Posts by Dan Madden, CFP®
Characteristics of a Will
Which of the following statements concerning a Will are correct? (1) A will can be altered, amended, or completely rewritten at any time before a person’s death. (2) A will cannot be rewritten but can be amended at any time by a codicil. (3) A will must be signed by the maker and usually must…
Read MoreGeneration Skipping Transfer Tax
Which of the following transfers would most likely trigger the Generation-Skipping Transfer (GST) Tax, assuming the applicable exemptions have already been fully used? A grandmother gifts $18,000 to her grandson’s 529 college savings plan. A father transfers $10 million to his daughter as part of his estate plan. A grandfather creates a trust that distributes $2…
Read MoreOptimal Retirement Benefits
John and Maria are both 62 years old and considering when to begin collecting Social Security retirement benefits. John has a higher earnings history than Maria. Maria did not work for many years while raising their children and has lower lifetime earnings. They are trying to maximize their combined lifetime benefits. Which of the following…
Read MoreRoth IRA Contributions
Lisa, age 35, is a high-income earner with a modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) of $165,000 in 2025. She wants to contribute to a Roth IRA. She is not covered by a retirement plan at work. Lisa also wants to use the funds for a first-time home purchase in 3 years. Based on current IRS…
Read MoreCharacteristics of a Will
Which of the following statements concerning a Will are correct? (1) A will can be altered, amended, or completely rewritten at any time before a person’s death. (2) A will cannot be rewritten but can be amended at any time by a codicil. (3) A will must be signed by the maker and usually must…
Read MoreOASDI Disability Income Benefits
Which of the following statements concerning OASDI disability income benefits is correct? Disability is defined as the inability to perform all major duties of the insured’s own occupation. Unless specifically exempted, a waiting period of 12 months must be satisfied. If the disabled worker is also receiving workers compensation benefits, the full OASDI benefit is…
Read MoreInternal Rate of Return Calculation
Course: Fundamentals of Financial PlanningLesson 5b: Using the HP 10bII Calculator Student Question: In Example 2, the solution given has 6 years (including CF0) instead of 5. I believe the first year of Carl’s coin purchase should be CF0, but the fifth year – which includes a purchase and a sale – should be CF4.…
Read MoreLife Insurance Policy Exclusions
Which of the following situations is most likely to be excluded from coverage under a standard life insurance policy? The insured dies from a heart attack while on vacation overseas. The insured dies in a car accident while driving under the influence of alcohol. The insured dies two months after purchasing the policy, and the cause…
Read MoreRecord Breaking March 2025 CFP Board Exam Results
CFP® Board Updates The CFP Board has announced the results of the March 2025 CFP® Certification Exam, which saw a record-breaking 3,854 candidates sit for the test during the March 18–25 window. This figure surpasses the March 2024 high of 3,683 exam-takers, signaling continued growth in the financial planning profession. The overall pass rate for…
Read MoreDeductible Passive Activity Losses
Course: Income Tax PlanningLesson 13: Passive Activities and the AMT Student Question: For this question I thought you were supposed to net the loss and income together? So I was looking for 30,000. Isn’t there a time where we are supposed to net together the losses and gains? Ray invests $75,000 into a limited partnership…
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