I hold the certificate due to the stringent requirements in place to obtain it and the continuing education necessary to maintain the designation,” Filip Telibasa, owner and planner at Benzina Wealth, a Sarasota, Fla.-based fee-only advisory, said via email. “It also adds an additional level of security for clients in that I am required to act as a fiduciary as a certificate holder (in addition to the fiduciary standard as a registered investment advisor).”

Telibasa noted a 2024 advertisement aimed at students who may be interested in financial planning careers that drew backlash from some planners for portraying advisors as lax and having lots of free time. The CFP Board eventually pulled the campaign, which was separate from the public awareness campaign it is funding with the fee increase.

Telibasa said he can see a positive result from the fee hike if it raises awareness and positively impacts “the life of consumers and planners alike.”