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Program Courses

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERâ„¢ Certification Education Program

Program Courses

Annual Schedule

FALL WINTER SPRING SUMMER
300-0 Intro to Financial Planning X   X
301-0 Insurance Planning   X   X
312-0 Investment Planning X   X
313-0 Income Tax Planning X X
314-0 Retirement Planning and Employee Benefits X X
315-0 Estate Planning X X

320-0 Financial Plan Development and Presentation (Capstone) *Only offered during the Fall and Spring terms. Please plan your schedule with this in mind.

X X

Sample Course Plans


To limit our community's exposure to COVID-19, the spring quarter will now commence on April 4. Online courses may have adjusted dates, but will otherwise run as usual. On-campus courses will be conducted remotely until April 27; University leaders will decide by April 17 whether to continue remote teaching or to return to in-person instruction on April 27. Updated information for affected courses can be found in the scheduling notes area under the course description.


FN_EXTND 314-0 : Retirement Planning and Employee Benefits


Description

This course covers all aspects of retirement planning and employee benefits, beginning with the presentation of tax-deferred retirement program options and the framework used to conduct a needs analysis for achieving retirement income goals. Key features of qualified retirement plan design are discussed, emphasizing the advantages and disadvantages of specific types of plans for the owners of small- to medium-sized businesses. Assumptions and projections of lifestyle, inflation, returns and life expectancy are critical when considering retirement needs. An understanding of cash flow, income sources, medical expenses and benefits must go into the calculations. Employee compensation has changed significantly in recent years, so it is essential that financial planners grasp how to coordinate employer-sponsored benefits within a plan. All of these issues are addressed in detail, as are how to avoid inappropriate investments and how to present recommended courses of action to clients. Additional relevant topics highlighted in this course include commonly provided non-pension employee benefits, such as disability, healthcare and group life insurance. Students will discuss the uses of life and disability insurance in planning for closely held businesses, as well as for the family. Childcare, Medicare and other dependent-care benefits are considered. Federal social security, cafeteria plans, stock options and stock purchase plans, transportation issues, and forms of non-qualified deferred compensation are included, as well. This course is offered during the winter and summer terms.



Registered students can access their online course site here. An activated NetID and password is required for login. *Please note: It may take up to 24-hours for registered students to be added to the online course platform.

Tuition : $975

Winter 2025
Start/End DatesDay(s)TimeBuildingSection
01/06/25 - 03/17/25M
5:45 – 9 p.m.Wieboldt Hall 70142
InstructorCourse LocationStatusCAESAR Course ID
Williams, Charles
Chicago Campus
Open28440
Schedule Notes :

This course will be offered on-campus.

All times listed CST

For more information, please contact profdev@northwestern.edu.

Course Materials :

Retirement Planning and Employee Benefits, 19th Edition. Dalton, James F., and Michael A. Dalton. Metairie: Money Education, 2021.

Book can be purchased from Money Education or from an online retailer.

HP10BII+ Financial Calculator


*Course materials are not included in the cost of tuition and must be purchased separately.

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