GLOBAL NUMBER OF CFP
PROFESSIONALS TOPS 126,000

During an unpredictable year for financial services markets globally, individuals interested in financial planning careers turned to CFP certification to improve their knowledge, skills and abilities and align with the standard of excellence for competent, ethical financial plannefrs. Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd. (FPSB), owner of the CFP, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER and CFP Logo marks outside the United States, reports the number of CFP professionals reached an all-time high of 126,016 as of 31 December 2009, up 6.4 percent from 118,506 at year end 2008.

Since year end 2000, the total number of CFP professionals around the world has more than doubled, and the number of nonprofit organizations administering CFP certification globally has gone from 12 to 23 during the same period.

The majority of CFP professionals (65,382) are now doing business outside the United States, with FPSB Member organizations from the People’s Republic of China and India both posting nearly 80 percent growth in the number of CFP professionals in 2009. FPSB Member organizations from Indonesia and Brazil also reported strong year-over-year gains, of 41 percent and 28 percent respectively.

“As consumers seek to identify trustworthy financial planners, and employers, regulators and practitioners look for a way to ensure appropriate knowledge and skills to practice financial planning, CFP certification has emerged as the global qualification of choice,” said Stephen O’Connor, CFP, chairperson of FPSB’s Board of Directors. “CFP certification is attractive to financial planning professionals because of its rigorous competency, ethics and practice standards, as well as its reputation for excellence. CFP professionals commit to placing clients’ interests first, and that high standard represents the most important ingredient in building a relationship of trust among financial planners and their clients.”

“The CFP certification program assesses a financial planner’s knowledge, skills and abilities and commitment to practicing financial planning in a professional manner,” said Noel Maye, FPSB CEO. “CFP professionals also meet ongoing continuing professional development requirements and commit to a code of ethics and set of practice standards. “

As the preeminent international standards-setting body for financial planning, FPSB’s vision is to establish financial planning as a global profession, with the CFP marks as its symbol of excellence. FPSB enforces its certification standards through a network of 23 nonprofit standards-setting organizations around the world.

About FPSB: FPSB manages, develops and operates certification, education and related programs for financial planning organizations to benefit the global community by establishing, upholding and promoting worldwide professional standards in financial planning. FPSB demonstrates its commitment to excellence with the marks of professional distinction – CFP, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER and CFP Logo Mark. Territories where FPSB has a nonprofit member organization include: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chinese Taipei, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States. For more, visit fpsb.org.