Debut of the Certified Personal Retirement Specialist™ Professional Designation

We are excited to announce the Certified Personal Retirement Specialist™ designation. The Certified Personal Retirement Specialist™ (CPRS™) designation covers topics beyond the CFP Board Exam. In-depth education of retirement planning techniques and actionable examples for how to effectively communicate retirement complexities with clients is a key part of the designation. This comprehensive professional designation is…

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Good to Know: Financial Advisor is 6th Best Job in America

According to CNN Money being a financial advisor is the 6thbest job in the United States.  That is no surprise to people already in the industry, but may come as a surprise to those who aren’t familiar with the normal duties of a financial advisor.  So what makes it such a great job?  Primarily, it’s the satisfaction…

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Good to Know: A Whole New Look

We are very excited to announce the re-launch of our CFP® Certification Education Programs blog.  The goal of this new look and feel is to make the blog more relevant to you, the student.  To that end, we have come up with a number of categories under which we will post information.  We will also…

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CFP Board Issues Compliance Checklist for Standards of Professional Conduct

It is no secret that the CFP Board has placed greater and greater emphasis on the Standards of Professional Conduct required of certified financial planners. Evidence of this can be seen in the most recent national Board exams, where greater emphasis has been given to testing knowledge and compliance of these standards. To assist CFP® professionals in complying…

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CFP Board Proposing to Increase CE Hours

The CFP Board is currently proposing to make the following changes in continuing education (CE) requirements for certified financial planners: Increasing total CE hours required for each renewal period (every 2 years) from 30 to 40 hours. Granting credit for practice management programs and/or pro bono activities sponsored by a registered CE sponsor organization (up…

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Moderation is the Key

We often feel guilty when we make an expensive purchase. After all, conventional wisdom dictates that every penny must be saved or invested. Scott Rick, a University of Michigan marketing professor, together with other researchers, conducted a study to quantify how people feel about what they buy. During the course of the study, they discovered something…

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Successfully Prepare for Your Retirement Financially with These 5 Keys

Americans today know that they are less prepared for their retirement because they have been using their savings to pay for bills and other expenses. As a result, they are risking a delay in retirement or a financially insecure retirement. However, according to the Eleanor Blayney, CFP, a consumer advocate from Certified Financial Planner Board…

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The Importance of an Expert’s Advice

While the financial services market has grown and branched out into online investment firms and discount brokers over the last few years, many Americans still prefer the traditional face-to-face advice of financial professionals. In fact, since the recession hit and the economy has been slow to fully recover, there are indications that concerned Americans are…

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Winning by Being Different

We all like to think we’re the best at what we do.  And maybe you are. But the Advisor down the street thinks the same thing.  And the Advisor around the corner thinks he has the best customer service.  The one in the next town over would say she has a higher rate of return. …

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