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CFP Exam: What You'll Be Tested On (Principal Knowledge Topics)

by CFP Board · CFP Board

CFP Board's official exam blueprint. It lists the eight principal knowledge domains with their weights: professional conduct, general principles, insurance, investments, tax, retirement, estate, and planning psychology. Each coded topic is linked to the 170 exam questions. The map of the whole field from the adviser and CFP angle. It shows learners exactly what to master and is the syllabus every prep provider repackages.

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How To Become A Financial Advisor As A Career Changer

A guide from Kitces.com to entering the planning profession. It compares client-facing and technical paths, explains the CFP education, exam, experience and ethics requirements, and estimates program and review-course costs. It ends with a sequenced transition timeline.

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Nerd's Eye View (Kitces.com blog)

Michael Kitces' free long-form blog for financial planners. It gives technical deep dives on retirement income, tax, Social Security, insurance and estate strategy, plus advisory-business and career articles. It is widely regarded as the profession's leading practitioner publication.

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Fundamentals of Financial Planning (8th Edition)

A textbook written for the introductory course in CFP Board-registered programs. It covers the planning process, client psychology, time value of money, risk management, education funding, investments, and tax basics, with 2025 figures throughout.

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CFP Board Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct (incl. Practice Standards)

The CFP Board's binding rules for CFP professionals: the fiduciary duty, conflict-of-interest disclosure, and the seven-step financial planning process, from understanding client circumstances through monitoring and updating. It is the canonical definition of the 7-step planning process and the fiduciary standard, and it is free. A downloadable PDF booklet is included.

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The Millionaire Next Door

Reports survey research on American millionaires, finding most accumulate wealth through frugal spending, steady saving, and business ownership rather than high income. Readers come away with a data-backed picture of how household wealth is actually built.

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