Expand Your Knowledge and Earning Potential
Because of the increasing complexity required in making wise financial choices, a growing number of people are looking for smart advice about financial resources and services. This expanding demand has created many new and profitable opportunities for financial service professionals who can provide intelligent and informed guidance.
What is the CFP® certification?
The CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ or CFP® certification is awarded by CFP Board to individuals who meet ethics, experience, and education requirements, and pass the CFP® Certification Examination. The CFP® certification is the financial planning certification clients respect and demand. It sets you apart as a competent and ethical financial planner.
What does Seidman College of Business offer?
The Seidman Financial Planning Certificate Program (SFPC) is a non-credit program that fulfills a growing demand among financial planning professionals for the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ or CFP® certification. Those who successfully complete this CFP Board-Registered Program will be qualified to sit for the CFP® Certification Examination.
The SFPC program consists of six non-credit courses that cover principles of financial planning including insurance, investments, retirement, personal income tax, and estate planning. All of the courses in the program follow guidelines established by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. Texts are selected from the bibliography provided by Certified Financial Planner Boards of Standards Inc.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and 
, which it awards to individuals who successfully complete initial and ongoing certification requirements.
Grand Valley State University does not certify individuals to use the CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and certification marks. CFP® certification is granted only by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. to those persons who, in addition to completing an educational requirement such as this CFP Board-Registered Program, have met its ethics, experience, and examination requirements.
Continuing Education Credits
The State of Michigan requires all licensed agents and solicitors to earn 30 hours of state-approved education credit every two years. The Seidman Financial Planning Certificate courses are registered with the Michigan Office of Financial and Insurance Services – Division of Insurance (formerly the Michigan Insurance Bureau). Each course will provide 30 hours of CE credits and will be reported to Thomson Prometric , who process insurance CE credits for the state of Michigan.
Admission to the Program
Candidates must have a baccalaureate degree and are required to provide a certified transcript of completion and have knowledge of financial analysis. Exceptions to the educational requirement can be made on a case-by-case basis for participants lacking the prerequisite baccalaureate degree (but) who have experience in the financial services industry.
NOTE: Beginning January 1, 2007, only those with a baccalaureate degree can attain CFP® certification. A degree is not required to sit for the exam.
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