Blogs

Whew…This exam was quite a journey! I felt like I was on a roller coaster most of the time, but I passed on November 7, 2022. In this post, I share my study process and approach that helped me get there. -Jackie Cummings Koski, CFP®, MSPFP, AFC® CAREER CHANGER I retired early from my corporate job in 2019 to pursue my passion around financial literacy and education, so I guess that makes me a career changer. CFP® certification was not initially on my radar, but I knew I wanted to focus on personal finance. While pursuing my master’s degree at Kansas State University (Personal Financial Planning & Financial Therapy), I quickly realized that the ...
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Practice Makes Perfect A Pass When approaching the CFP® exam there are usually two kinds of people. People who think they are going to pass the exam with flying colors, and people who think they need to study every second they are breathing. I’m here to tell you that neither of these are sustainable approaches. In the famous words of Bruce Lee, “after a long time of practicing, our work will become natural, skillful, swift, and steady.” Being a collegiate basketball player, I approached the exam as I would if I were about to play in the biggest game of my career. I apologize in advance for all the basketball analogies coming your way. The months leading ...
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She’s On Her Way Featuring an Interview with @Kiersten Peshek on her Path to CFP ® C ertification ​ ​ What is your earliest money memory? My earliest money memory is when I started babysitting around the age of 12. Now that I was earning my own money, my parents opened a high yield savings account for me and said I had to put part of my babysitting money into that account. I didn’t enjoy losing some of my hard earned money to a savings account but I did like seeing it grow over time and, eventually, I made the connection that this money was not lost, that it was still mine, and that it would help me in case of emergency or sudden financial hardship. ...
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How I Studied and Passed the CFP® Exam Timeline I learned about the existence of the CFP® certification in January 2021. Given my lack of financial literacy, I decided to get certified (what a leap, I know!) In mid-April this year, I started studying for the exam, and the serious prep sessions took place in June and July. And I passed! Elements contributed to my success Stick with your study materials. There are a lot of questions on the forum regarding choosing materials and review providers. I would suggest picking one based on your budget and stick with it. Some programs are more expensive than others, and it’s usually the live sessions ...
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My first attempt at taking the exam was over six years ago. Unfortunately, I did not adhere to the study guidelines set forth in the Dalton preparation course I’d enrolled in to prepare for exam. The biggest mistake I made was not dedicating the necessary amount of study time the CFP Board and Dalton provided as a framework for successful test takers, 225-250 hours. I simply sat for the exam too soon. On my second attempt, I was determined to not repeat that same mistake. Taking into consideration the amount of time since my first attempt, I decided to add 50 hours to my preparation runway. The additional time allowed me to revisit the material at a comfortable ...
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The CFP Board Candidate Forum has been a useful resource and was instrumental in successfully passing the CFP® Exam on my first attempt. I wanted to share my study plan with folks on the path or coming back to finish their journey. It started with developing a schedule which began when I was going through the education requirement and completing the coursework. I chose an online education program that was self-paced because I needed the flexibility due to my work schedule and busy family. I made it a point to block out three hours per day (7-10pm) four days during the week, six hours on Saturdays and would put in four hours on Sundays. After completing ...
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Training for a marathon; solving a 1500 piece puzzle. Daunting at first glance? A long road ahead? I'd like to share my plan on passing the exam on the first attempt in March 2021, as an advanced career-changer with no prior experience in financial planning. Liken it to a 26-week training schedule for a marathon. Liken it to your game-plan of solving the puzzle - piece by piece, pattern by pattern; first outline, then corners, then details. Begin each day with the end in mind - and why CFP® certification is important to you. When nothing else makes sense at the time, begin with why . 1st 12 weeks (moderate) time: 10-12 hours per week I had completed ...
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She’s On Her Way Featuring an Interview with @Amanda Gutierrez on her Path to CFP ® C ertification ​ What is your earliest money memory? My earliest money memory is from when I was nearly 10 years old and went camping with my aunt, uncle, and cousins in San Diego. For the trip, my parents had sent me with a limited amount of money to pay for food and trinkets. However, I knew that I didn’t receive money very often and therefore wanted to save as much as I could by asking about the cost of everything. My aunt and uncle took notice and still tease me about it to this day. When did you discover financial planning? I discovered financial planning ...
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January 26, 2021: 45 Days Until the CFP ® Exam I am in the Valley of Despair. My review course provider, Brett Danko, hosted a webinar with a Ph.D. to discuss the mental aspects of test-taking. She showed a U-shaped diagram where you start out high, ignorantly excited about taking on the CFP® exam. As you move to the right, you sink down into the trough where you are knee-deep in the depressing reality of what it will take to pass the exam. When you rise again on the other side, you have knowledge-based confidence that you will be able to pass. She called the trough the Valley of Despair, where reality catches up to you, everything seems hopeless, and you ...
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She’s On Her Way Featuring an Interview with @Jonae Daniels on her Path to CFP ® C ertification What is your earliest money memory? My earliest money memory is my Money Bunny account. Money Bunny was a savings account that our local credit union offered for kids. The only mail I could eagerly look forward to receiving each month as a child was from the credit union.. They would send out monthly statements and coloring books so that it was not just a boring piece of paper. My mom would always go over the statement with me, making sure to talk about the account balance and emphasizing the importance of "paying yourself first." She was teaching me ...
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She’s On Her Way Featuring an Interview with Dawn Torres-Gale, Candidate for CFP ® Certification Dawn, Thanks for joining us today to talk about your career in financial planning. First, what is your earliest money memory? My earliest money memory is my single parent mother telling me it was too expensive to buy a car in response to my asking her about it while we were waiting in the rain for the bus in San Francisco where I grew up. I was probably around 4 or 5 years old but the fear I felt then has always stayed with me. When did you discover financial planning? I think I had always heard of Financial Planning as a profession but ...
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My journey began a little over a year ago. It was around November 2019 when I started my CFP coursework. My original goal was March, 2021. I wasn't really serious about the exam as I'm just in a support role currently, and am relatively content with my role. But, I figured I've been in the industry for 4 years and I should have something to show for it -- so might as well pursue the CFP designation. Once COVID hit, I saw it as an opportunity to ramp up my studying. No excuses now, right? It wasn't until August that it seemed possible I could sit for the November exam. So, I grinded through the last couple of courses and enrolled in the CFFP/Kaplan Live Review ...
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Selling: Zahn Pre-Study Books 1 & 2 - For the July/September 2020 Test (book 1 has highlighting in it, book 2 does not). Selling for $20 plus shipping. Zahn Flash cards, one set for each section. These were immensely helpful and cost $75 originally. I'm selling for $20 plus shipping. CFP Exam Calculation Workbook, new. Selling for $5 plus shipping. Money Education Quick sheet Reviews, one or more for each section. Originally $100. I'm selling for $20 plus shipping. Money Education Textbooks (Incoming Planning, Estate Planning, Retirement Planning, Insurance Planning) $15 each plus shipping. If you'd like a picture of anything, just let me know. I'll ...
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I just passed the CFP exam and am looking to pass on my 8 Kaplan program books to whomever can use them. I will also throw in 5 Mathew Brandeburg books of flashcards which I found helpful. If interested, please email me at richardbmccaffrey@gmail.com.
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I’m close to completing the educational coursework to sit for the CFP and thought I’d share my experience. I’ve utilized the online self study program through Bryant University and have found it to be very well organized. If you’re looking for a program, I’d recommend it. I’ll also be doing my exam prep review through their Brett Danko led recap course. Libby Mueller is who I’ve worked with at Bryant U and she’s been excellent. Very responsive and has helped keep me on schedule. Jason Sechrist, CIMA®, CRPC® Sechrist Financial 978-430-7347 jsechrist@sechristfinancial.com
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A huge thank you to John Loyd, the instructor for my Live Review class! I recently passed the exam thanks to John. He is an incredible teacher and makes the whole process fun and enjoyable. I'd highly recommend John's class to anyone who is prepping for the exam.
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I am newbie that just need assistance in terms franchising business model. Can someone provide meaningful insights?
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So now that you’ve made it through the educational requirements, it’s time to start thinking about taking and passing the CFP® exam. During my exam prep course through Brett Danko, he always talked about us PASSING the exam and not just taking it. Once you get through the education and the studying, you have to go into the big day with a positive mindset. A phrase that I used during my college hockey career and before my test day experience was: Positive thoughts produce positive results. Anyway, enough of the pep-talk. You’ve got this! Let’s move on to the actual test experience. First and foremost, you want to make sure that you sign up for the exam at a ...
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The financial planning field is growing in response to consumer demand and that growth presents great career opportunities with good earnings potential for those with the highest credentials. As you consider this career path and attaining CFP® certification, it’s important to look at the research that speaks to this potential. The U.S. News and World Report annual Jobs Report consistently ranks financial advisor among the top 10 Best Business Jobs. And the U.S. Department of Labor predicts a 15% job growth in the financial advising field through 2026. You can learn more about these reports and career prospects at the CFP Board Career Center .
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The November 2018 CFP ® exam will be the first to incorporate the 2018 tax law. Candidates for the CFP ® exam need to be prepared to study for questions pertaining to the new law. CFP Board recently released two resources with information about the impact of the 2017 Tax Cuts & Jobs Act on the CFP ® exam. The new CFP Board Key Elements | Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 2017 document outlines learning objectives that provide guidance on 25 critical elements of the tax law changes, from the perspective of the content covered by CFP ® The updated Tax Tables document that will be provided to candidates during the November 2018 CFP ® exam now reflects ...
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