Capstone in Financial Planning – BUSI 489

CG • Section 8WK • 11/08/2019 to 04/16/2020 • Modified 09/05/2023

Course Description

This course will allow the student to create a written financial plan using the knowledge acquired from previous course work in the financial planning classes. The student will use a software package to incorporate all the elements of a successful financial plan for a case study client.

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Rationale

This capstone course in financial planning is the last course in the Certified Financial Planner (CFP©) program. The course allows the student to apply knowledge and skills obtained in each of the other subject matter specific financial planning courses. The purpose of the course is to train the student to create comprehensive financial plans and prepare the student to take the national CFP® examination to become a Certified Financial Planner.

Course Assignment

Textbook Readings & Lecture Presentations

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (2)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, there will be two (2) Discussions throughout this course. The student is required to provide a thread in response to the provided topic that must be at least 300 words and integrate information drawn from experience and course-related information (books, articles, and presentations). In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to two (2) other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be at least 200 words and integrate information drawn from experience and course-related information (books, articles, and presentations).

Financial Plan Assignment

The student will complete a financial plan for the hypothetical case from the textbook using the MoneyGuide Pro financial planning software.

Financial Plan Video Presentation Assignment

The student will create a video presentation of the MoneyGuide Pro Financial Plan delivery to a hypothetical client. It must be professional and delivered in a format that can be easily understood by the client.

Mini-Case Assignments (6)

There are six (6) Mini-Case Assignments in the course. The student is expected to utilize the knowledge and skills obtained in previous courses in the CFP® curriculum to complete the Mini-Case Assignments. The Mini-Case Assignments cover all major areas of financial planning - some with one topic covered per case and others with more than one topic covered per case.

Quizzes (6)

There are six (6) multiple-choice quizzes in the course. These quizzes are from the textbook and cover ethics, financial situation analysis, taxes, insurance, investments, retirement, and estate planning. Each quiz is open-book/open-notes, contains 20-40 questions, and has no time limit.