FPSB Releases New Practice Guidance Note on the Use of AI in Financial Planning
DENVER, COLO – 24 June 2026 – Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd. (FPSB), the nonprofit, standards-setting body for the global financial planning profession and owner of the international CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER certification program, is pleased to announce the release of its new Practice Guidance Note: Use of Artificial Intelligence in Financial Planning, designed to help financial planning professionals use artificial intelligence (AI) responsibly while meeting their ethical and professional obligations.
As AI adoption accelerates across the financial planning profession, the guidance provides practical direction on how financial planners can use AI to support efficiency, insight and client service while reinforcing the importance of professional judgment, human oversight, transparency and confidentiality.
The guidance note comes as FPSB’s 2025 global research on the Impact of AI on Financial Planning found that two in three financial planners report their firms are using AI or planning to do so in the next 12 months. The research, based on responses from more than 6,200 financial planners across 24 territories, also found that 78% believe AI will help them better serve clients, while 60% say it will enhance the quality of financial advice.
“AI is reshaping the practice of financial planning, but trust, professional judgment and accountability remain essential,” said FPSB CEO Dante De Gori, CFP. “This new practice guidance note is designed to help financial planners embrace the benefits of AI while reinforcing that they remain responsible for the advice and recommendations they provide to clients.”
The guidance note was developed to help financial planning practitioners better understand their professional and ethical obligations, as set out in FPSB’s Global Financial Planning Standards, when using AI across the financial planning process, including in client communication, data gathering, and research. It also highlights key areas requiring special care, such as privacy, cybersecurity, and the accuracy and reliability of outputs. FPSB’s guidance stresses that AI should support — not replace — professional expertise and critical thinking.
“As technology evolves, FPSB’s global standards continue to guide the level of practice expected of financial planning professionals,” said FPSB Chief Professionalism Officer Paul Grimes, CFP. “This guidance note helps financial planners understand how their professional and ethical obligations evolve as AI becomes part of professional practice.”
According to FPSB’s research on AI, financial planners are already using AI in practical ways, including client communications (41%), client data collection (33%) and client risk profiling (30%), as well as operational functions such as marketing (35%) and client onboarding (34%). At the same time, planners identified data privacy and cybersecurity (47%) and the accuracy and reliability of AI outputs (42%) among their top concerns.
The development of the practice guidance note was led by FPSB’s Professional Standards Committee in consultation with FPSB’s network of organizations, representing more than 236,000 CFP professionals across the world.
“AI can enhance how financial planners serve clients, but it must be used with care, transparency and professional oversight,” said FPSB Professional Standards Committee Chairperson Darren McShane. “FPSB’s new guidance note helps financial planners understand how to use AI responsibly while keeping professional judgment and client interests at the center.”
The Practice Guidance Note: Use of Artificial Intelligence in Financial Planning is intended to complement the FPSB’s Global Financial Planning Standards and does not replace local laws or regulations applicable to financial planning professionals.
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About FPSB Ltd.
FPSB manages, develops and operates certification, education and related programs to benefit the global community by establishing, upholding and promoting worldwide professional standards in financial planning. FPSB demonstrates its commitment to excellence with the marks of professional distinction – CFP, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER and – which it owns internationally. FPSB and our global network of organizations certify CFP professionals in 29 territories. CFP professionals are certified in Australia, Austria, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, People’s Republic of China, Republic of Korea, San Marino, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States. There are 236,300 CFP professionals worldwide. For more, visit fpsb.org.
FPSB owns the CFP, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER and trademarks (the CFP Marks) outside the United States, and permits qualified individuals to use the marks to indicate that they meet FPSB’s initial and ongoing certification standards and requirements. CFP professionals may use the CFP marks in the territory or region in which they are certified.
About CFP Certification
CFP certification is the global symbol of excellence in financial planning and represents financial planners who commit to standards of competency and ethics, and to putting clients’ interests first. The CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER credential represents financial planning professionals who commit to better serving their clients through rigorous international standards, ethical practices and lifelong learning.
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Media Contact:
Ryanne Harrah
Senior Manager of Marketing and Communications
Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd.
+1-720-203-7007
rharrah@fpsb.org