Certified Financial Planner to plan your finances of present and future

CFP is a professional certification course that is offered for a minimum duration of 6 months to 2 years. It empowers learners with knowledge in the field of financial planning, and it is being offered by the Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB). The most basic eligibility requirement is a 10+2 diploma from a recognised board.Moreover, being a certified financial planner is recognition of expertise in areas such as financial planning, taxes, insurance, estate planning, and retirement.

A certified financial planner is someone who has received a formal designation from the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. A CFP is an individual who has received a formal designation from the CFP Board. The CFP assists individuals in areas of managing their finances such as retirement, investing, education, insurance, and taxes. In terms of becoming a financial advisor, becoming a CFP is one of the most difficult and stringent processes; it requires years of experience, successful completion of exams, a demonstration of ethics, and a formal education. The most important aspect of CFP is fiduciary duty, which requires them to make financial decisions in the best interests of the client.

Understanding a Certified Financial Planner (CFP)

A CFP helps individuals manage their finances. This may include a variety of needs, like investment planning, retirement planning, insurance, education, and so on. The CFP acts as a fiduciary for your assets, meaning they will make the best financial decisions. The CFP evaluates your finances, like cash, assets, investments, or properties, to come up with an idea of your net worth. They also take into consideration your liabilities, such as mortgages or student loans.

They collaborate with you to develop a financial plan based on an examination of current assets and liabilities.For example, if you are nearing retirement, they will create a financial plan that you can see through your retirement years. If you have a child that will be starting college, then you can help create a financial plan to manage the cost. A CFP is like a financial advisor, but that comes with a certified designation that demonstrates in-depth knowledge of financial planning. CFP certification is one of the most difficult and demanding careers in the industry.

CFP and Fiduciary Duty

All CFPs are required to stick to fiduciary duty, which means they must put the interests of their clients ahead of their own CFP fiduciary duty is laid down by the CFP board and states. It is said that while providing financial advice to clients, a CFP professional must act as a fiduciary and therefore act in the client's best interest. The CFP has three responsibilities. These are (1) the duty of loyalty, (2) the duty of care, and (3) the duty to follow client instructions.

Becoming a Certified Financial Planner (CFP)

Earning the CFP involves meeting requirements in formal education, performance in the CFP exam, relevant work experience, and professional work ethics.

The education requirements consist of meeting two major components. It has to be verified that the candidate holds a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college recognised by the U.S. Department of Education. Secondly, they must complete some specific courses in financial planning as determined by the CFP Board. Much of this second requirement is typically waived if the candidate holds certain accepted financial designations, like Chartered Financial Analyst or Certified Public Accountant, or has a higher degree in business, like a Master of Business Administration. Candidates must demonstrate at least three years of full-time professional experience in the industry, or two years of an apprenticeship role, which is subject to individualised requirements, for professional experience.

Lastly, the candidates must adhere to the CFP Board’s standards of professional conduct. They must regularly disclose information about their involvement in a variety of areas, like criminal activities, inquiries by government agencies, bankruptcies, customer complaints, or terminations by employers. The CFP must conduct an extensive background check on candidates before granting certification.

Certified Financial Planner jobs

On completion of the CFP, one can easily find a job. CFP graduates can find lucrative job opportunities in banks, mutual fund companies, and other government or private organizations. They can even start their own business. There are many job opportunities after the completion of the Certificate in Financial Planning course. One can get different jobs such as financial planning, tax services and planning, retirement planning, legal planning, philanthropic planning, estate planning, investment management, etc. There are many job openings for CFP graduates, which can be found by making an online search.

The Best Financial Planners in Canada

Badger Investment Group, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, is the best financial planner in the management of wealth; its products include wealth management, legacy planning, financial planning, capital markets, retirement planning, insurance planning, and a financial calculator. The lead portfolio manager, Geoff Badger, has 27 years of experience in the industry.

RT Mosaic Wealth Management Ltd. is another professional portfolio management firm. It specialises in portfolio management and custom financial planning. These also provide products like retirement planning, tax minimization strategies, estate planning, insurance analysis, debt management, etc. Its office is located in Alberta, Canada. They provide unbiased financial plans in conjunction with professional portfolio management that will serve you well. The firm is primarily run by David Miller, who has 15 years of experience in the industry.

Timothy Weber

The next on our list of the best financial planners is Timothy Weber, who offers superior financial advice to clients, especially in tax and estate planning, securities, insurance protection, investment lending, and business succession. Its office is situated on Jasper Avenue in Edmonton, Canada. Timothy Weber helps clients make well-informed decisions for long-term money management. This is the reason they are one of the best financial planners in Edmonton.

Bilyk Financial

Bilyk Financial is another financial planner specialising in risk management. The firm is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. The firm specialises in tax planning, insurance, investment advice, and estate planning. These are the best financial planners in Edmonton, with 99% client retention rates and over five decades of industry experience.

McGuire Financial Group

This financial advisor group is best known for dealing in financial services. Its address is located in Edmonton. The firm can assist you with everything from debt consolidation to financial planning and mortgage refinancing.They also offer future investment and retirement planning.McGuire Financial Services Group provides services in the areas of Toronto, Calgary, Jasper, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Vancouver, and Victoria. They have 15 years of experience with a unique network of partners.

Conclusion:

It is better to have a certified financial advisor give you advice regarding your financial investments. The CFP assists investors to invest and manage their finances, covering wealth management, risk management, and estate planning.