Tis the Season for the Bigger Picture

This page is split into two clearly separated parts: FinQuiz Editorial Additions and the Original Guest Post (Text Unchanged). A holiday-season reflection on giving back as a CFA® candidate or charterholder—and why it still holds up.

Read the Original Guest Post Level I Resources FAQ
On this page FinQuiz Editorial Additions (2026 update) Recommended Level I resources Original Guest Post (Text Unchanged) FAQ

Disclosure

  • The guest author does not endorse FinQuiz products.
  • FinQuiz editorial additions are separate from the original guest post.
  • The author’s words are preserved exactly as written, with no links added into the guest text. The giving figures it cites are as reported at the time of writing.

FinQuiz Editorial Additions (2026 Update)

This section is written by FinQuiz editors. The guest post below is a holiday-season piece from the FinQuiz archive, published in the early 2010s—its own references (2012 corporate-giving figures) date it. The dollar figures and donor examples it cites are a snapshot of that moment and have been left exactly as written. The message—that a finance skill set is itself something worth giving—has not needed a single update.

The 2026 translation: the giving figures are period detail; the playbook is evergreen. Local CFA societies still run the community and financial-literacy programs the author points to, and volunteering through one still doubles as the best networking a candidate can do. And the scholarship spirit he highlights is still institutional: CFA Institute continues to run a needs-based Access Scholarship for candidates who can’t afford the program fees (details in the FAQ below).

What has changed since this post was written

  • The numbers are a time capsule: the 2012 corporate-giving league table and the individual philanthropy totals were as reported at the time. We have deliberately not “updated” them inside the author’s text—they belong to the post’s moment.
  • Scholarships got more structured: the needs-based curriculum scholarships he mentions evolved into today’s Access Scholarship, which as of 2026 runs four application windows per year aligned with the exam windows and reduces the exam registration fee to USD 400.
  • The exam calendar changed around the holidays: the paper-exam June/December rhythm is gone. All three levels are computer-based with multiple windows per year, so for many candidates the holiday season now sits mid-preparation rather than post-exam—which makes his balance message more relevant, not less.
  • The study math is unchanged: roughly 300 hours per level is still the standard guidance. Our post on how many hours to study for CFA Level 1 shows how to plan those hours so family time and giving don’t become the casualty.

Recommended Level I resources (FinQuiz)

Only Level I resources are promoted in the editorial areas of this page.

  • Free Full-Length Mock Exam (Primary) — one complete 180-question mock (two 90-question sessions) free with any account—a low-stakes January benchmark after the holidays.
  • Level I Summary — high-yield review that keeps short study sessions productive when the season squeezes your calendar.
  • Level I Question Bank — short daily drills that keep material fresh through a busy season. An optional extra alongside the official practice included with your CFA Institute registration.
  • Level I Notes — LOS-aligned coverage for when you return to full study blocks in the new year.
  • Level I Formula Sheet — ten minutes of recall a day keeps formulas alive through the break.
  • Level I Full Course Playlist — free video-led coverage you can watch while traveling for the holidays.
Practical pairing: Schedule the free mock for the first week of January. Knowing exactly where you stand after the break is what lets you give the holidays away guilt-free—the balance this post is really about.

Original Guest Post (Text Unchanged)

Disclosure: The guest author does not endorse FinQuiz products. The content below is displayed with no edits, no paraphrasing, and no reordering. No links have been added into the author’s text. This holiday piece dates from the early 2010s; the giving figures it cites are as reported at that time—see the editorial update above for what has changed since.

It shouldn’t take the holidays to remind us of our responsibility to help each other but it usually does.

In the grand rush to learn how to make our clients as much money as possible, and to do pretty well ourselves, it’s easy to lose sight of the truly important things in life. Don’t get me wrong, I am not ready to lay down my financial calculator and devote myself to world peace but maybe our success as charter holders and candidates enables us to do something bigger than just make money.

It is better to give and receive

I like to receive just as much as the next guy but how much does a person really need? I’m not rich by most measures but I live comfortably and will have more than enough to meet my financial goals.

If that were all there was to life, it would be a terribly depressing journey. Fortunately, as professionals, we have the opportunity to make a bigger contribution to the lives of others and the CFA community is not without its heroes.

The CFA Institute established a scholarship program for dependent children and spouses of September 11th with an initial contribution of $1 million. The Institute also donates needs-based curriculum scholarships each year and individual societies donate time and money in the millions of dollars to better their communities.

Banks and other financial institutions are among the most charitable corporations every year. JP Morgan, Bank of America, Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo were among the top ten corporate givers in 2012 with almost $1 billion in cash donations.

Bill Gross, the bond guru and CFA charter holder, has donated more than $125 million over the last decade to a variety of causes and institutions. Mr. Gross is the largest donor to Doctors Without Borders in the organization’s 42 year history.

Compassion starts at home

Changing the world doesn’t have to mean donating millions of dollars. Your knowledge of financial matters may be worth much more than you know. Try donating your time to local causes. Ideas as simple as debt and responsible budgeting are sorely needed in some areas. Volunteer to help aspiring entrepreneurs with their business plan or help them understand their financial needs.

Most societies have a committee for local giving and community programs. Volunteering with the society can be a great way to give back to your community and make some strong networking connections.

Start big or start small, you can still have a huge effect on someone’s life and maybe make the world just a little bit happier this holiday season.

‘til next time, happy holidays!

Written by Joseph Hogue, CFA

Related Blog Posts

FAQ (Global candidates)

Does CFA Institute still offer scholarships?

Yes. The needs-based Access Scholarship the post alludes to is alive and well: it now runs four application windows per year, each aligned with an exam window, and as of 2026 it reduces the exam registration fee to USD 400 under the Premium Registration Package. One catch worth knowing: you apply before registering for an exam, not after. Check the scholarship pages on the CFA Institute website for the current window and rules.

How can CFA candidates and charterholders give back today?

Exactly the way this post prescribes—it has not aged. Local CFA societies remain the natural starting point: most run community, financial-literacy, and university outreach programs that need volunteers, and volunteering there still doubles as the networking the author mentions. If you’d rather start smaller, his suggestions—helping someone with a budget, a debt plan, or a small-business question—require nothing but the knowledge you’re already building for the exam.

How do I balance CFA study with the holiday season?

The standard guidance is still roughly 300 hours of preparation per level, and the holidays are where those hours most often go missing. The fix is a written plan that schedules family time and giving as deliberately as study blocks—our post on how many hours to study for CFA Level 1 shows how to spread the load so no single season has to carry it. A free FinQuiz mock exam in early January is a low-stakes way to see where you stand after the break.

When are the next CFA exam windows?

All three levels are now computer-based at Prometric test centers with multiple windows per year. The remaining 2026 windows are: Level III August 13, Level I August 18, Level II August 25, then Level I November 11 and Level II November 18. Always confirm dates and registration deadlines in your CFA Institute account, as calendars are updated by CFA Institute each cycle.