Charles R. Chaffin

Dr. Charles R. Chaffin serves as Director of Academic Programs and Initiatives at CFP Board while maintaining connections with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he earned his doctorate in Education. His distinguished career spans both academic and professional realms, focusing on developing financial planning education and research. As Director of the Academic Home at the Center for Financial Planning, he leads crucial initiatives including the Academic Research Colloquium and serves as Executive Editor of Financial Planning Review. His research portfolio includes numerous publications on cognitive learning, educational psychology, and financial planning pedagogy. He has edited multiple editions of the Financial Planning Competency Handbook and leads the CFP Board Book Series published by Wiley. His expertise in curriculum development and educational psychology has influenced financial planning education across the United States through his oversight of CFP Board Registered Programs. Through his course "Financial Planning for Young Adults" on Coursera, he continues to make financial education more accessible while advancing the field's academic foundations.