American Academy of Financial Management (AAFM)

What Was the American Academy of Financial Management (AAFM)?

The American Academy of Financial Management (AAFM) was an organization with members spanning more than 151 countries across the globe that offered exclusive designations for financial professionals. Those who earned certifications and/or charters from the AAFM were recognized as meeting some of the highest standards in the industry from the International Board of Standards (IBS). AAFM ceased to exist in 2015 and was followed by the Global Academy of Finance and Management (GAFM).

Understanding the American Academy of Financial Management (AAFM)

The American Academy of Financial Management (AAFM) offered certifications and charters for those in industry roles such as a financial professional, wealth manager, market analyst, financial and investment planner, asset manager, trust and estate planning analyst, or an economist.

AAFM offered several industries with recognized graduate designations to qualified professionals. The organization also filled a void for some 120,000 financial professionals working as MBAs, CPAs, lawyers, and PhDs.

Founded in 1996, it was first established as a professional organization for investment managers, lawyers, and analysts, when the American Academy of Financial Management and Analysts merged with the Founders Advisory Committee of the Original Tax and Estate Planning Law Review.

AAFM ceased to exist in 2015 and was followed by the Global Academy of Finance and Management (GAFM), to which it sold its intellectual property and its logo, which GAFM uses. GAFM offers many of the same certificates that AAFM offered.

Who the American Academy of Financial Management (AAFM) Served

AAFM served professionals in the United States as well as Hong Kong, Beijing, India, Dubai, Kuwait, the Americas, Singapore, the Caribbean, Europe, and more. Training partners included Deutsche Bank, Citibank, Xerox, NASA, HSBC Bank, China Construction Bank, National Bank of Kuwait, the Government of Dubai, BAE Systems, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the U.S. Navy, the Department of Energy, the Department of Interior, 3M Asia Pacific, Dow Chemical, Hewlett Packard Singapore, Indian Overseas Bank, Shangri La Hotels, and literally hundreds more.

Although the Academy maintained strict academic and experiential standards for its students, its certifications required less rigorous study and were less widely accepted/respected than the CFA or CFP.