In July 2018, Kaplan acquired the College for Financial Planning®, bringing together two respected leaders in financial services education.
College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company (CFFP) remains a separate institution, owned by Kaplan and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Education programs in financial planning, asset management, wealth management and retirement planning including our CFP® certification program, professional designation programs and Master of Science Degree in Personal Financial Planning are offered under the name College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company.
Learn more about the history of College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company.
Founded in 1972 with the original CFP® Certification
- The College was founded in 1972 to formalize the financial planning profession via the CFP® Certification, which is now the nation’s premier financial planning credential.
- To provide assistance to financial support staff members, the Foundations in Financial Planning℠ program was created in 1984. Today this designation is known as FPQP™.
- In 1985 the College and CFP Board of Standards Inc. became separate entities, with the College providing education and CFP Board of Standards supporting the CFP® certification itself.
Released the first iteration of our accredited Master of Science Degree Program in 1987
- The College introduced an advanced studies program in 1987, which later became our accredited Master of Science Degree Program in 1994.
- The AAMS® and CMFC® designation programs were created in 1994 and 1995 as part of a partnership with the Investment Company Institute (ICI).
- In 1997 the College purchased the American Institute of Retirement Planners and developed the CRPC® and CRPS® programs.
- The College was purchased by Apollo Group, Inc. in the fall of 1997.
- Our original website launched in 1998 and was the first of its kind.
- The College launched an all-new Master of Science Degree Program in Financial Analysis in early 2003.
Created the financial industry’s first live online classes in 2003
- In the fall of 2003, the College introduced the financial industry’s first live online classes.
- The College introduced the AWMA® designation in early 2005.
- In 2007 the College launched an alumni association to celebrate its 100,000 graduates.
- The College launched an MS in Finance in the summer of 2007.
- The ADPA® and APMA® designations were introduced in the fall of 2010.
- In January of 2017, the College launched digital badges for its professional designation holders.
- In July of 2018, Kaplan Professional Education closed its acquisition of the College for Financial Planning. Education programs in financial planning, asset management, wealth management and retirement planning including our CFP® certification program, professional designation programs and Master of Science Degree in Personal Financial Planning are offered under the name College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company.
- The College introduced the CSRIC® designation program in November of 2018.
- The College introduced the Accredited Behavioral Finance ProfessionalSM designation program in December of 2020.
- The ADPA® designation and the Master of Science in Financial Analysis degree program both opened for admission again after each experienced a brief enrollment hiatus to assess and update the curricula.
