Global Financial Planning Courses

GFP Essentials Course

Master the essentials of global financial planning to confidently guide clients in today’s complex international landscape.

What you’ll learn:

Cross-border financial planning basics
U.S. and international tax compliance
Tax and immigration essentials
Retirement and estate planning abroad
Managing global investments
Real-world case applications

Course Description

Due to ongoing uncertainty in various political, regulatory, and economic environments, affluent individuals and families across the world are turning their attention to diversification not only through investment migration but also through where they purposefully choose to live and conduct business in order to protect their lifestyles and preserve wealth for future generations.

The Global Financial Planning Essentials certificate program covers the fundamental principles and strategies of international financial planning. It aims to equip financial professionals with the essential knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the complexities of cross-border financial planning.

Developed by the Global Financial Planning Institute and powered by the Investments & Wealth Institute, the curriculum combines a best-in-class learning experience with practical takeaways that can be applied immediately to add value for individuals and families across the globe.

Curriculum

3 modules
14h 5m of total content
3 quizes
Intro to International and Cross-Border Planning
45 mins
  • Introduction to International and Cross-Boarder Planning
  • Types of Expats
  • Challenges, Fact-Finding, Reporting Financial Information
  • The U.S. Financial System, Taxation Considerations, and Foreign Exchange
  • Transition Phases
  • Regulations, Licensing, and Business Models
  • Service Providers and Identifying Referring Opportunities
Quiz 1: Global Financial Planning Essentials
5 mins

Test your knowledge and reinforce key concepts with an interactive quiz. Answer the questions to ensure you're ready to move on to the next module.

Tax and Immigration Planning
30 mins
  • Tax and Immigration Planning
  • Second Residences and Second Citizenships
  • Residency and Citizen Tax-Based Systems
  • Residency for Income and Estate Tax Systems
  • Income Sourcing
  • Passive Foreign Investments Companies (PFICs)
  • The HEART Act
  • Tax Compliance, Tax Treaties, and Tax Reporting
Quiz 2: Financial Planning Essentials
5 mins

Test your knowledge and reinforce key concepts with an interactive quiz. Answer the questions to ensure you're ready to move on to the next module.

Investments, Retirement, and Other Planning Considerations
25 mins
  • Cross-Border Banking and Credit Issues
  • Foreign Estate Strategies
  • Social Security Planning Considerations
  • Multi-Country Portfolio Considerations
  • Cross-Border Retirement Account Transfer Issues
  • Global Education Planning
  • Case Studies
Quiz 3: Financial Planning Essentials
5 mins

Test your knowledge and reinforce key concepts with an interactive quiz. Answer the questions to ensure you're ready to move on to the next module.

Certificate Program Survey
2 mins

Earn a professional certificate upon completing the course, demonstrating your expertise and commitment to advancing your skills. This certification serves as a formal acknowledgment of your achievement and knowledge in the subject matter.

Instructors

Ashley Murphy, CFP® GFP (USA) Fellow

Ashley Murphy is the founder and Principal of Arete Wealth Strategists Australia, a fee-only, Minnesota Registered Investment Advisory. Arete Wealth Strategists Australia provides financial planning and investment management for Americans in Australia and Australians in America. Ashley is also the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Global Financial Planning Institute.

His interest in cross-border financial advisory work comes from being a tri-citizen of the USA, Australia and the UK. Ashley was a Knowledge Circle host for the International and Cross-Border Knowledge Circle with the FPA from 2017-2019 and is a regular conference speaker. He is a CFP® in the United States and holds a Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning in Australia.

David Lesperance

David Lesperance is one of the world’s leading international tax and immigration advisors. He has co-authored, with an LSE Professor Emeritus, a key book on the impact of the movement of the Wealthy on the countries they leave and to which they move. David’s personal interest in these areas of law grew from his experience working as Canadian immigration and customs officer while studying law.

Since being called to the bar in 1990, he has established his expertise with major law firms, his own law firm and as a private consultant. David has successfully advised scores of high net-worth families in residence/citizenship and domicile strategies to protect family wealth and well-being. These "Back-Up Plans" are both tax efficient and liveable in meeting the needs and preferences of all family members. This planning is influenced by his having relocated his own family three times. David is supported by a team of professionals, some of whom have worked with him since the early 1990s.

Raoul Rodriguez, CFP®

As a fiduciary, Raoul specializes in working with individuals and families who enjoy international lifestyles. He also provides integrated planning and strategies for growing and protecting wealth, including tax and estate planning, risk management and retirement planning.

Prior to joining Mariner Wealth Advisors, Raoul was a wealth manager at Congress Asset Management, where he supervised the Miami office and was responsible for 75 client households. Before that, he worked as a director for Pinnacle Advisory Group, leading Miami operations and serving as a member of the management team.

Raoul has a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Science in Financial Planning from the College of Financial Planning.

Marina Hernandez, CFP® EA

Marina Hernandez CFP® EA is an Argentine and Spanish citizen by birth and a US citizen by choice.

In 2009 she founded MHTax, a tax preparation firm, to provide tax advisory services to US immigrant and US expat families, and in April 2020 she co-founded Swiss American Wealth Advisors, a Pennsylvania Benefit Company providing fiduciary, fee-only wealth management services within the Dynamic Wealth Advisors network.

Marina believes that quality education is the great equalizer. Her firm’s public benefit purpose is therefore centered on improving access to quality education for underprivileged children and on providing free tax education to US immigrants and expats.

Mel Warshaw, J.D., L.L.M. (Tax)

Melvin A. Warshaw has nearly 40 years of experience as an estate planning and tax lawyer. He currently represents U. S. and non-U. S. families and companies on a wide range of personal and business tax matters, including cross-border income and estate tax planning, corporate and partnership tax issues, S corporations, and income taxation of trusts and estates.

Mr. Warshaw began his legal career in the Office of the General Counsel at the Internal Revenue Service National Office in Washington, D.C. He was a partner of McDermott Will & Emery’s Private Client Department. He also served as a senior wealth advisor in JP Morgan Private Bank’s. He was also former general counsel to a large national brokerage.

Mr. Warshaw received an L.L.M. (Tax) from Georgetown University Law Center. He received a J.D. from St. Louis University School of Law and he received a B.A. cum laude from the University of Rochester.

COMING EARLY 2025

The Global Financial Planning Advanced Course

Expand on the key lessons from the GFP Essentials Course to take your cross-boarder firm to new heights. Sign up to get email updates on the courses release.

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