CRPC Exam Questions with Complete
Solutions56
Diversification - ANSWERS-Acquiring assets with low or negative correlations to each other with
the goal of lowering overall risk
Correlation - ANSWERS-- a relative measure of the degree to which the returns of two assets
move together
- range from +1.0 to -1.0
- in practice negative correlations are rare
- the further a correlation is from +1.0, the more diversified
Asset allocation - ANSWERS-- the apportioning of available funds among a number of asset
classes in a way that meets the needs of a particular client, dampens the effects of periodic
market fluctuations, and meets investment goals
Four steps in the asset allocation process - ANSWERS-1) select asset classes to be represented
2) determine the percentage that each asset class should represent in the total portfolio
3) Select individual securities
4) Review and rebalance
Strategic Asset Allocation - ANSWERS-- determine asset mix that provides optimal balance of
expected risk and ROR
- asset classes selected and % weight determined
- Used to develop long-term allocation policy
- utilizes rebalancing to maintain targeted weight
,Tactical Asset Allocation - ANSWERS-- used to develop short term strategies to exploit changes
in market conditions
- ofter viewed as a contrarian strategy
- periodic revisions of asset mix; moving funds from over valued investments to undervalued
investments
- market timing strategy
Core-Satellite asset allocation - ANSWERS-70-80% invested in broad index fund or etfs
- remaining satellite consists of actively managed MF's in niches such as sector funds or alt
investments like hedge funds
Contrarian Strategy - ANSWERS-
Dollar-Cost averaging - ANSWERS-- investing regular amounts at regular intervals
- reduce market timing risk, improve cost per share
Low P/E strategy - ANSWERS-Ratio of 1= fair value
Ratio > 1= overvalued
Ratio < 1= undervalued
** The long-term average P/E for stocks is 16
Bond Investment strategies (2) - ANSWERS-1) Ladder: Owning equal amounts of bonds along
with maturities of equal intervals; ex. 50k of bonds with 10k each in 2,4,6,8,10 year maturities
2) Barbell: Owning short-term and long-term bonds, each with a ladder; ex. 100k of bonds with
10k each in 1,2,3,4,5 year maturities and in 16,17,18,19,20 year maturities
,Systematic Risk - ANSWERS-P-purchasing power risk
R- reinvestment risk
I- interest rate risk
M- market risk
E- exchange rate risk
Social Security- Fully insured - ANSWERS-- having 10 years of employment covered by social
security; expressed as "40 quarters of coverage"
- Must be fully insured for retirement benefits
- fully insured workers are also eligible for disability if he has earned at least 20 work credits in
last 10 years
Social Security- currently insured - ANSWERS-- individual must has at least 6 quarters of
coverage in the 13-quarter period proceeding the event for which eligibility is sought
- child's benefit, mother/fathers benefits, and lump-sum death benefit are available if a worker
is only currently insured at death
Components of SS calculation - ANSWERS-- age he starts
- earnings history
SS calculation before full retirement age - ANSWERS-- Payment reduced by 5/9th of 1% for each
month filed before FRA, up to 36 months
- Payment is reduced by 5/12ths of 1% for each month filed early in excess of 36 months
SS calculation after full retirement age - ANSWERS-- Payment increases by about 8% each year
they delay, until maximum year 70
- actual math is 2/3 for each month
, Social Security milestones - ANSWERS-Ages
50: disabled survivors can start receiving benefits
60: nondisabled survivors can start receiving
62: earliest one can start receiving benefits at reduced rate
65-67: FRA, depending on birth year
70: delayed retirement age
Social Security income cap - ANSWERS-$15,720
- Those who are under FRA and working will lose $1 SS benefit for every $2 they earn above
$15,720
- At FRA it is reduced to $1 for every $3 earned
After FRA there is no reduction
Max provisional income for SS - ANSWERS-Single or head of househouse:
Tax-free if provisional income is less than 25k
Filing jointly:
Tax free if provisional income is less than 32k
Provisional income - ANSWERS-Provisional income=AGI(excluding SS) +Nontaxable
interest(muni bonds) + 1/2(SS benefit)
Single provisional income SS taxable % - ANSWERS-25k-34k: 50%
34k+: 85%
Jointly provisional income SS taxable % - ANSWERS-32k-44k: 50%
44k+:85%
Solutions56
Diversification - ANSWERS-Acquiring assets with low or negative correlations to each other with
the goal of lowering overall risk
Correlation - ANSWERS-- a relative measure of the degree to which the returns of two assets
move together
- range from +1.0 to -1.0
- in practice negative correlations are rare
- the further a correlation is from +1.0, the more diversified
Asset allocation - ANSWERS-- the apportioning of available funds among a number of asset
classes in a way that meets the needs of a particular client, dampens the effects of periodic
market fluctuations, and meets investment goals
Four steps in the asset allocation process - ANSWERS-1) select asset classes to be represented
2) determine the percentage that each asset class should represent in the total portfolio
3) Select individual securities
4) Review and rebalance
Strategic Asset Allocation - ANSWERS-- determine asset mix that provides optimal balance of
expected risk and ROR
- asset classes selected and % weight determined
- Used to develop long-term allocation policy
- utilizes rebalancing to maintain targeted weight
,Tactical Asset Allocation - ANSWERS-- used to develop short term strategies to exploit changes
in market conditions
- ofter viewed as a contrarian strategy
- periodic revisions of asset mix; moving funds from over valued investments to undervalued
investments
- market timing strategy
Core-Satellite asset allocation - ANSWERS-70-80% invested in broad index fund or etfs
- remaining satellite consists of actively managed MF's in niches such as sector funds or alt
investments like hedge funds
Contrarian Strategy - ANSWERS-
Dollar-Cost averaging - ANSWERS-- investing regular amounts at regular intervals
- reduce market timing risk, improve cost per share
Low P/E strategy - ANSWERS-Ratio of 1= fair value
Ratio > 1= overvalued
Ratio < 1= undervalued
** The long-term average P/E for stocks is 16
Bond Investment strategies (2) - ANSWERS-1) Ladder: Owning equal amounts of bonds along
with maturities of equal intervals; ex. 50k of bonds with 10k each in 2,4,6,8,10 year maturities
2) Barbell: Owning short-term and long-term bonds, each with a ladder; ex. 100k of bonds with
10k each in 1,2,3,4,5 year maturities and in 16,17,18,19,20 year maturities
,Systematic Risk - ANSWERS-P-purchasing power risk
R- reinvestment risk
I- interest rate risk
M- market risk
E- exchange rate risk
Social Security- Fully insured - ANSWERS-- having 10 years of employment covered by social
security; expressed as "40 quarters of coverage"
- Must be fully insured for retirement benefits
- fully insured workers are also eligible for disability if he has earned at least 20 work credits in
last 10 years
Social Security- currently insured - ANSWERS-- individual must has at least 6 quarters of
coverage in the 13-quarter period proceeding the event for which eligibility is sought
- child's benefit, mother/fathers benefits, and lump-sum death benefit are available if a worker
is only currently insured at death
Components of SS calculation - ANSWERS-- age he starts
- earnings history
SS calculation before full retirement age - ANSWERS-- Payment reduced by 5/9th of 1% for each
month filed before FRA, up to 36 months
- Payment is reduced by 5/12ths of 1% for each month filed early in excess of 36 months
SS calculation after full retirement age - ANSWERS-- Payment increases by about 8% each year
they delay, until maximum year 70
- actual math is 2/3 for each month
, Social Security milestones - ANSWERS-Ages
50: disabled survivors can start receiving benefits
60: nondisabled survivors can start receiving
62: earliest one can start receiving benefits at reduced rate
65-67: FRA, depending on birth year
70: delayed retirement age
Social Security income cap - ANSWERS-$15,720
- Those who are under FRA and working will lose $1 SS benefit for every $2 they earn above
$15,720
- At FRA it is reduced to $1 for every $3 earned
After FRA there is no reduction
Max provisional income for SS - ANSWERS-Single or head of househouse:
Tax-free if provisional income is less than 25k
Filing jointly:
Tax free if provisional income is less than 32k
Provisional income - ANSWERS-Provisional income=AGI(excluding SS) +Nontaxable
interest(muni bonds) + 1/2(SS benefit)
Single provisional income SS taxable % - ANSWERS-25k-34k: 50%
34k+: 85%
Jointly provisional income SS taxable % - ANSWERS-32k-44k: 50%
44k+:85%
