Any title conveying a sense of high achievement should be challenging to obtain. Chartered Financial Planner is no exception. Your journey will be complete once you can meet the following requirements:

• Hold the Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning
• Have five years' relevant industry experience
• Be a CII or PFS member and adhere to the CII's Code of Ethics and Conduct
• Demonstrate three years' existing Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and commit to maintaining this activity

The Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning requires individuals to obtain 290 credits of which a minimum of 120 must come from Advanced Diploma units. These must include the AF5 Financial Planning Process unit or its equivalent.

Each of the main Advanced Diploma units carry 30 credits (AF7 carries 20 credits) and are based on applying the essential technical knowledge from the diploma qualifications. Historically this was from the JO units but now the knowledge is also covered in the RO units.

The current Advanced Diploma units are:

• AF1 - Personal taxation & trusts planning
• AF4 - Investment planning
• AF5 - Financial planning process
• AF6 - Senior management and supervision
• AF7 - Pension transfers
• AF8 - Retirement income planning

AF1 to AF5 are assessed via a 3 hour written exam. The questions are based on cases studies and the pass mark is normally 55%. AF7 is a 2 hour written exam. The exams are usually held around April and October each year. The next set of exams will be held from mid September to early October 2023.

AF6 and AF8 are assessed via coursework.