CFP®
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Explore our free CFP in-depth articles to help you prepare for the CFP® exam or quickly refresh your knowledge of the core fundamentals.

CFP articles

Explore in-depth CFP® articles covering key topics and exam strategies.

Digital illustration of a financial planner holding a panel with five rising bars and a green arrow beside a calculator, books and stacked coins, representing CFP® salary growth

How much do CFP® professionals make? Salary by experience and firm type

Financial planners’ median total pay is $195,000, and CFP® professionals earn about 11% more. CFP Board’s 2026 study by experience, firm type, supervision and pay mix.

Digital illustration of a finance professional holding a balance scale with a house and pie chart on one side and a candlestick chart with a magnifying glass on the other, representing the choice between the CFP® certification and the CFA® charter

CFP® certification vs. CFA® charter: Which finance credential is right for you?

CFP® vs. CFA®: how the two credentials differ in exams, cost, eligibility, experience, clients and careers, and how to pick the one that fits the work you want to do.

Digital illustration of a financial planner holding a results card with a two-thirds-filled ring and a green check mark beside books, a calculator and a bar chart, representing the CFP® exam pass rate

CFP® exam pass rate: Results by administration, first-time vs. repeat takers

The CFP® exam pass rate has ranged from 62% to 68% since March 2022; 66% passed in July 2026. Every result, first-time vs. repeat rates, scoring and retake rules.

Digital illustration of a financial planner holding a large reference sheet with a table grid beside a stack of books, a calculator and a rising bar chart, representing the CFP® exam tax tables and formula sheet

CFP® exam tax tables and formula sheet: What CFP Board provides and how to use it

What is in CFP Board’s tax tables and formula sheet, which tax year each exam window tests, whether you can use them during the exam and how to study with them.

Digital illustration of a financial planner holding a clipboard with a green check mark beside books, a balance scale and a calendar, representing CFP® continuing education and ethics requirements

CFP® continuing education requirements: Hours, ethics CE and renewal

How many CE hours CFP® professionals need, what the 2-hour ethics course must be, how credits are reported and what happens if you miss the deadline.

Digital illustration of a financial planner holding a large calculator beside a stack of books, a clipboard, a pie chart and a house, representing how to study for the CFP® exam

How to study for the CFP® exam

How to study for the CFP® exam: its 170 questions and eight domains, a 12-week study plan, practice and calculator tips, registration timing and what to do on exam day.

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Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Center for Financial Planning, Inc. owns and licenses the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the United States to Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., which authorizes individuals who successfully complete the organization's initial and ongoing certification requirements to use the certification marks.

CFP® Resources