Course Description
The CFP Capstone course is an integrated financial planning course requiring
the preparation and presentation of a professional industry level financial plan covering at least four of the six financial planning components. Completion of this course in addition to a year qualifying work experience meets the requirements to write the final CFP exam (FPE-2) administered by the Financial Planning Standards Council (FPSC).
Course Content
Complete a professional financial plan integrating at least four of the six financial planning components.
Present the plan as if engaging a real client, explaining and defending recommendations and considering conflicting views on financial issues.
Specifically:
- Complete qualitative and quantitative analyses to formulate strategies, and recommendations.
- Rank issues and provide rationale for prioritization on various components.
- Demonstrate the professional skills required in the Competency Profile.
- Make and validate assumptions used in the financial plan.
- Defend the approach and or recommendations taken in the financial plan.
- Present the financial plan as if it is a true client engagement.
- Apply the CFP Financial Planning Practice Standards and CFP Code of Ethics.
Methods Of Instruction
Lecture, seminars and/or hybrid. This course focusses on the development and presentation of a professional financial plan. It will be interactive and make use of cases, supplementary materials, and class presentations.
Means of Assessment
| Individual Assignment |
10-20% |
| Mid Term |
0-30% |
| Group presentations (2-3 Cases) |
10-30% |
| Individual FPSC Mandated Case |
25% |
| Capstone Plan and Presentation |
25% |
| |
100% |
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course, the successful student should be able to:
- Apply and integrate technical knowledge gained from Core Curriculum courses (pre-requisite and co-requisite) in the identification and analysis of issues relating to personal financial planning.
- Collect all qualitative and quantitative information required to develop a financial plan.
- Evaluate each client’s objectives, needs and values that have financial implications.
- Analyze and synthesize personal financial situations from all six financial planning components.
- Identify potential opportunities and constraints, assess information to formulate strategies.
- Formulate and evaluate strategies to develop a financial plan.
- Prioritize and consolidate recommendations into a financial plan.
- Develop a complete professional financial plan covering moderately complex financial issues and at least four of the six financial planning components.
- Communicate information, ideas and concepts to clients and others in a professional written and oral manner that is understandable for the client’s level of sophistication.
In the process of completing the Capstone Course Learning Objectives above, the student will demonstrate the ability to integrate the following:
- Demonstrate ethical judgment in providing professional services.
- Assess the impact of the economic, political and regulatory environments on financial situations.
- Demonstrate logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternatives or approaches to problems.
- Apply the FPSC’s Code of Ethics and the CFP Financial Planning Practice Standards as they apply to the financial planning process.
Textbook Materials
Textbooks may be selected from the following:
- Personal Financial Planning, Kwok Ho and Chris Robinson, Latest Edition, Captus Press
- Personal Finance, Madura and Gill, Pearson, Latest Canadian Edition
- Retirement and Estate Planning in Canada, Coleen Clarke, Captus Press, Latest Canadian Edition
- Tax Planning for Canadians, KPMG, latest edition
- Wealth Planning Strategies for Canadians, 2011 Edition, Christine Van Cauwenberghe, Thomson Carswell.
- Canadian Securities Course or equivalent.
- Instructor compiled materials (if applicable).
All textbooks subject to change with department approval.
Only Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration approved calculators may be used for tests and examinations.