Article Guidelines
We welcome original articles on any aspect of personal financial planning, whether research-based or conceptual in nature.
Composition Approach
Audience
Keep our readers — the public — in mind as you write. Provide timely, practical material that applies to, or will directly benefit, the public. Assume the reader has no knowledge of the subject.
Style
Your writing style should be easy to read and follow, yet professional. Thoughts and concepts should be clearly presented and easy to comprehend. Examples that illustrate key points are encouraged.
Organization
Stay focused on guiding the reader through the article. State early its purpose, the material it will cover, and why that material is important and useful to the reader. Clearly summarize the article’s premise and key findings or recommendations.
Objectivity
Content should be objective. Avoid mentioning or promoting your business, specific financial products or services. Any statements or assertions should be supported by sufficient research and data.
Composition Elements
Length
Articles should run approximately 500-700 words.
Format
Along with the article, please include a cover page which states your name, mailing address, email address, phone number, a brief biography, suggested title, link to your company website and a photograph of yourself.
Infographics
Infographics — tables, drawings, graphs, charts, or other visual support material — should not be excessive in length or in number.
Screening & Review
Initial Screening
Our editorial staff and peer reviewers screen articles for appropriateness and quality, and may suggest revisions. Authors are notified of the reviewers' decisions.
Once we have received all article reviews, you will receive a letter notifying you of our next steps — publish, revise, reject — for your article, along with copies of the reviewers' evaluations.
While your article is in the review process, we ask that you do not submit it to any other publications or websites for consideration. FPA only publishes original content. As such, we will not publish any articles that have been accepted or printed/published by other publications or websites.
Submissions
Electronic
Send your completed manuscript or article ideas, preferably as a Microsoft Word file, to PublicAwareness@FPAnet.org.
By Mail
If you are sending paper copies as opposed to electronic files, please direct them, along with a CD, to:
Consumer Services
Financial Planning Association
Suite 600
7535 E. Hampden Ave.
Denver, Colo. 80231
We acknowledge receipt of all content.
Acknowledgement
Authors will receive attribution at the beginning and end of the article. If provided, a photo of the author and a link to their company website may be included at the end of the article. FPA currently partners with other third-party vendors, such as NASDAQ.com, to increase awareness and exposure of our public site. As such, your article may also be considered for inclusion on NASDAQ.com’s personal finance hub or other third-party vendor websites. You will not receive remuneration or reimbursement for any expenses incurred in conjunction with the preparation of articles published on the public website.
It is the policy of FPA to hold all publication rights in works of authorship appearing on the FPA public website. If the author wishes to reprint the article, they must give full acknowledgment to the Financial Planning Association® by crediting FPA for the content and providing a link to FPA’s public website.
