FP Canada’s two certifications, Qualified Associate Financial Planner™ certification and Certified Financial Planner® certification, are the standard of excellence for financial planners in Canada.
Professional financial planners certified by FP Canada must meet and maintain high standards of practice and conduct throughout their careers. Their continued certification depends on it.
This means they must agree to comply with The Standards of Professional Responsibility that are set, maintained and enforced by the FP Canada Standards Council™, a division of FP Canada™. These standards protect the public interest and build trust in professional financial planners. Failure to comply with the standards can result in professional discipline, with sanctions that range from a letter of admonishment to suspension or revocation of certification.
Earning QAFP certification or CFP certification from FP Canada is a comprehensive process with four compulsory requirements:
Financial planning work experience is a hands-on demonstration of expert knowledge and skills, and is another required step to certification – one year for QAFP professionals, and three years for CFP professionals.
QAFP professionals and CFP professionals must take a required number of Continuing Education courses every year. They must also adhere to the FP Canada Standards Council Standards of Professional Responsibility, including a Code of Ethics which mandates that CFP professionals place their clients’ interests first. And they must renew their certification annually to retain the right to use the QAFP marks and CFP marks, which only individuals in Canada who are certified by FP Canada and in good standing are allowed to use.
Canadians should feel confident about the advice they get from QAFP professionals and CFP professionals given the high bar and strong professional standards.
Standards of Professional Responsibility →
Your Financial Planner's Responsibility to You
What you should expect from your Financial Planner
Protecting the Public Interest
Making a Complaint
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