To retain the CGFM certification, all CGFMs must adhere to the AGA’s Code of Ethics. In addition, to continue using the CGFM designation after their name, CGFMs must be in an active status.
Active Status
To maintain the CGFM certification in an active status, CGFMs are required to:
By submitting their annual renewal payment, CGFMs affirm that they have and will continue to abide by AGA’s Code of Ethics and that they have fulfilled the minimum CPE Requirements.
Annual Renewal Requirement
All active CGFMs must renew their certification annually. At the beginning of each year, invoices will be sent to all active CGFMs. Annual CGFM renewal payments are due by March 31. AGA reserves the right to periodically adjust the renewal rates of $30 for AGA members and $65 for nonmembers. AGA membership is not required for the CGFM certification; however, AGA members who do wish to renew their AGA membership must pay the nonmember CGFM renewal fee of $65.00.
By submitting their annual renewal payment, CGFMs affirm that they have and will continue to abide by AGA’s Code of Ethics and that they have fulfilled the minimum CPE Requirements.
CGFMs must promptly notify AGA of any change of mailing address. It is the responsibility of each CGFM to pay the annual CGFM renewal fee, even if that individual did not receive an invoice from AGA.
Click here to renew your CGFM.
Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Requirements
All active CGFMs are required to complete at least 80 hours of continuing professional education (CPE) every two years in government financial management topics or related technical subjects. The 80 CPE hours must be completed within the CGFM’s two-year CPE cycle. See Calendar of CPE cycles.
CGFMs do not need to submit supporting documentation of the CPE hours at the time of renewal. The payment itself serves as the CGFM's affirmation of his or her compliance with the CPE requirements. CGFMs are required to maintain supporting documentation on CPE hours earned for a minimum of three years and provide it to AGA upon request. This documentation may be requested by AGA as part of the annual audit of a random sample of CGFMs.
Waivers or extensions on earning CPE hours are granted on an individual case basis. All requests for waivers must be sent in writing to the AGA’s Office of Professional Certification no later than April 30 in the year following the end of the two-year CPE cycle.
The CPE requirements page contains detailed information on CGFM CPE requirements.
Retired Status
Individuals who have permanently retired from AND are not working in the field of financial management can request an adjustment of their status to “retired” by contacting AGA’s Office of Professional Certification (by mail or e-mail at cgfm@agacgfm.org). Individals should include their date of retirement and confirm that they are not working in the field of financial management.
CGFMs must be active at the time of retirement in order for their status to be changed to “retired”; if the CGFM first becomes inactive, the individual must reactivate the designation before being able to change the CGFM status to “retired.” Therefore, CGFMs retiring in the second half of the year should renew their designation that year—to avoid their CGFM become inactive and not being able to adjust it to “retired” status.
Additional clarifications for the retired status definition:
- Individuals must be fully retired, not just stop working or change fields.
- Individuals must be fully retired AND not working in the field. Individuals who have retired but continue working part-time, consulting, teaching or working as a contractor in the field of financial management are NOT considered retired.
- The field of financial management includes not-for-profit and private sectors (for example, CPA firms)—individuals working in these sectors are NOT considered retired.
- If an individual retires and then starts working in another field with no responsibilities for financial management (for example, working as a florist), that individual is considered retired.
- Volunteering does not count as “working in the field”—individuals can volunteer and qualify for retired status; however, AGA members/CGFMs are encouraged to maintain the active status if the nature of the volunteer work requires current expertise in government financial management.
- The election of the retired status is voluntary—individuals who are retired but want to maintain their AGA membership/CGFM in the active status can do so by fulfilling the active status requirements.
- Individuals who are both AGA members and CGFMs who want to change their status to retired, must do so for both membership and certification.
CGFMs in retired status are not required to remit the CGFM renewal fee or earn the 80 CPE hours. CGFMs in retired status can continue to use the CGFM designation, but must clearly indicate their retired status by using “CGFM-Retired” after their name and using “Retired” or “Retired status” on a resume, bio or other statements of qualification. Newly retired CGFMs should keep the CPEs from their last CPE cycle during which they were active for at least three years, as they may still be audited for that CPE cycle.
If retired CGFMs return to work in the financial management field, they must contact AGA's Office of Professional Certification to reactivate their CGFM designation. NOTE: CGFMs who want to change their status from retired to active would need to follow the same reactivation requirements as inactive CGFMs (see Inactive Status below).
Inactive Status
If a CGFM fails to meet the requirements to maintain the CGFM in an active or retired status, the CGFM becomes inactive.
Inactive CGFMs may not present themselves as CGFMs either in writing or orally or display the CGFM certificate. Any reference to the CGFM designation on a resume, bio or other statements of qualification must clearly indicate that the CGFM is inactive.
Inactive CGFMs may request a reactivation by complying with current reactivation requirements, but may not use the “CGFM” after their name until after they receive a written confirmation from the AGA’s Office of Professional Certification that their reactivation submission has been approved.
Current reactivation requirements:
- Submitting a completed CPE report listing at least 40 CPE hours earned within the last 12 months with required back-up documentation (Note: The report will not be accepted without required back-up documentation. See Guidelines document for more details. The report and the documentation must be submitted no later than 30 calendar days after the end of the 12-month period).
- Paying the current year’s renewal fee and reactivation fee (see Payment Form).
Professional Certification Board reserves the right to revise the reactivation policy without notice.
A CGFM can remain in inactive status for up to five consecutive years. After that period, the CGFM is voided. A CGFM can only enter inactive status twice. The third time the CGFM is automatically voided.
Voided Status
CGFM designation will be voided if the holder is inactive for longer than five consecutive years or enters inactive status for the third time.
Individuals who have had their CGFM certification voided may not present themselves as CGFMs either in writing or orally and must remove any reference to their CGFM designation on a resume, bio or other statement of qualifications. They must also destroy or return their CGFM certificate to AGA.
Individuals seeking reinstatement need to reapply for the CGFM Program as new candidates.
Certification Revocation
The Professional Certification Board reserves the right to revoke any certification for cause as determined by the PCB. Cause may include, but is not limited to a violation of AGA's Code of Ethics, repeated violations of the CGFM policies, or actions discreditable to the CGFM Program.
Individuals who have had their CGFM certification revoked may not present themselves as CGFMs either in writing or orally and must remove any reference to their CGFM designation on a resume, bio or other statement of qualifications. They must also destroy or return their CGFM certificate to AGA.