Financial planning is like doing a giant 3D jigsaw puzzle.  We are trying to get the best all-round fit for the clients’ objectives.

We need a mixture of hard facts and answers to additional questions that will add the colour we need about the clients’ objectives.  In short, we need to ask great questions and listen to the answers.

Embarking on the CISI level 7 case study assessment is no easy feat.  It isn’t meant to be.  After all, it is set at master’s degree level.  I often say to my coaching clients, if was easy, everyone would do it and then there would be less value in it; a bit like doing your entry level 4 regulated exams.

Becoming a Certified Financial Planner professional allows you to do two things:

1. To offer an excellent, robust and repeatable financial planning service for the long-term benefit of your clients and your business 

2. To differentiate yourself from the growing crowd of people who call themselves ‘financial planners’ but who do not necessarily practice what we think of as financial planning.

You will be provided with a net worth statement and income tax calculations for the clients current situation.  You need to become very familiar with them.  Think about the following things:

• Who owns which asset?
• How is the property owned?  If jointly, as joint tenants or tenants in common?
• Are there any one-off capital expenditures?
• Have the inflows arrived?  If not, is it certain that they will arrive in the anticipated timescales?
• Is there an opportunity to change the ownership of the  assets?  Is this consistent with the clients objectives and what are the consequences (good and bad)?
• Are there any big credit card or other debts that might be worthwhile to pay off first?

You also need to be very familiar with how to calculate revised income tax and capital gains tax as necessary.  

For example, if you find that you need to increase a client’s pension contribution, whether by salary sacrifice or otherwise, this will affect the income tax calculation for that client. 

This will have a knock-on effect of potentially altering the amount of net disposable income that the clients have to spend on other recommendations that you will make later in the plan. 

Consequently, if you cannot accurately alter the tax calculations to reflect this sort of change, learn that now.