Your Financial Planner's Credentials

Personal and professional integrity is the only real protection a planner has to offer.

The most important evidence of integrity for any "consultant" who presumes to help you solve a problem is a record of performance among those who have already been served. In addition, the marketplace looks for certain legal and professional achievements in determining the full extent of one's ability to serve. The more comprehensive the service offered, the greater depth and breadth the credentials should be.

WESBAN Financial Consultants includes among its credentials the following:

Length of Service:

WESBAN was established in 1977 and is the oldest independent fee only financial planning firm in the state of Alabama.

Academic Background:

All professional personnel have completed requirements for high school or undergraduate degrees at fully accredited universities with postgraduate work leading to an earned Doctorate in the one case. These degrees include studies in liberal arts, agriculture, foreign language, business, guidance and counseling, and planning.

Professional Certification:

Each practitioner associated with the firm has completed successfully the requirements for the professional designation of Certified Financial Planner. Peter W. Weston, was the first person in the state of Alabama admitted to the Registry of Financial Planning practitioners. That registry has now been replaced with the professional code of conduct supervised by the International Board of Standards & Practices for Certified Financial Planners.

Regulatory Requirements:

Each practitioner is registered as an Investment Adviser or Investment Adviser Representative, regulated under the 1940 Securities Act through the Securities and Exchange Commission of the Federal Government. In addition, some practitioners were formerly Registered Representatives and/or Registered Principals of a fully licensed no-load broker/dealer regulated under the 1934 Securities Act through the National Association of Securities Dealers. The Securities Commission of the state of Alabama has separate jurisdiction (as does every other state in which Wesban does business) over the investment activities of the individual practitioners.

The various regulators may be reached in the capitals of each state or contacted through.

Additional Client Protection:

SEC

450 5th Street NW
Washington, DC 20549
(202) 942-4108
www.SEC.gov

The best protection for each client is the "non-discretionary" position of the firm. This form of regulated advising means the advisory firm has no access to client money, securities or other assets. The client is always in control of assets rather than the advisor.

There is no possibility of the adviser or his representative converting client resources to an unintended purpose.

Professional Activities:

Prospective clients are encouraged to contact each professional or trade association in the financial planning field for an assessment of WESBAN personnel.

National Endowment for financial Education (303) 224-3510 www.nefe.org

College for Financial Planning: (800) 237-9990 www.fp.edu

International Board of Standards and Practices for Certified Financial Planners, Inc. (IBCFP): (888) 237-6275

www.cfp-board.org

© 2008 WESBAN Financial Consultants, P.C.