As you advance your career, the College recognizes the time and investment it takes to earn industry-recognized credentials. Our professional designations not only empower advisors for their current career stages but enable you to earn credit toward your next credential. Graduates of certain designation programs can earn credit toward the College's:
- CFP® certification education program or
- Master of Science Degree in Personal Financial Planning
Plus, completion of certain professional designations programs can also help you fulfill continuing education (CE) requirements:
- If you are a CFP® professional, successful completion of the College’s professional designation programs can qualify for continuing education (CE) hours for CFP® certification renewal as follows:
- ADPA® program: 28 hours (live online program); 22.5 hours (ondemand program)
- SE-AWMASM program: 28 hours (live online program); 24 hours (ondemand program)
- All other designation programs (except the FPQP® and WMSSM programs): 28 hours (either live online or ondemand program)
- If you currently hold a professional designation from the College, completion of a new professional designation fulfills CE hours as part of the renewal of your current designation.
NEW! The College is excited to introduce a certificate program designed for financial advisors who are new to the industry or in the early stages of their career. Delivered 100% online, this self-study program focuses on key advising and business-building skills necessary to launch a successful financial planning career.
Learn more about the Financial Advising Accelerator certificate program.
Career Entry Designations
Earn any of these professional designations to begin your financial planning career with confidence.
Early Career Designations
Professional designations to build a foundation of credibility and expertise in the financial planning industry.
Mid-Career Designations
Use these professional designations to solidify your financial planning expertise and stay sharp in an ever-changing industry.
Advanced Career Designations and Programs
Take your financial planning career to the next level with these advanced programs.
Find a Financial Advisor
Search for advisors with our professional designations in your area.
This is one of the findings of a quantitative survey conducted by the College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company between August 31 and November 18, 2021. For this survey, a sample of 798 2021 graduates of the College for Financial Planning was interviewed online in English. The sample includes 257 graduates whose most recent professional designation earned was a specialized financial designation (AAMS®, ABFP®, ADPA®, APMA®, AWMA®, CMFC®, CRPC®, CRPS®, CSRIC®, FPQP®, LUTCF®, WMS®) and who answered this question.
This is one of the findings of a quantitative survey conducted by the College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company between August 31 and November 18, 2021. For this survey, a sample of 798 2021 graduates of the College for Financial Planning was interviewed online in English.
This is one of the findings of a quantitative survey conducted by the College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company between August 31 and November 18, 2021. For this survey, a sample of 798 2021 graduates of the College for Financial Planning was interviewed online in English. The sample includes 198 graduates whose most recent professional designation earned was a specialized financial designation (AAMS®, ABFP®, ADPA®, APMA®, AWMA®, CMFC®, CRPC®, CRPS®, CSRIC®, FPQP®, LUTCF®, WMS®) and who answered this question.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the United States, which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.
The College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company does not certify individuals to use the CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM, and CFP (with plaque logo) certification marks. CFP® certification is granted only by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. to those persons who, in addition to completing an educational requirement such as this CFP Board-Registered Program, have met its ethics, experience, and examination requirements. The College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company is an education and exam prep review provider for the CFP® Certification Examination administered by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. CFP Board does not endorse any education or review course or receive financial remuneration from education or review course providers.