Financial Planning
Become an expert in the art of setting financial goals and identifying the tools needed to reach them.
Financial Planning
Help shape financial futures.
Financial Planners know the ins and outs of investing, saving, and money management. You’ll learn to guide clients through some of the biggest moments of their lives and be a resource for them when times are tough. Learn about investing, taxes, retirement planning, and estate planning from some of the best minds in personal finance.
About the Program
The Financial Planning program prepares students for a career as a financial planner or advisor. Financial advisors and planners are accredited by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards (CFP Board), which ensures that advisors and planners meet strict educational, professional, and ethical requirements. While accreditation under the CFP Board is not always required to work as a financial advisor or planner, it vastly improves professional opportunities for those holding the certification, either by itself or along with other certifications, such as Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
40%
Job growth above the national average for Personal Financial Advisors.
$87k
31%
Why study Financial Planning at Keystone?
Built with the involvement of academic and industry experts and approved by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board), this program provides students with specialized skills in financial management and the needed requirements to pursue career opportunities in the financial services industry. With the demand for financial planners expected to grow faster than average, Keystone graduates will be increasingly valued by top employers.
Sponsors, Professors, and Experts
To create this program, we brought together top professors of finance and experts in portfolio management.
Chris Kubik is the Director of the LCMC’s CFP Registered program and Professor of Accounting and Finance at Regis College. He holds a DBA from Anderson University and an MBA from University of Detroit.
Financial Planning Course Descriptions
General Principles of Financial Planning
This course provides a comprehensive examination of the general principles of financial planning, professional conduct and regulation, and education planning. These topics constitute thirty percent of the principle knowledge topics tested on the CFP® Certification Examination. The course introduces students to the financial planning process and working with clients to set goals and assess risk tolerance. In addition, student will learn to process and analyze information, construct personal financial statements, develop debt management plans, recommend financing strategies, and understand the basic components of a written comprehensive financial plan. The course also covers the regulatory environment, time value of money, and economic concepts.
Risk Management and Insurance Planning
This course provides students with an understanding of risk management and the tools and techniques available to minimize exposures to risk. Students will learn how to conduct an insurance needs analysis for clients and evaluate insurance contracts for life, disability, long- term care, and health insurance. The course also covers how insurance rates are developed, what types of contracts are available, how to read insurance proposals, and how life insurance is used in financial planning. Students also learn about property and casualty insurance, including homeowners’, liability, and auto insurance. Other topics include group life and health insurance plans, business uses of insurance, and annuities.
Investment Planning
This course explores the securities market, sources of information, risk/return, debt and equities, stocks, bonds, options, futures, and security analysis, and culminates in portfolio construction and analysis. Students will learn how to evaluate different asset classes for different investment objectives, and determine their suitability for investors considering investment goals, time horizons, risk tolerance, and tax situations. Quantitative investment concepts, investment theories and strategies, and asset pricing models are also examined.
Tax Planning
This course covers taxation for individuals, sole proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations, as well as the tax aspects of investments, insurance, annuities, and retirement planning. Students will be able to identify the likely tax consequences of personal and business financial activities and select appropriate and lawful tax-minimizing tactics and strategies.
Retirement Savings and Income Planning
This course educates students on how to conduct a retirement needs analysis for individuals and to recognize the key factors that affect retirement plan selection for business owners. Students will be able to evaluate and compare the characteristics of various retirement plans and recommend which plan is appropriate in a given situation. The course covers tax-deferred retirement plans, IRAs, nonqualified plans, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, distribution strategies, taxation of distributions, and regulatory considerations.
Estate Planning
This course provides an introduction to federal gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer taxes and the many planning techniques used to minimize the impact of these taxes on transfers of wealth. It also explores the income-tax effects of gifts and bequests, with particular attention to the limitations on income-shifting to family members. The nontax aspects of estate planning, including the estate planning process, property ownership, planning for incapacity, and planning for business owners are examined as are the need for estate planning documents for individuals, spouses, and unmarried couples. The course stresses the need for balancing tax and non-tax considerations in creating successful estate plans.
Capstone Course in Financial Planning
This course integrates financial planning topics learned in the previous courses and demonstrates how to apply this knowledge to the development of a comprehensive financial plan. Students will learn how to construct a plan according to CFP Board’s Financial Planning Practice Standards and client objectives.
Real World Experience
From internships and experiential learning opportunities to travel and conferences, you’ll have many opportunities to conduct real-world experiences, work with your peers and mentors in your chosen field, and learn first-hand the latest skills to succeed in the real world.
Study Abroad
Explore our study abroad programs and discover a world of opportunities that are sure to be the highlight of your college years.
Research
Working with a faculty mentor conducting research enriches the learning process and creates positive lifelong attributes.
Civic Engagement
Engage in civic-based projects and service-learning experiences and make a positive difference in the greater community.
Internships
Internships and field experiences give students the chance to learn through hands-on experiences beyond the classroom.