The Case Approach to Financial Planning: Bridging the Gap between Theory and Practice, Fifth Edition, meets the demand for comprehensive and realistic financial planning analytical practice problems. The fifth edition has been comprehensively updated to meet this demand, with several new cases added in chapter fourteen.

With twenty up-to-date case studies, strategies to develop client-specific recommendations, and learning aids like access to a fully integrated Financial Planning Analysis Excel(tm) package, this is a must have for any aspiring financial planner. It provides the tools and foundation to learn by doing.

This title features:

• A content review of the major subject areas typically taught in a college-level financial planning curriculum
• A comprehensive review of important financial planning mathematical formulas and procedures
• A step-by-step guide to the preparation of a comprehensive personal financial plan
• Financial planning strategies that can be applied to a variety of clients and client circumstances
• Instructions on how to do calculations essential to creating a financial plan.

New in the Fifth Edition:

• New case studies, including a psychology of financial planning case study and a new case study on ethics and practice standards
• The latest tax figures and data, including a new section summarizing the time value of money calculations, including updated tax rates and standard deductions, pass-through deductions, qualified business income, and more
• Update on educational financing, including the latest figures for a gift tax exclusion and the latest on 529 plan contributions, the American Opportunity Credit, and the Lifetime Learning Credit
• The latest retirement plan figures, including retirement plan catch-up provisions and taxation of social security benefits
• Updated estate planning figures, including trust and estate ordinary income rates and capital gain tax rates
• A preview of possible changes to the Secure Act (Secure Act 2.0), including RMD and 401k plan proposals
• Analysis of the different types of business entities, including partnerships, LLCs, S-Corps, and C-Corps
• Discussion of risk and return, including inflation risk and market risk
• A new section on benchmarking, including the most widely used market indexes
• A new section personal automobile policies, including discussion of bodily injury and property damage liability

Topics Covered:

• The Financial Planning Process
• Financial Planning Computations
• Cash Flow and Net Worth Planning
• Income Tax Planning
• Life Insurance Planning
• Health Insurance Planning
• Disability Insurance Planning
• Long-Term Care Insurance Planning
• Property and Casualty Insurance Planning
• Education Planning
• Retirement Planning
• Estate Planning
• And More! See the "Table of Contents" section for a full list of topics