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What will you learn about?

  • Section 1: Investment Fundamentals
    • Financial Asset Classes
    • Risk
    • Return
    • Risk and Return Trade-Off
    • Money Market Instruments
    • Fixed Income Instruments
    • Equity
    • Mutual Funds

  • Section 2 – Personal Taxation Fundamentals
    • Introduction to Personal Tax Planning
    • Calculating Total Income
    • Maximizing Deductions
    • Calculating Income Taxes
    • Deferred Income Plans

What is the course syllabus?

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Chapter 1 - Financial Asset Classes

Topics covered in this chapter are:

  • Money Market Asset Classes
  • Fixed-income Capital Market Asset Classes
  • Equity Instruments
  • Rights and Warrants
  • Options, Futures and Forward Contracts
  • Mutual Funds
  • Other Investment Funds
  • Real Estate
  • Collectibles
  • Precious Metals
  • Basic Investment Attributes of the Various Asset Classes

Chapter 2 - Risk

Topics covered in this chapter are:

  • Sources of Risk
  • Measures of Risk
  • Interpretation of the Standard Deviation
  • Stand-Alone Risk versus Portfolio Risk of an Asset

Chapter 3 - Return

Topics covered in this chapter are:

  • Accounting Rate of Return
  • Calculating Investment Rates of Return
  • Bond Yields
  • Stock Yields
  • Mutual Funds Yields

Chapter 4 - Risk and Return Trade-off

Topics covered in this chapter are:

  • Relationship between Risk and Return
  • Expected Return-Variance (E-V) Rule
  • Ratios

Chapter 5 - Money Market Instruments

Topics covered in this chapter are:

  • Treasury Bills (T-bills)
  • Bankers’ Acceptances (BAs)
  • Commercial Paper

Chapter 6 - Fixed Income Instruments

Topics covered in this chapter are:

  • Bond Registration and Trading
  • Bonds Issuers
  • Characteristics of Bonds
  • Rights and Privileges of Bonds
  • Valuation of Bonds
  • Bond Yields
  • Elements of Bond Risk
  • Elements of Expected Bond Yields
  • Risk and Bond Rating Agencies
  • Duration
  • Bond Mutual Funds
  • Mortgage-backed Securities (MBS)
  • Preferred Shares

Chapter 7 - Equity

Topics covered in this chapter are:

  • Equities
  • Common Shares
  • Classification of Common Shares Companies
  • Valuation of Common Stock
  • Yield Measures for Common Stock
  • Stock Indices
  • Tax Implications
  • TFSA, RRSP and RRIF Eligibility
  • Purchasing Securities
  • Cash versus Margin Accounts
  • Equity Mutual Funds

Chapter 8 - Mutual Funds

Topics covered in this chapter are:

  • Definition of Mutual Funds
  • Closed-end and Open-end Mutual Funds
  • Advantages of Investing in Mutual Funds
  • Types of Mutual Funds in Canada
  • Fees and Expenses in Mutual Funds
  • Taxation Implications of Mutual Funds for Individuals

Chapter 9 - Introduction to Personal Tax Planning

Topics covered in this chapter are:

  • Tax Planning
  • Ethics and the Financial Planner’s Role
  • Canadian Federal Income Tax
  • Provincial Income Tax
  • Legislation and Availability of Interpretive Sources
  • Canadian Individual Income Tax Return

Chapter 10 - Calculating Total Income

Topics covered in this chapter are:

  • Employment Income
  • Business Income
  • Investment Income
  • Capital Cost Allowance (CCA)
  • Capital Gains
  • Miscellaneous Income

Chapter 11 - Maximizing Deductions

Topics covered in this chapter are:

  • Computing Net Income for Tax Purposes
  • Deductions
  • Computing Taxable Income for Individuals
  • Other Deductions

Chapter 12 - Calculating Income Taxes

Topics covered in this chapter are:

  • Overall Tax Calculation
  • Federal and Quebec Taxes
  • Effective and Marginal Tax Rates
  • Tax Deductions and Tax Credits
  • Non-Refundable Tax Credits
  • Refundable Tax Credits

Chapter 13 - Deferred Income Plans

Topics covered in this chapter are:

  • Registered Pension Plans (RPPs)
  • Pooled Registered Pension Plan (PRPP)
  • Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs)
  • Registered Retirement Income Funds (RRIFs)
  • Individual Pension Plans (IPPs)
  • Retirement Compensation Arrangements (RCAs)
  • Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans (SERPs)
  • Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs)
  • Registered Disability Savings Plans (RDSPs)
  • Tax Free Savings Accounts (TFSAs)
  • Deferred Profit Sharing Plan (DPSP)

How will you learn?

CSI’s online learning system helps you meet your study goals. You’ll benefit from:

  • Textbook readings available in PDF and printed format
  • Learning objectives that keep you focused
  • End of chapter activities including review questions to help you reinforce your learning and identify topics that may need to be revisited during exam preparation
  • Two self-assessments and practice questions so that you can assess your progress
  • Online assistance from CSI’s academic support specialists