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IFS DipFA Coursework July 2016 A Five Point Guide to get you started…

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Ok, so you’ve looked at your Coursework questions…what next?

First thing is to try and get your head around the main report question.  You need to consider how to draft a business report aimed at the MD of a company that has almost no employee benefits and wants to introduce an Auto-Enrolment pension, plus other potential benefits.  Think about what do you want to know about, and also what do they need to know about?  The question is very helpful here as it lists several points of required information for you.

Second, think about the structure of the report.  Based on my experience, a lot of candidates struggle here.  The Executive Summary has thrown some people.  You can search online for a simple “how to” on this.

Here’s a link I found to a really helpful detailed explanation of what a good executive summary should look like.  

Then think about having a report title, some chapters (with chapter headings!), and work out what each chapter will cover.  Tidy up at the end with a neat summary.

Third think about references.  The referencing has been massively simplified by the IFS, and the new approach is a welcome change of direction, as it will help candidates focus on the actual work rather then spend hours trying to format a full academic bibliography.  But you still need references!  Best to think about this as you go along…

Fourth, think about technical knowledge.  What do you know about stakeholder pensions?  Auto-enrolment?  Employee Benefits?  Costs?  Tax implications for the employer?  Tax implications for the employee?  Bound to be some areas you don’t know much about – best get studying!

Five, when going on to the short answer questions, remember they do not need referencing, or long introductions.  Most short questions in the Coursework can be covered using bullet points or short sentences.  They are called short questions for a reason!

Need more help?

If you are looking for more help, you can consider the Futuretrend online DipFA Coursework course, which I am running, and / or also the IFS tutors as well if you are signed up for them.

Good Luck!

Paul Davis, BA (Hons), Cert. Mgmt (Open), Dip. PFS,

IFS DipFA Coursework (July 2015) – Baked Beans and Trains!

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IFS DipFA Coursework (July 2015) – Baked Beans and Trains!  

 In financial services, we often take normal everyday words and convert them into jargon.  So it is with Platforms, Wraps and Supermarkets.  It’s nothing to do with travelling by train or buying baked beans!  It has, of course, everything to do with advising retail clients on investment and pension solutions.

This is a very useful and relevant essay for candidates taking the current Coursework assessment with the IFS, as the platforms, wraps and supermarket investment approach is now the norm for many adviser firms and their clients.

What are they?  The FCA has a useful definition for you;

“…online services, used by intermediaries (and sometimes consumers directly) to view and administer their investment portfolios…”

You are asked to explain what these are for the readers of an accountancy practice’s quarterly magazine.

It’s really an essay!

As always with the Coursework, this is really an essay set at QCF Level 4, which is roughly the equivalent of an essay required during the first year of a degree course.

However, it is not enough just to know what these things are!  You will have to make the essay read-able, with a solid structure and avoid over-emphasis on client-unfriendly jargon.  As will all Level 4 study, you need to show the examiner that you understand the products and can apply that knowledge in order to demonstrate understanding.

Start Your Research!

There is a lot of potential research available.  You could do worse than start by actually checking through the IFS Study Folders which has some information on platforms, as well as different types of investments and the tax treatments of such.  There is a huge amount of online research available – maybe start by checking the Money Advice website and searching for ‘platforms’; or by looking into one of the many online investment platforms that advertise widely, such as Hargreaves Lansdown, or Transact.  (These are just examples and there are many more!).

Need more help and guidance?
Anyone looking for additional help in this area can sign up for our  DipFA Coursework distance learning course

IFS DipFA Coursework due in May – Pension Freedoms

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Pension Changes – This is a great essay question!
This is a fantastic bit of Coursework to get your teeth into!  This is very much a current issue in the retail financial services world.
Most students will be aware of the changes to the pension rules, which have already started and are due to come into effect fully in April 2015.  This question tests your knowledge of the new rules by asking you to describe the new rules for a hypothetical article in an Accountant’s quarterly magazine.
It’s really an essay!
As always with the Coursework, this is really an essay set at QCF Level 4, which is roughly the equivalent of an essay required during the first year of a degree course.
However, it is not enough just to know the new rules!  You will have to make the essay read-able, with a solid structure and avoid over-emphasis on client-unfriendly jargon.  As will all Level 4 study, you need to show the examiner that you understand the rules and can apply them in order to demonstrate understanding.
Start Your Research!
There is of course a huge amount of potential research available.  Ensure your research is properly recorded using the required referencing technique.  Explanation of the rules could focus, amongst other areas, on a comparison of the new vs. old rules; tax rules and implications; client needs and objectives; and so on.  The IFS Study Topic folders are a good starting place for any-one starting from scratch or needing to revise a specific area.  Always be critical, and I don’t mean negative!  Always look at the pros and cons.  The questions itself focusses on higher net worth clients, so particular attention is required for that client group.
Need more help and guidance?
Anyone looking for additional help in this area can sign up for our  distance learning course

 

IFS DipFA Coursework (Due 30/01/15)

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IFS DipFA Coursework (Due 30/01/15)

Some pointers…

The IFS Coursework consists mainly of a 4,000 word essay.  The essay is marked according to QCF level 4 relevant academic standards (equivalent to the first year of a degree course).  As part of this, a bibliography meeting the required academic format is mandatory.  There are also three additional short questions on other topics.

The Coursework due for the end of January 2015 focuses on employee benefits.  You are writing a briefing for a company that is considering introducing more employee benefits.

Your essay could consider what such benefits are, the pros and cons of such benefits, and the tax treatment of such.

In preparation for one of our courses, the IFS Study Folders contain an excellent starting point for research on why and how the UK taxation regime operates, plus technical guidance and knowledge around specific potential benefits.  Further reading and research is also required as part of this assignment.

It is essential for students to understand the referencing and bibliography requirements, and focus on a solid and thought-out structure.

Further support can be found by booking attendance at the Lewis Davis Course on 5th December in Central London; or via the Futuretrend Distance Learning Course.

Paul Davis, BA (Hons), Cert Mgmt, Dip. PFS, Futuretrend Tutor.

IFS DipFA Coursework (Due 01/08/14)

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IFS DipFA Coursework (Due 01/08/14)

Some pointers…

The IFS Coursework consists mainly of a 4,000 word essay.  The essay is marked according to QCF level 4 relevant academic standards (equivalent to the first year of a degree course).  As part of this, a bibliography meeting the required academic format is mandatory.  There are also three additional short questions on other topics.

The Coursework due for the beginning of August focuses on the use of property investments, covering the types of investment available, the tax treatment of such investments, and the potential for such investment by High Net Worth clients.

As investment into Property is popular amongst investors in the UK, this is an important area, and thus the IFS have provided students with a relevant topic for this submission.

In preparation for one of our courses, the IFS Study Folders contain an excellent starting point for research on why and how the UK taxation regime operates, and the effects on higher earners.  By combining this information with relevant product and investment theory knowledge that shows the reader the pros and cons of such investments, students will make a start to providing a well researched essay.  Further reading and research is also required as part of this assignment.

It is essential for students to understand the referencing and bibliography requirements, and focus on a solid and thought-out structure.

Further support can be found by booking attendance at one of Futuretrend’s DipFA courses, either via the remote support option or one-to-one tuition.

Paul Davis, Dip. PFS, Futuretrend Tutor.

IFS DipFA Coursework (Due 02/05/14)

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Some pointers…

The IFS Level 4 Diploma for Financial Advisers (DipFA®) Coursework due for the beginning of May focuses on the opportunities for tax efficient financial advice available for higher earners.

This is an important area for any existing or aspiring Investment Adviser, and thus the IFS have provided students with a highly relevant topic for this submission.

In preparation for one of our courses, the IFS Study Folders contain an excellent starting point for research on why and how the UK taxation regime operates, and the effects on higher earners.  By combining this knowledge with relevant product knowledge that shows the reader how to legitimately mitigate and reduce tax liabilities, students will go a long way to providing a well researched essay.

It is essential for students to understand the referencing and bibliography requirements, and focus on a good, solid structure.

Further support can be found by booking attendance at one of Futuretrend’sDipFA courses, via the remote support option.

Paul Davis, Dip. PFS, Futuretrend Tutor.

IFS DipFA Coursework (Due 01/03/13)

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IFS DipFA Coursework (Due 01/03/13)

Some pointers…

The Coursework due for the beginning of March has taken a topical regulatory issue from the last couple of years, that is, the assessment of risk that involved in saving and investing, and the assessment of the level of risk a client is able or chooses to take.

As such, there is actually a wide range of material out there for enterprising students to discover and read.  This is an important area for any existing or aspiring Investment Adviser, and thus the IFS have provided students with a highly relevant topic for this submission.

This blog summarises some of the key background research students will need to consider for this Coursework, and some pointers about specific parts of the IFS DipFA Study Folders that students may find useful to review and refresh themselves of in addition to other study – this blog is not a comprehensive guide to the Coursework but should get you started.

In preparation for one of our courses, some specific areas to consider for further study are;

  • Investments Topic 7 on Risk
  • Investment Topic 13 on Assessing Performance
  • Investments Topic 14 on Advice

 

Additionally, the FSA have issued guidance on this subject in the last couple of years and students would do well to be aware of the Regulators thinking in this area.

 

This is most definitely not a comprehensive list, and of course don’t forget, the Coursework submitted must be a comprehensive and concise piece of work that fully covers this area.  There are also the three additional questions to cover.

Further support can be found by booking attendance at one of Futuretrend’s DipFA courses, or on the remote support option.

Paul Davis, Dip. PFS, Futuretrend Tutor.

It’s been quite a while!

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Yes. It’s been a while since our last blog.
This always happens at this time of the year.
The new academic year means new syllabuses.
New courses added to the portfolio.
New material to be written.
New trainers to induct.
And so we have had our hands completely full.
Pressure is beginning to ease so you can expect that normal blogging duty will resume soon.

New things to look out for…

CeMAP 2012/13 Academic year material now completed. So for those looking to do CeMAP distance learning can rest assured we will only be sending them current material.

DipFA Coursework and FactFind Training has been going very well. We’ve been closely monitoring the success rates of our students and can only recollect a few that have not passed! We have our new tutor , Paul, to thank for that! He really cares about the students and provides them with a lot of aftercare support. The rave reviews he has been getting are extremely well deserved.

Stocks, Shares and Investments courses and our Day Trading Forex programme has been running smoothly under the management of Umar. He has brought a very practical slant to the courses and his post course mentoring is just first class. It’s no wonder people are queueing up to join his classes.

We’ve also been working hard on a Business Analysis course which is scheduled to kick off October 28th. For this we have recruited the services of a very senior Business Analyst at Amazon. We get so many Software Testing Analysts looking for a career progression route…and for most – this is it!

Our Software Testing Essentials course has had some new additions to it. We’ve added an extra day on to the course thereby incorporating Test automation into the programme.

We now have beginners to advanced WordPress courses ranging from the basics (using WordPress.com) to intermediate and advanced levels using wordpress.org and all the benefits of flexibility to looking at how to build your own themes and understanding the php code that allows you to customise your wordpress site even more.

We are also trialling the ACA qualification for those looking to gain Adobe accreditation in either Photoshop or Dreamweaver.
A goal for the Adobe Certified Associate certification is to address the real world, entry-level skill expectations for web communication, rich media communication, and visual communication.

This certification is a credential that validates entry-level skills needed to plan, design, build, and maintain effective communications by using different forms of digital media.

The qualification is open to anyone who takes our Adobe Photoshop Next Step Course and Adobe Dreamweaver Next Step course.

So as you can see there’s lot’s to look forward to at Futuretrend this academic year.

An approach to doing DipFA coursework assignment…that really doesn’t work!

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When we sign up for qualifications like DipFA which take about 9 months to complete we have every intention of getting stuck in, working our hardest to get through it in flying colours and progress on to a career as a financial advisor. However, life and it’s various curveballs get in the way and somehow, despite our best intentions reality can be very different from how we pictured it.

Last minute Larry labours over his courseworkStage One – 12 weeks from deadlin

I have just received my coursework from the IFS. A massive manual to read! I flicked through a few pages… interesting? – not! Anyway I have plenty of time to get this assignment done. I’m back to back with office work at the moment. I really don’t need to worry about it.

Stage Two – 8 Weeks from deadline

Hmmm, maybe I should get started on my paper, but not right now. I just don’t feel like reading that boring manual right now. I have so little time to myself. I’ll get started later. I don’t need to worry.

Stage Three – 4 Weeks from deadline

Wow, I didn’t realize that this assignment was due so soon. I’m just going to finish watching Eastenders and then I’ll get started on reading that huuuge manual… but then…ah, there’s also Jason’s party happening. Well, one needs a social life too! I’ll start reading the manual tomorrow. I’ve still got time.

Stage Four – 2 Weeks from deadline

I have read the manual twice now. There are still many things I don’t understand but I don’t need to worry about it. I’ve written a few paragraphs. I still have plenty of time to get the work done, especially if I burn the midnight oil in the next few days. Who needs sleep anyway? I spent most of my time propping up the student union bar whilst at Uni but still got a 2.1 I’ll be fine.

Stage Five – A few days before deadline

OMG… I have so much work to do! Why didn’t I do this earlier? All I want to do is go to sleep, but I’m never going to get all of this work done. This is ridiculous; why does the IFS DipFA Coursework require us to produce so much information and yet there’s so little time to get it done?

Stage Six – Right after deadline

I cannot believe I got all that work done. I will never ever, ever, ever procrastinate again. That was not worth all that stress, and now I’m so tired I’m not sure I even did a good job on that paper. Next time I’m going to get started right away. I will be a better student.

Stage Seven – Two months later

I’ve just received my DipFA Factfind exam material. I’ll get started later. I have plenty of time anyway; the exam is not due for four more weeks.

Restart stage one.

If you are taking the DipFa qualification we hope this person doesn’t resemble you. Working in a frenzied and hurried fashion at the last minute is not the best approach for scoring maximum points. Ultimately, it could mean a fail and the possibility of having to do it again. and that’s a scenario best avoided.