Tax Planning

Tax Planning delves into current tax code concepts, issues, and regulations and the resulting consequences and liabilities to a financial planner's clients. The course explores the structure of the code as it pertains to the taxation of individuals, their businesses, partnerships, trusts, and other legal entities.

The course walks students through personal income tax calculations and the ramifications of taxable transactions. Students work through practical scenarios including calculating taxable income, exclusions and deductions, depreciation and amortization schedules, the alternative minimum tax, and real estate and business sales and exchanges.

The course explores tax management techniques such as excluding income, deferring income, shifting income, and managing or timing income.

Students will develop tax planning strategies to manage tax liability and to accumulate assets while minimizing tax consequences. Taxation is studied as it relates to each of the key areas of financial planning: insurance, investments, retirement planning, employee benefits, and estate planning.

Students will integrate a client's financial goals and objectives into a well developed tax strategy within the context of a comprehensive financial plan.