According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Personal Financial Advisors earn a median annual salary of $95,390, with projected job growth of 13% over the next 10 years.
Financial Advisors and Planners are accredited by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards (CFP Board), which ensures that advisors and planners meet strict educational, professional and ethical requirements. While accreditation under the CFP Board is not always required to work as a Financial Advisor or Planner, it vastly improves professional opportunities for those holding the certification, either by itself or along with other certifications, such as Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
The LCMC CFP program prepares students for a career as a Financial Planner or Advisor, as described below.
In order to become a Certified Financial Planner, students must complete four key requirements:
The LCMC was the first consortium recognized by the CFP Board as a Registered Program. This allows any school that is a member of the LCMC to enroll its students in the CFP program via the Rize platform. Students who complete a bachelor’s degree, in addition to the seven-course sequence described below, will successfully fulfill the CFP Board’s education requirement and be prepared to sit for the CFP Exam.
This program can be offered as a stand-alone certificate, a minor, or as part of a larger major in a related field. However, in order to meet CFP board standards, all 7 CFP program classes must be completed through the LCMC’s shared CFP Program, led by Dr. Chris Kubik of Regis College.
CFP courses are taught by leading LCMC faculty members who have relevant professional and academic experience. Please see a partial list of key personnel below.
Christopher Kubik - Regis College: Dr. Chris Kubik is the Director of the LCMC’s CFP Registered program and Professor of Accounting and Finance at Regis College. He holds a DBA from Anderson University and an MBA from University of Detroit. Dr. Kubik was the 2010 recipient of the Jack Jensen Teaching Excellence Award.
Ned Gandevani - Lesley University: Dr Ned Gandevani is a professor of Finance at Harvard University and Lesley University. He is, furthermore, a practicing Portfolio Manager, and has published multiple successful books on a variety of financial topics.