FM Estate Planning — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What fiduciary duty applies to estate planning?
- Maximize the advisor's commission
- Act in the client's best interest with loyalty, care, and full disclosure (Correct answer)
- Recommend the most expensive products
- Follow the firm's sales targets above all
Correct answer: Act in the client's best interest with loyalty, care, and full disclosure
Fiduciary duty requires acting in the client's best interest with loyalty, care, and full disclosure of all material facts.
Question 2: How should risk be assessed in estate planning?
- Ignore risk for aggressive growth
- Evaluate risk tolerance, capacity, time horizon, and investment objectives systematically (Correct answer)
- Risk assessment is only needed for retirees
- Use a one-size-fits-all risk profile
Correct answer: Evaluate risk tolerance, capacity, time horizon, and investment objectives systematically
Comprehensive risk assessment considers tolerance, capacity, time horizon, and objectives to create appropriate strategies.
Question 3: What regulatory compliance requirement applies to estate planning?
- Regulations are optional for small practices
- Full compliance with all applicable federal, state, and industry regulations (Correct answer)
- Compliance is only needed for publicly traded companies
- Self-regulation is sufficient
Correct answer: Full compliance with all applicable federal, state, and industry regulations
Full regulatory compliance is mandatory regardless of practice size, ensuring market integrity and client protection.
Question 4: How should estate planning performance be reported to clients?
- Only report positive results
- Provide accurate, complete, and timely performance reporting with appropriate benchmarks (Correct answer)
- Reporting is only required annually
- Let clients check their own accounts
Correct answer: Provide accurate, complete, and timely performance reporting with appropriate benchmarks
Accurate, complete, and timely reporting with appropriate benchmarks enables informed decision-making by clients.
Question 5: What continuing education requirement supports estate planning competence?
- Initial licensure is sufficient
- Ongoing education in regulatory changes, market developments, and best practices (Correct answer)
- Education is only needed when seeking promotion
- Read financial news occasionally
Correct answer: Ongoing education in regulatory changes, market developments, and best practices
Financial markets, regulations, and best practices evolve constantly, requiring ongoing education for competent practice.
Question 6: How should conflicts of interest be managed in estate planning?
- Conflicts are unavoidable and need not be disclosed
- Identify, disclose, and mitigate all actual and potential conflicts of interest (Correct answer)
- Conflicts only matter in large transactions
- Self-assessment of conflicts is sufficient
Correct answer: Identify, disclose, and mitigate all actual and potential conflicts of interest
All actual and potential conflicts of interest must be identified, disclosed to clients, and mitigated to maintain trust and compliance.
