The West Region board exists to connect NAPFA members, deepen relationships between academic programs and planning firms, expand diversity, equity, and inclusion, support local professional education, and connect members with resources made available by the national organization within the western U.S. We are a group of volunteers committed to moving fee-only financial planning forward by giving back to the profession.

Financial Planning Students Competition

The NAPFA West Region Board is hosting its annual financial planning competition designed to help you hone your financial planning skills and connect with experienced practitioners.

This financial planning competition will be a unique opportunity to showcase your skills, knowledge, and creativity. Teams of 1 or 2 participants will be provided a case study and will submit their planning recommendations via a video recording. Our judges will evaluate the recorded presentation based on:

Demonstration of CFP Board’s eight principal knowledge domains
Mastery of advanced planning techniques
Creativity in identifying unique solutions
Presentation skills

Download the FP Planning Competition poster!

On December 2, 9 am PT, 12 pm ET, join us for an interactive Q&A webinar where we'll answer your questions about the NAPFA Financial Planning Competition! This is a great opportunity for students and professors to learn more about the upcoming competition, ask questions, and hear from last year's winners with their tips on how to excel in the competition.

Eligibility

The competition is open to all students within the NAPFA West Region who:

Are currently enrolled in a CFP Board-recognized program, including those pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees or a program certificate, or,
Are program graduates currently studying to sit for the CFP® exam.

To maintain equality among participants, eligible students cannot have worked full-time in the financial services industry for more than 12 months. However, you are still eligible if you work part-time (under 25 hours a week).

Award

The West Region Board is pleased to offer an exciting prize: paid flight, hotel, and conference fees for the winning student/team and their program advisor to NAPFA’s National Fall Conference in Washington, DC, October 29 - November 1, 2025. Here, you will get the unique opportunity to meet hundreds of advisors from across the country and, perhaps, your future employer. The winning student/team will be recognized during the event, which will be an invaluable chance to network and make yourself known.

Important Dates At-A-Glance

Now - December 31, 2024 - the application window is open!
January 1, 2025 - Case study sent to all applicants
March 1, 2025 - Submissions are due
March 15, 2025 - Finalists are announced and connected with a mentor for 1:1 coaching to hone their submission
April 1, 2025 - Final submissions are due for judging
April 15, 2025 - Winners announced

Apply Here

Structure and Detail

January 1, 2025 - Case study sent to all applicants
Once students receive the case study, they will have two months to collaborate on putting together a comprehensive financial plan that addresses the case's unique circumstances.

The case study will give you a data set about a client, including their personal and family information, family history, cash flow, insurance coverage, estate plan, investments, and goals. With this information, you will be asked to produce a clearly laid out comprehensive financial plan, including prioritization of goals and objectives, clearly stated recommendations and their impact on cash flow and net worth, and a delineated implementation plan to enable them to accomplish their primary financial aspirations.

If you’d like an example of a case study and supporting materials, click here to review the documents provided to our 2024 participants (2025 will be different, of course).

February 15, 2025 - Submissions are due
Students will submit their plan via video recording as if they were presenting their plan to a client. The presentation should be between 10-20 minutes. If you’re presenting with a team, make sure each team member gets a chance to participate in the presentation. They will also provide materials on supporting documents shared during the presentation. Students are not expected to submit a written version of that financial plan. We are encouraging students to focus on honing the presentation of the plan through video and supporting documents.

March 1, 2025 - Finalists are announced
After submissions come in, our judges will evaluate the recorded presentation based on the following:

Demonstration of CFP Board’s eight principal knowledge domains
Mastery of advanced planning techniques
Creativity in identifying unique solutions

After finalists are announced, they will be paired with a mentor for guidance on honing and refining their plans. They will receive two mentorship meetings, up to three hours each. One to strategize and refine their plan, and one to practice their presentation and receive feedback. Our mentors are experienced financial professionals with years of client-facing experience. With guidance from mentors, students will record their final presentation for submission.

April 1, 2025 - Final submissions are due for judging

After the final presentations are submitted, judges will reevaluate the plans for the final decision. The final grading rubric is based on that of CFP board-registered programs.

April 15, 2025 - Winners announced
The 2025 NAPFA Fall Conference is set to bring hundreds of financial professionals from across the country to Washington, DC. The competition winners will be announced to this room full of influential individuals, and their video presentation will be shared.

FAQ

It's past January 1, but before February 15 - can I still participate?

Yes, you're welcome to complete the interest form anytime before yearend. You will be emailed the case study shortly after you submit the form.

How long does it take to put a case study together?

It varies from team to team, but we intentionally chose a window that aligns with the spring term so you can plan around it. We’re hopeful that will give you and your team plenty of time.

How long should the presentation videos be?

Between 10-20 minutes.

Can schools have more than one participant/team?

Yes! The more, the merrier.

How many times can one person compete?

You can compete multiple times over your academic career, but prior winners are ineligible.

I am enrolled in a finance major at my university, but not a CFP-registered program.

Exceptions will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis; send us an email if this situation applies to you.

Can I compete with a mighty team of one?

Yes, participants can submit their case study presentation themselves or with one other student. If two students are presenting, we ask that both have an opportunity to present a portion of the plan.

What if I lose my teammate throughout the process?

No problem, you can finish the competition yourself or find a new teammate to join you. If you’re unable to find a partner and want one, reach out, and we’ll see if we can pair you with another individual or group.

A Message from the West Region Board

We hope you will take advantage of this special opportunity to develop your financial planning acumen and connect with experienced planners. Or, if you know a student who may be interested in the competition, please share this opportunity with them. If you have any questions about the competition, please contact Kody Brown at kbrown@sterlingfg.com. Good luck!

West Region Local Groups

NAPFA members have a strong history of grassroots networking and collaboration. Local groups are great places to meet other Fee-Only advisors, attend valuable CE-eligible educational programming, and connect with your peers. Join a West Region Local Group below.

Denver

Join Online Community

Contact: Susan Chesney and Sarah Garber

Los Angeles

Join Online Community

Contact: Bryan Wilczewski

Los Angeles - South Bay

Join Online Community

Contact: Abby Watson

New Mexico

Join Online Community

Contact: Michael Albillar