About Us

From our decades of experience managing wealth, we have learned that wherever possible — laughter can be part of a serious conversation.

As a Family Wealth Management Practice we understand the importance of planning for your family’s future, which is why we believe in adding structure and process to your priorities so that you can breathe a little easier.

Financial Advisors play a vital role in their clients’ lives, often acting as counselor throughout your family’s lifecycles. We believe in visiting our clients where they are and communicating consistently around what keeps you up at night. We believe success begins with a financial plan. And we believe in financial counseling, which is the bedrock of our practice.

Our team approach helps families develop a support group of professionals to whom to delegate the management of their complex financial issues. Our goal is to help families perpetuate their wealth and values, and achieve and protect their financial goals by providing a full range of services for the development, implementation, management and ongoing oversight of a comprehensive wealth strategy.

And, yes, we believe this process can and should be fun. We want you to feel both comfortable, and energized to enjoy the outcomes of your hard work.

For every concern you have about your financial future, whether you're a retiree or just starting to build real wealth, the solutions begin with asking the right questions. We can't wait to begin the conversation.
Services Include
Check the background of Our Firm and Investment Professionals on FINRA's BrokerCheck.*

Individual Plans for Individuals Like You

Goals you set today will evolve over time. Our process is designed to evolve with them- and with the changing circumstances of your life. Holistic in its approach, our planning process will encompass all the elements of your financial and personal life, making sure they align with your current and future goals.

Leveraging a sophisticated suite of analytical tools, as well as decades of industry experience, our team can help you take charge of your financial future and achieve your goals.
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    LifeView Intelligent Planning
    LifeView is a suite of planning tools that includes goal-specific analysis that we can use with our clients to create a realistic, integrated strategy that incorporates the various aspects of an individual’s financial life, including investments and cash management needs.

    Fill out the questionnaire to get started talking with us about creating a personalized strategy for your long-term goals.
    Complete Questionnaire Here
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    Goals Planning System (GPS)
    Goals Planning System (GPS) is Morgan Stanley's own integrated planning tool. Built on the Firm's intellectual capital and capabilities. GPS is an intuitive and efficient platform used to quickly assess whether a client is "On Track" to achieving their financial goals.
    Start Planning Now
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    Intelligent Withdrawals
    Building wealth is a means to an end. Taxes can eat up a significant portion of your assets upon withdrawal. Therefore, it's vital to look at your entire portfolio and coordinate liquidation to help reduce the impact of taxes and potentially improve investment results.

    The decisions you make today can help you save for years to come. Use the resources found in the link below to help get started.
    View Tax-Aware Strategies Here
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    Aladdin - Portfolio Risk Tool
    There’s a chance your portfolio may be at risk, but how you manage that risk is what matters.

    Portfolio Risk Platform – Powered by Aladdin is a risk management platform that provides comprehensive risk estimation and reporting across a broad range of asset classes and security types. This platform provides both an overview and a detailed view to better enable risk to be effectively monitored and managed.
    Learn More About Portfolio Risk Platform
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    Spending and Budgeting Tool
    One way to manage savings is by using Morgan Stanley’s Spending and Budgeting tool. These tools help advisors monitor client cash flows across both internal and external accounts. It also tracks spending patterns and produces an income and expense analysis to help clients achieve their goals by adjusting their spending behavior when necessary.
    Start Using the Tool Today
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    Total Wealth View
    Complete your financial picture with Total Wealth View. By linking your account information, you will benefit from more informed wealth planning, more secure data access, and convenient connectivity.
    Learn more about Total Wealth View

PLANNING FOR YOUR FAMILY'S FINANCIAL NEEDS

Morgan Stanley has the scale and resources to help you manage the complexity through each stage of your financial life.
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    Redefining Family Office
    We look forward to learning more about you and your family, and discussing how we can help you safeguard what you have earned and pursue your most important life goals. We deliver an exceptionally attentive level of service and dedicate ourselves to finding solutions to the challenges our clients face, even those challenges that fall well outside the traditional role of wealth managers.
    Learn More Here
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    Philanthropic Planning
    Your set of philanthropic objectives is as personal as your vision of a better world. Determining your objectives, however, can be challenging when there are so many worthy causes and so many unmet needs.
    Learn More Here
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    Trust & Estate Planning
    With you every step of the way. I analyze your tax and estate structures so that their tax characteristics are accurately incorporated in the asset allocation analysis performed for the client.
    Learn More Here
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    Family Governance
    Particularly in the case of an ultra-high net worth family engaged in a common enterprise, such as running a family business, operating a family office, or simply investing together as a family, it's extremely important to have a sound framework within which to make decisions - in other words, a family governance system.
    Learn More Here
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    Signature Access
    Signature Access
    A broad range of specialty services are available to enrich and enhance the health, safety, comfort, and interests of affluent families, from private aviation, personal security, art advisory, and household staffing, to private health advisory services and advisory services for single family offices.
    Learn More Here
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    Wealth Education
    Financial Literacy means being empowered with the knowledge to make smart financial decisions during every stage of life. Discussing family finances is especially important with adult children, no matter their age. It's not always easy, but starting the conversation is a key step in long-term wealth planning.
    Learn More Here
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    Intergenerational Wealth Planning
    Highly-skilled accountants and estate attorneys are vital to constructing sound wealth-transfer plans, but sometimes it is the matters these experts cannot address that pose the greatest challenges.
    Learn More Here
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    Business Succession Planning
    Selling a business should be the reward for years of entrepreneurial savvy and hard work. Here’s how to make the process go smoothly.
    Learn More Here

Planning Your Future

Our team will work with you to understand what your priorities are during these crucial years and implement a customized strategy for you. Whether it is planning for retirement, transitioning into retirement, or already managing your assets in retirement, our team is equipped with the resources and the knowledge to help you accomplish your personal and financial goals.
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    Creating Your Retirement Blueprint
    These days, it’s common for retirement to span multiple decades—which means your savings really must stretch. Thoughtful planning and early saving can go a long way towards helping you achieve the lifestyle you want in retirement. Setting up your retirement portfolio will be one of the biggest steps you'll take in preparing for your financial future.
    Read more here
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    Understanding Your Savings Vehicles
    When it comes to retirement savings, the most important thing is to get started—after all, time is one of your greatest assets. Although retirement may seem far for some, it is essential to get started on planning for future living expenses, potential education funds, or travel costs. Let us help you educate on ways to grow and preserve your wealth.
    Learn more about 401k strategies
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    The Psychological Transition Into Retirement
    Most retirement preparations focus on financial planning, but it is equally crucial to look at personal considerations and help you with easing the fear of the unknown. Given that many people overlook the psychological adjustments of retirement, we can help you understand why it’s important to be emotionally (not just financially) ready for retirement.
    Read more here
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    Understanding the Risks to Your Retirement
    Once you determine what kind of retirement you want, we will work together to take a closer look at the risks that might be standing between you and your retirement goals. No matter how well you save during the accumulation phase, it’s critical to plan how you convert those assets to income. We can help you navigate the challenges that may arise.
    Read more here
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    The Impact of Taxes
    The strategies you use when drawing down your retirement savings can have a significant impact on how much you’ll pay in taxes and may help you keep more of the returns. Each retiree’s situation is different but establishing a tax management strategy for your investments can help you retain more of your investment returns.
    Read about tax-smart strategies
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    The Millennial and Gen Z Guide to a Sweet Retirement
    If you tell the average twenty-two-year-old that the best time to start saving for retirement is yesterday, they may throw you an incredulous glance. "Are you kidding?" they may say, "I’m not due to retire for another forty years!" Having time on your side is a tremendous advantage. Starting a retirement plan early may be the single easiest way to retire with an impressive nest egg.
    Read more here

Your Guide to Tax-Efficient Planning

The tax decisions you make today can help you save for years to come. Consider these smart tax strategies for your financial plan.
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    Prepare for Tax Day
    The countdown to Tax Day has begun. Here are some steps you can take as the deadline approaches.
    Learn More Here
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    Tax-Efficient Investing
    Tax-efficient investing techniques may help you lower your tax burden and increase your long-term wealth.
    Here Are Some Strategies to Consider
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    Tax Strategies for Retirement
    Taking steps to minimize the impact of taxes on your retirement portfolio can help you enjoy more of your nest egg.
    These Ideas May Help
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    Tax-Smart Giving
    Whether you want to donate to charity or invest in a loved-one’s future, there are tax‐aware ways to make your giving go further.
    Learn More Here

Location

2400 Lakeview Pkwy
Suite 300
Alpharetta, GA 30009
US
Direct:
(770) 643-7605(770) 643-7605
Toll-Free:
(800) 965-3168(800) 965-3168

Meet The Rothfarb Cherniak Group

About Mike Rothfarb

Mike began his career as a financial consultant in 1989 when he joined Smith Barney, a predecessor firm of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. He concentrates his practice on fee-based Investment Management Consulting, and serves a diverse clientele that includes Endowments, Foundations, and entrepreneurial and professional individual investors.

Mike is a Certified Investment Management Consultant, which is earned through the Investment Management Consultants Association (IMCA) in association with The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. The certification, which reflects experience, education, examination, and ethical standards, integrates a complex body of investment knowledge to provide objective investment advice to individuals and institutions. That knowledge is applied systematically and ethically to assist clients in making prudent investment decisions. Mike has also been recognized as an outstanding service professional and awarded the Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors four consecutive years, 2021-2024.

Mike has earned the Family Wealth Advisor Designation (FWA). The FWA designation is granted to those Financial Advisors who have successfully completed an accreditation program focused on the skills needed to help families communicate about money and values, share their goals, and grow and protect wealth across generations. With this specialized knowledge, FWAs are able to provide strategic guidance to families and deliver wealth management strategies that put families – and their collective values and goals first.

He is a graduate of the University of Georgia and a lifelong resident of the Atlanta area. Mike is a resident of Johns Creek, where he lives with his wife and two children. In his leisure time, he enjoys, mountain biking, camping and fly fishing.

Award Disclosure:
Source: Forbes.com (Awarded 2021 - 2024). Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based 12-month time period concluding in June of year prior to the issuance of the award.
Securities Agent: HI, TN, OR, DC, PA, NY, GA, FL, NV, MI, LA, CT, CA, ME, NE, NC, MA, IL, WY, MT, CO, AL, KY, VA, UT, TX, SC, NM, MD; General Securities Representative; Investment Advisor Representative; Managed Futures
NMLS#: 1255723
CA Insurance License #: NMLS # 1255723 CA Insurance #4125896

About Christian Cherniak

I believe success in achieving important financial goals starts with a comprehensive wealth strategy. I will help you define what is most important to you and then formulate the strategies that are best suited for your needs, whether you are accumulating wealth or investing for income, solidifying your retirement plan, or devising a distribution approach that meets your lifestyle and legacy goals.

For over 20 years, I have grown relationships with clients from a wide range of backgrounds. I work with business owners and serial entrepreneurs, marshaling the right resources and helping add structure and process to your financial and personal priorities so you can focus on what you do best. Ultimately, I believe in meeting my clients where they are and communicating consistently around what keeps them up at night.

I am an active flight instructor for Cirrus owners and pilots, and an advocate for aviation in the local and national community. In my spare time I also enjoy cycling and previously raced professionally. I live in Brookhaven with my wife and three children.
Securities Agent: MS, OK, MI, TX, NY, IL, HI, SC, NV, NM, MD, FL, DC, CO, VA, CA, NC, AL, GA, WY, UT, MA, TN, PA, MT, OR, LA, KY; General Securities Representative; Investment Advisor Representative; Managed Futures
NMLS#: 1285223

About Janet Ash

Janet has been with Morgan Stanley since June 2007 as a Client Service Associate, first serving in our Dallas, Texas location.  Since moving to the Atlanta area in September 2008, she has continued as our lead Client Service Associate coordinating the wealth management services administration for our team. Janet's experience with high net worth, fee-based relationships has fostered an unparalleled level of expertise in understanding and exceeding your needs.

Prior to joining our firm, Janet was a Partner in an industrial packaging distribution firm for eleven years. Through her tenure there, she developed experience in management, sales, purchasing and accounting.  Maintaining and growing client relationships meant delivering the best product, on time, competitively priced, with exemplary service.  Without this level of service, a clients entire manufacturing facility could shut down.  Janet's keen ability to understand our clients' needs is instrumental to the success of our team.

About John Dunlap

John is a seasoned financial professional with 19 years of industry experience and a specialty in client service and relationship management. Originally from Cumming, GA, he received his B.S. in Finance at Elon University and his M.B.A. at The University of Georgia. John previously worked as an Investment Associate at JPMorgan Wealth Management for 6.5 years. Prior to JPMorgan, he worked in similar roles at UBS, Fidelity Investments, & Merrill Lynch.

John lives in Alpharetta, GA with his wife, Carol Ann, and his two daughters, Lochlyn (2.5 yrs.) and Elowyn (3 mos.), and their beloved yorkie, Maddie (14 yrs.). He and his wife are avid travelers having recently surpassed 50 countries visited spanning 5 continents. Besides his love for travel, John enjoys photography, writing, and is a devoted sports fan – always cheering on his Braves, Falcons, & Georgia Bulldogs.

The Power of Partnerships

By partnering with experienced individuals across wealth disciplines, Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors can align specialized resources with your custom needs and deliver strategic guidance through the familiarity and trust of existing relationships

About Nikki Roberts

Nikki Roberts is a Private Banker serving Morgan Stanley Wealth Management offices in Georgia.

Private Bankers partner with Financial Advisors to develop a specialized approach for managing clients’ cash flow, liquidity and financing needs, leveraging our comprehensive suite of cash management and lending solutions.

Nikki began her career in financial services in 2007, and joined Morgan Stanley in 2017. Prior to joining the firm, she was a Senior Wealth Management Lending Officer at Merrill Lynch. She also served as a Private Banker and Investment Analyst at JP Morgan’s Private Bank.

Nikki is a graduate of The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where she received a Bachelor of Science in Economics. She lives in Alpharetta, Georgia. Outside of the office, Nikki enjoys reading, listening to live music, and skiing. She volunteers with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the University of Pennsylvania Alumni Club.
NMLS#: 821883

About Michael Cheung

Michael Cheung is a Planning Associate at Morgan Stanley providing dedicated financial planning support to Advisors and their teams. Operating as an extension of the FA/Team, he collaborates with clients to discover and define goals that matter most to them. Leveraging state of the art technology, he will evaluate various alternatives and their potential outcomes to help clients confidently choose the appropriate course of action. Michael provides expertise across a wide suite of Morgan Stanley planning tools designed to assist in the areas of investment accumulation, retirement, education, major purchase, cash flow, risk management, tax efficiency, and wealth transfer planning.

He earned his undergraduate degree from Nebraska Wesleyan University and [received the Financial Planning Specialist® designation from the College for Financial Planning. Michael is originally from Hong Kong and currently resides in New York City, NY.
Wealth Management
Global Investment Office

Portfolio Insights

Retirement

Working with you to understand your life goals and develop a personalized wealth strategy. Today and for the years to come.
  • 401(k) Rollovers
  • IRA Plans
  • Retirement income strategies
  • Retirement plan participants
  • Annuities
4 Financially Smart Ways to Take Money Out of Retirement Accounts
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4 Financially Smart Ways to Take Money Out of Retirement Accounts

Discover how planning for required minimum distributions from retirement accounts can help you fund future needs and support loved ones.

Family

Creating customized financial strategies for the challenges that today’s families face.
  • Estate Planning Strategies
  • 529 Plans / Education Savings Planning
  • Long Term Care Insurance
  • Special Needs Planning
  • Trust Services
Are You Prepared for Tax Day?
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Are You Prepared for Tax Day?

The countdown to Tax Day has begun. Here are some strategies to consider as the deadline approaches.

Business Planning

Helping you on key aspects of your business such as ownership, liquidity and developing opportunities.
  • Succession Planning
  • Business Planning
  • Qualified Retirement Plans
Financial Planning for Life After Selling a Business
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Financial Planning for Life After Selling a Business

Selling your business can mean big changes for your life, both personally and financially. Know how to make the most of your windfall.

Mosaic

Explore ideas and inspiration with captivating, original lifestyle stories created exclusively for Morgan Stanley clients.
A Change of Greenery
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A Change of Greenery

Houseplants add oxygen, flair, and warmth year-round, and the right one in the right space can do just as much for a room as any painting or side table.
Ready to start a conversation? Contact The Rothfarb Cherniak Group today.
Market Information Delayed 20 Minutes
1Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is the trade name of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, a registered broker-dealer in the United States.

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2Morgan Stanley offers a wide array of brokerage and advisory services to its clients, each of which may create a different type of relationship with different obligations to you. Please consult with your Financial Advisor to understand these differences or review our Understanding Your Brokerage and Investment Advisory Relationships brochure available at www.morganstanley.com/wealth-relationshipwithms/pdfs/understandingyourrelationship.pdf.

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3When Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors (collectively, “Morgan Stanley”) provide “investment advice” regarding a retirement or welfare benefit plan account, an individual retirement account or a Coverdell education savings account (“Retirement Account”), Morgan Stanley is a “fiduciary” as those terms are defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), and/or the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”), as applicable. When Morgan Stanley provides investment education, takes orders on an unsolicited basis or otherwise does not provide “investment advice”, Morgan Stanley will not be considered a “fiduciary” under ERISA and/or the Code. For more information regarding Morgan Stanley’s role with respect to a Retirement Account, please visit www.morganstanley.com/disclosures/dol. Tax laws are complex and subject to change. Morgan Stanley does not provide tax or legal advice. Individuals are encouraged to consult their tax and legal advisors (a) before establishing a Retirement Account, and (b) regarding any potential tax, ERISA and related consequences of any investments or other transactions made with respect to a Retirement Account. Individuals should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning, charitable giving, philanthropic planning and other legal matters.

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4When Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors (collectively, “Morgan Stanley”) provide “investment advice” regarding a retirement or welfare benefit plan account, an individual retirement account or a Coverdell education savings account (“Retirement Account”), Morgan Stanley is a “fiduciary” as those terms are defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), and/or the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”), as applicable. When Morgan Stanley provides investment education, takes orders on an unsolicited basis or otherwise does not provide “investment advice”, Morgan Stanley will not be considered a “fiduciary” under ERISA and/or the Code. For more information regarding Morgan Stanley’s role with respect to a Retirement Account, please visit www.morganstanley.com/disclosures/dol. Tax laws are complex and subject to change. Morgan Stanley does not provide tax or legal advice. Individuals are encouraged to consult their tax and legal advisors (a) before establishing a Retirement Account, and (b) regarding any potential tax, ERISA and related consequences of any investments or other transactions made with respect to a Retirement Account. Individuals should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning, charitable giving, philanthropic planning and other legal matters.

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Check the background of our Firm and Investment Professionals on FINRA's BrokerCheck*.

The information, products and services described here are intended only for individuals residing in states where this Financial Advisor is properly registered as described in this site.

Morgan Stanley reserves the right, to the extent permitted under applicable law, to retain and monitor all electronic communications. Morgan Stanley will not accept purchase or sale orders via any Internet site, social media site and/or its messaging systems. Morgan Stanley does not endorse and is not responsible and assumes no liability for content, products or services posted by third-parties on any Internet site, social media site and/or its messaging systems. All electronic communications are subject to terms available at the following link:
https://www.morganstanley.com/disclaimers/mswm-email.html. Any profiles and associated content are for U.S. residents only.

The securities/instruments, services, investments and investment strategies discussed in this material may not be appropriate for all investors. The appropriateness of a particular investment, investment strategy or service will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC recommends that investors independently evaluate particular investments, strategies and services, and encourages investors to seek the advice of a Financial Advisor or Private Wealth Advisor. This material does not provide individually tailored investment advice. It has been prepared without regard to the individual financial circumstances and objectives of persons who receive it.

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Individuals should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for legal matters.

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”) is not implying an affiliation, sponsorship, endorsement with/of the third party or that any monitoring is being done by Morgan Stanley of any information contained within the website. Morgan Stanley is not responsible for the information contained on the third-party website or the use of or inability to use such site. Nor do we guarantee their accuracy or completeness.

The views, opinions or advice contained within third party websites or materials are solely those of the author, who is not a Morgan Stanley employee, and do not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, or its affiliates. The strategies and/or investments referenced may not be appropriate for all investors as the appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives.

*References to length of service at Morgan Stanley include years at Morgan Stanley and predecessor firms.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and federally registered CFP (with flame design) in the U.S, which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.

The use of the CDFA designation does not permit the rendering of legal advice by Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors which may only be done by a licensed attorney.  The CDFA designation is not intended to imply that either Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors are acting as experts in this field.

Awards Disclosures
CRC 6491812 (04/2024)