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Critical Thinking

Empowering professionals to guide clients with clarity, reflection, and sound judgment.

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Competency Overview

This competency includes a collection of knowledge, skills and behaviors for taking charge of one’s thinking, monitoring, and improving it in order to help clients solve problems and make decisions with sound judgment for achieving their goals.

Expands Perspective 

Integrates different ideas, data, experience and perspectives and applies information, knowledge and expertise to deliver optional advice and solutions to best serve the client’s needs.
Resourceful Data Review 

Digs deeply to collect and review the relevant and necessary data for aiding clients in making decisions and acting to achieve their financial planning goals.
Monitors Quality of Thinking 

Recognizes assumptions, inferences, biases and points of view entering a client engagement and directly assesses the quality and appropriateness of the thinking for the client’s situation.
Develops Helpful Thinking Habits 

Aims to improve the quality and appropriateness of one’s thinking for client engagements with intention by practicing thinking habits and routines to address risks and weaknesses in thinking.
Client-Centered Analysis 

Applies understanding of the client’s financials, life goals, challenges and priorities beyond the numbers as a central focus for plan analysis and recommendations.

Provides Sound Judgment 

Applies broad knowledge and expertise when addressing client questions and plan priorities, clearly defining topic and taking critical data into account for offering pragmatic options and recommendations that will best serve client’s interests.

Proficiency Levels

Foundational
  • Keeps an open mind and gathers diverse data
  • Recognizes personal biases and relates client information clearly
  • Connects data to goals and uses planning tools like checklists
  • Focuses on understanding the client’s goals and values
  • Applies knowledge to present viable options
Intermediate
  • Applies psychology and bias awareness in planning
  • Identifies critical data for conversation and comparison
  • Uses stress-test processes and planning checklists
  • Enters meetings with open mindset and integrated ideas
  • Presents plans that reflect client scenarios and values
  • Evaluates sources and addresses complex issues
Advanced
  • Deepens expertise with advanced, diverse learning
  • Designs internal systems for client progress analysis
  • Identifies and mitigates planning assumptions and blind spots
  • Builds strategy for lifetime client service and feedback exchange
  • Links client motivations to long-term direction
  • Delivers pragmatic decisions in high-stakes scenarios

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The FPA® Competency Model™ | ©2025 Financial Planning Association. All rights reserved.

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Why this Competency Matters

Sound judgment is essential in financial planning. This competency ensures professionals approach each situation with reflection, intention, and decisions rooted in the client’s best interest.

Competency Snapshot

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4. Reassess Regularly
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Helpful Tools and Resources

The FPA Competency Model™

Gain a comprehensive view of the model, including all competencies, detailed sub-competencies, and associated behavioral indicators.

The FPA Competency Model™: At a Glance

View the highlights of the six competencies and their key focus areas, providing a high-level snapshot ideal for orientation, planning discussions, or quick reference.

The FPA Competency Model™: A Quick Start Guide

New to the model? This guide is the perfect place begin.

Courses within this Competency