The Best Online Certified Financial Planning (CFP) Programs

The College of Financial Planning, a for-profit college, established in 1972, is regarded as the first school to provide educational programs devoted exclusively to financial planning. The College of Financial Planning founded CFP education; in the early years the college owned the designation.

The college provides online programs for numerous designations beyond the CFP including in the areas of retirement planning and asset management. The college also provides a Master of Science in Personal Financial Planning degree and a Master of Science in Finance degree.

The College of Financial Planning places a strong emphasis on dealing with real-world situations and solutions.

The College of Financial Planning provides the Online Certified Financial Planner Certification program, a CFP Board – Registered program, through its exclusive MyChoice learning platform. Most students complete the program in one to two years, but students have up to three years to complete the program.

The program fulfills the CFP Board Standard’s core education requirements for its certification. Graduates can take the CFP Certification Examination.

Students enrolled in the Online Certified Financial Planner Certification program, a graduate level program, can directly apply credits toward the College of Financial Planning’s Master of Science in Personal Planning degree program.

Course subjects for this graduate certificate finance online program include:

• Financial Planning Process & Insurance
• Investment Planning
• Income Tax Planning
• Retirement Planning & Employee Benefits
• Estate Planning
• Financial Plan Development

The College of Financial Planning is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

2 Boston University–Metropolitan College–Center for Professional Education

Boston, Massachusetts

Part of the Boston University Metropolitan College, the Center for Professional Education provides a variety of non-credit certificate programs. Focusing on career-readiness and certification examination standards, the programs at Metropolitan College prepare students to excel in their professional pursuits.

The Center for Professional Education offers an online Financial Planning certificate program, designed to train students to pursue careers as effective, knowledgeable professional financial planners. The balanced curriculum emphasizes the foundational aspects of financial planning, including risk management and tax planning, and culminates in a capstone project. In only nine to twelve months students emerge prepared to take the CFP certification exam. Boston University provides a CFP Board – Registered program.

The graduate certificate finance online program consists of the following seven courses:

• Introduction to Financial Planning
• Insurance and Risk Management
• Investments
• Tax Planning
• Retirement Planning and Employee Benefits
• Estate Planning
• Capstone Course in Financial Planning

The courses utilize an asynchronous delivery model.

Boston University is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).

3 Kansas State University–College of Human Ecology–Institute of Personal Financial Planning

Manhattan, Kansas

Part of the College of Human Ecology at Kansas State University, the Institute of Personal Financial Planning provides educational programs to students and nonstudents. In addition to certificate programs, the Institute engages in outreach, serving the community through clinics, workshops, and professional development programs. The Institute also houses the unique Financial Therapy Clinic, blending financial planning and psychology through cutting edge clinical research.

The Institute of Personal Financial Planning offers an online Graduate Certificate in Personal Financial Planning program, registered with the CFP Board of Standards, and designed to ready students for the CFP exam.

In 14 months, students prepare to pursue careers as qualified professional financial planners. The curriculum develops a strong foundation in financial planning principles, with particular focus on financial planning for families.

The Graduate Certificate in Personal Financial Planning online program consists of the following six courses:

• Insurance Planning for Families
• Investing for Family’s Future
• Families, Employment Benefits and Retirement Planning
• Personal Income Taxation
• Estate Planning for Families
• Financial Planning Case Studies

The online graduate certificate finance planning program provides students with 18 fully-transferrable credit hours, useful should they decide to pursue a relevant Master’s degree at Kansas State University.

Kansas State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

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