Education of the Financial Planner

This paper discusses the importance of close collaboration between practitioners and academics to address common concerns of the profession. Although there are a few institutions which offer a curriculum for the education of financial planners, most AACS Bschools do not offer such a program. A survey was conducted of AACSB member institutions to ask whether they offer personal financial planning (PFP) courses, if so, how many and whether they offer a major or degree in the field. The schools were also asked whether their advisory group(s) contained active business representatives and whether the advisory groups contained professional financial planners. Most of the respondents offer only one or two courses and these seem to include many personal budgeting or self‐improvement courses rather than part of a curriculum for a personal financial planning professional. Very few respondents offer a degree or major in financial planning. Although all the advisory groups seem to include active business people, there are very few members who were reported as professional personal financial planners.