January 2027 Program Schedule
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Investment Planning: January 12 - March 2, 2027
Retirement Savings & Income Planning: March 9 - April 27, 2027
Estate Planning: May 4 - June 22, 2027
Tax Planning: June 29 - August 24, 2027
Risk Management & Insurance Planning: August 31 - October 19, 2027
Financial Plan Development(Capstone): October 26 - December 21, 2027
Course Descriptions
Investment Planning
This foundational course introduces students to the principles of personal financial planning and investment management. Participants explore the financial planning process, time value of money concepts, ethical considerations, economic influences on financial decisions and the fundamentals of investment planning. The course includes study of securities markets, asset classes, portfolio construction, and investment techniques, tools and strategies. This course is a prerequisite to all the
other courses in the program. An HP 10BII calculator is required for the program.
Tax Planning
Designed to enable the professional providing personal financial planning services to recognize many of the income tax planning opportunities and dilemmas that may arise. The course covers the fundamentals of individual income taxation and tax law overview, terminology and computations. Discussion and analysis will focus on practical problems involving tax planning implications of home ownership; property transactions; tax advantage investments; divorce and remarriage; forms of business ownership; accounting methods and periods; life insurance, annuities, and securities; intra-family and charitable transfers; and forms and methods of employment compensation.
Risk Management & Insurance Planning
This course provides a comprehensive overview of risk management within the financial planning process, with a focus on life, health, casualty, and liability insurance. Includes analysis of risk exposure, evaluation techniques for various insurance plans, and contract selection criteria from a cost-benefit standpoint. Income and estate taxation laws as related to insurance premiums and benefits; alternative methods of funding insurance premiums; and the role of insurance in retirement and estate planning will also be discussed.
Retirement Savings & Income Planning
Provides working knowledge of retirement planning tools, terminology, and techniques, including the rules, regulations, and taxation of qualified and non-qualified plans: Pension, profit sharing, 401(k), SEP, IRA, and deferred compensation. Includes study of the basic characteristics of specific employee benefits such as group life insurance and group health coverage. The financial planning process will be emphasized in class discussion with illustrations from practical experience and actual case histories.
Estate Planning
This course introduces the essential concepts and strategies used in estate planning while emphasizing practical application through case studies and client scenarios. Students examine property ownership, wealth transfer strategies, wills and trusts, business succession planning, estate valuation, gift and estate taxation, and the income tax implications of estate planning decisions. Through integrated case analysis, participants learn how estate planning fits within a comprehensive financial plan and develop skills for addressing complex client situations.
Financial Plan Development (Capstone)
The Financial Plan Development (Capstone) course serves as the culminating experience of the program, bringing together the knowledge and skills acquired throughout each area of financial planning. Students apply concepts from investment planning, tax planning, risk management, retirement planning, and estate planning to develop a comprehensive financial plan for a client. Through a structured case study approach, students analyze client information, identify financial planning opportunities, develop recommendations, and create a complete written financial plan. Participants also present their recommendations, strengthening their ability to communicate complex financial concepts clearly and effectively. The Capstone emphasizes the integration of all planning disciplines into a cohesive
strategy and provides practical, hands-on experience that mirrors the real-world financial planning process. By the end of the course, students will have developed the
skills and confidence needed to construct, evaluate, and present comprehensive financial plans in a professional setting.