Evidence-Based Financial Planning: To Learn . . . Like a CFP

Journal of Financial Planning, p. 38, November, 2011

7 Pages Posted: 8 Jul 2011 Last revised: 11 Nov 2011

See all articles by Elissa Buie

Elissa Buie

Golden Gate University - Ageno School of Business

Dave Yeske

Golden Gate University - Ageno School of Business

Date Written: November 1, 2011

Abstract

• The financial planning profession’s body of knowledge consists of a mix of consensus-based best practices and research-based findings founded upon formal standards of evidence. Even a cursory examination of that body of writing and codified practice, however, reveals the former to vastly dominate the latter.

• The scientific method provides a framework for validating the profession’s best practices, so that practitioners can have confidence that their “best” practices are based on the “best” evidence.

• If financial planning is to leave its adolescent stage of development and achieve its full potential as a learned profession, three requirements must be met:

- It will require a commitment by all practitioners to stay abreast of new research, without regard to whether or not it qualifies for CE credit.

- It will require practitioners to possess or acquire the ability to read and critically evaluate that research and a commitment by financial planning educational programs to impart those skills to students.

- It will require a commitment on the part of practitioners to partner with academics in identifying the profession’s most important questions and designing research initiatives to answer them.

Keywords: financial planning, learned profession, science, scientific method

JEL Classification: D10, D11, D12

Suggested Citation

Buie, Elissa and Yeske, David, Evidence-Based Financial Planning: To Learn . . . Like a CFP (November 1, 2011). Journal of Financial Planning, p. 38, November, 2011, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1881346

Elissa Buie

Golden Gate University - Ageno School of Business ( email )

536 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.yebu.com

David Yeske (Contact Author)

Golden Gate University - Ageno School of Business ( email )

536 Mission Street
Room 4332
San Francisco, CA 94105
United States
415-442-6524 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.yebu.com/about/dr-dave/

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