Barry M. Corkern
CFP®, AIFA®
Barry M. Corkern & Co., Inc.
Owner
Barry M. Corkern
CFP®, AIFA®
Barry M. Corkern & Co., Inc.
Owner
As a fee-only financial planner, my focus is to offer unbiased financial advice to help you achieve your life goals. - Barry M. Corkern, CFP®, AIFA®
Fee-Only financial planner located in Little Rock, AR, serving clients locally and across the country

Barry M. Corkern is a Little Rock, AR fee-only financial planner. Barry M. Corkern & Co., Inc. provides private wealth management, estate planning, and tax planning to help individuals and business owners organize, grow and protect their assets through life’s transitions. As a fee-only, fiduciary, and independent financial advisor, Barry M. Corkern is never paid a commission of any kind, and has a legal obligation to provide unbiased and trustworthy financial advice.
Prior to forming his own firm, Barry M. Corkern recognized that selling financial products for a commission was an obstacle to the client making informed decisions. He realized that people prefer to make financial decisions unclouded by commission-driven sales rhetoric. This led him to become the first person in Arkansas to register solely as an investment advisor. Corkern, as a fiduciary advisor, acts in the clients’ interests at all times and is not motivated by any third-party compensation.
Corkern led the firm to CEFEX (Center for Fiduciary Excellence) certification, which was a first in the State of Arkansas. This certification is only granted by CEFEX to firms that demonstrate adherence to astringent fiduciary best practices. It is a hallmark accomplishment, as it signifies conformity to a recognized global standard of fiduciary excellence and subjects the firm to a rigorous, multi-month audit and certification process.
Corkern has been designated as one of the best financial planners in the United States by Money Magazine and Bloomberg Wealth Manager Magazine. Arkansas Money & Politics has named him to the state list of Best Financial Advisors (reader nominated) as well as named Barry M. Corkern and Co., Inc a “Company of Distinction” in Arkansas.
Although Corkern is not currently securities licensed, he has held the NASD General Securities representative and principal, variable annuity/variable life, mutual funds, and direct participation licenses.
Barry M. Corkern is a Member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors

The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) is a leading professional association of Fee-Only financial advisors - highly trained professionals who are committed to working in the best interests of those they serve.
NAPFA members live by three important values:
- To be the beacon for independent, objective financial advice for individuals and families.
- To be the champion of financial services delivered in the public interest.
- To be the standard bearer for the emerging profession of financial planning.
At Barry M. Corkern and Company, we help clients recognize their individual view of happiness and fulfillment, so they can determine which personal expenditures further their progress toward their personal goals.
Barry M. Corkern & Co., Inc. is a registered investment advisor with the SEC. For more than 30 years, Barry M. Corkern, CFP®, AIFA® has guided individuals, multiple generations of the same family, business owners, endowments, foundations and retirement plans to make profound impact on their financial decisions and planning. With longer experience in fee-based wealth management than any other Arkansas wealth manager, Barry provides expert, timely and strategic information to a select group of clients with complex financial needs. His clients reside in Arkansas and six other states.
Barry has provided case preparation and testified in more than 70 cases in arbitration, federal, state and circuit court as an expert on various cases which involve Inappropriate and unsuitable investment transactions and sales. His Accredited Investment Fiduciary Analyst® certification authorizes him perform fiduciary audits for private trusts, qualified plans, endowments and foundations. His firm is CEFEX certified which assures adherence to the best fiduciary practice standards. He has been designated as one of the best financial planners in the United States by Money Magazine and Bloomberg Wealth Manager Magazine.
Fee-Only, Fiduciary, Independent: Three Important Criteria to Consider When Choosing a Financial Advisor.
Specialties
- Comprehensive Financial Planning
- Retirement Income Planning
- Investment Management
- College Education Planning
- Tax Planning
Ideal Clients
- Retirees and Near Retirees
- Growing Families
- Business Owners and Executives
- Sudden Money Situations
- Novice Investors
Working Together
- In-Office Meetings
- Virtual Meetings
- Clearly Defined Fees
- No Product Sales
- Complimentary Initial Consultation
Professional Designations & Affiliations
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Barry M. Corkern is a NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisor
The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) is a leading professional association of Fee-Only financial advisors—highly trained professionals who are committed to working in the best interests of those they serve.
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Barry M. Corkern is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional - Click for Verification
CFP® professionals are held to strict ethical standards to ensure financial planning recommendations are in your best interest. What’s more, a CFP® professional must acquire several years of experience related to delivering financial planning services to clients and pass the comprehensive CFP® Certification Exam before they can use the CFP® designation.
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Barry M. Corkern is a member of The Financial Planning Association® (FPA®)
FPA® is the largest membership organization for CFP® professionals in the U.S. and supports high standards of professional competence, ethical conduct, and clear, complete disclosure when serving clients.
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Barry M. Corkern is an Accredited Investment Fiduciary Analyst® (AIFA®)
Accredited Investment Fiduciary Analyst® (AIFA®) Designation training is considered to be the master’s level coursework to the AIF® Designation. AIFA® Designees are certified to perform fiduciary assessments on internal policies, procedures and workflows to verify or certify an entity's conformity to a "Global Fiduciary Standard of Excellence.” Only AIF® Designees in good standing have the foundational skills needed to qualify for the AIFA® Designation training.
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Barry M. Corkern & Co., Inc. has earned the Centre for Fiduciary Excellence (CEFEX) Investment Advisor certification.
The independent CEFEX Investment Advisor certification demonstrates adherence to a best-practice standard.
CEFEX advisory firms adhere to the Global Fiduciary Standard of Excellence. This means they act in the best interest of investors. This is in contrast with a firm that lacks a fiduciary process. The fiduciary standard offers a consistency of interpretation and implementation, which facilitates the transfer of knowledge between the advisor, clients, vendors and regulators.
The objective is simple: to protect investors.
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Barry M. Corkern Named one of Arkansas's Money and Politics 2021 Best Financial Advisors
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Barry M. Corkern is Featured in Little Rock Soiree: "Meet Your Financial Planner: Barry M. Corkern and Company Inc."
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Barry M. Corkern Discusses "How to legally and financially protect your children after they turn 18" on THV 11 News
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Barry M. Corkern is Co-Founder of Financial Decisions, Inc.
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Barry M. Corkern is Quoted on CNN Money: "Teaming Up for a Goal Rival financial planners join forces to make advice more accessible to the public"
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Barry M. Corkern Co-Authored the Book Widowed: Beginning Again Personally and Financially
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Barry M. Corkern is Interviewed on the Up In Your Buisness Podcast
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Barry M. Corkern is Quoted in Financial Advisor Magazine: "Finding the Target"
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Barry M. Corkern is Quoted in MarketWatch: "We need to talk: This economy calls for serious financial discussion with family, secrets and all"
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Barry M. Corkern Discusses "Benefits of having a health savings account" on THV 11 News
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Barry M. Corkern is Mentioned on Kerry McCoy's Blog Post: "Always Learning Something New"
Contact Barry M. Corkern
Office Locations:
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2300 Andover Ct
Suite 100
Little Rock, AR 72227