Kaplan Financial Education and think2perform’s Behavioral Finance Advice Program Now Available to LPL Financial Advisors

Kaplan Financial Education and think2perform, educational partners for nearly two years, have announced that LPL Financial (LPL) has become one of the first financial firms to offer the Behavioral Finance Advice program to its financial advisors.

Behavioral Finance Advice (BFA) combines psychology and neuroscience with traditional financial practices. The BFA curriculum, which leads to a professional designation, is designed to equip advisors with tools and training to further help their clients make sound financial decisions, maintain emotional competency and achieve their financial goals.

Behavioral Financial Advice enables advisors to help clients:

• Utilize a high-performance model to improve a client’s decision making
• Understand how behavioral advice can support and impact both the advisor and client’s investment practices
• Identify how a client’s real self matches up with his or her ideal self by keeping values, principles and beliefs at the forefront

“Financial advisors are relied upon for their ability to provide technically sound financial advice. By adding the BFA designation, advisors gain even more skills and tools to maximize their clients’ abilities to make sound, rational financial decisions. This builds upon their credibility as money managers to being highly trusted and valuable partners for their clients,” said Joyce Schnur, Vice President of Kaplan Financial Education and Dean of Kaplan University’s School of Professional and Continuing Education (PACE). “By offering this curriculum to its advisors and recognizing the BFA designation, LPL is leading the way in this important field of knowledge.”

According to survey results from think2perform, 97 percent of advisors surveyed and who have completed the BFA curriculum between 2006 and 2012, have experienced an increase in their productivity with nearly three-in-four (73%) advisors reporting increases in client acquisition. The survey garnered 103 respondents who each determined individually the impact the BFA had on their practice.

Doug Lennick, CEO of think2perform added, “The financial services industry is putting more focus on the principles of Behavioral Finance. The tools and skills of this discipline are helping advisors manage client emotion and improve portfolio growth.”

About Kaplan Financial Education

Kaplan Financial Education delivers license exam prep, professional development, and CE programs for the insurance, securities, and financial planning industries. Through classroom training, online courses, and self-study options, Kaplan helps students pass exams and maintain licensing with study materials that satisfy almost any learning style and budget. Learn more at www.kaplanfinancial.com.

Kaplan Financial Education is part of Kaplan University School of Professional and Continuing Education. Kaplan University, which has its main campus in Davenport, Iowa, and its headquarters in Chicago, is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission. Kaplan University serves approximately 40,000 online and campus-based students. The University has 14 campuses in Iowa, Indiana, Nebraska, Maryland, Maine, Missouri and Wisconsin, and a Kaplan University Learning Center in Maryland.

Kaplan University is part of Kaplan Higher Education LLC and Kaplan, Inc., which serves over 1.2 million students globally each year through its array of higher education, test preparation, professional education, English-language training, university preparation, and K-12 offerings to individuals, institutions, and businesses. Kaplan has operations in over 30 countries, employs more than 19,000 full- and part-time professionals, and maintains relationships and partnerships with more than 1,000 school districts, colleges, and universities, and over 2,600 corporations and businesses. Kaplan is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC) and its largest division. For more information, please visit www.Kaplan.com.

About think2perform

think2perform improves the decision-making skills and performance of individuals and organizations through professional coaching, leadership consulting, and business development services. Learn more at www.think2perform.com.

About LPL Financial

LPL Financial, a wholly owned subsidiary of LPL Financial Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:LPLA), is a leader in the retail financial advice market and served $476 billion in advisory and brokerage assets as of December 31, 2015. LPL is one of the fastest growing RIA custodians and is the nation's largest independent broker-dealer (based on total revenues, Financial Planning magazine June 1996-2015). The Company provides proprietary technology, comprehensive clearing and compliance services, practice management programs and training, and independent research to more than 14,000 independent financial advisors and over 700 banks and credit unions, enabling them to help their clients turn life's aspirations into financial realities. Advisors associated with LPL also service an estimated 40,000 retirement plans with an estimated $118 billion in retirement plan assets, as of December 31, 2015. LPL also supports more than 4,000 financial advisors licensed and affiliated with insurance companies with customized clearing, advisory platforms, and technology solutions. LPL Financial and its affiliates have more than 3,400 employees with primary offices in Boston, Charlotte, and San Diego. For more information, please visit www.lpl.com. LPL Financial. A registered investment advisor, Member FINRA/SIPC.

Kaplan Financial Education, think2perform and LPL Financial are separate entities.

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