Editor's Choice
Former Income AM director launches fixed income advisory
A former Income Asset Management executive director has launched Ancora Fixed Income Advisory for high-net-worth clients targeting the defensive asset class.
TAL names super fund partnership lead
TAL has named a new partnership leader who will focus on its collaboration with a super fund, replacing Mel Jose, who left in August to join Netwealth after a two-year stint.
Capital Group expands into Middle East
Capital Group said the Middle East is a strategically important region for the business and its clients.
UniSuper says Firmus float was 'priced to perfection'
UniSuper chief investment officer John Pearce said the $175 billion super fund decided to not take part in the Firmus float, describing the neo-cloud company as "priced to perfection", before the initial public offering (IPO) was abandoned today.
Further Reading
Products
Expert Feed
When geopolitics becomes a portfolio risk
Geopolitics is back - again - and Australian investors can no longer treat it as distant background noise.
Does association membership still matter?
With all the changes the advice sector has experienced in recent years, such as regulatory reform and increased education and professional standards ...
Digital assets and where they stand in 2026
So far in 2026 digital assets have captured the headlines largely for the wrong reasons, but that doesn't tell the full story.
Rethinking default design in a changing market environment
The evolution underway in the US DC system highlights the value of periodically reassessing default design assumptions.
Featured Profile
Cliff Man
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
ETF SHARES MANAGEMENT LTD
ETF SHARES MANAGEMENT LTD
ETF Shares chief executive Cliff Man spent his career automating, building and challenging established systems. Now, he is betting that Australia's ETF market has room for something different. Vinny Vucago writes.
The Financial Standard podcast Tune in each week as we discuss the latest developments in Australia's wealth management industry. |  |
Was anybody else surprised when they found out that the CFP is a designation and not a qualification? Since one has to study quite hard for it I am not sure about the distinction. I also never before heard that the CFP was not a qualification - I may have missed it but I never saw such a disclaimer before and I have been an FPA member for a while. Does anybody have any insights about this?
One pointer to the CFP not being a qualification is that a lot of people were grandfathered into it who only had a diploma of financial planning. It is one reason I only ever did CFP 1 (out of CFP 1-4) (to gain the life risk specialist - I presume - designation and not qualification?).
How is the CFP already at a Masters level?
Masters degrees are at Australian Qualifications Framework Level 9.
Graduate Certificates and Graduate Diplomas are at Australian Qualifications Framework Level 8.
The Certified Financial Planner is not even awarded as a Graduate Certificate. Hence its not even AQF Level 8. If it was why wouldn't the Financial Planning Association have got it formally recognised as a Graduate Certificate?
The Chartered Accountants Program is only 5 subjects and is awarded as a Graduate Diploma. Hence all the talk of designations versus qualifications is rather confusing. It's not clear at all why the Certified Financial Planner can't be awarded as a Graduate Certificate at least. With the certifications its effectively 5 subjects or at least 4 subjects (CFP1-4).