For anyone who cares....I Passed the CFP!

Welcome to the club.  Congratulations.

Good job, Spiked...welcome to the fraternity!!!

Welcome.

[quote=spikedkoolaid]I thought I would tell everyone on this forum that I am now a CFP.  It took me four times but I finally passed.[/quote]

Congratulations. Try not to become a failure like most cfp's.

Nice job and Congratulations.

[quote=spikedkoolaid]I thought I would tell everyone on this forum that I am now a CFP.  It took me four times but I finally passed.

Congratulations. Try not to become a failure like most cfp's. [/quote]

I'm pleased to know I'm in the minority here...

Congratulations…What did you do to study. How long did it take?

nice! it’s a brutal exam

Congrats!!!

[quote=Bobby Hull]

[quote=spikedkoolaid]I thought I would tell everyone on this forum that I am now a CFP.  It took me four times but I finally passed.[/quote]

Congratulations. Try not to become a failure like most cfp's.

[/quote]

I guess failure depends on how you measure success?

-Koolaid, CFP

I also passed the March exam. My first attempt, and glad of that. Costs a small fortune to get the blasted thing!

Congrats!

A small fortune is right.  I started taking classes in 2004.  $570 per class.  I had to take 7 classes.  I had to take the review class 4 times with 2 different providers $1000/each.  I also had to pay the CFP board $565 each time I took it.  Not to mention all the time away from prospecting/client meetings/etc...

Getting the CFP after my name.....PRICELESS!

..........hmmmmm

Major congrats.  Tons of work and effort.

Would you have pursued this if you had an MBA in Finance and Economics?  Just a question.  Don't everybody get their pants in a knot.

i am proud of you. let me know if it helps the business.

i am thinking about learning how to play the  mandolin

In biz 12yrs. Asked If I am a CFP twice! Amount of HH 600+ and 150 million! So my question is… So??

CFP is a joke.

[quote=spikedkoolaid]

A small fortune is right.  I started taking classes in 2004.  $570 per class.  I had to take 7 classes.  I had to take the review class 4 times with 2 different providers $1000/each.  I also had to pay the CFP board $565 each time I took it.  Not to mention all the time away from prospecting/client meetings/etc...

Getting the CFP after my name.....PRICELESS!

[/quote]

How has the payback been for this investment?  Is the cost and time justified by the return?

Thanks, Mandoman

[quote=aldo63]

i am thinking about learning how to play the  mandolin

[/quote]

Pick, pick, pick!

[quote=Bobby Hull]CFP is a joke. [/quote]

Hmmm....I wonder if Bobby has the CFP or a CLU??

Congratulations.

For those of you who positively responded to ths guy, good response. Whether you think the designation is worthwhile or is horse manure, this guy took the test 4 times. He was intent on passing it at all costs, monetary and mental, and he did it. He deserves Kudos.

To those of you who trashed him and the designation, with all due respect your all assholes. I know, a CFP wont help you sell Equity Index Annuities. But give the guy credit, its an enormous undertaking.

Knowledge is power.

Wow, I didn't think my post would illicit such a viewing audience and this many responses.  I've received many PM's of congratulations.  Thank you. 

Some of you may not have read my previous posts...my resume is as follows:

8 years at EDJ:  $50,000,000 from scratch

1 1/2 year at LPL:  transferred 92% of my book, did $540,000 gross in my first 12 months. 

So to all of you, who don't think the CFP is important I would agree with your views.  I can tell you that you can be very successful without the initials behind your name...On the same hand, I can now charge for financial plans and not feel guilty that I don't have the credentials. 

It's a feather in my cap and I just wanted to share it with all of you.  It was a major accomplishment and I would agree that no one cares if I have a CFP but it does add credibility with my Key Referral Centers.

[quote=Bobby Hull]CFP is a joke. [/quote]

BS.  Are you just too lazy to take some classes? 

[quote=spikedkoolaid]

Wow, I didn't think my post would illicit such a viewing audience and this many responses.  I've received many PM's of congratulations.  Thank you. 

Some of you may not have read my previous posts...my resume is as follows:

8 years at EDJ:  $50,000,000 from scratch

1 1/2 year at LPL:  transferred 92% of my book, did $540,000 gross in my first 12 months. 

So to all of you, who don't think the CFP is important I would agree with your views.  I can tell you that you can be very successful without the initials behind your name...On the same hand, I can now charge for financial plans and not feel guilty that I don't have the credentials. 

It's a feather in my cap and I just wanted to share it with all of you.  It was a major accomplishment and I would agree that no one cares if I have a CFP but it does add credibility with my Key Referral Centers.

[/quote]

Extremely well said.

Best wishes for continued success.

[quote=vbrainy]

[quote=Bobby Hull]CFP is a joke. [/quote]

BS.  Are you just too lazy to take some classes? 

[/quote]

Bobby - with all due respect, and I really mean that, anyone who makes the comment that the CFP is a joke, has no clue.

I just finished 18 months of classes, taking the exam in July and sh**tting in my pants about it.

For those who get it, its quite an accomplishment. And Spikedkoolaid, makes a great point. I gotta believe it goes miles when talking to a CPA or Estate Planning Attorney.

Congrats gentleman! I'm studying for it now. Those Financial Calulator problems are KILLING ME. With all the financial planning software tools and calculators readily provided by firms or the web, I can't understand why we have to learn it.

Were there alot of these type of questions on the exam????

[quote=pratoman][quote=vbrainy]

[quote=Bobby Hull]CFP is a joke. [/quote]

BS.  Are you just too lazy to take some classes? 

[/quote]

Bobby - with all due respect, and I really mean that, anyone who makes the comment that the CFP is a joke, has no clue.

I just finished 18 months of classes, taking the exam in July and sh**tting in my pants about it.

For those who get it, its quite an accomplishment. And Spikedkoolaid, makes a great point. I gotta believe it goes miles when talking to a CPA or Estate Planning Attorney.

[quote=pratoman][quote=vbrainy]

[quote=Bobby Hull]CFP is a joke. [/quote]

BS.  Are you just too lazy to take some classes? 

[/quote]

Bobby - with all due respect, and I really mean that, anyone who makes the comment that the CFP is a joke, has no clue.

I just finished 18 months of classes, taking the exam in July and sh**tting in my pants about it.

For those who get it, its quite an accomplishment. And Spikedkoolaid, makes a great point. I gotta believe it goes miles when talking to a CPA or Estate Planning Attorney.

[/quote]

I've taken the CPA exam. The cfp exam is like a true/false quiz compared to that. It won't impress CPA's.

[quote=vbrainy]

[quote=Bobby Hull]CFP is a joke. [/quote]

BS.  Are you just too lazy to take some classes? 

[/quote]

No. I'm too busy to give up selling time to take classes for something that I don't need. If I need a plan done, I can pay some little cfp a couple hundred bucks to bang one out.

[quote=Bobby Hull][quote=pratoman][quote=vbrainy]

[quote=Bobby Hull]CFP is a joke. [/quote]

BS.  Are you just too lazy to take some classes? 

[/quote]

Bobby - with all due respect, and I really mean that, anyone who makes the comment that the CFP is a joke, has no clue.

I just finished 18 months of classes, taking the exam in July and sh**tting in my pants about it.

For those who get it, its quite an accomplishment. And Spikedkoolaid, makes a great point. I gotta believe it goes miles when talking to a CPA or Estate Planning Attorney.

[/quote]

I've taken the CPA exam. The cfp exam is like a true/false quiz compared to that. It won't impress CPA's.

[quote=joedabrkr] [quote=Bobby Hull][quote=pratoman][quote=vbrainy]

[quote=Bobby Hull]CFP is a joke. [/quote]

BS.  Are you just too lazy to take some classes? 

[/quote]

Bobby - with all due respect, and I really mean that, anyone who makes the comment that the CFP is a joke, has no clue.

I just finished 18 months of classes, taking the exam in July and sh**tting in my pants about it.

For those who get it, its quite an accomplishment. And Spikedkoolaid, makes a great point. I gotta believe it goes miles when talking to a CPA or Estate Planning Attorney.

[/quote]

I've taken the CPA exam. The cfp exam is like a true/false quiz compared to that. It won't impress CPA's.

[/quote]

Bobby....if you're that smart why don't you take the July exam with the rest of us?  You can take it on challenge status....you don't even need to take all those silly classes first.
[/quote]

If people cared about us having the trademark, I'd have it. Like I said, if I need a plan done, I have a guy that will prepare one for me. It's a low revenue activity for me.

[quote=Bobby Hull][quote=pratoman][quote=vbrainy]

[quote=Bobby Hull]CFP is a joke. [/quote]

BS.  Are you just too lazy to take some classes? 

[/quote]

Bobby - with all due respect, and I really mean that, anyone who makes the comment that the CFP is a joke, has no clue.

I just finished 18 months of classes, taking the exam in July and sh**tting in my pants about it.

For those who get it, its quite an accomplishment. And Spikedkoolaid, makes a great point. I gotta believe it goes miles when talking to a CPA or Estate Planning Attorney.

[/quote]

I've taken the CPA exam. The cfp exam is like a true/false quiz compared to that. It won't impress CPA's.

[/quote]

You give CPA's a bad name. You have no respect for other people.

[quote=pratoman][quote=Bobby Hull][quote=pratoman][quote=vbrainy]

[quote=Bobby Hull]CFP is a joke. [/quote]

BS.  Are you just too lazy to take some classes? 

[/quote]

Bobby - with all due respect, and I really mean that, anyone who makes the comment that the CFP is a joke, has no clue.

I just finished 18 months of classes, taking the exam in July and sh**tting in my pants about it.

For those who get it, its quite an accomplishment. And Spikedkoolaid, makes a great point. I gotta believe it goes miles when talking to a CPA or Estate Planning Attorney.

[/quote]

I've taken the CPA exam. The cfp exam is like a true/false quiz compared to that. It won't impress CPA's.

[/quote]

You give CPA's a bad name. You have no respect for other people.

[/quote]

Do you REALLY think I've had an impact on the public's view of the accounting industry? Was it what I said here or is it the fact that Arthur Andersen hired me out of college?

Hey guys and gals - first, I need to change my handle since someone else had it before me…when I get motivated.

On the tvm calcs - You shld not have any long ones cause they take too long. They will ask you for a part of a formula, if you know the formula, you can give the answer. Just study you brains off and practice the software questions.

Mr. Bobby,

You are correct.  I actually hire another CFP for $350 to do my plans and then I charge my clients $3600 to present it to them.  It's a low revenue activity that I turned into a revenue activity.  I think you should get the initials just so you can have them.  In fact, I'll pay the test fee for you.

As for the calculator problems, get the 17bII.  It's the best calculator.

[/quote]

Bobby....if you're that smart why don't you take the July exam with the rest of us?  You can take it on challenge status....you don't even need to take all those silly classes first.
[/quote]

Joe, are you sure he can take the exam challenge status? He said he took the CPA exam. Never said he passed it. What about it Bobby Boy?

According to some newer accountants who have both and educators I know they all say the CFP in is tougher then the CPA exam in its current format.  CPA exam is now broken up into sections which makes it a bit more manageable.  One instructor I know who has just about every professional services mark feels the JD is the toughest, followed by the CFP exam. 

Either way, they’re both good. 

The most imporant designation is: W-2



How much is on it is all that matters.

amen to that ferris

[quote=Ferris Bueller]The most imporant designation is: W-2

How much is on it is all that matters.[/quote]

I think that designation is Schedule C. The party begins when you can write off all your toys, and the party. Bobby knows about that from the CPA, which from what I hear is a lot harder than the CFP. But getting your CFP is an easy way to elevate your own professioanal status.

[quote=GoingIndy????]According to some newer accountants who have both and educators I know they all say the CFP in is tougher then the CPA exam in its current format.  CPA exam is now broken up into sections which makes it a bit more manageable.  One instructor I know who has just about every professional services mark feels the JD is the toughest, followed by the CFP exam. 

Either way, they're both good.[/quote]

If that's true, they've really changed the CPA exam since I passed in '92.  I thought that exam was a bitch and it took five attempts to knock it down.  The CFP, on the other hand, was passed in '05, on first attempt - challenge status with perhaps a hundred hours of prep time.  I found three questions that had errors and were most likely thrown out (I challenged all three as did several others).  My experience was that it was a poorly written quiz next to the CPA exam.  I didn't find it even slightly difficult and left feeling confident that I'd passed.

[quote=GolFA]

[quote=Ferris Bueller]The most imporant designation is: W-2

How much is on it is all that matters.[/quote]

I think that designation is Schedule C. The party begins when you can write off all your toys, and the party. Bobby knows about that from the CPA, which from what I hear is a lot harder than the CFP. But getting your CFP is an easy way to elevate your own professioanal status.[/quote]

Better than the schedule C is the S-Corporation where you get the same benefits, with potentially a lot less in social security taxes and liability protection for your personal assets.