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FP CAREER RESOURCES — CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® PROFESSIONAL

Updated November 1, 2025

I. CFP® PROFESSIONAL OVERVIEW

  1. CFP Board CFP® Pro Career Studio (requires free CFP Board account) — "Are you considering a career change and looking to create your professional future as a financial planner? A CFP® Pro Career Studio is your first step. During this live, three-part event, you will join others interested in financial planning and hear from CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professionals who changed careers... You’ll learn why a career in financial planning is so rewarding; discover how to find the best role based on your prior experience; and act now to pave your career path to financial planning."​

    • View recordings​ for the past May 6 – 8, 2025 event

      • Day 1 recording — "Learn why a career in financial planning is so rewarding from a former engineer and former IT manager​"

      • Day 2 recording — "Discover how to change careers and find the best role for you based on your prior experience.

      • Day 3 recording — "Act now and pave your career path to financial planning."

    • View recordings of previous events (requires free CFP Board account)​

  2. "How to Become a CFP® Professional" — "With financial advising projected to be one of the top 10 fastest growing occupations, getting your CFP® mark can help set you apart in the industry."

  3. "FAQ: How Long Does It Take To Become a CFP® Professional?" — How to prepare for the CFP® exam, the benefits of becoming certified, and how long it takes to become a CFP® professional

  4. CFP Board — "CFP® professionals meet rigorous education, training and ethical standards, and are committed to serving their clients' best interests today to prepare them for a more secure tomorrow."​

  5. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards YouTube channel — Informative videos from the CFP Board

  6. Advise Wise YouTube channel — Well-researched advice on the CFP® professional career path

  7. CFP Board Candidate Forum — A community for current (and aspiring) financial planners studying to become CFP® professionals — Ask your questions about CFP® education and review programs, tips for passing the exam, and career advice

    • Blog posts — Real-life stories of candidates who are preparing to take the CFP® exam or who have passed it.

    • Ask the Pro​ — "Our Ask a Pro sessions are designed to have select Forum Pros (CFP® professionals) provide advice, tips, and motivation around certain subjects related to earning CFP® certification. They speak to their experiences of completing coursework, navigating the experience requirement, and, of course, passing the CFP® exam."

    • Exam Recommendations — "Two of the most common questions we receive from candidates preparing for the CFP® exam are: 'What were other candidates doing at this point in their study preparation?' and 'What review course provider did you use?' To help you, we have asked those who took the CFP® exam what they did to prepare."

    • Forum posts

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II. PREPARING FOR THE CFP® EXAM

  1. CFP Board — "CFP® professionals meet rigorous education, training and ethical standards, and are committed to serving their clients' best interests today to prepare them for a more secure tomorrow."

    • Exam Prep Resources — "A key part of developing an exam prep strategy is to understand the resources available and how they can support your study efforts."

    • CFP Board Exam Statistics — Pass rates for the most recent exam cycle and all previous exams dating back to 1991

  2. ​Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards YouTube channel — Informative videos from the CFP Board

  3. "How To Choose The Best CFP® Exam Review Program (For You)" — "And while there is no guarantee that an individual will pass the CFP® exam after taking a review program, these programs can greatly improve the quality and efficiency of the strategy the exam taker chooses when preparing for the exam."

  4. Advise Wise YouTube channel — Well-researched advice on the CFP® professional career path

  5. CFP Board Candidate Forum — A community for current (and aspiring) financial planners studying to become CFP® professionals — Ask your questions about CFP® education and review programs, tips for passing the exam, and career advice

  6. CFP Board Candidate Forum Blog — Road to Certification

  7. Dalton Education CFP® Education and Review — Full disclosure: I used Dalton to pass the exam, first attempt, in November 2021

    • Pros: Watch virtual classroom recordings by multiple instructors (my favorites were Rey Belyeu and Tom Langdon); Follow their recommendation of running through the 2,300+ question bank twice, scoring in the 70's, and you have a good chance of passing

    • Cons: Guaranteed to Pass upgrade may be a bad value because you need a score of 70 on their exam readiness quiz and if you're scoring that high, you'll probably pass the exam; The question bank is on average fairly difficult so scoring low may be very discouraging (but my low scores made me over study and pass the exam)

  8. "How To Study For (And Pass) The CFP® Exam" — "The exam is a rigorous, 6-hour test, and is offered only three times a year. Because of the rigorous nature of the exam and the scope of material covered (not to mention the relatively low pass rate generally ranging from 60–65%), candidates aspiring for CFP® certification invest an inordinate amount of time to ensure that they pass the exam."​

  9. the EARN YOUR MARKS podcast — "This show helps reinforce some of the MOST tested concepts seen in the CFP® exam. So whether you’re in the gym, on the road, or just can’t sleep… invest the time with Sev Meneshian, CFP® and his guests to help you pass the exam on your first attempt."

  10. "CFP Exam - Shared Experiences Webinar" — Measure Twice Planners —Panelists: Damien Bessert - Dan Huffman - Jackie Cummings Koski, CFP®, MSPFP, AFC® - Adam Scherer, MS, CFP®, EA

  11. "My Favorite Podcasts & YouTube Channels to Complement my CFP® Exam Study" — by Jackie Cummings Koski — "I'm an auditory and visual learner, so listening to podcasts and watching YouTube videos keep me more active and engaged (plus I'm a chronic multi-tasker!)... The hosts and guests are primarily CFPs, CPAs, CFAs, Attorneys and other credentialed experts."

  12. CFP Board Mentor Program — "The CFP Board Mentor Program provides an opportunity for candidates preparing for an upcoming CFP® exam to connect with a CFP® professional for a short-term relationship. The Mentor Program aligns with the three CFP® exam cycles per year (March, July, and November) so that mentoring relationships are focused on exam preparation. "

    • Send me a mentor request — If you're interested in requesting me as a mentor for the next CFP® exam cycle (you'll need to create a CFP Board Candidate Forum account and log in)

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III. CFP® CERTIFICATION EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

  1. "The Paths to Experience" from the CFP Board — "There are 2 pathways for candidates to fulfill the experience requirement for CFP® certification: the 6,000-Hour Standard Pathway or the 4,000-Hour Apprenticeship Pathway."

  2. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards YouTube channel — Informative videos from the CFP Board

  3. Kitces.com — A highly respected voice in the financial planning industry

  4. Non-traditional ways to gain CFP experience hours

    • Amplified Planning Externship (formerly FPA Externship) — "Instead of working with just one firm, you get to peek behind the curtain and see over 25 firms and experts at work — and do the work yourself. You’ll also get access to over 20 deliverables and processes from these experts, so you can learn a new way to work that works for you... Join us this summer in The Externship for invaluable financial planning training and earn 500 CFP Board Standard Pathway Experience hours… in just 8 weeks!"

      • Financial Planning Discovery Courses bundle — "Are you curious about financial planning? Wondering if the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification is right for you? Join CFP Board and Amplified Planning as we guide you through how a financial planning professional would support three unique clients. Inside our exclusive (and free!) Financial Planning Discovery Courses, you’ll be able to do the work of a financial planner and see what CFP® professionals do every day… beyond spreadsheets and investment advice. JOIN FOR FREE"

    • Amplified Planning CORE Subscription — "CORE includes access to the entire AP CORE Library (over 500 CFP® Board experience hours!), monthly small-group coaching with Hannah, special CORE Member activities, and templates & sample documents for you to adapt and use with your clients."

    • FPA Residency — "...immerse newly or soon-to-be certified CFP® professionals in practicing the 'art of financial planning'... Earn 28 CFP® continuing education credits or three months of experience toward CFP Board's three-year requirement.​"

    • ​​Measure Twice Planners — Financial planning course by Cody Garrett, CFP®: "Develop a comprehensive financial plan and provide value to the families you serve through personalized education." — "Up to 800 Standard Pathway Experience Hours (on-demand) + 50 per month."

    • The IRS's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) — Per the CFP Board 2017 news release "Those who volunteer for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)... program may earn and self-report CE credits... Candidates for CFP® certification are also eligible to report volunteer hours to help fulfill their Experience requirement."

    • Coaching Capability — "Coaching Capability combines mentorship, community, continuing education, and business-building with a heart-centered, ethical approach. Andi’s experience in both the military financial field and private practice offers a uniquely grounded and actionable perspective." — "Is this program recognized by credentialing bodies? Yes, Coaching Capability offers supervision and education hours eligible for AFC® and CFP® experience and CE credits when approved."

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IV. ADDITIONAL CFP® CERTIFICATION AND OTHER RESOURCES​

  1. XY Planning Network VIP Facebook Group — A super active and supportive community for RIAs, financial planners, and even career-changers — Free to  join for anyone (just request access)

  2. "How to use the CFP® Marks" — Rules on when you can use the marks  when you become a CFP® professional — If you're not a CFP® professional yet, but you've completed the education requirements in the last five years, you can use "Candidate for CFP® certification" — I've heard that while you can use it on your resume, you cannot use this on social media like LinkedIn. Reach out to the CFP Board for their official policy.

  3. ProBonoPlannerMatch.Org — "An initiative of Foundation for Financial Planning, ProBonoPlannerMatch.Org connects CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals to pro bono opportunities nationwide, making it easier than ever for families in need to access free, quality financial advice."

  • LinkedIn

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