The specialized certification program gains academic recognition, furthering its mission to support military members and their families with expert financial guidance.
ATLANTA, May 27, 2025 -- Dalton Education, a CeriFi company and leading provider of education solutions for financial services professionals, announced today a strategic partnership with Wake Forest University to offer an accredited Certified Military Financial Advisor® certification program. This partnership marks a significant advancement for the certification, which has seen substantial industry adoption since becoming available to all qualifying financial advisors in June 2024.
The CMFA™ certification, developed with industry experts and military financial specialists, provides financial advisors with specialized training that addresses the unique financial planning needs of active-duty service members, veterans, and their families. Through the new partnership with Wake Forest University, the program now offers accredited certification, enhancing its value and recognition within the financial services industry.
"This partnership with Wake Forest University represents a pivotal moment for the CMFA™ certification," said James Dalton, Chief Product Officer at CeriFi. "By offering an accredited program, we're not only elevating the standard of education for financial advisors serving the military community but also addressing a key need within the industry for recognized, specialized training in this important area."
With approximately 2.1 million active-duty service members and family members, plus 8.6 million employed veterans representing one in every 20 civilian workers, there's a significant need for advisors who truly understand the unique financial planning requirements of this community.
"Our partnership with Dalton Education aligns with the Wake Forest University School of Professional Studies' commitment to providing financial planners and students with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive and grow professionally," said Kerry Shronts, Executive Director for Executive Education at Wake Forest University. "Dalton Education will provide the broader financial planning community with access to cutting-edge educational and certificate options, preparing them for career growth and important industry recognition."
The accredited CMFA™ program maintains its comprehensive curriculum focusing on the benefits, resources, and life circumstances unique to military personnel. The program typically requires 22 hours of study and complements CFP® certification by covering military-specific content not included in other financial planning programs.
Trailblazing firms like Thrivent Financial and Ameriprise are setting themselves apart by taking proactive steps to meet a critical need for service members and their families by investing in specialized education for their advisors.
Ameriprise Financial, which partnered with Dalton Education to develop the certification, has already trained hundreds of advisors through the program and reports positive client outcomes.
"Many companies say they're supportive of veterans, but there are companies that set themselves apart. In my experience with Ameriprise Financial, the company took huge steps to help create a wholistic system to support and education for the service member/veteran and their family members that support their service" said Myke Sampayo, former sergeant in the U.S. Army and Field Training Manager and Instructional Design Manager at Ameriprise Financial. "Being a veteran myself, I've personally seen the sacrifices my family members, friends, and employers have made to ensure that I was able to serve my duties in the military. I'm very happy to have helped do my little part at Ameriprise to help bring the CMFA™ to life with Dalton Education."
CMFA™ program features:
- Self-paced learning designed to accommodate busy professionals
- Engaging, multi-modal content including on-demand instruction and case studies
- Client meeting checklists and practical resources for immediate implementation
- Qualifies for 22 hours of CFP Board approved CE for CFP® certification
- Certificate of program completion now available as an accredited program through Wake Forest University
- Program investment of $1,495
Financial services firms interested in learning more about the accredited CMFA™ certification for their advisors can visit https://dalton-education.com/certified-military-financial-advisor or contact Dalton Education directly.
About Dalton Education
Dalton Education, a Leeds Equity Partners and CeriFi portfolio company, is a leading provider of education solutions for financial services professionals. Dalton has the highest CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® exam pass rates and has trained over half of all CFP® professionals in the country. Through partnerships with elite universities, Dalton delivers customizable programs for individual learning styles, with options including the industry's only 100% money-back Guarantee to Pass™ and course completion in as little as 9 months. Dalton also provides courses for CFP® exam review, Capstone requirement, and continuing education. For additional information on Dalton Education, see http://www.dalton-education.com/.
About Wake Forest School of Professional Studies
Wake Forest University School of Professional Studies (SPS) provides innovative, cutting-edge and market-relevant programming built upon Wake Forest's legacy of quality and excellence. With 100% online graduate degrees and certificates, and non-degree programs, including certificates and other credentials, SPS offers an accessible, educational experience focused on providing today's working professionals with the skills and knowledge to take their careers to the next level.
Based in Charlotte, N.C. and serving students around the world, SPS is designed to address growing sectors in the economy of the future and the increased demand for professional and corporate education in Charlotte and beyond.
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® and CFP® are trademarks owned by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. Certified Military Financial Advisor® and CMFA™ are trademarks of Dalton Education.
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