Whereas 89 percent of Americans are concerned about the cost of living, and approximately half of Americans cite the high cost of living as an obstacle to achieving their financial goals;

Whereas financial planning is a collaborative process that helps maximize a client’s potential for meeting life goals through financial advice that integrates relevant elements of the client’s personal and financial circumstances;

Whereas financial planning is critical to the economic well-being and stability of individuals, families, communities, businesses, and the Nation;

Whereas, according to research conducted by CFP Board, the standard-setting body for financial planners, 40 percent of Americans have less than $400 in emergency savings and many Americans do not have access to, or knowledge of, comprehensive financial planning services, which include budgeting, saving, investing, retirement planning, managing debt, insurance, and estate planning;

Whereas financial uncertainty caused by inflation, rising costs of education, housing, health care, and changing labor markets increases the risk that individuals may lack sufficient retirement savings or face financial hardship;

Whereas Americans working with CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professionals are more likely to feel prepared for a crisis, and 4 in 5 people who work with a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional indicate that they have 3 months’ worth of savings in their emergency fund, while by comparison, only 53 percent of unadvised Americans have sufficient emergency savings;

Whereas Americans working with CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professionals are more likely to live comfortably than those who do not, and more than half of people advised by a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional describe themselves as living comfortably, while only 28 percent of those who are unadvised feel the same;

Whereas financial planning education at all stages of life, high school, college, working years, and retirement, is critical to ensuring informed decision-making;

Whereas financial planners, nonprofit organizations, community organizations, educational institutions, and businesses play an important role in educating the public and expanding access to financial planning services;

Whereas 17 percent of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professionals volunteer their time and expertise through pro bono financial planning services, helping underserved individuals and families navigate financial challenges and make informed decisions, thereby expanding equitable access to critical financial guidance, and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professionals recorded 389,435 pro bono hours in 2024 alone;

Whereas financial literacy remains low among American adults, with fewer than half correctly answering financial literacy questions, a statistic that has not changed since 2017, and with financial advice easily accessible online, nearly 3 in 5 Americans say they have made regrettable financial decisions based on misleading online information; and

Whereas it would be appropriate to observe October 2025 as National Financial Planning Month: Now, therefore, be it