MSFP 557 Retirement Planning

This course covers retirement planning and employee benefits. Retirement planning addresses accumulation and distribution phases and covers the various types of retirement plans, including employer-provided retirement plans (pension, profit-sharing, stock bonus, ESOP, 401(k), 403(b), 457, SEP and SIMPLE plans as well as nonqualified deferred compensation and stock option plans), Social Security, and IRAs. Employee benefits covers medical plans, group term life and disability plans, cafeteria plans and flexible spending plans. This course explores the advantages and disadvantages of the various types of plans and provides the understanding and skills necessary to assess the costs and benefits of such plans from the perspective of clients, whether employers or employees. This highly participative course will help students evaluate client-specific goals, identify key issues, and recommend appropriate solutions.