MSFP
Master of Science in Financial Planning
Best For
Financial advisors and practice leaders seeking planning mastery skills.
Timing
14 Months
Format
The College’s MSFP Program is 100% virtual other than required residencies. Learn more below.
Hybrid
Tuition
Starting at $2,050/course
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MSFP Program at a Glance
Admissions Requirements
Prerequisites for this program include an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university.
With a completed application, you will also submit a current resume and an unofficial transcript from the accredited institution that awarded your bachelor’s degree.
To receive the MSFP, you must:
- Successfully complete 10 courses, four core residency and six concentration courses
- Online courses are conducted asynchronously
- Live class sessions meet on campus in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
Tuition
Program tuition can be paid on a per-course basis. Tuition covers your course fees, final exam, and course materials.
Individual course: $2,050
What You'll Learn
Earning a master’s degree expands your career options. It is beneficial for anyone considering an executive-level position. Whether you’re looking to work in financial planning or another specialization, the level of detail in MSFP courses will help your career.
The MSFP Program’s deep focus on a personal financial planning concentration also has four core residency courses that meet on campus, which allows you to start and end with a residency course.
Your learning outcomes include:
- Actionable insights in tax planning, estate planning, retirement planning, education planning, and investment planning principles
- Securities concepts that include t-bills, bonds, debentures, common and preferred shares, equities, and financial derivatives
- Business succession planning strategies to achieve strategic business initiatives
- Insurance and estate planning document evaluation, such as wills and trusts
Course Delivery
Timing: Complete the hybrid program in 14 months (if attending as a full-time student). The curriculum includes online classes plus mandatory residency for core courses.
Unique program features include:
- Specialized graduate-level coursework for a strong foundation in financial planning principles using sound, ethical, business practices
- Comprehensive curriculum without knowledge gaps
- Elite faculty of nationally-recognized academics, researchers, and practitioners
- Modern e-learning with dynamic presentations and graphics, practice exams, and knowledge checks to both engage and help you retain the material
Why Earn a MSFP
49%
Of consumers cited a financial advisor’s level of education as one of the top three characteristics they seek. Commit to advanced knowledge now.1
59%
Of Americans want financial advice but aren’t sure where to get it. Be the resource they need.2
46%
Of high-net-worth investors are looking for trust and estate planning. Is it a gap in your knowledge?3
The MSFP is Right For You If:
Inside the MSFP Program
Courses to Complete
10
Typical Completion Time
14 Months
MSFP 551 Intro of Financial Planning — Residency I
Introduces the broad scope of financial planning as it relates to personal goals and values as well as its role in the financial services industry.
Upon completion of this course, you'll be able to:
- Understand the concepts of the financial planning process, the economic environment, the time value of money, the legal environment, financial analysis, and ethical and professional considerations in financial planning
- Examine careers in financial services, management of personal financial statements, time-value-of-money analysis, and calculator/computer applications
- Evaluate insurance, Social Security, home-buying strategies, education funding techniques, investments, retirement planning, income tax, estate planning, and financial psychology
MSFP 559 Fund. of Estate Planning — Residency I
Presents an overview of the application of estate planning methodologies and policies to personal financial planning. Introduces estate planning tools and strategies to assist clients in developing, maintaining, and transferring wealth.
Upon completion of this course, you'll be able to:
- Understand professional role differences between financial advisors, CPAs, and estate-planning attorneys
- Evaluate gift and estate taxation and ownership of personal and real property issues
- Examine wills, letters of last instructions, and trusts and discuss trustees/personal representatives, their fiduciary responsibilities, and probate strategies
- Evaluate implications for individuals, general/limited partnerships, closely held businesses, and corporations
- Discuss life insurance funding, post-mortem planning, and creative estate planning strategies consistent with client goals and values along with charitable giving strategies
MSFP 536 Behavioral Finance — Residency II
Provides an overview of behavioral finance research and theory and how those apply to client-advisor relationships.
Upon completion of this course, you'll be able to:
- Understand the theory of rational choice and see examples where people deviate from making a “rational decision”
- Explore the effects of human emotions on financial decisions and the financial planning process
- Learn how to use behavioral biases to help improve your client’s financial well-being
MSFP 650 Capstone Case Development—Residency II
Applies student knowledge and skill set in personal financial planning techniques to a comprehensive fact pattern.
Upon completion of this course, you'll be able to:
- Develop and integrate core financial planning disciplines for retirement, investment, risk management, and employee benefits
- Better understand integrated analysis, data, and presentations
MSFP 554 Income Taxation
Explores the strategies used by financial planners to help clients achieve greater tax efficiency.
Upon completion of this course, you'll be able to:
- Discuss income tax concepts and calculations and income tax research methods
- Understand gross income realization, exclusions and deductions, passive activities, and alternative minimum tax
- Evaluate tax considerations of business forms, taxable and non-taxable property transactions, compensation planning, family tax planning, audit risk, and dealing with the IRS
MSFP 555 Fundamentals of Insurance Planning
Introduces the application of insurance planning and evaluates risk exposure, legal aspects of insurance, and policy analysis for property and liability along with life and health, employee benefits, social insurance, insurance regulation, and principles of insurance taxation.
Upon completion of this course, you'll be able to:
- Understand career issues, contractual and agency legal issues, and insurance distribution systems (including the internet)
- Evaluate insurers, personal risk assessment, risk strategies, and alternative risk transfer approaches
- Discuss life insurance programming and product analysis, key-person insurance, business continuing applications, and life insurance use in income and estate tax planning
- Cover other insurance products (e.g., health, disability, general liability, property, and casualty)
- Analyze HMOs, group insurance plans, workers compensation, relevant aspects of social security, negligence issues, errors & omissions policies, and professional ethics
MSFP 557 Retirement Planning
Covers retirement planning and employee benefits while addressing accumulation and distribution phases along with various types of retirement plans.
Upon completion of this course, you'll be able to:
- Explore employer-provided retirement plans (pension, profit-sharing, stock bonus, ESOP, 401(k), 403(b), 457, SEP and SIMPLE plans as well as nonqualified deferred-compensation and stock option plans, Social Security, and IRAs
- Evaluate employer medical plans, group term life and disability insurance plans, cafeteria plans, and flexible spending plans
- Explore the advantages and disadvantages of various types of plans and provide an understanding and skills necessary to assess the costs and benefit of such plans from a client’s perspective, whether they are employers or employees
- Evaluate client-specific goals, identify key issues, and recommend appropriate solution
MSFP 558 Investment Planning
Provides two major areas of investment planning: security analysis and portfolio management.
Upon completion of this course, you'll be able to:
- Examine financial markets; the concept of risk/return; modern portfolio theory that includes market efficiency and behavioral finance; integrate investor objectives and their risk tolerance; asset allocation decisions; and performance evaluation
- Examine security selection and timing of financial and real securities; selection and trading of common stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and exchange-traded funds; issues concerning macroeconomics, industry and sector analysis; alternate (qualitative and quantitative) methods of valuation; timing of buy/sell decisions portfolio hedging; and alternative investments
MSFP 615 Advanced Estate Management/Planned Giving
Presents an overview of basic gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer tax law and tax computation processes.
Upon completion of this course, you'll be able to:
- Discuss the ownership and taxation of transfers of property during a lifetime and at death in addition to marital, charitable giving, and life insurance planning
- Understand family business entity planning and buy/sell agreements
MSFP 631 Advanced Retirement Planning Issues
Examines current issues relevant to helping clients save for retirement savings and ensure adequate retirement income that lasts throughout a lifetime.
Upon completion of this course, you'll be able to:
- Focus on retirement savings issues, including the retirement savings crisis, determining retirement needs, motivating clients to save, and maximizing savings through tax strategies
- Address the issue of choosing an appropriate income strategy and also when to claim Social Security benefits
Learn From the Who's Who of Financial Planning
Timothy Belber
JD, AEP®
Adjunct Professor of Estate Planning
Charles E. Drimal Estate Planning Professorship
Sophia Duffy
JD, CPA, AEP®
Associate Professor of Business Planning and Program Director, Tax Planning Certified Professional™ (TPCP™) Program
Read Bio
Michael Finke
PhD, CFP®
Professor of Wealth Management, WMCP® Program Director, Director for the Granum Center for Financial Security, Frank M. Engle Distinguished Chair in Economic Security
Read Bio
Jason E. Heller
PhD, CFP®, CIMA®, MSFS, RICP®, ChFC®, CLU®, CAP®, CMFC®, AAMS®, CRPC®, CFS®, FSCP®, AWMA®, CRPS®, BCAA, AEP®, CFBS®, CDFA®, RMA®, CIS®, CAS®, CES®, AIF®, BFA™, APMA®, CFED®, ChSNC®, AFC®, WMCP®, LACP®, CPFA®, C(K)P®, AIFA®, CSRIC®
Adjunct Professor of Behavioral Finance in the MSFP® Program
Professor in the CLF® Program
Jim Petersen
PhD, MSM, MSFS, CFP®, CLF®, ChFC®, CLU®, CASL®, RICP®, WMCP®, CRPC®, CAP®, ChSNC®, AEP®, CPMBC, CPBC
Roger Hull/James S. Bingay Chair of Leadership, Chartered Leadership Fellow (CLF) Program Director
Kimberly Turner
PhD, MSFS, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, CAP®, AEP®, CLTC®
Adjunct Professor of Financial Planning
Read Bio
Jeffrey Hatchman
PhD, JD, MSM, MSFS, MBA, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, CASL®, RICP®, AEP®
Adjunct Professor of Estate Planning
Read Bio
Jodi G. Krausman
PhD, CPA, CFP®, PMP®
Assistant Professor and Program Director, Master of Science in Financial Planning
Read Bio
01 / 00
Timothy Belber
JD, AEP®
Adjunct Professor of Estate Planning
Charles E. Drimal Estate Planning Professorship
Sophia Duffy
JD, CPA, AEP®
Associate Professor of Business Planning and Program Director, Tax Planning Certified Professional™ (TPCP™) Program
Read Bio
Michael Finke
PhD, CFP®
Professor of Wealth Management, WMCP® Program Director, Director for the Granum Center for Financial Security, Frank M. Engle Distinguished Chair in Economic Security
Read Bio
Jason E. Heller
PhD, CFP®, CIMA®, MSFS, RICP®, ChFC®, CLU®, CAP®, CMFC®, AAMS®, CRPC®, CFS®, FSCP®, AWMA®, CRPS®, BCAA, AEP®, CFBS®, CDFA®, RMA®, CIS®, CAS®, CES®, AIF®, BFA™, APMA®, CFED®, ChSNC®, AFC®, WMCP®, LACP®, CPFA®, C(K)P®, AIFA®, CSRIC®
Adjunct Professor of Behavioral Finance in the MSFP® Program
Professor in the CLF® Program
Jim Petersen
PhD, MSM, MSFS, CFP®, CLF®, ChFC®, CLU®, CASL®, RICP®, WMCP®, CRPC®, CAP®, ChSNC®, AEP®, CPMBC, CPBC
Roger Hull/James S. Bingay Chair of Leadership, Chartered Leadership Fellow (CLF) Program Director
Kimberly Turner
PhD, MSFS, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, CAP®, AEP®, CLTC®
Adjunct Professor of Financial Planning
Read Bio
Jeffrey Hatchman
PhD, JD, MSM, MSFS, MBA, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, CASL®, RICP®, AEP®
Adjunct Professor of Estate Planning
Read Bio
Jodi G. Krausman
PhD, CPA, CFP®, PMP®
Assistant Professor and Program Director, Master of Science in Financial Planning
Read Bio
There’s Even More to Explore
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With a MSFP, you'll stand out with deep knowledge of financial planning’s practical, legal, and ethical aspects along with the wide application of its techniques and tools.
1 The American College of Financial Services Financial Security Consumer Study. 2022.
2 Study conducted online by the The Harris Poll and disseminated via intelliflo. March 2, 2022.
3 PwC HNW Investor Survey. 2022.