What is the proper process for handling complaints about the CFP Board's Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct?

• A. File a complaint with the consumer protection office.
• B. The CFP Board enforces the Code and Standards; complaints are handled through the CFP Board's disciplinary process.
• C. Seek mediation through a private arbitrator.
• D. Ignore complaints unless a court orders action.

Answer: (B)

Complaints about the CFP Board's Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct are handled through the CFP Board's disciplinary process. The Board is the authority responsible for enforcing these standards for CFP professionals, so concerns are investigated within its own framework. After a complaint is filed, the process typically involves an intake review, an investigation, an opportunity for the member to respond, and a potential hearing or panel decision. If violations are found, sanctions may include education requirements, probation, suspension, or revocation of the right to use the CFP marks. This internal system ensures consistent application of ethics rules and due process. Other options aren’t appropriate avenues: consumer protection offices do not administer CFP ethics cases, private mediation is not the Board’s disciplinary mechanism, and simply ignoring complaints would undermine public protection and the integrity of the profession.