The Gatton College of Business and Economics at the University of Kentucky is pleased to offer a new Online Certificate in Financial Planning. The first of its kind in the Lexington area, this Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) Board-approved program prepares individuals to become financial planning professionals, helping clients with savings, retirement, investments, and other financial needs. A bachelor’s degree is required for enrollment, and those who successfully complete the program are eligible to sit for the CFP® Certification Exam.
Offered by the Don and Cathy Jacobs Executive Education Center in partnership with the Von Allmen School of Accountancy and department of Finance and Quantitative Methods, this new curriculum provides an opportunity to retool for a new career in less than 12 months. The certificate is geared toward individuals interested in pursuing a career in financial planning, current CPAs or other working professionals.
“We are very excited to launch this program because it offers individuals a new way to develop their financial planning skills during these challenging times,” said Lorna Patches, executive director of the Gatton College’s Professional Resource Center. “Professionals now have increased flexibility to learn what they need to know in specific areas of financial planning on their own schedules.”
The introduction of the Online Certificate in Financial Planning is timely. The U.S. Labor Department reports that jobs in financial planning are expected to grow faster than average, at a rate of 7 percent through 2028. Even better, Financial Advisor was ranked #6 in Best Business jobs by U.S. News and World Report in 2020.
In addition, research from the Pew Institute indicates that “an estimated 10,000 baby boomers will turn 65 each day over the next decade.” As a result, employment of personal financial planners is “projected to grow 15 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations,” according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Trillions of dollars will be transferred from one generation to the next in the coming decades. This transfer of wealth means that Americans will need help with the complexity of their financial plans. This new program will help professionals expand on their strengths to meet this rising demand.
The program is comprised of six courses: Financial Planning for Professionals, Tax Planning for the Financial Planning Professionals, Estate Planning, Investment Planning, Risk, Insurance and Retirement Planning, and Financial Plan Development.
To learn more or apply for the Online Certificate in Financial Planning, visit gatton.uky.edu/programs/certificates/online-certificate-financial-planning or contact Rick Mason at 859.218.5550 or rickmason@uky.edu