Back in November 2025, we were joined by representatives of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI), Personal Finance Society (PFS), or pay for LIBF courses to answer your questions. You asked so many questions we weren’t able to get to all of them.
Questions like whether you should actually be sitting exams to prove you know things you already know. Or why every professional body seems to host CPD events in the exact same month. Or whether there’s any chance of getting a qualification that actually recognises paraplanning as its own profession rather than a stepping stone to something else.
The good news? We’re picking up exactly where we left off in this Assembly, and Nicola, Sally and Chris are rejoining us to finish the discussion.
If you missed part 1, you’ll find it here.
The questions that matter to your career
This time, we’re covering everything from guidance for brand new paraplanners through to how you can actually influence what these organisations do. We’re talking about the practical things: which body should you join when you’re starting out, how to make sense of exam structures, why study materials seem to be getting more expensive, and whether anyone’s listening when you suggest there might be a better way to do things.
We’ve structured this session around six key areas that came up most often from paraplanners:
- Starting out in the profession — which body to join, what membership actually costs, what support exists for career changers, and what you should prioritise in your first year
- Qualifications and exams — how exams are structured, why they feel designed to catch you out rather than test real knowledge, and whether there’s appetite for more specialist paraplanning qualifications
- Recognition of paraplanning — whether we’ll ever see chartered paraplanner titles, why paraplanning isn’t recognised as distinct from financial planning, and what’s stopping this from happening
- CPD that actually works — why you should need to sit in an exam room if you already manage your own learning, why all the CPD events cluster together, and why you hear budget updates from everyone except the body you actually belong to
- Having your say — how to get involved, whether there’s paraplanner representation on boards, what mechanisms exist to propose changes, and what volunteer opportunities are available
- The future of paraplanning — where the profession is heading and how the bodies are preparing to support paraplanners through changes in technology, regulation and client expectations
What can you expect to take away?
You’ll leave with a much clearer understanding of what each professional body offers, which matters when you’re making decisions about where to invest your time and money.
More importantly, you’ll know exactly how these organisations work, how you can influence them, and whether they’re actually listening to what paraplanners need — not just what they think you need.
This is also a chance to hear the professional bodies respond directly to some uncomfortable questions about cost, accessibility, and whether they truly recognise paraplanning as a profession in its own right.
