About the Program:
Executive Certificate in Financial Planning

Program Faculty

SF State Extended Learning is proud to have assembled an outstanding faculty, in conjunction with Kaplan Financial. All faculty in the Executive Certificate of Financial Planning program have CFP® certification, a professional designation or license. The faculty presents the material in a manner that allows students to utilize their time efficiently and effectively outside of the classroom.

Education

The Education requirement can be fulfilled by successfully completing the SF State Extended Learning's Certificate in Financial Planning program. Certain professionals such as a PhD, DBA, JD, CFA, CPA, ChFC, or CLU may challenge the exam. Once you become a CFP® certificant, you will be required to complete 30 hours of continuing education every two years.

Examination - CFP Certification

The CFP® Certification Examination is given three times per year in March, July, and November. The national pass rate on the examination is approximately 50%. Based on a 1999 Job Topic Study, CFP Board issues a topic list covering 101 areas a candidate should be prepared to answer at the evaluation level or lower.

Experience

In order to receive the CFP® Certification, the candidate must meet certain experience requirements: A bachelor’s degree and three years of work experience is necessary. In addition, this experience must be completed in the 10 years preceding the exam or 5 years after the exam.

Ethics

CFP® certificants are required to abide by CFP Board’s Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility and Financial Planning Practice Standards. In addition, CFP® certificants are required to disclose to CFP Board if involved in a criminal or civil proceeding.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the time commitment required for study outside of the classroom?
Depending on the student’s previous experience and education, a student can expect to spend between 1-2 hours studying outside of the classroom for every hour in the classroom.

How long is the program and how much does it cost?
This is a nine-month program consisting of six courses: Fundamentals of Financial Planning and Insurance Planning, Investment Planning, Income Taxation and Tax Planning, Retirement and Employee Benefits Planning, Estate Tax Planning, and a Case Course in Financial Planning. Tuition for the program is $5,400. Tuition does not include books and materials.

Why choose the SF State College of Extended Learning Executive Certificate in Financial Planning program over another program?
Quality instruction is a must for any outstanding educational program. All faculty members have advanced degrees and certifications and are experienced professionals in their fields.

This program is a joint effort between Kaplan Financial and the SF State College of Extended Learning. Kaplan Financial is the leading provider of review materials and courses for the CFP® Certification Examination as well as a nationally recognized publisher of financial planning education materials and courses.

What is the process of attaining CFP® certification?
In order to attain CFP® certification, there are the four E's: Education, Examination, Experience, and Ethics.