Professional alliances

Better serve clients and enhance your practice by working with an Ameriprise financial advisor in a professional alliance. Our program is designed to help professionals (CPAs, tax professionals, attorneys, and sports agents) create a positive end-to-end client experience that can fully address all your clients’ financial challenges. Relationships are about the trust you’ve worked to create and maintain with your clients.

Professional Alliance Program benefits: 

• Improve your clients’ experience: Clients today expect a higher level of service– particularly the affluent. They expect a deeper level of commitment and want you to help them find ways to address all of their financial challenges. When properly implemented, alliances provide the client with a higher quality client experience and a greater appreciation for the relationship.
• Increase client retention: Strengthen long-term loyalty by adding value to your existing relationships.
• Distinguish yourself from among your peers: Stand out with a point of differentiation. Offer your clients a more sophisticated solution to their needs while still focusing on your core strengths. Your expertise is why they stay with you.

Program options:

• We can work together in a collaborative approach allowing you to do what you do best and for our advisors to do what they do best -- financial planning and investment management.
• There are a number of ways we can work together, from very informal to formal. You choose the option that works best for you, your clients, and your practice.
• It’s important to understand the differences in each level, and to make sure you have a good understanding of the different options available to you. 

Level 1: Informal Partnership

• You and the advisor have a solid knowledge of each other’s business and are simply in a position to cross-refer when appropriate.
• We can also provide educational workshops as a benefit to your clients.
• With this option, there are no licensing requirements, agreements or payments involved.

Level 2: For non-licensed professionals - Fixed payment for referral

• A formal alliance between you and the financial advisor without the prerequisite of a securities license, that allows you to share financially in the success when clients open an Ameriprise brokerage account within the first 12 months of their relationship with Ameriprise.
• There is no time commitment or annual licensing fee required.
• You may obtain a securities license at any time to move to the licensed option.

Level 3: For licensed professionals - Compensation for referral

• A formal alliance between you (CPA, tax professional, attorney, or sports agent) and the financial advisor with the prerequisite of a securities license(s).
• You refer clients and are compensated based on licenses held when client has fee or commissionable event.
• To qualify to share this compensation, you must be licensed for the specific products sold and must be registered in the state where the client resides.
• For this option, you must hold/obtain at least a Series 6 and 63 to participate. The program recommends all professionals obtain a Series 7/63/65 or 66 and State Insurance license to maximize the potential benefit of the program.
• Advisor covers the costs of licensing, processing payments and program management.

Level 4: Associate Financial Advisor (AFA)

• You may choose to leverage your talent and expertise and become part of an independent Ameriprise financial advisor practice so together you can deliver financial advice directly to your clients.
• You can maintain your own tax practice as an outside business activity and join the Ameriprise financial advisor’s team as an Associate Financial Advisor.
• Speak to an Ameriprise advisor about field licensing and registration requirements.

Why partner with Ameriprise Financial

Ameriprise Financial has more than 115 years of helping clients plan for and achieve their financial goals. We are strong and growing — we weathered the financial crisis without taking any TARP funds. We’ve earned credibility by growing responsibly, making sound investments and prudently managing risk. We develop deep, long-lasting client relationships with our comprehensive approach to financial planning and broad set of product solutions.