This essay intends to give all the finest practices, suggestions, and techniques to help you earn a perfect mark in this challenging test. I have been assisting students through their DipFA qualification for about two years.

I will provide you with various pointers I’ve learned through examiner reports, students I’ve worked with over the years, and examiners themselves, as well as a helpful framework that might aid your preparation.

First, what will be covered on the final exam?

How does the test work?

You must read through a case study before the three-hour exam and craft a professionally written report for your fictitious customer.

You receive the case study in advance, usually two weeks. You have plenty of time to prepare, research potential weak points, gather data to support your report, and write the entire thing beforehand. They provide it to you in advance because they think you should, too.

You might experience a few wobblies on exam day or minor adjustments to the exam paper that might alter your report. Still, if you prepared adequately, these last-minute adjustments shouldn’t pose too many difficulties.

Think of your client.

Although the case study will be as accurate as feasible, some anomalies will exist, and these must be confirmed. Even though you’ll want to impress the examiner to get points, you should approach it genuinely and address the report to them rather than the examiner. Be careful not to over-impress; you can offend, and the examiner might penalize you for doing too much with the technical parts.

Remember who your audience is when writing; use clear language they can understand. Imagine them reading your report while sipping tea while seated with their feet up and attempting to make sense of it.

The marking procedure

It’s crucial to value the marks you receive for the paper so you can pay attention to the right things.

You receive 150 points overall.

10 for the summary and introduction
10. When determining affordability
30 for grammar, style, and presentation
100 for your suggestions, counsel, and options.
Spend some time developing a solid introduction, calculations, and writing style, and you’ll already be on track for 50 marks—just 75 are needed to pass.

a venerable structure

Introduction
Purpose of report
Situation summary
a list of the goals
Additional details are required.
Approach to Risk
Affordability Assessed
Quick improvements/quick fixes
Recommendations
Future Steps
The architecture described

Introduction

Write to the client at the beginning of the report, using his or her name in the first person, as in “Brian; we spoke about your wish to purchase a property abroad and to do this, I will be looking at.

Settle the report’s goal, which should align with his goals and objectives. Be succinct in discussing the material you’ve learned; avoid simply restating what the Factfinds say. Summarize in your terms and the client’s language.

You could want to start assuming things at this point to understand his goals clearly. You could then ask him some questions if you need additional details, to confirm something, or to get clarification. You can clear them or ask the client to ensure assumptions are acceptable. Although I’m sure you wouldn’t in the real world, do you?

You can only properly dive into the report and choose the course of action for your customer after you and both of you are clear on where you’re going.

A cost-benefit analysis

Here, you can earn some valuable points by demonstrating your understanding of income tax and national insurance to determine how much the client can afford to spend on the regular income product you suggest.

Write up your calculations so the client can grasp them instead of spacing them out like in a textbook. Explain each line of the figures so they can understand and follow you.

You’ll gain points for the correct response, so be accurate. But, your calculations along the route will get you higher marks. It resembles taking math examinations in school.

Quick repairs and immediate improvements

Some fast fixes might help your clients’ circumstances but don’t require a heading in the suggestions area.

For instance, changing the investment came from the husband to the wife to reduce taxes or to use money from deposits to pay off a credit card or other high-interest debt.

Recommendations

The core of the entire report, this part is worth 100 points. Based on their importance, your suggestions should be broken down into manageable time blocks. Spend the necessary time on each section after attempting to estimate the number of marks the examiner might assign to each.

Attempt to arrange them in order of priority; doing so is a wise way to make financial plans.

Give the client a list of the possibilities, explain them, and consult with them as you go.

Offer your suggestions and explain them, citing facts when you can. Don’t leave too many things to the client’s discretion or say, “We’ll decide them when we meet again.”

You want to get points by giving a solid endorsement supported by evidence.

Send them to someone qualified to advise if you aren’t able to, or to another expert like a lawyer.

Consider your five Ws: what, who, how, why, and when.

What is the suggestion
Individuals associated
How do you plan to implement it?
Why do they require it?
When ought you to begin it?
Future Steps

The section on the report’s next steps is its concluding section. Finally, it would be best if you ended the conversation, provided a clear path for the customer to follow, reaffirmed your review plans, and perhaps even clarified the pricing structure.

Final suggestions

Watch the clock; three hours seem like a long time when you’re lazing on the beach, but they fly by when you’re having a good time. But seriously, schedule your time and be sure to complete the report. You will receive most of your marks in the first few minutes of any section, so you must at least begin each one.

Presentation and organization. It must be organized correctly and have headers and subheadings like a legitimate professional report. Perhaps tables, bulleted lists, images, or pictures. After all, it’s for the customer, so maybe a risk graph would be more effective than a wall of text. Nowadays, most people are visual by nature, and a picture truly is worth a thousand words.

Explained are all technical terms. Just avoid using a technical time without defining it. Any slight complexity must be presented in terms the buyer can comprehend. TLAs, or three-letter acronyms, are common in our society; while you may be familiar with their meanings, is your client?

Less can be more. Look at posters and pamphlets for examples of how effective communication may be accomplished with minimal words. Why go on and on when a brief, punchy sentence will do? In addition, you have just three hours to compose.

Summary

I think there are some excellent suggestions and thoughts here. Do as much study as possible to maximize your exam achievement. Good fortune

Visit for more details on the public DipFA courses, and while you’re there, sign up for the Weekly Sales Tips.

Final Exam How to Pass the Final Exam