CFP-credentialed advisors now have a new way to obtain CE credits thanks to a partnership between the CFP Board and Harvest Exchange, a distributor of the latest insights from asset managers.
Under the partnership, advisors using the Harvest Exchange—an online platform that facilitates the free exchange of articles written by asset managers—may also qualify for continuing education credits by completing a Harvest CFP course.
“We have tens of thousands of advisors who are harvesting from our platform every day to consume content,” says Peter Hans, CEO and co-founder of Harvest. “This is our first formal effort to give a tangible offering to advisors.”
More than 40,000 advisors use Harvest Exchange to consume analysis, advice and information, so the partnership with the CFP Board gives advisors credit for what they’re already doing, according to Hans.
The first CFP course launched on Harvest Exchange, “Principles of Financial Planning,” provides one CE credit. The course covers topics like current markets, portfolio allocation, tax and retirement planning, investment planning and risk management.
“We bucket our content in a lot of ways—by asset class, by strategy or by something that’s more practice management oriented, for example,” says Hans. “We have an enormous library that’s growing by nearly 500 pieces a week.”
Harvest Exchange offers curated materials from investment organizations like BlackRock, Eaton Vance and Fidelity. Content on the Harvest platform is offered for free to readers.
Hans founded the exchange after being frustrated with the slow pace of technology and communications advancement in the asset and wealth management industries.
“I thought that we could deliver a platform that allowed businesses to scale and gather assets in an efficient manner,” he said.
Currently, financial advisors make up 28 percent of Harvest Exchange readers, with another 13 percent consisting of institutional investors like endowments and foundations, family offices and pensions.