u/HatWrong2409

Sorry in advance for the long post, and thank you to anyone who takes the time to read it. I really appreciate any advice or perspective you can offer.

I’m 25 and feel like I’m at a crossroads.

I currently work as an Associate Financial Advisor at a small RIA/CPA firm making about $65k/year, a small bonus, and 1/3 of the advisory fee on any assets I personally bring in. The partners have all told me they see me as a future partner, so there is a legitimate path to making very good money if I stay. That’s what makes this decision so difficult.

The problem is I don’t feel challenged very often. I enjoy investing, financial planning, and helping clients, but I also spend 60+ hours a week doing tax work during tax season, and outside of tax season there are times where I don’t have enough meaningful work. I sometimes feel like my work lacks the sense of purpose I’m looking for, and I’m worried I’ll wake up 20 years from now and realize I just coasted through my career.

A little background: I played college/pro sports have an MBA, passed the Series 65, and started the CFP process. I’ve put the CFP on hold while I figure out what I actually want to do with my career.

I’ve also always been interested in law enforcement. Most of my family is in the field, I’ve done ride-alongs, and I really like the teamwork, purpose, and the fact that every day is different. Something my dad, who was also a former athlete, told me has stuck with me: “Police work was the only thing that filled that team environment after sports.” I’ve also considered becoming an FBI Special Agent because it seems like it would combine investigations with my finance background.

The biggest thing holding me back is compensation. I enjoy making money and investing, but I also want a career that feels meaningful. Long-term earning potential, retirement benefits, vacation time, work-life balance (I know law enforcement isn’t great for that), and having a sense of purpose all matter to me.

If you were 25 in my shoes, would you stay on the partner track in wealth management or make the jump to law enforcement or the FBI?

I’d especially appreciate hearing from people who have worked in wealth management, local/state law enforcement, or the FBI. Looking back, would you make the same decision again, and why?

Hey everyone,

I enrolled in the BIF/Bryant Instructor-Led CFP Education Program with the Premium BIF Review. My plan is to move quickly through the education component and then spend 2+ months in full exam prep mode before taking the CFP exam.

My question is: Is the BIF Premium Review enough to pass, or should I be planning to buy another review program (Danko, Dalton, Kaplan, etc.)?

For anyone who used BIF:
- Was Premium Review enough?
- Did you supplement with another provider?
- What gave you the biggest ROI for actually passing?

I work in financial planning already and recently passed the Series 65, so I’m not coming in totally green, just trying to avoid overspending if I already have what I need.

I know I’m very early in the process, but my firm is willing to help pay for additional study materials if needed, and they’d like a realistic idea of what the total cost of exam prep might look like beyond BIF if additional materials are necessary.

This is obviously my first time going through the CFP process, so I’d really appreciate any recommendations or insight from those who have already been through it.

Thanks in advance!

Edit: Moral of the story —> My firm would like to know costs of additional exam prep materials. I am not sure is BIF review will be enough or if I need to add extra prep.

Thanks.

I’ll be using the Boston Institute of Finance for the education requirement (already purchased), while working full-time in wealth management/planning/Tax.

For those who have gone through the CFP process:
- What do you wish you knew before starting?
- Best study habits/resources?
- Biggest mistakes to avoid?
- Is there anything you would’ve done differently?
- What review course would you recommend for the actual CFP exam?

Also, how long did the process realistically take you while working full-time?

Trying to set myself up the right way from the start.

Appreciate any advice to help! Thanks!

Honestly can’t believe I’m writing this post, but I finally saw that beautiful “PASS” on the screen today.

Third time taking this beast of an exam, and the relief is unreal.

Huge thank you to this community. Reading everyone’s tips, strategies, and success stories genuinely kept me sane and focused over the last few months.

For anyone still in the trenches: DO NOT GIVE UP. My first two attempts didn’t go my way, but I locked in, trusted the process, and kept pushing.

A few quick takeaways from today’s exam:

• Heavy Math: I had around 10 calculation problems: after-tax return, pre-tax return, tax-equivalent yield, and total return.

• Liquidation Priority: Know corporate bankruptcy order cold (secured debt, unsecured debt, wages, administrative claims, etc.).

• Expect the Unexpected: I spent time mastering bond seesaw and NAV/POP this morning and got basically none of it.

Mental game tip: Around questions 45–70, I thought I was cooked. The wording felt brutal and I felt like I was guessing. If that happens, keep pushing. One question at a time. You know more than you think.

To everyone about to test: you’ve got this. Go get that passing score.

On to the CFP now. 🥂

Hey everyone,

I could really use some perspective or advice from anyone who has broken through a plateau or passed on their 3rd attempt.

This is my 3rd time taking the Series 65. On my first two attempts, I got caught in a loop of taking endless simulated exams, burned out, and ended up failing.

My 3rd attempt is in exactly 5 days (Tuesday). I have been grinding for over a month, but my confidence is completely shot because I feel like I'm stuck in the 70s and terrified history is repeating itself.

Here are my 6 most recent Kaplan Simulated Exam scores (from most recent to oldest):
73.57%
75.00%
73.57%
73.57%
77.14%
81.43%

My average is around a 75.7%, but mentally I feel like I know absolutely nothing. When I do custom quizzes or missed-question review, I get completely destroyed by wording and it causes me to totally spiral. I feel like my brain is going in 8 different directions at once.

I cannot fail this time, there is a major salary increase on the line at my firm.

How do I break through the 70s? How do I spend these next 5 days to protect my score and stop the panic from ruining my test?

Thanks in advance.

I’m a former college/pro baseball player and recently started a small batting glove company. Right now I’m at the stage where I’ve gone through a couple small prototype/sample orders (received very good feedback), tested different materials/designs, created the LLC/business accounts, and I’m preparing for my first larger inventory order.

The gloves are focused on durability and feel, and I’ve been trying to learn everything as I go. Manufacturing, shipping, margins, branding, website setup, social media, etc.

I’m mainly just looking for advice from people who have started product-based businesses before.

A few things I’m trying to figure out:

- How did you know when it was time to finally place the “real” inventory order?

- What mistakes did you make early on that you wish you avoided?

- How much inventory did you start with?

- At what point did you build a Shopify/storefront website? Before inventory arrived or after proving some demand?

- Any advice on building trust when your brand is brand new?

Would appreciate any honest advice or things you wish you knew starting out.