Professional Development Seminars Certificates

Personal Financial Planning Certificate

(Must complete 5  of the following seminars)

Basic Money Management
This course will emphasize the practical or applied economic principles and concepts for basic consumer and investor decisions and will use the Internet to access the valuable resources available for consumer and investment decisions.  The objective is to teach proven methods of wise investing and the economic factors that influence these decisions and alternatives. The student should exit this course with a flexible, well-defined consumer plan for the rest of their life cycle.

Basic Personal Investing
The seminar will introduce students to the World of Investing.  Risk and eturn, alternative investment, mutual funds, and retirement planning will be emphasized.  Students will become  investment literate and will understand how to plan for retirement and how to structure their retirement portfolio.

Estate Planning
This seminar is the process of planning for the accumulation, conservation, and distribution of one's wealth in the most efficient and effective manner.  This seminar will examine the process, which encompasses both individuals' tax and non-tax objectives.  Attendees will learn about wills, trusts, titling of assets, current and proposed estate tax law, durable powers, and use of life insurance.

Real Estate
This seminar will help prepare for the most expensive purchase most people will ever make, home ownership. This seminar will deal with various aspects of the real estate industry.  Topics will include: the role of realtors, property selection, determining a property's market value, financing, price negotiations, forms of ownership, legal contracts, legal responsibilities of both buyers and sellers, and more.

Tax Law Change
This seminar will be a non-technical consumer-orientated look at Individual Income taxation as it applies to the current tax filing yea. In a general, user-friendly manner, we will overview the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003, and the Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2004. These Acts form the basis of all current taxation.  Further, we will look at new developments and potential changes that could significantly affect future tax years.  We will examine the law as it applies to individuals and discuss ways to minimize taxes in various areas.  We will also look to the near future in terms of tax trends. 

Tax Return Preparation with Pro Series
This seminar will be an overview of a limited number of income tax concepts along with hands on demonstration of Pro Series professional Income tax return preparation software by Intuit (the same software company that produces Turbo Tax for Consumers). At the end of the seminar, students will understand how income tax information flows through an income tax return, and be able to prepare a basic income tax return using Pro Series software.

Entrepreneurial Finance
This seminar will introduce the student to the many stages of capital formation for new businesses.  Special emphasis will be placed on the venture capital process and the initial public offering.  Also included will be small case studies on how to value a closely held business and the special risks facing such organizations.

Economics of Investing
Many theories of investment analysis exist in Economics.  They in many cases require use and understanding of economic data.  They require the investor to determine his other preference for risk.  This seminar will explore step by step the necessary economics theory, data, and risk analysis required to become a successful long-term investor.  The objectives of the course are: 1) Explore and define necessary economic data and risk analysis required to become a successful long-term investor.

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