Personal Financial Advisors

client enterprising tax status customer financial plan information insurance coverage liability financial status client plan

Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Financial Advisor, Financial Planner, Portfolio Manager

What they do:
Advise clients on financial plans using knowledge of tax and investment strategies, securities, insurance, pension plans, and real estate. Duties include assessing clients' assets, liabilities, cash flow, insurance coverage, tax status, and financial objectives. May also buy and sell financial assets for clients.
On the job, you would:
  • Interview clients to determine their current income, expenses, insurance coverage, tax status, financial objectives, risk tolerance, or other information needed to develop a financial plan.
  • Recommend to clients strategies in cash management, insurance coverage, investment planning, or other areas to help them achieve their financial goals.
  • Manage client portfolios, keeping client plans up-to-date.

Knowledge

Business

  • customer service
  • accounting and economics

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Math and Science

  • arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
  • psychology

Safety and Government

  • law and government

Skills

Basic Skills

  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • reading work related information

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

People and Technology Systems

  • thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
  • figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it

Abilities

Verbal

  • communicate by speaking
  • communicate by writing

Math

  • add, subtract, multiply, or divide
  • choose the right type of math to solve a problem

Ideas and Logic

  • make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
  • use rules to solve problems

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include leading, making decisions, and business.

They do well at jobs that need:

  • Integrity
  • Dependability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Analytical Thinking
  • Concern for Others
  • Achievement/Effort

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Customer relationship management CRM software

  • Microsoft Business Contact Manager
  • Salesforce software Hot Technology

Presentation software

  • Financial planning presentation software
  • Microsoft PowerPoint Hot Technology In Demand

Financial analysis software

  • Oracle E-Business Suite Financials
  • WealthTec Foundations

Education

Education: (rated 4 of 5)
bachelor's degree or
certificate after college
usually needed

Get started on your career:

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Job Outlook

Bright
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
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See more details at O*NET OnLine about personal financial advisors.