Business Continuity Plan

Certified Financial Group, Certified Advisory Corp, Certified Benefits Corp, and Certified Insurance Corp, hereafter referred to as “The CFG Companies,” have developed a Business Continuity Plan on how we will respond to events that significantly disrupt our business. Since the timing and impact of disasters and disruptions is unpredictable, we will have to be flexible in responding to actual events as they occur.

Contacting Us – If after a significant business disruption, you cannot contact us as you usually do at 407-869-9800, 800-393-9900, or at Plan@FinancialGroup.com, you should call our alternative numbers: 321-356-8008 or 407-376-2840. If you cannot access us through these means, you should contact the custodians, investment companies or other third parties that sponsor your investments through us. Their toll-free phone numbers are shown on the statements you receive periodically from them.

Code of Ethics

Certified Advisory Corp, and its Access Persons have adopted a written Code of Ethics.  This document is available upon request by writing to the CCO at 1111 Douglas Avenue, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714

General Compliance Disclosures

• Certified Advisory Corp is a Registered Investment Advisor with the Securities Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and only transacts business in states where it is properly registered, or is excluded or exempted from registration requirements. SEC registration does not constitute an endorsement of the firm by the Commission, nor does it indicate that the adviser has attained a particular level of skill or ability.  Certified Advisory Corp offers Financial Planning and Asset Management. Certified Benefits Corp offers Employee Benefits Consulting. Certified Insurance Corp offers Insurance Planning.
• Information on this website is directed toward U.S. residents only.
• Information throughout this site, whether stock quotes, charts, articles or any other statement or statements regarding market or other financial information, is obtained from sources we believe to be actual and up-to-date; however, we do not guarantee the timeliness or accuracy of same.  The information should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. All expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the authors as of the date of publication and are subject to change.
• Neither we, nor our information providers, shall be liable for any errors or inaccuracies, regardless of cause, or the lack of timeliness of, or for any delay or interruption in the transmission thereof to the user. There are no warranties expressed or implied as to the accuracy, completeness, or results obtained from any information posted on this or any linked website.
• Hyperlinks on this website are provided as a convenience and we disclaim any responsibility for information, services or products found on websites linked hereto.
• Information on this website is not an offer to buy or sell, or a solicitation of any offer to buy or sell the securities, products or investment advisory services mentioned herein.
• Information on this website does not constitute a complete description of our services.
• Nothing on this website should be interpreted to state or imply that past results are an indication of future performance. Therefore, no current or prospective client should assume that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product made reference to directly or indirectly on this website, or indirectly via hyperlink to any unaffiliated third- party website, will be profitable or equal to past performance levels.
• Information on this website does not involve the rendering of personalized investment advice but is limited to the dissemination of general information on products and services. A professional advisor should be consulted before implementing any of the options presented.
• All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. Changes in investment strategies, contributions or withdrawals may materially alter the performance, strategy and results of your portfolio. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that any specific investment will either be suitable or profitable for a client’s investment portfolio.
• Examples of financial planning advice given to clients are offered for the sole purpose of explaining how our process works and how we counsel individuals. These examples should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor by any client. It is unknown if the clients referred to in these examples approve or disapprove of the firm’s services.
• The tax, legal and estate planning information on this website is general in nature. It is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal or tax advice. Always consult an attorney or tax professional regarding your specific legal or tax situation.
• Nothing on this site constitutes an offer to buy or sell products or services of any third party. All products and services are subject to the terms and conditions of any applicable contracts and applicable laws. The products and services described on this site are available only in jurisdictions where they may be lawfully offered for sale. The Owner may only solicit the sale of financial products and services for which the Owner has been duly licensed in the jurisdiction in which the sale occurs.
• No endorsement or approval of any third party or their statements, opinions, information, products, or services is expressed or implied by the contents of this site. To the extent any third-party opinions or information are included on this site, they are provided for convenience only and the Owner assumes no liability and does not approve or endorse such third-party content, or warrant such content to be accurate, complete, reliable, verified, error free, or fit for any purpose.
• Clicking the “LIKE” button on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or any other social media platform does not constitute a testimonial for or endorsement of Certified Advisory Corp or any of its investment advisor representatives. This is the only mechanism available to circulate our social media posts.  “LIKE” (or clicking on the heart icon, etc.) is not meant in the traditional sense.

Third Party Ranking

Neither rankings and/or recognition by unaffiliated rating services and/or publications, nor the achievement of any designation or certification, should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if CFG, is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. Rankings published by magazines, and others, generally base their selections exclusively on information prepared and/or submitted by the recognized adviser. Rankings are generally limited to participating advisers. No ranking should be construed as a current or past endorsement of CFG by any of its clients.

Best of Orlando is a reader voted poll highlighting the best in Central Florida in a variety of categories.  CFG was voted one of the 2024 Best in Olando in the Financial Advisor/Wealth Management category in and did not pay to participate in this poll.  

AdvisoryHQ is an internally rated poll highlighting the Top Financial Advisors in Florida. CFG was rated one of the Top Financial Advisors in Florida and did not pay to participate in this poll.

Financial Advisor is an internally compiled list ranking the top RIA’s in the USA based off AUM. CFG was placed on the list based on its AUM and did not pay to participate in this poll.

Expertise.com Best of Financial Advisors in Daytona Beach, FL is an internally curated poll highlighting the Best Financial Advisors in Daytona Beach, FL. CFG was rated one of the Best Financial Advisors in Daytona Beach, FL, and did not pay to participate in this poll.

Best of Florida is a reader-voted poll highlighting the best in Florida in a variety of categories. CFG was voted one of the 2024 Best in Florida in the Financial Advisors category and did not pay to participate in this poll.

Best of Altamonte Springs: The Legal Directorate  Editorial team is forbidden from accepting money or other considerations from companies who are featured on their website. They adhere to principles of editorial independence that support their core mission of helping consumers make decisions easy, the smart way. Companies who are featured, or may be featured, on their website have no influence on their ranking or reviews.

CNBC Top 100

• CNBC enlisted data provider AccuPoint Solutions to assist with the ranking of registered investment advisors for this year’s FA 100 list.
  
  The methodology consisted of first analyzing a variety of core data points from AccuPoint Solutions’ proprietary database of registered investment advisors. This analysis started with an initial list of 39,818 RIA firms from the Securities and Exchange Commission regulatory database. Through a process, the list was eventually cut to 904 RIAs, with those firms meeting CNBC’s proprietary criteria.
  
  CNBC staff sent an extensive email survey to all those firms that met the initial criteria to gather more details. In turn, those advisory firms wishing to be ranked filled out the comprehensive application in regard to their practice. The
  
  CNBC team verified that data with those firms and with the SEC regulatory database. AccuPoint once again applied CNBC’s proprietary weighted categories to further refine and rank the firms, ultimately creating the list of the top 100. 

  CNBC does not charge any type of fee to advisors to be listed in the annual ranking.
  
  More from FA 100: 
  CNBC’s No. 1 advisor agrees with Warren Buffett: ‘He likes cash flow’ 
  FA 100: CNBC ranks the top-rated financial advisory firms of 2022 
  CNBC’s FA 100 recognizes advisors who help people make smart money moves 
  The primary data points used in the analysis were reviewed, either as a minimum baseline or within a range, eliminating those firms that did not meet CNBC’s requirements. Once the initial list was compiled, weightings were also applied accordingly. These data points included: 
  Advisory firm’s regulatory/compliance record (editor’s note: Any firm that had a disclosure on its SEC ADV was automatically disqualified from the ranking)

  • Number of years in the business
  • Number of certified financial planners
  • Number of employees
  • Number of investment advisors registered with the firm
  • The ratio of investment advisors to total number of employees
  • Total assets under management 
  • Percentage of discretionary assets under management
  • Total accounts under management
  • Number of states where the RIA is registered 
    Country of domicile.”
    
    Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/04/heres-how-we-determine-the-fa-100-ranking-for-2022.html 

Investor.com:

This is not an award per se but rather a rating that stays up-to-date. How they rate: 
 
“Our searchable database of U.S.-based financial advisors includes more than 17,000 firms across the country. Each month, investor.com downloads the latest regulatory data from the SEC IAPD database. This data is then run through our proprietary Trust Algorithm to generate a star rating for each firm based on a variety of measures, including disciplinary history and conflicts of interest. 
 
As a Certified B Corporation™, our focus is simple: people before profits. Each month, investor.com serves as a trusted resource to help thousands of Americans research and compare financial advisors.” 
 
More on their Trust Algorithm can be found here: https://investor.com/rias/trust-algorithm 

E-mail security

The security of e-mail communication cannot be guaranteed at this time. Any person wishing to communicate or send information of a private or confidential nature to the Owner is encouraged to do so by other means.

Designation Descriptions:

The CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™

The CFP® is a professional certification granted in the United States by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (“CFP Board”). The CFP® certification is a voluntary certification; no federal or state law or regulation requires financial planners to hold CFP® certification. It is recognized in the United States and a number of other countries for its (1) high standard of professional education; (2) stringent code of conduct and standards of practice; and (3) ethical requirements that govern professional engagements with clients. Currently, more than 100,000 individuals have obtained CFP® certification in the United States. To attain the right to use the CFP® marks, an individual must satisfactorily fulfill the following requirements:

• Education – Complete an advanced college-level course of study addressing the financial planning subject areas that CFP Board’s studies have determined as necessary for the competent and professional delivery of financial planning services and attain a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited United States college or university (or its equivalent from a foreign university). CFP Board’s financial planning subject areas include insurance planning and risk management, employee benefits planning, investment planning, income tax planning, retirement planning, and estate planning;
• Examination – Pass the comprehensive CFP® Certification Examination.  The exam is a 170-question, multiple-choice test that consists of two 3-hour sessions over one day. The exam includes stand-alone and scenario-based questions, as well as questions associated with case studies;
• Experience – Complete either 6,000 hours of professional experience related to the financial planning process, or 4,000 hours of apprenticeship experience that meets additional requirements; and
• Ethics – Adhere to high ethical and professional standards for the practice of financial planning, and to act as a fiduciary when providing financial advice to your client, always putting their best interests first.

Individuals who become certified must complete the following ongoing education and ethics requirements in order to maintain the right to continue to use the CFP® marks:

• Continuing Education – Complete 30 hours of continuing education hours each reporting period: very two years, 2 hours of CFP Board approved Ethics CE, and 28 hours of CE covering one or more of CFP Board’s Principal Knowledge Topics; and
• Ethics – Renew an agreement to be bound by the Standards of Professional Conduct. The Standards prominently require that CFP® professionals provide financial planning services at a fiduciary standard of care. This means CFP® professionals must provide financial planning services in the best interests of their clients. CFP® professionals who fail to comply with the above standards and requirements may be subject to CFP Board enforcement process, which could result in suspension or permanent revocation of their CFP® certification.

Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®)

The AIF® designation certifies that the recipient has specialized knowledge of fiduciary standards of care and their application to the investment management process. To receive the AIF® designation, individuals must complete a training program, successfully pass a comprehensive, closed-book final examination under the supervision of a proctor and agree to abide by the AIF® Code of Ethics. In order to maintain the AIF® designation, the individual must annually renew their affirmation of the AIF® Code of Ethics and complete six hours of continuing education credits. The certification is administered by the Center for Fiduciary Studies, LLC, a Fiduciary360 (Fi360) company.

National Social Security AdvisorSM (NSSA®)

The NSSA designation certifies that the recipient has specialized knowledge of the Social Security options available to couples and individuals, as well as Medicare and SSI. The National Social Security Association, LLC provides certification and sets the guidelines. In order to maintain the NSSA designation, the individual must attain 16 hours of continuing education credit with this field of study every two years.

Centre for Fiduciary Excellence (CEFEX)

CEFEX conducts an annual evidence-based fiduciary assessment of Certified Advisory Corporation (the “Advisor”) to determine whether Advisor’s practices in providing investment advice to clients conform generally to the fiduciary standards of excellence (referred to as the Fiduciary Practices) as defined by the Prudent Practices for Investment Advisors (U.S. Edition) handbook.  Compliance with applicable legal and ethical practices in providing investment advice to clients is the responsibility of the Advisor. The responsibility of CEFEX is to express an opinion on whether the Advisor generally conforms to the Fiduciary Practices in the conduct of its Investment Advisory business based on their assessment.