You can renew your designation starting 120 days before your renewal due date. It’s best to renew early to avoid any last-minute problems or let your designation expire.
Log in to your Student Portal to check your specific renewal deadline. Reminder emails will be sent to your primary email, so be sure to check your inbox—including your spam or other folders. Keeping your email address updated, especially if you change employers, is your responsibility.
Renewal is not possible before the 120-day window opens. Some designations are renewed on the same date; others may not. If you have multiple designations and are unsure about syncing renewal dates, contact renewals@cffp.edu.
To renew your designation, you are required to complete 16 Continuing Education (CE) credits within your designated two-year renewal cycle. For MPAS® designees, this requirement increases to 40 CE credits. During the renewal process, you will be asked to attest that you have successfully completed the necessary CE credits.
Important: You do not need to submit any CE documentation when you renew your professional designation. Your CE credits do not need to be reported or approved before renewal—just make sure you have completed the required credits. However, keep copies of your CE documents, such as certificates of completion, official transcripts, or grade reports, for your own records. You may be asked to provide these if you are randomly selected for a CE audit. If you are selected, you will receive an email with instructions on how to submit your proof.
Acceptable CE documentation includes:
Certificates or letters of attendance/completion
Grade reports
Official transcripts
Each document must show:
Your name
Program name
Sponsor name
Date and location of the program
Number of CE credits earned
Sponsor’s signature
Note: Screenshots, photographs, spreadsheets, forwarded emails, or PDF screenshots of certificates are not acceptable.
When completing continuing education (CE) for your professional designation renewal, it’s important to ensure that your CE credits align with approved subject topics. Acceptable topics must relate directly to financial planning and professional development in areas such as investment planning, insurance, tax planning, retirement planning, estate planning, ethics, and practice management.
Below is a concise list of CE topics that qualify toward your designation renewal.
- Ethical Decision-Making in Financial Planning
- Recognizing and Avoiding Conflicts of Interest
- Understanding Fiduciary Duty
- Regulatory Updates from FINRA and SEC
- Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Requirements
- CFP Board Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct
- Ethics in Estate and Tax Planning
- Disclosure Requirements and Client Communication
- Best Practices in Client Data Protection and Privacy
- Professional Liability and Compliance Pitfalls
- Cybersecurity Regulations in Financial Services
- Insider Trading and Market Manipulation Risks
- Ethics in AI and FinTech Usage
- Due Diligence Responsibilities for Planners
- Avoiding Misrepresentation in Product Recommendations
- Advertising and Marketing Compliance Rules
- Disciplinary Case Studies from CFP Board
- Recognizing Financial Elder Abuse
- Suitability vs. Fiduciary Standard
- Ethics in Working with Vulnerable Populations
- Basics of Estate Planning and Probate
- Understanding Trusts: Revocable vs. Irrevocable
- Planning for Digital Assets in Estates
- Charitable Giving and Donor-Advised Funds
- Using Life Insurance in Estate Planning
- Planning for Blended Families
- Estate Tax Minimization Strategies
- Business Succession Planning
- Special Needs Trust Planning
- Planning with Portability and Lifetime Exemption
- Asset Titling and Ownership Structures
- Gifting Strategies and Gift Tax Rules
- Estate Planning for International Clients
- Using Family Limited Partnerships (FLPs)
- Powers of Attorney and Health Care Directives
- Estate Planning with Retirement Accounts
- Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax (GSTT)
- Post-Mortem Planning Strategies
- Probate Avoidance Techniques
- Estate Planning Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
- Fundamentals of the Financial Planning Process
- Understanding the Client’s Financial Life Cycle
- Behavioral Finance and Client Psychology
- Time Value of Money Calculations
- Goal-Based Financial Planning Techniques
- Budgeting and Cash Flow Management
- Emergency Fund Planning
- Financial Statements and Ratio Analysis
- Understanding Client Risk Tolerance
- Navigating Complex Client Family Dynamics
- Net Worth Analysis and Tracking
- Principles of Economic Theory for Planners
- Conducting a Financial Needs Analysis
- Coordinating Financial Planning with Other Professionals
- Ethical Responsibilities in the Planning Process
- Developing a Comprehensive Financial Plan
- Planning with Divorce and Separation
- Financial Planning for Millennials and Gen Z
- ESG and Sustainable Financial Planning
- Financial Literacy Coaching Techniques
- Portfolio Construction and Asset Allocation
- Understanding Mutual Funds and ETFs
- Risk-Return Tradeoff in Investments
- Behavioral Biases in Investing
- ESG Investing and Sustainable Portfolios
- Investment Policy Statement (IPS) Design
- Managing Volatility in Client Portfolios
- Tax-Efficient Investing Strategies
- Understanding Alternative Investments
- Cryptocurrency and Digital Assets
- Investment Planning for Retirement Income
- Analyzing Economic Indicators and Market Trends
- Rebalancing Strategies and Timing
- Bond Market Fundamentals
- Diversification and Correlation Concepts
- Choosing Between Passive and Active Management
- Understanding REITs and Real Estate Exposure
- Sequence of Returns Risk
- Dollar-Cost Averaging vs. Lump-Sum Investing
- Investing for High-Net-Worth Clients
- Social Security Claiming Strategies
- Roth vs. Traditional IRA Planning
- Understanding Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs)
- Retirement Income Distribution Strategies
- Planning for Early Retirement
- Pension Maximization Strategies
- Asset Allocation in Retirement
- Longevity Risk and Retirement Planning
- Medicare and Healthcare Cost Planning
- Planning for Long-Term Care Needs
- Tax-Efficient Retirement Withdrawals
- Retirement Planning for Small Business Owners
- Retirement Plan Selection (401(k), SEP, SIMPLE, etc.)
- Catch-Up Contributions and Retirement Acceleration
- Monte Carlo Simulation in Retirement Forecasting
- Guaranteed Income Products (Annuities, etc.)
- Coordination of Spousal Retirement Planning
- Inherited Retirement Accounts and New Rules
- Retirement Readiness and Gap Analysis
- Risk Management During Retirement
- Life Insurance Needs Analysis
- Long-Term Care Insurance Options
- Disability Insurance and Income Protection
- Health Insurance Planning under the ACA
- Understanding Property and Casualty Coverage
- Umbrella Insurance and Liability Protection
- Business Continuation Insurance
- Evaluating Policy Riders and Features
- Insurance Planning for Small Business Owners
- Group vs. Individual Insurance Plans
- Managing Health Care Costs in Retirement
- Annuities: Suitability and Planning Use
- Risk Transfer and Self-Insurance Strategies
- Insurance and Estate Planning Integration
- Planning for High-Risk Occupations
- Captive Insurance Arrangements
- Reviewing and Replacing Existing Coverage
- Medicare Supplement and Advantage Plans
- Policy Ownership and Beneficiary Designation Issues
- Case Studies in Risk Management Failures
- Fundamentals of Federal Income Tax
- Tax Planning Across Life Stages
- Capital Gains Tax Strategies
- Tax-Efficient Charitable Giving
- Income Shifting and Family Tax Planning
- Small Business Tax Strategies
- Tax Implications of Investment Choices
- Tax-Loss Harvesting Strategies
- Roth Conversions: When and How
- Navigating AMT (Alternative Minimum Tax)
- Planning for Tax Bracket Management
- Tax Considerations for Retirement Planning
- Estate and Gift Tax Planning
- Taxation of Trusts and Estates
- Tax Planning with Stock Options and RSUs
- Understanding State and Local Tax Issues (SALT)
- Tax Planning for Real Estate Investors
- Foreign Income and International Tax Rules
- Strategies Under Recent Tax Law Changes
- Avoiding IRS Red Flags in Financial Plans
- Financial Statement Analysis
- GAAP Updates
- IFRS Standards
- Tax Accounting
- Managerial Accounting
- Cost Accounting
- Accounting Ethics
- Audit and Assurance
- Revenue Recognition (ASC 606)
- Lease Accounting (ASC 842)
- Internal Controls
- Fraud Examination and Forensic Accounting
- Accounting for Mergers & Acquisitions
- Budgeting and Forecasting
- Deferred Tax Accounting (ASC 740)
- Consolidated Financial Statements
- Accounting for Investments
- Accounting Technology and Automation
- Blockchain in Accounting
- Risk Management in Financial Reporting
Continuing education (CE) completed for Securities Licensing and Investment Adviser Representative (IAR) requirements may also be applied toward your professional designation CE, as long as it meets the College’s documentation standards. Acceptable documentation includes a certificate of completion, official transcript, or grade report, and must clearly show your full name, the course or program title, the provider’s name, the date and location of the course, the number of CE credits earned, and the provider’s official signature or seal. CE that does not meet these requirements may not be accepted if your records are selected for audit. To ensure your renewal is not delayed, be sure to keep all qualifying documentation in your personal records for future verification.
Below are sample Securities Licensing and Investment Adviser Representative (IAR) CE to count towards professional designation:
- Ethics and Professional Responsibility
- Fiduciary Duty
- Regulatory Updates
- Suitability and Know Your Customer (KYC)
- Anti-Money Laundering (AML)
- Insider Trading Rules
- SEC and FINRA Compliance
- Portfolio Management Strategies
- Retirement Planning
- Investment Products Overview
- Risk Tolerance and Risk Management
- Behavioral Finance
- Conflicts of Interest
- Cybersecurity and Data Protection
- Financial Planning Basics
- Client Communications and Disclosures
- Market Structure and Trading Rules
- Tax-Efficient Investing
- ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) Investing
- Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Planning
Yes, any continuing education (CE) credits that are authorized and accepted for your CFP® certification renewal will also qualify toward your professional designation renewal with the College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company. However, to count toward your renewal, the CE must meet the College’s documentation standards. This means that your CE records must include formal documentation such as a certificate of completion, official transcript, or grade report. Each document must clearly display your name, the program title, the provider’s name, the date and location of the course, the number of CE credits earned, and the provider’s signature or seal. CE that does not meet these documentation standards may not be accepted if you are selected for a CE audit. Be sure to retain all qualifying documentation in your personal records in case verification is required.
- 529 Plans and Education Savings Accounts (ESAs)
- Tax Credits for Education (AOTC, LLC)
- Balancing Education Funding with Retirement Goals
- Education Planning for Special Needs
- Life Event Planning (e.g., divorce, remarriage, loss)
- Coordinating Tax, Investment, and Insurance Strategies
- Real-Life Case Study Walkthroughs
- Cross-disciplinary Ethics in Planning
- Communicating with Emotional Clients
- Active Listening in Client Interviews
- Motivational Interviewing Techniques
- Handling Difficult Financial Conversations
- Cross-Cultural Communication in Financial Planning
- Leveraging Planning Software
- Automation and AI in Client Service
- Tech Tools for Risk Analysis and Retirement Planning
- Blockchain and Its Planning Implications
- Planning for Underrepresented Populations
- Bias Awareness in Financial Recommendations
- Cultural Competency in Client Relations
NOT Accepted CE:
Continuing education (CE) credits earned for professions outside the scope of financial planning or your specific professional designation are not accepted toward your CE renewal requirements. This includes CE completed for industries such as real estate licensing, nursing licenses, teaching credentials, or other unrelated professional certifications and licenses. CE from these fields typically cover topics and regulatory requirements that do not align with the competencies and subject areas mandated for your designation renewal.
After completing your CE requirements, log into your student account to begin your renewal application. Click the Designation icon, then select the “Renew” button. You will be asked to review and confirm your compliance with the Standards of Professional Conduct, which establish the ethical and professional behavior required of all designees.
You must disclose any:
Criminal charges or convictions
Civil matters
Investigations or actions by regulatory organizations
Government inquiries related to your professional conduct
If the “Renew” button is not visible, please contact Student Services at 800-237-9990 (option 2). They’re available Monday through Friday (excluding holidays), from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm CT.
Your continued use of the designation depends on the College’s review of these disclosures.
You will need to agree to the Terms and Conditions statement, which outlines your rights to use the College’s marks and the College’s rights to protect those marks from unauthorized use
The renewal fee is $100 per designation for a two-year period and is non-refundable.
Late Renewal Students who do not complete their renewal by the renewal date will have their updated renewal date backdated to the original renewal date. The renewal date will not reflect the date the alumni completed the renewal application and paid the fee. If a late renewal is completed, a non-refundable $100 renewal fee will be charged, and the renewal date will be backdated.
Designees holding two or more designations may choose to pay a Multiple Designation Renewal Fee of $100, which will create a single renewal date for all of their College designations. This $100 fee covers the renewal for all designations for a two-year period.
