The Mercadien Group is pleased to announce that two of the firm’s managing directors, Marguerite L. Mount and Michelle V. Everman, have been awarded the Personal Financial Specialist (PFS^SM) credential by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), joining an elite group of professionals who have demonstrated advanced knowledge of tax, estate, retirement, investment and insurance planning.

The PFS credential is awarded only to CPAs with extensive training and experience in financial planning and who meet rigorous requirements, including completing at least 75 hours of personal financial planning education, demonstrating 3,000 hours of planning experience within the previous five-year period, and passing a comprehensive exam covering 11 topic areas.  In addition, they must be a member in good standing with the AICPA, bound to the Code of Professional Conduct and Statement on Standards in Personal Financial Planning Services, and meet recertification requirements every three years.

Both Mount, leader of Mercadien, P.C., CPAs’ Individual Services Group, and Everman, who heads the Family Office practice, are Certified Public Accountants and Chartered Global Management Accountants and provide tax, advisory, strategic, financial and estate planning services to individuals, families and closely-held businesses.  Ms. Mount stated, “By supplementing our experience, certifications and technical training in accountancy and taxation with the PFS credential, we demonstrate our commitment to providing the highest level of expert financial planning services to clients.  That translates to comprehensive, objective and smart financial and milestone planning and strategies that put their needs and interests first.”

The Mercadien Group is a family of companies created to serve the diverse and sophisticated needs of clients in a capacity greater than any single organization can offer. Comprised of six distinct entities and over 120 employees, the firm provides accounting, auditing, tax planning and compliance, management consulting, technology, wealth management, outsourcing, and investment banking services. A team of trusted advisors working together in one place, The Mercadien Group shares a broad knowledge base and creates seamless solutions that meet clients’ personal and business objectives. Learn more at Mercadien.com.