Delivering the Smart Money Experience® for families rides on a rail of trust. That trust is priceless and must be protected as if it is the Hope Diamond. Trust is built on three Cs” The first C is Character. Families must be able to trust their Family Officer™ to “do the right thing.” The second C is Competence. Families must be able to trust their Family Officer™ to “know” the right thing to do.” The third C is consistency. Families must be able to trust their Family Officer™ to do the right thing every time.”
Trust is so essential to delivering the Smart Money Experience® that we have initiated a certification program for all who wish to serve families as a SME™ Certified Family Officer™ (SME CFO™)
CHARACTER: To be accepted into the program, a SME CFO™ candidate must undergo a credit and background check, emotional profile testing, personality profile testing, references and endorsements. Only candidates in good financial standing, free of a criminal record who fit our desired emotional and personality profile with appropriate endorsements are accepted into the program.
COMPETENCE: Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and/or equivalent life and professional experience. They must complete the SME University™ program that entails 120+ hours of classroom and/or online training with expert faculty in financial planning, asset allocation, risk management, tax planning, estate planning, business planning, legacy planning, and charitable planning. Candidates must then complete a twelve month internship requiring the engagement of three or more families under the oversight of a SME CFO™. Upon successful completion of a SME™ Certification Exam the candidate is awarded certification as a SME™ Certified Family Officer™.
CONSISTENCY: Candidates must engage in SME™ Tiger Teams for ongoing accountability and peer review. They must complete continuing education requirements. They must complete an annual certification exam. They must provide an annual certification in writing from client families that SME™ Service Deliverables have been fulfilled to each client family’s satisfaction.
CODE OF CONDUCT: Candidates must pledge themselves to a code of conduct that requires them to put their client families’ interests first in all matters. Any and all conflicts of interest must be disclosed to families in writing and approved by families in writing.
We believe Certified Family Officers™ are the best of the best. They have to be able to deliver on the SME™ Promise… to every family… every year.
If you want to learn more, contact one of our Family Office experts at (972) 499-4567