How Specialized Planning Knowledge Can Support Client Goals

During a recent panel interview taking place at our 2025 FinServe Summit, Terry Parham Jr, CFP®, RICP®, TPCP®, WMCP®, CEPA®, Terrell Dinkins, ChFC®, RICP®, and Scott Winslow, MSFS, ChFC®, CLU®, RICP®, AEP®, CCFC, shared stories from throughout their career, highlighting instances when their designations allowed them to make a significant positive impact in the lives of their clients.

Steps to Retiring Right in 2026

Dinkins spoke of a client she was able to assist with a decision regarding term life insurance. Thanks to her expertise and knowledge on the subject of retirement, she helped the client and his family reach a positive outcome.

Dinkins credited this outcome to her education, including her specialized retirement knowledge, from the Retirement Income Certified Professional® (RICP®) Program. This echoes what The College has heard from other members of the RICP® program, with 83% of RICP® designees reporting that they have notably improved their client conversations since earning the designation, and 81% reporting an improved ability to assist clients in meeting their retirement goals.¹

How Tax Planning Can Lower Burdens on Clients

As the conversation continued, Parham shared a recent example from his career. One of his clients recently gave a sizable charitable donation. However, according to Parham, the gift was given in cash, which as he stated, “Most of us know that cash is maybe not the best gift to give, especially because this client had a huge, concentrated position in one individual stock. So, going forward, we’re going to give that individual stock as a way to divest.”

Parham credited the Tax Planning Certified Professional® (TPCP®) Program with helping his clients establish a more tax-efficient giving avenue that lowered their lifetime tax burden. When discussing the effectiveness of the new strategy, Parham said, “What we consider small things can make tens of thousands of dollars of difference and compound to be huge impacts for our clients.”

Helping Clients With Housing Decisions in 2026

Winslow also shared a recent experience he had with a client who had come to him about selling their house to sustain them during retirement. Winslow said, “Walking through an appropriate time segmentation exercise with them and showing them how their assets could be invested to get through the next 15 years or so, allowed them to have the peace and confidence to stay in their home they loved for 10, 15, 20 years.”  

Thanks to the advice he offered them, their understanding of their assets improved and allowed them to make an informed decision to keep their house. Like Dinkins and Parham, Winslow credited his ability to assist these clients to techniques he had learned at The College.

The Value of Specialized Financial Planning Education

As all three of the advisors attested, The College’s education allowed them to improve their clients’ wellbeing better than they would have been able to without applicable, specialized knowledge. This matches what the industry is saying — 70% of College designees report an improved ability to help clients meet their financial goals.²
 

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