Certified Financial Planner

The CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®) designation is the highest level of education that can be achieved by a Financial Planner both in Australia and worldwide.

The CFP® program is comprised of many units testing advisors on the key areas of ethics, professionalism, investment principles, insurance advice, aged care, social security, SMSF and tax advice.
The “Four E’s” of becoming a Certified Financial Planner® are as follows:

• Experience: Each CFP® needs to have at least 3 years of experience in the financial services industry. That is 3 years of helping people pursue their goals, plan for their future, and help people work towards their dreams. This is obtained by working in the industry, not reading a book.
• Education– To gain entry into the CFP program candidates must first have a relevant Bachelor degree or Master’s degree and also a Diploma of Financial planning.
  The CFP® course covers 6 separate modules that takes on average 18 months to complete. Students of the CFP course have stated that the time investment to complete the course is around 1,000 hours, involving plenty of discipline and organisation.
• Ethics– CFP Professionals are bound by the Code of Professional Practice set by the Financial Planning Association of Australia, which brings together a set of Ethical principles, practice standards and conduct rules. The Code is updated regularly to keep up with the regulatory environment.
  You can view the Financial Planning Association’s Code by clicking here: http://fpa.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/FPA_CodeofPractice_July2013.pdf
• Examination– The CFP® exam is comprised of 3 exams, totalling 10 hours. In addition to this there are several assignments and a Statements of Advice that must be submitted to the Financial Planning Association. The depth of content and coverage of topics is extensive. When I was a student the pass rate of the exam was at 70%. The exam is not one of memorising facts, instead you must apply strategies to real life case studies.

In addition to the above requirements, those who graduate from the CFP® program must do continuing professional development hours by attending seminars, reading articles and completing online quizzes each this. This ensure that each CFP® Professional has the most up to date knowledge.

Becoming a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® is no easy task, requiring vigorous commitment to the profession and finance industry. Considering this is the highest designation possible for an adviser, it is a great place to start when looking for your Financial Planner.