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Financial Planning Certificate Program

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Certified Financial Planner, CFP®

CFP® Certification granted by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards is granted to those persons who, in addition to completing an education requirement such as this CFP® Board-Registered program of six required courses, have met its ethics, experience, and examination requirements. A letter grade of C or better is required to sit for the CFP® certification exam.

Additionally, after successfully completing the six CFP® required courses for CFP® certification (grade of C or better), a Certificate in Financial Planning will be awarded by Fairfield University.

This program is designed for individuals working in the areas of:

  • Financial Planning
  • Insurance
  • Banking
  • Investments
  • Accounting
  • Law
  • Professionals interested in learning the financial planning process

The following six courses are required by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards.

  1. Fundamentals and Principles of Personal Financial Planning: This course provides a foundation and overview of comprehensive personal financial planning. The emphasis is on the six steps in the financial planning process and on managing personal financial risk with and for clients. The code of ethics and personal responsibility are covered. Foundation topics are introduced that provide building blocks for future coursework. Topics include economic concepts, time value of money, credit and debt management, budgeting, financial institutions, economic concepts, and planning for special circumstances.
  2. Insurance Planning and Risk Management: Analyzes investment alternatives with risk-return criteria. Explores a wide range of investment options, from guaranteed and fixed income products to derivatives and private placements. In addition to techniques for selection, timing, and diversification of investments, topics include modern portfolio theory, risk management, market strategies, efficient market theory, and asset allocation and diversification. Ethical considerations, retirement planning, and employee benefits included.
  3. Investment Planning: Analyzes investment alternatives with risk-return criteria. Explores a wide range of investment options, from guaranteed and fixed income products to derivatives and private placements. In addition to techniques for selection, timing, and diversification of investments, topics include modern portfolio theory, risk management, market strategies, efficient market theory, and asset allocation and diversification. Ethical considerations, retirement planning, and employee benefits included.
  4. Federal Income and Property Taxation:Methods and concepts of federal income taxation for individuals including real estate transactions are studied. Income tax fundamentals, ethical considerations, tax accounting methods, taxation of trusts, cost-recovery methods as well as tax consequences of like-kind exchanges. AMT and other advanced topics are included.
  5. Retirement Planning and Employer-Sponsored Benefit:Covers all aspects of retirement planning and employee benefits, including the critical factors of desired lifestyle, inflation, returns, and life expectancy. Includes calculation of cash flow, income sources, medical expenses, benefits, and coordinating employer-sponsored benefits with personal planning. Stock options, stock purchase plans, cafeteria plans, and life and disability insurance benefits are included.
  6. Estate Planning: Planning and managing federal estate and gift taxation are among the most overlooked yet critical elements of a financial plan. Topics discussed from the perspective of the descendants, fiduciaries, estates, trust beneficiaries, donors, and donees include: incapacity planning; satisfying liquidity needs; qualified interest trusts; charitable giving considerations and trusts; generation skipping; valuation issues; and estate planning and weaknesses.

Admission: Participants should have a four-year degree with some work experience in any areas of financial services such as insurance, banking, investments, estate planning, and retirement and employee benefits. On a case by case basis consideration will be given to prospective students who do not meet the educational and work experience requirements.

Tuition: $700.00 per course (does not include textbooks, materials, calculator).

Tuition Refund Policy: Students who wish to withdraw from a class must submit a signed, written request. Official date of withdrawal and refund will be based on the date the Registrar's office receives the written request.

Licensed Connecticut Producers earn 30 Continuing Education Credits for successfully completing the Insurance Planning and and Risk Management class.

For more information or questions, please contact us at (203) 254-4307, or e-mail: dmatthews@mail.fairfield.edu.