Online Financial Planning Courses
We'll go over some of the most commonly offered courses for financial planners and advisors.
- For students new to this field, an Introduction to Financial Planning course establishes key business and legal considerations in financial planning. The discussion of business topics includes ethics, regulations, and economics, while classwork on legal issues addresses business law, property titles, and settlements in relation to financial advising.
- A course on Insurance Planning and Risk Management teaches aspiring financial planners how to analyze their clients' insurance needs and recommend the most suitable policies. Topics of study include the different types of insurance available to meet individual and corporate needs, as well as potential liability issues and a financial advisor's role in managing risk.
- The main focus of an Investment Planning course is portfolio-building through a combination of different investment types. Students learn how investment vehicles operate and how to accurately analyze rates of return. Investment types covered in this course include securities, stocks, and bonds. Topics like market analysis, economic formulas, and models are also discussed.
- Tax Planning courses teach students how to manage state and federal tax systems and understand their effects on an individual or business. Because almost all individuals and companies pay taxes in one form or another, knowledge of tax planning is important to all financial advisors. Students are provided with comprehensive information on taxes as they apply to various investments, insurance, and securities in order to provide effective tax management techniques for their clients.
- In a Retirement Planning course, students learn how to evaluate clients' retirement needs and plans. It covers topics like IRAs and tax-deferred retirement plans. Employee benefits, including Social Security, Medicare, and stock options, are another area of focus. This course also covers regulatory and tax issues affecting retirement plans.
- Estate Planning courses address the management of property and wealth within generations of families. The course looks at federal and state estate tax regulations, as well as the implications of these taxes on gifts, trusts, and charitable donations. Another section of the course targets non-tax-related aspects of estate planning such as wills, powers of attorney, and probate procedures.
- Designed to combine the skills learned in the previous courses, a Financial Planning Capstone course requires students to build a complete and comprehensive financial plan for a virtual client. Students must demonstrate an understanding of all aspects of financial planning and communicate their plan both orally and in writing to a qualified audience.
- In a Financial Statement Analysis course, students learn methods for analyzing financial statements and explore statements' roles in evaluating earnings quality and making investment or financing decisions.
- A Financial Accounting Theory course introduces students to the complexities of measuring and reporting financial information. It can provide a valuable theoretical perspective for financial advisors, as they evaluate the assets and income of their client.
Program Information
Financial advisors assess a client's financial situation and draw up plans to assist in meeting the client's financial goals. Clients may include both businesses and individuals, and thereby require significantly different solutions. Online courses explain financial strategies for common issues such as tax, retirement, and investment planning.
Graduates of these programs earn a certificate in financial planning or a broader bachelor's or master's degree in finance. Aspiring financial advisors can find online certificate programs that offer courses in different types of financial planning, as well as undergraduate and graduate degree programs that include general finance courses.
