Quick Links

• Learn About Financial Planning
• Become A CFP® Professional
• CFP® Professionals
• Find CE Providers
• Registered Programs
• News Media
• Volunteers
• High School Programs
• Colleges & Universities
• Financial Services Firms
• Continuing Education Sponsors
• Nonprofit Organizations
• Human Resource Professionals

FIND
a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL
PLANNER™ Professional

VERIFY
an individual's
CFP® certification

REQUEST A FREE GUIDE
about Financial Planning

REPORT A COMPLAINT
against a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL
PLANNER™ Professional

APPLY
for employment at CFP Board's Washington, D.C. Office

CFP Board Mission:

The mission of Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. is to benefit the public by granting the CFP® certification and upholding it as the recognized standard of excellence for competent and ethical personal financial planning. Learn more about CFP Board >

CFP BOARD'S PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN:  Increasing public awareness is central to CFP Board's mission to benefit the public by granting the CFP® certification and upholding it as the recognized standard of excellence for personal financial planning. In April 2011, CFP Board released its first large-scale public awareness campaign to raise the awareness of CFP® certification featuring advertisements in national print publications, in online resources, and on national cable television channels featuring the public service website for finding CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals.
 
CFP® Professionals: Learn more about the campaign's development and implementation, view and download materials you can use to extend the reach of the campaign, and access new CFP® certification mark artwork through our public awareness campaign toolkit.

Upcoming Events:

SAVE THE DATE: BUSINESS UPDATE WEBINAR, MARCH 8, 2013, 1:30 PM (Eastern): Join CFP Board's leadership for the latest updates from CFP Board. Registration will be available soon. View recordings of past Business Update Webinars >

CFP® CERTIFICATION EXAMINATION, MARCH 15-16, 2013: Registration for the March 2013 administration of the CFP® Certification Examination ended Tuesday, February 5 and is now closed. Learn more >

CFP® CERTIFICATION EXAMINATION, JULY 19-20, 2013: Registration for the July 2013 administration of the CFP® Certification Examination is open through Tuesday, June 4, 2013. Apply for the Exam >

Announcements:

HOLIDAY OFFICE CLOSURE: CFP Board's office will be closed on Monday, February 18, 2013. The office will re-open on Tuesday, February 19, 2013 at 9am (Eastern).

NEW ADVISORY OPINION: CONFLICTS OF INTEREST BETWEEN CFP® PROFESSIONALS AND CLIENTS: CFP Board's new Advisory Opinion provides guidance to help CFP® professionals address conflicts of interest in compliance with CFP Board's Standards of Professional Conduct.
- Download the Advisory Opinion > (PDF, 75KB)

NOVEMBER 2012 CFP® EXAM UPDATE (January 9, 2013): Exam results for the November 2012 CFP® Exam are now available to examinees through their online CFP Board accounts. Learn more >

AMENDMENTS TO DISCIPLINARY RULES, EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2013: In November 2012, CFP Board's Board of Directors approved the adoption of amendments to the Disciplinary Rules and Procedures, with an effective date of January 1, 2013.
- Read more about the amendments to CFP Board's Disciplinary Rules > (PDF, 109KB)
- Read comments received by CFP Board > (PDF, 61KB)

AMENDMENTS TO APPEAL RULES, EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2013: In November 2012, CFP Board's Board of Directors approved the adoption of amendments to CFP Board's Appeal Rules and Procedures, with an effective date of January 1, 2013.
- Read more about the amendments to CFP Board's Appeal Rules > (PDF, 78KB)
- Read comments received by CFP Board > (PDF, 56KB)

FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSED REVISIONS TO CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: In August 2012, CFP Board released for public comment proposed changes to the continuing education requirement for CFP® certification. In November 2012, following review of the proposed revision and the record number of comments received, the Board of Directors determined to make no changes to the CE requirement for CFP® certification at this time, requesting further review of the previously proposed changes before making any modifications.
- Review proposed changes to the CE Requirement > (PDF, 73KB)
- Read comments received by CFP Board > (PDF, 3,073 KB)

AMENDMENTS TO FITNESS STANDARDS, EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 14, 2012: CFP Board has amended its Fitness Standards for Candidates and Registrants to align those standards with CFP Board's new policy regarding bankruptcy-only cases. View the amendments > (PDF, 59KB)

CFP BOARD ADOPTS NEW SANCTION GUIDELINES, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 27, 2012: CFP Board's Board of Directors approved the introduction of Sanction Guidelines, with an effective date of August 27, 2012. The Sanction Guidelines were developed to assist the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission ("Commission"), the group charged with conducting disciplinary hearings in accordance with CFP Board's Disciplinary Rules and Procedures, in maintaining consistency regarding the imposition of sanctions for similar offenses.
- Read more about the Sanction Guidelines > (PDF, 462KB)
- Read comments received by CFP Board > (PDF, 670KB)
- View a recorded webinar addressing the new Sanction Guidelines >

2012 HOUSEHOLD FINANCIAL PLANNING SURVEY: FINANCIAL PLANNING HELPS AMERICANS OF ALL INCOME LEVELS, EVEN DURING HARD TIMES
On July 23, 2012, CFP Board and the Consumer Federation of America released findings from a survey conducted to assess American's household financial goals, liabilities and strategies for saving and investing. The survey, which included comparisons to a similar survey conducted in 1997, found that Americans with a personal financial plan feel more confident and report more success managing money, savings and investments than those who have not prepared a financial plan.
- Read a Summary of the Report > (PDF, 261KB)
- Read the Full Survey Report > (PDF, 670KB)
- Read the News Release >
- Read USA Today's coverage of the 2012 Household Financial Planning Survey >

BANKRUPTCY DISCLOSURE PROCEDURES, EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2012:
In April 2012, CFP Board's Board of Directors adopted a new procedure for addressing CFP® professionals and candidates for certification who have filed a single bankruptcy within the previous five years and are not under investigation by CFP Board for any other conduct. Read more > (PDF, 81KB)

AMENDMENTS TO EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT, EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1, 2012:
In April 2012, CFP Board's Board of Directors recently approved amendments to the Experience requirement for initial CFP® certification. Read more > (PDF, 100KB)

JOB TASK DOMAINS & PRINCIPAL TOPICS: CFP Board's extensive 2009 Job Analysis Study identified new Job Task Domains, which serve as the blueprint for the March 2012 and later administrations of the CFP® Certification Examination, and new Principal Topics, which serve as a curricular framework for CFP Board-Registered Programs. Effective January 1, 2012, CFP Board will accept for CE credit only programs that address subject topics identified in either the lists of Job Task Domains or Principal Topics.
-   Download the list of Job Task Domains > (PDF, 66KB)
-   Download the list of Principal Topics > (PDF, 68KB)

LEGISLATIVE ACTION CENTER: CFP Board and the Financial Planning Coalition strongly encourage those of you who with representatives on the House Committee on Financial Services to express your opposition to HR 4624, which would create one or more SROs to oversee investment advisers.
- Check to see if your representative is on the Committee
- Contact your representative through CFP Board's Legislative Action Center

CFP BOARD'S POLICY CENTER: CFP Board’s Policy Center allows you to keep-up-to date on CFP Board’s involvement in legislative and regulatory issues affecting the financial planning profession. Read more >

FINANCIAL PLANNING COALITION UPDATE:

The Financial Planning Coalition is engaged with a number of initiatives related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act), a historic and comprehensive financial regulatory reform bill. Learn more >

CFP Board News:

FINANCIAL PLANNING COALITION RENEWS CALL FOR INCREASED ADVISER EXAMINATIONS BY SEC

February 12, 2013 – Noting widespread agreement on the urgent need to better protect investors, the Financial Planning Coalition today renewed its call for a proactive, meaningful solution to prevent future investor fraud, including increased investment adviser examinations. Full Article >

CFP BOARD RELEASES SURVEY ON SOCIAL MEDIA USE BY CFP® PROFESSIONALS, NEW SOCIAL MEDIA GUIDE

January 31, 2013 – Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. today released the results of a comprehensive survey of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM professionals’ use of social media along with a new guide to help CFP® professionals navigate the ever-changing world of social media. Full Article >

CFP BOARD ANNOUNCES CHAIR APPOINTMENTS TO DISCIPLINARY AND ETHICS COMMISSION, ADVISORY COUNCILS

January 28, 2013 – Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) announced today the appointments of its 2013 Chairs to the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission, Public Policy Council, Council on Education and Council on Examinations. Full Article >

Recent CFP Board Events:

HOW TO IDENTIFY, AVOID AND MANAGE CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, FEBRUARY 13, 2013: Thisa webinar to introduced CFP Board's new advisory opinion on Managing Conflicts of Interest, addressing best practices on how CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals should recognize and manage conflicts of interest in their practices. A recording will be available soon.

DISCIPLINARY TRENDS & COMPLIANCE TIPS, NOVEMBER 29, 2012: Michael P. Shaw, CFP Board's Managing Director, Professional Standards & Legal, Martin Siesta, CFP®, 2013 DEC Chair-Designee, and DEC members Gregg Cuvin, CFP® and Sally Hurme, Esq. reviewed trends in the types of conduct that have come under review by CFP Board's Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (DEC) and discussed tips for avoiding disciplinary action by complying with CFP Board's Standards of Professional Conduct. View the recorded webinar >

REGISTERED PROGRAM FALL 2012 UPDATE WEBINAR, NOVEMBER 13, 2012: Dr. Charles R. Chaffin, CFP Board's Manager of Academic Programs, shared updates on changes to the Registered Program Annual Renewal process for 2013. View the recorded webinar >

BUSINESS UPDATE WEBINAR, NOVEMBER 9, 2012: CFP Board's leadership shared the latest updates on CFP Board's activities and accomplishments, with a look ahead to the coming year. View the recorded webinar >

FINANCIAL PLANNING DAYS, OCTOBER 2012: CFP Board thanks the CFP® professionals and others who contributed to the success of the third year of Financial Planning Days. During October 2012, Financial Planning Days events were held in 24 cities across the country, providing Americans the opportunity to meet one-on-one with CFP® professionals and receive unbiased, complimentary, no-strings-attached financial guidance. Learn more >

WEBINAR: HOW CFP BOARD'S CHECKLIST AND DISCLOSURE DOCUMENTS CAN HELP YOU COMPLY WITH THE STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012: Joseph V. Maugeri, CFP®, CFP Board's Director of Business Development, Adam Zajac, CFP Board's Adjudicatory Counsel, and Michael P. Shaw, CFP Board's Managing Director, Professional Standards & Legal introduced a new compliance tool – CFP Board's Standards of Professional Conduct Compliance Checklist – designed to help CFP® professionals in documenting client interactions for both financial planning and non-financial planning engagements. View the recorded webinar >