NEW 2025 CRPC EXAM QUESTIONS WITH
VERIFIED ANSWERS
Diversification - ANSWER Acquiring assets with low or negative correlations
to each other to lower overall risk
Correlation - ANSWER - 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 - ANSWER - 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 - ANSWER 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 - ANSWER - 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 - ANSWER - 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 - ANSWER 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 - ANSWER
Dollar-Cost averaging - ANSWER - investing regular amounts at regular
intervals
- reduce market timing risk, improve cost per share
Low P/E strategy - ANSWER 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) - ANSWER 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 - ANSWER P-purchasing power risk
R- reinvestment risk
I- interest rate risk
M- market risk
E- exchange rate risk
Social Security- Fully insured - ANSWER - 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 - ANSWER - 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 - ANSWER - age he starts
- earnings history
SS calculation before full retirement age - ANSWER - 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 - ANSWER - Payment increases by
about 8% each year they delay, until maximum year 70
- actual math is 2/3 for each month
Social Security milestones - ANSWER 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 - ANSWER $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 - ANSWER 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 - ANSWER Provisional income=AGI(excluding SS)
+Nontaxable interest(muni bonds) + 1/2(SS benefit)
Single provisional income SS taxable % - ANSWER 25k-34k: 50%
34k+: 85%
Jointly provisional income SS taxable % - ANSWER 32k-44k: 50%
44k+:85%
maximum taxable SS amount - ANSWER 85% of Total SS benefit
Spousal benefit - ANSWER - Pay spouse a maximum of 50% of earners PIA
What tax funds the Social Security Trust Fund - ANSWER Payroll taxes;
FICA
What is the FICA tax; how is it split up - ANSWER 15.3%; The employer and
employee each pay 6.2% for old-age, survivors and disability insurance
(OASDI) and 1.45% each for hospital insurance
Social Security Wage Base - ANSWER $118,500
Covered employment - ANSWER Any position that participates in social
security system
Excluded
- Railroad employees
- Fed gov employees hired before 1984
Average SS benefit - ANSWER $1300 pm
Max benefit - ANSWER $2639 pm
Quarter of Coverage - ANSWER earned after $1260 of earnings in year - most
you can earn in 1 year is 4 credits in year
= $5040 in year
need 40 quarters of credit
VERIFIED ANSWERS
Diversification - ANSWER Acquiring assets with low or negative correlations
to each other to lower overall risk
Correlation - ANSWER - 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 - ANSWER - 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 - ANSWER 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 - ANSWER - 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 - ANSWER - 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 - ANSWER 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 - ANSWER
Dollar-Cost averaging - ANSWER - investing regular amounts at regular
intervals
- reduce market timing risk, improve cost per share
Low P/E strategy - ANSWER 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) - ANSWER 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 - ANSWER P-purchasing power risk
R- reinvestment risk
I- interest rate risk
M- market risk
E- exchange rate risk
Social Security- Fully insured - ANSWER - 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 - ANSWER - 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 - ANSWER - age he starts
- earnings history
SS calculation before full retirement age - ANSWER - 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 - ANSWER - Payment increases by
about 8% each year they delay, until maximum year 70
- actual math is 2/3 for each month
Social Security milestones - ANSWER 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 - ANSWER $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 - ANSWER 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 - ANSWER Provisional income=AGI(excluding SS)
+Nontaxable interest(muni bonds) + 1/2(SS benefit)
Single provisional income SS taxable % - ANSWER 25k-34k: 50%
34k+: 85%
Jointly provisional income SS taxable % - ANSWER 32k-44k: 50%
44k+:85%
maximum taxable SS amount - ANSWER 85% of Total SS benefit
Spousal benefit - ANSWER - Pay spouse a maximum of 50% of earners PIA
What tax funds the Social Security Trust Fund - ANSWER Payroll taxes;
FICA
What is the FICA tax; how is it split up - ANSWER 15.3%; The employer and
employee each pay 6.2% for old-age, survivors and disability insurance
(OASDI) and 1.45% each for hospital insurance
Social Security Wage Base - ANSWER $118,500
Covered employment - ANSWER Any position that participates in social
security system
Excluded
- Railroad employees
- Fed gov employees hired before 1984
Average SS benefit - ANSWER $1300 pm
Max benefit - ANSWER $2639 pm
Quarter of Coverage - ANSWER earned after $1260 of earnings in year - most
you can earn in 1 year is 4 credits in year
= $5040 in year
need 40 quarters of credit
