Master of Science in Financial Planning and Taxation

Edward S. Ageno School of Business

This innovative degree is designed for financial planners who have already passed the CFP® examination and who wish to reinforce key planning skills, increase their expertise in the critical areas of taxation or estate planning, and add the academic weight of a graduate certificate and a master's degree to their professional credentials. Partnering with the nationally-known GGU School of Tax, Golden Gate's financial planning program permits you to build on your CFP® background and move directly into advanced study in the field. This degree program is particularly well-suited for new or more experienced planners who aim to take their careers to a higher level.

The work of the financial planner is best viewed through a "quality of life" lens: how can one assist one's clients in achieving their life goals, in realizing their dreams? There are important technical issues to be addressed-What risk management tools are best suited for my client? What asset allocation provides the desired balance of investment risk and return?-but many of the critical questions have to do with the kind of life the client envisions, and how the client's emotional and psychological predispositions facilitate or obstruct (or both) the development of successful financial plans. Thus,

It is the overarching objective of the Master's degree in Financial Planning & Taxation at Golden Gate University to ensure that our graduates have both the technical skills and the relationship skills to create and deliver financial strategies that will support their clients' progress towards their most important life goals.

Students entering this program have already passed the Certified Financial Planner™ examination, so financial planning program objectives that relate to the CFP® exam are replaced by objectives that reflect the more advanced and specialized nature of this degree. According to these objectives, graduates of the program will

• Be qualified for more senior financial planning positions that require special competence in tax planning or estate planning.
• Be familiar with the application of federal and state tax codes to issues associated with personal financial planning; or will have acquired the tools necessary to be able to advise clients on how to formulate, implement, and revise estate plans.
• Our graduates will display the interpersonal skills necessary to maintain successful client relationships and to work effectively with colleagues, individually or in teams. In addition, they will
• Be familiar with the process of eliciting financial goals in the client interview process, identifying existing and/or potential issues in reaching those goals and then communicating recommendations to clients in written and oral format.
• Be aware of theories regarding the emotional and psychological traits that may affect the success of clients' financial strategies.
• Have begun to develop tools and techniques to assist clients in working through psychological barriers to successful plan implementation.
• Be able to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with clients and colleagues.
• Our students will develop the quantitative, analytical, and technical skills needed to address complex financial situations. They will
• Possess the basic quantitative skills of data collection, analysis, optimization, implementation and monitoring of a personal financial plan.
• Be able to identify the appropriate mathematical computations required in order to properly analyze a given financial planning issue.
• Be able to identify and analyze the impact of external socio-political-economic issues to a personal financial plan.
• Be familiar with the use of appropriate computer applications, including industry-specific software programs.
• Our graduates will be exposed to real-world applications of financial planning principles and practices via case studies and/or internships.
• Complex, integrative cases will be used to further students' understanding of the interrelationships among the various quantitative and qualitative elements of effective planning.
• Our graduates will be familiar with the principles of managing a financial planning practice. They will be knowledgeable about
• The profitability, cost structures and growth metrics of building a financial planning practice.
• The various fee and compensation structures of alternative financial planning practices.
• The technology and tools available to financial planning professionals.
• Quality control measures that they may employ in the management of their practices
• Our graduates will understand the legal and regulatory environment in which financial planning occurs and be familiar with relevant licensing, reporting, and compliance requirements.
• Our graduates will be able to recognize the ethical dilemmas that may arise in financial planning practice and will be familiar with appropriate responses to those dilemmas.

The MS in Financial Planning and Taxation (MS-FP&T) is a 10-course degree built around the Graduate Certificate in Taxation or the Graduate Certificate in Estate Planning, depending on your concentration (see the University catalog for more information about these certificates). The degree requires completion of 30 units of advanced program coursework, with a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 (B) or better in courses taken at Golden Gate. Courses carry three semester units of credit unless otherwise noted. All course prerequisites must be satisfied prior to enrolling in a given course; prerequisites are indicated in the section "Course Descriptions." Applicants to this program must possess an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university and have passed the Certified Financial Planner™ examination at the time of admission. No foundation courses are required for this degree; passage of the CFP® exam provides adequate evidence of appropriate preparation for advanced study in financial planning and taxation.

ADVANCED PROGRAM - 30 units

Core Requirements - 12 units
Required Financial Planning Courses (6 units)
· FI 430 Business Development in Financial Services
· FI 434 Cases in Financial Planning

Required Tax Courses (6 units)
· TA 318 Advanced Federal Income Taxation
· TA 329 Tax Research and Decision Making

CONCENTRATION IN TAXATION

Required Tax Courses (6 units)
· TA 330 Property Transactions
· TA 338 Tax Timing

Tax Electives (3 units)
Any course with a TA prefix

Finance Electives (6 units)
· FI 318 Venture Capital and Start-Up Financing
· FI 344 Fundamental Analysis of Securities
· FI 350 Portfolio Management
· FI 352 Technical Analysis of Securities
· FI 360 Behavioral Finance
· FI 428 Business Valuation
· FI 450 Practicum in Financial Planning
· FI 460 Real Estate
· FI 463 Real Estate Finance and Investment
· FI 497 Internship
· FI 498 A-ZZ Selected Topics in Finance
· FI 499 Directed Study in Finance
Any other FI courses for which the prerequisites have been satisfied.

General Electives (3 units)
Any 300- or 400-level course

CONCENTRATION IN ESTATE PLANNING

Required Tax Courses (12 units)
· TA 325 Estate and Gift Taxation
· TA 334 Estate Planning
· TA 337 Individual Retirement Plans and Distributions
· TA 344 Federal Income Taxation of Trusts and Estates

Finance Electives(6 units)
Two courses form the following list:
· FI 318 Venture Capital and Start-Up Financing
· FI 344 Fundamental Analysis of Securities
· FI 350 Portfolio Management
· FI 352 Technical Analysis of Securities
· FI 360 Behavioral Finance
· FI 428 Business Valuation
· FI 450 Practicum in Financial Planning
· FI 460 Real Estate
· FI 463 Real Estate Finance and Investment
· FI 497 Internship
· FI 498 A-ZZ Selected Topics in Finance
· FI 499 Directed Study in Finance
Any other FI courses for which the prerequisites have been satisfied.