Kapie

You might not always be at a company that doesn't value the CFA...always think of the next possible step.

As for the family aspect, I totally hear you on that. My challenge was to still be "SuperDad" while studying, which basically meant no studying from the time I got home until the kids were in bed (between 8 and 9) and THEN hitting the books. It also meant preserving some of the weekend for family. It's do-able.

If you've invested in L1 and L2 so far, why not just see it through. The value may not be evident now but it is a strong card to have in your deck for later and it will be a nice accomplishment with all the extra challenges you have cited.

Also -- L3 is probably the most "practical" body of knowledge of the three exams. There is much more application vs. pure theory. This is probably more the case for me as I am in a portfolio management role and not an analyst role.

Kapie

If you start next month you can get away with 5 hours a week for a long time and
then kick in at the stretch.