Kaplan University: Curriculum: Certificate in Financial Planning

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Kaplan University's online Certificate in Financial Planning provides the thorough educational foundation you need to enter this rapidly growing field. The program consists of six subject area courses, each with ten lessons and quizzes, as well as a comprehensive Review Course containing extensive topic outlines and a simulation of the CFP^® Certification Examination.¹ Students complete one examination at the end of each of the six courses and may progress in the courses at their own pace. The program is designed to be completed within 18 months but may be completed more quickly depending on a student�s professional and educational background.

Successful completion of this program attests to your mastery of the skills and knowledge needed to advance in the financial planning field and satisfies the educational requirement to sit for the CFP^® Certification Examination, given three times annually. Kaplan University guarantees that after completing this program, you will pass the CFP^® Certification Examination². The courses included in this program are:

FP 101: Fundamentals of Personal Financial Planning
FP 102: Insurance and Employee Benefits
FP 103: Investment Planning
FP 104: Income Tax Planning
FP 105: Planning for Retirement
FP 106: Estate Planning
FP 107: Financial Planning Review Course

FP 101: Fundamentals of Personal Financial Planning

This course introduces you to the concepts and profession of personal financial planning. Topics in the course include the financial planning process, regulation and licensing as an investment advisor, the economic environment, the time value of money, and planning for special situations such as a college education, the formation and operation of a closely held business, and disability. The course also previews wealth accumulation, tax, retirement, and estate planning techniques.

It is the first step towards preparing for Board certification as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER ^TM certificate.

Lessons

1.	The Personal Financial Planning Process and Data Gathering
2.	Personal Financial Statements, Budgeting, and Personal Financial Management
3.	Regulation of Financial Planning Activities, Ethics, and Practice Standards
4.	The Economic Environment
5.	Time Value of Money I
6.	Time Value of Money II
7.	Business Ownership and Planning
8.	Education Planning
9.	Planning for Changing Life Circumstances and Quantitative Analysis
10.	Legal Characteristics of Financial Planning and Property Titling
	Examination

FP 102: Insurance and Employee Benefits
This course considers risk management principles and the various types of insurance coverage in the marketplace today. The second part of the course covers benefits made available to employees by employers-- commonly referred to as employee or fringe benefits. Insurance topics include life, medical expense, and property/casualty policies, as well as long-term care and disability. Employee benefit topics include group policies, deferred compensation, equity-based compensation, and business applications of life insurance.
Lessons

1.	Principles and Legal Aspects of Insurance
2.	Life Insurance I
3.	Life Insurance II and Annuity Products
4.	Health and Disability Insurance
5.	Property, Casualty, and Liability Insurance
6.	Group Life, Medical, and Disability Plans
7.	Other Employee Benefits
8.	Nonqualified Deferred Compensation
9.	Equity-Based Compensation
10.	Business Applications of Life and Disability Insurance
	Examination

FP 103: Investment Planning
In this course, investment vehicles and strategies are discussed as well as the types and measures of investment risk and return. Asset allocation principles are reviewed, modern portfolio management theory is described, and the importance of tax-efficient investing is considered.
Lessons

1.	Types of Investment Vehicles I
2.	Types of Investment Vehicles II
3.	Types and Measures of Investment Risk
4.	Portfolio Management Theory
5.	Measures of Investment Return
6.	Valuation Methods and Pricing Models
7.	Investment Strategies
8.	Asset Allocation and Portfolio Diversification
9.	Taxation of Investment Vehicles
10.	Tax-Efficient and Advantaged Investments
	Examination

FP 104: Income Tax Planning
This course considers the fundamentals of federal income taxation of individuals and other legal entities to the extent that they relate to individuals. Topics covered include individual income tax calculations, deductions, the tax characteristics of various business entities, trust and estate taxation, basis of property and cost recovery, property dispositions, passive activity losses, at-risk rules, miscellaneous taxes, interest on deficiencies and refunds, penalties, accounting methods, accounting periods, and tax management techniques.
Lessons

1.	Individual Income Tax Fundamentals
2.	Individual Income Tax Calculations
3.	Individual Income Tax Deductions and Other Expenditures
4.	Tax Characteristics of Business Forms
5.	The Income Taxation of Estates and Trusts
6.	Tax Basis and Cost Recovery
7.	Property Dispositions
8.	Passive Activity Losses and At-Risk Rules
9.	Tax Management Techniques
10.	Miscellaneous Taxes, Interest, and Penalties
	Examination

FP 105: Planning for Retirement
This course deals with the single most important issue millions of people will be facing in the years to come: affording to retire. It covers determination of the retirement savings need and subsequently considers both government- and employer-sponsored methods of providing for one�s retirement. Distribution options from corporate retirement plans are reviewed. The suitability of an investment portfolio in ensuring a comfortable and profitable retirement is discussed.
Lessons

1.	Determination of Retirement Needs
2.	Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid (Government-Sponsored Plans)
3.	Personal Savings Plans
4.	Employer-Sponsored Plans
5.	Qualified Plan Characteristics
6.	Corporate Plans: Defined Contribution
7.	Corporate Plans: Defined Benefit
8.	Distributions and Distribution Options
9.	Suitability of Investment Portfolio and Regulatory Considerations
10.	Plan Selection for Businesses
	Examination

FP 106: Estate Planning
This course presents the challenegs of effective estate planning raised by tax code changes. It begins with a consideration of the estate planning process and the documents of transfer. The course then addresses the unified transfer tax system and the calculation of an individual�s estate tax liability. Estate planning techniques such as trusts, marital and charitable deduction vehicles, and intra-family business and property transfers are then discussed. The course ends with a consideration of post-mortem tax planning.
Lessons

1.	The Estate Planning Process and Documents of Transfer
2.	Unified Transfer Tax System and Generation Skipping Transfer Tax (GSTT)
3.	Gifts and Federal Gift Taxation
4.	The Gross Estate and Valuation Techniques
5.	Calculation of Federal Estate Tax Liability
6.	Trusts
7.	Marital Deduction Planning
8.	Charitable Deduction Planning
9.	Intra-Family Business and Property Transfers
10.	Post-Mortem Estate Planning
	Examination

FP 107: Financial Planning Review Course
This course is specifically designed for individuals who wish to prepare for the CFP^� Certification Examination. For students who have completed the Kaplan University Certificate in Financial Planning, this course also provides an exhaustive review of the concepts covered in that six-course program. The course proceeds sequentially through the topics listed by the CFP Board, beginning with a detailed outline of each topic to highlight key aspects of the material and concluding with review questions that will help you assess your mastery of each topic. The course also includes a 300-item simulation that can be used by prospective CFP^� certificants to prepare for the actual CFP^� Certification Examination.
Lessons

1.	Introduction to Certificate in Financial Planning Review Course and CFP� Certification Examination
2.	Section 1: Fundamentals of Personal Financial Planning
3.	Section 2: Insurance and Employee Benefits
4.	Section 3: Investment Planning
5.	Section 4: Income Tax Planning
6.	Section 5: Planning for Retirement
7.	Section 6: Estate Planning
	Examination

¹ Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP^®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^TM, and

, which it awards to individuals who successfully complete initial and ongoing certification requirements.

Kaplan University does not certify individuals to use the CFP^®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^TM, and

marks. CFP certification is granted soley by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. to individuals who, in addition to completing an educational requirement such as this CFP Board-Registered Program, have met its ethics, experience and examination requirements.

² Offer Subject to Limitations set forth in the official Guarantee Document.

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