The College for Financial Planning, which created the CFP mark in 1972, has redesigned its CFP education program for to make it more tailored to busy professionals. The first online classes begin this November, with an eye towards students taking the CFP examination in November 2020.
The new program now includes pace and performance tracking so candidates can see their progress; an activity feed with clear directions on each step; and reporting for corporate partners to help identify students who are off course.
“We are the largest provider of CFP certification education, exam preparation and continuing education, with more than one-third of all students seeking the CFP mark coming to us for their required education,” College President Dirk Pantone said. “Through this new program, it’s our goal to help elevate the wealth management profession with a scientifically designed curriculum that is streamlined for busy professionals.”
Self-study options will be made available in January.
All courses will be hosted on Kaplan’s Learning Management System and take a scientific, evidence-based approach. Kaplan acquired the College for Financial Planning in 2018.
The CFP Board, the certifying and standards-setting organization that administers the CFP certification program, has come under fire recently after a Wall Street Journal article unearthed instances of thousands of CFPs who had failed to disclose customer, criminal or regulatory incidents to the board. In response, the CFP Board said it’s no longer enough for CFP certificants to self-disclose incidents that may preclude them from receiving CFP membership credentials. The organization is also creating a new independent task force led by securities consultant and former Texas Securities Commissioner Denise Voigt Crawford, which will provide “actionable recommendations for an update to its enforcement” rules and procedures.