Introduction to Personal Financial Planning
Discover the basic concepts of financial planning and financial wellbeing: Most of us will interact with a form of financial service many times during our lives, whether for budgeting, borrowing, saving, or one of many other services. On this four-week course from the Chartered Insurance Institute, you’ll learn about the various financial concepts and explore financial planning throughout the various stages of life.
Learn how to plan for different life stages and the financial protection available: It is very important that financial planners and advisers understand the different financial needs at each life stage so that they can shape their services to each person’s circumstances. You’ll examine the potential life stages that people go through and the different financial products and objectives that might be used in each stage. You’ll also explore the various types of financial protection available and how they work.
Develop effective strategies for investing and saving for the future: The ability to help people save and invest is a crucial function of the financial services industry and allows people to plan for their futures. This course will guide you through the key differences between savings and investments, how different products and assets work, the risks involved with each, and how a financial adviser can help.
Explore estate planning, retirement planning, and pension advice: A pension is a financial product designed to help people save for their retirement. Pension planning can, and arguably should, start as soon as someone can afford it. During the final week of this course, you’ll learn about estate planning and retirement planning, from income strategies and tax planning to pension options and the challenges of retirement planning. You’ll also discover how financial advice plays into each of these areas.
Who is the course for?
This course is designed for anyone starting out, or aspiring to work, in the financial planning sector. It is also useful for anyone looking to better understand how to manage their financial planning, whether in respect of protecting their financial future or in providing for it.
What are the learning outcomes?
At the end of the course, you will be able to:
- describe the basic concepts of financial planning and how it fits within the financial services industry;
- describe how the industry protects and serves its customers;
- explore people's protection needs and how they can be met;
- explore people's saving and investment needs and how they can be met;
- explore the retirement needs people have and the opportunities for retirement planning; and
- report on the financial implications of wanting to plan for future generations.
How is the course delivered?
- Two study hours per week for four weeks.
- The course is delivered, free of charge, via the FutureLearn platform.
How is the course assessed?
The course includes a number of self-test questions within it. An assessment is also available each week, but this has to be paid for (the course itself is free of charge if completed within the four-week enrolment period). Details on how to upgrade your enrolment on FutureLearn to receive the assessment are included within the course.
Will I get a completion certificate?
If you wish to receive a certificate, you must complete 90% of the course steps and all of the assessments (which will require you to upgrade your enrolment beyond the free-of-charge level).