Our History & the R.F.P.

History of the Institute of Advanced Financial Planners

R.F.P.s (Registered Financial Planners) established the Institute of Advanced Financial Planners in 2002. At that time, the Canadian Association of Financial Planners (the original home of the R.F.P.) merged with the Canadian Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors to form Advocis.

Rather than joining the newly-merged association, R.F.P.s created the Institute to preserve their focus on providing the highest standard of comprehensive financial planning available to the Canadian public.

The IAFP is a member-driven organization representing 450 professional financial planners and associates from across Canada. IAFP members are committed to a code of ethics and practice standards that bring value to the public and honour to the profession.

The Professional Designation

R.F.P. (Registered Financial Planner) is a professional financial planning designation. It has been the hallmark of the professional financial planner in Canada since 1987. In French, the designation is P.F.C. (Planificateur Financier Certifie).

The Institute grants the R.F.P. designation to financial planners who demonstrate competence in the practice of personal financial planning by:

• submitting a high-quality, complex and comprehensive financial plan for peer review
• successfully completing a comprehensive examination based on the application of financial planning expertise to a complex case.

The privilege to use the R.F.P. designation requires that a Member meet annual requirements for Professional Membership, including:

• continuing education requirements of 30 hours annually, covering at least two disciplines in addition to Professional Ethics
• engaged in financial planning for at least three years
• currently engaged in an active financial planning practice as their primary vocation
• a satisfactory record of business ethics
• compliance with the IAFP’s Code of Ethics and Professional Standards of Practice for R.F.P.s.

By earning the R.F.P. designation, IAFP members demonstrate to their clients and their peers that they are highly competent professionals who actively practice a comprehensive financial planning process.

Last updated: 27 Aug 2010 4:14 PM