AICPA - $299 Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) Designation Course

Course modules

	Course Modules	Credits
	The Mathematics of Estate Planning For IRAs after the Secure Act	1.5
To understand the new changes relating to IRAs and employer plans. To learn how to apply new estate and estate tax planning strategies in light of changes to IRA and employer plan rules To develop a thorough understanding of the Deferral and Tax Rate arbitrage associated with a Charitable Remainder Trust. To understand the Income and Estate Tax-Free Benefits of IRA relocation. To Integrate Roth Conversion Planning with Eligible IRA Disability Trusts and IRA Trust Planning
	Estate and Financial Planning: Latest Topics and Best Techniques	2
To identify clientele Estate and Financial Planning products To recognize planning options best suited for clients’ financial needs To recall effective planning strategies for meeting clients’ long-term retirement goals
	Fundamentals of Income Taxation of Trusts & Form 1041 Planning: What Every Advisors Needs to Know	2
To identify different types of trusts for income tax purposes. To recall the concepts of Fiduciary accounting To recall 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax & the passive activity rules To identify various special deductions which are available. To recall QSST and EBST elections
	Estate Planning For IRAs Payable To Trusts After The Secure Act	2
To identify the new changes relating to IRAs and employer plans. To recognize the new and extended income tax provisions enacted as part of this new legislation To recall new estate and estate tax planning strategies in light of changes to IRA and employer plan rules To recognize Income Tax Planning when IRAs are Paid to Trusts and how to Pass-Out Taxable Income to the Beneficiaries
	The Efficacy and Application of 30 Common Trusts	2
To identify how trusts may protect assets and perpetuate family wealth over multiple generations To identify the areas of trusts in connection with disability, charity, life insurance, leveraging gifts, principal residences, and minors
	Asset Protection - Legal and Financial Planning Strategies	1.5
To recognize key asset protection principles To provide an overview of various strategies that can be incorporated into financial plans To recognize various strategies to protect key assets To identify various strategies to limit key liabilities To recognize using insurance, professionals such as Doctors, Dentists, Chiropractors, Veterinarians, etc.), and attorney to zero down on the customized plan
	Incapacity Planning Guidelines for Financial Professionals	1.5
To recognize the importance of Incapacity Planning in protecting assets To identify the importance of legal documents and consequences To recall the three ways of funding long term care To strategize asset protection To differentiate between Preplanning and Crisis planning To efficiently suing estate planning attorneys as a resource for incapacity planning
	Legal and Financial Planning Strategies for Immigrants in the US	1.5
To recognize the US as a hidden markets for immigrant financial professionals To identify healthcare and immigration as a developing business area for professionals To explore deportation issues related to family, property, and their business To recognize tax issues for immigrants To recall insurance polies as an effective tool for international clients To identify the issues for immigrant business owners To recognize tax issues, property issues, and international law from immigrants and estate planning perspective
	Legal and Financial Tax Planning Strategies	1.5
To identify different Business Structures and how they impact tax planning To recognize mistakes Business Owners make in tax planning To explore Income Shifting and using Family Owned Businesses for tax planning To recognize an Attorney is your best resource for tax deduction planning To explore three Capital Gains Strategies To explore Retirement and Tax Planning Strategies
	Legal And Financial Strategies For Legacy Planning	1.5
To recognize Estate Planning as a universal need To identify how Rockefellers establish a multi-generational wealth plan To recognize you as an immortal To explore the family power grid To explore how dynasty trust can be a multigenerational property protection tool
	4 Pillars to an Abundant Retirement	1
To outline what one must do to secure their Retirement! To identify the Retirement Myths To design a simple Retirement Plan To discuss how to avoid running out of Money before running out of Life To discuss about Managing Risks in Retirement
	The Incredible Shrinking Alpha	1
To identify how academics have been persistently converting what was a source of alpha into beta reducing the sources of alpha. To recognize how the shrinking pool of active investors is making it more difficult to generate alpha. To recognize that while the absolute level of skill of active managers today is much higher than it was 25 years ago, it’s actually harder to generate alpha as it is the relative level of skill that matters (the paradox of skill). To recognize how the increased supply of capital chasing alpha has negatively impacted returns.
	What To Do When An Investment Strategy Performs Poorly	1
Learn that all risk assets go through long periods of poor performance. This must be the case or there would be no risk for long term investors. Learn how diversification across unique sources of risk reduces the risk of poor outcomes/negative premiums. Learn that discipline, the necessary ingredient for investment success, requires ignoring tracking variance that comes with diversification. Learn how the behavioral errors known as recency and relativism lead to loss of discipline and poor outcomes. Learn not to make the mistake of “resulting”, judging the quality of a decision by the outcome/results.
	Coming Soon: Market Bubbles Burst And Inflation Escalates	1
To recognize that there are overpricing bubbles in stocks and bonds To identify the reasons bubbles are inflating To anticipate bursting of the bubbles To anticipate rampant inflation To discuss how to protect investment
	Beyond The Numbers: Understanding The Important Gift, Estate, And Income Tax Elections	2
To recall the practical and updated understanding of the federal gift tax. To identify the parts and schedules that make up the Form 709. To identify which lifetime transfers are subject to gift tax To recall the practical understanding of the federal estate tax
	Gain Realization At Death And At Gift - Tax On Wealthy Estates	1
To examine and develop and understanding of will gains be recognized at death To identify the exemptions and exceptions for gifts made during life and after death. To explore what gains will be realized upon gift To recognize if the gifts can be made to grantor or non-grantor trust without gain realization in 2021 To explore how the Van Hollen and the Pascrell bills can interact with the anti-grantor trust provisions of the Sanders legislation
	Key Estate Planning Considerations	1
To understand the purpose and importance of a Power of Attorney To understand the critical importance of planning in the case there is a disabled child or family member in the family To understand the implications of a failure to plan for one’s incapacity.
	Planning for Your Client's Incapacity and New York’s New Power of Attorney	1
To know various incapacitation situation and importance of planning for it To recognize the risks of failing to plan for the incapacitation To understand the critical importance of a power of attorney To learn the importance of a gifting authority in the power of attorney To identify the importance of appointing someone to make health care decisions for your client in the event of incapacity
	Qualified Retirement Plan Updates & Opportunities – What Opportunities Are Available For The 2020- 2021 Tax Years?	1
To identify the requirements of Qualified Plan Fiduciaries To recall how best to prepare for a DOL audit To explore different Qualified Retirement Plan types To recognize and compare the differences of each Qualified Retirement Plan type. To assess, evaluate and determine the best Qualified Retirement Plan for a business or business owner.
	Bumpy Road Ahead – LIBOR-SOFR Transition	1
To explore why the world is transitioning away from LIBOR To describe and compare the alternatives to LIBOR, including SOFR and Ameri-BOR: To identify and recognize the impact on current and new issue bonds from the benchmark change To highlight steps an institution can take in preparation for the change
	Undoing Joint Liability- No Longer Married, Innocent Spouse Relief (ISR)	1
To describe the Allocation of Liability To recognize when clients are not entitled to Innocent Spouse Relief To identify simple strategies to help clients avoid refund offsets in the first place To identify special Rules for Certain Cases To list various circumstances where innocent spouse relief may apply.
	Retirement Plan Updates & Opportunities	2
To identify the requirements of Qualified Plan Fiduciaries To recall how best to prepare for a DOL audit To explore different Qualified Retirement Plan types To recognize and compare the differences of each Qualified Retirement Plan type. To assess, evaluate and determine the best Qualified Retirement Plan for a business or business owner.
	Estate Tax Planning for a Lower Estate Tax Exemption	1
To review of President Biden’s estate tax policy proposals along with what has been proposed by the Democratic party in the past To review the basics and issues of Portability – including the deceased spousal unused exclusion amount To review of Estate/Gift Tax Law – current law To discuss detailed breakdown of the Basis of Gifted Property at Death To analyze the calculations for taxable gifts and the Estate Inclusion Issue
	Not Your Grandma’s CRT: Using Charitable Planning Tools To Solve Business Problems	1
To discuss which gifts work best when interest rates are high and which work when rates are low To identify which gifts to use pre-sale and what to do after it seems too late (post sale) To get introduced to several tools that you may not have heard of or used before To find out how (and why it matters) to integrate charitable planning into your practice. To confirm that it’s not always about tax but that’s not a bad place to start
	Pooled Income Funds: The Best Kept Secret In Planning From The Shallow End To The Deep End	1
To discuss Pooled Income Fund (PIF) and when to use it for your clients To discuss multiple benefits of using a PIF To discuss basic rules governing PIFs, including the “dos and don’ts” To compare and contrast PIFs vs. Charitable Remainder Trusts and other charitable tools To discover why a “Young” PIF is more effective than an “Old” PIF To discuss different ways to use a PIF to benefit multiple generations
	Introduction To Financial & Estate Planning For IRAs	3
To discuss the foundational contribution tax concepts To discuss the rollover issues and solutions To summarize the IRA penalties on early distributions, excess contributions & excess accumulations To review the fundamental estate planning concepts for IRAs To summarize the basics of prohibited transactions and unrelated business taxable income (UBTI)
	Introduction to the Estate Tax	3
To prepare a decedent’s final income tax return To discuss Wills and Trusts and describe how they work To discuss fiduciary accounting and how it relates to the Form 1041 To discuss valuation adjustments To discuss various estate tax deductions
	Retirement Plan Beneficiary Disasters and How to Avoid & Fix Them	1.5
To identify the consequences failing to update the beneficiary designation form after a death or divorce To explore the ramifications of failing to provide for a spouse To recognize repercussions of failing to name a beneficiary To identify the results of failing to name contingent beneficiaries To recognize effects of naming the estate as beneficiary To explore the results of naming a non-qualified trust as the beneficiary To identify consequences of naming a potential spendthrift as beneficiary To recognize the effects of naming an older relative as the primary beneficiary To explore the ramifications of naming a trust with older relatives who are primary beneficiaries To recall the consequences of incorrect titling of an inherited IRA
	Subpart F, CFCS, GILTI, And PFICS	2
Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able: To describe and classify an entity as a CFC. To analyze transactions to determine whether the transaction produces foreign base company income. To discuss the components of GILTI. To calculate GILTI. To identify and apply the test for classifying an entity as a PFIC. To describe the inclusion mechanisms for U.S. shareholders of a PFIC.
	Basic Estate Administration For CPAs & Financial Advisors	2
To identify best practices for working closely with legal counsel To list main property law concepts To identify complex community property issues To determine best methods for filing special forms: SS-4, form 56, form 4810, form 5495 To describe an executor checklist
	Don’t Fear The Reaper: Planned Giving Isn’t The Death CONVO	1
To discuss Planned Giving in terms that put your donors at ease. How to structure your Planned Giving program so your conversations are simple. To identify your best prospects for planned gifts, so you’re talking to the right folks.
	Entrepreneurial Finance: Small Business Financial Management	4
To identify the sources of cash for a small business To explore types of business structures To recognize key financial components of business plans and strategic planning To discover the lending criteria for business loans To explore how to assess the profitability of pricing changes
	Why The 60/40 Stock/Bond Rule Is Stupid	1
To discuss why 60/40 is the one-size-fits-all allocation To discover current risk in stocks and bonds To evaluate performance of 60/40 To check appropriateness of 60/40 for those near retirement
	How Much Is Too Much To Pay A Trustee	1
What factors are to be considered as part of a trustee’s compensation analysis? How do local rules of court effect a trustee compensation analysis? Review of Corporate trustee fees as guidance for individual trustee fees. Where are Extraordinary Fees appropriately charged/awarded?
	Wise Investing Made Simple	1
To provide lessons on how markets work and how they actually set prices. To identify whether passive or active strategies should be used. To refrain from making the mistake of confusing information with value relevant information. To recognize why riskier value companies have higher expected returns than growth stocks. To identify that passive strategies provide you with the greatest odds of achieving your goals.
	LIBOR And SOFR Transition For Tax-exempt Transactions	1
To take an overview of the Transition from LIBOR to SOFR. To discuss the transition impact on Loans. To discuss transition Timeline. To recognize the transition Impact on Swaps and Term SOFR. To discuss major tax issues, re-issuance avoidance, and consequences. To identify Best Practices. To analyze future transition.
	Roth Conversions	1
To discuss the 4 levels of retirement plan distribution and taxation To discuss the strategies to help reduce other related taxation on other benefits. To evaluate mechanics of a conversion Types of retirement plans that can be converted.
	Do Roth Conversions Pay?	1
To determine what is a Roth Conversion. To determine how Roth can Conversions lower taxes. To determine how does Social Security benefit taxation affect the Roth Conversion Decision. To determine how does taking Medicare and the IRRMA high-income Medicare Part B Premium affect the Roth Conversion Decision.
	Should I Tap My IRA or Social Security First?	1
To discuss the trade-off between taking Social Security or taking Retirement Account withdrawals first. To determine how to risk-adjust risky returns on retirement account investments. To determine the payoff to patience in taking Social Security.
	Succession and Exit Planning	1
To Identify the various options available to an existing business owner. To recognize the high-level process for each of the exit options. To identify the pros & cons for each of the exit options. To recall the preparation and implementation of various exit options.
	Distributions from IRAs and Qualified Retirement Plans	2
To determine qualified birth or adoption distributions To discuss disaster-related rules To determine qualified charitable distributions To discuss IRA one-per-year rule To explore designated Roth accounts and qualified distributions from a Roth IRA To discuss profit-sharing plans & pension plans To discuss joint and survivor annuity rules
	The Power and Essentials of Estate Planning	1
To discuss the documents required for planning To evaluate where, when, why, and how to begin the process To know who to call and how to trust someone else with your investments To compare and contrast the different options available for your investments To discuss ways to create paths of success with instruments you did not know exist To discuss key tax basics and understand the difference between gift tax and estate
	The Power of Succession Planning	1
To discuss 5 ways to create an exit strategy to gracefully exit To discuss 3 methods for creating wealth and retirement To discuss the best methods for creating a business continuity To discuss 5 ways to understand what your firm is truly worth
	70 Years of Investment Consulting	1
History and changes in the investment strategies over 70 years of history How consultants rely on risk-based and/or objective-based solutions using pre-packaged models. Risk tolerance and investment startegies Target date funds are the latest breakthrough
	Comprehensive Course on Personal Credit Mastery	4
To discuss how to build a top-tier credit profile. To analyze how to create a budget. To inspect how to analyze your credit profile. To investigate the different types of loans. To discuss the differences between good debt vs. bad debt. To analyze the differences between assets vs. liabilities. To inspect how to keep track of your finances. To analyze how your credit score is calculated. To investigate the power of compound interest.
	A Method in the Madness: The Fine Art of Designing Estate Planning Tools and Techniques	1
To discuss how to create a learning pathway for each to implement the estate administration decisions. To illustrate to clients effectively how to preserve their assets under current law. To analyze how to save significant amounts of time with exclusive estate planning tools.
	Tour of Estate Planning Tools & Techniques-Analyzing and Comparing Tools & Techniques on Specific Criteria	1.5
To discuss some of the estate planning techniques used by experts. To compare and contrast methods for avoiding common mistakes. To develop checklists, and samples of relevant documents to help you perform estate planning professionally.
	There Is No Other Hand: My Estate Planning Beliefs and Philosophies	1
To discuss the documents required for planning. To analyze where, when, why, and how to begin the process. To inspect who to call and how to trust someone else with your investments. To compare and contrast the different options available for your investments.
	Best investments and investment strategies	1
To determine why individual issues should comprise only a small part of a portfolio. To describe how lack of appreciation of long-term capital gains tax rates will lead to poor investment decisions. To describe how an investor's behavior trumps everything when it comes to investment success.
	Habits That Harm Investors and How to Handle Them	1
To identify habits, activities, and biases that harm investors To discuss strategies to temper and/or eliminate them To examine the behaviors that drive investment success To differentiate between positive behaviors and negative behaviors To describe the best strategies to manage investment success
	Understanding Planned Estate Giving – A Win-Win for Donors and Non-Profits	1
To determine how to respond to your clients’ questions about charitable planned estate giving To describe that there are comfortable ways for you to bring up charitable giving with your clients to help them think through options If a board member and/or advisor to non-profit organizations appreciate your role in helping the organization get into and/or increase their presence in planned estate giving
	Estate Planning for Qualified Retirement Plans and IRA’s	1
To illustrate the variety of plans to make a more informed decision about retirement To identify the plan or plans that make the most financial sense for your clients. To compare and contrast the variety of tax benefits and savings for retirement
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Become an PFS designation holder

The Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) credential is a professional designation that grants licensed CPAs who meet established criteria the authority to provide clients with personal financial planning services. There are many requirements before getting the PFS designation beyond having a CPA and taking an exam. Professionals with the PFS designation may work for consulting or accounting firms or run their own firm.

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) created the Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) credential to ensure that certified advisors are qualified to manage these assets.

There are various services provided by PFS Designation holders, some of them are mentioned below:

Personal financial advisors provide advice to help individuals manage their finances and plan for their financial future.
PFS can provide you with Retirement Planning Support.
PFS can provide you with a comprehensive approach to Estate Planning.
They will guide you through the Tax Implications of your Financial Plans.
PFS assesses the financial needs of individuals and helps them with decisions on investments (such as stocks and bonds), tax laws, and insurance.
They help clients plan for short- and long-term goals, such as meeting education expenses and saving for retirement through investments.

Unlimited opportunities to grow professionally.
Offers dynamic careers at the intersection of finance, taxes and estate planning, risk advisory and accounting.
Chance to get work with the biggest names in wealth management, banking, and investments.
Career advancement as a Financial Planner.
Work at wealth management and consulting firms.
Huge demand for an entry-level associate in this field.

PFS credentials enable you to become recognized for providing financial planning services by prospects, existing clients, and referral sources.
PFS credentials distinguish you from other financial planners only CPAs can hold the CPA/PFS credential.
Affirms your value to current and potential clients and employers, and inspires a greater level of confidence in your expertise
Enhances your image as a trustworthy financial planner

There are 3 pathways to get the PFS Credential:

Pathway 1: Standard Pathway
- Candidates must earn a minimum of 75 hours of personal financial planning education within the five-year period preceding the date of the PFS application.
- 2 years of full-time business or teaching experience (or 3,000 hours equivalent) in personal financial planning within the five-year period preceding the date of the CPA/PFS application.
- For candidates in academia, a qualified credential holder should be a full-time professor and have taught at least 4 accredited college courses with 50% of their material included in the PFP Body of Knowledge.
- The experience must be in any of the 12 areas that make up the PFP Body of Knowledge, found in the PFS Credential Handbook. Note that up to 1,000 hours of tax compliance experience can count toward the total experience requirement.
- After satisfying the above requirements, the candidate has to attend 5 hours online or test center exam.
Pathway 2: Certificate Pathway
- Candidates have to obtain 5 certificates totaling 90 hours of CPE.
- 2 years of full-time business or teaching experience (or 3,000 hours equivalent) in personal financial planning within the five-year period preceding the date of the CPA/PFS application.
- For candidates in academia, a qualified credential holder should be a full-time professor and have taught at least 4 accredited college courses with 50% of their material included in the PFP Body of Knowledge.
- The experience must be in any of the 12 areas that make up the PFP Body of Knowledge, found in the PFS Credential Handbook. Note that up to 1,000 hours of tax compliance experience can count toward the total experience requirement.
- After satisfying the above requirements, the candidate has to attend 4 online certification exams.
Pathway 3: Experienced Pathway
- For the Experienced pathway, you must earn a minimum of 105 hours of personal financial planning education within the seven-year period preceding the date of the PFS application.
- You must have 5 years of full-time business experience (or 7,500 hours equivalent) in personal financial planning within the seven-year period preceding the date of the CPA/PFS application. The experience must be in any of the 12 areas that make up the PFP Body of Knowledge, found in the PFS Credential Handbook. Note that up to 2,000 hours of tax compliance experience can count toward the total experience requirement.
- After satisfying the above requirements, the candidate has to attend 1 online case study-based assessment.

All pathways require a valid and unrevoked CPA license and an AICPA membership. As you select a pathway, factors such as your experience, the time you have available to study, and costs will influence your decision. CPAs holding the CFP or ChFC designations are deemed to have met the PFS credential exam requirement.

Following are the details regarding the exam:

Exam Location – The PFS exam can be taken online (via your laptop and proctored through your webcam) or at local testing centers.
Exam Type — The PFS Exam is a non-disclosed exam. This means the questions and answers are not published nor are candidates permitted to remove any exam materials from the testing site.
Grading — Each exam is carefully graded by our team of psychometricians to ensure that the questions are statistically valid.
Timing — The PFS Exam is a computer-based exam that lasts five hours, including a 30-minute break (if needed).
Types of Questions — There are a total of 160 questions per exam module:
- About half are discrete stand-alone multiple-choice questions.
- Half are case studies with accompanying multiple-choice questions.
- A multiple-choice question consists of a stem that includes factual or scenario data and provides four or five options.
- The case studies will vary in length and include short scenarios followed by 2–5 multiple-choice questions and two larger comprehensive cases with 12–18 related multiple-choice questions. The fact pattern of each case study will contain sufficient information to enable the candidate to answer the question. This part of the exam is designed to test your analytical reasoning skills and ability to apply financial planning theory and methodology in a comprehensive manner.

Personal Financial Planning Process
Professional Responsibilities and Legislative and Regulatory Environment
Fundamental Financial Planning Concepts
Estate Planning
Charitable Planning
Risk Management Planning
Employee and Business-Owner Planning
Investment Planning
Retirement and Financial Independence Planning
Elder, Special Needs and Chronic Illness Planning
Education Planning
Special Situations

Please have a look at the detailed Exam Blueprinton Page 9 for more information.

For First-time registrant
- $300 for PFP Section members;
- $400 for AICPA members;
- $500 for non-members
If you are retaking the exam
- $ 100

Please visit this link, for more information.

To maintain an active CPA/PFS credential, and maintain access to all of the accompanying resources and tools, CPA/PFS credential holders must pay an annual renewal fee and meet the following CPA/PFS recertification requirements annually:

Regular AICPA membership in good standing
Valid and unrevoked CPA permit, license or certificate issued by a legally constituted state authority
Complete 20 hours of continuing professional development within the credential body of knowledge annually
- Complete 20 hours of continuing professional development within the credential body of knowledge annually
- Unstructured learning activities may constitute up to 50% (10 hours annually) of a credential holder’s CPD to meet credential renewal requirements
For detailed information on recertification requirements, please CLICK HERE.

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Verification Code

AICPA - Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) Eligibility Course

Meets 75 hours CPD requirement for PFS designation

Complies AICPA regulations

Makes you eligible for PFS designations in one go *(Other Conditions Applied)

Earn 75 NASBA approved CPD credits

Course modules

Become an PFS designation holder

About PFS/CPA

What services are provided by a PFS Designation Holder?

Career Opportunities for a PFS Designation holder

Why get the PFS credential?

How to become a Personal Financial Specialist?

How to Pass the PFS Examination?

Which subject area does the PFS Exam covers?

Fees for the PFS Exam

Recertification Requirements

Personal financial advisors provide advice to help individuals manage their finances and plan for their financial future.

PFS can provide you with Retirement Planning Support.

PFS can provide you with a comprehensive approach to Estate Planning.

They will guide you through the Tax Implications of your Financial Plans.

PFS assesses the financial needs of individuals and helps them with decisions on investments (such as stocks and bonds), tax laws, and insurance.

They help clients plan for short- and long-term goals, such as meeting education expenses and saving for retirement through investments.

Unlimited opportunities to grow professionally.

Offers dynamic careers at the intersection of finance, taxes and estate planning, risk advisory and accounting.

Chance to get work with the biggest names in wealth management, banking, and investments.

Career advancement as a Financial Planner.

Work at wealth management and consulting firms.

Huge demand for an entry-level associate in this field.

PFS credentials enable you to become recognized for providing financial planning services by prospects, existing clients, and referral sources.

PFS credentials distinguish you from other financial planners only CPAs can hold the CPA/PFS credential.

Affirms your value to current and potential clients and employers, and inspires a greater level of confidence in your expertise

Enhances your image as a trustworthy financial planner

Candidates must earn a minimum of 75 hours of personal financial planning education within the five-year period preceding the date of the PFS application.

2 years of full-time business or teaching experience (or 3,000 hours equivalent) in personal financial planning within the five-year period preceding the date of the CPA/PFS application.

For candidates in academia, a qualified credential holder should be a full-time professor and have taught at least 4 accredited college courses with 50% of their material included in the PFP Body of Knowledge.

The experience must be in any of the 12 areas that make up the PFP Body of Knowledge, found in the PFS Credential Handbook. Note that up to 1,000 hours of tax compliance experience can count toward the total experience requirement.

After satisfying the above requirements, the candidate has to attend 5 hours online or test center exam.

Candidates have to obtain 5 certificates totaling 90 hours of CPE.

2 years of full-time business or teaching experience (or 3,000 hours equivalent) in personal financial planning within the five-year period preceding the date of the CPA/PFS application.

For candidates in academia, a qualified credential holder should be a full-time professor and have taught at least 4 accredited college courses with 50% of their material included in the PFP Body of Knowledge.

The experience must be in any of the 12 areas that make up the PFP Body of Knowledge, found in the PFS Credential Handbook. Note that up to 1,000 hours of tax compliance experience can count toward the total experience requirement.

After satisfying the above requirements, the candidate has to attend 4 online certification exams.

For the Experienced pathway, you must earn a minimum of 105 hours of personal financial planning education within the seven-year period preceding the date of the PFS application.

After satisfying the above requirements, the candidate has to attend 1 online case study-based assessment.

Exam Location – The PFS exam can be taken online (via your laptop and proctored through your webcam) or at local testing centers.