Financial planning is the process of helping individuals and families set financial goals, analyse their current financial position, and build a structured plan to achieve those goals — covering investments, insurance, tax efficiency, retirement and estate planning.
In India, financial planning as a professional service is growing rapidly, driven by rising incomes, a growing middle class, and increasing awareness that a professional can add measurable value over self-directed investing. The SEBI Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) framework and the FPSB's CFP (Certified Financial Planner) certification are the two primary professional structures in this space.
The six-step financial planning process (FPSB framework): establish the relationship → collect client data and goals → analyse financial status → develop the plan → implement the recommendations → monitor and review.
Why Pune is a good market for financial planning practice: the city has a large, growing salaried and professional workforce — IT, manufacturing, healthcare — with rising incomes and complex financial situations (RSUs, NPS, home loans, education planning for children). The financial planning practice that serves this population well is in an underserved but growing market.
Source: FPSB India CFP certification framework; SEBI Investment Adviser Regulations.