Financial Planning
What is Financial Planning?
Financial planning is defined as "the process of determining how an individual can meet life goals through the proper management of his or her financial resources. Some life goals include a comfortable retirement, buying a home, saving for a child's education, or starting a business." A financial planner assists people with their financial planning needs including: investment planning, insurance planning, tax planning, retirement planning, and estate planning.
Source: Media Guide to the Financial Planning Profession.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, 2000.
Financial Planning Careers
A career in financial planning can be very rewarding. If you are a person who likes to help people and earn substantial income, then financial planning would be an excellent career choice. Opportunities are expanding as banks, brokerage firms, accounting firms, corporations, insurance agencies, attorneys, and financial planning firms are providing financial services. To bring professional credibility to financial planning the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards was organized as "a nonprofit professional regulatory organization that exists to benefit and protect the public by establishing and enforcing education, examination, experience, and ethics." To attain the CFP® certification, one must meet the requirements of the four "E's": education, examination, experience, and ethics. Individuals who have attained the CFP® certification have demonstrated "high standards of competence and ethical practice."
Financial Planning at Fort Hays State University
The College of Business and Entrepreneurship is the only business school in the state of Kansas that offers an undergraduate degree program in financial planning. Our curriculum is registered with the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards. A student completing the financial planning concentration meets the education requirements to sit for the CFP® Certification Examination. In four years, students earn the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree with a major in finance and a concentration in financial planning. The necessary knowledge requirements include: financial planning fundamentals, investments, insurance, estate planning, retirement and employee benefits, and taxes. Development and enhancement of written and oral communication skills, leadership skills, and significant computer application are integrated into the curriculum. Another very attractive alternative offered at FHSU is a double degree in financial planning and accounting. This five-year program satisfies the education requirements for both the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and the CFP® Certification Examination.
Former Student Testimonials About the Financial Planning Program
"The education I received from the Financial Planning program helped me decide my career path, and also gave me a solid knowledge base from which I could build my financial planning practice."
Jeff Wolf
American Express Financial Advisors
Dallas, Texas
Financial Planning is not just equations and principles, the understanding of these fundamentals will benefit you through the various paths of life. The program at Fort Hays State University provided me with the necessary tools to be successful."
Chris Shelley-Carney
Principal Financial Group
Des Moines, Iowa
For more information, please contact Dr. Tom Johansen, Financial Planning Program Director
Fort Hays State University does not certify individuals to use the CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and CFP® (with flame logo) 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.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and CFP® (with flame logo), which it awards to individuals who successfully complete initial and ongoing certification requirements.