FINANCIAL PLANNING SPECIALTIES

Different life circumstances require tailored financial planning approaches. These topics address the
unique needs of specific populations.

TOPIC 207
Divorce Financial Planning: Protecting Yourself Financially
Divorce is one of the most financially complex life events a person can face, with long-lasting tax and wealth
implications that require expert financial analysis. This topic equips divorce financial planners, CPAs, and clients to
navigate property division, tax planning, and post-divorce financial reconstruction.

Gathering and organizing financial documents
Marital property vs. separate property classification
Equitable distribution vs. community property states
Valuing and dividing retirement accounts (QDROs)
Dividing business interests and professional practices
Tax implications of divorce settlements
Divorce financial analysis: short-term vs. long-term settlement impact
Post-divorce financial planning and rebuilding

TOPIC 208
Financial Planning for Women: Closing the Wealth Gap
Women face unique financial challenges — including wage gaps, career interruptions, and longer lifespans — that
demand tailored financial planning strategies. This topic addresses those challenges head-on and empowers
women with the knowledge and tools to build lasting financial security.

The gender pay gap and its compounding financial impact
Career interruptions and their effect on retirement savings
Women as caregivers: financial implications
Investing with confidence: overcoming socialized barriers
Building financial independence within marriage
Financial planning for single women
Women and Social Security optimization
Women business owners: financial planning considerations

TOPIC 209
Military Financial Planning
Military service members and veterans navigate a unique financial landscape that includes special pay, federal
benefits, and transition challenges requiring specialized planning knowledge. This topic covers the key financial
planning considerations for active duty, reserve, and veteran service members and their families.

Military pay and allowances (BAH, BAS) and their tax treatment
The Blended Retirement System (BRS) vs. legacy defined benefit
Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) benefits
Veterans Benefits Administration financial resources
VA home loan benefits and usage
Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) decisions at retirement
Deployment financial planning and power of attorney
Transitioning to civilian financial life

TOPIC 210
Financial Planning for Physicians and High-Income Professionals
High-income professionals such as physicians, attorneys, and dentists face a distinctive financial trajectory marked
by delayed earnings, significant debt, and concentrated wealth-building years. This topic provides a specialized
roadmap for financial planning that maximizes wealth-building in the unique context of professional careers.

Late start to savings: the delayed earnings curve for professionals
Managing student loan debt for high earners (PSLF, refinancing)
Disability income insurance: the cornerstone of professional protection
Contract review: employment vs. partnership compensation structures
Tax planning strategies for high-income earners
Backdoor Roth IRA and other advanced retirement strategies
Practice ownership vs. employment: financial tradeoffs
Wealth acceleration strategies for professionals in peak earning years

TOPIC 211
Financial Planning for Educators
Teachers and school employees face specific financial planning challenges, including pension complexity, loan
forgiveness eligibility, and gaps between pension benefits and full retirement needs. This topic addresses the
unique financial landscape for educators and how to build security within it.

403(b) and 457(b) plans for school employees
Teacher pension systems: vesting, survivor benefits, and portability
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) for educators
The $250 educator expense deduction
Summer income planning for 9-month employees
Side income opportunities and tax implications
Social Security WEP and GPO impact on teacher retirement
Supplemental savings strategies for educators

TOPIC 212
Immigrant Financial Planning
Immigrants face unique financial and tax complexities that standard financial planning frameworks often overlook,
including cross-border asset reporting, credit establishment from scratch, and the weight of supporting families
abroad. This topic provides culturally sensitive, technically accurate financial guidance for immigrant communities.

Banking and credit building for recent immigrants
ITIN vs. SSN: tax filing requirements
Remittance planning and its impact on personal savings
Navigating immigration status and financial product eligibility
Tax treaty benefits for resident and nonresident aliens
FBAR and FATCA reporting for foreign financial accounts
Retirement planning with interrupted work history
Building generational wealth in a new country

TOPIC 213
Financial Planning for the Disabled and Special Needs Families
Families with disabled or special needs members face unique financial planning demands that require specialized
knowledge of government benefit programs, trusts, and planning tools. This topic provides comprehensive
guidance for protecting financial security and quality of life for people with disabilities and their families.

ABLE accounts (529A): eligibility, contributions, and qualified expenses
Special needs trusts: first-party and third-party structures
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and asset limits
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI): eligibility and benefits
Medicaid planning and benefit preservation strategies
Letter of intent: planning for a child’s future needs
Guardianship vs. supported decision-making
Life insurance for parents of special needs children

TOPIC 214
College Financial Planning and 529 Plans
College is one of the largest financial investments families make, and strategic planning can significantly reduce
out-of-pocket costs and student debt burdens. This topic covers every dimension of college financial planning,
from early savings with 529 plans to navigating the financial aid system.

Total cost of college: tuition, room, board, and opportunity cost
529 plan mechanics: contributions, investment options, and tax benefits
529 plan vs. Coverdell Education Savings Account
FAFSA: how assets and income affect financial aid eligibility
CSS Profile schools and additional financial aid considerations
Scholarships, grants, and work-study programs
Student loan types: federal vs. private
SECURE 2.0: 529-to-Roth IRA rollovers

TOPIC 215
Financial Planning for Blended Families
Blended families face financial and estate planning complexity that traditional family planning frameworks were not
designed to address. This topic helps financial advisors and blended families navigate competing interests, protect
all parties, and build a cohesive financial plan.

Estate planning complexities in blended families
Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements for asset protection
Beneficiary designations that reflect blended family intentions
Child support, alimony, and their impact on financial planning
Titling assets to protect children from prior relationships
Life insurance as an equalization tool in blended estates
College funding obligations across blended households
Open financial conversations in blended family dynamics

TOPIC 216
Financial Planning for Single Parents
Single parents carry the full financial burden of running a household and raising children, often with limited income
and no margin for financial error. This topic provides practical, empowering financial strategies to help single
parents achieve stability, build savings, and plan for the future.

Building a financial foundation on a single income
Head of household filing status and tax benefits
Child and dependent care tax credit
Child support and alimony: receiving and planning around it
Life insurance: the critical safety net for single parents
Emergency fund building as a single-income household
Child tax credit and earned income tax credit optimization
Long-term financial independence and retirement planning

TOPIC 217
Financial Planning for Widows and Widowers
The death of a spouse triggers immediate and long-term financial decisions that must be navigated carefully during
an emotionally overwhelming time. This topic provides a compassionate, step-by-step financial guide for widows
and widowers as they transition to managing finances alone.

Immediate financial steps after the death of a spouse
Surviving spouse Social Security benefits and timing
Required distributions from inherited retirement accounts
Estate settlement process and estate tax considerations
Updating financial accounts, titles, and beneficiary designations
Reviewing and revising the financial plan as a single person
Managing grief and financial decision-making
Remarriage financial considerations

TOPIC 218
Financial Planning for Pastors and Ministry Workers
Pastors and ministry workers often sacrifice financial security in service to their calling, but with the right planning,
they can build financial stability without compromising their mission. This topic, developed with deep pastoral and
financial expertise, addresses the specific planning needs of those in vocational ministry.