CFP Board Announces New and Improved Ethics Continuing Education Program

Program provides additional guidance for CFP® professionals, will continue to be offered through CFP Board CE Sponsors

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^™ professionals will be equipped to understand and comply with Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards’ new Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct with an updated Ethics Continuing Education (CE) program that will be available October 1, 2018.

The new program is part of a series of guidance resources that will give all CFP® professionals the opportunity to become familiar with CFP Board’s Code and Standards prior to its effective date of October 1, 2019. The CE program contains real life vignettes that apply the new Code and Standards to the financial planning practice.

“CFP® professionals are required to comply with the new Code and Standards when they become effective on October 1, 2019,” said John Loper, CFP®, Managing Director, Professional Practice at CFP Board. “The public wants to be confident that their financial planner is committed to working in their best interest, and the CFP® certification can provide that confidence.”

CFP® professionals who take the new Ethics CE program can be assured that their ability to know and understand the new Code and Standards will be greatly enhanced, as the topics that will be covered include the fiduciary duty, practice standards for the financial planning process, and disclosure and management of conflicts of interest, among others.

“The new Code and Standards contains significant revisions that reinforce the integrity of the CFP® certification,” said Leo Rydzewski, General Counsel for CFP Board. “The new Ethics CE program is a great way for a CFP® professional to gain a comprehensive review of the new Code and Standards, focus on key learning objectives, and see how to apply the Code and Standards in real life situations.”

The Ethics CE requirement remains two hours and is part of a CFP® professional’s 30 hours of CE required every two years. The new content was developed by CFP Board in collaboration with a blue-ribbon group of CFP® professionals, CE providers, and other education experts. The program will continue to be offered through more than 50 Continuing Education sponsors who have been approved by CFP Board.

CFP Board’s Board of Directors approved the new Code and Standards in March 2018. A Standards Resource Commission has been established to create guidance documents and materials for CFP® professionals and their firms.

More information about the Code and Standards can be found at www.CFP.net/code.