Financial Planning General Flashcards
Principles
Integrity Objectivity Competence Fairness Confidentiality Professionalism Diligence
Financial planning process
Establish the client/planner relationship
Gather client data
Analyze and evaluate client’s financial status
Develop and present financial planning recommendations
Implement financial plan
Monitor plan
Life cycle approach
Takes into account client: age, martial status, children, income, net worth, employment status: Accumulation Phase, Conservation Phase, Distribution Phase
Pie chart approach
income and expense pie chart; assets, liabilities and net worth
Emergency fund ratio
Cash and cash equivalents (current assets)/monthly non-discretionary spending.
Should be 3-6 depending on job security, single income/dual income.
Current Ratio
current assets (cash and cash equivalents)/current liabilities (due within 12 months, including 12 months of mortgage principal) The higher the better
Housing Ratio 1
Front-end ratio
(Principal + Interest + Tax + Insurance)/monthly gross income
should be ≤28%
Housing Ratio 2
Back-end ratio
(Principal + Interest + Tax + Insurance + other debt payments)/monthly gross income
should be ≤36%
Consumer Debt Ratio
monthly debt payments/monthly net income
should be ≤20%
Savings Rate
(savings + employer match + reinvestments)/gross pay
Investment Assets to Gross Pay
Benchmarks: 25 y.o. - .02 : 1 30 y.o. - .06-.08 : 1 35 y.o - 1.6-1.8 : 1 45 y.o. - 3-4 : 1 55 y.o. - 8-10 : 1 65 y.o. - 16-20 : 1
ROI
Return on Investments:
invested worth today - (invested worth, 1 year ago + savings)/ invested worth, 1 year ago
Benchmark 8-10%
Balance sheet
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents
Investment assets
personal use assets
Liabilities:
Current liabilities
Long-term liabilities
Net Worth
Cash flow approach
Adjusts the cash flow by forecasting impact of recommendations.
Limitations of balance sheet
Does not explain:
why or how an asset increased
why or how an asset/liability appears
changes in net worth
Statement of income and expenses
shows a period of time
all forms of income
savings
expenses (both variable and fixed)
Budget process
Determine income and expenses (both fixed and variable); determine if net discretionary income is positive or negative
Net present value
Present value of future cash flows - cost of the investment
0 or positive investment returns are good.
negative, dont invest
FAFSA
Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Determines EFC (Expected Family Contribution)
Pell Grant
Awarded on the basis of need
Undergraduate only
FSEOG
Federal Supplementary Educational Opportunity Grant
Exceptional financial need
Students already received Pell Grant
Stafford Loan
can be subsidized - need-based- (accrues interest while in school) or unsubsidized - not need-based - (does not accrue interest until repayment starts)
forgiven after 20 years
undergraduate and graduate students
full and part time students
Perkins Loan
Federal loan for students with exceptional need
undergraduate and graduate students
PLUS Loan
Parents Loan for Undergraduate Students
Based on credit history, not on need
Interest begins to accrue immediately
Prepaid Tuition
Prepaid Tuition -
Purchase college credits today for use later
Must be in-state
529 Savings Plan
- Contribute up to 5 times the gift tax exclusion amount
- Amounts based on funder, not beneficiary
- Can be used for: tuition and fees, books, supplies and equipment, room & board if at least 50% student
- No income phase-outs
- Distributions are fed/state tax free for qualified expenses
- If not, 10% penalty plus tax
- Considered parental assets
- If scholarship received, equivalent amt can be distributed w/out penalty
Coverdell Education Savings Account
- Up 2K per beneficiary per year
- Income phase-out
- Can be used for private school
- Must be distributed by age 30
EE and I Bonds
- can be redeemed to pay qualified education expenses
- NOT room and board
- must be purchased in name of parent
- must be redeemed in year of payment
- can be converted to another plan
- income phase-outs
Student Loan Interest Deduction
- up to $2,500/year
- first 5 years of repayment
- must have been used for qualified expenses
American Opportunity Tax Credit
- up to $2,500 in expenses for the first 4 years of qualified expenses
- 100% of first $2000, 25% of 2nd $2,000
- per student
- includes tuition, fees and books as long as paid directly to university
- income phase-outs
- can’t use in same year as LLC
Lifetime Learning Credits
- 20% of first 10,000 per family
- unlimited number of years
- expenses must be paid to university
- can’t use in same year as AOTC
- income phase-outs