Why Oak Harvest

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™

Working with a CFP^® professional can be an important step toward reaching your financial goals. Not only do these advisors meet rigorous education and experience requirements, but they are also held to some of the highest ethical and professional standards in the industry.

 

Education

CFP^® professionals must master nearly 100 integrated financial planning topics, including:

• Investment planning
• Tax planning
• Retirement planning
• Estate planning
• Insurance planning
• Financial management

In addition to completing a comprehensive financial planning curriculum approved by the CFP Board, or equivalent academic coursework, CFP^® professionals are required to complete continuing education coursework, including a CFP Board approved code of ethics course, to ensure their competence in financial planning.
 

Examination

CFP^® candidates must pass a comprehensive 6-hour CFP^® Certification Examination that tests their ability to apply financial planning knowledge in an integrated format. The exam is notoriously difficult and only 64% of people who took the exam in 2017 passed. Based on regular research of what planners do, the exam covers:

• Establishing and defining the Client-Planner relationship
• Gathering information necessary to fulfill the engagement
• Analyzing and evaluating the client’s current financial status
• Developing recommendations
• Communicating recommendations
• Implementing recommendations
• Monitoring the recommendations
• Practicing within professional and regulatory standards

 

Experience

CFP^® professionals must have a minimum of three years experience in the personal financial planning process prior to earning the right to use the CFP^® certification marks. As a result, CFP^® practitioners possess financial counseling skills in addition to financial planning knowledge.

 

Ethics

As a final step to certification, CFP^® practitioners agree to abide by a strict code of professional conduct, known as CFP Board’s Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility, that sets forth their ethical responsibilities to the public, clients and employers. CFP Board also performs a background check during this process, and each individual must disclose any investigations or legal proceedings related to their professional or business conduct.