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Custodial Accounts and Gifting
Course: Estate PlanningLesson 13: Case Study Online Student Question: If a check given by Mary to Peter was deposited into a custodial acct where Mary was the custodian, doesn’t that mean that Mary didn’t give up ALL control, so it’s not a complete gift? Instructor Response: That’s a great way to approach completed gift questions!…
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Defining an Insurance Contract
Olivia is a 25-year old single mother with twin girls who just turned three. Olivia has worked for the last 5 years as an administrative assistant for a local law firm. Olivia’s firm provides her with a basic medical insurance policy and a split definition disability. Which of the following is the biggest risk exposure…
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Government Debt Part 3: How Much is Too Much?
Good to Know How Much Government Debt Is Too Much? In this, our final article in the series, we’ll review what experts and economists believe is an economically sustainable level of government debt. Government Debt to GDP Ratio A nation’s government debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio puts government debt into context. Implicit in…
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Value of Life Insurance in Buy-Sell Agreements
Course: Insurance PlanningLesson 17: Business Uses of Life Insurance Student Question: Do buy sell agreements accounts for projected growth of the company? Do the life insurance benefits increase over time to account for projected growth, or perhaps can they invest and grow conservatively to keep up with inflation (or COLA on the plan)? Instructor Response:…
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Calculating Realized Compound Yield on a Bond
An investor bought a bond at par that matures in 20 years. The bond pays an annual coupon of $190 and the reinvestment rate is 4%. What is the realized compound yield of this bond? 6.21% 8.18% 10.21% 11.10% CLICK TO REVEAL ANSWER Expand B is the answer. One would anticipate a realized compound yield…
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Financial Advisor vs. Do-It-Yourself Investing
CFP® Certificants in the News There’s an old pilot’s joke about the increasing automation of the cockpit that goes something like this: The ideal flight crew is one pilot and a dog. The pilot’s role is to feed the dog. The dog’s role is to bite the pilot if they try to touch any of…
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Interest Rate Risk in a Bond
Course: Investment PlanningLesson 10: Fixed Income Securities Analysis Student Question: I’m not clear why holders of long-term bonds are subject to interest rate risk. If a 20-year bond is purchased at par with a coupon rate of 6.25% ($62.50/year), it seems to me that the investor would still receive $62.50 a year regardless of interest rate changes. What…
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Defining a Stock Spread
Which of the following combinations correctly describes a spread? A combination of a short sale and a purchase of a call for the same stock A combination of buying and selling calls on the same stock with different expiration dates and exercise prices A combination of a put and a call on the same stock…
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National Debt Part 2: Private Sector Perspectives
Good to Know This blog article is the second in a three-part series, including: Federal agency perspectives, Private sector perspectives, and Summary comparison. How does our national debt impact the private sector in the United States? Unsurprisingly, economic experts do not unanimously agree that our rising national debt to gross domestic product ratio is cause…
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