Business Succession Planning Certificate
Best For
Professionals seeking succession planning expertise to serve their clients.
Timing
< 9 Months
Format
Your tuition includes all required self-study materials, access to convenient online learning tools, and your examination.
100% Virtual
Tuition
Starting at
$2,050/course
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Ensure You’re Prepared
Serve Those Like You
Learn proven tax-efficient strategies to assist business owners with selling or transferring their nonfinancial assets.
Grow Tax Planning Skills
Tax planning is integral to most parts of financial planning — gain critical insights for the rest of your career.
Expand Your Services
Business owners have specialized needs. See how you can gear your practice toward serving them better.
Explore the MSFP Program
Enhance Your Career with Business Planning Skills
Take your expertise to the next level by stacking your Business Succession Planning Certificate with other certificates to earn your Master of Science in Financial Planning (MSFP). Each certificate earns you nine credit hours toward your MSFP!
Program Overview
Admissions Requirements
There are no prerequisite courses required to begin the Business Succession Planning Certificate. To earn the Business Succession Planning Certificate, you must:
1. Successfully complete three courses and receive a minimum grade of 80%
2. Agree to comply with The American College Code of Ethics and Procedures
What You'll Learn
Selling a business can be an emotionally and physically demanding experience. A business owner may choose to sell their business beyond retirement for many reasons. Gain the specialized knowledge needed to help business owners make important decisions relating to the sale or transfer of their business.
Your learning outcomes include the following:
- The "language of business" accounting and how to analyze financial statements
- Ownership and taxation of transfers of property during lifetime and at death
- Family business entity planning and buy-sell agreements
- How to facilitate business succession planning objectives through charitable transfers
Course Delivery
The learning format for graduate certificate programs like the Business Succession Planning Certificate is 100% online, with guided study and synchronous components including live weekly classes and weekly homework required. Learners must complete all three courses within the program to earn the certificate. Each class is eight weeks long, with the ability for students to complete the certificate program in under nine months.
- Expert Instruction: Learn from nationally-recognized academics, researchers, and practitioners
- All-Online Resources: All-virtual lessons organized in sequential units and supported by short videos, knowledge checks, quizzes, and case studies.
- Grading: Earn a final course grade of 80% or higher to pass, and quizzes count toward your final grades.
- Stackable Learning: Earn your standalone certificate or use it as part of your journey toward your MSFP degree!
Business Owners Need Your Assistance
72%
Of business owners do not have a completed, written succession plan.1
>4.5M
Small business applications submitted to U.S. government each year, on average.2
50%
Of new businesses fail within five years of startup, reflecting need for qualified advisors.3
Enroll Now If:
Tuition Overview
Single Courses
Starting at $2,050
Full Program
$5,227.50
Single Courses - Starting at $2,050
Individual courses can be purchased for $2,050 each. To complete the full program, students must complete three courses:
- MSFP 589 Fin Statement Analysis and Small Business Valuation — This course examines a broad set of business finance skills and concepts to help serve small and family business clients.
- MSFP 615 Advanced Estate Mgmt. and Planned Giving — This course is an advanced gift and estate planning course which presents an overview of the basics.
- MSFP 543 Business Succession Strategies — This course covers advanced topics in business succession planning and includes a comprehensive case study.
Full Program - $5,227.50
Tuition for all three courses in the Business Succession Planning Certificate Program can be purchased at once for $5,535 (a $615 tuition reduction from paying course by course!). If you’re a College designee, enjoy even bigger savings by enrolling in the full program for only $5,227.50 (a $922.50 tuition reduction!). The full program includes the following three courses:
- MSFP 589 Fin Statement Analysis and Small Business Valuation — This course examines a broad set of business finance skills and concepts to help serve small and family business clients.
- MSFP 615 Advanced Estate Mgmt. and Planned Giving — This course is an advanced gift and estate planning course which presents an overview of the basics.
- MSFP 543 Business Succession Strategies — This course covers advanced topics in business succession planning and includes a comprehensive case study.
A Powerful Partnership
Driving Better Outcomes With RISR
We’re partnering with RISR, a leading business owner engagement platform for financial professionals, to deliver you enhanced business succession planning insights and access to cutting-edge customer service technology!
Learn from the Leaders in Business Succession Planning
There’s Even More to Explore
Take Your Next Step
Browse all our certificates programs
Explore the MSFP
Discover what you could learn with a full graduate degree
Expand Your Opportunities
Browse our designation and certification programs
Take the Next Step
With the Business Succession Planning Certificate, you’ll ensure your team has the advanced know-how to respond to the complex and specialized needs of business owners.
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1 MassMutual. The Right Business Successor: Key to Retirement. 2022.
2 U.S. Census Bureau. 2025.
3 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2025.