Ever see one of those Facebook posts that shows kids riding in the back of a pickup truck, maybe back in the 1950s, with commentary something like “We didn’t wear seat belts and we turned out just fine.”? Such posts are supposed to speak to an over-reaching nanny state, I suppose.

Now that this decade has come to an end, it is almost unimaginable to look back to its beginning—in a world directly post-GFC—and believe the incredible run seen from practically every asset class since. Most investors who have participated in any market besides cash have done quite well since those 2009 lows.

It may help to know that the skills you learn while preparing for the CFA exams will be useful later in your financial career. While the CFA material has changed over the years and will continue to be updated after your final exam, your analytical skills will endure. Don’t be afraid to use them to question the status quo. 

Taking the CFA Level I exam when you’ve got no financial background can be a daunting task. In fact, it can seem downright impossible to pass when you have nothing to go on.

Ethics is one of the most fundamental responsibilities of professionals in the financial services industry.  As trusted advisors, we are given a mandate by our clients to manage, preserve, and grow their assets and to operate in their best financial interests.