Course List

These topics constitute 30% of the principal knowledge topics tested on the CFP^® Certification Examination. In this course, you will receive an introduction to the financial planning process, including working with clients to set goals and assess risk tolerance. Learn how to process and analyze information, construct personal financial statements, develop debt management plans, recommend financing strategies, and understand the basic components of a written comprehensive financial plan. The course also covers the regulatory environment, time value of money, and economic concepts.

You will learn how to conduct an insurance needs analysis for clients and evaluate insurance contracts for life, disability, long-term care, and health insurance. The course also covers how insurance rates are developed, what types of contracts are available, how to read insurance proposals, and how life insurance is used in financial planning. You will also learn about property and casualty insurance, including homeowners, liability, and auto insurance. Other topics include group life and health insurance plans, business uses of insurance, and annuities.

You will evaluate different asset classes for different investment objectives and determine their suitability for investors considering investment goals, time horizons, risk tolerance, and tax situations. This course also covers quantitative investment concepts, investment theories and strategies, and asset pricing models.

You will be able to identify the likely tax consequences of personal and business financial activities and select appropriate and lawful tax-minimizing tactics and strategies.

You will evaluate and compare the characteristics of various retirement plans and recommend which plan is appropriate in a given situation. The course covers tax-deferred retirement plans, IRAs, nonqualified plans, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, distribution strategies, taxation of distributions, and regulatory considerations.

It also explores the income-tax effects of gifts and bequests, with particular attention to the limitations on income-shifting to family members. The nontax aspects of estate planning—including the estate planning process, property ownership, planning for incapacity, and planning for business owners—are also examined, along with the need for estate planning documents for individuals, spouses, and unmarried couples. The course stresses the need for balancing tax and non-tax considerations in creating successful estate plans.

Students will construct a plan according to the CFP^® Board’s Financial Planning Practice Standards and client objectives. Instructors will guide students through online course material, quizzes, exercises, and assignments via participation in discussion boards. For the final project, students will prepare and orally present (self-recorded video) a comprehensive financial plan to the faculty.

Students can choose to complete the Capstone course in either a self-study or instructor-led format. Offered 3 times per year, the instructor-guided format coincides with the CFP^® exam dates in March, July, and November. This cohort option includes 9 live webinars that are recorded and archived for student reference. The course is completed at least 2 months prior to the chosen exam date.