Karen Schaeffer, CFP®, Is Recognized with The Financial Planning Profession’s Highest Individual Honor: The 2026 P. Kemp Fain, Jr., Award

Denver (September 23, 2026) - The Financial Planning Association^® (FPA^®), the leading membership organization and trade association for CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^® professionals, announced today that the recipient of the 2026 P. Kemp Fain, Jr., Award is Karen Schaeffer, CFP^®, Managing Partner and Co-founder of Schaeffer Financial, LLC. This award is the pinnacle of recognition in financial planning and honors an individual's outstanding contributions to the profession.

Schaeffer has been advising clients for more than 40 years; she works primarily with professional women, foreign service officers, foreign nationals, and federal government employees. She is often asked to design and teach continuing education courses for CFP® professionals, CPAs, and other financial services professionals. Schaeffer's expertise has been shared with The World Bank, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the International Monetary Fund, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the U.S. Department of State.

"I am honored and deeply humbled to receive the P. Kemp Fain Award and to join the distinguished group of individuals who have inspired and influenced my life's work," said Karen Schaeffer, CFP^®. "It has been a privilege to have a seat at the table where so many pivotal decisions were made-decisions that helped transform the grand vision of financial planning into the growing profession it is today. Call me grateful for all of it!"

In honor of the late P. Kemp Fain, Jr., CFP^®, this award recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to the advancement of the financial planning profession. The recipient of this honor has realized outstanding achievements in service to society, academia, government, and professional activities.

"What Karen has accomplished professionally is the personification of excellence in a financial planning career," said 2026 FPA President Dan Galli, CFP^®. "From her leadership in many critical professional organizations to lending her skills and knowledge that students and professionals are fortunate to learn from, we are honored to count her as a colleague and influential voice who has helped elevate the profession."

Schaeffer served on the FPA Board of Directors following participating on the team that led the efforts to merge the International Association for Financial Planning (IAFP) and the Institute of Certified Financial Planners (ICFP) to form FPA in 2000. She has also served as the chair of the Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB) and chair of CFP Board of Standards. She was recognized with the InvestmentNews Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018 and was recognized on InvestmentNews' Women to Watch list in 2016. Co-author of the Education Savings Planning Guide, Schaeffer has been quoted in such publications as the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and Money magazine.

Schaeffer will be presented with the 2026 P. Kemp Fain, Jr., Award at FPA SUMMIT 2026, taking place at the Gaylord National Resort in the Washington, D.C., area from November 9-11, 2026.

For more information about FPA SUMMIT, visit www.fpasummit.org.

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About the Financial Planning Association
The Financial Planning Association^® (FPA^®) is the leading membership organization and trade association for CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^® professionals and those engaged in the financial planning process. FPA is the CFP^® professional's partner in planning by helping them realize their vision of professional fulfillment through practice support, learning, advocacy, and networking. Learn more about FPA at financialplanningassociation.org.