Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) Fundamental Individual Descriptions

Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Pre-requisite Bundle

$ 1050 + applicable taxes for Advocis Members.
Non members pay $2,625 + applicable taxes.
  • Content on-demand
  • 4 year window for completion of all 12 modules
  • Access to corporate trainer and recorded webinars

Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®) Module Descriptions

Advocis Financial Planning Fundamentals Program (CFP Pre-requisite Course Bundle) – 910

Advocis has created the Financial Planning Fundamentals Program to provide financial professionals with the knowledge they need in order to pursue designations such as the CLU, CFP and QAFP. This bundle program consists of all 12 core curriculum modules (911-922) that make up the program. Purchasing the bundle will save you money while also greatly extending the amount of time available to complete all 12 modules. All modules must be completed within 4 years from the registration date. If the course bundle is purchased under the member pricing, your Advocis membership must be in good standing for the duration of the program.

Window for completion: 4 years

Features

  • Downloadable PDF of module content
  • Practice module exam
  • Grades tool to keep track of your progression through the modules
  • ReadSpeaker text-to-speech tool
  • 4 year window for completion of all 12 modules from date of registration

Pricing

Member price: $1,050 (add GST/HST)

Non-Member price: $2,625 (add GST/HST)

Financial Planning Professional & Financial Services Industry Regulation – 911

Financial Services professionals are expected to possess knowledge that will instill and maintain the trust of Canadians, including the knowledge required to articulate their professional responsibilities as financial planning professionals; identify and explain the role of relevant regulatory and oversight bodies in securities and insurance; and explain the framework and regulations that are in place to protect Canadians from such threats as the insolvency of a financial institution, unwanted communications and financial abuse and scams.

Self-Study

Advocis offers this module online. Candidates can complete the learning at their own pace within the 120-day window for module completion. This module is estimated at 55 study hours.

Pre-requisite: There is no pre-requisite for this module

Features:

  • Downloadable PDF of module content
  • Practice module exam
  • Grades tool to keep track of your progression through the module
  • ReadSpeaker text-to-speech tool
  • 120-day window for completion of module

CE Credits

  • The Institute for Advanced Financial Education: 6 Life (including 2 ethics)
  • Alberta Insurance Council: 6 Life
  • Chambre de la Sécurité Financière: 3 PDUs (General Subject), 2 PDUs (Compliance)
  • IIROC: 6
  • Insurance Council of Manitoba: 6
  • Insurance Councils of Saskatchewan: 6 (including 2 ethics)
  • FP Canada: 4 Financial Planning

Candidates seeking CE or PDU credits for professional designations or organizations (including The Institute™) should contact the governing body for confirmation of CE/PDU qualification.

Pricing

Member price: $150 (add GST/HST)

Non-Member price: $375 (add GST/HST)

Financial Analysis – 912

Financial Services professionals are expected to possess the knowledge that will allow them to clearly document, analyze, project and present financial information related to an individual’s goals, needs and priorities. Such knowledge will aid professionals to explain the time value of money; make financial projections to determine the achievability of goals; and evaluate how an individual’s current and projected cash flow—including that from their business—may impact their ability to meet their goals.

Self-Study

Advocis offers this module online. Candidates can complete the learning at their own pace within the 120-day window for module completion. This module is estimated at 61 study hours.

Pre-requisite: There is no pre-requisite for this module

Features:

  • Downloadable PDF of module content
  • Practice module exam
  • Grades tool to keep track of your progression through the module
  • ReadSpeaker text-to-speech tool
  • 120-day window for completion of module

CE Credits

  • The Institute for Advanced Financial Education: 6 
  • Alberta Insurance Council: 6 Life
  • Chambre de la Sécurité Financière: 4 PDUs (General Subject)
  • IIROC: 6
  • Insurance Council of Manitoba: 6
  • Insurance Councils of Saskatchewan: 6 
  • FP Canada: 6 Financial Planning

Candidates seeking CE or PDU credits for professional designations or organizations (including The Institute™) should contact the governing body for confirmation of CE/PDU qualification.

Pricing

Member price: $150 (add GST/HST)

Non-Member price: $375 (add GST/HST)

Credit and Debt – 913

Financial Services professionals are expected to possess the knowledge that will allow them to assess an individual’s credit worthiness and determine suitable credit facilities. They should also be able to determine optimal debt repayment strategies, including the impact that changes to strategies may have on the individual’s debt level, amortization, cash flow and ability to achieve their goals. In addition, they should be able to identify appropriate options and professionals who can help delinquent and insolvent debtors.

Self-Study

Advocis offers this module online. Candidates can complete the learning at their own pace within the 120-day window for module completion. This module is estimated at 90 study hours.

Pre-requisite: Recommended pre-requisite – Financial Analysis 912

Features:

  • Downloadable PDF of module content
  • Practice module exam
  • Grades tool to keep track of your progression through the module
  • ReadSpeaker text-to-speech tool
  • 120-day window for completion of module

CE Credits

  • The Institute for Advanced Financial Education: 7 
  • Alberta Insurance Council: 7 Life
  • Chambre de la Sécurité Financière: 5 PDUs (General Subject)
  • IIROC: 7
  • Insurance Council of Manitoba: 7
  • Insurance Councils of Saskatchewan: 7 
  • FP Canada: 7 Financial Planning

Candidates seeking CE or PDU credits for professional designations or organizations (including The Institute™) should contact the governing body for confirmation of CE/PDU qualification.

Pricing

Member price: $150 (add GST/HST)

Non-Member price: $375 (add GST/HST)

Registered Retirement Plans – 914

Financial Services professionals are expected to possess knowledge of the mechanics of registered retirement savings and income plans so that they may evaluate and recommend tax-efficient wealth accumulation and decumulation strategies that will aid individuals in reaching their retirement goals.

Self-Study

Advocis offers this module online. Candidates can complete the learning at their own pace within the 120-day window for module completion. This module is estimated at 184 study hours.

Pre-requisite: Recommended pre-requisite – Financial Analysis 912

Features:

  • Downloadable PDF of module content
  • Practice module exam
  • Grades tool to keep track of your progression through the module
  • ReadSpeaker text-to-speech tool
  • 120-day window for completion of module

CE Credits

  • The Institute for Advanced Financial Education: 15 
  • Alberta Insurance Council: 15 Life
  • Chambre de la Sécurité Financière: 5 PDUs (Group Savings Plan Brokerage), 5 PDUs (Insurance of Persons)
  • IIROC: 15
  • Insurance Council of Manitoba: 15
  • Insurance Councils of Saskatchewan: 15
  • FP Canada: 15 Financial Planning

Candidates seeking CE or PDU credits for professional designations or organizations (including The Institute™) should contact the governing body for confirmation of CE/PDU qualification.

Pricing

Member price: $150 (add GST/HST)

Non-Member price: $375 (add GST/HST)

Government Benefit Plans – 915

Financial Services professionals are expected to possess detailed knowledge related to the eligibility for, benefits available, and factors to consider in evaluating decisions to apply for and commence benefits available to individuals through Canada’s government benefit programs (including the Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Security, Employment Insurance and the Canada Child Benefit). A high-level understanding of workers’ compensation and income assistance programs complements such knowledge and ensures that professionals are capable of competently advising individuals when they experience life events such as the birth of a child, unemployment, illness, disability and retirement.

Self-Study

Advocis offers this module online. Candidates can complete the learning at their own pace within the 120-day window for module completion. This module is estimated at 50 study hours.

Pre-requisite: Recommended pre-requisite – Financial Analysis 912

Features:

  • Downloadable PDF of module content
  • Practice module exam
  • Grades tool to keep track of your progression through the module
  • ReadSpeaker text-to-speech tool
  • 120-day window for completion of module

CE Credits

  • The Institute for Advanced Financial Education: 5 
  • Alberta Insurance Council: 5 Life and A&S
  • Chambre de la Sécurité Financière: 5 PDUs (Group Insurance of Persons)
  • IIROC: 5
  • Insurance Council of Manitoba: 5
  • Insurance Councils of Saskatchewan: 5
  • FP Canada: 5 Financial Planning

Candidates seeking CE or PDU credits for professional designations or organizations (including The Institute™) should contact the governing body for confirmation of CE/PDU qualification.

Pricing

Member price: $150 (add GST/HST)

Non-Member price: $375 (add GST/HST)

Registered Education and Disability Plans – 916

Financial Services professionals are expected to possess detailed knowledge related to the eligibility for, benefits available, and factors to consider in evaluating decisions to apply for and commence benefits available to individuals through Canada’s government benefit programs (including the Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Security, Employment Insurance and the Canada Child Benefit). A high-level understanding of workers’ compensation and income assistance programs complements such knowledge and ensures that professionals are capable of competently advising individuals when they experience life events such as the birth of a child, unemployment, illness, disability and retirement.

Self-Study

Advocis offers this module online. Candidates can complete the learning at their own pace within the 120-day window for module completion. This module is estimated at 50 study hours.

Pre-requisite: Recommended pre-requisite – Financial Analysis 912

Features:

  • Downloadable PDF of module content
  • Practice module exam
  • Grades tool to keep track of your progression through the module
  • ReadSpeaker text-to-speech tool
  • 120-day window for completion of module

CE Credits

  • The Institute for Advanced Financial Education: 3 
  • Alberta Insurance Council: 3 Life and 3 A&S
  • Chambre de la Sécurité Financière: 3 PDUs (Group Insurance of Persons)
  • IIROC: 3
  • Insurance Council of Manitoba: 3
  • Insurance Councils of Saskatchewan: 3
  • FP Canada: 3 Financial Planning

Candidates seeking CE or PDU credits for professional designations or organizations (including The Institute™) should contact the governing body for confirmation of CE/PDU qualification.

Pricing

Member price: $150 (add GST/HST)

Non-Member price: $375 (add GST/HST)

Economics – 917

Financial Services professionals are expected to possess a working knowledge of the Canadian economy, including identifying and explaining the indicators that may signal the past, current or future phase of the economic cycle. All professionals are expected to be able to use the foundational knowledge of demand and supply to trace the expected (or explain the past) impact of world events and fiscal and monetary policy on economic variables, including an individual’s investment values.

Self-Study

Advocis offers this module online. Candidates can complete the learning at their own pace within the 120-day window for module completion. This module is estimated at 44 study hours.

Pre-requisite: There is no pre-requisite for this module.

Features:

  • Downloadable PDF of module content
  • Practice module exam
  • Grades tool to keep track of your progression through the module
  • ReadSpeaker text-to-speech tool
  • 120-day window for completion of module

CE Credits

  • The Institute for Advanced Financial Education: 4 
  • Alberta Insurance Council: 4 Life 
  • Chambre de la Sécurité Financière: 4 PDUs (General Subject)
  • IIROC: 4
  • Insurance Council of Manitoba: 4
  • Insurance Councils of Saskatchewan: 4
  • FP Canada: 4 Financial Planning

Candidates seeking CE or PDU credits for professional designations or organizations (including The Institute™) should contact the governing body for confirmation of CE/PDU qualification.

Pricing

Member price: $150 (add GST/HST)

Non-Member price: $375 (add GST/HST)

Investments – 918

Financial Services professionals are expected to possess knowledge to allow them to create an appropriate asset allocation for an individual given their investment objectives and constraints (including return expectations and willingness, capacity and need for risk) and evaluate investments that are suitable for the individual. Their knowledge will also enable them to interpret the return and risk of an individual’s investment portfolio, as well as help an individual make sense of their investment statements, including the impact that changing investment values may have on achieving their goals.

Self-Study

Advocis offers this module online. Candidates can complete the learning at their own pace within the 120-day window for module completion. This module is estimated at 205 study hours.

Pre-requisite: Recommended pre-requisite – Financial Analysis 912

Features:

  • Downloadable PDF of module content
  • Practice module exam
  • Grades tool to keep track of your progression through the module
  • ReadSpeaker text-to-speech tool
  • 120-day window for completion of module

CE Credits

  • The Institute for Advanced Financial Education: 12 
  • Alberta Insurance Council: 12 Life 
  • Chambre de la Sécurité Financière: 3 PDUs (Group Savings Plan Brokerage), 3 PDUs (Insurance of Persons)
  • IIROC: 12
  • Insurance Council of Manitoba: 12
  • Insurance Councils of Saskatchewan: 12
  • FP Canada: 12 Financial Planning

Candidates seeking CE or PDU credits for professional designations or organizations (including The Institute™) should contact the governing body for confirmation of CE/PDU qualification.

Pricing

Member price: $150 (add GST/HST)

Non-Member price: $375 (add GST/HST)

Taxation – 919

Financial Services professionals are expected to possess knowledge to allow them to complete and interpret an individual’s basic personal tax return, including identifying and explaining the income tax assessment rules for individuals, explaining the tax implications of how different types of income received by individuals may be taxed, and identifying the tax deductions and credits for which an individual may be eligible. They should further be able to identify and estimate the benefit of engaging in foundational income splitting strategies.

Self-Study

Advocis offers this module online. Candidates can complete the learning at their own pace within the 120-day window for module completion. This module is estimated at 109 study hours.

Pre-requisite: Recommended pre-requisite – Financial Analysis 912

Features:

  • Downloadable PDF of module content
  • Practice module exam
  • Grades tool to keep track of your progression through the module
  • ReadSpeaker text-to-speech tool
  • 120-day window for completion of module

CE Credits

  • The Institute for Advanced Financial Education: 11 
  • Alberta Insurance Council: 11 Life 
  • Chambre de la Sécurité Financière: 7 PDUs (General Subject)
  • IIROC: 11
  • Insurance Council of Manitoba: 11
  • Insurance Councils of Saskatchewan: 11
  • FP Canada: 11 Financial Planning

Candidates seeking CE or PDU credits for professional designations or organizations (including The Institute™) should contact the governing body for confirmation of CE/PDU qualification.

Pricing

Member price: $150 (add GST/HST)

Non-Member price: $375 (add GST/HST)

Law – 920

Financial Services professionals are expected to possess knowledge related to Wills and Powers of Attorney that will ensure they can evaluate if such documents align with the individual’s wishes, and where appropriate, advise the individual to seek professional legal advice to update those documents. Their knowledge will also allow them to explain the implications associated with sole and joint ownership of personal property (both while the owners are living and upon their deaths) and the characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of business ownership structures.

Self-Study

Advocis offers this module online. Candidates can complete the learning at their own pace within the 120-day window for module completion. This module is estimated at 92 study hours.

Pre-requisite: There is no pre-requisite for this module

Features:

  • Downloadable PDF of module content
  • Practice module exam
  • Grades tool to keep track of your progression through the module
  • ReadSpeaker text-to-speech tool
  • 120-day window for completion of module

CE Credits

  • The Institute for Advanced Financial Education: 9 
  • Alberta Insurance Council: 9 Life 
  • Chambre de la Sécurité Financière: 5 PDUs (General Subject)
  • IIROC: 9
  • Insurance Council of Manitoba: 9
  • Insurance Councils of Saskatchewan: 9
  • FP Canada: 9 Financial Planning

Candidates seeking CE or PDU credits for professional designations or organizations (including The Institute™) should contact the governing body for confirmation of CE/PDU qualification.

Pricing

Member price: $150 (add GST/HST)

Non-Member price: $375 (add GST/HST)

Insurance – 921

Financial Services professionals are expected to possess general knowledge of property and casualty insurance products, government and private health care insurance plans and creditor insurance. Their knowledge includes estimating the life and disability insurance needs for an individual, as well as understanding the importance of the common contractual terms contained within life and disability insurance policies. Their expected knowledge will allow them to differentiate between term and permanent insurance and explain the purpose of critical illness and long-term care insurance.

Self-Study

Advocis offers this module online. Candidates can complete the learning at their own pace within the 120-day window for module completion. This module is estimated at 69 study hours.

Pre-requisite: Recommended pre-requisite – Financial Analysis – 912

Features:

  • Downloadable PDF of module content
  • Practice module exam
  • Grades tool to keep track of your progression through the module
  • ReadSpeaker text-to-speech tool
  • 120-day window for completion of module

CE Credits

  • The Institute for Advanced Financial Education: 7 
  • Alberta Insurance Council: 7 Life and A&S
  • Chambre de la Sécurité Financière: 6 PDUs (Insurance of Persons)
  • IIROC: 7
  • Insurance Council of Manitoba: 7
  • Insurance Councils of Saskatchewan: 7
  • FP Canada: 7 Financial Planning

Candidates seeking CE or PDU credits for professional designations or organizations (including The Institute™) should contact the governing body for confirmation of CE/PDU qualification.

Pricing

Member price: $150 (add GST/HST)

Non-Member price: $375 (add GST/HST)

Human Behaviour – 922

Financial Services professionals are expected to possess knowledge related to how the brain works and makes decisions, including the values, heuristics, emotions and disorders related to money that an individual brings to the decision-making process. Professionals should understand the stages of individual change and what may motivate or inhibit an individual in making change. They should also understand how their actions and communications may garner or hinder trust.

Self-Study

Advocis offers this module online. Candidates can complete the learning at their own pace within the 120-day window for module completion. This module is estimated at 55 study hours.

Pre-requisite: Recommended pre-requisite – Financial Analysis – 912

Features:

  • Downloadable PDF of module content
  • Practice module exam
  • Grades tool to keep track of your progression through the module
  • ReadSpeaker text-to-speech tool
  • 120-day window for completion of module

CE Credits

  • The Institute for Advanced Financial Education: 6
  • Alberta Insurance Council: 6 Life 
  • Chambre de la Sécurité Financière: 3 PDUs (General Subject)
  • IIROC: 6
  • Insurance Council of Manitoba: 6
  • Insurance Councils of Saskatchewan: 6
  • FP Canada: 6 Financial Planning

Candidates seeking CE or PDU credits for professional designations or organizations (including The Institute™) should contact the governing body for confirmation of CE/PDU qualification.

Pricing

Member price: $150 (add GST/HST)

Non-Member price: $375 (add GST/HST)

  • CFP is a designation governed and overseen by FP Canada™.

    The requirements to earn the CFP designation are:

    • Completion of FP Canada-approved program such as the Core Curriculum Program for CFP Certification and the Advanced Curriculum Program for CFP Certification.

    • Satisfaction of CFP Certification requirements with FP Canada;

    • Successful completion of CFP examination;

    The Advocis program, which was developed in conjunction with leading educational training consultants, derives its material from the CFP syllabus as outlined by the FP Canada.