CFP® Certificants in the News The annual rate of public discipline against CFP® Certificants is estimated at less than two tenths of one percent. Yet, even the best of professions needs ethical enforcement. For example, CFP Board published a notice of public discipline against 13 Certificants on June 3, 2020. We will not repeat the…

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Course:  Estate PlanningLesson 12: Valuation and Freeze Techniques to Reduce Estate Tax Liability Student Question: I’m not sure how gains are spread out over the course of the note if these are typically structured “as interest only with a balloon payment at the end”.  Here’s the language from the lesson: Instead of an outright sale, an…

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Good to Know The same incapacity management techniques that address mental illness issues can also be effective when your client is temporarily incapacitated due to physical illnesses such as COVID-19. Here is a quick review of these documents and how they work. Power of Attorney (POA) This legal document empowers another person to act on…

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Course:  Fundamentals of Financial PlanningLesson 5: Using the Calculator Student Question: If it would be at all possible, can you provide me with a practical working explanation of when to use begin mode key and the end mode key in solving these calculations?  Thank you for your attention Eric Instructor Response: Hi Eric, Great question.  Ultimately, we look to the fact pattern of the question,…

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Course:  Income Tax PlanningLesson 15: Property Transactions Student Question: Running with the last example on this page where the sale is between the basis for a gain or a loss, is there ever a situation where factoring in depreciation would result in either a gain or loss? Example Kevin’s home has been declining in value, so he has decided to move and rent…

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Good to Know What do you think of first when someone says, “victim of COVID-19?” Most of us think of medically vulnerable fellow citizens or business failures. But what about Social Security’s health? Before answering that question, let’s recognize a few fundamental forces behind Social Security’s financial challenges: Social Security become law in 1935 and,…

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CFP Board Exam FAQs The questions surrounding CFP Board’s response to COVID-19 number in the dozens if not hundreds.  In this blog, we’ll identify key FAQs on the subject. Is there an additional fee to register for the September Exam? Candidates who were registered to take the exam in July will be able to reschedule…

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Course: Fundamentals of Financial PlanningLesson 6: Educational Savings Techniques Student Question: Hello Dan, I’m working through some of the educational savings vehicles and I see the term tax-deferred and tax-free. But what does each mean?  Investment grows tax-deferred.  I understand deferred is to pay later, right?  My understanding is that it means one does not pay taxes for investment growth. So why is…

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Good to Know The Security and Exchange Commission’s Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI) is aimed squarely at protecting the best interests of retail investors. A common issue that arises is exactly when Reg BI applies. The short answer is that Reg BI applies when a retail customer receives and subsequently uses a recommendation from a…

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Course: Fundamentals of Financial PlanningLesson 6: Educational Savings Techniques Student Question: Hi, I am referencing the “Key Information – Coordination with Tax Credits” section. When it says “custodial accounts do not provide income tax deferral,” is this to say that a donor will earn and pay income tax on money received that is then gifted to the beneficiary?Assuming the gift is less than $15,000 annually, there…

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