Evaluating the Evolution of the Personal Financial Planning Industry: Mutualism, Commensalism, or Parasitism?

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-42
Author(s):  
Bryan Teoh Phern Chern
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Financial Literacy ◽  
Financial Planning ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Personal Finance ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Finance Management ◽  
Financial Planners ◽  
Personal Financial Planning

The financial planning and advice industry has been experiencing healthy growth for the past five years and is expected to accelerate this growth following the Covid-19 pandemic (IBISWorld, 2021). The pandemic has led to higher equity yields and appreciating asset value, directly increasing the total value of assets under management (AUM) held by financial planners and advisors. The industry in the US alone has surpassed $52.9 billion in 2021. As the economy is expected to improve, this figure is expected to follow suit. Not included in these figures are the explosion of online personal finance bloggers and influencers. Some YouTube and TikTok videos have raked in billions of views regarding personal finance (Smith, 2021). Many of these online contents have benefitted viewers and prompted them to start making good decisions regarding their personal wealth, spreading financial literacy to the masses. However, poor financial advice may be spread out as easily to viewers. The Wall Street Journal has reported on this issue back in 2005 where blogs and magazines have been found to give both good and bad advice on budgeting, saving, and overall personal finance management (Cullen, 2005). Whatever the net effect of this phenomenon, the easy access through social media has amplified it. This article briefly journeys through the evolution of personal finance management and personal financial planning, including the new trends this industry is moving towards. Subsequently, this article will look into the risk and rewards of the current personal financial planning and advice industry, including certified financial planners and uncertified personnel (social media influencers, financial gurus), as to whether consumers are benefitting as a whole, or otherwise. A disclaimer to this research is that the findings and opinions towards the industry do not encompass all the service providers in the business as there are many other influencing factors such as business models, individual agenda, and unique circumstances of each provider and consumer. Keywords: Conflict of interest; financial planning; financial experts; Influencers; Personal finance

Does AICPA Accreditation of Nonaudit Services Add Value? The Case of Personal Financial Planning

2000 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Shawn Mauldin ◽  
Mark Wilder ◽  
Morris H. Stocks
Keyword(s):  
Financial Planning ◽  
The Other ◽  
Differential Effects ◽  
Relative Value ◽  
Professional Attributes ◽  
Financial Planners ◽  
The Future ◽  
Financial Planner ◽  
Nonaudit Services ◽  
Personal Financial Planning

The AICPA has taken the position that accreditation of CPAs in specific areas of practice is an important aspect of repositioning the CPA profession for the future. The AICPA currently offers two designations exclusively to CPAs, one of which is the Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) designation. However, the issue of accrediting CPAs by granting official AICPA designations is a complex and highly debated issue with opposing sides having compelling arguments supporting their positions. CPAs and other professionals specializing in personal financial planning have opportunities to obtain designations other than the PFS. This paper examines the relative value of these alternative options for financial planners. Specifically, the research was designed to examine the differential effects of alternative financial-planning accreditations on users' perceptions. These perceptions relate to various professional attributes of a financial planner such as their knowledge and expertise, objectivity, and level of trust and ethics possessed. In addition, these perceptions relate to fees charged and the influence that the designation has on the public's choice of a financial planner. Our results indicate that the CPA designation used in conjunction with the PFS designation is generally perceived to signal a higher level of professional attributes than the other designations examined in the study. In addition, a CPA with a PFS designation has a significantly greater influence on the public's choice of a financial planner than do the other designations. These results suggest that important benefits may accrue to CPAs from holding the PFS specialty accreditation.

scholarly journals Personal Finance Management for New Oncologists: Part 2

2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 92-95
Keyword(s):  
Financial Planning ◽  
Personal Finance ◽  
Basic Principles ◽  
Finance Management ◽  
Economic Climate

Part two in this two-part series on financial planning for new oncologists looks at the basic principles of sound investing in any economic climate.

scholarly journals Personal Finance Knowlegde and Practice: An Opinion Survey with Employed and Self-employed People in Pokhara

2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-99
Author(s):  
Puspa Raj Sharma ◽  
Yub Raj Bohara
Keyword(s):  
Financial Literacy ◽  
Financial Planning ◽  
Sampling Method ◽  
Personal Finance ◽  
Financial Knowledge ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Business Studies ◽  
Personal Finances ◽  
Knowledge And Practice

The ability to manage personal finances has become increasingly important in today's world. People must plan for long - term investments for their retirement and children's education. They must also decide on short - term savings and borrowing for daily life like a down payment for a house, a car loan, and other big - ticket items. Additionally, they must manage their different risk and insurance needs. This is might be the first survey about 'Personal Financial Knowledge and Practice' survey was conducted in 2011 with employed and Self-Employed people in Pokhara, Nepal. The survey revealed encouraging findings about how Employed and Self-Employed people of Pokhara approach money matters. This Personal financial literacy modeling research has been attempted to measure the literacy of Personal Finance with respect to their financial knowledge of different financial instrument and their practice or investment decisions. This study is based on stratified random sampling method with the help of financial literacy related parameters. This study has the intention to explore the skills of financial literacy; hence the objective was to test the basic financial knowledge of key products that is common to current society. In general, both categories have fairly healthy attitudes towards basic money management, financial planning and investment matters. Minorities of respondents of both categories save, monitor their spending and are generally responsible in the use of credit. Most of the respondents recognize the importance of financial planning and have done some basic financial planning.The Journal of Nepalese Business Studies Vol. Vii, No. 1, 2010-2011Page : 80-99Uploaded date: July 8, 2012

Antecedents and Consequences of Using Social Media for Personal Finance

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 162-176
Author(s):  
Yingxia Cao ◽  
Fengmei Gong ◽  
Tong Zeng
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
User Satisfaction ◽  
Financial Literacy ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Personal Finance ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Financial Industry ◽  
Financial Outcomes ◽  
Social Media Tools ◽  
Antecedents And Consequences

This study was intended to find out whether social media could be a solution to improve personal financial literacy and ability. The authors examined the antecedents and consequences of using social media for personal finance with survey data from 359 individuals who used social media tools to view, learn, post, or ask for financial information or advice. They found that usefulness and compatibility were two reasons why people use social media for personal finance, while ease of use and concerns/risks were not. The study also revealed that social media use for personal finance were associated with positive financial outcomes and user satisfaction, which in turn prompted users' intentions to continue using social media for personal finance in the future. These findings suggested that social media could be a legitimate and fruitful source for individuals and financial industry to improve personal financial well-being.

scholarly journals A MODEL FOR PERSONAL FINANCIAL PLANNING TOWARDS RETIREMENT

2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Teresa C. Herrador-Alcaide ◽  
Montserrat Hernández-Solís ◽  
Gabriela Topa
Keyword(s):  
Financial Literacy ◽  
Financial Planning ◽  
Financial Management ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Financial Risk ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Financial Resources ◽  
Explanatory Variables ◽  
Personal Financial Planning

One problem for sustainability of systems pensions is how people without specialized financial training could manage their resources and their actual personal intentions towards retirement. Research objective is to analyse the relationship among several factors that affect the behaviour towards retirement, the financial management practices and the financial resources, by carrying out a structural equation model (SEM) that was tested in Spanish workers sample in three phases. The influence of financial literacy, financial retirement objectives, optimism on retirement, tolerance to financial risk, and the commitment to financial planning at time 1, are analysed as explanatory variables of financial management practices at time 2. Financial resources for retirement at time 3 are explained by financial management practices. According to results, the model can predict the 36% of the variance of financial management practices and 53% of the variance of financial resources for retirement. Thus, the model can be used for checking of knowledge of the personal financial behaviour before retirement, what enables a better personal financial planning. It would be possible to apply a model based on self-assessment in order to implement a complementary financial planning that would allow to maintain the welfare during retirement.

scholarly journals Financial technologies in personal financial planning: robo-advice vs. human-advice

2020 ◽  
Vol 82 (4) ◽  
pp. 303-317
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Waliszewski ◽  
Anna Warchlewska
Keyword(s):  
Asset Management ◽  
Financial Planning ◽  
Human Factor ◽  
Finance Management ◽  
Personal Finances ◽  
Gradual Development ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Personal Financial Planning ◽  
Potential Customers ◽  
Modern Technologies

The paper presents the essence of financial technologies in personal financial planning, especially robo-advice. The main aim of the paper is to describe the presumptions for the development of robo-advice. An analysis of robo-advice on personal finance management was made. The analysis was based on a review of the subject literature, and on primary and secondary research. Particular attention was paid to the intensification of activities in the implementation of modern solutions and tools supporting the management of personal finances and the gradual development of robo-advisors. Modern solutions are still struggling with great distrust on the part of their current and potential customers, and the development of modern technologies in liquidity and asset management still requires a human factor.

Psychological Aspects of Financial Planning

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dave Yeske ◽  
Elissa Buie
Keyword(s):  
Financial Planning ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Employee Benefits ◽  
Investment Planning ◽  
Integrated Strategies ◽  
Interdisciplinary Practice ◽  
Strategic Process ◽  
Financial Planners ◽  
Unique Domain ◽  
Personal Financial Planning

This chapter discusses personal financial planning, which is an interdisciplinary practice that employs a six-step process to develop integrated strategies for individuals and families to efficiently mobilize their human and financial capital to achieve their life goals. Financial planning draws from various disciplines, including counseling, psychology, finance, economics, and law. It includes budgeting and cash flow planning, risk management, insurance planning, investment planning, retirement and employee benefits planning, tax planning, and estate planning. The strategic process whereby financial planners develop integrated strategies that draw from all these fields in pursuit of client goals is the profession’s unique domain. Heuristics and mental biases to which clients may be prone overlay the entire financial planning process, however. Financial planners should understand and consider these issues when developing recommendations uniquely suited to each client, maximizing the probability that the client will embrace and implement the recommended strategies.

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