CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™
Educational Requirements Training
for the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Certification Exam

Successful completion of this course will fulfill the educational requirements to sit for the CFP® Certification exam.

The CFP® certification is deemed gold-standard proof of expertise in the personal financial industry. As such, it sets stringent criteria for the practitioner with a 4-year degree wishing to distinguish him or herself from other financial professionals.

The initial requirements for certification are known as the four Es: examination, experience, ethics, and education. The CFP® Board of Standards requires all applicants who have met the other three Es to have completed both their bachelor's degree and an approved training program.

UM-St. Louis has the much sought-after CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™-Board of Standards, Inc. approval for this educational training and is the only university in St. Louis that has AACSB accreditation in both Business Administration and Accounting. Many financial practitioners are finding that our seasoned instructors, coupled with quality study material, enable them to complete the exam preparation in months rather than years.

Financial planning is a consistently growing field, particularly as the baby boomers mature and wealth management becomes a more pressing concern. The months you spend in your course work preparing for this exam will serve you well into the future.

Our team of course instructors carries credentials such as CFP, CPA, PhD, CEO, CLU, ChFC, AEP, JD, CLTC, RFC, CVA, and CFE, and has current, real-world expertise. Since the testing for CFP certification heavily relies on the practical application of case studies, having experienced instructors will give you an edge.

Using the curriculum of the College for Financial Planning, this course covers all topics that the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards requires. If you have decided to differentiate yourself by becoming a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner, spend 20 Saturdays with our knowledgeable instructors.

This structured plan of study led by seasoned professionals, coupled with your determination and discipline, will greatly increase your chances of success on the exam. Through July 2005, 83% of first-time test takers who followed the College's curriculum passed the exam for CFP® certification, as opposed to 58% of all other test takers.*

This course is a prerequisite to success for those who want to differentiate themselves in the financial industry, such as accountants; CPAs; security industry regulators; financial consultants; HR professionals; insurance experts; financial planners; bankers; trust officers; investment specialists; tax professionals and strategists; insurance industry regulators; retirement planners; benefit authorities; attorneys; and other individuals who deal in trusts, estates, and other fiduciary matters.

*College for Financial Planning.

Who should pursue a Chancellor's Certificate in Educational Requirements Training for CFP® Certification?

This course is a prerequisite to success for those who want to differentiate themselves in the financial industry, such as:
Accountants Financial planners Retirement planners
CPAs Bankers Benefit authorities
Security industry regulators Trust officers Attorneys
Financial consultants Investment specialists Other individuals who deal in trusts, estates, and other fiduciary matters.
HR professionals Insurance industry advisors
Insurance experts Tax professionals and strategists

Main Categories of Study:

1. Financial Planning Process and Insurance
2. Investment Planning
3. Income Tax Planning
4. Retirement Planning and Employee Benefits
5. Trust and Estate Planning
CAPSTONE REVIEW OF ALL TOPICS

Comprehensive List of Topics:
Click HERE for a comprehensive list of topics.

Textbooks:
Click HERE for a list of textbooks and study guides.

Certificate Requirement: Complete the 168 hours of training, and you will be awarded 16.8 Continuing Education Units and a noncredit Chancellor’s Certificate in Educational Requirements Training for CFP® Certification by the Chancellor of the University of Missouri–St. Louis.

Registration: You have three ways to register.
FAX -- Complete a registration form and fax to (314) 516-6414.
MAIL -- Complete a registration form and mail to the address indicated.
CALL -- (314) 516-5908 or TDD (314) 516-5961.

Cancellation Policy: The University reserves the right to cancel any program. In the event of cancellation, you will be notified immediately, and all program fees will be returned. If you must cancel the registration, you are entitled to a full refund only if you cancel two weeks prior to the first class. A $50 processing fee will be assessed for later cancellations up to the first class.

Income Tax Deduction: The cost of continuing education is deductible for federal income tax purposes under certain circumstances. Check with the IRS or your tax advisor.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. owns the trademarks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and CFP® (with flame logo) certification marks in the U.S., which it awards to individual who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.

The University of Missouri-St. Louis does not certify individuals to use the CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and CFP® (with flame logo) certification marks. CFP® certification is granted solely by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. to individuals who, in addition to completing an educational requirement such as this CFP Board-Registered Program, have met ethics, experience and examination requirements.

This page last updated December 11, 2008 .