New Designation For Financial Advisors Seeks To Reassure Skeptical Consumers

BRYN MAWR, Pa., Sept. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American College of Financial Services announced today that it is launching the Financial Services Certified Professional™ (FSCP™) designation – a rigorous program designed to help advisors understand client needs in a comprehensive manner rather than directly "selling product" without due diligence.

The FSCP™ is the successor to and will replace LUTCF™, a sales training program, and retains sales advice with more detailed content and choices for financial advisors on such topics as social media use, healthcare reform, financial planning for divorce situations, and more.  While professionals will not be able to earn the credential until 2014, they may begin taking courses to satisfy program requirements now.

"Most consumers are very satisfied with the knowledge and professionalism of their advisors, but we also know that many advisors only complete company training programs without an objective landscape of what consumers expect," says Dr. Larry Barton, President and CEO of The American College. 

"By moving from a moderator-led format to one that emphasizes online learning, students can study at their own pace but also immerse themselves in case studies, video scenarios and discussion options regarding what is most suitable for a client, rather than what is 'the best sale,'' he notes.  

In addition to taking 10 elective educational units across a wide variety of topic areas and completing "The Ethical Advisor" requirement, candidates for the FSCP™ credential must complete a final 8-week live webinar course and take a proctored designation exam at a testing center, adhere to a Code of Ethics, and satisfy ethics-related CE requirements every two years to continue using the designation.

The FSCP™ program offers professionals their choice of live classroom learning, live online classes, asynchronous online classes, and self-paced modules.  Students may mix and match their learning choices to fit their schedules and preferences.

"Financial services professionals need to master more skills and knowledge than ever before," says Barton. "We've designed FSCP™ to appeal to independent advisors, wealth managers, insurance specialists, registered reps, and other financial professionals who want to be better at what they do. We know that their productivity, upon completing The American College designations, can soar as much as 72%.  This is the ultimate win for consumers and advisors who believe that learning is integral to career success and especially to how to differentiate themselves from their peers," he adds.

Those who hold the LUTCF ™ designation will have until mid 2015 to take a completer program and achieve the new designation. 

Those seeking more information can contact an educational counselor at 888-263-7265 or visit TheAmericanCollege.edu/FSCP.

The American College of Financial Services, an academic institution with the highest level of accreditation and an 86-year heritage, is the nation's largest non-profit educational institution devoted to financial services. The College serves as a valued partner to banks, brokerage firms, insurance companies and financial professionals. The American College's faculty represents some of the financial services industry's foremost thought leaders. For more information, visit TheAmericanCollege.edu

SOURCE The American College