Monday, January 29, 2018

What to Expect From a Certified Financial Planner

CFP professionals are an important people from budgeting, to planning for retirement, to saving for education, to managing your taxes and your insurance coverage. Unlike many financial advisors, CFP professionals are required to develop their theoretical and practical knowledge by completing a comprehensive course of study at a college or university with a curriculum approved by the CFP Board. CFP professionals must complete a rigorous training and certification program that prepares them to address most every aspect of your financial life. They are all college graduates who have gone on to complete another college-level course of study in financial planning. A would-be certified financial planners must pass a demanding certification test a sort of bar exam for financial planners  and complete three years of work experience to earn the designation. Planning professionals with training outside of the CFP Board’s approved list may meet the education requirement through a review process, which looks at transcripts, previous course work, and other professional designations.

CFP professionals must have minimum of 3 years’ experience in the financial planning process prior to earning the right to use the CFP certification marks. This hands-on experience guarantees that CFP professionals have practical financial planning knowledge, so you can count on them to help you create a realistic financial plan that fits your individual needs. CFP professionals are members of an international community of elite financial planning practitioners.

More often a specific event or need will trigger the desire for professional financial planning guidance. Circumstances that might prompt you to seek the services of a certified financial planner or CFP:
  • Saving enough for retirement or rolling over a pension or IRA
  • Handling the inheritance of a large sum of money or
  • Preparing for a marriage or divorce
  • Planning for the birth or adoption of a child
  • Facing a financial crisis such as a serious illness, layoff or natural disaster
  • Caring for aging parents or a disabled child
  • Coping financially with the death of a spouse or close family member
  • Funding education
  • Buying, selling or passing on a family business
You are unlikely to be successful if you do not have a goal in mind with which to measure your progress. Most people have a variety of financial needs, not all of which can be addressed at the same time, and some that may even be opposing. Before you select an advisor to help you, first identify and prioritize your goals. By clearly expressing your needs, including the amount of your investments, the expected return on the investments, the amount of risk you are willing to assume, and the time frame with which you are working, you can better see whether the prospective advisor is the right person to help you. Your advisor’s commitment to your success should be as solid as your willingness to trust his or her suggestions.


Although many professionals may call themselves “financial planners,” CFP Frisco professionals have completed extensive training and experience requirements and are held to rigorous ethical standards. Choose your certified financial planner wisely, and you’ll have a partner for life, one who will help build your future and give you peace of mind today. They understand the complexities of the changing financial climate and know how to make financial planning recommendations in your best interest.

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