Discover all the ways you can expand your opportunities with us.

Contact:

Sarah Tremallo
908-967-0381 / stremallo@jconnelly.com

Lindsey Allumbaugh
678-643-1310 / lindsey.allumbaugh@theamericancollege.edu

With a motto of “military veterans and spouses serving military and veteran families,” the MFAA’s qualifications and standards exceed those of most financial services organizations—but more importantly, they know the life. You don’t need to explain what SBP (Survivor Benefit Program) and BAH (Basic Housing Allowance) mean to them. They already know.

Andrea Clark, CFP®, AFC®, one of the founders of MFAA, has a special connection to The College. She is a previous scholarship recipient from the American College Center for Military and Veterans Affairs, having been awarded one by The College to pursue the CFP® Certification Education Program around the time her husband retired from the military. Along with several other Center of Military and Veterans Affairs scholars, Andrea went on to found MFAA: a non-profit professional association of independent financial planning experts specializing in financial advice and planning services for military and veteran families.

MFAA realizes the military community has long been overlooked by financial planners, and there is now a greater need than anyone in the industry can possibly satisfy on their own. They believe that only by working together can we all accomplish our objective of providing military and veteran families with the highest quality financial advice.

All MFAA members must meet these standards:

• XY Planning Network member in good standing
• Sign a fiduciary oath to act in the best interests of our clients at all times
• Operate as a fee-only financial advisor, meaning that we don’t collect any kinds of commissions or other earnings for the recommendations we make to clients
• Offer a fee structure other than assets under management 
• Have no derogatory marks on our records as financial professionals
• Primary focus on providing comprehensive financial planning, not just investment management
• Prior service as a military member or a military spouse
• Committed to continually furthering our education in order to better serve clients
• Own or work at an independent Registered Investment Advisory (RIA), avoiding the issues that may exist among advisors at large broker-dealers or insurance companies
• Have a positive reputation among local professionals in our industry, as membership in MFAA is by invitation only
• Maintain their status as a CFP® professional or a candidate currently pursuing the designation (members may also maintain additional certifications related to financial planning)

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is intended for general informational purposes only. It should not be considered as financial, legal, investment or other professional advice. Readers should consult with the relevant professionals for specific advice related to their situation.

We are not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, compensated or in any way officially connected with any other company, agency, or government agency in this article. All product, service and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.

Before making any decisions based on the information contained in this article, you are strongly advised to refer to alternative, independent sources of information to substantiate the basis for your decision. It is your sole responsibility to satisfy yourself prior to using the information in any way and to seek appropriate advice before taking or refraining from taking any action in reliance on any information contained in this article.

I would like to say thank you and provide a few words to express my gratitude for the WMCP® scholarship.

I’m going to retire from the Air Force next year, and this is going to make my transition out of the military a lot easier. This scholarship is going to afford me the luxury of not waking up and saying, “I need to go into work today,” but waking up and saying, “I get this opportunity to go do something I enjoy today.” For almost two decades I have enjoyed talking about personal finances with those around me, and now the time has come for me to get a formal education in it and to help others meet their own goals.

Again, I’m excited for this next chapter in my life, and this scholarship has helped create this opportunity for me.

Respectfully,
MSgt Steven Ziegler

Take Command is developed and delivered by First Command Educational Foundation, a non-profit group dedicated to improving the financial readiness and economic position of the men and women who protect our country and preserve our freedom.

The Take Command Program is an interactive financial education program for active duty, reserve, and cadets of any branch of the U.S. Military and their spouses or partners. Students who complete the Take Command Program will be eligible to complete a Transfer of Credit through The American College of Financial Services to receive college credit through our consumer financial education courses.

This partnership supports the mission of both First Command Educational Foundation and the American College Center for Military and Veterans Affairs. Through our work together, we aim to provide education in financial readiness and career opportunities to men, women, and their spouses who have honorably served.