Which CFP® Program is Right for You?

Fundamentals of Financial Planning is the introductory course in the Online CFP® Certification Education Program for Financial Planning Certification.

This course provides an overview of the basics of financial planning and the functions of the financial planner. As a prerequisite for other courses in the program, it covers financial planning tools and techniques, including financial statement analysis, basic economics, funding for education needs, and dealing with clients. Either the HP-12C or HP-10bII calculator can be used to analyze time value of money problems.

Key Topics:

• The Personal Financial Planning Process
• Economic Concepts and Consumer Protection Laws
• Personal Financial Statements
• Managing Cash Flow and Debt
• Using the HP-12C Calculator
• Using the HP-10bII Calculator
• Educational Savings Techniques
• Educational Aid and Funding Calculation
• Regulation of Financial Planners
• CFP Board Regulatory Requirements

Insurance Planning is the second course in the Online CFP® Certification Education Program for Financial Planning Certification.

This course provides an in-depth overview of insurance products and insurance planning. The course covers both private and public sector forms of insurance.

Key Topics:

• Principles of Risk and Insurance
• Fundamentals of Insurance
• Property and Liability Insurance Fundamentals
• Homeowners Insurance
• Personal Auto and Umbrella Liability Policies
• Commercial Property and Liability Insurance
• Individual Medical Expense Insurance
• Group Medical Expense Insurance
• Disability Income and Long-Term Care Insurance
• Social Security
• Calculating the Use of Life Insurance as a Risk Management Tool
• Types of Life Insurance
• Life Insurance Policy Provisions and Conditions
• Purchasing and Pricing Life Insurance
• Income Taxation of Life Insurance
• The Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust
• Business Uses of Life and Disability Insurance
• Deferred Annuities – A Tax-Deferred Accumulation Vehicle
• Immediate Annuities – A Tax-Advantaged Income Planning Tool

Investment Planning is the third course in the Online CFP® Certification Education Program for Financial Planning Certification.

This course covers investment vehicles (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, etc.) and investment analysis/management approaches, thereby providing a solid foundation for effective investment planning.

Key Topics:

• Key Principles of Investing
• Securities Markets, The SEC and The Fed
• Equity Securities
• International Equity Securities
• Fundamental Equity Analysis
• Technical Equity Analysis
• Equity Investment Strategies
• Pooled Investments
• Fixed Income Securities
• Fixed Income Securities Analysis
• Fixed Income Investment Strategies
• Developing an Investment Policy Statement
• Asset Allocation
• Evaluating Portfolio Performance
• Fundamentals of Derivatives – Futures and Options
• Insurance and Real Estate Investments

Income Tax Planning is the fourth course in the Online CFP® Certification Education Program for Financial Planning Certification.

This course covers personal and business income taxation, providing current information and techniques critical for effective tax planning.

Key Topics:

• Introduction to Taxation
• Fundamentals of Tax Returns
• Accounting of Total Income
• Calculating Total Income
• Total Income Exclusions
• Employer-Sponsored Total Income Exclusions
• Arriving at Adjusted Gross Income
• Arriving at Taxable Income
• Tax Implications of Business Structures
• Recognition of Expenses, Losses, and Deductions
• Depreciation, Amortization, and Depletion
• Unreimbursed Employee Expenses
• Passive Activities and the AMT
• Tax Credits, Payments, and Forms
• Property Transactions
• Property Transactions Without Gain or Loss Recognition

Retirement Planning is the fifth course in the Online CFP® Certification Education Program for Financial Planning Certification.

This course is a comprehensive study of personal and employee-sponsored retirement plans, familiarizing participants with methods of gathering information and selecting appropriate options to achieve the client’s retirement goals.

Key Topics:

• Using IRAs to Build and Distribute More Retirement Income
• Qualified Plan Advantages and Disadvantages for Employees & Business Owners
• Employee Protections and Employer Responsibilities in Qualified Plans
• Understanding Types of Qualified Plans
• Leveraging Nonqualified Plans for Small Business and Not-for-Profit Employees & Owners
• Matching Business Owner Needs to the Right Qualified Plan
• Income Distribution Planning for Qualified Plans
• Fitting Deferred Compensation into the Retirement Plan
• Building Retirement Wealth by Maximizing Fringe Benefits
• Fundamentals of Social Security and Medicare

Estate Planning is the sixth course in the Online CFP® Certification Education Program for Financial Planning Certification.

This course covers the property ownership issues, taxation issues, planning documents, and implementation strategies that encompass effective estate planning.

Key Topics:

• Property Ownership
• Wills, Estates, and the Probate Process
• Understanding Trusts and Trust Documents
• Common Elements of Estate and Gift Taxes
• Transfers at Death
• Lifetime Transfers
• Generation Skipping Transfers
• Gift and Estate Valuation
• Income Taxation of Trusts and Estates
• Application of Estate Planning Concepts
• Charitable Gifting Techniques
• Valuation of Freeze Techniques to Reduce Estate Tax Liability

Developing the Financial Plan is the capstone course in the Online CFP® Certification Education Program for Financial Planning Certification.

This course will teach students the steps in developing a financial plan, the elements necessary for ensuring the plan meets the needs and goals of the client, and will require the student to prepare a written plan for grading based on a case study, and then orally present that plan to one of our instructors via video conference.