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CISI Investment Advice Diploma
CISI Financial Planning and Advice
Structured preparation for the CISI Level 4 Financial Planning and Advice unit, for exams from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027.
320 Practice Questions Detailed Study Notes Realistic Mock Exams
Course syllabus information reviewed for 2026. Always check the awarding body’s latest official syllabus and candidate updates before booking or sitting your exam.
Exactly what is included
- 5 mock exams × 80 questions · 320 unique questions · 400 total question slots · unlimited retakes
- Focus Learn · key areas, pitfalls, exam traps & key numbers
- Flashcards · fun, fast and effective recall
- Planning references, formulas and worked calculations
- Audio Learning · every chapter in audio
- AI Analyzer & Mentor · pinpoints your weak areas
- Study Mode Exams · learn while you train
- AI Chat trained specifically for this exam
- Community-polished data, improved every day
- Up-to-date, accuracy-checked content
AI Audio Summaries New
Listen to course modules on the go. Perfect for studying while driving or commuting.
🎧 Audio
* This is a chapter sample. All audio is available in the full version.
Prepare for CISI Financial Planning and Advice
Financial Planning and Advice is a Level 4 technical-unit option in the CISI Investment Advice Diploma. Candidates following this route combine it with the two IAD core units: UK Regulation and Professional Integrity, and Investment, Risk and Taxation. The same unit also combines with Investment, Risk and Taxation in the CISI Certificate in Paraplanning.
The syllabus moves from the financial-planning process and client analysis through protection, pensions, retirement-income strategies and the development, implementation and review of suitable recommendations. The course covers all five elements for exams from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027, with detailed teaching, recall cards, worked calculations, searchable references and a syllabus-grounded tutor. Four primary papers contain 320 original practice questions; a fifth paper combines an equal sample from each. Every paper has 80 questions in 120 minutes. The official pass mark is 70%, equivalent to 56 correct answers out of 80. Dated rule notes distinguish current requirements from future changes.
Key Benefits
Financial-planning pathway
Understand where this technical unit fits within the Investment Advice Diploma and Certificate in Paraplanning routes.
- ✓ IAD technical-unit option
- ✓ Certificate in Paraplanning unit
- ✓ Level 4 assessment
Official weighting plan
Allocate revision time using the nominal five-element distribution across 80 questions; official papers may vary by up to two per element.
- ✓ Retirement Planning: 24 questions
- ✓ Financial Protection: 19 questions
- ✓ Financial Planning: 17 questions
Advice from fact-find to review
Connect client analysis with protection, retirement solutions and the development of suitable recommendations.
- ✓ Client information and priorities
- ✓ Protection and retirement
- ✓ Implementation and review
Syllabus
Module 1: Financial Planning 21.25% syllabus weight
🎧 Audio
Planning fundamentals, professional relationships, client information, streamlined advice, financial analysis, priorities and existing arrangements.
- • Financial-planning process
- • Client information and analysis
- • Priorities and existing provision
Module 2: Financial Protection 23.75% syllabus weight
Protection needs, life assurance, income protection, critical illness, long-term care and the selection of appropriate solutions.
- • Protection planning
- • Life and health policies
- • Selecting suitable solutions
Module 3: Retirement Planning 30% syllabus weight
Pension provision, scheme taxation and regulation, DB and DC arrangements, State benefits and retirement-income choices.
- • Pension structures and taxation
- • Pensions law and regulation
- • Retirement benefits and income
Module 4: Retirement Solutions 15% syllabus weight
Advice before and after retirement, investment and drawdown strategies, sequencing risk, income sustainability and later-life needs.
- • Retirement objectives
- • Post-retirement investment
- • Income sustainability and risk
Module 5: Financial Planning Recommendations 10% syllabus weight
Developing, justifying, implementing, communicating and reviewing suitable client recommendations.
- • Developing recommendations
- • Implementation and communication
- • Reviewing the client's situation
Frequently Asked Questions
The Level 4 assessment contains 80 multiple-choice questions and lasts 120 minutes. Computer-based tests may include up to 10% additional unscored trial questions with proportionately more time.
The course is designed for exams from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027. Candidates sitting before 1 October should use the preceding official syllabus and its applicable updates.
It is one of three technical-unit options. The IAD route combines it with UK Regulation and Professional Integrity and Investment, Risk and Taxation.
Yes. The Certificate in Paraplanning combines Financial Planning and Advice with Investment, Risk and Taxation.
Retirement Planning carries 24 of the 80 questions, followed by Financial Protection with 19 and Financial Planning with 17.
Five chapters, recall cards, searchable references, worked calculations, an AI tutor and five full 80-question papers. The first four contain 320 original questions; the fifth mixes 20 from each. Five English chapter revision summaries are available in male and female voices.
Check CISI Candidate Updates for your exam date. The source and current-rule corrections were checked on 20 September 2026; examples identify the relevant dates and assumptions.
Yes! Test your knowledge and review detailed explanations with the free CISI Financial Planning and Advice Mock Exam Preview below. It contains 15 exam-style questions from one named syllabus topic; the full course provides complete mock exams and syllabus coverage.
Interactive preview
Free CISI Financial Planning and Advice Practice Questions & Exam Preview
Try 15 CISI Financial Planning and Advice practice questions from Retirement Planning
Practice CISI Financial Planning and Advice exam questions with answers and explanations. The full course includes 5 mock exams and complete syllabus coverage.
Exam Preview
Retirement Planning
Why does increasing longevity create a pension-policy challenge?
1 / 15
Flashcards
Card 1 of 10Financial Planning
Question
Why can a financial plan be useful without buying a financial product?
Tap to reveal answer
Focus Learn
- 1.1.1–1.1.3: planning purpose, FPSB sequence and plan components
- 1.2.1–1.2.2: permissions, engagement, ethics and competence
- 1.3.1–1.3.4: fact-finding, KYC, suitability and inconsistencies
- 1.4.1–1.4.2: streamlined advice and third-party evidence
- 1.5.1–1.5.4: financial status, scenario net worth, surplus and cash flow
- 1.6.1: agreed SMART priorities and investment objectives
- 1.7.1–1.7.5: gaps, performance, objectives, risk and tax review
Chapter 1: Financial Planning
1.1.1 — Purpose, roles and the continuing relationship
Financial planning connects present resources with future needs: budgeting, emergency liquidity, protection against illness and death, suitable investment, retirement and tax efficiency. It is a continuing process, while an individual piece of financial advice is a recommendation at a particular time. A useful plan may rearrange existing affairs without recommending any product. The planner remains responsible for the client relationship and delivery even when a paraplanner researches products, analyses information or drafts the document. The client supplies information, helps define priorities and makes informed decisions; agreed third-party responsibilities should be clear.
1.1.2 — The six-step FPSB cycle
Follow the sequence:…
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Who Is This For?
✓ Candidates selecting Financial Planning and Advice as their technical IAD unit
✓ Candidates combining this unit with Investment, Risk and Taxation for the Certificate in Paraplanning
✓ Financial advisers, paraplanners and retirement-planning professionals
✓ Practitioners who need Level 4 knowledge of protection, pensions and suitable client recommendations
CISI Financial Planning and Advice
Course Features
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CISI Financial Planning and Advice
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