Financial planners assist clients in managing their money to achieve long-term financial targets. They usually have a strong grasp of diverse financial matters, such as personal finance, tax planning, retirement and investment.

A financial planner also works with organisations to provide financial advice on debt management, revenue projections, cash flow and other affairs that contribute to their financial health.

These professionals can grow further in their careers by becoming certified financial planners. The formal credential can demonstrate their expertise in this field to prospective clients. Some professional organisations providing this certification are the Malaysian Financial Planning Council (MFPC) and the Financial Planning Association of Malaysia (FPAM). You can get this additional qualification by having relevant professional experience and completing examinations.

Enrolling in a financial planning programme is a great first step in your financial career path. Some courses even offer exemptions for some examination papers that will shorten your journey to become a certified financial planner. You can also obtain knowledge and skills that can help you become more versatile as a finance professional, such as financial reporting, financial analysis and budget management.

What you will learn in financial planning courses

You can obtain financial and business knowledge with the subjects covered in financial planning courses. Some of the most common subjects include:

• Portfolio management: Learn how to effectively manage a collection of investments and shares owned by an organisation to help reach their financial goals. Students may learn about asset allocation, tax efficiency and diversification.
• Strategic management: Gain a comprehensive understanding of how organisations allocate resources to meet their business objectives.
• Risk management: Explore the process of identifying, observing and mitigating risks in business decisions. Some risk management techniques you may learn are avoidance, retention and sharing.
• Business economics: Obtain knowledge of how to use economic principles and quantitative methods to study corporations. Some topics that may be covered include consumption, scarcity and production factors.
• Business law: Attain an understanding of how commercial regulations protect businesses and customers.
• Credit management: Study how businesses improve sales performance by extending credit to customers. You may learn about credit periods, credit standards and collection policies.
• Corporate governance: Examine how a company is directed by a system of rules and practices. Good corporate governance satisfies the interests of shareholders, management and employees.

Career opportunities in financial planning

A financial planning degree can open the path to many professional roles in finance. If you are not sure what career you would like to pursue, here is a list of potential jobs you can consider:

Financial planner

• This role involves assisting clients in accomplishing their financial objectives.
• Financial planners provide advice on financial matters, such as budgeting, tax planning, retirement planning and investing.
• Average salary: RM3,000 to RM4,000 monthly.

Financial advisor

• A financial advisor offers advice on money management to individuals and organisations.
• They may be involved with real estate, banking services, insurance, accounting and more.
• Average salary: RM4,000 to RM5,000 monthly.

Insurance advisor

• An insurance advisor evaluates their clients’ financial circumstances and recommends insurance policies that fit their needs.
• They also provide information about policy renewals, risk management and new insurance company regulations.
• Average salary: RM4,000 to RM5,000 monthly.

Financial analyst

• A financial analyst collects and examines an organisation’s financial data to identify ways to improve their financial health.
• Other main duties may include studying economic trends, identifying investment opportunities and recommending cost-saving strategies.
• Average salary: RM3,450 to RM5,950 monthly.

Accountant

• An accountant’s main responsibility is to record and calculate financial matters for an organisation.
• They may also be involved in billing and invoicing, managing tax duties and finding inconsistencies in financial documents.
• Average salary: RM5,000 to RM6,800 monthly.

Portfolio manager

• In this position, you are creating and executing investment strategies for your clients.
• You may consider several factors when you develop portfolios, such as market conditions, the client’s risk preference and their expected return.
• Average salary: RM6,000 to RM7,000 monthly.

Risk manager

• A risk manager finds potential risks an organisation may face. They will then create and implement strategies to mitigate the risks.
• They may also organise risk management training sessions for employees.
• Average salary: RM 8,100 to RM 10,000 monthly.

Financial planning and analysis manager

• In this role, you will collaborate with senior management to help make important business decisions.
• Some responsibilities may include overseeing budgeting and forecasting procedures, performing data analysis and recommending financial strategies.
• Average salary: RM10,000 to RM11,000 monthly.

Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

• A CFO is the head of an organisation’s entire financial operations.
• Their responsibilities may include performing cost-benefit analysis of business decisions, acquiring funds for company initiatives and creating financial forecasts.
• Average salary: RM 13,750 to RM 16,250 monthly.

Top institutions offering financial planning degrees

Postgraduate level

FAQs about financial planning degrees in Malaysia 

Learn more about studying financial planning

Attaining a degree in financial planning comes with various benefits that can propel you to succeed in your financial career. These courses are tailored to equip you with the right tools to offer financial solutions to your prospective clients. You can find financial planning courses offered by Malaysian universities at the top of this page.