What Types of Jobs are in Personal Finance?

If you’re interested in helping families or individuals manage their assets responsibly, perhaps you’re interested in researching your options for jobs in personal finance. There are some excellent, well-paying employment opportunities in this niche. Let’s take a look at the details regarding some of the top jobs in the personal finance sector.

Certified Financial Planner

The role of certified financial planner (CFP) is an excellent opportunity for anyone seeking employment in personal finance. This job typically offers a compelling salary range, plus opportunities for bonuses and a tremendous level of job satisfaction, according to the CFP Board.

A certified financial planner is a type of personal financial advisor. Financial planners who have earned their certifications can typically expect to earn an average of 26 percent higher compensation than planners who do not maintain certification. Considering the yearly median salary for a personal financial advisor is over $90,000, certification can provide a significant income boost, pushing the CFP’s total compensation up to $113,400 or more. This is a high-growth field of specialization, with demand for personal financial advisors currently expanding at a rate of 14 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Insurance Sales Agent

The role of insurance sales agent has many similarities to the role of personal financial advisor. Both types of professionals help consumers understand their options for purchasing varying financial products, and both types of jobs require state licensure. Insurance sales agents sometimes specialize in selling one or more specific types of insurance such as life insurance or medical malpractice insurance. It’s also possible for an insurance agent to become a generalist who offers many different types of insurance for sale. Income levels can vary significantly for insurance sales agents based on a variety of factors, but the median annual income this group earns is calculated at $49,990. This is another high-growth specialization to consider as jobs for insurance sales agents are becoming available at a rate of 10 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Certified Public Accountant

Many families and individuals have investment income or property rental or sales income that is sufficiently complex as to require the services of a certified public accountant (CPA). If you want to help others maintain their financial records, becoming a CPA is probably a fantastic choice of careers for you. In this role, you have the opportunity to earn the median accountant’s salary of $68,150 per year, although many CPAs earn significantly more than this. Employers are hiring growing numbers of accountants, and experts at the Bureau of Labor Statistics expect to continue seeing a 10 percent growth rate in the numbers of accounting jobs that will become available through at least the year 2026.

Tax Preparer

Individuals whose taxes are not complex enough to require a personal accountant often use the services offered by a tax preparer. This personal finance job pays an annual median salary of $36,550. You’re undoubtedly familiar with the classic cliché about the inevitability of death and taxes. This is one of the most consistently reliable career paths; however, this particular role is often seasonal, with jobs being freely available from January through April and more scarce at the remaining times of the year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Related Resource: What Is a Senior Accountant?

Since many individuals are not savvy when it comes to financial matters, there are ample opportunities for financial experts to earn a living assisting others with financial management, asset management and financial planning. If you have the necessary financial sense to qualify for the above-mentioned job titles, these are some of your best options for finding employment helping individuals or families manage their money and their assets. If you’re wondering about how to secure one of the best jobs in personal finance, consider gaining the credentials needed to qualify for one of these roles.