Saturday, Oct. 24 · 10 a.m.–5 p.m. · Main Library, 100 Larkin St. + selected Zoom sessions · free · in-person workshops do not require registration · one-on-one counseling registration closes midnight Thursday, Oct. 22.
SAN FRANCISCO — A free event at the Main Library this Saturday gives residents a chance to ask a Certified Financial Planner questions without sitting through a sales pitch.
San Francisco Public Library’s annual Financial Planning Day runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at the Main Library and online for selected workshops. The library says the one-on-one counseling is educational, provided by volunteer CFP professionals, and planners will not sell or promote products.
Do you need to register?
For the in-person workshops, no. SFPL says seats are first-come, first-served. Zoom attendance does require registration.
The important deadline is for one-on-one CFP counseling: advance registration closes at midnight Thursday, Oct. 22. Walk-ins are welcome on Saturday, but the library says it cannot guarantee a counseling slot without a reservation.
What is the Oct. 24 workshop schedule?
SFPL’s published schedule currently lists five main sessions:
- 10:15–11:45 a.m. — Diving Into Investments: asset allocation, investor behavior, stocks and bonds, and where alternatives may fit.
- 11:55 a.m.–12:35 p.m. — Property tax and intergenerational transfers: a session involving the San Francisco Office of the Assessor-Recorder.
- 12:45–2:15 p.m. — Tax Update: current tax trends and planning issues.
- 2:25–3:05 p.m. — Economic Justice: resources connected to financial inclusion.
- 3:15–4:45 p.m. — The Misunderstood B-word—Budgeting: practical budgeting and money organization.
Because individual session details can change, use the library’s current event calendar before leaving, especially if one workshop is the main reason you are going.
Where is the counseling?
One-on-one counseling is scheduled in the Latino/Hispanic Meeting Room on the Lower Level of the Main Library. The broader workshop program uses several Main Library rooms, including Koret Auditorium.
Is Financial Planning Day really free?
Yes. The library describes the day as free and the counseling as objective and no-strings-attached. That distinction matters: this is an educational public-library program, not a financial-product expo.
How should you get to the Main Library?
The Main Library is at 100 Larkin Street in Civic Center. For most visitors, Civic Center/UN Plaza is the closest major BART and Muni rail stop. If you are booking a counseling slot, leave extra time rather than planning to arrive exactly at the appointment time.
What should you bring to a one-on-one session?
SFPL does not require a specific document packet on the event page. For a useful educational conversation, it can help to arrive with a short written list of questions and the broad numbers relevant to them — for example income, major debts, savings, retirement accounts or a planned purchase — without bringing more sensitive personal information than you actually need.
The event is best treated as a chance to get oriented and ask questions. It is not a substitute for individualized legal, tax or investment advice where a professional needs to review your full circumstances.