Is it ever too late in life to re-start a dream that got put on the backburner when you were younger? I have always wanted to finish the CFA program- passed level I in 1992 (it's good for life) and become a CFA, analyst/portfolio manager. I love the blend of different disciplines - finance/economics/mathematics/statistics/accounting, etc. It's really "my thing". When I got my MBA way back in 1992-93, I wanted to get into the field. I took a job as a mutual fund accountant with a very prestigious money manager at the time, Crabbe Huson, with the hopes of moving over to the investment side. After 2 1/2 years, I got laid off when the fund accounting got outsourced. This is where the dream got derailed. I ended up taking a job in the apparel industry (operations) out of financial necessity. I ended up staying there for 16 years (long story as to why), and quit last July out of frustration, in part because I'm now 52 and realized I had wasted much of my working life. I'm going to need to work for a long time - well into my 70's - and financial planning/portfolio management is what I would love to do. I don't want to be a glorified stock broker - i.e. financial sales I know, there is sales in every position, but I eventually want to have the freedom to do fee based portfolio management, and do what's best for the client, not what's going to increase commissions.
I'm now 52, and will turn 53 in December. Some people tell me "don't worry about age", and others say "who is going to hire an entry level analyst and mentor them when you're in your 50's when they can hire someone in their 20's/30's?" Then there's that little voice that says to me "never give up on your dreams" (Rudy/Jim Valvano).
Also, I'm wondering if getting a CPA as well, would enhance marketing myself as a financial planner - CFA/CPA. I could spend a year working for a small CPA firm, take the CPA exam, and you can get licensed with one year of experience if you have a masters degree (I have an MBA). I'm wondering if a CFA/CPA would be better because then I could do more comprehensive fee based financial planning - investments, portfolio management, tax, estates, etc. If it didn't work out, I could always hang out my shingle as a CPA and make a living doing tax returns (not really my ideal, but it seems like a good backup plan where I could make good money, and it's certainly better than any job I've had until now).
I would really appreciate input from anyone out there familiar with the CFA and the investment industry. My dream job would be working for Scott Malpass, but I know he typically mentors young ND grads.