FPC009 Complex Financial Planning
Assignment 2 Instructions
Assignment 2 marks: 95 | Research and referencing marks: 5
Total marks: 100
Total word limit: 7,000 words
Weighting: 60%
Download and use the Assignment Answer Template provided in KapLearn to complete
your assignment.
Your assignment should be loaded into KapLearn by 11.30 pm AEST/AEDT on the
due date.
Refer to ‘Time remaining’ on the ‘Assignment’ page in KapLearn to ensure you submit
your assignment by the specified due date and time.
Mark allocation Marks
1 Research and referencing 5
2 Compliance 5
3 Executive summary/summary of recommendations 10
4 Present position/information about client 6
5 Financial objectives 6
6 Assumptions 2
7 Risk profile and asset allocation 6
8 Quality of advice and recommendations 35
9 Key risks 5
10 Ongoing service and review 5
11 Implementation schedule 5
12 Overall structure and presentation of SOA 10
Total marks 100
FPC009_AI2_v9 2 © Kaplan Higher Education
Assignment details
• This assignment covers all topics and accounts for 60% of your final grade.
• Following your analysis of the case study provided for clients Mike and Delilah Samson, you will be
equired to produce a statement of advice (SOA) that addresses their financial situation and goals
and objectives. You will be assessed on the quality of your advice and the way your SOA is compiled.
(While guidance tasks to assist you to complete the SOA are included in Part 2, you should not
submit any separate notes or analysis in relation to these. Your analysis and findings from
completing these tasks should be incorporated in your SOA.)
• There are three (3) parts to completing your assignment:
– Part 1: Instructions for completing the assignment
– Part 2: Developing the advice
– Part 3: The statement of advice.
• Your overall mark for this assignment will be rounded to the nearest whole number.
• Refer to the Mark allocation grid and Criteria-based Marking Guide for guidelines on the allocation
of marks and what is expected for each section. To assist you in satisfactorily completing the
assignment, five (5) ‘best interests’ guidance tasks have been incorporated. You should address all
five tasks when constructing your SOA.
• You may need to undertake research beyond the subject notes to complete this assignment. You
should conduct as much research as needed to give quality advice and fulfil your obligations as a
financial adviser.
• Use of financial planning/modelling software is permitted. See further details on the use of software
and industry calculators. Please note that excessive reliance on any licensee’s SOA template may be
considered a case of plagiarism or collaboration.
• Marks are awarded for assignment structure and referencing.
• Full workings must be shown for all calculations. Show all calculations in the text of your assignment
and not attached as an appendix. Only appendices specified in the assignment will be read.
• Indicative weightings are noted beside each question. Use these weightings to assist you with your
allocation of time and resources. The weightings indicate the relative importance of each question.
• State all assumptions used in providing your answer.
FPC009_AI2_v9 3 © Kaplan Higher Education
Policies
• The overall word limit for the assignment is 7,000 words. Marks will only be awarded for answers
up to the word limit (plus 10%) for each question. Any material written after this will not be
counted towards your mark for that question. Headings, quotes and references within the body of
the answer are included in the word count. Numerical tables, calculations, and reference lists are
not included. For more information on word counts and their rationale, go to Assessment �
Assignment � Assessment Preparation Guide.
• The Assessment Preparation Guide contains information about format and presentation, word limits,
citations and referencing, collusion, plagiarism and other policies, useful resources, submitting your
assignment and accessing your results.
• Answers are to be in your own words. Reference and cite all your sources (within the text of your
answer) when quoting or using material from external sources. Include a reference list at the end
of your assignment.
• Follow the Harvard referencing style as recommended in Kaplan Australia: Harvard Referencing
Guide located on the ‘Referencing and Research’ page in the ‘Build Your Skills’ hub in KapLearn.
• Requests for special consideration or information pertaining to special consideration written in the
ody of the assignment will not be considered by the assessor. Refer to the ‘special consideration’
section of the Assessment Policy on Kaplan’s website for more information.
Independent research
For some or all questions in this assignment, you will be required to complete independent research
eyond the provided materials. You will also be expected to analyse this research and use it to support
your own reasoned conclusions.
This includes:
• consideration of multiple sources beyond topic notes or other provided resources
• sources included are academically sound and credible
• analysing and understanding the argument or information the source presents
• using the material appropriately to directly support your conclusions.
Where significant independent research is required for a given question, it will be clearly indicated in the
question instructions and the Criteria-Based Marking Guide.
FPC009_AI2_v9 4 © Kaplan Higher Education
Assignment research and referencing (5 marks)
Your assignment should be presented in a clear and appropriate format, with all sources co
ectly
eferenced and cited.
You are required to:
• structure a clear response to each question, using headings if required
• number questions (including sub-questions) and pages
• use co
ect font style and size
• ensure tables or graphs are clearly labelled and readable
• clearly set out calculations or workings, where they are required
• adhere to the assignment word limit
• follow the Harvard referencing style as recommended in Kaplan Australia: Harvard Referencing Guide
(available from the ‘Build Your Skills’ hub in KapLearn) to cite sources throughout your assignment,
and provide a reference list at the end.
Criteria-Based Marking Guide for research and referencing
The Criteria-Based Marking Guide (CBMG) provided at the end of each question is designed to assist you to
understand what is expected of you in each question and to let you know how your performance will be
judged. It provides advice about the criteria used in the marking of the question and what discriminates
etween an excellent, satisfactory and unsatisfactory answer.
Excellent Satisfactory Unsatisfactory
1. Research and
eferencing
• clear and appropriate
assignment layout and
structure
• clear evidence of
independent research and
analysis throughout
assignment
• appropriate use of
eferencing
• accurate use of Harvard
eferencing style
• comprehensive reference
list provided at end
of assignment
• adequate assignment layout
and structure
• some evidence of
independent research and
analysis
• appropriate use of
eferencing
• use of Harvard referencing
style
• reference list provided at
end of assignment
• poor assignment layout and
structure
• assignment significantly
under or over the word limit
• no demonstrated
independent research or
analysis
• no use of references
• referencing does not use
Harvard referencing style
• no or inadequate reference
list provided at end
of assignment
(Range: 5 marks) (Range: 4–5 marks) (Range: 2.5–3.5 marks) (Range: 0–2 marks)
FPC009_AI2_v9 5 © Kaplan Higher Education
Part 1: Instructions for completing the assignment
The assessment
You will be assessed on your ability to analyse the quantitative and qualitative information given to you
about clients Mike and Delilah Samson, who are requiring financial planning advice, and to then produce a
statement of advice (SOA) in a form which complies with best interests duty obligations and the
‘safe ha
our’ advice elements described in section 961B(2) of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) and
ASIC Regulatory Guide RG 175 ‘Licensing: Financial product advisers — Conduct and disclosure’.
To develop the advice, you will need to prepare taxation and cash flow statements as well as a net worth
statement for the clients covering their cu
ent situation, in addition to their situation if they implement
your recommendations.
The assignment requirements
You should read the whole assignment first, so you understand the process you must follow, and the
outcomes required at each stage. Reading all sections will provide guidance on what is required.
Read the case study thoroughly so you understand the clients’ objectives, needs, values and attitudes.
Word count
The maximum word count for this assessment is 7,000 words. Your work should be clear, concise and
effective as required by Regulatory Guide 175 (RG 175). Your advice should be tailored to the needs of
these clients and their situation and should not include standard text i
elevant to their circumstances.
Research
You will likely have to refer to your internal resources or research websites in preparing your advice.
You will also have to research appropriate financial products that can meet the clients’ needs.
Use of your company’s resources
You may find it useful to use resources with which you are familiar. For instance, you may transfer the facts
of the case to a fact find document to assist with your analysis of the clients’ objectives, needs and financial
circumstances.
You may use proprietary software and/or reliable industry calculators for calculations and modelling.
If applicable, you may also use your company’s SOA template to assist in developing your SOA.
However, overuse of templated paragraphs that are not specifically relevant or tailored to the client’s
circumstances will be penalised. A SOA template has also been provided for you in the appendices of this
document. You may use these templates in your assignment answer template.
Alternatively, you can write your own SOA using spreadsheets for calculations and modelling;
however, note the comments above on word count. Again, as noted above, you are expected to tailor the
document to the needs of the clients.
FPC009_AI2_v9 6 © Kaplan Higher Education
Part 2: Developing the advice
Financial advisers must act in the best interests of their clients as described in section E of RG 175 and
under the FASEA Code of Ethics.
One way to demonstrate that you are acting in the clients’ best interests is to follow the steps of the
‘safe ha
our’, also described in RG 175.
The first five (5) guidance tasks set out below follow