David Hicks, Lead Financial Planner, CFP®
I grew up in a family of nine and my dad worked extremely hard to provide for all of us. Watching him had a big impact on me. Early on, I saw value in work ethic and character, but also how financial decisions played a major role in our success. That is probably why personal finance was my favorite subject as a high school math teacher. After 12 years of teaching, it was clear to me that God was directing me to financial services and ultimately Abound Financial. When I left my comfortable teaching position, I did it for one reason, to take the lessons I learned as a kid and help people live the kind of life they want.
At Abound Financial, I have the freedom to do what is best for my clients; I am not pushed or required to sell anything. I can be open, honest, and straightforward. I find joy in using my financial planning experience to help our clients bridge the gap between working and retirement. To me, an Abundant Life is having the freedom to enjoy spending time with family and friends without worrying about having the resources to do so, and that life starts with a plan to get there.
“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail” -Benjamin Franklin
Credentials:
- Husband and father of 4
- Certified Financial Planner™*
- Securities licensed since 2019
- Math Department Chair
- FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) Staff Advisor
- Golf and Soccer Coach
* Certified Financial Planner (CFP®)
Some of our professionals are certified for financial planning services in the United States by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (“CFP Board”). The CFP® certification is voluntary. No federal or state law or regulation requires financial planners to hold the CFP® certification. You may find more information about the CFP® certification at www.cfp.net. CFP® professionals have met CFP Board’s high standards for education, examination, experience, and ethics.
To become a CFP® professional, an individual must fulfill the following requirements:
Education – Earn a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university and complete CFP Board-approved coursework at a college or university through a CFP Board Registered Program. The coursework covers the financial planning subject areas CFP Board has determined are necessary for the competent and professional delivery of financial planning services, as well as a comprehensive financial plan development capstone course. A candidate may satisfy some of the coursework requirement through other qualifying credentials.
Examination – Pass the comprehensive CFP® Certification Examination. The examination is designed to assess an individual’s ability to integrate and apply a broad base of financial planning knowledge in the context of real-life financial planning situations.
Experience – Complete 6,000 hours of professional experience related to the personal financial planning process, or 4,000 hours of apprenticeship experience that meets additional requirements.
Ethics – Satisfy the Fitness Standards for Candidates for CFP® Certification and Former CFP® Professionals Seeking Reinstatement and agree to be bound by CFP Board’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct (“Code and Standards”), which sets forth the ethical and practice standards for CFP® professionals.
Individuals who become certified must complete the following ongoing education and ethics requirements to remain certified and maintain the right to continue to use the CFP Board Certification Marks:
Ethics – Commit to complying with CFP Board’s Code and Standards. This includes a commitment to CFP Board, as part of the certification, to act as a fiduciary, and therefore, act in the best interests of the client, at all times when providing financial advice and financial planning. CFP Board may sanction a CFP® professional who does not abide by this commitment, but CFP Board does not guarantee a CFP® professional’s services. A client who seeks a similar commitment should obtain a written engagement that includes a fiduciary obligation to the client.
Continuing Education – Complete 30 hours of continuing education every two years to maintain competence, demonstrate specified levels of knowledge, skills, and abilities, and keep up with developments in financial planning. Two of the hours must address the Code and Standards.
