CISI Advanced Financial Planning Level 6 Exam Preparation
Structured preparation for the CISI Level 6 Certificate in Advanced Financial Planning, covering all ten current learning outcomes and the three-section written assessment.
Course syllabus information reviewed for 2026. Always check the awarding body’s latest official syllabus and candidate updates before booking or sitting your exam.
Prepare for the CISI Advanced Financial Planning examination
Advanced Financial Planning is the Level 6 examination stage in the UK CISI Certified Financial Planner pathway. It builds on an RDR-compliant qualification for FCA Activities 4 and 6 and precedes the separate Level 7 Financial Plan Case Study.
This course page follows the latest official syllabus structure reviewed for 2026. It covers ten learning outcomes spanning the complete client-planning process: financial-planning principles and management, tax, trusts, investments, insurance, retirement, estate planning and business financial planning.
The official assessment is a three-hour, 100-mark written examination. Section A contributes 40% through compulsory short answers across the whole syllabus; Section B contributes 20% through compulsory applied questions; and Section C contributes 40% through one compulsory structured case-study question. The learning and written-practice bank is currently being completed, and purchasers see the current two-hour update notice while that work finishes.
Exam Format & Details
| Assessment | Three-hour narrative written examination: compulsory short answers, applied analysis and one structured case-study question |
| Duration | 180 Minutes |
| Level | CISI Level 6 |
| Total Qualification Time | 200 hours |
Key Benefits
Three-section written-exam method
Prepare different answer structures for short-answer, applied-analysis and compulsory case-study work.
- ✓ Section A retrieval and calculations
- ✓ Section B application and financial analysis
- ✓ Section C critical case-study prioritisation
Integrated client-planning coverage
Connect all ten official outcomes instead of revising tax, investment, protection and estate issues in isolation.
- ✓ Client discovery and objectives
- ✓ Strategy evaluation and recommendation
- ✓ Implementation and ongoing review
Clear CFP pathway positioning
Understand how the Level 6 examination builds on RDR knowledge and leads towards the separate Level 7 Financial Plan Case Study.
- ✓ Level 6 examination stage
- ✓ RDR Activities 4 and 6 entry basis
- ✓ Progression to Level 7 case work
Syllabus
Module 1: The Financial Planning Process
Prospective client relationships, information analysis, recommendation development, implementation, reviews and the effect of financial technology.
- • Client needs, objectives, vulnerability and scope
- • Quantitative and qualitative information
- • Recommendations, implementation and disclosure
- • Reviews, benchmarks and Fintech
Module 2: Financial Planning Principles
The trusted-adviser role, external drivers, law and ethics, regulatory requirements, risk profiling, time value of money and client behaviour.
- • Planner versus adviser
- • Consumer Duty and vulnerable clients
- • Risk profiling and financial competence
- • Biases, changing circumstances and ESG preferences
Module 3: Financial Management
Net-worth and cash-flow statements, budgets, competing demands, emergency funds and financing alternatives.
- • Net worth and cash flow
- • Budget adequacy
- • Emergency provision
- • Credit and financing choices
Module 4: Tax Principles and Optimisation
Current and future tax liabilities, client account structures, tax-planning strategies, financial impacts and implementation priorities.
- • Taxable assets and liabilities
- • Current, deferred and future tax
- • Onshore and offshore considerations
- • Strategy evaluation and prioritisation
Module 5: Wills, Trusts and their Uses
Trust purpose and law, deeds, trustees, registration, trust types, taxation and applications in financial planning.
- • Trust law and deeds
- • Trustees and registration
- • Lifetime and death trusts
- • Retirement, protection, estate and tax uses
Module 6: Investment Planning / Asset Management
Portfolio theory, CAPM, allocation, behavioural bias, real returns, investment vehicles, policy statements, ESG, climate and digital assets.
- • Modern portfolio theory and CAPM
- • Asset allocation and client cash flows
- • Suitability, SDR and anti-greenwashing
- • Climate and digital-asset risks
Module 7: Risk Management and Insurance Planning
Risk-management strategies, mortality and morbidity exposures, existing insurance adequacy, priorities and the effects of changing cover.
- • Risk-management strategies
- • Mortality and morbidity
- • General insurance and subrogation
- • Coverage priorities and changes
Module 8: Retirement Planning
Capital and income needs, projections and assumptions, objectives and trade-offs, pension transfers and consolidation, and decumulation strategies.
- • Retirement and lifestyle needs
- • Projection assumptions
- • Pension consolidation and transfers
- • Retirement risks and decumulation
Module 9: Estate Planning and Wealth Transfer
Death taxes and costs, projected estate values, liquidity, planning strategies, wills and powers, probate, gifting and alternative vehicles.
- • Taxes, expenses and estate liquidity
- • Wills, LPAs and probate
- • Lifetime and postmortem gifting
- • Planning strategies and constraints
Module 10: Business Financial Planning
Business forms and law, taxation and accounts, ownership rights, protection, benefits, retirement, sale, succession and valuation.
- • Business structures and legislation
- • Tax, accounts and pre-emption
- • Protection and employee benefits
- • Sale, succession and valuation
Who Is This For?
Preparation centre
CISI Certificate in Advanced Financial Planning Exam Guides
Use these connected guides for the syllabus, exam format, booking and revision strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a three-hour written examination worth 100 marks. Section A is 40% and uses compulsory short-answer questions across the whole syllabus; Section B is 20% and uses one or more compulsory applied questions; Section C is 40% and uses one compulsory structured case-study question.
It is the Level 6 examination stage in the UK pathway towards CISI Certified Financial Planner certification. Eligible candidates progress separately to the Level 7 Financial Plan Case Study after completing the required Level 6 stage.
The current official syllabus states that the unit builds on knowledge gained from an RDR-compliant qualification for FCA Activities 4 and 6. Candidates should check current CISI entry and certification requirements for their route.
Version 7.1 contains ten learning outcomes: the financial-planning process, planning principles, financial management, tax, wills and trusts, investment planning, risk and insurance, retirement, estate planning and business financial planning.
Checkout is open while the latest learning content and written-practice bank are being completed. Purchasers see the current two-hour completion notice on their dashboard.
CISI Certificate in Advanced Financial Planning
Course Features
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