CFP certification

[ms_businesswoman]

This question was posed to me, and I am wondering if any of you can assist me with the answer.

What type of positions can one attain with a newly acquired CFP (certified financial planner) certification? Or better yet, where can one start out to get some financial planning experience i.e. bank, brokerage firm, etc?

[sweeps]

I think the "normal" scenario would be to get an undergrad degree in finance and then get hired at the bottom at a firm that provides financial planning services (banks, brokerages, accounting firms). Then after you have a few years of experience, you would take the test and acquire your certification.

In fact most of these certifications require that you show that you've been working in the field for a few years.

[ms_businesswoman]

I think the "normal" scenario would be to get an undergrad degree in finance and then get hired at the bottom at a firm that provides financial planning services (banks, brokerages, accounting firms). Then after you have a few years of experience, you would take the test and acquire your certification.

In fact most of these certifications require that you show that you've been working in the field for a few years.

Yes the person has a bachelors and masters in accounting and has been working in the accounting/tax field for over 8 years at an accounting firm and is currently a CPA, but was interested in the CFP designation as well.

Would he have to in essence start over from the bottom?

[sweeps]

Oh, no. He should have no problem qualifying for the certification. Lots more detail here.

[ms_businesswoman]

what type of positions (job titles) do people get with a CFP?

[jIM_Ohio]

financial analyst, financial consultant.

I have been told the CFP test is harder than the CPA or similar tests other business professionals take- requires knowledge of investing, insurance, taxes and similar. Those might be 3 different occupations.

You can be a financial planner without the CFP. The letters are designed to make someone stand out over others which do not have them.

Most financial analysts start at the bottom under someone already doing it, and work their way up. If I could find a way to start in the middle, I would quit my software job and become a financial analyst in a second.

[loulou]

financial analyst, financial consultant.

I have been told the CFP test is harder than the CPA or similar tests other business professionals take- requires knowledge of investing, insurance, taxes and similar.

I've heard the exact opposite. I work at a CPA firm and apparently the CFP exam doesn't hold a candle to the CPA exam. The CPA exam pass rate is far lower than the CFP pass rate.