Certified College Planning Specialist (CCPS)

What is a Certified College Planning Specialist (CCPS)?
A Certified College Planning Specialist is a financial professional who has demonstrated the skills necessary to assist families in preparing for the financial cost of sending children to college. The CCPS is trained to identify the most economically advantageous methods to save and pay for college.
Each applicant must meet one of the following requirements to enter the CCPS certification program.

Professional certification/designation (CFP, RFC, ChFC, CLU, CEP, CPA, etc.), or
Professional financial licensing (securities, insurance, any state financial license, etc.), or
A combination of education and experience deemed satisfactory by the NICCP Advisory Council.
 
Who Needs A Certified College Planning Specialist?
Approximately 13 million families could use the help of a CCPS.

Consider these facts:

The average yearly cost of a public university is $16,000
The average yearly cost of a private college is $32,000
The average yearly cost of an elite private college is $48,000

These college costs are generally paid for with after-tax dollars, which means that the IRS gets their percentage before the college gets their tuition payment. In the 28% tax bracket you must actually earn $18,655 to pay the public university $12,500. Remember that this is ONE years cost for ONE child.
 
What is the CCPS Designation?
The Certified College Planner Specialist (CCPS) is a professional designation focused exclusively on college financial planning and is awarded to those financial advisors who can meet the high standards of education, experience, and professionalism that are required of all its members.
 
How do CCPS designees demonstrate their professional capabilities?
By satisfying the rigorous requirements of the comprehensive CCPS examination, which covers a wide range of relevant subject matter encompassing the following modules:

I. Paying for College

Financial aid overview
Student resources, grants, scholarships
Work-study
College loans
Alternative loans
College admission issues
Advanced financial aid topics (EFC worksheet, Federal vs. Institutional Formulas, etc.)

II. Saving for College

Section 529 qualified tuition programs
Coverdell education savings accounts
UGMA/UTMA
Roth and traditional IRAs
Savings bonds
Life insurance
Tax efficient mutual funds
Real estate
Associated financial planning considerations

III. Advanced College Funding Strategies

Academic strategies
Hope and Lifetime Learning Credits
Parent and child tax planning opportunities, implications, and tax capacity
Coordinating investment contributions and withdrawals
Cash flow & creative borrowing strategies
Funding college and retirement at the same time
Parent and grandparent estate planning considerations
Middle and upper income family issues
Affluent family issues