Financial Planet Website Sparks Global Discussion on the State of the Financial Planning Profession

- Blogging Site, Informal Poll Explore Recognition of the Financial Planning Profession -

DENVER, Dec. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Launched on 31 October, Financial Planet (www.financialplanet.org), a new website devoted to gaining recognition for financial planning as a distinct, global profession, asked its editorial team and site visitors to provide their opinions on the state of the financial planning profession. According to an informal poll conducted throughout the month, just over a third (34 percent) of the 166 respondents consider financial planning to be a profession in their country or territory, while 53 percent said financial planning was not yet a recognized profession. Another 11 percent selected "maybe," while two percent weren't sure.

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The poll results mirrored some of the opinions expressed in November's blog posts, written by Financial Planet's editorial team of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER professionals. In his November blog, Alec Riddle, a CFP professional in South Africa, wrote: "Financial planning in South Africa has come a long way over the past decade, but it still has a long way to go." Suresh Sadagopan, CFP, of India, compared financial planning to a sapling, with tender leaves sprouting. "It is at a nascent stage," he wrote," The awareness among the general public is low."

FPSB's 2011 Chairperson, Corinna Dieters, acknowledged in her guest blog that challenges exist in building the financial planning profession. "Around the world financial planning is an accepted practice within many of the mature economies, but in many more it is not well known, and efforts are being made to introduce financial planning through programs such as the CFP certification," she wrote. Dieters also cited failures within the financial services sector -- including failure by some advisers in the obligations made to their clients -- as an additional challenge gaining recognition for financial planning as a distinct profession.

Bloggers from Australia, Brazil, Chinese Taipei, India, Republic of Korea, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States contributed to Financial Planet in November. Throughout December, the Financial Planet editorial team explores the issue of financial planner ethics. Visitors to the site can also participate in an informal poll on the subject of ethics.

About Financial Planet   

Financial Planet (www.financialplanet.org) launched in October 2011 as the only blogging site devoted to gaining recognition for financial planning as a distinct, global profession. The site features an editorial team of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER professionals from around the world, and serves as an online gathering place where CFP professionals, regulators, educators, employers and consumer advocates can share their views on the financial planning profession and its future. Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB), owner of the CFP CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER and CFP logo trademarks outside the United States, is the creator of Financial Planet, but the site is designed to represent the independent views of the contributing bloggers and not necessarily the views of FPSB. Follow Financial Planet at twitter.com/finplanet, on Facebook at facebook.com/financialplanet1, or join the Financial Planet discussion group on LinkedIn.

SOURCE Financial Planet