My Work with the CFP Board

Did I ever imagine that I would willingly undertake the CFP® exam three times a year for the next five years?

Surprisingly, it happened – I was fortunate to become part of the CFP Council of Examinations. The Council consists of CFP® Professionals who volunteer from across the US. It's a diverse group comprising planners from various firms, regions, age groups, and ethnicities, tasked with ensuring the accuracy of the CFP® exam administration.

Before taking up this role, all Council of Examinations members must sign a nondisclosure agreement committing to maintain the confidentiality of exam-related information. Council members convene in Washington D.C. (the CFP® Board's headquarters) thrice yearly, corresponding with examination frequency, for five years to conduct quality control, which included taking the exam. We were assured that our licenses wouldn’t be revoked if we failed!

Serving the CFP Board in this manner has proven to be one of the most humbling and impactful learning experiences of my career. I have had the privilege of meeting some of the brightest and kindest individuals in the field and have delved into areas that I would not typically encounter in my daily work. I also participated in a gender bias workshop, where we scrutinized questions and adjusted them to be more neutral, avoiding any potential offense towards exam participants. Last year, I had the opportunity to craft exam questions and recently engaged in a virtual session updating tax-related queries. In my final year, I was nominated to serve as President.

I'm grateful to continue volunteering for the CFP Board, whether virtually or in person at the D.C. office. Oh, and did I mention the plethora of continuing education credits we receive? That was a significant bonus!