Chartered Financial Planner Course

Lesson 1 • Client Discovery and Goal Setting

Covers quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques and goal prioritisation. Connects accurate discovery to plan quality and client trust.

Lesson 2 • The Financial Planning Profession

Defines financial planning's scope, history, and value proposition. Establishes the professional context that frames every subsequent chapter.

Lesson 3 • Regulatory Framework Overview

Surveys the regulatory environment governing financial advice, licensing, and consumer protection. Regulatory literacy is prerequisite knowledge for all compliance topics ahead.

Lesson 4 • Ethics and Professional Conduct

Examines fiduciary duty, conflicts of interest, and ethical decision-making frameworks. Ethical conduct underpins every client interaction covered in the course.

Lesson 1 • Financial Statement Integration

Synthesises balance sheet and cash flow data into a unified client financial picture. Integration skills prepare learners for holistic plan development in later chapters.

Lesson 2 • Cash Flow Statement Development

Covers income source identification, expense categorisation, and surplus or deficit analysis. Cash flow data directly informs savings, debt, and investment strategies.

Lesson 3 • Budgeting and Spending Plans

Presents budgeting methodologies and behavioural drivers of spending. Effective budgets align client behaviour with stated financial goals.

Lesson 4 • Financial Ratio Analysis

Applies liquidity, savings, and debt ratios to benchmark client financial health. Ratios translate raw data into actionable planning insights.

Lesson 1 • Core Time Value Concepts

Establishes present value, future value, and compounding as the mathematical foundation of financial planning. These concepts underpin every projection in the course.

Lesson 2 • Loan Amortisation and Debt Analysis

Teaches amortisation schedules, effective interest rates, and refinancing analysis. Debt analysis skills feed directly into the debt management and mortgage planning sections.

Lesson 3 • Inflation and Real Returns

Distinguishes nominal from real rates and models purchasing power erosion over time. Inflation adjustment is mandatory in retirement and education funding projections.

Lesson 4 • Spreadsheet and Calculator Proficiency

Builds hands-on skills with financial calculators and spreadsheet functions for planning maths. Tool proficiency accelerates analysis in every subsequent applied chapter.

Lesson 1 • Asset Allocation Strategies

Compares strategic, tactical, and dynamic allocation approaches and their suitability. Allocation strategy selection directly reflects client goals and risk profiles established earlier.

Lesson 2 • Portfolio Performance Evaluation

Applies risk-adjusted performance metrics and attribution analysis to assess portfolio outcomes. Performance evaluation closes the investment planning loop and informs rebalancing decisions.

Lesson 3 • Investment Vehicle Selection

Evaluates individual securities, mutual funds, ETFs, and alternative vehicles for client portfolios. Vehicle selection integrates cost, tax efficiency, and liquidity considerations.

Lesson 4 • Investment Fundamentals

Covers asset classes, return components, and the risk-return trade-off. Foundational investment knowledge is required before portfolio construction techniques are introduced.

Lesson 1 • Insurance Portfolio Review and Optimization

Applies a systematic review process to identify over-insurance, under-insurance, and cost reduction opportunities. Optimization aligns coverage with current client circumstances and budget.

Lesson 2 • Disability and Long-Term Care Insurance

Analyzes income replacement ratios, elimination periods, and benefit triggers for disability and care coverage. These coverages protect the client's earning capacity and retirement assets.

Lesson 3 • Property and Liability Coverage

Reviews homeowners, auto, and umbrella liability policies and their coverage gaps. Property and liability protection preserves net worth from catastrophic loss events.

Lesson 4 • Life Insurance Planning

Covers human life value, needs analysis methods, and term versus permanent policy selection. Life insurance protects dependents and supports estate and business planning goals.

Lesson 1 • Business and Self-Employment Taxation

Addresses entity-level taxation, self-employment tax, and deductible business expenses. Business tax planning expands the planner's value for entrepreneur and small-business clients.

Lesson 2 • Income Tax Fundamentals

Reviews progressive tax structures, taxable income calculation, and filing status impacts. Tax fundamentals are prerequisite knowledge for all planning strategies in this chapter.

Lesson 3 • Tax-Advantaged Account Strategies

Examines retirement accounts, education savings vehicles, and health savings accounts for tax deferral or exemption. Account selection maximizes after-tax wealth accumulation.

Lesson 4 • Proactive Tax Planning Techniques

Applies income shifting, timing strategies, and charitable giving tools to reduce tax burden. Proactive planning integrates tax efficiency across the entire financial plan.

Lesson 1 • Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans

Covers defined benefit, defined contribution, and hybrid plan structures and their planning implications. Understanding plan types enables optimal contribution and distribution strategies.

Lesson 2 • Social Security and Government Benefits

Analyzes benefit calculation, claiming age optimization, and coordination with other income sources. Social Security optimization can significantly increase lifetime retirement income.

Lesson 3 • Retirement Needs Analysis

Quantifies retirement income requirements using replacement ratio and expense-based methods. Accurate needs analysis is the foundation of every retirement plan recommendation.

Lesson 4 • Individual Retirement Savings Vehicles

Examines individual retirement accounts, self-employed plans, and contribution limit rules. Individual vehicles supplement employer plans and fill coverage gaps.

Lesson 1 • Trust Structures and Applications

Examines revocable and irrevocable trusts, special-purpose trusts, and their tax and control benefits. Trusts are the primary tool for achieving flexibility and tax efficiency in estate plans.

Lesson 2 • Transfer Tax Principles

Covers gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer taxes and their unified credit structure. Tax literacy enables planners to quantify transfer costs and justify planning strategies.

Lesson 3 • Advanced Wealth Transfer Strategies

Applies GRATs, FLPs, charitable strategies, and life insurance trusts to minimize estate taxes. Advanced strategies are reserved for high-net-worth clients with complex transfer objectives.

Lesson 4 • Estate Planning Fundamentals

Defines the gross estate, probate process, and core estate planning documents. Foundational knowledge is required before advanced transfer strategies are introduced.