Financial Planning Week starts on November 15

Annual awareness week encourages Canadians to take charge of their financial well-being

TORONTO, Nov. 2, 2015 /CNW/ - November 15^th marks the beginning of the seventh annual Financial Planning Week in Canada.

Financial Planning Week is part of an ongoing effort by the Financial Planning Standards Council (FPSC) and the Institut québécois de planification financière (IQPF) to raise awareness of financial planning as fundamental to the financial well-being of Canadians and encourage Canadians to take positive planning action by working with a qualified financial planner.

"Financial well-being is not just about understanding what a budget is or how to invest. It's about finding out what matters most to you and figuring out how you can reach those goals," says Cary List, President and CEO, Financial Planning Standards Council. "A sound financial plan provides Canadians with an opportunity to live the life they want with the money they have."

A recent global study by the international Financial Planning Standards Board, in conjunction with FPSC in Canada, revealed that 79% of Canadians do not have strong confidence that they will achieve their financial life goals, and only 18% feel strongly about their financial know-how. The study was conducted in June and July, and involved over 19,000 adults in 19 different countries.

"While valiant efforts are being made to increase the financial literacy of Canadians, they cannot go it alone. We see a doctor when we are sick or a personal trainer when we want to get in shape," continues List. "We aren't embarrassed by the fact that we need to medical help if we have health concerns, or an annual check-up to ensure our physical well-being. Just like in other areas of life, we should not be afraid to seek expert advice to help us sort out our financial well-being."

To help, FPSC recently launched FinancialPlanningforCanadians.ca, a commercial-free site that provides information, education and product-free advice. With sections such as Life Happens and Here's the Plan™, the site demonstrates how having a qualified financial planner can help manage the financial impact of life events, and provides tips and other resources on how to find and hire the right planner, including FPSC's Find a Planner or Certificant search tool.

For more information on Financial Planning Week, please visit www.financialplanningweek.ca.

About Financial Planning Standards Council

As a standards-setting and certification body working in the public interest, FPSC's purpose is to instill confidence in the financial planning profession. FPSC ensures those it certifies (CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professionals and FPSC Level 1® Certificants in Financial Planning) meet appropriate standards of competence and professionalism through rigorous requirements of education, examination, experience and ethics. More information is available at www.fpsc.ca

SOURCE Financial Planning Standards Council

Tania Freedman, Director, Public Relations and Corporate Communications, Financial Planning Standards Council, [email protected], 416-593-8587 ext. 235 or 1-800-305-9886