Accredited Investment Fiduciary™ (AIF^®™)

The Accredited Investment Fiduciary™ was started in the early 2000s to provide a mark of the highest standard of ethical conduct by investment professionals. This new program that has attracted a great deal of attention in the wake of investment scandals that surfaced during the financial crisis. The AIF^®™ designates that a financial professional has made an extra commitment to working with clients in a fiduciary way and is deserving of their trust.

To become an AIF^®™ designee, a candidate must complete intensive coursework from financial professionals and attorneys about how to manage clients’ investments prudently. The courses focus on how an advisor must always consider his or her clients’ interests as the first priority.

The AIF^® code of ethics is extensive, and it includes the following commitments:

• Employ and provide the client information on the Prudent Practices when serving as an investment fiduciary and/or advising other investment fiduciaries.
• Act with honesty and integrity and avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived.
• Ensure the timely and understandable disclosure of relevant information that is accurate, complete, and objective.
• Be responsible when determining the value of my services and my form of compensation; taking into consideration the time, skill, experience, and special circumstances involved in providing my services.
• Know the limits of my expertise, and refer my clients to colleagues and/or other professionals in connection with issues beyond my knowledge and skills.
• Respect the confidentiality of information acquired in the course of my work, and not disclose such information to others, except when authorized or otherwise legally obligated to do so. I will not use confidential information acquired in the course of my work for my personal advantage.
• Not exploit any relationship or responsibility that has been entrusted to me.

The AIF^®™ is administered by fi360, an independent company that provides education and software tools for monitoring investments financial advisors. fi360’s books and training courses are recognized for promoting best practices by financial planners and investment advisors, such as developing detailed Investment Policy Statements that are presented to clients prior to a planning engagement.

Contact Ivy League Financial Advisors founder Christopher Brown, CFP®, AIF^®™ at any time to learn more about why he is an Accredited Investment Fiduciary™.