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The Center for Financial Planning

The Center for Financial Planning is a distinct initiative of CFP Board, focused on creating a more diverse and sustainable financial planning profession, so that every American has access to competent, ethical financial planning advice.

Founding Sponsors
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Northwestern Mutual Logo
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Why the Center

The public's need for competent and ethical financial planning advice has never been greater. However, our profession is not regenerating itself fast enough to meet increased demand, and it does not sufficiently reflect the changing demographics of consumers in the United States. This is a problem for Americans and for financial planning professionals who serve the public. The Center was created to address these issues and advance the profession.

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93%

Increase in the number of CFP® professionals under 30 years of age since 2016.

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7,407

New women CFP® professionals since 2016, bringing the total number to 21,504. 

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4,196

Black and Hispanic CFP® professionals in 2021 — nearly 4 times the growth rate of all CFP® professionals during the year.

Our Priorities

We elevate the profession’s value, talent, knowledge and growth through the following initiatives:

Learn more about our Initiatives

Talent pipeline

Cultivating a quality workforce to ensure the profession can recruit and retain the talent it needs to grow.

Diversity & Inclusion

Fostering a more diverse financial planner workforce that reflects the changing demographics of wealth in the United States.

Knowledge for Practice

Building an online body of knowledge for practitioners and elevating the rigor of financial planning as an academic discipline.

Get Involved

The challenges facing the financial planning profession are larger than any one firm, organization or individual, and require a collective effort. Learn how you can become involved with the Center in meaningful and rewarding ways.

Support the center

Make a one-time gift or multi-year pledge to support our programs.

Donate to a Specific Program

Donate to a scholarship fund to support aspiring CFP® professionals or support the Financial Planning Knowledge Center to help build the profession's body of knowledge.

Access and Share Our Resources

Help advance the profession by sharing our guide to career paths, diversity research and "I am a CFP® Pro" campaign within your networks.

Volunteer

Mentor an aspiring CFP® professional or promote the financial planning career within your network.

Amy Shepard, CFP® 
Manager, Northwestern Mutual

I wanted to share my experience of balancing family, work and studying and inspire and motivate others to do the same. Mentoring has been so much more than a transactional relationship — it has really been an opportunity to network and build genuine relationship with others in the financial planning field.  

Lazetta Rainey Braxton, CFP® 
Center Donor and Advisory Council Member; FOUNDER AND CEO, FINANCIAL FOUNTAINS

Innovation requires foresight and courage. I support the Center for Financial Planning because they are exploring innovative opportunities which are anchored in academic research, workforce development, and diversity.

Sandra Cervantes, CFP®
Owner, eParaplanner

I am very grateful to the donors of The Deena Jo Heide-Diesslin Scholarship and to the Center for Financial Planning for awarding me this scholarship. Financial planning will be a very rewarding career because I will be making a tangible impact on peoples’ lives by helping them achieve their life goals.

ADVANCING THE PROFESSION

Support the Center

Your donation supports Center initiatives to advance the financial planning profession.

Make a Gift

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