• Read more about CFP The Premium BIF Review

The BIF Review is the ideal complement to The American College of Financial Services’ rigorous CFP® Certification Education Program. The BIF Review’s progressive 8-week schedule focuses exclusively on topics necessary for success on the CFP® Exam. Candidates that choose to combine the in-depth foundational knowledge gained from The College with the targeted Exam Prep resources and strategies provided by The BIF Review should rest-assured knowing they are doing everything possible to set themselves up for Exam Day success. Perfect for: CFP® candidates seeking a comprehensive, guided preparation experience to maximize their chances of success on the CFP® exam. The Premium BIF Review includes comprehensive study materials, multiple QBanks, pre-recorded lecture videos, 3 physical textbooks plus online versions, live instructor-led sessions twice a week, a 170-question mock exam, access to the online student community, additional study resources, and one free retake. 000428 CFP^® Single Course 100 1.00 Financial Planning Professional Designations & Certifications Early Career Professional Mid Career Professional No No 0004281 0

• Read more about HS 333 Personal Financial Planning: Comprehensive Case Analysis

This course applies students' knowledge and skill set in personal financial planning techniques to a comprehensive case study. Students will integrate into a prioritized comprehensive financial plan core financial planning disciplines of: -Retirement -Investment -Risk management -Income tax -Employee benefits -General principles * Students are eligible to enroll in the capstone course (HS 333) after completing the first 6 courses of the curriculum in both the CFP Certification Education Program and the ChFC program (HS 300, HS 311, HS 321, HS 326, HS 328, HS 330). HS 333 is a course designed to bring together elements from all of the previous foundation courses, and prepares students to synthesize and apply their knowledge of the financial planning process, insurance, taxation, investments, retirement, and estate planning through the delivery of a comprehensive financial plan. 000279 CFP^® ChFC^® Single Course 7 1.00 Financial Planning Professional Designations & Certifications Early Career Professional Mid Career Professional No No 0002791 0

• Read more about HS 311 Fundamentals of Insurance Planning

This course focuses on the role of planning for risk management needs. The topics covered in this course include fundamental principles and characteristics of risk management, credit risk and protection, and the concepts and applications of health insurance, life insurance, disability and long-term care insurance, annuities, property, liability insurance, and social insurance (Social Security).

Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the basic concepts and principles of risk management
  
• Compare and contrast the different health insurance options available to clients in the individual and group marketplaces
  
• Differentiate among the various types of life insurance, including term and permanent insurance
  
• Discuss principles of disability income insurance and its place in insurance planning
  
• Discuss the principles of long-term care insurance and its place in insurance planning
  
• Demonstrate an understanding of the different types and proper use of annuities in insurance planning
  
• Identify the sources and uses of homeowners, property, and liability insurance for both personal and business uses
  
• Identify the sources of identity theft, review a consumers credit report, and utilize debt management techniques
  
• Demonstrate an understanding of social insurance programs such as the Social Security benefits system

000068 CFP^® ChFC^® CLU^® FSCP^® Single Course 6 1.00 Financial Planning Insurance and Risk Management Practice Management Professional Designations & Certifications Early Career Professional Mid Career Professional Yes Yes 0000681 AL AL AR AR CO CO DE DE GA GA HI HI KS KS KY KY LA LA ME ME MS MS MS NC NC NE NE NH NH NJ NJ NV NV NY NY OK OK SC SC TN TN UT UT AZ CA CT IA ID IN MA MD MI MN MO MT NM OR PA PR RI SD TX VA VT WI WV WY FL IL OH ND WA 28G

• Read more about HS 300 Fundamentals of Financial Planning

This course provides an overview of the financial planning process, including communication techniques, behavioral finance, financial planning approaches and applications, financial statement preparation and analysis, time value of money concepts and applications, education planning and funding, economics and the external environment, and ethics and standards of conduct. Additionally, the course offers a deeper understanding of the role and responsibilities of a financial planner, along with some analytical skills to aid in the financial decision-making process.

Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of and apply the steps of the financial planning process
  
• Differentiate between various communication techniques used by advisors and understand how behavioral finance concepts can be used to improve client-advisor communications
  
• Utilize the various financial planning approaches to quantify goals and provide actionable recommendations
  
• Review personal financial statements, calculate financial ratios, and perform financial statement analysis
  
• Build a foundation in quantitative techniques needed to calculate the present value and future value amounts, and solve for other relevant financial variables
  
• Apply education planning and funding techniques to help clients achieve their goals
  
• Build a foundation in basic economic concepts and understand how external factors may impact the financial planning process
  
• Review and apply the ethics of personal financial planning within CFP Board, American College, and SEC frameworks

000066 CFP^® ChFC^® CLU^® FSCP^® Single Course 6 1.00 Financial Planning Insurance and Risk Management Practice Management Professional Designations & Certifications Early Career Professional Mid Career Professional Yes Yes 0000661 AL AL AR AR CO CO DE DE GA GA HI HI KS KS KY KY LA LA ME ME NC NC NE NE NH NH NJ NJ NV NV NY NY OK OK PR PR SC SC TN TN UT UT AZ CA CT IA ID IN MA MD MI MN MO MS MT NM OR PA RI SD TX VA VT WI WV WY FL WA IL OH ND 28G

• Read more about HS 330 Fundamentals of Estate Planning

This course covers various aspects of estate and gift tax planning, including the probate process, an overview of basic estate planning documents, types of property interests, transfer strategies during life and at death, the use of trusts, generation-skipping transfers, charitable giving, the use of life insurance in estate planning, special elections, and other post-mortem planning strategies.

Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Identify the steps in the estate planning and probate processes
  
• Identify and describe the basic estate planning documents along with the advantages and limitations of each
  
• Compare and contrast the most common types of property titling along with the advantages and limitations of each
  
• Understand and apply the fundaments of the gift tax system and respective planning strategies
  
• Identify and classify different trust arrangements and explain the advantages and limitations of each
  
• Compare and contrast advanced strategies that can be used either during the life or upon death of the client
  
• Understand and apply the fundamentals of the generation-skipping transfer tax system and respective planning strategies
  
• Compare and contrast advanced charitable planning strategies along with the advantages and limitations of each
  
• Understand and apply the fundamentals of the estate tax and respective planning strategies, and explain the benefits of the unlimited marital deduction
  
• Demonstrate the advantages of using life insurance in estate planning and explain the benefits of various post-mortem planning strategies

000024 CFP^® ChFC^® CLU^® Single Course 3 1.00 Financial Planning Insurance and Risk Management Professional Designations & Certifications Early Career Professional Mid Career Professional Yes Yes 0000241 AL AL AR AR CA CA CO CO DE DE GA GA HI HI KS KS KY KY LA LA MA MA ME ME NC NC NE NE NH NH NJ NJ NV NV NY NY OK OK PA PA PR PR SC SC TN TN UT UT AZ CT IA ID IN MD MI MN MO MS MT NM OR RI SD TX VA VT WI WV WY FL IL OH ND WA 28G

• Read more about HS 328 Investments

In this course, students learn about the principles of investments and their application to financial planning. The topics covered in this course include an overview of securities laws and market structure, asset classifications, the taxation of investments, risk and return, portfolio theory, investment decisions and attributions analysis, market efficiency and behavioral finance, fixed income security analysis, equity security analysis and valuation, alternative investments, investment companies, and derivative securities.

Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Understand the institutional framework surrounding investments, categorize investments by asset class, and evaluate the impact of taxation
  
• Measure investment returns using various methodologies and quantify risk within a statistical framework
  
• Apply the modern portfolio theory framework to the task of assembling portfolios and evaluating their performance
  
• Evaluate portfolio performance using attribution and ratio analysis, and identify cognitive and emotional biases exhibited by investors along with their consequences
  
• Understand how fixed income securities function and explain their role in structuring a well-diversified investment portfolio
  
• Compare and contrast the various types of equity securities and the different ways to invest in these securities
  
• Evaluate the factors that can affect the performance expectations of equity securities
  
• Identify the features of valuing securities using absolute and relative valuation models, and identify different types of alternative investments, including the risks and benefits associated with this asset class
  
• Identify the features of investment companies and evaluate fund selection techniques
  
• Compare and contrast the features of derivative securities including forwards, futures, and options contracts

000023 CFP^® ChFC^® CLU^® Single Course 9 1.00 Financial Planning Insurance and Risk Management Professional Designations & Certifications Early Career Professional Mid Career Professional Yes Yes 0000231 AL AL AR AR CA CA DE DE GA GA HI HI KS KS KY KY LA LA MA MA ME ME NC NC NC NE NE NJ NJ NY NY SC SC TN TN UT UT AZ CT IA ID IN MD MI MN MS MT NH NM OK OR PA PR RI SD VT WI WV WY FL IL OH ND 28G

• Read more about HS 326 Planning for Retirement Needs

This course focuses on helping businesses and individuals plan for retirement. The topics covered in this course include asset accumulation and distribution planning, qualified pension plans, qualified plan setup, administration, and termination, profit sharing plans, stock bonus and employee stock ownership plans, IRAs, SEPS, SIMPLEs, 403(b) and 457 plans, deferred compensation and nonqualified plans, Social Security benefits, and employee benefits.

Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Analyze the factors affecting retirement planning, such as determining the remaining work life expectancy, retirement life expectancy, annual savings needed, and understanding investment considerations
  
• Understand the fundamental principles of qualified plans
  
• Compare and contrast the various types of qualified pension plans and determine which is the most appropriate given the needs and goals of an employer
  
• Compare and contrast profit sharing plans, stock bonus plans, and ESOPs along with the advantages and limitations of each
  
• Understand the tax treatment of distributions from qualified plans
  
• Describe the steps involved to install a qualified plan, requirements needed to administer a plan, and what events would call for the termination of a plan
  
• Discuss the advantages, limitations, and taxation of IRAs and SEPs
  
• Compare and contrast SIMPLE, 403(b), and 457 retirement plans along with the advantages and limitations of each
  
• Discuss the taxation of nonqualified plans and compare and contrast Social Security claiming strategies given the impact of taxation and other limitations that may apply
  
• Compare and contrast employee fringe and group benefits along with the advantages and limitations of each

000020 CFP^® ChFC^® CLU^® Single Course 8 1.00 Financial Planning Insurance and Risk Management Professional Designations & Certifications Early Career Professional Mid Career Professional Yes Yes 0000201 AL AL AR AR CA CA CO CO DE DE GA GA HI HI KS KS KY KY LA LA MA MA ME ME NC NC NE NE NH NH NJ NJ NV NV NY NY PA PA PR PR SC SC TN TN UT UT AZ CT IA ID IN MD MI MN MO MS MT NM OR RI SD TX VA VT WI WV WY FL IL OH ND WA 28G

• Read more about HS 321 Fundamentals of Income Taxation

This course examines the federal income tax system with particular emphasis on the taxation of individuals. The topics covered in this course include the fundamentals of income taxation, the taxation of income generated from personal, professional, and investment related activities, deductions, credits, basis rules, depreciation, the taxation of capital assets, nontaxable exchanges, passive activity loss rules, the alternative minimum tax, and the taxation of business entities.

Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental principles and concepts of federal income taxation
  
• Compare and contrast the taxation of income generated from personal and investment activities
  
• Explain the taxation of income and expenses generated from employment and profit-motivated activities
  
• Understand and apply the fundamentals of deductions against adjusted gross income with emphasis on itemized deductions
  
• Identify different types of tax credits and compare and contrast tax credits with tax deductions
  
• Demonstrate an understanding of how basis is determined for purposes of determining taxable gains and losses, and also explain the purpose of cost recovery through various depreciation methods
  
• Identify the tax advantages that certain types of business assets receive when compared to assets used for nonbusiness purposes
  
• Explain how provisions in the tax code allow for tax avoidance and tax deferral through certain property exchanges
  
• Explain the complexities of the passive activity loss rules along with the purpose of the alternative minimum tax system
  
• Compare and contrast the tax consequences of distributions from business entities, such as partnerships, S corporations, and C corporations, to their respective owners

000004 CFP^® ChFC^® CLU^® Single Course 7 1.00 Financial Planning Insurance and Risk Management Professional Designations & Certifications Early Career Professional Mid Career Professional Yes Yes 0000041 AL AL AR AR CA CA DE DE GA GA HI HI KS KS KY KY LA LA MA MA ME ME NC NC NE NE NH NH NJ NJ NY NY PA PA PR PR SC SC TN TN UT UT WV AZ CO CT IA ID IN MD MI MN MS MT NM OR RI SD TX VT WI WY FL IL OH ND 28G