The Complete Idiot's Guide to Success as a Personal Financial Planner [Paperback]

CPA, PFS, CFP, John P. Napolitano (Author)

Book Description

Series: The Complete Idiot's Guide | Publication Date: December 4, 2007

Building a successful career in a red-hot field.

Financial planning is one of the fastest growing careers in America today. Written by a veteran certified financial planning expert, this invaluable book tells aspiring and new CFPs everything you need to know about the certification process, setting up private practice, self-marketing techniques, client management and expansion, and much more.
—Includes a comprehensive resource section

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John P. Napolitano, CPA, PFS, CFP (registered symbol), MST, is Chairman and CEO of U.S. Wealth Management, LLC.  He started the company to help CPAs and Financial Advisors build a Wealth Management Practice around their core accounting and advisory practice.  John is a well-known financial practitioner, writer, instructor, and broadcast commentator.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Alpha (December 4, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592576869
• ISBN-13: 978-1592576869
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #424,354 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book for anyone considering a career in financial planning., December 18, 2007

By 

Timothy Haley "yukonh" (Arlington, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Success as a Personal Financial Planner (Paperback)

Don't let the title fool you, this book contains a highly intelligent, thorough look at the profession and industry. The author looks at how the industry has evolved, what the future holds and what it takes for both new graduates and career changers to not only be successful in this business, but to ultimately find fulfillment in their work.

The book addresses in detail the various options for entry, provides a glimpse of a day in the life of the financial planner and talks about the likely challenges one can expect to face in the first few years as a new planner.

It goes on to review the various credentials, touching on there significance and identifying those most beneficial. It also looks at resources for learning and continuous development as well as the clubs and associations worth joining.

And that's just the first half of the book... The book devotes a chapter to the life planning movement and the final two sections cover setting up your own practice and the keys to growing and building your business.

This book is not only an invaluable resource for those starting out in financial planning, but also a great source of information for those currently working in the business who are considering making the leap to go out on their own.

I read this book in one sitting and only wish it had been around six months ago when I started researching a career in financial planning. It would have saved me a lot of time and spared me a few headaches.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Covering only basics, not how to succeed, December 4, 2009

By 

Gadgester "No Time, No Money" (Mother Earth) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Success as a Personal Financial Planner (Paperback)

This book covers just the basics of becoming and working as a financial planner (aka financial advisor, financial consultant, wealth advisor, etc.). It provides an overview of the industry and profession, how to become a financial planner (but only focusing on college grads, accountants, attorneys, and bankers), what it's like to work as one, and how to go indie. It does not provide much tips on how to succeed as a new financial planner or as a seasoned financial planner; the only exception is the author strongly recommends you get a good mentor, a recommendation I totally agrees on. For example, building up a client base, the most dreaded of all beginning and intermediate financial planners, is covered in just one page. I thought at least two or three chapters should be devoted to this topic alone, because having clients who pay you fees is 75% of success as an FP; the other 25% is keeping them happy.

So, I'm rather disappointed in this book, because it lacks substance that can help someone thinking about the career or just starting out as a beginner FP.

12 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "wealth" of information and wisdom about financial planning as a career, December 21, 2007

By 

Edward Jacobson (Madison, WI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Success as a Personal Financial Planner (Paperback)

This book is rght on target! John Napolitano has done a masterful job of bringing information, knowledge, wisdom, and coherence to the topic of personal financial planning as a career. I coach and consultant to financial planners, including career changers, and I believe that John's book is a goldmine of must-have information to anyone contemplating a career in this field -- as well as to anyone relatively new to the field and seeking to chart their career development path. Don't leave home without it!

Ed Jacobson, Ph.D.
Madison, WI.