News & Updates – Online CFP Program

Will Artificial Intelligence Make Human-Based Financial Advice Obsolete?

CFP® Certificants in the News CFP Board tackles this article’s titular question with its recent article ominously titled “Yes, AI IS Going To Take Your Job.” That provocative title may be a bit dramatic but it is a wakeup call for financial advisors and planners. We’re at a crossroads but not a dead end—CFP Board…

Is Your Client Using the Wrong Buy-Sell Agreement?

Good to Know Are you looking for new ways to stay in contact with your closely held business owner clients and showcase your financial planning prowess? A recent Supreme Court decision in Connelly v. United States gives savvy financial advisors and planners an opportunity to do just that. But before getting to the court decision, we’ll…

CFP Board Releases July Exam Results

CFP® Board Updates The CFP Board announced the results of the July 2024 exam. This year’s July exam was administered between July 9th and 16th. During this window, 2,999 candidates took the exam, during which 65% received passing scores. The turnout for the July exam was the 2nd largest in exam history, demonstrating the growing presence of…

CFP Board Sanctions

CFP® Certificants in the News The authority to display the CFP® mark is a privilege, not an absolute right. Recent CFP Board disciplinary actions underscore that point emphatically. We’ll summarize three such actions in this article, beginning with Public Censure. STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING CONCENTRATED WEALTH Clients who have their wealth concentrated in a single asset have unique…

CFP Board Announces new Chair-Elect

CFP® Board Updates At its July meeting, The CFP Board of Directors announced that it has elected Terri Kallsen as its 2025 Board Chair-Elect. She will serve as the Chair of the Board if Directors in 2026. Liz Miller, the 2024 Chair-Elect, will serve as Chair of the Board in 2025. To learn more about…

Millennials Financial Milestone Survey

CFP® Certificants in the News Let’s face it, millennials get a bad rap at times in the popular press over their financial discipline. But couldn’t most of us do better at this discipline? Is everything we read on the internet true and unbiased? After reading this article, we encourage you to consider that, just like…

Women’s Guide to Social Security Retirement Benefits

Good to Know This article is the first in a series of Social Security retirement topics for women, including guides for: Married Women, Divorcees, and Single Women. We begin with retirement benefits for married women. Spousal Retirement Benefits We don’t have to like certain demographic facts to help our clients plan around them. Here’s a…

CFP Board Announces 100,000th CFP Professional

CFP® Board Updates A very exciting update from the CFP Board who on May 29th announced the 100,000th person to become a CFP® Professional. Simone Lee of Merrill Wealth Management was the lucky person to reach the historic milestone. Simone is a 31-year-old financial advisor from New Jersey, and is a first generation American. Simone is following…

Government Debt Part 3: How Much is Too Much?

Good to Know How Much Government Debt Is Too Much? In this, our final article in the series, we’ll review what experts and economists believe is an economically sustainable level of government debt. Government Debt to GDP Ratio A nation’s government debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio puts government debt into context. Implicit in…

Financial Advisor vs. Do-It-Yourself Investing

CFP® Certificants in the News There’s an old pilot’s joke about the increasing automation of the cockpit that goes something like this: The ideal flight crew is one pilot and a dog. The pilot’s role is to feed the dog. The dog’s role is to bite the pilot if they try to touch any of…