Most people assume the financial advisor sitting across the table from them has gone through the same training as every other financial advisor. That assumption could cost you.
When you're making decisions about retirement, your family's protection, or decades of savings — the person guiding you matters as much as the plan itself. And one of the fastest ways to evaluate a financial planner's level of knowledge is to look at what's behind their name.
Two designations stand above the rest in comprehensive financial planning: the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional and the Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®). Both signal advanced training. But they are not the same, and the differences matter more than most consumers realize.
This guide breaks down what each credential means, where they differ, and what to look for when searching for a designated financial planner in Columbus, OH and the surrounding Central Ohio area.
What Do Financial Advisor Credentials Actually Mean?
The financial services industry is full of designations — dozens of them, in fact. Some require years of study and rigorous testing. Others take a weekend seminar to earn. For the average person, the alphabet soup that follows an advisor's name is nearly impossible to decode.
That's why focusing on CFP® and ChFC® certification simplifies the decision. These two designations are specifically tied to comprehensive financial planning, not just product sales or a narrow area of focus. Advisors who hold either designation have demonstrated a meaningful commitment to the full picture of personal finance: retirement, tax efficiency, estate planning, insurance, investments, and more.
When evaluating the financial professionals you're considering, credentials are one of the clearest signals of preparation and professional accountability.
What Is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Professional?
The CFP® designation is administered by the CFP® Board and is widely regarded as the premier credential in personal financial planning. Earning it is not a short process.
Education and Exam Requirements
CFP® candidates must complete a CFP Board-registered education program that spans financial planning principles, tax planning, retirement planning, estate planning, and investment management. This coursework is a prerequisite before they can even sit for the exam.
The CFP® exam is one of the most demanding tests in the financial services industry. It is a comprehensive, two-day examination consisting of 170 case-based questions designed to evaluate whether a candidate can apply financial planning knowledge across complex, real-world scenarios — not just recall definitions.
Beyond the exam, candidates must also log 6,000 hours of professional financial planning experience, or 4,000 hours through a formal apprenticeship pathway, before the designation is awarded.
What Is a Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®)?
The ChFC® designation is awarded by The American College of Financial Services, one of the country's most respected institutions for financial education. Like the CFP® certification, it signals advanced knowledge across the core domains of financial planning.
Education and Coursework
To earn the ChFC®, candidates must complete eight college-level courses covering financial planning, income taxation, retirement planning, estate planning, insurance, and in some tracks, behavioral finance and special needs planning. Each course has its own examination, and the coursework often goes deeper into specific areas — particularly insurance strategies and income distribution — than the CFP® curriculum.
There is no single comprehensive board exam, which is one of the fundamental structural differences between the two designations.
How It Compares in Scope
The ChFC® covers similar subject matter to the CFP® certification and, in certain areas such as long-term care, annuity strategies, and behavioral finance, may go into greater depth. However, the absence of a unified competency exam means there is no single standardized benchmark across all ChFC® holders the way there is for CFP® designees.
For advisors building retirement planning practices, the ChFC®'s depth in income distribution and insurance strategies can be especially valuable — particularly when layered on top of CFP® credentials.
CFP® vs. ChFC® certification: The Key Differences That Actually Matter
Consumers do not need to understand every technical requirement of either designation. What they need to know is what each credential signals about the advisor's preparation and accountability.
CFP® | ChFC® | |
Governing Body | CFP® Board | The American College of Financial Services |
Competency Benchmark | Single comprehensive board exam | Course-by-course examinations |
Experience Required | 6,000 hours (or 4,000 apprenticeship) | 3 years in financial services |
Coursework | CFP® Board-registered education program | 8 college-level courses |
Depth | Broad, integrated financial planning | Comprehensive with deeper insurance focus |
Neither designation is a shortcut. Both require years of study, real-world experience, and ongoing continuing education.
When evaluating investment strategies or retirement plans with any advisor, understanding where their training comes from gives you the context to ask the relevant questions.
Why Credentials Matter More in Columbus, OH
Columbus is not the same city it was ten years ago. It is one of the fastest-growing metros in the Midwest, drawing major corporate investments, expanding suburban communities, and a workforce that is increasingly managing complex financial lives.
Families in Westerville, Upper Arlington, and Dublin are navigating dual incomes, stock options, and growing assets — often for the first time. Young professionals in the Short North and German Village are building savings while managing student debt. Business owners near the Easton corridor are running payroll, planning for succession, and trying to figure out what retirement even looks like when you own the company.
For residents commuting into Downtown Columbus or working at one of the area's major healthcare, insurance, or technology employers, benefits packages have become increasingly complex. Multiple 401(k) accounts, employer stock programs, and shifting tax situations demand a financial planner who has been tested on exactly these kinds of overlapping challenges.
Families near Goodale Park or Antrim Park planning their children's education futures need guidance on 529 plans and the intersection of college funding strategies with their broader financial picture. Those thinking about what they are leaving behind need estate planning advice from someone with the credentials to understand how all the pieces connect.
Columbus suburbs, like Hilliard, Gahanna, Pickerington, Grove City, and Worthington, are filled with households that are saving diligently but not always working with an advisor who has been trained to see the full picture. In those situations, a credential like CFP® certification or ChFC® is not a formality. It is a meaningful signal that the advisor across the table has been prepared for exactly what you are facing.
Does It Matter If Your Advisor Holds Both Designations?
Some advisors hold both the CFP® certification and ChFC® — and when they do, it says something significant about their commitment to the profession. Together, they represent a broad foundation in comprehensive financial planning.
This combination is not common. It requires years of additional education and examination beyond what most practitioners pursue. An advisor who holds both designations has invested substantially in their professional development — which typically translates into a more thorough approach to client planning.
How to Find the Best Financial Planner For You In Columbus, OH
If you are searching for a designated financial planner near you in Columbus or the broader Central Ohio area, here is a practical checklist to guide your search:
- Verify credentials directly. The CFP® Board maintains a public directory at cfp.net cfp.net where you can confirm whether an advisor currently holds an active CFP® designation and whether there have been any disciplinary actions.
- Check FINRA BrokerCheck. Any advisor registered as a securities representative has a public BrokerCheck profile. Review it before your first meeting.
- Are they a dually registered advisor? Also known as a dual-licensed financial advisor, the dually registered advisor acts as both an investment advisor and a broker-dealer representative. These professionals, frequently Series 66 licensees, are qualified to meet suitability standards and financial responsibilities. A dual-licensed financial advisor can offer experienced financial advice for a fee, while also selling investment products and earning commissions, thereby providing clients with versatile solutions tailored to their needs. Governed by the Securities Exchange Commission regulations, firm compliance standards, and expectations for client satisfaction, a dual-licensed advisor must balance regulatory and ethical obligations.
- Understand how they are compensated. Commission-based, fee-based, and fee-only are meaningfully different structures. Fee-based advisors, like those at Centric Financial Group, tie their compensation to your portfolio performance and planning outcomes rather than product sales.
Consider accessibility across Central Ohio. Whether you are in Gahanna, Pickerington, Grove City, or Worthington, look for a firm with advisors who serve the full Columbus metro — not just a single zip code.
When the stakes are your retirement, your family's protection, and the financial legacy you are building, the credential behind your advisor's name is not a small detail.
Meet the Advisors at Centric Financial Group
At Centric Financial Group, credentialed professionals are not the exception. They are the standard.
Cheryl Evans, ChFC®, CLU®, CASL®, LUTCF®, founder and owner of Centric Financial Group, brings extensive depth in income planning, asset-based long-term care, and comprehensive insurance strategies. Her credentials reflect decades of study in the financial planning disciplines most relevant to families protecting their future and their health.
Jon P. LaFramboise, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, ChSNC®, is one of a small group of advisors in Central Ohio who holds both the CFP® and ChFC® designations, along with the Chartered Life Underwriter and Chartered Special Needs Consultant credentials. His focus in fee-based investment advising and retirement planning is built on one of the most rigorous professional foundations available in this field.
Both advisors work from Centric's Columbus office at 4016 Townsfair Way, Suite 202 — serving clients across the greater Central Ohio region.
When you meet our financial advisors, you are looking at a team built around the principle that the quality of your financial plan is only as strong as the preparation of the person building it.
Centric also offers fee-based services that align advisor compensation with client outcomes and long-term care planning experience for families thinking ahead about protection and healthcare costs in retirement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a CFP® certification and a ChFC®?
A CFP® professional is awarded by the CFP Board and requires passing a comprehensive two-day board exam and adhering to a mandatory fiduciary standard. A ChFC® (Chartered Financial Consultant) is awarded by The American College of Financial Services and requires completing eight college-level courses.
Is a CFP® certification better than a ChFC®?
Both are highly respected designations with substantial educational requirements. What sets the CFP® designation apart beyond the exam is what it requires of advisors after they earn it. CFP® professionals are held to a strict standards of legal and ethical obligation. The ChFC® offers deeper coursework in specific areas such as insurance strategies and income distribution. Advisors who hold both designations provide a strong combination of exam-tested competency and comprehensive training depth.
How do I find a CFP® professional near me in Columbus, OH?
You can search the CFP® Board's official directory at cfp.net to verify active credentials. For personalized guidance from credentialed professionals serving Columbus and Central Ohio, contact Centric Financial Group at (614) 824-6100 or book a complimentary consultation online.
What questions should I ask a financial planner before hiring them?
Ask about their specific credentials and what those designations required to earn. Ask how they are compensated. Ask what types of clients they typically work with and whether their experience aligns with your situation. Advisors holding CFP® or ChFC® designations have demonstrated advanced, comprehensive training in financial planning — making them a strong starting point for any serious financial planning conversation.
What if my financial advisor is a dually-registered advisor?
A dually registered advisor can operate in two professional capacities—as an investment advisor representative and as a broker-dealer representative. Many professionals hold credentials such as the Series 66 license which helps qualify them to provide advisory services while also maintaining broker-dealer registration.
Nearly half of U.S advisors have dual registrations, in part because the business can be practical for clients who want both ongoing planning and access to particular investment solutions that may be implemented through brokerage.
A dual-licensed advisor can offer versatility but thrust is built through transparency. The key is not to assume the worst, but to insist on clarity. We would be happy to review how compensation works in plain language, and make sure the approach fits your comfort level and long-term plan.
Why does it matter if my advisor has advanced credentials?
Advanced credentials represent verified knowledge and professional accountability. A CFP® certification or ChFC® holder has invested years in understanding the full scope of financial planning — retirement, tax efficiency, estate strategies, insurance, and investments. For Columbus families managing growing assets and complex financial decisions, that depth of preparation can translate into better planning outcomes.
Ready to Work with a Credentialed Financial Planner in Columbus?
Understanding the difference between a CFP® certification and a ChFC® is the first step. The next is having a real conversation with someone who holds the credentials and the experience to put that knowledge to work for your specific situation.
Centric Financial Group serves Columbus and communities throughout Central Ohio — from Westerville to Grove City and everywhere in between. Whether you are beginning to plan for retirement, protecting your family's future, or building a strategy that covers every dimension of your financial life, our advisors are ready to help.
Book a complimentary consultation today and start building a plan built around your goals.
And if you want to explore where your current retirement strategies stand, our Retire Happy Self-Assessment is a strong starting point — nine questions that help you identify where your plan is strong and where the gaps are.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Center for Financial Planning, Inc. owns and licenses the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the United States to Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., which authorizes individuals who successfully complete the organization’s initial and ongoing certification requirements to use the certification marks.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Center for Financial Planning and other entities referenced are not affiliates of OneAmerica Securities and are not OneAmerica Financial companies.
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