CFP study guide · 2026

The 8 CFP domains, explained

8 domains and 70 official topics. Retirement Savings and Income Planning carries the most weight at 18%. Each guide explains what the domain covers, how its questions are framed and where candidates lose marks.

Start with Domain 6 See all domains
Questions
170 multiple-choice questions (stand-alone, short scenario and case study items)
Time
6 hours: two 3-hour sections of 85 questions, with a scheduled 40-minute break
Passing score
Pass/fail; the passing score is set by CFP Board for each exam and is not published in advance
Outline
CFP Board 2021 Principal Knowledge Topics (current; tested since March 2022)

Exam blueprint

Bar widths follow the official weights. Weight ranges are drawn at their midpoint.

  1. 1 8%
  2. 2 15%
  3. 3 11%
  4. 4 17%
  5. 5 14%
  6. 6 18%
  7. 7 10%
  8. 8 7%
  1. 1 Professional Conduct and Regulation
  2. 2 General Principles of Financial Planning
  3. 3 Risk Management and Insurance Planning
  4. 4 Investment Planning
  5. 5 Tax Planning
  6. 6 Retirement Savings and Income Planning
  7. 7 Estate Planning
  8. 8 Psychology of Financial Planning

All 8 domains

70 official topics 170–235 hrs suggested study

  1. Domain 01 8%

    Professional Conduct and Regulation

    How CFP professionals are held to account: CFP Board's Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct, its disciplinary Procedural Rules, the fiduciary standard, how financial institutions and markets are regulated, and the consumer protection laws planners meet with clients.

    Inside this domain

    • CFP Board's Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct
    • CFP Board's Procedural Rules
    • Function, purpose, and general structure of financial institutions
    • Financial services regulations and requirements
    • and 2 more topics

    Watch for Legal equals ethical

    Topics
    6
    Questions est.
    ~14
    Study time est.
    10–15 hrs
  2. Domain 02 15%

    General Principles of Financial Planning

    The toolkit every case study draws on: the seven-step planning process, personal financial statements, budgeting and debt, economic conditions, time value of money calculations, and the full education funding topic from needs analysis to savings vehicles and gifting.

    Inside this domain

    • Financial planning process
    • Financial statements
    • Cash flow management
    • Financing strategies and debt management
    • and 6 more topics

    Watch for Lowest payment wins

    Topics
    10
    Questions est.
    ~26
    Study time est.
    25–35 hrs
  3. Domain 03 11%

    Risk Management and Insurance Planning

    Protecting clients against loss: risk management principles, property and liability exposures, health, disability and long-term care coverage, annuities, life insurance, business owner solutions, needs analysis, and how to choose policies and insurers.

    Inside this domain

    • Principles of risk and insurance
    • Analysis and evaluation of risk exposures
    • Health insurance and health care cost management (individual and group)
    • Disability income insurance (individual and group)
    • and 6 more topics

    Watch for Insure everything

    Topics
    10
    Questions est.
    ~19
    Study time est.
    20–28 hrs
  4. Domain 04 17%

    Investment Planning

    The second-largest CFP domain: how investment vehicles work and are taxed, the types of risk, market cycles, return and risk-adjusted measures, asset allocation, bond and stock valuation, portfolio construction, investment strategies and alternative assets.

    Inside this domain

    • Characteristics, uses and taxation of investment vehicles
    • Types of investment risk
    • Market cycles
    • Quantitative investment concepts and measures of investment returns
    • and 5 more topics

    Watch for Highest return wins

    Topics
    9
    Questions est.
    ~29
    Study time est.
    30–40 hrs
  5. Domain 05 14%

    Tax Planning

    How tax shapes every planning recommendation: sources of tax law, the income tax calculation, how business entities and trusts are taxed, techniques to reduce or defer tax, property transactions and basis, special situations, and charitable giving.

    Inside this domain

    • Fundamental and current tax law
    • Income tax fundamentals and calculations
    • Characteristics and income taxation of business entities
    • Income taxation of trusts and estates
    • and 4 more topics

    Watch for Sell then donate

    Topics
    8
    Questions est.
    ~24
    Study time est.
    25–35 hrs
  6. Domain 06 18%

    Retirement Savings and Income Planning

    The largest CFP domain: estimating retirement needs, Social Security and Medicare, eldercare, every major plan type and its rules, nonqualified arrangements, choosing a plan for a business, distribution and tax rules, income strategies and business succession.

    Inside this domain

    • Retirement needs analysis
    • Social Security and Medicare planning
    • Eldercare and special needs planning
    • Types of retirement plans
    • and 6 more topics

    Watch for Roll first, withdraw later

    Topics
    10
    Questions est.
    ~31
    Study time est.
    30–40 hrs
  7. Domain 07 10%

    Estate Planning

    How wealth passes during life and at death: property titling and beneficiary designations, transfer strategies and documents, gift, estate and generation-skipping tax, liquidity, trusts, the marital deduction, family transfers, postmortem choices and special situations.

    Inside this domain

    • Property titling and beneficiary designations
    • Strategies to transfer property
    • Estate and incapacity planning documents
    • Gift, estate, and GST tax compliance and calculation
    • and 7 more topics

    Watch for The will controls everything

    Topics
    11
    Questions est.
    ~17
    Study time est.
    20–28 hrs
  8. Domain 08 7%

    Psychology of Financial Planning

    The human side of planning: how attitudes, values and biases shape client and planner decisions, behavioral finance, the sources of money conflict, counseling approaches, effective communication, and how to support clients through crisis events.

    Inside this domain

    • Client and planner attitudes, values, biases
    • Behavioral finance
    • Sources of money conflict
    • Principles of counseling
    • and 2 more topics

    Watch for Quick decision after a loss

    Topics
    6
    Questions est.
    ~12
    Study time est.
    10–14 hrs

Study the heaviest domains first

Marks follow weight. This order puts the most marks behind you first, across about 170–235 hrs of study.

  1. 6 Retirement Savings and Income Planning 18% · 30–40 hrs
  2. 4 Investment Planning 17% · 30–40 hrs
  3. 2 General Principles of Financial Planning 15% · 25–35 hrs
  4. 5 Tax Planning 14% · 25–35 hrs
  5. 3 Risk Management and Insurance Planning 11% · 20–28 hrs
  6. 7 Estate Planning 10% · 20–28 hrs
  7. 1 Professional Conduct and Regulation 8% · 10–15 hrs
  8. 8 Psychology of Financial Planning 7% · 10–14 hrs

Try one

Practice questionDomain 6: Retirement Savings and Income Planning

A 60-year-old dentist with steady high profits and four younger employees wants to shelter as much income as possible for retirement over the next eight years. Which plan design best meets her goal?

One trap from every domain

The answer that looks right, and the clue that gives it away.

  • Domain 1

    Legal equals ethical

    Clue The question asks what the CFP professional should do.

  • Domain 2

    Lowest payment wins

    Clue Loan terms of different lengths are given.

  • Domain 3

    Insure everything

    Clue The loss is low in severity.

  • Domain 4

    Highest return wins

    Clue Standard deviation or beta is given for each fund.

  • Domain 5

    Sell then donate

    Clue The client holds long-term appreciated securities.

  • Domain 6

    Roll first, withdraw later

    Clue The client separated from service between 55 and 59½.

  • Domain 7

    The will controls everything

    Clue Asset titles or beneficiaries are listed.

  • Domain 8

    Quick decision after a loss

    Clue The client was recently bereaved.

Other Finance certifications

Study guides for exams that overlap with CFP.

Practise what you read

CFP domains: common questions

How many domains are in the CFP exam?

CFP has 8 domains with 70 official topics between them: Professional Conduct and Regulation, General Principles of Financial Planning, Risk Management and Insurance Planning, Investment Planning, Tax Planning, Retirement Savings and Income Planning, Estate Planning and Psychology of Financial Planning.

Which CFP domain carries the most weight?

Retirement Savings and Income Planning is the heaviest at 18%, followed by Investment Planning (17%). The lightest is Psychology of Financial Planning (7%). Weights come from CFP Board's official outline.

What is the CFP exam format?

Questions: 170 multiple-choice questions (stand-alone, short scenario and case study items). Time allowed: 6 hours: two 3-hour sections of 85 questions, with a scheduled 40-minute break. Passing score: Pass/fail; the passing score is set by CFP Board for each exam and is not published in advance.

How long should I study for CFP?

Our planning estimate is 170–235 hrs across all domains, split by weight. It is an editorial estimate, not an official figure, so adjust it to your experience and to how you score on practice questions.

Where should I start?

Start with Retirement Savings and Income Planning, because it carries the most marks, then work down by weight. Use the checklist on each domain page to confirm you can do what the domain asks before moving on.

Which outline is this guide based on?

This guide follows CFP Board 2021 Principal Knowledge Topics (current; tested since March 2022), published by CFP Board. It was last reviewed in October 2026.

Domain names, weights and topics come from CFP Board's official outline (CFP Board 2021 Principal Knowledge Topics (current; tested since March 2022)). Question counts and study hours are editorial planning estimates, not official figures. Last reviewed October 2026.