CFP, RIA, J.D., BCE, CVA, CSA, or CEA (which is not to be confused with EA)?   In both the estate and business planning field, there are a lot of credentials that get thrown around.  Just about anyone can put some form of letters after his name.  I was reminded of this when I wrote the post on "estate planners" who ran a scam in California.  At least one of those men called himself a Certified Estate Planner, or CEP.  As I wrote in that previous post, this designation is real but it isn't that hard to obtain, requiring one course and one exam and payment of membership fees.  In fact, several of the organizations I belong to for education and collegiality also have minimal entrance requirements if I'm willing to pay my membership dues.  While membership in such an organization can be an indication that the practitioner is serious about the field of specialty, it's not necessarily an indication of greater knowledge, experience or competence. 

In the financial and insurance fields, there is a great explanation from American Century Investments that briefly describes the various designations bestowed in those industries.  In the tax field a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) or EA (Enrolled Agent) are both professionals who have received extensive training, testing and continued education.  Legal professionals can call themselves J.D. (Juris Doctor) once they have graduated from law school.  In some states, a licensed attorney can become "Board Certified" in estate planning or other fields.  Colorado doesn't offer board certification, but from what I understand it is a significant achievement based on rigorous examination.  But don't confuse an attorney who is Board Certified by his state board with a BCE.  BCE also means Board Certified in Estate Planning but it generally refers to a financial advisor or accounting professional.  I don't know anyone with a BCE so I'm ignorant of whether this credential should carry any weight.

The lesson here is that some credentials are more impressive than others.  Before working with an advisor, do a little research to determine what those credentials actually mean and how hard they were to obtain.  But also look for evidence of commitment, competence and compassion.  Does your advisor show he or she is committed to the field or is estate planning one of ten or more "specialties"?  Does your advisor take continuing education in the estate or business planning field?  Better yet, does your advisor teach continuing education on these topics to other advisors?  Compassion may be harder to ascertain in your initial research, but some evidence may be found in where your advisor volunteers or how your advisor markets -- is he or she mostly about dollars and cents or people and relationships? 

In the end, I think that what letters come after one's name matters less than what focus is in one's heart and head.