Blog

CFP Board Announces Dates for 2022 Conference

By Dan Madden, CFP®

CFP® Board Updates The 2022 CFP Board Conference will be the first year for a combined conference of CFP Board Registered Programs and the Annual Firms Summit.  This exclusive conference is an intersection of today’s employers of CFP® Professionals and the colleges and universities preparing the CFP® Professionals of tomorrow. The conference will be held…

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Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Means Test

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

Course: Estate PlanningLesson 13: Case Study Online Student Question: Hi, I am a little confused how one set amount – $100 – is the threshold for means testing a bankruptcy petitioner, when the amount of debt a borrower may owe can vary by large amounts. It would seem the amount left over (income minus allowable…

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Defined-Benefit Pension Plans – Actuarial Assumptions

By Dan Madden, CFP®

Which of the following statements concerning the various actuarial assumptions used in estimating an employer’s contributions to a defined-benefit pension plan is correct? The higher the assumed rate of investment income, the larger the employer’s assumed contribution rate. The higher the employee turnover or termination rate, the larger should be the employer’s assumed contribution rate.…

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Get the CFP® Certification: 3 Key Reasons

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

CFP® Certificants in the News CFP® Certification is fast becoming a “must-have” designation for at least three reasons: Client awareness, Fiduciary Ethical Standard, and Doing well by doing good. Client Awareness An impressive 83% of consumers are aware of the CFP® Mark,1 far outstripping consumer awareness of other financial planning designations. CFP Board played a…

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Corporate Bonds in the Marketplace

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

Course: Investment PlanningLesson 9: Fixed Income Securities Student Question: Hi, Just a question about Corporate Bond Funds.  Gathering my information from the book, it seems they are “debt notes” insured to keep the company going.  If they are not repaid the person who accepted the “bonds” can sometimes take assets in the company, like equipment…

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Saving for a Retirement Goal

By Dan Madden, CFP®

Erika wants $50,000 a year in today’s dollars in retirement. She anticipates retiring in 10 years and living in retirement for 30 years. Erika can earn 7% on her investments and she expects inflation to average 4%. Approximately how much should Erika have saved by the day she retires to meet this goal? $913,000 $983,000…

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Avoid Turning $1,000,000 into $12,000

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

Good to Know Imagine an individual investor passionate about a specific stock (it happens more often than you might think). Assume the investor’s portfolio is worth $2 million, but $1 million is in just one stock. How could that $1,000,000 concentration hemorrhage into only $12,000 in just over one year? Sadly, that’s precisely what happened…

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Donating Short-term Appreciated Securities

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

Course: Income Tax PlanningLesson 15: Property Transactions Student Question: Dear Greene Consulting Team – In the lesson, deducting donations of ‘cash’ versus ‘long term appreciated securities’ are differentiated.  I’m curious about “short term appreciated securities”.  In other words, if I own a stock – bought at $10,000 and it’s worth $50,000 when I donate, but…

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Margin Call

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

Your client purchased Beta, Inc. publicly traded shares at $150 per share with an Initial Margin of 50%. The maintenance margin is 25%. A margin call will occur below what price per share? $87.50 $100.00 $112.50 None of the above CLICK TO REVEAL ANSWER Expand B is the answer. Margin Call Price = Initial Purchase…

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