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Personal Financial Planning

A Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. Registered Program

Accelerated Option

This intensive in-depth format provides a client-centered, problem-solving methodology that includes case studies, giving you a hands-on approach to the material. Students in this program should have some experience working with clients.

This program consists of 7 courses and is hosted live on the UC Irvine campus. Each course consists of 4 full-day classroom meetings (2 Saturdays & Sundays) from 8:00am-5:00pm. Weekday online coursework is assigned and an online exam is administered the 3rd weekend.

Career Insight

Occupational summary for Accountants and Auditors in the U.S. Source: Lightcast™ 2022

1.4M
Annual Job Openings
(2021)
7.8%
Projected Growth
(2021-2031)
$129k
Salary for Highly Experienced Professionals
(Median Salary $78k)

Requirements

  • Participants must have 3 years of experience in the investment, banking, insurance, or financial planning business, or 3 years of experience as a CPA, Attorney at Law, CLU, or ChFC and should have some experience working with clients.
  • Participants are required to participate in online sessions, attend every class session, complete all assignments and the final exam, passing each course with a grade of “C” or better.
  • A series 7 license is highly recommended.

Schedule

Check back soon for 2024 dates.

Application & Enrollment Procedures

  1. Submit application and resume.
    • Apply Online
      Login or create a new student account to submit the Personal Financial Planning Application with the non-refundable $125 application fee.
      Accelerated Application
    • Submit Resume
      Send your resume via email to the Records Office at dce-records@uci.edu.
  2. Acceptance Notification
    Students will receive an email confirmation from the DCE-Finance Programs (FinancePrograms@ce.uci.edu) of acceptance into the program.
  3. Payment and Enrollment
    Once accepted into the program, students will receive an email with instructions on how to register and pay for the program. After payment is received, UCI DCE Student Affairs and Student Services will enroll students into individual courses and send a confirmation via email.

Program Fee

The program fee is $4,980. There are two options for payment: pay in full at the time of enrollment, or with a payment plan of two equal installments upon enrollment and throughout the quarter. For questions regarding the payment plan, or to register using the payment plan, please refer to the Payment Plan Info Sheet below, and contact Student Affairs & Student Services at dce-services@uci.edu.

Payment Plan Info Sheet

Textbooks & Parking Permits

Textbooks and Parking Permits are not included in the Program Fee. Textbooks are approximately $150 each (not including tax and shipping/handling). A list of textbooks will be provided to enrolled students. Parking permits can be purchased through UCI Transportation and Distribution Services.

Instructors

Survey of Personal Financial Planning and Investment Planning
Brian Chang, CFA®, CFP®, is a Wealth Manager at Creative Planning with nearly a decade of experience in the financial services industry. He works directly with clients to develop and implement comprehensive financial plans to address their goals and most complex financial needs. Brian specializes in the areas of retirement planning, investment management, tax planning, estate planning, risk management, and charitable planning. As a frequent speaker at national chamber of commerce conferences, Brian has a passion for financial education.

Insurance Planning
Ryan Hook, CFP®, serves as a Wealth Manager for Creative Planning, Inc., working directly with clients to develop a cohesive strategy to help meet their most complex goals and financial needs. Creative Planning provides comprehensive wealth management services to its clients including investment management, tax, estate planning, retirement plan consulting, business succession planning, liability and risk management, college planning, and charitable giving. Prior to joining Creative Planning, Ryan worked in impact investing as the National Product Manager for TriLinc Global Impact Fund. Before that, he was Vice President, Senior Investment Officer at a local Registered Investment Advisor. Throughout his 13-year career, he has gained extensive experience in comprehensive wealth management for high net worth and normal net worth clients. Ryan started his career at MetLife Investors.

Retirement Planning
Jeffrey Nelson, CFP® has held several roles serving high net worth clients in the financial services industry, notably as a relationship manager, wealth management advisor, and more recently, team management. Jeff leverages his acquired skillset as he engages with clients in comprehensive wealth planning, following a diligent financial planning process, which he believes is the backbone of serving clients’ best interests and achieving their goals and objectives. Jeff has mentored several new advisors as they begin their career. He has a passion for helping others obtain knowledge in financial planning on their journey to becoming a CFP® Professional and enriching their career and the lives of those they serve.

Tax Planning
Marc Spiegel, M.S.(TAX), CFP®, is a branch manager with FSC Securities Corporation. He has over 26 years of experience helping retirees, business owners, and families reduce income and estate taxes. Prior to developing his own practice, he held positions at the Washington D.C. office of Deloitte & Touche and the L.A. office of PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Estate Planning
Eric Raines, J.D., is a local attorney who specializes in estate planning and administration. His practice centers on serving high net worth clients. Eric received his law degree from Yale Law School. While at Yale, he served as a Senior Editor and Internet Editor for the Yale Law and Policy Review. Prior to establishing Law Office of Eric M. Raines, he spent five years as an associate for Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP. In 1999, Eric founded All Students Academic Partnership, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to tutoring and mentoring at-risk students.

Financial Planning Practicum
Robert H. Mauldin II, CFP®, is a financial advisor at Citi Personal Wealth Management. He has worked in Finance for the last 18 years advising clients on financial strategies. He is experienced in taking multifaceted concepts, pulling from multiple disciplines, then communicating those concepts to be understood in a variety of learning styles.

Career Advancement Network (CAN)

We are proud to provide our certificate students and alumni with newly enhanced career services that include one-on-one coaching, technology tools, webinars and workshops, networking events, mentorship/internship opportunities, and a rich collection of free online career resources. Learn more.