Sydney University Finance Society

Friday, 05 September 2008 |

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Financial planning - Plan to make a difference

Helping people achieve their hopes and dreams can be very satisfying. Financial planning is a great career option if you would like to combine your financial and people skills. As a profession there are diverse career pathways and employment options.

Working in financial planning offers:

• Job satisfaction
• Challenge
• The chance to generate a good income
• Personal and professional growth
• International career opportunities
• A way to help Australians fulfil their financial lifestyle dreams

Financial planning services

A financial planner can offer general wealth-creation advice and assistance across all financial markets, or specialise in areas such as:

• Retirement planning
• Superannuation
• Estate planning
• Small business financial management and planning
• Trusts
• Taxation
• Investing in the share market
• Debt and risk management
• Core, life and general insurance
• Managed investments, securities and futures markets

How to become a financial planner

When you finish your university degree, you could gain an entry level position in a financial planning practice, a bank, a credit union or other organisation that provides financial advice. Experience and skills gained in the work-place can be supported by further education towards CFP® Certification, the global symbol of excellence in financial planning. An undergraduate degree as well as relevant experience will be required for entry to the CFP Certification program.

To become a financial planner you should undertake an entry-level education program recognised by the Financial Planning Association (FPA). These are specifically designed to:

• Provide the knowledge, skills and qualifications you require
• Provide a pathway to CFP® certification

Practicing financial planners are required to undertake Continuing Professional Development (CPD) to help maintain their credentials and keep them up to date with changes affecting the sector.

What qualifications do I need to become a financial planner?

ASIC's Policy Statement (PS)146 sets minimum requirements which can be met by:

• Successful completion of a training program that provides the knowledge, skills and integrity requirements of the policy statement - Diploma of Financial Services (Financial Planning)
• Undertake Continuing Professional Development (CPD) - 90 points per triennium for financial planning practitioners; 120 points per triennium for CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERS

Like to know more?

The Financial Planning Association is the peek body that represents the financial planning profession with over 12,000 individual members. FPA members, whether practitioners, principals, or representatives of the wider financial services industry, demonstrate through commitment to the FPA's high professional standards an overriding priority to help Australians achieve their financial and lifestyle goals.

Visit our website for more information: www.fpa.asn.au

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® and the Mark are international marks representing the highest professional certification that can be awarded to a financial planner.

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