Level 7 Diploma in Advanced Financial Planning

Why become a Certified Financial Planner

The CFP certification is recognised globally as the gold standard for financial planning professionals. It will give you the necessary skills to build trust and help consumers in an increasingly complex advice world. The CFP process equips individuals with the following:

• A financial planning framework that is robust and repeatable
• Allows you to deliver a pure financial planning proposition consistently for each client
• Allows you to easily evidence decisions that will help reduce your compliance risk
• Increased client confidence that you can help them meet their life goals
• Improved relationships with clients that will ultimately lead to client referrals

How to become a Certified Financial Planner

To earn the CFP certification, you must meet the following requirements.

You must first hold an RDR-compliant qualification for FCA Activities 4 and 6 ie a complete Level 4 qualification

Candidates for CFP certification must master theoretical and practical financial planning knowledge by completing a comprehensive course of study that meets standards set by FPSB. ie pass an exam on complete professional assessment.

Candidates for CFP certification must achieve the CISI’s level 7 Diploma in Advanced Financial Planning, which assesses their ability to apply integrated financial planning knowledge to real-world client situations.

The good news is that as a CISI’s Accredited training partner to support the CFP, we are here to help.

Level 6 exam / professional assessment

CISI provide comprehensive support for this 3 hour exam. As of 2021 the pass rate is 87%.

Level 7 Case Study

FP Training Academy have been providing support for the case study since the CFP relaunch in 2019.

We have trained and supported over 100 candidates to join the global community of CFPs.

We have three methods to support your development

• 3 Day Interactive Course - Delivered over Zoom
• Video Course - study at your own pace
• Pre-Submission Call

The CFP™ is the most difficult assessment you will undertake.

This course will cover

• Common mistakes which candidates make resulting in their plan failing due to a misunderstanding of the process.
• Understanding the markers expectations with regard to framing and structuring the plan in line with Financial Planning Process Map
• The assumptions provided to you and the principles that need to be followed to make further assumptions
• A detailed analysis of the standards that you are required to meet
• The example plan and what lesson you can learn for your own plan

How do I prepare for the course?

Before the starting to watch the videos, you should have read, as a minimum,

• Your case study
• The standards that you will be assessed against
• The sample Case Study
• The Fellows paper on assumptions

we will provide further guidance when you book the course.

How do you get the most from the course?

Many candidates spend 2 full months preparing to submit their plan. This is not necessary or, in many cases, beneficial.

To get the most from the course we would recommend the following

• Come prepared (make sure you know you case study thoroughly)
• Watch the pre course videos to help improve your Excel skills
• Self-analyse any technical weaknesses that you have and watch the professional refreshers on the CISI website. Be really honest with yourself, if, for example, you have no advanced Taxation and Trust knowledge please take the time to watch these videos before starting the course 
• Watch the videos and the do the appropriate work before moving onto the next section.
• Resist the temptation to start to write up your plan before you have finished all of the calculations
• Set a deadline to complete each basic part ie Part 1, complete the calculations Part 2, write the report.
• When you have finished the report do not submit immediately. Leave it for at least 24 hours and then re read as a final check before submission.