You and your acronyms: Will a new designation join a long list of financial advisor titles?

investmentnews.com:

Wealth managers proudly display a long list of designations and degrees after their signatures  – CFP, MBA, CPA, CFA, etc. – and deservedly so, considering the effort involved in achieving those titles.

Katherine Krantz, CEO of the Center for the Macro Specialist Designation, says it’s high time, and of high value, to add another. The Macro Specialist Designation, or M2SD.

“Our research shows that about 75% of the variation in stock returns are driven by macro forces, not company specific forces. So when somebody says they ‘don’t do macro’, they simply don’t realize they are already doing macro,” said Krantz. “What the designation gives you is a framework to think about these big picture trends.”

The M2SD designation was launched in November 2022. There is a $2,500 fee to register for each of the three levels of the self-paced program, which includes the study materials and the exam registration fee. Exam retakes cost $300 per attempt.

A candidate who successfully passes all three exams is responsible for a $250 annual fee to maintain an active M2SD designation and participate in M2SD program events. All three levels of the program can be completed in as little as 18 months, according to Krantz, a former wealth advisor.

“It really helps you have better conversations with your clients. These are the questions that people ask you. They want to know about mortgage rates and they want to know about what’s going to happen in the job market. They’re not asking you about balance sheet items, so it really helps you all the way around,” said Krantz.

As to how the M2SD fits in with the other industry designations and degrees, Krantz says it is absolutely complementary, especially to the CFA.

“They are bottom up and have even moved