CEPA

The Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®) credential is for professional advisors who want to effectively engage more business owners. Through the process of Exit Planning (the Value Acceleration Methodology™), owners can build more valuable companies, have stronger personal financial plans, and align their personal goals. Earning CEPA doesn’t change your expertise, it enhances your ability to engage business owners and have value-added conversations around growth and exit.

Certification Requirements:

The Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) credential must be renewed every three (3) years via continuing education. To maintain your earned credential, you must complete (1) ongoing adherence to professional conduct requirements and (2) continual professional development activities or a combination of professional development activities and contributions to the profession; as outlined below:

• Meet Minimum Continuing Education Requirements: Renewing certification holders must have completed a minimum of 40 hours of exit planning related professional development. EPI accepts reciprocal CE hours from CPE, CFP, etc. EPI, however, does not accept ethics as CE.
  • 20 of the above hours need to be from the Exit Planning Institute in the form of programs, courses, and meetings. These include the Exit Planning Summit, EPI Academy, Chapter Events, Think Tanks, Webinars, etc.
• Maintain Professional/Ethics Standards: Renewing certification holders must agree in writing that they will adhere to the EPI Professional Standards and Code of Ethics, and they must re-attest that they have not been convicted of a felony related to the practice of exit planning.

In addition to the requirements stated above, in order to maintain the CEPA credential, an Annual Membership fee must be maintained. In the case the Annual Membership fee is not maintained, the CEPA credential will be de-activated and membership terminated. An applicant will be ineligible for renewal if their Annual Membership fee is past due.

Fiduciary Description:

As a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA), we are designated fiduciaries for all our clients. That means we are held to the highest possible standard to provide advice that is sound, accurate, and free from conflict, holding your best interests before our own. Our full suite of services encompasses a multitude of areas, some of which, in our capacity as a fiduciary to you and others are educational in nature, assisting you in your functions as the plan sponsor/trustee.

Fiduciary oversight begins with us partnering with you as an ERISA 3(21) co-fiduciary. In this capacity, we will assist in the selection and monitoring of the investment lineup to ensure that it meets the qualifications of ERISA Section 404(c) and complies with the Investment Policy Statement (“IPS”), a policy that we will advise on and provide ongoing maintenance. Fort Pitt will provide investment recommendations to the plan sponsor, who will decide on the selection, retention, addition, and removal of investment options. We will also provide you with advice on implementing a Qualified Default Investment Alternative (“QDIA”). You can further engage us as a 3(38) discretionary investment manager in the plan. As a 3(38), we assume responsibility for selecting, monitoring, and replacing plan investment options.