What is A Certified Financial Transitionist? (CeFT)

John Darer
April 25, 2024

Why Transition Expertise Matters in Your Settlement Planning Expert or Settlement Consultant

What is a Transition?

A transition is a journey from “what was” to “what will be”. Those who have suffered a serious personal injury or recently widowed or the loss of someone close to them, or have endured a life altering tragedy, their journey is rarely linear and it is intensely personal. Those that seek to be compensated through the legal system begin a roller coaster ride that may last for years

A Certified Financial Transitionist (CeFT) is trained to help clients navigate the sea of change through major life events and the financial transitions that accompany them

The CeFT is the financial services industry’s first designation specifically geared toward financial change and transition. I’ve found the required skills to be certified and remain certified, are especially useful when working with personal injury victims and their families and survivors in wrongful death cases and helping tp prepare them for important decisions they will need to make.

John Darer helps design communications, meetings and decision support based upon the client’s communication preferences. This includes, but is not limited to:

Designing meetings for your comfort and productivity
Preparing information and recommendations according to your preferences
Supporting you when you have decisions to make

John Darer helps to:

Reduce complexity by helping you sort and prioritize everything that needs to be done. Following by creating to do list based on urgency and timelines so you can focus on one important topic at a time.
Help you clarify and manage expectations, yours and those of others.
Coordinate and collaborate with your other advisors as directed by you.
Help you articulate the purpose behind each big decision to clarify what difference you hope to achieve or what disappointment you want to avoid.
Help you take action

The CeFT ® is a level-up designation. As such, only individuals who hold certain primary accredited financial designations can sit for certification after a year long course of study

According to the Financial Transitionist Institute, the training division of the Sudden Money Institute, the all day CeFT certification exam is currently held twice a year. This event evaluates the skill of the candidate in the application of Financial Transitionist® tools and protocols through role-playing/oral exam, written case essays, structured response, multiple-choice testing (5 hr., closed book, and proctored). FTI looks for participants to have learned the Core materials and reached competence with using them as well as competence in explaining what they do, why they do it, and how it is unique.

Certified Financial Transitionists must:

Adhere to the Code of Ethics for Financial Transitionists®.
Be in good standing with the governing board of their primary designation.
Successfully complete the 12-Month Core Training.

John Darer of 4structures.com LLC is presently one of only two settlement experts in the USA, who have earned the professional certification of Certified Financial Transitionist. Read about our brand of Settlement Planning which incorporates Sudden Money/Financial Transition tools and protocols.