CFP (Certified Financial Planner)

Roumik Roy

CFP is a one-year-long certification course that deals with various aspects of financial and investment across all the sectors and domains. The course is offered by the Financial Planning Standard Board and prepares students for the professional demands of the finance and planning industry. Some of the job roles available to candidates after CFP courses include Risk Analyst, Financial Planner, Financial Advisor, Investment Planner, Relationship Manager, Financial Consultant, and Chartered Accountant.

About CFP

CFP prepares students for dealing with the financial and investment assets in the job industry. One of the common queries that students ask is, ‘What is CFP course scope after graduation?’ The CFP certificate course provides specialized insights into various aspects of insurance, investing, analysis, taxation, estate, and the benefits of financial planning. CFP course full form stands for Certified Financial Planner. Merriam Webster defines finance as, ‘the money or liquid resources of a government, business, group or individual’ and planning as, ‘the act or process of making a plan to do or achieve something.’

Therefore, financial planning involves planning a method or a process to achieve the desired set of financial goals by any individual or organization. The CFP course duration in India has incorporated all the significant changes that have taken place in modern-day financial planning and investment. Students are trained as professionals to develop a critical and analytical approach regarding the subject matter. Areas of study in the CFP course include financial planning, taxation, estate planning, risk analysis, investment planning, insurance, and employee benefits. After the completion of the CFP degree, students can work as professionals in both the government and the private sector. 

Table of Contents

• CFP Eligibility Criteria
• CFP Admission Process
• Popular CFP Entrance Exams
• Top CFP Colleges
• Fees Structure for CFP
• Syllabus and Subjects for CFP
• Why Choose CFP?
• Preparation Tips for CFP
• Scope of Higher Education after CFP
• CFP Salary
• Career Options After CFP
• Skills to Excel

Eligibility Criteria for CFP

CFP admissions are offered to students who satisfy the basic eligibility criteria. CFP course eligibility is passing the undergraduate degree with a minimum of 50% marks from a recognized college. Certain colleges also conduct an entrance-based process for selection criteria. There is no minimum age limit for applying to the CFP course. Chartered accountants who have gained levels of certification are also eligible to apply for the course.

How to Get Admission in CFP?

For pursuing CFP admissions, students are required to meet the eligibility demand for the course. The admission process for the CFP course in India can be based on two ways. Selection for the course is done either through merit or an entrance test process. For the entrance-based process, the cumulative grade point acquired by the student in the undergraduate degree is taken into consideration. Applications for the admission procedure may be availed by going to the college portal or directly visiting the college admissions office. The details of the admission process in general for CFP are mentioned hereafter: 

How to Apply?

CFP course details and duration are available on the college websites through which the students can begin their application process. The registration process for admission can be carried out through both the online and offline modes. For the online procedure, students are required to visit the college website, log in their details, fill in their credentials in the application and make the online registration payment. Regarding the offline process, students need to visit the college admissions office, collect the application form, fill in the details and make the registration payment. For both the procedures, candidates are required to submit valid documents for the verification process.

Selection Process

For selection into the Certified Financial Planner course duration, the admission process is generally based on merit i.e the candidate’s performance in the undergraduate degree. For certain colleges, CFP course eligibility in India is clearing the entrance test of the respective institute. The admit card and other relevant details are published on the college website beforehand. Students can view their results of the selection process by logging in to the college portal or receive it personally via email. 

Popular Entrance Exams for CFP

The admission process for the duration of the CFP course is generally conducted based on the candidate’s performance in the undergraduate degree examinations. For certain CFP Indian colleges, admissions are strictly offered based on the candidate’s performance in relevant exams such as CA Foundation level, CA Intermediate Level, CS, and ICWA. With the entrance exam process, the colleges ensure they select the best suitable candidates. Some of the popular relevant entrance exams are listed below:

• CA Level Entrance Exam
• ICSI
• ICWA CMA Exam
• CAIIB Exam

A Quick Glance at the CFP Entrance Exams

Various CA levels and other relevant exams become a mandatory criterion for the selection process of CFP admissions. Students are expected to study the Certified Financial Planner course details and the exam pattern in great detail. This ensures an overall understanding of the concepts. A timely preparation before the entrance exams is mandatory to secure a sound performance. The entrance exam pattern in general for the CFP course is listed below:

• The paper comprises 100 questions
• The duration of the exam is 120 mins
• Every correct answer carry one mark
• There is no negative marking for any answer attempted
• 40 questions involve case studies

Top 10 CFP Colleges in India

A CFP college grooms the candidate in the best possible manner to face and provide solutions to the industrial challenges of the finance industry. CFP course full details and duration are available on the college websites through which students can select the best college according to their preference. Depending on the facilities provided, the Certified Financial Planner Course Fees may differ college-wise. Mentioned below are some of the popular colleges for the CFP Duration in India: 

Fee Structure for CFP

The CFP fees structure charged by the colleges depends on various underlying factors. Some of the governing factors that impact the CFP fees include infrastructure, institutional facilities, faculty, placement opportunities, etc. the average CFP course fee in India is INR 50,000-1 LPA. Mentioned below is a list of colleges for CFP course duration and fees in India: 

Syllabus and Subjects for CFP

CFP course syllabus is curated so as to incorporate the important concepts of financial planning and relevant topics. The one-year-long certificate course is composed of core subjects that dive deep into the various facets of investment, financial planning, employee benefits, insurance, risk analysis, and estate planning. After the completion of the CFP degree, students can apply for various job roles such as Risk Analyst, Financial Planner, Financial Advisor, Relationship Manager, Portfolio Manager, and Investment Advisor. Mentioned below are some of the core subjects in the course duration:

• Introduction to Financial Planning
• Advanced Fi
• Insurance Planning
• Risk Analysis
• Investment Planning
• Retirement Planning
• Estate Planning
• Employee Benefits

Read More On CFP Syllabus and Subjects

Why Choose CFP?

The CFP course details include various important financial topics that are important for smart and sustainable economic decisions. The course is offered by the Financial Planning State Board, providing the graduates of the course a sense of legitimacy in their field globally. To understand ‘What is CFP?’ or ‘Why Choose CFP?’ better, we can break it down to the following three questions: 

What is CFP All About?

CFP is a one-year-long certification program designed to inculcate among students the various concepts of financial planning and relevant areas. The full form of CFP is Certified Financial Planner. Therefore, the CFP course details include professionally training the students to meet the demands of the financial planning industry. Areas of study in the CFP course includes investment planning, risk analysis, advanced fi, financial planning, employee benefits, taxation, etc. after the completion of the CFP course duration, students can apply for various job roles such as Financial Advisor, RiskAnalyst, Investment Advisor, Wealth Advisor, Client Relationship Manager, Private Banker, Branch Manager, and Paraplanner. 

What Does a CFP Graduate Do?

CFP graduates find employment in areas of finance, planning, investment, real estate, stock market, and banking. Apart from the aforementioned areas, the graduates of the course duration also work in client relationship management, paraplanning, legal advice, research associate, and cost controlling. The diversifying range of areas provides a wide range of scope for career growth and development where all the fields are interrelated with one another. 

Financial Planner: The main objective of a financial planner is to help their clients meet their economic goals. Their clients may range from individuals to big MNC’s. They analyze their client’s investment scope, relevant areas and help them earn passive income over a long period of time. Along with the goal of passive income, financial planners also help with retirement plans, tax returns, insurance, etc.

Reasons Why CFP Can Fetch You a Rewarding Career?

Financial planning and its adjoining areas have gained a lot of importance in recent decades. The whole concept of economy is now heavily embroidered within these very terms that dictate the economic shifts of a nation. Studying a CFP course can fetch high rewards considering the candidate develops their own set of personal skills and understanding of the subject matter. 

Scope for career growth: The scope for career growth in the financial planning sector is exponentially high due to the varying range of employment areas. Contemporary culture has brought in a lot of trends, some of them include risk management and investment. Avenues such as analyst, relationship management, client management, advisor, paraplanner, and research provide impeccable scope for career growth. Candidates with knowledge of more than one area of specialization can carve out their own path for a successful future. 

Read More On CFP Jobs

Preparation Tips for CFP

For preparing for the CFP course, students are required to look closely into the course details. Even after selection into the course, students should keep themselves updated with notable developments and new terms in the field of financial planning. Listed below are some of the preparation tips for the CFP course duration: 

Update Regularly: Along with the academic reading, students must also keep themselves updated with important developments in the world of financial planning.

Regular Practice: Students should practice regularly on all the important topics to ensure a sound performance in the exams and gain a clear understanding of the course tenets.

Time Management: Time management becomes a crucial factor for a one-year-long course that includes a plethora of important topics.

Scope for Higher Education

CFP is a highly reputed course that attracts a lot of potential recruiters. However, higher education means a higher set of knowledge and skills acquired. This automatically translates to a higher starting salary upon joining the working sector. Mentioned below are some of the higher educational opportunities after CFP duration:

• CFA
• CAIIB
• DBF
• MBA in Banking and Insurance
• PG Certificate in Banking and Insurance

Salary of a CFP Graduate

The average CFP salary in India is INR 4 LPA (Source: Payscale). The salary received by an individual depends upon several underlying factors. Some of the governing factors that impact the salary pay include the experience of the individual, skillset, area of specialization, and placement opportunities provided by the colleges. Finance management and its related areas provide great scope for career growth not only in terms of fields but also translating to lucrative salaries.

Read More On CFP Salary

Career Options After CFP

CFP course duration prepares individuals for the fields of financial investment, planning, risk analysis, paraplanning, client relationship management, research, and cost controlling. Lucrative pay scale jobs are available to graduates of the course in both the public and private sector organizations. As the candidate gains more skills and experience, the salary also increases at regular intervals. Candidates who do not wish to seek jobs immediately after graduation can opt for higher studies in the form of MBA, PG Courses, CFA, DBF, etc. Mentioned below are some of the career options available to students after graduation:

• Risk Analyst
• Investment Banker
• Portfolio Manager
• Private Banker
• Branch Manager
• Paraplanner
• Research Associate
• Relationship Manager
• Financial Advisor
• Wealth Advisor

Skills That Make You The Best CFP Graduate

Students are expected to study tediously all the important concepts in order to gain a full-fledged understanding of the course. However, in a dynamic field such as financial planning, academic reading is not enough. Students are required to possess a certain set of soft skills to ensure success in the working sector. Mentioned below are some of the skills that pave the way for a successful career after CFP:

• Communication skills
• Relationship management
• Interpersonal skills
• Stress management
• Analytical approach
• Attention to detail
• Problem solving attitude