Certified Financial Planner^CM

The Certified Financial Planner^CM licence is the international accreditation for financial planning. It is the benchmark that combines vocational skills with technical expertise.

The licence is renewed annually, providing that the planner satisfies certain ongoing educational requirements, has no upheld complaints against him or her and continues to abide by a strict code of ethics.

There are four pillars supporting the Certified Financial Planner^CM structure: the four ‘E’s.

• Education - a Certified Financial Planner^CM licensee must achieve a high level of relevant professional accreditation, such as being a solicitor, accountant or barrister or holding the Advanced Financial Planning Certificate ( AFPC) or equivalent.
• Examination - a rigorous assessment process through the submission of a detailed financial plan which is marked against the CFP standards.
• Ethics - fiduciary duty to clients, including explicit disclosure of remuneration.
• Experience - at least three years' relevant experience of financial planning in practice.

Although there are 80,000 CFP qualified planners worldwide, there are currently only around 1,000 in the UK.

All Professional Direct planners are Certified Financial Planner^CM licensees.

To find out more visit the Certified Financial Planners board website

www.cfpboard.org

or visit the Certified Financial Planners' page on the IFP website

www.financialplanning.org.uk