CII
Level 4
QN: 500/1822/X
Curriculum Active
CII Level 4 Diploma in Financial Planning
Official qualification regulated by Ofqual, awarded by CII. Classified as a Vocationally-Related Qualification.
Qualification Level
Level 4
Awarding Body
CII
Syllabus Units
16 Units
Guided Hours
Flexible
Instant access to interactive lessons, quizzes, and spaced revision.
Course Syllabus & Study Modules
Complete breakdown of verified curriculum topics and learning objectives.
1
CII Level 4 Diploma in Financial Planning
Discretionary investment management
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Understand how to establish and meet client objectives., Understand the behaviour, performance, risk profile and correlation of key investment types., Understand the role of the investment manager., Understand discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management., Understand investment fund objectives and approaches., Understand the fundamentals of economics applicable to investment management., Understand how investment returns are related to investment risk., Understand the principles and limitations of portfolio theory., Understand indices and performance measurement., Understand data and regression., Understand the principles of basic financial mathematics., Understand accounts and their interpretation., Understand information sources and disclosure obligations and bias thereof., Apply the principles of performance measurement and portfolio theory., Analyse, interpret and compare financial information and financial ratios.
2
CII Level 4 Diploma in Financial Planning
Financial planning practice
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Obtain appropriate client information and understand clients' needs, wants, values and risk profile essential to the financial planning process., Synthesise the range of client information, subjective factors and indicators to provide the basis for financial planning assumptions and decisions., Analyse a client's situation and the advantages and disadvantages of appropriate options., Formulate suitable financial plans for action and explain and justify recommendations., Implement, review and maintain financial plans to achieve the client's objectives and adapt to changes in circumstances.
3
CII Level 4 Diploma in Financial Planning
Financial services, regulation and ethics
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Understand the UK financial services industry in its European and global context., Understand how the retail consumer is served by the financial services industry., Understand legal concepts and considerations relevant to financial advice., Understand the regulation of financial services., Understand the financial regulators' responsibilities and approach to regulation., Apply the principles and rules as set out in the regulatory framework., Apply the regulatory advice framework in practice for the consumer., Understand the range of skills required when advising clients., Understand the financial regulators' use of principles and outcomes based regulation to promote ethical and fair outcomes., Apply the Code of Ethics and professional standards to business behaviours of individuals., Critically evaluate the outcomes that distinguish between ethical and compliance driven behaviours.
4
CII Level 4 Diploma in Financial Planning
Investment principles and risk
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Analyse the characteristics, inherent risks, behaviour and correlation of asset classes., Understand the macro-economic environment and its impact on asset classes., Understand the merits and limitations of the main investment theories., Apply the principles of the time value of money., Analyse and explain the nature and impact of the main types of risk on investment performance., Analyse the characteristics, inherent risks, behaviours and relevant tax considerations of investment products., Apply the investment advice process., Understand the principles of investment planning., Analyse the performance of investments.
5
CII Level 4 Diploma in Financial Planning
Investment principles, markets and environment
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Understand the economic environment for investment, Understand how to assess investment performance, Understand the main types and characteristics of direct financial investments, Understand the main types of collective investments and their uses, Understand the risks and returns from making other investments, Understand how to interpret company accounts for investment, Understand the main principles of portfolio construction, Understand the management of investment risk, Understand the process of asset allocation and the role of the investment manager, Understand the range of investment management services available to investors
6
CII Level 4 Diploma in Financial Planning
Paraplanning
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Explain the regulatory, legal andethical frameworks of paraplanning., Evaluate the customer’s personalcircumstances., Analyse the financial position of theclient and provide potential solutions.
7
CII Level 4 Diploma in Financial Planning
Pension funding options
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Understand current key pension accumulation issues, Understand the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) tax regime for pensions with particular reference to accumulation of retirement funds, Understand the legacy issues arising from the regimes operating before 6 April 2006, Understand the State retirement benefits available, including the risks and suitability of contracting out of the State Second Pension, Understand the legal framework for pensions, Understand the features of defined contribution pension schemes, Understand the features of defined benefit pension schemes, Understand the choices faced by early leavers and the use of transfer value analysis, Understand the impact of divorce on pension provision
8
CII Level 4 Diploma in Financial Planning
Pension income options
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Understand the rules that apply to retirement benefits at the date that they are crystallised, Understand in detail the features, tax treatment and risks of the secured pension option, Understand in detail the features, risks and tax treatment of the unsecured pension available up to age 75, Understand in detail the features, risks and tax treatment of phased retirement up to age 75, Understand in detail the features, risks and tax treatment of the alternatively secured pension available at age 75, Understand the use of the critical yield in advising on Pension Fund Withdrawal and its implications for investment, Understand the benefits available when an investor is in ill health, Understand the State retirement benefits available, Understand the function of regular client reviews
9
CII Level 4 Diploma in Financial Planning
Pensions and retirement planning
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Assess the suitability of a SIPP versus an occupational DC scheme for a given client scenario.
- Calculate the annual allowance charge for a high earner with tapered allowance.
- Recommend a phased retirement strategy using flexible drawdown to minimise tax liability.
- Critique the impact of the lifetime allowance abolition on retirement planning.
- Formulate a retirement income withdrawal plan incorporating sequencing risk.
10
CII Level 4 Diploma in Financial Planning
Personal tax
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Analyse the application of income tax rates and allowances to different income sources.
- Calculate National Insurance contributions for employed and self-employed individuals.
- Evaluate capital gains tax liabilities on disposal of assets, including available reliefs.
- Determine the tax treatment of common investment vehicles such as ISAs, OEICs, and bonds.
- Apply inheritance tax rules to estate planning scenarios, including the use of exemptions and the nil-rate band.
- Assess the impact of residence and domicile on an individual’s liability to UK tax.
11
CII Level 4 Diploma in Financial Planning
Personal taxation
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Calculate income tax liabilities for individuals, including savings and dividend income.
- Evaluate the tax implications of different investment wrappers such as ISAs and pensions.
- Differentiate between the tax treatment of onshore and offshore bonds.
- Apply the annual exemption and other reliefs to capital gains tax calculations.
- Assess the inheritance tax implications of gifts and transfers.
- Interpret the operation of the personal savings allowance and dividend allowance.
12
CII Level 4 Diploma in Financial Planning
Supervision in a regulated environment
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Evaluate the characteristics and role of a supervisor within a regulated financial services context.
- Analyse the impact of employment legislation on performance management and termination processes.
- Compare different leadership and behavioural models appropriate for supervisory roles.
- Apply effective communication methods to supervisory scenarios.
- Examine the legal and regulatory aspects of selection and recruitment.
- Explain how learning takes place and its relevance to staff development.
- Assess the coaching, counselling, and assessing processes and their respective roles.
- Interpret the role of compliance in the sales process and its impact on supervisory practice.
13
CII Level 4 Diploma in Financial Planning
The tax and legal aspects of business
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Differentiate between the legal forms of business in the UK, including sole traders, partnerships, and limited companies.
- Interpret business accounts to assess financial performance and position for different legal structures.
- Evaluate internal and external financing options available to businesses.
- Calculate tax liabilities for businesses, applying relevant income tax, corporation tax, capital gains tax, and VAT rules.
- Assess the legal obligations of businesses under employment law.
- Recommend appropriate business protection insurance, such as key person, share protection, and partnership insurance, based on client circumstances.
14
CII Level 4 Diploma in Financial Planning
Trusts
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Explain the creation and key components of a trust including the roles of settlor, trustee, and beneficiary.
- Analyse the taxation implications of different types of trusts.
- Evaluate the suitability of placing life assurance policies and pension benefits in trust for estate planning.
- Apply the rules governing trust investment and administration to client scenarios.
- Assess the impact of powers of attorney, wills, intestacy, and bankruptcy on trust arrangements.
- Recommend regular review procedures for trusts to ensure ongoing suitability.
15
CII Level 4 Diploma in Financial Planning
Wrap and platform services
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Evaluate the functional benefits and limitations of platform services in delivering integrated financial planning solutions.
- Analyse the legal responsibilities and liabilities arising from platform service agreements and client engagement.
- Compare and contrast different platform pricing structures, including fee-based, commission-based, and hybrid models, and their impact on client outcomes.
- Critically examine the FCA’s regulatory framework for platforms, including PROD rules, MiFID II requirements, and the Consumer Duty, and their practical implications.
- Determine client suitability for platform services through comprehensive fact-finding, risk profiling, and assessment of financial objectives.
- Evaluate the corporate wrap platform offering for workplace pensions, executive benefits, and employee engagement, considering employer and employee perspectives.
- Design a due diligence process for selecting and monitoring platform providers in accordance with regulatory standards.
16
Discretionary investment management
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Understand how to establish and meet client objectives.
- Understand the behaviour, performance, risk profile and correlation of key investment types.
- Understand the role of the investment manager.
- Understand discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management.
- Understand investment fund objectives and approaches.
- Understand the fundamentals of economics applicable to investment management.
- Understand how investment returns are related to investment risk.
- Understand the principles and limitations of portfolio theory.
- Understand indices and performance measurement.
- Understand data and regression.
- Understand the principles of basic financial mathematics.
- Understand accounts and their interpretation.
- Understand information sources and disclosure obligations and bias thereof.
- Apply the principles of performance measurement and portfolio theory.
- interpret and compare financial information and financial ratios.
17
Financial planning practice
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Establish the adviser/client relationship
- Establish client aims, objectives and risk profile, Conduct a fact-find
- Analyse client data, Formulate the financial plan and make recommendations
- Monitor client circumstances
18
Financial services, regulation and ethics
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Understand the UK financial services industry in its European and global context.
- Understand how the retail consumer is served by the financial services industry.
- Understand legal concepts and considerations relevant to financial advice.
- Understand the regulation of financial services.
- Understand the financial regulators' responsibilities and approach to regulation.
- Apply the principles and rules as set out in the regulatory frame
- Apply the regulatory advice frame
- work in practice for the consumer.
- Understand the range of skills required when advising clients.
- Understand the financial regulators' use of principles and outcomes based regulation to promote ethical and fair outcomes.
- Apply the Code of Ethics and professional standards to business behaviours of individuals.
- Critically evaluate the outcomes that distinguish between ethical and compliance driven behaviours.
19
Investment principles and risk
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Analyse the characteristics, inherent risks, behaviour and correlation of asset classes.
- Understand the macro-economic environment and its impact on asset classes.
- Understand the merits and limitations of the main investment theories.
- Apply the principles of the time value of money.
- Analyse and explain the nature and impact of the main types of risk on investment performance.
- Analyse the characteristics, inherent risks, behaviours and relevant tax considerations of investment products.
- Apply the investment advice process.
- Understand the principles of investment planning.
- Analyse the performance of investments.
20
Investment principles, markets and environment
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Understand the economic environment for investment
- Understand how to assess investment performance
- Understand the main types and characteristics of direct financial investments
- Understand the main types of collective investments and their uses
- Understand the risks and returns from making other investments
- Understand how to interpret company accounts for investment
- Understand the main principles of portfolio construction
- Understand the management of investment risk
- Understand the process of asset allocation and the role of the investment manager
- Understand the range of investment management services available to investors
21
Paraplanning
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Explain the regulatory, legal andethical frameworks of paraplanning.
- Evaluate the customer’s personalcircumstances.
- Analyse the financial position of theclient and provide potential solutions.
22
Pension funding options
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Understand current key pension accumulation issues
- Understand the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) tax regime for pensions with particular reference to accumulation of retirement funds
- Understand the legacy issues arising from the regimes operating before 6 April 2006
- Understand the State retirement benefits available, including the risks and suitability of contracting out of the State Second Pension
- Understand the legal frame
- work for pensions
- Understand the features of defined contribution pension schemes
- Understand the features of defined benefit pension schemes
- Understand the choices faced by early leavers and the use of transfer value analysis
- Understand the impact of divorce on pension provision
23
Pension income options
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Understand the rules that apply to retirement benefits at the date that they are crystallised
- Understand in detail the features, tax treatment and risks of the secured pension option
- Understand in detail the features, risks and tax treatment of the unsecured pension available up to age 75
- Understand in detail the features, risks and tax treatment of phased retirement up to age 75
- Understand in detail the features, risks and tax treatment of the alternatively secured pension available at age 75
- Understand the use of the critical yield in advising on Pension Fund Withdrawal and its implications for investment
- Understand the benefits available when an investor is in ill health
- Understand the State retirement benefits available
- Understand the function of regular client reviews
24
Pensions and retirement planning
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Understand the political, economic and social environment factors which provide the context for pensions planning.
- Understand how the HMRC tax regime applies to pensions planning.
- Understand the relevant aspects of pensions law and regulation to pensions planning.
- Understand the structure, characteristics and application of Defined Benefit (DB) schemes to an individual’s pension planning.
- Analyse the range of Defined Contribution (DC) scheme options as they apply to an individual’s pension planning.
- Analyse the options and factors to consider for drawing pension benefits.
- Understand the structure, relevance and application of the State schemes to an individual’s pension planning.
- Evaluate the aims and objectives of retirement planning including the relevant investment issues.
25
Personal tax
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Understand the basic structure of the tax system and self-assessment
- Understand when and how Income Tax is applied to different types of income
- Understand when and how National Insurance contributions apply to employed and self-employed income
- Understand when and how Capital Gains Tax (CGT) applies to an individual’s gains
- Understand the tax treatment of different kinds of investments
- Understand when and how Inheritance Tax (IHT) applies
- Understand the impact of an individual’s residence and domicile status on liability to UK tax
26
Personal taxation
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Understand the UK tax system as relevant to the needs and circumstances of individuals and trusts.
- Analyse the taxation of investments as relevant to the needs and circumstances of individuals and trusts.
- Analyse the role and relevance of tax in the financial affairs of individuals and trusts.
- Apply the knowledge of personal taxation to the provision of investment advice.
27
Supervision in a regulated environment
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Understand the characteristics and role of a supervisor
- Understand relevant legislation in connection with employment, performance management and termination of employment
- Understand different leadership and behavioural models
- Understand how communication is made effective and be able to describe a range of communication methods
- Understand the legal and regulatory aspects of selection and recruitment
- Understand how learning takes place
- Understand the coaching, counselling and assessing processes and the roles within them
- Understand the role of compliance in the sales process
- Understand the setting and measuring of objectives
- Understand management information and quality standards
28
The tax and legal aspects of business
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Understand the main legal forms of business in the UK
- Understand the main principles of business accounting and the interpretation of accounts for each of the main legal forms of business
- Understand the main internal and external options for financing a business
- Understand the principles and application of the following taxes in the business context
- Understand the impact of employment law on business
- Understand the main principles of business protection insurance, including key person insurance, share protection insurance and partnership protection insurance
29
Trusts
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Understand the structure of a trust and the roles of the settlor, trustees and beneficiaries
- Understand how trusts are created, the rules that govern them and their main uses
- Understand the rules covering the investment of trust assets and the administration of trusts
- Understand the consequences of giving a power of attorney or an enduring power of attorney
- Understand the consequences of making a will or of dying intestate
- Understand the bankruptcy rules and the role of the trustee in bankruptcy
- Understand how trusts are subject to tax
- Understand how life assurance policies and certain pension benefits can be placed in trust, and the tax and other implications
- Understand the need to review trusts regularly
30
Wrap and platform services
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Assess the use of platforms inproviding financial services
- Explain the legal issues specific tousing platform services
- Assess the range of economic modelsfor platforms
- Explain the specific regulatory issuesimpacting upon platform services
- Assess the suitability of platforms inmeeting client requirements
- Explain the corporate wrap platformproposition for pensions and otherfinancial products and services
Regulatory & Verification Details
- Qualification Number (QN)
- 500/1822/X
- Regulated Status
- Available to learners
- Awarding Body
- CII
- Qualification Type
- Vocationally-Related Qualification
- Operational Start
- May 2007