- PlanPlus Draw Winner
- Shawn Brayman Wins Award
- PlanPlus Platinum
- CE Credits
- Web Advisor Update
- New Workbook
- Lunchtime Learning Series
- PlanPlus Website
- Upcoming Events
There have been many developments at PlanPlus since the release of our last newsletter. In this issue we bring you some exciting news, technological and training information, as well as our newest educational opportunities.
One of North America's premier financial innovation awards has been bestowed on PlanPlus President, Shawn Brayman. The Financial Frontiers Awards champion the most innovative thinkers and creators in Financial Services and are part of a world-wide competition sponsored by the US Journal of Financial Planning.
Competitors submit research papers that provide new ideas and practical solutions to help Financial Advisors and their clients. Shawn competed (and won the Silver Award!) with his research paper that introduces a new mathematical algorithm that allows Monte Carlo Simulation to be calculated in seconds and is more accurate than current methods. The paper is entitled "Beyond Monte Carlo Analysis: A Replacement for a Poor Practice".
Shawn's article will be published in the US Journal of Financial Planning in September. Shawn has been invited to present this research paper at the Financial Planning Association Conference, September 8-11 in Seattle, WA.
Watch for the availability of this new technology in a future release of the Web Advisor.
Winners were announced in the July 9th issue of FPA This Week. Congratulations Shawn on some truly ground-breaking research!
PlanPlus Platinum is a new level that will be offered to users beginning this month. PlanPlus Platinum is geared towards advisors who are serious about making the transition from transactional sales to a comprehensive advice agenda. We have teamed up with the Wealth Enhancement Academy to put together a package that will provide advisors with the tools needed in order to make the transition smooth and easy. PlanPlus Platinum includes the following components:
- PlanPlus Web Advisor Gold Level
- The Advice Transition Program (ATP) a 9 month training program
- FinaMetrica Risk Profiling System
Web Advisor Gold gives you the full comprehensive planning features from both our bronze and silvers levels but also enables you to upload client data from your back office directly into Web Advisor.
The Advice Transition Program is a unique practice development program designed specifically for financial advisors. The program is centered on assisting financial advisors to integrate client-centric financial advice into their everyday practice. The aim is to teach financial advisors how to enhance their wealth and the wealth of their clients through understanding, appreciation and full integration of 3 critical components, namely Process, Tools & Technology and Knowledge. The ATP Program is made up of four levels and consists of weekly homework and group coaching sessions. To find out more about the ATP Program Click Here.
The FinaMetrica Risk Profiler is an optional 25 question risk profiling system that current Web Advisor users may subscribe to at an additional cost. Go to http://www.riskprofiling.com to find out more about FinaMetrica.
Contact info@planplus.com to find out more about PlanPlus Platinum and to order your subscription.
PlanPlus now has great news for all Advisors who take advantage of our ELearning program.
The PlanPlus ELearning program has been approved by Advocis and any advisor completing this training program will earn up to 10.5 hours of CE Credits. The breakdown of general and technical CE Credits for each of our Training Tracks are as follows:
- Web Advisor Track 1 - Investment Management the Fundamentals (2 general credits)
- Web Advisor Track 2 - Life Planning the Fundamentals (2 general credits)
- Web Advisor Track 3 - Investment Management Advanced (1.5 general credits)
- Web Advisor Track 4 - Life Planning Advanced (2.25 technical credits)
- Web Advisor Track 5 - Integrated Financial Planning (1 technical credit)
- Web Advisor Track 6 - Calculators (1.75 general credits)
Credits for these training tracks are awarded based on quizzes that are administered for each ELearning module that is included in each training track. A minimum score of 60% must be achieved for each module within the track before credits are awarded as defined by Advocis.
Web Advisor Version 4.12 has now been released and is up and running for all users.
Several new features have been introduced and will be of interest to our general users. Upon request, the Integrated Planning Process Flow is now available to all users. This process flow includes a new Will information screen, Critical Illness Calculator and Long Term Care. Our new Integrated Financial Plan Document is a new comprehensive CFP compliant planning document that includes Estate Planning, Critical Illness and Long Term Care analysis as well as the regular components making up a Personal Financial Strategy.
Users can now access our new Estate Analysis Report and Will Information Screen along with several other new features.
Also included in Version 4.12 are several new features that will interest to Head Office Administrative personnel. Administrators now have the ability to set default levels using the Access Levels screen and access to e-learning modules by level can now be set via the e-learning modules listing screen.
Please review the Web Advisor 4.12 Release Notes for further information on this upgrade
The Web Advisor Workbook is a new feature that will be added to the Web Advisor training link by the beginning of September. We have taken our basic student workbook and have modified and expanded it to apply to all Web Advisor users in order to simplify the training process.
The Web Advisor Workbook is made up of two separate components. A questions workbook provides worked examples with screen shots to show users how the process works, and also includes exercise pages where users can test their skills. The answer workbook is where users can see how to do the process properly for the exercises.
The Web Advisor Workbook is comprehensible for users of different access levels and will also become a part of the PlanPlus for Students version. Professors can choose which access level and process flows are appropriate for their students.
We have received an overwhelming response to our Lunchtime Learning Series and have continued to run the webcast sessions throughout the summer.
Lynne Copithorn, VP Product Development would like to send a special thank you to all participants who took the time to fill out our follow-up questionnaires. Your ideas
and feedback are invaluable and have helped us in planning our fall lineup.
Congratulations to all winners of the Subway Sandwich gift certificates!
Check out our Lunchtime Learning Fall Schedule and register to reserve your space.
In order to make navigation easier, the PlanPlus website has been updated with a new "look and feel". Go to www.planplus.com and take a look.
PlanPlus will exhibit at FPA Seattle 2007 from September 8-11. If you are attending the conference come and visit us at booth #740. For more information on the FPA visit http://www.fpaannualconvention.org/ PlanPlus President Shawn Brayman will present his award winning Monte Carlo Analysis research paper on Monday, September 10 from 8:30-9:45 am.
Shawn Brayman will present PlanPlus Web Advisor to Desjardins Financial Security Investments Inc. at the Branch Manager's Forum which will be held at the Renaissance Toronto Hotel on September 13th. Shawn's presentation will take place from 1:30-2:30 pm.
PlanPlus will exhibit at the Worldsource National Conference in Collingwood, Ontario. If you are planning to attend, please be sure to stop by our booth and say hello. On Monday, September 17th at 1:30 pm Shawn Brayman will speak about PlanPlus Web Advisor - Taking your Practice to the Next Step. This half hour speed demo will aid advisors in learning about Web Advisor's new features that will benefit and add value their practice. The conference runs from September 16 - 18th.
Shawn Brayman will speak at the Institute of Advanced Financial Planners (IAFP) Symposium in Montreal from September 27-28. Shawn will speak about Future Trends in Financial Planning Business Models. For more information on the IAFP visit http://www.iafp.ca.
PlanPlus will exhibit at the NBF President's Convention in Quebec City from October 25-27, and from November 8-10 in Alberta.
