Lifelong Financial Strategies: 25 Tips Over 25 Weeks

CFP Board Consumer Advocate Initiative Promotes Financial Planning for Everyone

WASHINGTON, Aug. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Life is full of changes, and with each new phase of life comes new financial responsibilities, needs and goals. With that in mind, CFP Board's Consumer Advocate program is starting a "25 Tips over 25 Weeks" initiative as a way to promote financial planning for all Americans during five key phases of their life and to help mark CFP Board's 25th anniversary this year.

"Whether you are just starting out, experiencing your peak earning years, expanding your family or heading toward retirement, everyone can benefit from financial planning," said Eleanor Blayney, CFP^® and CFP Board's Consumer Advocate.

This consumer education and awareness initiative will feature a series of relevant and timely tips and strategies for the five key milestone phases in a person's life. Once a month – from August through December 2010 – CFP Board will release a multi-media packet of information to the public and the media. Each packet will include a press release, podcast and video. Information will be distributed as well to the 62,000 CFP ^® professionals across the country, posted online at www.CFP.net, to the media, and through Twitter and Facebook.

The five stages that will be covered include:

Stage 1 – The Starting Out Years – August 23rd

Age range: 18-25 These are critical years, where your choices about education, employment, and debt management can have a major impact on your financial situation for decades to come.

Stage 2 - The Nesting Years – September 13th

Age range: 25-40 During this phase, you face important decisions about marriage, children, buying a home, and building a career. Understanding the financial implications of these decisions is critical to lifetime success.

Stage 3 – The Wealth Accumulation Years – October 11th

Age range: 40–55 This is usually the time you find yourself with more discretionary income. But there be may a lot of demands on that income.  Advice is needed about college tuitions, helping elderly parents, catching up on retirement savings.

Stage 4 – The Prime Time Years – November 8th

Age range: 55-65 Retirement is coming into view:  will it be a time of reinvention or a period of just getting by?  Choices about lifestyle, spending, investing can make all the difference.

Stage 5 –The Reinvention Years – December 13th

Age range: 65 and over These can be the best years of life: new interests, part-time work or volunteer activity, travel, more time with family and friends.  It all depends on good management of your financial resources.

"Financial planning isn't just for the wealthy. It's for everyone," Blayney said. "In a world where people are more responsible than ever for their financial lives, it's important that people understand the key things they need to do in each phase of their life."

Eleanor on Twitter: http://twitter.com/EleanorBlayney

ABOUT CFP BOARD

The mission of Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. is to benefit the public by granting the CFP^® certification and upholding it as the recognized standard of excellence for personal financial planning. The Board of Directors, in furthering CFP Board's mission, acts on behalf of the public, CFP^® certificants and other stakeholders. CFP Board owns the certification marks CFP^®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and the federally registered CFP (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.  CFP Board currently authorizes more than 61,000 individuals to use these marks in the U.S.

SOURCE Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.