The College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company has a 50+ year heritage in financial planning education. Shortly after its founding in 1972, the College launched its CFP® certification professional education program that led to the creation of the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM certification, which is now the world’s most recognized and respected financial planning credential with more than 100,000 certified professionals.
Our education program has been ranked #1 by the following organizations:
- Wealthmanagement.com ranked the College for Financial Planning #1 in its list of 15 Top-Ranked Instructor-Led Online Certificate Programs for the CFP® Exam.*
- Fa-mag.com ranked the College for Financial Planning #1 in its list of 10 Best Online CFP® Programs.**
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Become a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional
Discover why earning the CFP® mark will set you apart from the rest and boost your value in the industry.
Free Resources for CFP® Certification
Discover why earning the CFP® mark will set you apart from the rest and boost your value in the industry.
The 4 Requirements to Become a CFP® Professional
Education
Each candidate must meet the knowledge criteria set forth by CFP Board prior to sitting for the exam. The two-part education requirement includes both (1) completing coursework on financial planning through a CFP Board Registered Education Program, and (2) holding a bachelor's degree or higher (in any discipline) from an accredited college or university*.
Previous education and credentials may fulfill CFP Board education requirements and allow you to sit for the exam with the Accelerated Path. A transcript review may also determine if previously completed coursework satisfies CFP Board’s Principal Knowledge Topic areas.
Find detailed information about the education requirements here.
*Candidates must earn a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university within five years after passing the exam to receive CFP® certification. Attaining a bachelor's degree is not a requirement to be eligible to take the CFP® exam and does not have to occur before sitting for the exam or fulfilling the work experience.
Exam
The CFP® exam is a computer-based testing format consisting of 170 multiple-choice questions that address areas included in CFP Board’s Principal Knowledge Topics. It will be presented in two 3-hour sessions separated by a 40-minute scheduled break. It is offered three times a year in March, July, and November at almost 50 locations nationwide.For more detailed information or to register for an exam slot, click here.
Experience
Professional experience (6,000 hours) related to the financial planning process, or Apprenticeship experience (4,000 hours) that meets additional requirements, is required to meet the Experience requirement.This experience must be completed in 10 years preceding the exam and/or within five years after the exam in order to receive CFP® certification. For more detailed information, click here.
Ethics
Applicants for CFP® certification agree to adhere to high standards of ethics and practice outlined in CFP Board’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct. The certification application requires you to complete the Ethics declaration. A required background check ensures candidates meet the CFP Board’s character and fitness standards.
To maintain certification, CFP® professionals must submit an annual Renewal Application and pay a certification fee, confirming ongoing adherence to ethical standards.
Additionally, every two years, they must complete 30 hours of continuing education (CE), including 2 hours of CFP Board-approved ethics CE, to uphold their certification.
For more information, click here.
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"Kaplan provided the highest level of preparation and support. Their teachers genuinely care about the success of their students and go above and beyond to provide your best chance of success. The best thing that happened to my preparation experience was to have Kaplan in my corner."
-Karen N.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the United States, which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.
The College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company does not certify individuals to use the CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and CFP (with plaque logo) certification marks. CFP® certification is granted only by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. to those persons who, in addition to completing an educational requirement such as this CFP Board-Registered Program, have met its ethics, experience, and examination requirements. The College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company is an education and exam prep review provider for the CFP® Certification Examination administered by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. CFP Board does not endorse any education or review course or receive financial remuneration from education or review course providers.
Original Creator of the CFP® Mark: In 1969, the International Association for Financial Planners (IAFP) and the College for Financial Planning were created to help meet the financial needs of Americans. In 1985, the College entered an agreement to establish an independent, nonprofit certifying and standards-setting organization. Ownership of the CFP® marks and responsibility for continuing the CFP® certification program was transferred to the new organization, International Board of Standards and Practices for Certified Financial Planners, Inc. (IBCFP), now known as CFP Board. For more information please visit https://www.cfp.net/about-cfp-board/history.
*#1 Ranked Online Instructor-Led CFP® Certification Program: Source: Wealthmanagement.com, The 15 Top-Ranked Instructor-Led Online Certificate Programs for the CFP Exam, May 2021.
82% Reported Career Satisfaction After Earning CFP® Certification: This is one of the findings of a quantitative survey conducted by the College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company between June 27 and August 7, 2023. For this survey, a sample of 951 2022 and 2023 graduates of the College for Financial Planning was interviewed online in English. The sample includes 182 graduates whose most recent professional designation earned was the CFP® mark and who answered this question.
91% Reported Increased Confidence Speaking with Clients: This is one of the findings of a quantitative survey conducted by the College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company between June 27 and August 7, 2023. For this survey, a sample of 951 2022 and 2023 graduates of the College for Financial Planning was interviewed online in English. The sample includes 167 graduates whose most recent professional designation earned was the CFP® mark, are working in a financial planning role, and answered this question.
16% Earnings Increase: Earnings increases are dependent on numerous factors other than, or in addition to, completion of the specialized financial designation, including specific employment conditions and individual experience. The College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company does not guarantee any earnings increase resulting directly from such designation. Results are the findings of a quantitative survey conducted by the College for Financial Planning between June 27 and August 7, 2023. For this survey, a sample of 951 2022 and 2023 graduates of the College for Financial Planning was interviewed online in English. This earnings increase was based on 155 graduates whose most recent certification was the CFP® mark and who were employed in a financial planning role both the year before and the year after receiving the CFP® mark.
Helped 74K+ Professionals Prepare for the CFP®️ Exam: Source: College for Financial Planning Internal Data. Number of graduates of CFP® certification program since 1972 eligible to sit for CFP®️ exam.