Don't wait until it's too late to organize your finances. Learn about how a Certified Financial Planner can help you build wealth today!

Do you have a game plan for your finances, or are you just throwing darts and hoping for the best? People who take control of their finances are far better off in the long term than those who do not. Keep reading to learn more about what a Certified Financial Planner is and how they can help you with your finances.

What Is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP)?

A certified financial planner (CFP) is a financial advisor who has earned extra accreditation to use the title CFP. CFPs help clients to define their financial goals and needs and create a strategic plan to reach them. They can give advice and recommendations on financial concerns such as taxes, investments, college funds, and retirement accounts. Some CFPs focus on a particular specialty, such as estate planning, tax planning, insurance planning, investments, etc. 

How Do You Find A Certified Financial Planner (CFP)?

A simple search online can help match you with a certified financial planner that can help you reach your financial goals. When searching for a financial planner, it's important to look for experienced and accredited professionals. 

To become a certified financial planner, CFPs must prove themselves to be proficient across several areas. They must have an acceptable level of education and experience and pass examinations to prove their knowledge and ethics. CFPs are accredited by the Certified Financial Planner board and are subject to a background check before acceptance. Candidates for board membership must disclose any information about criminal activity, customer complaints, and employment issues.

Educational requirements for certified financial planners include:

• candidates must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited university or college. 
• candidates must gain further financial advisor education, including college-level study in personal financial planning 
• candidates must complete a CFP Board-registered capstone course

For candidates who already possess a higher business degree (such as a CFA or CPA), they may be able to skip some requirements needed to become eligible. 

In addition, candidates must prove to the CFP Board that they have 6,000 hours of professional experience working in the field. In some instances, 4,000 hours of experience as an apprentice may qualify; however, additional requirements must also be met.

CFP candidates must complete and prove their completion of the CFP Board coursework requirements before they can take the CFP exam. The CFP exam is a computer-based exam that lasts several days and includes over 150 multiple-choice questions. Questions include topics such as risk management, financial planning, professional conduct, communication, and much more.

The final stage of becoming a Certified financial planners is agreeing to adhere to the ethics that are set forth by the CFP Board. CFPs must agree to abide by the Certified Financial Planners Board's code of ethics and professional conduct. This includes practicing their role with integrity, competence, fairness, objectivity, and client confidentiality. 

Why Do Certified Financial Planners Require Continuing Education Requirements?

To keep their license in good standing with the Certified Financial Planners Board, CFPs must renew their certification every two years. To renew their certification, applicants must complete 30 hours of further education, including 28 hours of financial planning and two hours of board-approved ethics refresh.

Continuing education ensures that CFPs maintain and update their knowledge regularly and can therefore give the best and most relevant advice to their clients. 

Should I Work With a CFP?

Financial planning can be complex and overwhelming. Fortunately, a CFP can help you set goals, create a realistic budget and plan for the future. It's important to remember that different CFPs focus on different aspects of financial planning. For instance, if you're looking for help with building your retirement fund, you should opt for a CFP that has experience in that. 

 Once you have an idea of the type of financial help you need, you can start researching a CFP that meets your needs. It's important to review each potential candidate's experience and attitude to ensure they align with yours. In addition, it's a good idea to confirm candidates standing with the certified financial Planners Board. To do this, simply go to the CFP website and verify their accreditation. In fact, you can even find a CFP on the website too!

Don't delay; start your search for a CFP today and begin your journey to a healthy and secure financial future.