[theworld]

Hello,

I am wondering if any of you know where I can find some good information on persuing financial planning as a career? As in what they do day-to-day, goals, starting salary, etc...

I currently have had no experience in dealing with a FP. I am interested in what my money is doing and how to utilize it more effectively. I also would like to assist people in making informed financial decisions.

I do not have any post-secondary education (hopefully enrolling next year), any info on well-regarded programs or degrees would also be appreciated.

Thanks for your time and comments.

 

[MoneyGal]

It really depends on what you mean by "financial planning." And...I am probably too cynical to answer your questions (and I'm not the most cynical person here!)

Do you want to work in a brokerage office? as an employee? as a self-employed advisor? Do you want to work in the back office, or client-facing? Do you want to be licensed to sell financial products? If yes, what kinds?

Tell us what your ideal employment scenario is. BTW, for many roles in this industry, the amount of required formal education is very, very low. The mutual fund sales license requires a knowledge of grade-school math.

 

[Smac20]

FP as a Career

You should take a look at the Canadian Securities Institute website. They list salary expectations, job descriptions, etc. http://www.csi.ca you will have to dig there a bit to find it. They are the education institute responsible to licensing Canadian investment professionals.

 

[Dana]

CFP designation

I would also suggest that you check out the website for the FPSC (Financial Planner Standards Council) and the CFP website. Off the top of my head, I don't know the addresses.

 

[cannon_fodder]

Hello,

I am wondering if any of you know where I can find some good information on persuing financial planning as a career? As in what they do day-to-day, goals, starting salary, etc...

I currently have had no experience in dealing with a FP. I am interested in what my money is doing and how to utilize it more effectively. I also would like to assist people in making informed financial decisions.

I do not have any post-secondary education (hopefully enrolling next year), any info on well-regarded programs or degrees would also be appreciated.

Thanks for your time and comments.

You can also go over to milliondollarjourney and look for a guest commentator Kathryn. She actually works with people on a non-profit basis to help them. In other words, you could help people as a hobby, rather than a career.

Just another perspective...

 

[Rickson9]

Hello,

I am wondering if any of you know where I can find some good information on persuing financial planning as a career? As in what they do day-to-day, goals, starting salary, etc...

I currently have had no experience in dealing with a FP. I am interested in what my money is doing and how to utilize it more effectively. I also would like to assist people in making informed financial decisions.

I do not have any post-secondary education (hopefully enrolling next year), any info on well-regarded programs or degrees would also be appreciated.

Thanks for your time and comments.

If you want the potential to make a lot of money, it's a great choice.

Financial planners are one of the rare occupations where the planner becomes MORE desirable to the client the older they become.

 

[Kirkland]

Hello,

I am wondering if any of you know where I can find some good information on persuing financial planning as a career? As in what they do day-to-day, goals, starting salary, etc...

I currently have had no experience in dealing with a FP. I am interested in what my money is doing and how to utilize it more effectively. I also would like to assist people in making informed financial decisions.

I do not have any post-secondary education (hopefully enrolling next year), any info on well-regarded programs or degrees would also be appreciated.

Thanks for your time and comments.

Hi,

I'm really glad you asked this question as I personally want to follow Financial Planning as a profession. Ideally my dream job is to work in a brokerage either in the Forex or Futures industries. At the moment I'm just learning financial markets and taking part in Forex demo accounts to round up my financial planning and knowledge skills.

I will be going to university in a couple of years to get a Bacholors in Finance in order to give myself that employability factor.

I'm currently 22 years of age and have worked ever since I've been able to, half of which has been in the sales industry, at the moment I work for a UK insurance company in Sales.

 

[Sheraz]

Hello,

I am wondering if any of you know where I can find some good information on persuing financial planning as a career? As in what they do day-to-day, goals, starting salary, etc...

I currently have had no experience in dealing with a FP. I am interested in what my money is doing and how to utilize it more effectively. I also would like to assist people in making informed financial decisions.

I do not have any post-secondary education (hopefully enrolling next year), any info on well-regarded programs or degrees would also be appreciated.

Thanks for your time and comments.

I really appreciate the your spirit and all i can do is give you some motivation and emotional support; this may clear your mind and give you the direction where you have to go if you choose finance as your profession ...

Here are just some of the reasons why students choose to study an accounting and finance degree:

* Stimulating: The world of finance and investment banking attracts many top graduates. Household names such as J P Morgan, Merrill Lynch, CSFB and Morgan Stanley aresynonymous with exciting assignments and glamorous lifestyles. Meanwhile, financial scandals such as Enron and Global Crossing have placed accounting at the top of the business agenda.
* Rewarding: Careers in accounting and finance are associated with very high salaries. A recent National Institute study identified accounting as the most lucrative of all degree courses in terms of graduates’ lifetime earning capacity.
* Variety: International accounting firms offer a bewildering array of career opportunities to suit all interests including traditional auditing and assurance work, management consulting, corporate finance, IT consulting, tax planning, human resources (HR) and insolvency. The same is true for the large investment banks and financial institutions.
* Leadership: After gaining their professional qualifications, many accountants move into senior management positions in large firms. The Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in many of the UK’s leading companies are qualified accountants. All Finance Directors (the step down from the CEO in the corporate hierarchy) are accountants.

Source:
My own experience . . .

Regards,

Sheraz

 

[ssimps]

If you want the potential to make a lot of money, it's a great choice.

Financial planners are one of the rare occupations where the planner becomes MORE desirable to the client the older they become.

If by Financial Planner you mean you want to become someone who works with individuals face to face helping them plan how to best save for their families future, then this would be great if you can keep honest and ethical. Is this possible the way the industry is currently set-up, not sure.

As Rickson9 says, you can likely make good money, but at who's expense? Unless you are honest and do not become completely biased by how much you make based on your suggestions to the client vs. what is really best for the clients interests, the expense is at the clients end and IMO ethically on your end.

If you could become a financial planner that truly has their clients interests as #1 then you could not only make $, and grow a loyal client base, but also sleep at night. Otherwise, I'm not sure that your profession would become more desirable as time goes on as more free and open services and information becomes available for people who want to learn what to do themselves.

Based on my own experience, and maybe bad luck, I have used a few planners over the years and have dumped them all when it became apparent that they had their own agenda (their commission rates) rated higher than mine more often than not.

This is what made me realize that no one cares and puts more thought about your own money more than you do yourself, so I'm better off learning and managing my $ myself. (well we will see if that last part ends up being true or not).

I'm painting a negative picture here and am sure it does not hold for all advisers; just the ones I have had the misfortune to work with. I really hope there are Financial Planners out there that live up to their name, I just don't know any. ;(