Financial Paraplanner Qualified Professional (FPQP)

A Financial Paraplanner Qualified Professional (FPQP) has a proven expertise in financial planning, which helps them better advise their clients. They are different than most paraplanners because the average paraplanner rarely has a formal certification. Paraplanners are part of a financial planning team and often do most tasks associated with financial planning services. However, they do not usually take the lead in terms of client relationships. Consider working with a financial advisor as you create or update a financial plan.

Becoming a Financial Paraplanner Qualified Professional

You can become a Financial Paraplanner Qualified Professional (FPQP), which is a certificate offered by the College for Financial Planning (CFFP), a Kaplan Company, by enrolling in and successfully completing the required courses. You can enroll and begin the course whenever you like. The FPQP certificate training is an introduction to financial planning. The program covers the main facets in personal financial planning with a focus on practical application, such as estate, tax, retirement, insurance and investments.

The certificate is useful for people who work in support roles in financial planning and people without prior experience in the field. The program is designed to cover all major facets of personal financial planning. This ensures that students have a comprehensive foundation of financial planning knowledge. The knowledge learned can be used to assist financial planners and advisors, as well as for individual financial situations.

CFFP notes on its site that even though the program covers the main facets of personal financial planning, it is geared more toward practical, rather than professional, application.

The program’s curriculum consists of these 10 modules:

The Financial Planning Process
Business Ownership, Cash Management, and the Use of Debt
The Time Value of Money
Insurance Basics and Property Insurance
Life and Health Insurance
Investment Basics and Strategies
Retirement Planning
Tax Implications of Financial Decisions
Estate Planning Basics
Case Study and Master Index

Securing and Maintaining the Certificate

According to the CFFP, the FPQP education program is estimated to take about 100 to 125 hours of self-study, though the actual time needed depends on the student. Everyone learns at a different pace, so some may need more or less time to feel ready for the final exam.

Students have six months from enrollment to attempt the exam and must pass it within one year. The exam has 75 closed-book questions and requires a minimum score of 70%. It is proctored at approved testing centers and included in the enrollment cost for the first two attempts. Any additional attempts require a fee.

Enrollment in the FPQP program costs $1,375. This fee covers all study materials, streaming video lectures, interactive quizzes, and access to optional live classes. Students can also reach out to their professor with questions or issues during the course.

To maintain the FPQP designation, certificate holders must pay a $100 renewal fee every two years and complete 16 hours of continuing education on the same schedule. They are also required to follow self-disclosure rules and adhere to the CFFP’s professional conduct standards.

Benefits of the FPQP Designation

You can earn the FPQP certificate by completing a self-paced program in personal financial planning.

The FPQP designation may offer opportunities to both clients who work with them and the professionals themselves.

For Clients

The program is extensive and encompasses the terminology, concepts, and categories of the financial planning process.Professionals with this certification will be able to incorporate and apply their knowledge to support financial planners and advisors, as well as any clients they may have.
The continuing education requirement means that FPQPs are staying up to date with the latest in financial planning knowledge.
Clients know that their paraplanner complies with self-disclosure requirements and follows standards of professional conduct.

For Paraplanners

In addition to an increase in the number of clients, CFFP writes that certificate holders report a 15% increase in earnings.
Gaining the certificate can grant state insurance continuing education (CE) credits and credits towards the CFFP’s professional designation CE requirements.

FPQP vs. Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®)

Financial advisors can help you with your personal financial goals. They can help you make the best financial decision for your situation through guidance and recommendations on savings, investing, retirement and more. Although paraplanners often assist financial advisors, and have a lot of knowledge about the financial planning process, they do not offer direct advice to the clients.

Differences

A Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) is a type of financial advisor. The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. distributes the CFP® designation. The requirements for the CFP® certification are more rigorous than the FPQP. While the FPQP is more of an entry-level certification, the CFP® requires candidates to prove they have 6,000 hours of professional experience in the field. (You may be able to qualify with at least 4,000 hours of experience as an apprentice.)

You’re also required to hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college. In addition, you must take a college-level program of study in personal financial planning and a CFP® Board-registered capstone course. You may be able to waive that requirement if you already hold a CFA, CPA or a higher business degree.

Once you have proved your completion of the coursework requirements, you can take the CFP® exam. The 170-question exam is designed to test the candidate on their retention of what they learned and how they apply that knowledge to financial situations. CFP®s have a fiduciary responsibility to work in your best interest, or the best interest of their client, rather than in their own.

Similarities

Like a FPQP, CFP®s must renew their certification every two years. The renewal process requires them to apply again and complete a 30-hour continuing education requirement. This includes two hours of CFP® Board-approved ethics education and 28 hours of financial planning coursework. Maintaining the FPQP certification also requires several hours of continuing education coursework.

Like FPQPs, CFP®s also have an ethics requirement. They have to agree to follow the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards’ code of ethics and professional conduct. Unlike FPQPs, the Certified Planner Board does a background check on all candidates. Candidates must disclose all past criminal activity, employment problems and client complaints.

What Services Can FPQPs Provide for Clients

FPQPs do not take the lead in advising clients, but they play a central role in the planning process. Their training covers the core areas of personal finance, so they are able to assist in preparing financial plans, running projections and organizing information for advisors. By handling much of the background work, FPQPs give financial advisors more time to focus on building strategies and managing client relationships.

FPQPs can gather client data, review account statements and organize key documents. They often prepare initial financial analyses, such as cash flow summaries, retirement savings estimates, or insurance coverage comparisons. This gives the lead advisor a clear picture of the client’s situation before formal recommendations are made. Their knowledge of tax, retirement, estate and investment basics allows them to translate raw data into meaningful inputs for planning software.

Another area of service is ongoing account support. FPQPs may help track contributions to retirement accounts, review distributions, or monitor whether insurance coverage remains up to date. They can assist in rebalancing investment portfolios according to an advisor’s direction and in preparing performance reports for client meetings. While they are not responsible for making the investment decisions themselves, they keep the details accurate and current so the advisor can act with confidence.

FPQPs also play a role in client education. They can explain general planning concepts, outline how different brokerage account types work and answer questions about forms, statements or tax documents. By providing this support, they help clients feel more informed and comfortable without crossing into giving direct advice. Their continuing education requirement helps keep them familiar with updates in planning rules, which benefits clients who want reliable information.

In practice, FPQPs extend the capacity of an advisory team. Clients experience faster responses, more thorough preparation, and clearer explanations when a trained paraplanner is involved. Advisors benefit by being able to delegate technical and administrative work to someone with proven training. This combination allows the team to deliver a higher level of service, even though the FPQP is not the primary decision-maker. For clients, the value comes in knowing their planning team has depth and structure behind it.

Bottom Line

Research the FPQP program, see if it fits your goals, and seek advice from other financial professionals before starting.

Do your research if you’re interested becoming a Financial Paraplanner Qualified Professional. Make sure it’s the right fit for your career goals. Consider consulting other financial professionals, too. With the right certificates and licenses, you could be on your way to a successful career in the financial services industry.

Tips for Finding the Right Financial Planner

While a FPQP can do most tasks associated with financial services, they can’t give you – as the client – direct advice for managing your money. Luckily, a financial advisor can. If you don’t have a financial advisor yet, finding one doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide which one you feel is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
If you’re just looking to start investing, an online brokerage may be able to help. You can buy and sell stocks and securities from the comfort of your own home. Plus, many online platforms have low or no fees. Investing may help you achieve your financial goals faster.