CII AF5 Exam: Financial Planning Process Qualification Success Story - PW9.ORG

This Financial Planning Process qualification is designed to meet the growing demand for financial planning advice and services from individuals, businesses and their employees.

This qualification provides a clear route into financial planning for those new to the industry, and enables advisers who have not previously studied financial planning to develop their skills. The focus of this qualification is on the distribution of financial products and services.

The CII AF5 exam covers the whole financial planning process and is an essential part of the Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning.

This is a summary of my experience with the CII AF5 exam, which tests your understanding of the financial planning process.

The AF5 exam is a 3-hour open-book exam. The pass mark is 60%, and I was able to pass it in my first attempt.

I used the Kaplan study text book, which is quite comprehensive, and also contained enough practice questions to help me prepare for the exam. I found some of the practice questions difficult at first, but once I had revised the topic areas covered in the question, most of them became simpler.

The time taken to complete each question varies greatly; some are very straightforward, whereas others require more thinking on how best to approach them. It's important not to spend too much time on one question at the expense of others; if you can't answer it straight away, then move on and return to it if you have spare time at the end of the exam.

The AF5 exam is the most complex of the CII Financial Planning exams, and many students are daunted by its length and content. However, as with all the exams in this suite, it is possible to pass AF5 with a modest amount of time and effort. The key is to plan your studies well, understand what you are aiming for, and reflect on your learning as you go.

In this article we will look at where you need to start from in order to get yourself into a position where you can pass the exam, how you should structure your learning programme and study sessions, and finally how to make sure that you are in the best possible position when you take the exam itself.

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