The Value of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professionals

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 Those seeking CFP® certification must have a bachelor’s degree (or higher) in any discipline to become certified. Once certified, CFP® professionals are required to complete continuing education coursework, including a CFP Board approved ethics course, to further their competence in financial planning. 

 A   CFP® must pass a comprehensive 6-hour Certification Examination that tests their ability to apply financial planning knowledge in an integrated format.   The exam does not test textbook theories; rather, it assesses the candidate’s ability to apply financial planning knowledge in an integrated approach to real-life financial planning situations.  

 CFP® professionals must complete thousands of hours of professional experience related to the financial planning process prior to earning the right to use the CFP® certification marks. As a result, CFP® practitioners possess practical experience, in addition to financial planning knowledge. 

  As a final step to certification, candidates must satisfy CFP Board’s Fitness Standards and commit to CFP Board to abide by professional standards, known as CFP Board’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct, that sets forth their duties to the public, clients, and employers. The cornerstone of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct is a CFP® professional’s obligation to CFP Board to act as a fiduciary, and therefore, act in the best interests of the client at all times when providing financial advice.