Birch Leaf Investments

The following is quoted directly from the CFA Institute Website www.cfainstitute.org

What Makes a CFA Charterholder's Knowledge So Special?
Comprehensive view and up-to-date, practical skills

Many investment professionals manage stock and bond portfolios, but CFA charterholders can perform a holistic, comprehensive analysis of your circumstances which allows them to construct a diversified investment portfolio that fits your needs.

They have the tools and understanding to analyze the risks and rewards of a variety of investment types.

Real world experience and rigorous exams.

In order to pass the three qualifying exams, CFA charterholders master the body of investment and financial knowledge that includes a comprehensive range of ethical, analytical, and practical investment and financial management skills.

The CFA Program curriculum is updated every year by experts from around the world and builds on four years of professional experience that candidates are required to have. Passing the exams is a difficult feat that requires hundreds of hours of extensive study.

Only one in five people who begin the program ultimately earn the right to use the designation.

The curriculum includes fundamentals like modern economics, investment strategies, and financial reporting for ethical standards. Candidates must also master advanced topics such as equity analysis, derivatives, alternative investments, and portfolio management.

This rigorous training enables a CFA charterholder to assess a client's needs and circumstances and manage a globally diverse portfolio in a rapidly changing and complex industry.

Why Should You Trust a CFA Charterholder?

The globally recognized CFA designation symbolizes the knowledge, professionalism, and integrity you should expect from a financial adviser.

Integrity must never come into question.

In addition to being globally recognized for mastering a rigorous curriculum, CFA charterholders are perhaps best known for being held to the highest ethical standards.

Ethical Requirements

Every CFA charterholder, CFA Institute member, and CFA candidate signs an annual statement agreeing to adhere to the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct.

These code and standards require them to:

• Place their clients' interests ahead of their own
• Maintain independence and objectivity
• Act with integrity
• Maintain and improve their professional competence

Ethics are a fundamental part of the CFA Program curriculum. Each of the three CFA Program exam levels reinforces the focus on ethics by testing a candidate's understanding of how to apply ethical principles and standards of conduct in the rigors of current professional practice.

Integrity is the cornerstone of the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and it requires the charterholder to act with competence, diligence, and respect.

Why Choose a Charterholder?

Today's financial markets demonstrate just how important it is to have reliable evidence of your financial adviser's integrity, experience, and commitment. No credential is as widely regarded in the global financial industry for its rigorous focus on current investment knowledge, analytical skill, and ethical standards as the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.

A CFA charterholder is:

• Credible: Adherence to a code of ethics that puts the client's interest first and mastery of a comprehensive body of investment knowledge. 
• Committed: Demonstrated professional experience and perseverance to undergo 18 hours of examination.
• Current: Exams updated with the latest and most relevant knowledge and access to world-class lifelong learning resources.
• Connected: Membership in a network of more than 100,000 investment professionals in over 130 countries.