Career as IFA?

Potential_Advisor

somewhatnew wrote: »

If anything your age probably will be on your side. I qualified as an IFA straight out of uni at 21 (a number of years ago now sadly!) and having had client meetings with new prospects who may be a solicitor of 20 or 30 years standing or helping a person going into their retirment was always a wierd thing to do because of the age gap.

Being 42 shouldnt be a hinderance, you can get CFP1-6 done probably in a couple of months (all multiple choice exams except CFP5) which will be your (very) basic regulatory, investment, pension, protection, mortgage and planning exams done. After that you need to get a Competent Advisor Status (on the job training, maybe take 6 months) and keep sitting your Diploma exams (for which you need a minimum of 4).

There can be very good money in being an IFA, it will open up other avenues of sorts like Private Banking. It's a hard slog at the begining and can be crappy hours if you have to do client visits in the evening or the weekend. But the rewards will be there if you work hard enough

Thanks somewhatnew, that was a bit more encouraging than i was expecting, :rotfl: I'm assuming CF's 2-6 should be done in that order should they? i can't see any merit in not doing them in order. Also, i hadn't realised the Diploma's were going to be mandatory as early as 2010, better get my skates on then.

The annoying thing is, i have been flirting with doing these exams for years and even helped my ex when she did text papers for her investment admin job. Wish I had just got stuck in then but thats another story...

Potential_Advisor

Sorry that should have read "test" papers...and wasn't using capital 'I', I really should know better.