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Selecting an Appropriate Trust

By Dan Madden, CFP®

Which of the following trusts should Jason establish in his Will to provide for his son Gaven’s living expenses until Gaven reaches age 65 if Gaven is currently a 30-year old unemployed aspiring actor? 2503(b) trust 2503(c) trust Crummey trust Totten trust CLICK TO REVEAL ANSWER Expand A is the answer.  The 2503(b) trust would…

CFP Board Announces March 2024 Exam Results

By Dan Madden, CFP®

CFP® Board Updates The March 2024 Exam cycle took place from March 12-19, 2024.  With 3,683 individuals being administered the exam, it was the largest number of people ever to sit for the CFP Board Exam. The pass rate for the March 2024 exam was 68%.  Based on those results, the number of CFP® Professionals…

Solving for Annual Equivalent Rate

By Dan Madden, CFP®

Course: Fundamentals of Financial PlanningLesson 5: Using the Calculator Student Question: I am confused as to how to get the correct answer for number 4. Jackie invests her bonus at the beginning of this calendar year. If she earns 7% compounded monthly, what is the annual equivalent rate? Round your answer to two decimal places. I…

Refinance Payment Calculation

By Dan Madden, CFP®

Sharon refinanced her home mortgage to a 30-year fixed mortgage with biweekly payments. How much is each payment if she owed $150,000 at the time of the refinance and the interest rate is 6%? $415 $589 $691 $702 CLICK TO REVEAL ANSWER Expand A is the answer. Sharon pays her mortgage every two weeks which…

Annuity Guaranty Pools

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

Good to Know We’ll address annuity protections in just a moment, but first let’s put a select few other financial protections into context. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) extends the full guarantee of the United States of America behind CDs and traditional banking products purchased from a Federally chartered U.S. bank-up to $250,000 per…

Skewness versus Kurtosis

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

Course: Investment PlanningLesson 13: Asset Allocation Student Question: Can you help me understand the difference between Kurtosis and Skewness?  I can’t quite piece it together. Instructor Response: Entire books have been written on this topic but the following summary should get the points for you on the CFP® Board exam when these topics are tested. …

Using Jensen Performance Index

By Dan Madden, CFP®

Based on the Jensen performance index, which fund should the investor continue to hold given the following information? Fund 1 Fund 2 Return on Portfolio 13% 17% Beta .95 1.02 Standard Deviation .18 .22 Risk free rate of return is 7% Market return is 15% Fund 1 Fund 2 Both Fund 1 and 2 Neither…

CFP Board to host Technology Standard Webinar

By Dan Madden, CFP®

CFP® Board Updates On April 17, 2024, the CFP Board will host the “Guide to CFP Board’s Technology Standard” webinar. The webinar will provide a comprehensive breakdown of the recently released “Guide to CFP Board’s Technology Standard.  This guide is a resource to assist CFP® Professionals in complying with the “Duty When Selecting, Using and…

Annual Return and Compounding

By Dan Madden, CFP®

Course: Fundamentals of Financial PlanningLesson 5: Using the Calculator Student Question: My question relates to being able to clearly distinguish when the CFP Board exam will require an annual, or other period for the answer. Question 5(b) asks: “What is the rate of return on Investment 2 using daily compounding?” What is the annual rate…