Blog

SEC’s Updated Fiduciary Standards: How CFP® Professionals Can Stay Ahead

By Shawn Janes

CFP® Board In The News In July 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released updated guidance related to Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI) and fiduciary standards. These updates are part of an ongoing effort to clarify the expectations for financial professionals when providing investment advice and brokerage services to retail investors. While these rules…

SEP IRA Contribution Limits

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

Course: Retirement PlanningLesson 5: Leveraging Nonqualified Plans for Small Business and Not-For-Profit Employees and Owners Student Question: Hello , I am having trouble understanding how Shared Coverage is implemented. Could you help me understand with an example?   Also, could you explain the Waiver of Premium benefits in simple words. Shared Coverage: “For couples where…

Defined Benefit Plan Reversion Tax

By Dan Madden, CFP®

Lucky Star Corp has been extremely lucky with their defined benefit plan as it is currently overfunded. Management decided to terminate the plan while they are overfunded and share the excess with the employees. What amount of reversion tax will Lucky Star Corp have to pay upon termination? 0% 10% 20% 50% CLICK TO REVEAL…

What CFP® Professionals Need to Know About the One Big Beautiful Bill: Opportunities and Risks

By Shawn Janes

CFP® Board In The News The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBBA) is making headlines, not just for its sweeping tax code changes, but for the long-term planning ripple effects it introduces. While the CFP Board has rightly spotlighted the bill’s implications for 529 plans, standard deductions, and SALT caps, this legislation extends far…

Passing Property Via Will

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

Course: Investment PlanningLesson 14: Evaluation Portfolio Performance Student Question: I’m a little confused about the example (below) discussing an heirloom of only sentimental value. Why would this be titled at all for a will, especially since an earlier lecture said items of no value would pass through will as the situation does not involve a…

Common Stock vs Preferred Stock

By Dan Madden, CFP®

Which of the following statements correctly describes a difference between preferred stock and common stock? Preferred stockholders generally have voting rights, while common stockholders do not. Preferred stock dividends are typically fixed and paid before common stock dividends. Common stock dividends must be paid, while preferred dividends are optional. Common stockholders have a higher claim on…

CFP Board Breaks Down the One Big Beautiful Bill: Key Planning Provisions CFP® Pros Should Know

By Shawn Janes

CFP® Board Updates On July 7, 2025, the CFP Board issued a comprehensive summary of the tax provisions included in the recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBBA) – a landmark piece of legislation that makes sweeping changes to the federal tax code. This legislation, originally proposed as the Tax Simplification and Prosperity Act of…

Calculating Rate of Return

By Dan Madden, CFP®

Course: Investment PlanningLesson 1: Key Principles of Investing Student Question: Can you help solve a practice question?  I looked through the textbook and my notes, and just couldn’t wrap my brain about how to solve the problem below.  The confusing part to me is that the fund was not sold, so there is no sales price,…

Fully Insured vs Currently Insured

By Dan Madden, CFP®

Which of the following clients would be considered fully insured under Social Security rules? Maria, age 45, who has earned 10 quarters of coverage in the past 10 years. James, age 62, who has earned 40 quarters of coverage over his lifetime. Angela, age 28, who has earned 6 quarters of coverage in the past 13…