The head of the Financial Planning Standards Board UK says the organisation has made significant strides so far as it marks its second anniversary.
Lucy Courtenay, chief executive of FPSB, said the creation of the Level 6 Financial Planning diploma – equivalent to a university degree – has been a major step.
The IFP sister organisation, set up in January 2012, has 'robust' qualifications in place now, she said.
This includes the Paraplanning Level 4 qualification.
Both qualifications have been placed on the QCF framework, meeting the requirements of examinations watchdog OFQUAL.
FPSB is hopeful of seeing an increase in the number of candidates taking the new qualification exams this year and expects to see the first person pass the new Level 6 diploma since it came in last year.
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Ms Courtenay said: "It's been a good start, a busy couple of years with some staff changes.
"I think we've got robust qualifications now. We've shown for two years running we're compliant with what OFQAL requires of us so it's nice to have that affirmation."
She said the Financial Planning Level six diploma is "tough and demanding" but extremely worthwhile.
She said: "We want to see people are properly prepared and giving themselves the advantage through studying and gaining the qualification.
"We're hoping to see an increase in candidates this year, we're hoping for 150."
As to the biggest challenges FPSB UK has faced, she said: "We've had to look at the way the assessment process works, there's been some feedback online which was a little bit negative.
"We've made some changes to the training and the way the assessment works."
She believes the changes made have improved this aspect and promised to thoroughly assess feedback from a survey FPSB carried out on the matter.
The organisation's team has risen to three, with Ms Courtenay backed up by qualifications coordinator Milena Obrostek and qualifications administrator Emma Judge.