Knowledge for Practice

CFP Board Client Psychology Program at Wharton

Study of Client Psychology is a burgeoning field merging traditional financial knowledge with best practices from finance, financial planning and the human sciences. CFP Board offers a course of study in partnership with the Aresty Institute of Executive Education at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, as well as Client Psychology, published with Wiley.

ADDRESSING DISRUPTION

KEEP PACE WITH an evolving profession

Technology, regulation and competition have radically disrupted financial planning and the relationship between advisor and client. For planners, this shift requires new thinking that relies on better understanding a client’s psyche, improving communication and focusing on stronger long-term relationships.

Read more about the field of Client Psychology and our book, Client Psychology, in our Industry Insights section.

GAIN INSIGHTS, Earn Credits

Client Psychology is a course that aims to help financial advisors better understand the biases, behaviors and perceptions that impact client decision making and financial well-being. CFP® professionals attending this program receive 21.5 hours of general CFP Board CE credit, offered by Wharton. Information on future offerings of the course will be announced on this page and in our Events section.

ORDER THE BOOK

A Client-Centered Approach

The second book in the CFP Board Center for Financial Planning Series, Client Psychology, explores the biases, behaviors and perceptions that impact client decision-making and overall financial well-being.

Get Your Copy

More about the client psychology course

Learn about program details to consider enrolling in a future Client Psychology course. The program will be offered virtually from July 18 - August 11, 2022.

Participant Profile

This program is designed broadly for any professional who advises clients on investments, insurances or other aspects of financial planning. Faculty looking to better prepare their students to enter the profession would benefit greatly from this new and growing interdisciplinary topic. The insights into understanding client psychology, improving communication with investors, planning subjects and achieving better outcomes will be valuable for a wide range of potential attendees, including:

CFP® professionals and those on their way to obtaining CFP® certification
Financial planners working within a variety of client-centered business models
Investment advisors, brokers, and counselors
Any investment professional with a “Know Your Client” role
Professionals in accounting, insurance or related fields

In Client Psychology, You Will:

Adapt to disruptive change in the financial planning industry by becoming more client-centered.
Articulate how better knowledge of client psychology, decision making, and behavioral finance can help you build deeper, long-lasting customer relationships.
Gain skills that will help your clients achieve better outcomes by understanding their needs and preferences and helping them cope with life events and market volatility.

Study with the renowned Wharton finance faculty, leading scholars from a variety of academic disciplines and CFP® professionals to gain day-to-day practical skills to serve and grow your client base.
Improve your communication skills with a stronger grasp of how client psychology can guide clients toward better decisions.
Develop new insights into how to adapt to a changing U.S. population and a surge in millennial clients with different views on elements of financial planning.

The academic study of Client Psychology is a burgeoning field, which merges traditional financial knowledge with an understanding of best practices from aspects of finance, financial planning, and a variety of the human sciences. The course will focus heavily on how practitioners can hone their skills in client communication through observation, exercises, and even role playing. The goal is for financial planners and advisors to gain both the know-how and the tools to refocus their practice to emphasize the client, thus achieving better results and building life-long relationships. Participants will learn how to relate better to a fast-changing client population and gain cutting-edge tools to build closer bonds with clients and ultimately deliver better outcomes.

Session Topics Include:

Investor Psychology Across Generations
The Challenges to Evidence-Based Decision Making
Heuristics and Biases

Building Relationships Through Neuroscience
Elements of Clinical Psychology Including Spending, Saving, and Money Disorders
Expert Perspectives from Practitioners

For additional information on the Client Psychology program, please watch this webinar recording.