Fewer than three out of 100 certified financial planners work at banks, but even that tiny fraction is double the level of the mid-1980s, according to a survey by a financial planning organization.
The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards said 2.7% of licensed planners were employed by banks, up from 1.3% in 1987.
The finding comes from the Denver-based organization's annual job analysis survey, released last week. The survey, mailed to 2,600 certified financial. planners, drew 864 responses.
The survey found, not surprisingly, that financial planning firms were the top employers of licensed planners. But the ratio of planners employed by these firms declined to 48.7%, from 67.3% in 1987.
Securities firms placed second, employing 13.7% of licensed planners, up from 12.7% in 1987.
Accounting firms took third place, with the percentage of financial planners employed leaping to 12.1%, from 2.3% in 1987.
The survey also found that certified financial planners are becoming more specialized.
While the proportion who cited investment planning as a key service grew to 60%, from 52% in 1987, the number who emphasize retirement planning soared to 54%, from 19%.
Tax planning was also a hot area, with 37% of respondents citing it as a specialty, up from 24% in 1987.
More than half of the planners surveyed said they charge a combination of fees and commissions for their services.
In contrast, one in five said they charge fees only, another one in five said they charge commissions only, and 6% said they work for salary.
The board of standards, based in Denver, establishes and enforces certification standards for financial planners.
More than 27,000 certified financial planner licenses are currently in force.
