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Passing Property Via Will

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

Course: Investment PlanningLesson 14: Evaluation Portfolio Performance Student Question: Hello- 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…

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Gift and Estate Tax Basic Exclusion Amount vs. Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Exemption Amount

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

Perry made a $12,060,000 taxable gift to his son Ross on 1/1/2022 and a taxable gift of $12,060,000 to Ross’s daughter Marilyn on April 30, 2022. Perry made no gifts or generation-skipping transfers before 2022. Note the following: The Basic Exclusion Amount (BEA) in 2022 is $12,060,000, The GST Exemption is the same dollar amount…

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Pro Bono Opportunity: Help Prevent Financial Elder Abuse

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

CFP® Certificants in the News According to nolo.com, “Financial fraud is the fastest-growing form of elder abuse. Broadly defined, financial elder abuse is when someone illegally or improperly uses a vulnerable senior’s money or other property. Most states now have laws that make elder financial abuse a crime and provide ways to help the senior…

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Boot: Recognized Gain in Like-Kind Exchange

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

Course: Income Tax PlanningLesson 16: Property Transactions Without Gain or Loss Recognition Student Question: Hello- Melvin gave $40,000 in cash plus real property with an adjusted basis of $30,000 (fair market value of $100,000) and received real property with a fair market value (FMV) of $150,000. In this transaction, Melvin would have no recognized gain,…

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Defining a Stock Spread

By Dan Madden, CFP®

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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Investment Risk on the CFP Board Exam: Part IV

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

Good to Know This is the final article of our four-article series on investment risk for the CFP Board exam. Here’s a reminder of the risk concepts we’ve covered so far in the series: Part I: When to trust the “mean” return, Part II: Using standard deviation to manage investment risk, and Part III: Skewness-Do…

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Percentage of Completion Method

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

Course: Income Tax PlanningLesson 10: Recognition of Expenses, Losses, and Deductions Student Question: Hello- Question 5 (below) did not make sense to me. I started out by breaking down by year —  400,000/2,100,000*3,000,000 and so forth, but did not arrive at the correct answer.  So then I tried adding up 3 year —  400+650+700/2100000*3,000,000.  That…

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Qualified Pension Plan Ratio Percentage Test

By Dan Madden, CFP®

Assume that, of the 100 employees eligible for participation in G Company’s qualified pension plan, 20 are highly-compensated employees, and all 20 participate. What is the minimum number of G Company’s nonhighly-compensated employees that must participate in G Company’s qualified pension plan to meet the ratio percentage test? 20 50 56 70 CLICK TO REVEAL…

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CFP Board Releases 2022 Ad Campaigns

By Dan Madden, CFP®

CFP® Board Updates In their ongoing effort to grow the recognition of the CFP® Certification among both potential professionals and clients of professionals, the CFP Board has made some adjustments to their plan for digital advertising in 2022. Of particular interest, the board plans to devote nearly 16% of their advertising budget to digital streaming…

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