How to Become a Christian Adviser
- 1). Visit the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards website to locate study materials for the Certified Financial Planner certification exam. Apply for a CFP exam through the Board of Standards' website, then choose a date and location for your exam. Pay the administrative fee online, set at $595 at the time of publication, and complete the exam at your chosen testing location.
- 2). Download or view the online Series 65 exam study materials from the North American Securities Administration Association's website. Schedule an exam date and location through the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority's website, and pay the administrative exam fee, set at $120 at the time of publication. Attend your scheduled exam and earn at least a 72 percent score on the 130-question test to obtain your Series 65 license.
- 3). Obtain errors and omissions insurance for your practice to further protect against unfortunate legal incidents. This specialized type of insurance is a must for all financial professionals offering investment advice. Since clients rely on information from their financial advisers to make investment decisions, an error in communication or a failure to disclose vital information -- an omission -- can cause clients to give the okay on unwise investment decisions. Clients can sue financial advisers after losing money due to an error or material omission on the part of an adviser; E&O can help to cover settlement costs in these instances.
- 4). Write a service mission statement setting forth how you will differentiate your services from other financial advisers. As a Christian adviser, your services must be organized around biblical principles rather than being geared solely toward personal financial gain. Make charitable giving a priority in your advisory services, for example, helping clients to maximize the impact of their financial giving. Set strict ethical guidelines for the companies whose products you will recommend to clients, as another example, and let clients know that you will never recommend an investment product from an institution using unethical business practices.
- 5). Join a few Christian financial professionals networking groups to build a network of professional contacts. Groups like Kingdom Advisors and the National Association of Christian Financial Consultants can help you to drum up new business leads by developing referral partnerships and meeting experienced mentors.
- 6). Market your services to churches, nonprofit organizations and individuals. Meet church and nonprofit leaders through your network of contacts, and speak with them about how you can help them to invest their free cash in such a way as to maximize their income and impact while minimizing investment risk. Pick up individual clients from within the organizations you help by making personal connections.
