Financial Planning Topics and Sample Questions

Financial planners must master nearly 100 financial topics to obtain CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification, and those topics fall in the seven categories listed below. Each volunteer at the Financial Planning Clinic will be assigned to a specific topic he or she is especially interested in discussing, but each volunteer holds CFP® certification and is knowledgeable about all the financial planning topics below.

General Financial Planning

• Education Planning - How do I finance my child's college education?
• Mortgages and Loans - Should I buy or rent? What kind of mortgage should I get?
• Debt Management - How do I reduce my overall debt?
• Special Circumstances - How do I plan for a divorce, disability or job change?

Retirement Planning

• Defined Contribution Plans - How do I pick mutual funds for my 401(k) plan?
• Defined Benefit Plans - How should I collect my pension benefit?
• Other - Should I choose a traditional or Roth IRA?
• Social Security - How much will I receive in Social Security benefits when I retire?

Investment Planning

• Stocks and Bonds - How should I diversify my portfolio between stocks and bonds?
• Mutual Funds - What mutual funds should I invest in, given my risk tolerance?
• Real Estate - Should I invest in real estate?
• Investment Strategies - How do I maximize gains and minimize taxes?

Income Tax Planning

• General Tax Return Filing - Should I file as a single person or married person?
• Tax Reduction Strategies - What tax deductions can I take?
• Small Business Taxation - How do I use my small business to minimize my taxes?
• Charitable Contributions - How do I maximize the tax advantages of my charitable contributions?

Estate Planning

• Wills, Trusts and Property Agreements - Should I set up a will or a living trust?
• Gifting and Tax Implications - How do I avoid gift taxes?
• Incapacity Planning - Should I appoint a Power of Attorney?
• Estate Taxes - How do I reduce my estate taxes?

Insurance Planning

• Life and Disability Insurance - How much life insurance do I need?
• Health Insurance - Does my family have adequate health insurance?
• Long-Term Care Insurance - What kind of long-term care insurance should I consider?
• Property and Casualty Insurance - How should I insure my home?

Employee Benefits Planning

• Group Life Insurance - What type of group life insurance policy should I get?
• Group Disability Insurance - Should I purchase additional disability insurance?
• Group Medical Insurance - Should I open a Health Savings Account (HSA)?
• Incentive Stock Option Plans - How is my investment income taxed?