Financial planners

A financial planner or personal financial planner is a professional who prepares financial plans for people. These financial plans often cover cash flow management, retirement planning, investment planning, financial risk management, insurance planning, tax planning, estate planning and business succession planning (for business owners).

Financial planning should cover all areas of the client’s financial needs and should result in the achievement of each of the client's goals as required. The scope of planning would usually include the following:

The personal financial planning process is described in ISO 22222:2005 as consisting of six steps:

Step 1: Establishing and defining the client and personal financial planner relationship

Step 2: Gathering client data and determining goals and expectations

Step 3: Analysing and evaluating the client’s financial status

Step 4: Developing and presenting the financial plan

Step 5: Implementing the financial planning recommendations

Step 6: Monitoring the financial plan and the financial planning relationship

In Australia, a company providing financial services must obtain a licence from ASIC. However, there are no requirements for the individuals providing the financial advice and the ASIC website states "Holding an AFS licence does not provide a guarantee of the probity or quality of the licensee's services".

Financial Planning Standards Board India

The Securities Commission Malaysia introduced legislation through amendments made to the Securities Industry Act in 2003 to regulate financial planning and the use of the title or related-title of 'financial planner' or to conduct activities related to financial planning.

In 2005, amendments to the Malaysian Insurance Act require those who carry out financial advisory business (including financial planning activities related to insurance) and/or use the title of financial adviser under their firm (which, like in Singapore, must be a corporate structure) to obtain a license from Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM). Some persons who offer financial advisory services, e.g., licensed life insurance agents, are exempted from licensing as a practising requirement.

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