Continuing Education Ethics Requirement and Reporting
Alex, a CFP® professional, is in the second year of his biennial CE cycle, which ends on June 30, 2025. He has completed 20 hours of CE, including 1 hour of Ethics. He plans to take a 3-hour course on 'Behavioral Finance' that is CFP Board-approved, and a 2-hour course on 'Tax Law Updates' that is not CFP Board-approved but is offered by a state bar association. Alex believes the tax course should count because it is relevant to financial planning. Alex also volunteers as a financial literacy instructor for a local nonprofit, teaching a 4-hour workshop on budgeting. He wonders if this volunteer work can count toward CE.
1. Can Alex count the 2-hour tax law course from the state bar association toward his CE requirement? Why or why not?
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No, Alex cannot count the 2-hour tax law course unless it is CFP Board-approved. The CFP Board requires CE courses to be pre-approved by the CFP Board or offered by a CFP Board Registered Program. The state bar association is not a CFP Board Registered Program, and the course is not stated to be CFP Board-approved. Therefore, it does not qualify, even though the content is relevant. Alex should verify approval before claiming credit.
2. Can Alex count the 4-hour volunteer workshop on budgeting toward CE? Explain.
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No, volunteer work generally does not count toward CE unless it is part of a CFP Board-approved program. The CFP Board CE requirements specify that courses must be pre-approved and include an assessment. Volunteer teaching, while valuable, does not meet these criteria. Therefore, Alex cannot count the 4 hours. He should seek approved courses instead.
3. Assuming Alex completes the 3-hour Behavioral Finance course, what is his total CE hours and Ethics hours? What must he do to meet the 30-hour requirement, including the 2-hour Ethics requirement, by June 30, 2025?
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After completing the 3-hour Behavioral Finance course, Alex will have 20 + 3 = 23 hours of CE, including 1 hour of Ethics. He needs 7 more hours, of which at least 1 must be Ethics. He should take CFP Board-approved courses, ensuring at least 1 hour is in Ethics. He must complete these before June 30, 2025, and report them. He should retain certificates for audit.