Course and Certification Options for Financial Planners

Professional certifications can help you build expertise and differentiate your practice. There are a variety of credentials you might obtain, each of which has specific education and exam requirements. Deciding which financial planner course to take can depend largely on your career path and specialty.

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Certifications for Financial Planners

Financial planners and advisors have a multitude of options when earning professional designations. If you’re new to the financial services industry or are contemplating a career change, you might consider pursuing any of the following credentials.

Certification	Benefits to Financial Planners	Granted By
Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®)	Signifies that a financial planner meets the highest professional and ethical standards	CFP Board
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)	Provides financial planners with advanced knowledge in investment analysis and portfolio management	CFA Institute
Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC)	Planners gain holistic knowledge of key areas, such as tax planning, insurance, retirement and estate planning.	The American College of Financial Services
Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU)	Helps develop advanced knowledge about life insurance products and planning	The American College of Financial Services
Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP)	Planners learn advanced income strategies, Social Security optimization, and tax-efficient drawdown strategies.	The American College of Financial Services
Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA)	Designed for financial planners who cater to a wealthier client base with more complex planning needs	Investments & Wealth Institute
Certified Public Accountant/Personal Financial Specialist (CPA/PFS)	Primarily designed for tax professionals who want to expand into offering financial planning services	State Board of Accountancy American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
Wealth Management Certified Professional (WMCP)	Focuses on portfolio construction, tax-efficient strategies and behavioral finance which may be useful for planners who work with high-net-worth clients	The American College of Financial Services

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Financial Planner Course Options

Professional certification programs typically specify that any coursework you complete must be part of an approved curriculum. If you’re interested in earning a CFP® mark, for instance, you can only complete courses that are approved by the CFP Board.

With that in mind, here are some examples of financial planning education programs you might consider.

Kaplan CFP® Education Program

Kaplan offers CFP Board-approved coursework options for CFP® candidates. The scope of course content is the same; the difference lies in what’s included in each package. You can choose from self-study or on-demand classes, or live online classes with CFP® exam prep included.

The curriculum spans the essential knowledge areas required by the CFP Board:

Professional conduct and regulation
General principles of financial planning
Risk management and insurance planning
Investment planning
Tax planning
Retirement savings and income planning
Estate planning
Psychology of financial planning

Kaplan also offers coursework to meet the CFP® Capstone requirement, which is required for all candidates unless you’re on the accelerated path to certification.

CFA Institute Chartered Financial Analyst Coursework

The CFA Institute offers CFA coursework and exam review for financial planners who are pursuing a chartered financial analyst designation. Candidates who enroll in the program have access to a complete online curriculum as well as mock exams and study plans. All of this is included with your registration for the Level I CFA exam.

Topics covered in the program span:

Ethical and professional standards
Quantitative methods
Economics
Financial statement analysis
Corporate issuers
Equity investments
Fixed income
Derivatives
Alternative investments
Portfolio management and wealth planning

The CFA Institute suggests allowing a minimum of six months or 300 hours of study time to fully prepare for the exam.

The American College of Financial Services ChFC Program

Chartered financial consultant candidates can complete a 100% virtual study program through the American College of Financial Services. You must complete eight required courses and pass an exam for each. The required courses are as follows:

Financial Planning: Process and Environment
Fundamentals of Insurance Planning
Fundamentals of Income Taxation
Planning for Retirement Needs
Investments
Fundamentals of Estate Planning
Personal Financial Planning: Comprehensive Case Analysis
Contemporary Applications in Financial Planning

The ChFC credential can be earned in as few as eight months.

American College of Financial Services Wealth Management Certified Professional Program

The American College of Financial Services offers a virtual program for those seeking a WMCP designation. The coursework covers these topics:

Fundamental considerations in the wealth management process
Time value of money principles
Credit and lending
Education funding
Measurement of risk and return
The asset allocation process
Investment strategies
Tax implications and strategies in the financial planning process
Insurance products in wealth management
Retirement planning considerations
Equity compensation and nonqualified deferred compensation plans
Business ownership and planning
Estate planning

The study program also includes a practice exam to help you prepare for the final WMS exam.

The American College of Financial Services Chartered Life Underwriter Program

The American College of Financial Services also offers a chartered life underwriter study program that’s 100% virtual and can be completed in as few as four months. You must complete four courses in total, though certain classes are electives.

Course options include:

Fundamentals of Insurance Planning
The Tools and Techniques of Life Insurance Planning
Fundamentals of Estate Planning
Planning for Business Owners and Professionals

Earning the RICP designation, the wealth management certified professional (WMCP) designation or the chartered special needs consultant (ChSNC) designation allows you to receive elective credit in the CLU program.

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Continuing Education Financial Planner Courses

A financial advisor earning continuing education (CE) credits to maintain her professional designation.

Once you earn a professional designation, you’ll need to maintain it. That usually means earning continuing education (CE) credits.

How often you’ll need to complete continuing education, as well as the number and type of credits required, can depend on your credentials. For example, starting in 2027, CFP® professionals must complete 40 hours of continuing education each reporting period, including two hours of ethics.

Many of the organizations that offer financial planner course programs also offer continuing education credits. Additionally, you may be able to find CE coursework offered elsewhere, in the form of workshops, webinars or lectures.

As you search for courses to satisfy CE requirements, remember that:

Courses must be approved by the organization or entity that issues your designation
Continuing education hours must be reported by the organization or entity that issues your designation

Here’s one more tip: don’t wait until the last minute. Your certification may be suspended or revoked if you fail to earn the appropriate number of credits within the reporting window.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find an affordable financial planning course?

Numerous companies offer financial planning courses online, with options ranging from basic self-study programs to premium packages that include one-on-one mentoring. A self-study program may be the most budget-friendly choice, though you’ll need to be disciplined about completing the coursework.

Do financial planning courses include exam prep?

Some financial planning course packages include exam prep along with access to study materials, such as flashcards or practice tests. You may also have the option to purchase exam prep separately from your coursework or study for the exam independently.

What financial planning continuing education courses do I need?

The answer depends on which designation or certification you hold. Financial planners may need to complete continuing education courses in the areas of ethics, general financial planning, wealth management or investments, depending on their designation.

Bottom Line

A financial advisor exploring financial planner course options.

Finding a reputable financial planner course or study program may require a little research. As you compare options, consider which study formats are available (i.e., self-study, on-demand classes, live classes, etc.), what’s covered and how much you’ll pay. And if you’ve got a solid network, you might ask other financial planning professionals which courses they’d recommend.

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In addition to completing coursework and taking an exam, there may be other boxes you need to check off to obtain a professional certification or designation. That can include earning a college degree or obtaining a minimum amount of professional work experience. Reviewing the requirements for different credentials can help you better understand what to expect as you work toward certification.