af8 assignment 1 example

Get the Reddit app

This is a subreddit dedicated to studying and passing the CII's exams.

AF8 - Assignment 1

Currently planning/writing for Assignment 1 of AF8.

Particularly - objective 3 regarding £52k income. I'm struggling to know how much to write, I know it says just to "assess adequacy" rather than make any recommendations, which is what I believe I'm doing by explaining what sources of income can be utilised and for how long, how inflation affects it, taxation, etc. - then a grid to show total income etc each year.

The problem is that Assignment 3 pretty much asks for this again, am I going too detailed on Assignment 1?

Appreciate any advice that you may be able to give!

By continuing, you agree to our User Agreement and acknowledge that you understand the Privacy Policy .

Enter the 6-digit code from your authenticator app

You’ve set up two-factor authentication for this account.

Enter a 6-digit backup code

Create your username and password.

Reddit is anonymous, so your username is what you’ll go by here. Choose wisely—because once you get a name, you can’t change it.

Reset your password

Enter your email address or username and we’ll send you a link to reset your password

Check your inbox

An email with a link to reset your password was sent to the email address associated with your account

Choose a Reddit account to continue

• +44 (0)1748 822777
• [email protected]

Advice Skills

• Shop STUDY GUIDES WORKSHOPS E-LEARNING MODULES R0 STUDY BUDDY APP

How does Diversity & Inclusion feature in your training strategy?

It’s all kicking off – New FREE R06 and AF Exams Webinars

Careers Zone Launched | Supporting the Financial Services Industry

PFS subsidise £100 off the cost of the BTS AF exams workshops

Event ticket – r01 revision workshop | 4th & 7th october 2024, event ticket – r02 revision workshop | 11th & 14th october 2024, event ticket – r04 revision workshop | 22nd & 25th november 2024, bts is a team of highly-qualified and experienced financial advisers, trainers and programme managers led by luiza todd and jeff scholes., af8 toolkit, af8 financial planning process.

The objective of Retirement Income Planning (AF8) is to develop and demonstrate the advanced skills needed for advising on income planning to those in and approaching retirement.

At the end of this unit, candidates should be able to advise clients on income planning approaching and during retirement, including later life.

There are three written coursework assignments, each typically 2,000 to 3,000 words.

• CII Recommended study hours: 150
• Credits: 30
• Pass mark: 50%
• National pass rate (2022): 75.3%
• Assessment: 3 written coursework assessments

The BTS approach to passing AF8

The BTS resources provide a structured study path through the AF8 unit.

We follow a simple model based on our proven STEP approach to planning your study: Study | Train | e-Learn | Practise

Below you will find an overview of the BTS approach with details of how the BTS materials can be used to support your learning. Due to the coursework format of this unit, we do not produce a study guide or offer a workshop. Instead, we have an e-Learning module to guide you through your studies.

You set your own pace. The e-Learning allows you to focus on the things you find challenging.

What is the BTS AF8 e-Learning like?

The BTS AF8 e-Learning module is an online learning experience. It consists of:

• background information on the AF8 exam,
• information relating to how each assessment is structured and what to expect,
• three guidance modules on how to approach each of the AF8 assignments,
• frequently asked candidate questions with BTS answers.

Key features of BTS AF8 e-Learning:

• Personal login area for 24/7 access to your online e-Learning materials.
• The system is fully mobile responsive, allowing you to learn on the go.
• Analysis of and key learns from CII AF8 exemplars.
• Activities around assignment construction.

After self-study using the CII materials, the next step is to work through the BTS AF8 e-Learning module.

The module includes an introduction course which covers how this assignment-based exam works and how it should be approached (to the best of BTS’ experience).

Also included are three courses based on each of the three assignments.

Each course sets out the basis of each assignment, do’s and don’t in terms of style and layout, plus frequently asked candidate questions and BTS answers.

Use the links to useful documents that you should familiarise yourself with before attempting to create your own assignments.

Find suggestions on financial planning tools that could be useful when constructing assignments, such as asset allocation and risk assessment tools.

Our AF8 study plan has been designed to encourage and support your planning as you work through the AF8 unit.

BTS study plans show you how to:

• break your unit of study down into manageable chunks
• consider how to allocate your time
• think about what additional resources you might need to support your learning

To view the full BTS study plan for AF8, you will need to create a free account on the BTS website. When you login you will have access to our Careers Zone, packed full of information and guidance to support your studies including study plans for every exam we support and online student-led forums so you can chat to others on the same journey.

“I liked the fact that BTS had broken their course down into sections focussing on each AF8 assignment, so whether you were identifying strengths and weaknesses in A1, suggesting changes pre-retirement in A2 or recommending an income strategy in A3, BTS were able to give very clear pointers around what sort of things to include within each assignment, without falling foul of CII’s plagiarism & collusion rules. It also meant that each section of the course was relevant and specifically aimed towards the assignment I was working on at the time, rather than just regurgitating the same information like you sometimes see with online courses. I essentially used the BTS course as a checklist when reading back through each of my assignments, and once I was happy that I’d covered every pointer that BTS provided, I then submitted the assignment to the CII. Both assignments came back with a pass grade, so BTS’s pointers clearly work!

Many thanks for BTS’s help with me getting AF8 over the line. I’m pretty sure I would be facing a full re-sit without your help, and I would highly recommend BTS’s AF8 course if anyone is looking for that extra bit of help in getting through this tricky advanced diploma unit.”

Luke Mapley

Gower financial services, af8 study plans, student forums, what our customers say, check out what our customers say on our google reviews, bts af8 learner journeys, click on the profiles below to find out how recent bts candidates achieved their af8 success:.

Insights, help and advice for AF8

Below, you will find a range of recent articles providing insights, help and advice for this unit, we hope you find these useful. Remember if you have any questions on your journey feel free to  get in touch  with the BTS support team.

Beyond the R0 exams: Options for Level 6

From Paraplanner to Adviser: Making the switch

From Investment Banking to Financial Advice

From banking to financial advice.

A Day in the Life of a Self-employed Mortgage and Protection Adviser

A Day in the Life of a Financial Planner

A Day in the Life of a Newly-Qualified Financial Adviser

A Day in the Life of a Protection Specialist

From Sports Person to Financial Planner

A Day in the Life of a Mortgage Adviser

A Day in the Life of an Authorised Chartered Paraplanner

A Day in the Life of a Protection Business Development Manager

A Day in the Life of a Later Life Adviser

A Day in the Life of a Financial Planning Administrator

A Day in the Life of a Paraplanner

Follow us on social media @bespoketrainingsolutions.

Registered Office: The Mews, Little Brunswick Street, Huddersfield, HD1 5JL

Registered in England | Company No. 05064692

• Privacy Policy
• Terms & Conditions of Supply
• Website & App Terms & Conditions of Use
• Complaints Policy

(C) Copyright 2024 Bespoke Training Solutions | All Rights Reserved

• Study Guides
• E-Learning Courses
• Practise Questions on the App
• What Are The R0 Exams?
• Who We Help
• BTS Partners
• What People Say About Us
• How We Get Results
• Insights, help & advice
• Get in touch

SIGN UP TO OUR MAILING LIST

• Press Articles
• Learning Questionnaire
• R0 Study Material
• AF study material
• Exam technique and study hub
• Upskilling Paraplanners
• Business Support for CII Exams
• Stepping Up to Management

Tag Archives: AF exams

• Posts tagged"AF exams"

• CII AF exam dates 2024

Here are the CII AF exam dates for 2024 which are include two sittings. 

Sitting One (February to March)

AF1: 20th February

AF5: 13th February

AF7: 5th March

AF4: 7th March

Sitting Two (September to October)

AF1: 10th September

AF5: 17th September

AF7: 24th September

AF4: 1st October

Written exams vs coursework?

Of course, the CII now offer AF6 and AF8 on a coursework basis. This means that you have to submit assignments and there isn’t a specified exam date. But you do need to complete all three assignments within a 12 month period so if you intend to sit one of these subjects and  a written AF exam, schedule the writing of your assignments to avoid the times when you will need to study for the AF written exam.

Enrolment for the assignment-based exams – AF6 and AF8 – can be at any time.  Note that the 12 month clock starts ticking when you enrol, not when you submit your first assignment.

Which is the easiest CII AF exam?

In theory, this might be a sensible way to select an exam. In practice, it might not quite workout this way. We always suggest selecting an exam that is of most use to your work and to your business. If you work in a specialist area, then your day-job may help to give you a head start in a subject where others struggle.

Here are the latest CII pass rates for the AF exams at the time of writing (July 2023):

AF1 – 42% (-1% on the previous year)

AF4 – 57% (+7% on the previous year)

AF5 – 72% (+9% on the previous year)

AF6 – 97% (no change)

AF7 – 61% (+5% on the previous year)

AF8 – 75.3% (no change)

NB The pass rate for assignment-based exams such as AF6 and AF8 suggest that these exams are easier than they are. This is because the pass rates are only based on those that submit and successfully complete all of their assignments – and do not include people who ‘drop out’.

Click  here for the figures for previous years and to see the trends.

Want to know more?

CII website – AF exams

Free AF exam preparation guide (for AF1, 2, 4, 5 or 7). Click  here

For details of all written financial services exams (e.g. J07, J05), click here

Prepare well and be successful.

Sam Patterson

• CII AF6 changes for 2023/24

The CII AF6 exam has undergone a bit of a revamp. The syllabus has changed and so has the study text. This means that an existing exam will feel very different to anyone who sits it from 1st September 2023. Here is an overview to the changes.

The previous AF6 exam was launched back in 2013. It was the first ‘coursework’ AF exam and was a bit of a trail blazer as it was also the first AF exam to have a study text. As time has gone by, the syllabus and the study text (which based upon this) had changed very little until both were updated from September 2023.

The CII’s AF6 exam is intended for those who are, or aspire to be, a senior manager within their business and also those who wish to gain a greater insight into running a regulated business. With initiatives like SM&CR and Consumer Duty, it is clear that the FCA is increasingly placing emphasis on the quality of management within authorised firms and AF6 reflects this.

Syllabus changes to the CII’s AF6 exam

There are two main changes:

• The syllabus for the CII’s AF6 exam now starts with a section on the regulatory environment. This previously covered the elements of FCA rules that impact on the role or responsibilities of senior managers. It now looks in more depth at areas such as equality and diversity, data protection, and financial crime: fraud, anti-money laundering and economic crime. The syllabus for the CII’s AF6 exam can be found here .
• As you would expect, there is also now widespread coverage of Consumer Duty and vulnerable clients. Both of these far-reaching initiatives place responsibility on senior managers on a surprisingly wide range of areas. The result is that senior managers will need to work in ways we haven’t seen before. For example, what does appropriate monitoring and governance look like? Client vulnerability must be considered in every aspect of engaging with clients and the types and severity of vulnerability needs to be understood. What are the senior manager responsibilities for achieving this?

The first of the four learning outcomes is now the ‘business and regulatory environment’. The remaining three learning outcomes are ‘risk management’, ‘senior manager competence/ general competence arrangements’ and ‘culture’. Whilst the themes are broadly similar to the previous three AF6 learning outcomes, the content looks very different in many ways.

How will the CII AF6 exam change?

Time will tell but the way AF6 is examined is likely to change quite markedly. Including regulations explicitly within the exam is likely to result in this being tested more widely. It wouldn’t be a huge surprise if Consumer Duty, SM&CR and Vulnerability feature prominently in assignments going forward.

The ‘balance’ of the exam is also likely to shift. Previously, assignment 1 would be based on Chapters 2, 3 and 4 (chapter 1 was intended to just provide background knowledge), assignment 2 was based on chapter 5, and assignment 3 on chapter 6. Only the examiners’ will know for sure, but it’s probably a fair bet that AF6 will become less predictable – if only because there are now 6 chapters to test compared to the previous 5.

The marking scheme for the CII’s AF6 exam has also changed slightly. I’m not 100% sure if this changed for 2023/24 but marks are now awarded as follows:

• Knowledge and understanding of the topic is 30% of the marks (previously 40%);
• Application and analysis of the topic is 50% of the marks (previously 40%);
• The structure in terms of logic and coherence is 15% of the marks (previously 10%); and
• The use of relevant work and industry examples and/or examples gained from further reading is 5% (previously 10%).

See the ‘ AF6 Examplar ‘ for 2023/24 for further details.

AF6 exam support

AF6 exam support is largely restricted to the CII Study text, syllabus and Examplar. The onus with this exam is on your own work and so wider support is limited. Our CII AF6 Blog will hopefully provide some additional support for you in completing your assignments.

We hope you find this useful. If you want to know more about our range of study support when you sit other CII AF and R0 exams, click  here .

Until the next time…

CII AF exam dates 2023

Here are the CII AF exam dates for 2023 which are include two sittings. 

AF1: 12th September

AF5: 19th September

AF7: 26th September

AF4: 3rd October

Of course, the CII now offer AF6 and AF8 on a coursework basis. This means that you have to submit assignments and there isn’t a specified exam date. But you do need to complete all three assignments within a 12 month period so if you intend to sit one of these subjects and  a written AF exam, schedule the writing of your assignments to avoid the times when you will need to study for the AF written exam.

Enrolment for the assignment-based exams – AF6 and AF8 – can be at any time.  Note that the 12 month clock starts ticking when you enrol, not when you submit your first assignment.

Click  here for the figures for previous years and to see the trends.

Free AF exam preparation guide (for AF1, 2, 4, 5 or 7). Click  here

Ian Patterson

Ex-examiner and author of the current CII texts CF8, J07 and AF6

AF8, Retirement Income Planning

AF8 is one of the two current assignment-based advanced diploma exams offered by the CII. This style of exam offers a very different challenge to the traditional variations on a written exam that are used to test the other CII AF exams. I’ll look at some essential background and then give you our top 10 tips to help you prepare for this exam.

Who should consider AF8?

The glib answer is any CII member who wants 30 credits towards achieving Chartered status.

AF8 is ideal if the stress of a written exam is not your thing. You have 12 months to complete the three assignments that you submit online – so you never need to go anywhere near an exam hall.

Please don’t regard AF8 as an ‘easy option’, it isn’t. Unless you’ve already completed AF6, you will find this a very different experience.

What’s AF8 all about?

The title of AF8 is Retirement Income Planning. So the first point to make is that there is unlikely to be much content on pension accumulation – primarily it’s about decumulation. For example, you shouldn’t need to know too much about pension input periods. On the other hand, lifetime allowance, transitional protections and the various flexible pension benefits are all fair play as they impact more directly on ‘at-retirement’ scenarios.

It’s also important to realise that AF8 ISN’T just about pension planning. If you look at the AF8 syllabus , there are four elements and only one directly relates to pensions. The other three areas are:

• Estate planning and later life issues
• Financial planning tools such as cash flow planning, asset allocation and risk profiling
• Client objectives, income and expenditure, assets and liabilities, and tax planning

As a result, some people see AF8 more as a later life planning exam than a pensions exam.

How easy is AF8?

This is where there is some welcome news. The current pass rate is a relatively high 75.3%. Compare this to AF1, the hardest AF exam, with a pass rate of 43%. But remember, this pass rate is based on the percentage of people that FINISH and submit all three assignments – it does NOT include those people who fail to finish. In practice, the percentage of people that pass AF8 will be much lower compared to those that started it. 

You will receive three assignments and all three AF8 assignments need a mark of 50% or more to pass.

A word of caution

The most common question we get asked is ‘what is the best AF exam to sit?’. Our answer is always this: don’t sit an exam just because it has a high pass rate. Sit exams that are most relevant to you and your business. There should be more to sitting exams than just the credits at the end.

There is also limited study support available from commercial providers. The CII provide materials (as we’ll see below) but other training providers aren’t able to provide you with direct support on the specific assignments you are given.  The assignments you complete have to be your own work without assistance.  In other words, any other support is likely to only be generic. This can feel a little uncomfortable for some people. See the Candidates Guidelines and Instructions document, pages 7 and 8.

Because of this, The Patterson Group does  not  provide individual support for AF8. The generic support provided in this blog is as far as we go. We want you to pass and we’re here to help as much as possible – with this and your other CII exams.

AF8: top 10 tips

Here are our top ten tips:

• Start early. With 12 months to complete three 2,500 word assignments, it sounds like a breeze. This isn’t the case because once you’ve submitted your assignment, the CII could take up to 63 days to mark and return it (63 days x 3 = 189 days = nearly half a year). Sensibly, you wouldn’t submit your second assignment until you have received the result from the first assignment. This means that you need to start quickly and be structured in how you approach these assignments. As a minimum, the CII website says that you have to submit assignments after 3, 6 and 9 months as shown in the assignment documentation you will receive.
• Finish early.  The 12 month timescale starts when you enter the exam and finishes once you’ve  passed  your final assignment. If you submit assignment 3 after 11 1/2 months and don’t pass, you have no time to re-submit and will fail. All three assignments need to be passed within 12 months so submit assignment 3 by  month 10  to be on the safe side. In our experience, many people who sit AF8 will need to resubmit one or more of their assignments so build in time to do so.
• Know how the assignments are marked.  These are set out in the CII  Explaining your assignment result notification on pages 5-7 and this is essential  reading. 30% of the marks are based on your knowledge of the subject, 60% on analysis and application of knowledge; 5% is on structure, and 5% is for demonstrating wider reading and using examples.
• Show your analysis.  Over half the marks in AF8 are awarded for analysing and applying knowledge. This means that you must  link  your knowledge to scenario you are given. Explaining the implications of a course of action to a client or showing the benefits and drawbacks of something is a good way of demonstrating analysis.
• Read the assignment closely. If the assignment asks you to assess or evaluate , this is the part of the advice process between the fact find meeting and going back with your recommendations. So what has the client got, what haven’t they got, and what is the shortfall? Don’t go into making recommendations as you haven’t been asked to and you won’t get marks if you do. It is easy to write a wonderful assignment – but not the one the examiners’ asked for.
• Link your answers back to the client(s). Remember that 60% of the marks are given for your analysis and applying your knowledge. You won’t pass unless you use the information provided in the fact find document. Read the assignment and then read the fact find and ask yourself ‘how can I use this information?’. It’s been provided for a reason so don’t just give generic answers. Provide solutions to their problems.
• Demonstrate your wider reading.  Make sure that you show lots of citations and wider reading – nine or more relevant examples. Quoting material from the AF8 study text is unlikely to impress the examiners but do use weblinks – either those provided in the text or from your own research.
• Use the CII specimen assignments.   These are a  must . If you’ve not experienced CII assignment-based exams before (or even if you have), these provide great examples of what to do, and what not to. These are the best way of understanding what your assignments should look like.
• Use your word count + 10%.  Each assignment will state a maximum number of words but you are allowed to go 10% over without being penalised. Make sure you do. If your word count for an assignment is only 1,400 words when the max is 2,500, you are unlikely to pass.
• Don’t cheat. This sounds pretty obvious but you need to be clear how the CII define plagiarism. Page 7 of the CII Coursework Guidelines says: ‘ Writing of assignment responses must be done individually without collaboration of any kind.’ Exchanging notes with other people sitting AF8 or copying material without referencing it may fall foul of this. The CII do use anti-plagiarism software. Next time you get a CII magazine, notice how many people have been disciplined for plagiarism across the range of CII exams – they can and do catch people out.

We hope you find this useful. If you want to know more about our range of study support when you sit other CII AF and R0 exams, click  here .

Ex-examiner and author of the current CII study texts: CF8, J07 and AF6

CII AF7: Free preparation guide

If you are thinking of sitting the CII’s AF7 exam, then go into it with your eyes open. Based on the latest CII published results, this is the third hardest AF exam to pass with a pass rate of 56% (the latest published results). If you expect to pass purely because you do transfers at work, clearly this isn’t enough for many people.

If you want to know about important dates, what’s been tested in the past, exam technique and what study options are available, click here for our FREE AF7 preparation guide. You will also find preparation guides for AF1, 4 and 5 on the same link.

The CII AF7 is a popular exam. Safeguarded benefits is a big area for many financial advisers and if you are involved in the transfer of safeguarded benefits in some way, then this might be the subject for you. It also satisfies the FCA additional exam requirement to advise on safeguarded benefits.

What does the AF7 exam look like?

The AF7 exam is 2 hours long. It consists of 3 or 4 short answer questions and then two additional case studies. These both have three to four questions making 9-12 questions in total. Overall, the paper will have 100 marks with the short answer questions accounting for around 30 to 35 of the marks, and the case study questions accounting for 30-35 marks each.

With a pass mark of around 60%, this means that you will normally need 60 marks to pass the exam.  The 60% pass mark applies to the exam overall so you could bomb on one case study and still pass if you get enough marks elsewhere.

What’s been tested in the past?

The best way to spot the trends is to look at the past papers. Some of the key recurring themes are:

• The transfer process
• FCA regulatory requirements, e.g. APTA, COBS
• DB schemes and CETV
• Death benefits

The last two exam guides are now provided on the CII website. Click here for the link to the CII website. You should ensure you spend time studying these (preferably, completing them).

How much revision will I need?

The CII suggest around 100 hours of study for this exam. Whether you need this amount – more or less – will depend on your existing knowledge of the area. Even if you have good knowledge of transfers already, there are likely to be areas of the syllabus that you are NOT familiar with. And you will still need to practice that all important exam technique, if nothing else.

With the current low pass rate for AF7, one thing is clear – relying on just your day job is unlikely to prove successful. Don’t under-estimate this exam.

Do I need to read the CII AF7 study text from cover to cover?

Unless this is a brand new area for you, the answer will probably be ‘no’. For many people, just reading a study text is not likely to be an effective method of revision. You’re unlikely to remember much, especially if you just read without taking notes, making mind maps or creating flash cards.

Most people sitting this exam will have some knowledge. Some will have quite extensive existing knowledge. So just use the study text as a reference source – focus on using past exam papers and top-up your knowledge by reading about the bits you are not familiar with.

Click here for a link to our exam technique.

Click here for more details about how you can learn on the go.

If you want to access our FREE preparation guides for other CII AF exams, they are available on our site for AF1, 4 and 5. Just click here .

Which CII AF Exam should I sit next?

One of the questions that we frequently get asked is ‘which CII AF exam should I sit next?’. Oh, if only there was a simple answer!

We believe that the purpose of exams is to make people more knowledgeable so sensibly, people would choose the AF exam that is most useful to both themselves, and their business. The road to chartered is a long journey and that also means that many people want to select the subjects that help them to shorten this journey.

This is a big subject area so, in this blog, I’ll consider some of the main CII AF exam options.  In two subsequent blogs, I’ll look at the options for the Certificate and Diploma subjects that are worth considering:

CII exams: getting to Chartered. To view it, click here

CII exams: getting to CII Chartered status (part 2). To view it, click here

CII Chartered requirements

To complete Chartered Status, the CII require a total of 290 exam credits. 120 of these must be from AF subjects which means that a minimum of four 30 credit Advanced Diploma subjects will have to be completed (if you don’t have existing credits from the previous AFPC or earlier exams). This must include AF5, as it is compulsory. The remaining credits can come from other Diploma or certificate level exams.

Click here for a link to the CII qualification guide.

Remember that there are two exam sittings per year of the written AF exams: in April and October. Coursework-based exams can be entered when you like during the year and you will then have 12 months to complete them.

CII AF exam options

You need at least four AF exams, but which ones are best for you?  There’s the usual caveat about prioritising the ones that are most relevant to your work – and this might make your choice obvious.  If not, here are the key questions to consider:

Do you prefer coursework, rather than exams?

If so, you have two choices: Senior management and supervision (AF6) and  Retirement income planning (AF8).

AF6 is aimed at people who run a regulated firm (or might do so in the future). With AF8, it might be called ‘Retirement income planning’ but don’t fall into the trap of thinking that it’s all about pensions. It’s more of a later life planning module that includes at-retirement pension options, tax and estate planning, and potentially care planning.

How much of a hurry are you in?

The benefit of doing coursework is that you will have a year to complete it. With some sensible planning, this shouldn’t prevent you from also sitting two or more written AF exams. With 3 exam sittings, this opens up a chance of you getting 4 x 30 exam credits within a year (three exam-based exams and one assignment-based exam).  We never recommend trying to sit two written AF exams at the same sitting – this usually ends in tears. But completing a coursework option as well as a written AF exam is possible with hard work.

What is the easiest CII AF exam (in terms of pass rate)?

If this is how you want to select your AF exams, then the current traditional exam-based CII AF subjects can be ranked as follows (easiest first): AF5 (Financial planning process), AF7 (Pension transfers), AF4 (Investment planning), AF1 (Personal tax and trust planning). This is based on the latest published results. Please note that AF7 has traditionally been one of the harder exams and may be again in the future.

The pass rates for AF6 and AF8 tend to be higher (much so in the case of AF6). These appear artificially high as anyone who drops out once they have started is regarded as being ‘timed out’ rather than failing the subject.  In other words, the pass rates are based on those that complete their 3 assignments. The assignments are not as easy as these pass marks might suggest.

Click here and scroll down to see the actual pass rates.

Is there an order you would recommend sitting the AF exams?

Yes. AF1 is the CII AF exam that underpins most of the other AF written exams so we believe this is a good subject to start with – even if it is the hardest AF exam. With suitable preparation, it’s also possible to prepare for the four key areas it covers and give you a decent chance of being successful.

Also, look to sit AF5 as soon as you can. It is examined 3 times a year and, because it’s based on a fact find that is issued 2 weeks before the exam, there isn’t too much preparation you are able to do before this 2 week period. It’s also a test of your financial planning skills so the depth of technical knowledge needed usually isn’t that great. What technical knowledge that is required can be mostly be identified from the client scenario that is provided.

Where do I get more information about these CII AF exams?

The CII website (using the earlier link) is a good place to start. We produce free ‘preparation guides’ for AF1, 4, 5 and 7 which set out your study options, how to study, and the common areas that are tested in each exam.  Click here to access them.

Until the next time,

Ex-examiner and author of the current CII study texts for CF8, J07 and AF6

CII AF exams: Top 10 tips to pass first time

For many people who are on the ‘road to chartered’ status, the hard work preparing for AF exams starts 4-6 weeks out from the written exam.  The CII suggests 150 hours of study for each AF exam, and, if you look at the stats, either people don’t do this amount of work or they do but it’s not effective.  With a pass rate of between of only 43% for some written AF exams, some people who sit these exams can clearly be more effective with their study. This post aims to highlight how to pass your CII AF exam first time.

So what does working smarter and working harder look like? Here are our top ten tips:

• Start early. Few people go into the exam over-prepared. You’ll have done enough exams by now to know how you work best – a steady long term revision plan or a last minute cram!  But don’t forget, the CII recommend at least 150 hours of study for a written AF exam (AF7 is 100 hours).  Unless the exam you are sitting is ‘your subject’, most people will need something approaching this amount of time.
• Make a plan.  Over a 6 week period, this 150 hours amounts to about 25 hours per week. This will need to be planned and structured in around your other commitments. However desperate you are to the pass the exam, get your life/work/study balance right and allow time for family and downtime.
• Build in treats/rewards. Some people like revision; most don’t so make sure you reward your commitment to the cause.
• Know yourself. Identify where your technical knowledge is both weak and strong. Focus your revision in the areas you are weakest. How do you know?  Complete a practice question at the start of your revision under exam conditions and then mark it.
• Know the exam. Each exam does tend to have recurring themes that get tested on a frequent basis, and other areas that only come up from time to time. See Tip 8 and either look at past CII exam papers or click here for our FREE guide that summarises these for you.
• You learn by doing.   Don’t just read stuff – this is passive and most people retain little of what they read.  Write notes, memory cards, use Brainscape ( a FREE electronic version of index cards), and practice answering questions.
• CII Case study book and RevisionMate.  If you buy a CII case study workbook, for most subjects you’ll also get access on-line to past exam papers, the Diploma level study text and multiple choice revision question.
• FREE AF past exam papers.  To download two CII past exam papers, go to the CII site and select the exam you intend to sit. The papers can be found on the home page for each AF exam.
• Mix up your revision. Learning doesn’t all have to be something which requires dedicated ‘study time’. We produce MP3 material for AF1, 4 and 7 exam. With 3-7 hours of material (depending on the subject), you can be learning while you commute, drive or jog.  Make better use of your time. Click here for details.
• It’s not all about knowledge. Most people who fail the AF exam will do so because their exam technique wasn’t great; not through lack of knowledge. AF exams, aren’t about remembering lists; they are about applying knowledge. The information provided in the case study is there for a reason – so use it! Ensure that you use those free past CII exam papers to practice your technique. For most people, this is what will make the difference.

Prepare well and be successful first time.

Get in touch

Tel: 01253 732298

Fax: 01253 732298

Email us: [email protected]

Social Media

Ian Patterson on LinkedIn

Sam Patterson on LinkedIn

Recent Posts

• CII AF5 Feb 2024 – is this the mystery question?
• The R06 Exam – Learn the questions!
• Paraplanners: Career & Qualifications
• How to escape from the ‘paraplanner mindset’?

© The Patterson Group 2023

AF8 Assignment 8

So i have fortunately passed assignment 1 and 2 and am now looking at assignment 3 which is like a suitability report (my own understanding).

However, i feel i am having to make a lot of assumptions, plus there are lots of recommendations i need to make to get their overall position where it should be before taking income. I feel like i am maybe missing the point and just need to focus on an income strategy. Has anyone got any guidance on this?

I scraped a pass on the third assignment, so maybe not the best to answer, but I concentrated on the income strategy and IHT.

@KP23 said: I scraped a pass on the third assignment, so maybe not the best to answer, but I concentrated on the income strategy and IHT.

Thank you for your feedback. I have submitted my 3rd assignment and focused on the income strategy but put some recommendations in of what else i felt needs to happen. Fingers crossed.

Hi, I'm working on my final assignment which is due in just over a week but I've hit a major mind block and just can't seem to understand what to write. The exemplar begins to go over recommendations which I have summarized already at the beginning. Do you have any further tips?

You might find the blog our AF8 tutor wrote very useful to help you get started and know what to include in assignment 3:

https://expertpensions.co.uk/af8-how-do-you-tackle-assignment-3-by-maurita-black/

Hope this helps and good luck. Gayle

@HG23 said: Hi, I'm working on my final assignment which is due in just over a week but I've hit a major mind block and just can't seem to understand what to write. The exemplar begins to go over recommendations which I have summarized already at the beginning. Do you have any further tips?

Research a sustainable income strategy (I found some evidence for a 3.5% withdrawal rate) and build a strategy around that and where you would take income from (ISAs etc). Cons against withdrawing from other sources like pensions (IHT considerations etc). Tables are your friend as they don't count for word count. Definitely use cash flow modelling, to show your strategy works.

Hi All, quick question on AF8: How long does it usually take for assignment results to be released? I know the CII says 40 days, but I'm wondering if it actually takes that long, or whether I can expect to know any sooner. I've just submitted A1 and I'm keen to crack on with the next. Cheers

@B2405 My assignments were around 25 working days each to be returned.

Hi all, I have a quick question on the third assignment in AF8.

I had planned on using Voyant to create a cashflow to justify my recommendations. However, I notice there is guidance from the CII which states 'You are not required to use a proprietary cashflow model to model..... You may use a simple spreadsheet or straighforward calculation.'

Has anyone come across this before? I would ideally still prefer to use Voyant as it's far more detailed than a simple excel spreadsheet.