I've had a CFP® professional guiding me for decades — long before I truly appreciated what that meant.
Looking back, those early conversations changed how I thought about my future. They gave me a clearer sense of where I stood, what to focus on and when to let go. The freedom to plan and dream. That clarity matters and it stays with you.
Not everyone has that.
Most families are making the biggest financial decisions of their lives largely on their own. That's what I keep coming back to. It's why this work feels personal.
CFP Board CEO K. Dane Snowden (at left) pictured
with his husband and daughter.
My husband, Spencer, and I talk about our goals at our kitchen table, and we carry it to our advisor. What are we saving toward? Are we on track? What would we do if something changed? These aren't abstract questions. They show up whether you're ready for them or not.
CFP® professionals change the outcome. They bring clarity to those conversations and help people move forward with confidence. Demand for that guidance is growing, and the recognition of CFP® certification is a big reason why.
I've spent years listening to CFP® professionals — as a Board member, as COO and now as CEO. I have heard what draws you to this work and what you need to do it well. Those conversations shape how I think about what comes next.
My commitment to you is straightforward. CFP® certification should be essential — to families, to employers and to the profession. We’re going to take it there. That means giving you the tools and insights to do your best work and telling the story of what financial planning makes possible.
That story doesn’t belong to CFP Board alone. It belongs to every CFP® professional who shows up for a client at a hard moment, builds trust over time and takes pride in what this certification represents.
Together, we build from here.
Improving the CE Experience
When it comes to continuing education (CE), value matters. That means access to high-quality learning, practical insights and technology that works smoothly and reliably.
CFP Board CEO K. Dane Snowden has been listening closely to CFP® professionals, firms and CE providers about what they need most and where CFP Board can do better.
In a March 26 announcement, Snowden outlined three priorities: increasing value to CFP® professionals, elevating the quality of CE across the profession and improving the technology experience. CFP Board will continue to listen, learn and refine our approach. Read more here about our commitment to improve the CE experience for all stakeholders.
Spring Public Awareness Campaign Kicks Off
As March swept in, so too did the start of the spring Public Awareness Campaign, “It’s Gotta Be A CFP®,” featuring a new commercial, “Dive.” You can watch it here or catch the new ad on multiple platforms, from broadcast TV to cable and streaming services to radio, social media and news sites. As part of the spring campaign, CFP Board Ambassadors will also appear live on “Fox & Friends Weekend” on April 11 and “Good Morning America” on April 29.
The campaign’s message is resonating. Since the launch of CFP Board’s first Public Awareness Campaign in 2011, unaided awareness of CFP® certification rose 30 percentage-points and preference for a CFP® professional over other financial professionals rose 59 percentage-points. In 2025 alone, 3.7 million users visited LetsMakeAPlan.org and completed more than 690,000 searches using the “Find Your CFP® Professional” tool. Reminder: Make sure your LetsMakeAPlan.org profile is up to date to take full advantage of the increased traffic.
As the campaign continues, we encourage you to leverage its reach. Explore ready-to-use materials, including social media graphics and email signatures in the Public Awareness Campaign Toolkit.
New Survey Looks at Impact of Financial FOMO on Money and Relationships
CFP Board’s recent report, Financial FOMO: A Survey About Money and Relationships, outlines the complexities that many Americans face when mixing social expectations and financial realities. Americans are experiencing financial “FOMO” — the “fear of missing out” on the lifestyles others appear to be living — with 82% saying the financial situations of close friends or family have affected how they think about their own finances.
Many stay silent about money issues: The survey reveals that 67% of Americans have declined social events in the past two years primarily due to cost, yet 56% never told their loved ones that money was the reason. From trips with friends (30%) to family holiday gatherings (23%) and weddings (13%), Americans are missing major life events due to financial pressures they feel they can’t discuss openly. Read more here.
Financial Planning Review: Call for Editors
Now is your chance to elevate your career — or nominate a peer — to join the Editorial Board of Financial Planning Review, a highly influential, peer‑reviewed journal sponsored by CFP Board.
This opportunity is open to CFP® professionals as well as academics and practitioners without CFP® certification. Serving on the FPR Editorial Board is a meaningful way to contribute to the continued growth and relevance of financial planning in both academia and practice. It’s particularly valuable for early‑career academics looking to demonstrate engagement and impact.
Nominations (including self‑nominations) are due May 30, 2026. Send materials to Stephen Horan, Ph.D., CFA®, CIPM®, CAIA at shoran@cfpboard.org, and include a CV or link to an online biography. Editorial Board members should have experience authoring or reviewing peer‑reviewed journal articles.
CFP Board Appoints June Taylor, JD, as Chief of Staff
CFP Board has appointed June Taylor, JD, as Chief of Staff to CEO K. Dane Snowden, effective March 16. In this role, she serves as a strategic advisor to the CEO, helping connect priorities and supporting the people and teams driving CFP Board’s work forward.
Taylor brings more than 20 years of senior leadership experience across government, education and the private sector. Throughout her career, she has driven large-scale organizational transformation in highly regulated environments. Read more here.
Mark Your Calendar!
Registration for Connections Conference 2026 in Las Vegas opens in early May with a discounted early registration rate for a limited time. Bringing together firm leaders, financial advisors, financial service innovators, researchers, Registered Program faculty and students, this year's conference will take place at ARIA® in Las Vegas, October 5-7, 2026. The theme is "Advise With Purpose. Plan With Precision." Sponsorship opportunities are available.
Call for Speakers
Interested in speaking at Connections Conference 2026? Submit a proposal and help shape a dynamic learning experience for the financial advice community. Applications are due by April 15.
Call for Papers
We also invite submissions of academic research papers. This is an opportunity to showcase research that informs practice, shapes policy and deepens understanding of how individuals and households make financial decisions. Submit a paper by April 12.
Hall of Fame Nominations
Nominations for the Financial Planning Hall of Fame are open through April 17. The Hall of Fame honors those whose contributions have left a lasting mark on the profession and strengthened its impact. Inductees will be recognized at CFP Board Connections Conference 2026.
Advocacy Training: CFP Board Managing Director of Government Relations and Public Policy Counsel Erin Koeppel, JD (at left) on stage at the ASAE Legislative Fly-In on March 23, 2026, speaking on “Trust Associations in Action: How Leaders Can Build Public Confidence.”
Washington Update
March brought meaningful developments on issues that matter to CFP® professionals, including retirement security, investor protection, housing affordability and digital asset regulation. CFP Board has been active on all these fronts, advocating for stronger protections against financial exploitation, supporting the expansion of retirement savings and closely tracking activity on Capitol Hill. Read more in the full March 2026 Public Policy Update.
Call to Action: Support the Tax Relief for Victims of Crimes, Scams and Disasters Act
CFP Board will soon launch its Advocacy Center, a new grassroots advocacy platform powered by Voter Voice that makes it easy to contact elected officials on key issues. Right now, CFP Board is asking CFP® professionals to support the Tax Relief for Victims of Crimes, Scams and Disasters Act. Under current law, some victims of financial scams are hit twice: first by the loss itself, and then by a tax bill on those lost assets. This legislation would restore a federal tax deduction for theft losses.
CFP® Exam Update: Register for the July CFP® Exam
Know someone ready to sit for the CFP® exam this summer? Registration is now open for the July testing window, which runs from July 14-21. Learn more and register at CFP.net/exam.
From LetsMakeAPlan.org: ‘Financial Planning for Second Marriages: Yours, Mine and Ours’
Second marriages bring both excitement and added complexity, especially when blending assets, goals and families. CFP Board Ambassador JJ Burns, CFP® shares how thoughtful financial planning can help couples start their next chapter on solid financial footing.
Pro Bono Update: Introduce Kids to the World of Financial Planning
National Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day on April 23 offers a fun way to introduce young people to the financial planning profession. To help firms participate, CFP Board created Financial Planning Superhero: Kids at Work, a plug‑and‑play guide with simple, adaptable activities, including interactive games, a scavenger hunt and an optional at‑home guide to continue the conversation.
CFP® professionals who participate may count their time as eligible pro bono service and are encouraged to log their hours in their CFP Board account.
Consider including CFP Board Center for Financial Planning in your 2026 charitable giving plans. The Center expands access to CFP® certification, strengthens the talent pipeline and helps more Americans benefit from competent, ethical financial planning advice. Support this work with a charitable gift through your CFP Board Account or at CFP.net/donate.
At CFP Board, we believe each employee contributes directly to our organization's growth and success. We're currently looking to fill several positions in our Washington, DC, office. View the list of currently open positions, and please share these opportunities with your colleagues who may be interested.
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