The Certified Financial Transitionist® (CeFT®) designation is an advanced certification for financial professionals who specialize in guiding clients through major life transitions, such as retirement, divorce, inheritance, or the loss of a loved one. It combines technical financial expertise with training in the personal and emotional aspects of financial change.
Although practitioners from various fields are welcome to take the training, please know that the curriculum assumes a working knowledge of comprehensive financial planning, therefore solid technical skills are a prerequisite. Only those who meet the following requirements may sit for the exam and are eligible to use the certification:
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Have at least five years of direct client service experience.
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Hold one of the following designations:
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Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®)
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Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®)
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Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®)
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Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®)
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Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®)
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Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® (CDFA®)
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Certified Public Accountant/Personal Financial Specialist (CPA/PFS)
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The 12-month training, referred to as "Core Training", is presented virtually. A variety of FTI trainers lead the interactive Zoom trainings, which are a mix of lecture, breakout small group discussions, and scenario practices. The required work includes:
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Monthly live Zoom classes (attendance of at least 10 out of 12 sessions is required)
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Client experience homework assignments.
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A written case study
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Completion of the six-hour certification exam
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Participants receive up to 28 CE credits from the CFP Board.
The CeFT® certification exam is a six-hour, proctored, online assessment divided into three parts:
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90 multiple-choice questions (90 minutes).
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15 structured-response questions (90 minutes).
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4 essay questions (90 minutes).
There is a 15-minute break between sections. A score of 70% is required to pass.
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The training program costs $425 per month, totaling $5,100 over 12 months. An annual payment option is available at a discounted rate of $4,845. The certification exam fee is $690, which includes a study guide and a three-part online practice exam with answer keys.
After earning the Certified Financial Transitionist® (CeFT®) designation, maintaining it requires an annual membership with the Financial Transitionist Institute. The cost is $1200 annually (or $100 per month).
Members have ongoing use of a robust library of client-facing tools (co-branded with your firm), and become part of the FTI community, participating in the following:
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Every 3rd Wednesday of the month at 11:00 am ET: Virtual Skill Building: An opportunity to network with fellow CeFT® members to discuss challenges, share ideas and consider new opportunities.
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Weekly Community Huddle every Friday, 12-1pm ET (topics vary)
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Virtual Special Interest Groups, including Women's Circle, Business Development, Long Life Planning, Natural Disaster Protocols, Sudden Job Loss Protocols, Book Club
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An invite to 2 annual Conferences for members: 1 virtual and 1 in-person
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A listing in the directory on the Sudden Money Institute website. SMI is our parent company and is a source for the public.
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Yes. To maintain the CeFT® designation, certificants must:
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Complete 15 CE credits annually (at least 10 from the Financial Transitionist Institute and up to 5 from other approved organizations). FTI provides many opportunities to easily meet the FTI credit requirement.
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Maintain an annual membership in good standing with the Financial Transitionist Institute.
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Adhere to the Code of Ethics for Financial Transitionists®.
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If you are unable to complete the training due to personal circumstances, you can arrange a "Reboot Mode" with your trainer. This allows you to pause and re-enter the training within three years without additional cost, provided your financial obligations are met.
Yes. All monthly training calls are recorded and available for review. However, participants are expected to attend at least 10 of the 12 live sessions.
Yes! After Core Training completion, Advanced and Mastery levels are the next steps and provide additional member benefits.