Home

Financial Planning Career Information

Explore a financial planning career.

Resource Center Home | Finance Career Resource Guide Home | Find Finance Schools

Finance Home

Finance Degrees

Finance Careers

Related Reading

Find Finance Schools

What Do Financial Planners Do?


A financial planner meets with clients

For the many people who cringe at the thought of wading through the concepts and consequences that often define financial matters, a financial planner is a much needed guide.

Financial planners work with individuals to set the plans that will allow them to achieve financial goals such as buying a home, sending kids to college and having a comfortable retirement.

More so than other finance careers, financial planning requires excellent communication and interpersonal skills; it is crucial that practitioners can understand their clients' needs and convey complicated tax, insurance, investment and estate-planning advice. Many in the field start out in large firms and eventually move into private practice, which affords a greater deal of independence. To begin working towards a career in financial planning, find finance bachelor's, MBA, or master's degree programs.

Find Finance Schools

Financial Planner Career Path

Entry Level Mid Level Senior Level

Types of Roles

Assistant financial planner

Financial planner, certified financial planner

Director of financial planning, entrepreneur

Experience

0 - 3 years

4 - 8 years

10+ years

Getting There

  • All entry-level requirements
  • Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and/or Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) certification
  • Excellent interpersonal skills
  • All mid-level requirements
  • MBA degree and/or National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) trading licenses
  • Ability to form strong client relationships

Salary*

$25,000 - $40,000

$47,000 - $71,000

$67,000 - $105,000

Description

  • Use computers and software to enter and analyze financial data
  • Support senior financial planners
  • Interview clients to determine financial status and goals
  • Manage client relationships
  • Clearly communicate complex financial concepts
  • Develop and deliver financial planning seminars to clients and prospective clients
  • Coordinate legal, tax, investment, estate and insurances perspectives
  • Prepare and monitor comprehensive financial plans

* Depends on company size, specific job, and location
Sources: SalaryExpert.com, Salary.com, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Wois.org, Monster.com

Find Finance Schools

Spotlight Schools

American InterContinental University Online

AIU Online offers convenient, flexible alternatives that enable you to fit a career-focused education into your current lifestyle. This is the perfect format for students looking to pursue opportunities in a competitive job market.

Select a Campus: Online

Northeastern University - College of Business Administration

Northeastern offers its AACSB-accredited MBA program in a 100% online format. They are a world leader in practice-based education focused on expanding students' managerial skills and knowledge base.

Select a Campus: Online

Boston University

Boston University offers top online master's programs in banking / financial services management and project management to enable graduates to get ahead in their careers.

Select a Campus: Online