Guide · Credentials & Qualifications
What Is a CPA-CFP® Financial Advisor?
A CPA-CFP® financial advisor holds both a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license and a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®) designation — combining tax expertise with comprehensive financial planning credentials. This dual-credential combination allows a single advisor or team to handle tax preparation, tax planning strategy, investment management, and retirement planning without requiring clients to maintain separate relationships with an accountant and a financial planner.
The Core Concept
Two Credentials. One Advisor. One Roof.
Most people hire a financial advisor for investments and a CPA for taxes. These two professionals often work at separate firms, communicate infrequently, and operate with incomplete views of your financial life. The result is advice that may be sound in isolation but costly in combination.
A CPA-CFP® financial advisor — or a firm where both credentials are held under one roof — closes that gap. Tax planning and financial planning are treated as a single coordinated system, not two separate services handed off between offices.
At United Financial Planning Group, our team holds both CPA and CFP® credentials. Gerry Barrasso, CPA, CFP®, PFS, founded the firm specifically because he saw the financial cost of advisors and accountants who never spoke to each other.
At a Glance
CPA (Certified Public Accountant)
State-licensed accounting credential. Authorizes the holder to prepare and sign tax returns, conduct audits, and provide tax advisory services.
CFP® (CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®)
National designation governed by the CFP Board. Covers financial planning, investment management, retirement planning, and estate coordination.
The Combination
Tax preparation, tax planning strategy, investment management, and retirement income planning — coordinated by the same team, in real time.
Understanding the Credentials
What a CPA Does vs. What a CFP® Does
These are distinct credentials with different requirements, governing bodies, and scopes. Understanding each one helps clarify why holding both — or working with a firm that does — creates a meaningful advantage.
| Dimension | CPA | CFP® |
|---|---|---|
| Governing Body | State board of accountancy (e.g., NYSSCPA in New York) | CFP Board (national, independent nonprofit) |
| Core Expertise | Tax preparation, tax law, auditing, accounting, financial reporting | Financial planning, investment strategy, retirement planning, insurance, estate planning |
| Education Requirement | 150 credit hours of college education (typically 5-year accounting program) | Bachelor's degree plus CFP Board-registered education program |
| Exam | Uniform CPA Exam (4 sections, administered by AICPA) | CFP® Exam (170 questions across financial planning competencies) |
| Experience Requirement | Typically 1–2 years under a licensed CPA | 6,000 hours of professional experience (or 4,000 in an apprenticeship path) |
| Fiduciary Standard | Subject to professional standards; does not automatically require fiduciary duty for all engagements | CFP® professionals are required to act as fiduciaries when providing financial planning services |
| Can File Tax Returns | Yes — licensed to prepare and sign returns | Not automatically — requires CPA, EA, or attorney license to prepare and sign |
| Oversees Investment Portfolios | Not in scope of CPA license alone | Yes, when registered as an investment advisor (RIA) |
Table reflects general credential requirements as of 2026. Individual state requirements may vary. Consult your state's board of accountancy and the CFP Board for the most current standards.
The Real Advantage
What the CPA-CFP® Combination Unlocks
When the same advisor — or the same tightly coordinated team — holds both credentials, certain decisions that require simultaneous tax and financial planning analysis can be made with complete information, not guesswork.
Roth Conversion Decisions
Converting to a Roth IRA may make sense from a long-term tax perspective — but only if the conversion amount, timing, and income level are modeled against your current tax bracket, future required minimum distributions (RMDs), and Medicare premium thresholds simultaneously. A CPA-CFP® team can model all of these variables before recommending a course of action.
Tax-Efficient Investment Strategy
Portfolio rebalancing, tax-loss harvesting, and asset location decisions each carry tax consequences. When your investment manager and tax preparer are on the same team, rebalancing decisions can be evaluated against your current tax exposure before they are executed — not discovered after the fact.
Equity Compensation Planning
Incentive Stock Options (ISOs), Non-Qualified Stock Options (NSOs), and RSUs each carry distinct tax rules. Deciding when to exercise or sell requires modeling Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) exposure, ordinary income implications, and concentration risk — all at once. This is where the CPA and CFP® expertise intersect most directly.
Retirement Income Sequencing
Which accounts you draw from first in retirement, and in what order, has significant tax consequences that compound over decades. An integrated CPA-CFP® team can model withdrawal sequences across taxable, tax-deferred, and Roth accounts alongside Social Security timing and RMD projections.
Business Owner Planning
For self-employed professionals and business owners, decisions about entity structure, compensation strategy, and retirement plan selection (SEP-IRA, Solo 401(k), defined benefit plan) affect both the business tax return and the personal financial plan. Fragmented advisors often miss how these two sides interact.
Year-Round Tax Preparation Context
When your tax preparer already knows your financial plan, investment decisions, and major life events — because they were involved throughout the year — your tax return reflects the full picture. Decisions made in July get captured in April, rather than arriving as surprises at filing.
The AICPA's Financial Planning Credential
What Does PFS Mean for a Financial Advisor?
The Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) designation is awarded exclusively to CPAs by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). It signifies that a CPA has completed additional education in financial planning and has met the experience requirements to advise on retirement, investment, estate, and tax planning in a coordinated way.
A CPA holding the PFS credential has, in effect, demonstrated that their tax expertise extends into comprehensive financial planning — not just tax return preparation.
Gerry Barrasso, CPA, CFP®, PFS — President and Founder
Gerry holds all three designations: CPA (licensed in New York), CFP® (CFP Board certified), and PFS (AICPA). He began his career as a CPA with Price Waterhouse in 1991 and founded United Financial Planning Group after observing how fragmented financial advice created avoidable costs for clients. Learn more about Gerry's background.
When You Need Both
Who Benefits Most from a CPA-CFP® Advisor?
Not every financial situation requires both credentials working in concert — but certain life situations generate planning complexity where the gap between a CPA and a financial advisor becomes genuinely costly.
Equity Compensation Recipients
ISOs, NSOs, RSUs, and ESPPs require tax modeling before exercise or sale decisions. AMT exposure, ordinary income timing, and portfolio concentration all intersect.
Pre-Retirees and Retirees
Roth conversions, Social Security timing, RMD management, and withdrawal sequencing each carry tax consequences that compound if modeled in isolation.
Business Owners and Self-Employed Professionals
Entity structure, owner compensation, retirement plan selection, and exit strategy each affect both the business return and personal financial plan simultaneously.
High-Income Dual-Earner Households
On Long Island and in the New York metro area, combined federal, state, and local tax rates can significantly reduce take-home income. Tax-efficient investment structuring, Roth conversion windows, and deduction planning all require coordinated advice.
Therapists and Private Practice Owners
Self-employment tax strategy, practice retirement plan selection, and health insurance planning each require integration of business and personal finances that most CFP-only or CPA-only advisors handle separately.
United Financial Planning Group
The Firm Behind the Credentials
United Financial Planning Group is a fee-only Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) based in Hauppauge, NY, with offices in Lake Success and Manhattan. The firm's team holds CPA, CFP®, EA, ChFC®, CLU®, PFS, and RICP® credentials — and is a member of NAPFA, the Garrett Planning Network, and the XY Planning Network.
30+
Years of collective experience in financial planning, tax, and wealth management
$0
Commissions ever — fee-only, fiduciary model with no product incentives
3
Office locations: Hauppauge, Lake Success, and Manhattan — plus nationwide virtual service
5+
Professional designations held across the team: CPA, CFP®, PFS, EA, ChFC®, CLU®, RICP®
Due Diligence
How to Verify a CPA-CFP® Advisor's Credentials
Credential claims are easy to make. Legitimate advisors welcome verification — and the major credentialing bodies maintain free, public databases for exactly this purpose. Before engaging any financial advisor, we recommend confirming credentials directly.
Understanding the two most important questions to ask a financial advisor — their compensation model and their business structure — is a strong starting point for any due diligence process.
For Long Island clients, New York CPA licenses are verifiable through the New York State Education Department's Office of the Professions. CFP® certification can be confirmed directly at the CFP Board's website. RIA registration and Form ADV disclosures are available through the SEC's public EDGAR database.
Verify the CPA License (New York)
Check the New York State Education Department's Office of the Professions license verification database. Enter the advisor's name to confirm their CPA license is active and in good standing.
Search: op.nysed.gov/opsearches.htm
Confirm CFP® Certification
The CFP Board maintains a free "Find a CFP Professional" search tool. You can confirm whether an advisor is certified, in good standing, and whether any disciplinary history exists.
Search: cfp.net/find-a-cfp-professional
Review SEC RIA Registration and Form ADV
All Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) are required to file Form ADV with the SEC, disclosing their services, fees, investment strategies, and any disciplinary history. Form ADV Part 2A is a plain-language brochure available to the public.
Search: adviserinfo.sec.gov | United FPG Form ADV Part 2A
Confirm Fee-Only Status
NAPFA (National Association of Personal Financial Advisors) maintains a member directory of fee-only advisors who have committed to a strict fiduciary oath and compensation model. Membership requires that the advisor receive no commissions from any source.
Search: napfa.org/find-an-advisor
Our Team
The Credentials Behind United FPG
Every advisor at United Financial Planning Group is credentialed in both the financial planning and tax disciplines. This is not a coincidence — it is the founding premise of the firm.
Gerry Barrasso
President and Founder
30+ years of experience. Began at Price Waterhouse in 1991. Founded United FPG to eliminate the cost of fragmented financial advice.
View full profileRyan Derousseau
Financial Advisor
Specializes in growing families, career changers, therapists, and the self-employed. CFP® and Enrolled Agent — authorized to represent clients before the IRS.
View full profileJose Vivero
Financial Advisor
Over a decade of experience. Holds the RICP® (Retirement Income Certified Professional) designation — specialized expertise in retirement income planning.
View full profileMichael Barrasso
Director of Business Development
Oversees firm growth and client experience. Brings a background in high-growth B2B environments to the operational side of the practice.
View full profileProfessional Memberships
United Financial Planning Group is a member of NAPFA (National Association of Personal Financial Advisors), the Garrett Planning Network, the XY Planning Network, the Fee Only Network, and the AICPA. Gerry Barrasso's CFP® certification is verified through the CFP Board; his CPA license is maintained in New York State. The firm is a SEC-registered investment advisor and publishes Form ADV, Form CRS, and its Privacy Policy publicly at unitedfpg.com/compliance.
What Our Clients Say
Selected reviews from verified Wealthtender Certified Advisor Reviews™ relevant to this topic — not representative of all client experiences.
Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
"An Advisor You Can Trust"
My husband and I have been working with Gerry for about a year and a half. I only wish we would have engaged him sooner. He is a very nice man who truly cares about his clients. Gerry makes you feel comfortable and is always available to answer questions. He is very kind, patient, smart, and knowledgeable. I feel relieved that our investments are now being managed by a true professional and confident that Gerry and his staff will continue to expertly manage our finances well into retirement. Gerry is not only a CFP, but also a CPA, and prepares our tax returns. I highly recommend him.
Regina Pinzon
Jan 29, 2024
Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
"It's like working with a friend."
My wife and I began working with Gerry 7 years ago when we decided we needed professional guidance in our investment portfolio. Gerry has been great in understanding our needs, which include college, wedding, and retirement planning. Gerry has the perfect demeanor to make us feel comfortable in discussing investment, tax, and strategic planning of our assets. He has a calm and gentle approach; he is well informed and on top of the current industry trends. I am particularly pleased to be able to use his software "Right Capital" to view our portfolio on-line and input "what if" scenarios to see if our retirement objectives are on track. With this software I can see a retirement success percentage which gives us comfort and our investments are meeting our expectations and goals. I would highly recommend Gerry to anyone looking for financial guidance both as a CFP and CPA you have the best of both worlds in investment strategy and tax implications. We look forward to many years working with Gerry to continue to grow our investments and secure a long and happy retirement. Jerry & Maria Dresel
Jerry Maria Dresel
Dec 15, 2023
Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
"Professional, Knowledge, Trustworthy Advisor"
My wife and I began working with Gerry in late 2014 prior to both if us entering retirement. Having spent over 35 years in the financial services industry I knew it was important to have independent fiduciary investment and tax advice. We researched and interviewed more than a few advisors and following our initial meeting with Gerry we both knew he would be a great fit for us. Among the reasons we decided to have Gerry manage our assets is his overall approach to working with clients. He is patient, listens, empathetic and explains things in a clear and straight forward manner. We also appreciate that Gerry is our CPA, thus giving him a complete understanding of our financial picture. Gerry developed a long-term plan that incorporated our income sources, investments and risk tolerances. Gerry has always made himself available to us for any questions or issues large or small. We believe that his approach to working with people filters to his staff (Patricia Watkins) who is also very capable and responsive. Transitioning to retirement can be challenging. During this phase, Gerry was instrumental in helping us navigate the many decisions we would be making going from full-time work to retirement. Of note was our decision to relocate from New York to Florida and the financial impact of that decision. Over the almost 10 years, Gerry has provided steady and informed advice especially during times of significant fluctuations in the global economy, stock and bond markets. We truly enjoy working with Gerry and have no hesitation to recommend him to others who require financial planning and/or tax planning services. Give him a call, you won't be disappointed.
Bob Porwick
Dec 7, 2023
The reviews displayed above were written by current clients and are not representative of all client experiences. Reviewers received no compensation and have no material conflicts of interest unless otherwise noted. Read all reviews on Wealthtender →
Frequently Asked Questions
Common Questions About CPA-CFP® Advisors
Is a CPA better than a financial advisor?
A CPA and a financial advisor serve different but complementary functions. A CPA specializes in tax compliance, tax law, and accounting — including preparing and filing tax returns. A CFP® financial advisor specializes in comprehensive financial planning, investment management, and retirement strategy. Neither is inherently "better" — they address different needs. The most comprehensive advice typically comes from a firm where both functions are handled by the same coordinated team, so tax consequences are factored into every financial decision before it is made, not discovered at filing.
What is a CPA financial planner?
A CPA financial planner is a Certified Public Accountant who also provides comprehensive financial planning services — typically by also holding a CFP® designation or the AICPA's PFS (Personal Financial Specialist) credential. This combination allows a single professional to advise on tax strategy and financial planning in an integrated manner, rather than treating them as separate disciplines. Not every CPA offers financial planning services; the additional credentials indicate that the professional has met the education, examination, and experience requirements for both disciplines.
Do I need both a CPA and a financial advisor?
Whether you need both depends on the complexity of your financial situation. If you have straightforward finances, a single professional may suffice. However, if your situation involves equity compensation (stock options or RSUs), pre-retirement income planning, a business with both personal and entity tax implications, or complex investment portfolios, having both a CPA and a CFP®-credentialed financial advisor involved can help ensure decisions are coordinated rather than made in isolation. The most practical version of this is working with a firm that holds both credentials, eliminating the coordination burden on you.
What does PFS mean for a financial advisor?
PFS stands for Personal Financial Specialist, a designation awarded exclusively to CPAs by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). It indicates that a CPA has completed additional education and met the experience requirements to provide comprehensive personal financial planning — including retirement, investment, estate, and tax planning. The PFS credential is only available to licensed CPAs, making it a signal that the professional has deep tax expertise alongside formal financial planning training.
Is a CFP® better than a CPA for retirement planning?
For retirement planning specifically, a CFP® designation indicates training in retirement income strategies, Social Security optimization, withdrawal sequencing, and portfolio management — areas that go beyond what a CPA license covers. However, retirement planning is inherently tax-sensitive: Roth conversions, RMD management, and Social Security timing all have direct tax implications. For this reason, advisors who hold both CFP® and CPA credentials (or work in a firm that combines both) may be better positioned to model retirement decisions with full tax consequences in view, rather than treating the financial and tax sides separately.
Should I get a CFP or CPA for financial planning?
For comprehensive financial planning that includes investment management, retirement strategy, and estate coordination, a CFP® designation is the relevant credential. For tax preparation and tax advisory services, a CPA license is required. If you are looking for someone to handle both functions — advising on investments and managing your taxes — you should look for an advisor who holds both credentials, or work with a firm where CFP®-credentialed and CPA-credentialed professionals collaborate directly on your financial plan.
United Financial Planning Group
Stop Coordinating Between Your CPA and Financial Advisor
At United Financial Planning Group, financial planning, investment management, tax planning, and tax preparation are handled by the same team. Your Roth conversion decisions, investment rebalancing, and equity compensation strategy are all modeled with the full tax picture in view — before you act, not after.
We serve clients in Hauppauge, Lake Success, Manhattan, and throughout Long Island and New York City. Virtual service is available nationwide.
Phone: (631) 234-0871 · Email: info@unitedfpg.com · Long Island Locations