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🎉 New Year, New Connections! 🎉
Happy New Year, alumni! 2026 is here, and it’s the perfect time to set goals for growth, connection, and making an impact. Whether it’s advancing your career, expanding your network, learning new skills, or giving back to your community, now is the time to focus on what matters most to you. Share your goal and see what…
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As a CFP® Professional why do I need to know if I am providing financial advice?
One of the first things that is covered in the Ethics CE course for CFP® Professionals is the definition of "financial advice". This is important for CFP® professionals because we are held to the fiduciary standard of always putting the client's needs first and above our needs or our firm's needs. And this applies whenever…
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Incorrect Instructions for Study Tools on Calculating Education or Retirement Income
Hello, I am learning how to use my calculator, but one of the videos says and writes the wrong thing so am bringing it to your attention. In the calculator video for -education or retirement income video has wrong calculation at the beginning. They have written on the board FV and it should be PV for the first part of the…
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Market Tops and V-Shaped Recoveries
The research I am currently working on focuses on whether the U.S. stock market is overvalued and how to identify the shapes of market cycles. In a project with Michael Angel, we have been analyzing the “Buffett Indicator”—the ratio of the market value of the S&P 500 to U.S. GDP. Historically, from roughly 1950 to 2009,…
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The $3,000 “Secret” Behind Better Saving Habits (Even When Big Bills Are Coming)
A 2025 study found that households with a “financial safety net” are more likely to demonstrate a saving habit (spending less than income), and that long-term savings goals help explain part of that relationship. In the research, a “safety net” is defined very specifically as being able to access $3,000 or more in…
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When Advisors Ask About SE-AWMA vs. CPWA: The Answers That Always Come Up
SE-AWMA vs. CPWA: Two Questions Advisors Ask (Almost as Often as “Is the Market Up Today?”) Advisors tend to be curious people, which is a polite way of saying we ask a lot of questions. But two come up so reliably that I could set my watch by them: “How does the SE-AWMA® compare to the CPWA®?” and “Will earning the…
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✨CE Success Stories: How Has Continuing Education Helped YOU? ✨
Alumni, we want to celebrate your growth, your achievements, and the real impact continuing education has had on your career or business. Whether it was a course that boosted your confidence, a program that helped you land a new role, or CE that improved the way you serve clients—your story matters and can inspire others…
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Thanksgiving is Almost Here! 🍂
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and it’s a great time to pause, reflect, and enjoy some good food and gratitude! Here are a few fun facts to get you in the holiday spirit: The first Thanksgiving in 1621 lasted three days and included games and feasting—not just turkey! Turkey wasn’t always the main dish; waterfowl,…
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🎓 Alumni Advice Corner – Share Your Wisdom!
Calling all alumni! Your experience matters, and there’s no better way to give back than by sharing your advice with current students and recent graduates. 💡 What to share: Time management tips that helped you succeed Study strategies or exam prep hacks Career guidance or lessons learned in the field of financial planning…
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AI Knowledge Tools for Budding Scholars
Google Scholar Labs Stanford Genie - Storm and Co-Storm WMPA by College for Financial Planning - A Kaplan Company Google NotebookLM - create your powerful repositories ResearchRabbit
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🔄 Keep Your Designation Current: How & Why Renewal Matters
Renewing your designation isn’t just a formality—it keeps your credentials active, recognized, and respected in the financial planning profession. Staying up to date shows your commitment to continued learning and professional excellence. How to Renew Your Designation: Log in to your portal before your renewal date.…
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An unexpected benefit of the Master's in Personal Financial Planning program
About 10 years ago, when I was both established in my financial planning practice, but new to the College, I started the Master's program in Personal Financial Planning. Although I had earned the CFP® certification in 2003, I knew I was going to take a deeper dive into portfolio construction, retirement planning, client…
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📊 Have Your Say: Create a Poll for the Community!
Alumni, we want to hear from you! What topics are you curious about—CFP strategies, career tools, or industry trends? Create your own poll in the community and see what your peers think. Polls are a fun way to spark discussion, share insights, and learn from each other. Your question could lead to new ideas, tips, or even…
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Cryptocurrency Insights for Advisors
The Future of Financial Advice in a Crypto-Enabled World As crypto and digital assets become more integrated into financial planning, one thing is clear: investors will still need human advisors. Even with the rise of robo-advisors and automation, navigating crypto requires judgment, experience, and strategic thinking that…
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🌞 Good Vibes Reminder: Daylight Saving Time Ends! ⏰
Just a friendly reminder that Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, November 2! Don’t forget to set your clocks back one hour before bed Saturday night. That small change gives us an extra hour of sleep, so enjoy the bonus rest and make the most of it! Here are some fun facts about Daylight Saving Time: Benjamin Franklin’s…
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Supporting Clients Through Divorce: Navigating Financial Complexity
Divorce rates are down among all cohorts save one: people over age 50. With the rise of so-called “gray divorces”, financial professionals play a vital role in helping clients transition from joint to individual financial lives. Beyond the emotional toll, divorce later in life often involves complex decisions around asset…
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Statement of financial position, Model 3, LO 3.1.1
assets=liabilities + net worth, I’m a bit confused by this. Is this formula assuming that the credit card debt (liabilities) is a personal property (asset) on the other end. What if the debt was used to pay for a vacation, would this formula still apply? Does this formula only work if the liability is funding an asset?…
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The Anchoring Bias
Anchoring is a common financial bias, with clients with this bias being stuck on an investment price, thinking that is the "anchor" and anything higher is a good investment. Astorino suggests making the investment policy statement early in a relationship to keep clients on track with stated investments, not going off on…
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Over 50 Years of Excellence in CFP Education
As the Dean of Financial Planning, I oversee the revision process for all of our CFP education courses and our professional designations. Our CFP education courses and the Exam Prep Review (EPR) course have been a part of The College since our founding in 1972. We have been preparing students to successfully pass the CFP…
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Most Asked Question from ABFP Instructors: Chapter 16
FAQ: Understanding Chapter 16 (ABFP) Q: Why is Chapter 16 assigned twice in the ABFP course? A: Chapter 16 is assigned in two separate modules because it aligns with the learning objectives of both. It covers retirement planning in general and introduces a specific strategy called “nudging” to help boost retirement assets.…
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Alumni Voices Wanted – Make the Community Come Alive
Hello Alumni, It’s been six months since we launched this space just for you—and while we’ve built a library of great content, we’ve realized something important: a community isn’t really a community without you. This is your space to share, ask questions, connect, and learn from each other. Whether it’s advice for…
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💼 What’s in Your Toolkit?
Alumni, we want to hear from you! Every financial planner has that one tool, app, or resource they rely on to make their practice run smoothly. 💡 Question: What’s the one thing in your professional toolkit you can’t live without? To get the ideas flowing, here are a few examples you might consider: Planning & Analysis…
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The Future of Adult Learning: Challenges and Opportunities Ahead
As adult education evolves over the next decade, institutions, educators, and learners will face some exciting challenges—and opportunities: Balancing Automation & Human Connection: AI can personalize learning, but mentorship and meaningful human interaction remain vital. Synthesizing Learning in a Fast-Paced World:…
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🍂 Fall Term II Courses Are Here! 🍂
Fall Term II 2025 is almost here, and we’re excited to share the courses and faculty leading the way this term. 📚✨ Economics ECON 524 – Faculty TBA ECON 534 – Faculty TBA Finance FINA 515 – Barclay Roper FINA 525 – Barclay Roper FINA 565 – Todd Feldman FINA 595 – Jim Falter Personal Financial Planning (PFPL) PFPL 520 –…
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🎉 October is Financial Planning Month! 🎉
October is here, and that means it’s Financial Planning Month—a time to celebrate the power of smart money management and the role financial planners play in helping individuals achieve their goals. 💡💰 Whether you’re just starting your financial journey or looking to refine your strategy, this month is a perfect…
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CFP vs. PFPL Master’s Degree – What’s the Difference? 🎓
Are you wondering how the PFPL Master’s Degree stacks up against the CFP Certification program? Here’s a quick breakdown: PFPL Master’s Degree 10 courses over 2 years Provides deep, advanced financial planning knowledge Includes a FREE CFP Review course that can be taken after the first 6 courses Option: Take the CFP exam…
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Alumni Photo Challenge – Show Us Where the Magic Happens!
Whether you’re deep into client planning, catching up on continuing education, or working through your next big goal—your workspace says a lot about your day-to-day rhythm. 🖼️ We want to see where the magic happens! Snap a photo of your current workspace and share it with the community. It could be your home office, a…
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Uncheck the completed boxes
Hello, I accidently clicked "mark complete" not realizing they would go away. I need to uncheck them as I have not completed those sections yet! Is there a way to uncheck them so they go back to my current plan.
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🎓 Master’s Alumni Connection: Share Your Graduation Year & Journey!
Hey Master’s alumni! Whether you graduated last year or a decade ago, your journey since earning your degree is a story worth sharing. Let’s celebrate the diverse paths we’ve taken and reconnect as a community. Here’s how to join in: 1️⃣ Comment below with your graduation year (e.g., Class of 2023, 2018, 2010). 2️⃣ Share…
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The S&P 500 Is More Top-Heavy Than Ever—What Advisors Should Know
In 2024, the top 10 companies in the S&P 500 accounted for 37% of the index’s value—a level three standard deviations above the historical average of 21.5%. This level of overconcentration is unprecedented in recent decades and represents a structural shift in market dynamics. Our research at the College for Financial…
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🎓 Calling All Master’s Students—What Do You Want to See Next?
Happy Monday to all our Master’s students! 🎓 This space is designed just for you—to share resources, ask questions, and connect with others on the same journey. Today, we’d love to hear from you: 👉 What’s been your biggest aha! moment so far in your program? 👉 What topics or resources would you like us to cover in future…
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Conflicts of Interest and How to Maintain Your Fiduciary Integrity
Unless you work for free, every financial advisor will have conflicts of interest because compensation is inherently a conflict of interest. Since it is impossible to avoid all conflicts of interest, it is important to know what is required of CFP® professionals when they arise. The first step is to identify any conflicts…
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💬 Ask Us Anything: Alumni Edition
Hey CFFP Alumni! 🎓 Got questions? We’ve got answers! Whether you’re curious about: Growing your career in financial planning 💼 Navigating advanced certifications or designations 📜 Finding mentors or building your network 🤝 Industry trends, challenges, or best practices 📊 …we want to hear from you! Drop your questions in…
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Check Out the New Alumni Page and Share Your Feedback
We’re excited to share that the new Alumni webpage is here—a central hub to help you stay connected, celebrate accomplishments, and access valuable tools. Here’s what you can already explore: Checkout the webpage here:https://www.cffp.edu/alumni ✅ Attend an Event – Stay in the loop with upcoming alumni and professional…
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Check Out the New Alumni Page and Share Your Feedback
We’re excited to share that the new Alumni webpage is here—a central hub to help you stay connected, celebrate accomplishments, and access valuable tools. Here’s what you can already explore: Check out the Alumni webpage here: https://www.cffp.edu/alumni ✅ Attend an Event – Stay in the loop with upcoming alumni and…
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Master's and the Growth Mindsets
The Master's Mindset is a step above undergraduate study. Master's students learn to ask "why," going beyond simple answers. A Growth Mindset is applicable to any education, and Carol Dweck has a lot of resources on this, including a book called Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. A chart, found on a Farnam Street…
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Why take PFPL 650 in the Client Psychology track?
Are you ready to take your client relationships to the next level? I’m excited to tell you about PFPL 650, Client Psychology and Communication, a graduate-level course designed to deepen your understanding of how clients think, feel, and make financial decisions. This isn’t just theory—we explore real client behaviors,…
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Master’s Monday Insights: Want to Join an Ongoing Conversation? Jump In!
There are already some great discussions happening in the community—don’t be shy! Whether you have a question, want to share a comment, or just connect, joining a thread is a fantastic way to engage with fellow students and faculty. 👇 Check out these active posts and drop a comment to share your thoughts or ask a question.…
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Understanding the Financial Planning Process: A Core Foundation for Every Planner
One of the most essential foundations in financial planning is a thorough understanding of the financial planning process. This process is more than a checklist—it’s a structured, repeatable framework that enables planners to deliver ethical, client-focused, and results-driven advice in a variety of scenarios. At its core,…
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Financial Planning
Financial planning has become more multifaceted than ever before. With a host of investment options, changing economic landscapes, and personal financial goals, clients are seeking state-of-the-art solutions to manage their finances successfully. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is stepping in to transform financial planning.…
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Ready for a Career Boost? Start with the Graduate Program and PFPL510!
As part of the College for Financial Planning’s Master of Science in Personal Financial Planning (MS-PFP) program, the PFPL510 course, Financial Planning Process & Insurance, offers graduate-level students a comprehensive introduction to the foundations of financial planning, insurance, and risk management. Designed for…
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AI in Fiduciary Documentation: Navigating Risks and Maximizing Benefits
Overview As the financial advisory profession approaches 2025, advisors and CFP graduate students must critically evaluate the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into fiduciary documentation practices. AI technologies offer substantial potential to streamline operations, automate routine documentation tasks,…
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Sharing This Might Make You Feel Smarter... Even If You Don’t Read It
I recently read a very interesting study by Ward, Zheng, and Broniarczyk that shows that sharing content on social media, without reading it, can inflate one's sense of knowledge. Why? Sharing signals expertise. Over time, people internalize that behavior and come to believe they know more than they actually do. Here is…
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Algorithms in Armani: Navigating FINRA 24-09 and the SEC’s PDA Crackdown
(Generated using Google Scholar and ChatGPT; vetted using good old brain) In a one-two regulatory punch, FINRA’s Regulatory Notice 24-09 and the SEC’s Predictive Data Analytics proposal (Release 2023-140) make it crystal clear that the Wild West phase of AI in finance is over. Every model, chatbot, or “magic algorithm”…
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Economic Thought
With the recent emphasis on exports, did you know that about one-third of U.S. exports are services (as opposed to goods) which are not affected by tariffs? Likewise, while the Consumer Confidence index, put out by the Conference Board, notes some disappointment in U.S. consumers purchasing goods, consumers are still…
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Learn Math
Good evening, I'm in Ohio and wanted to attend the Learn Math session which says it starts at 8:00pm but no one is on. Is this session still active ?
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Happy New Year!
As we close the books on another year, let's raise a glass to new beginnings and the exciting journey ahead! Cheers to conquering those exams, landing your dream job, and making a real difference in people's lives. Happy New Year, everyone! 🥂
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Industry Insights: Post Election Market Results
Check out the November edition of Industry Insights featuring our Dean of Financial Planning, David Mannaioni. In this video, David talks about the recent post-election market results and we would love you to share your thoughts in the comments section below. What do you think about how the elections have impacted the…
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Are you eligible for the Accelerated Path or Capstone Alternative?👀
If you’ve received prior approval from the CFP Board for the Accelerated Path or Alternative Capstone, you can enroll directly into FP517 Financial Plan Development. To register for the Alternative Capstone, just provide your Certificate of Eligibility from the CFP Board to the College’s Enrollment Department at…
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Which Academic Goal Are You Focusing on This Semester?
Participate in Our Poll! If your main goal isn't listed here or you want to add some more goals, write them in the comments below.
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🚨🎉New Series Alert!🎉🚨 Industry Insights
Check out our first episode of Industry Insights and let us know what you think about the topic, in the comments below. https://bcove.video/3yriJ1T
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What's Going On Out There? #33
Check out the video and let us know your thoughts on what's going on out there in the comments below! :) https://bcove.video/4b3LG1C
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🚨New Video🚨 📹 What's Going On Out There? #29
https://youtu.be/Cq-SoexcESs?si=ki7OeZiCfzxl-kqF Check out the latest episode of What's Going On Out There? and let us know your thoughts in the comments bellow. :)
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Ask Us Anything!
Curious about the Financial Planning field? 💬 Drop your questions in the comments below! Whether you're just starting out or deep into your journey, we want to hear from you. Throughout the month, our team will be answering select questions in upcoming discussion posts. Let's learn together! ✨
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💰️Financial Moves To Avoid Before a New Year
Some financial moves are pretty obvious for us to know to avoid when entering a new year; however, there are many financial moves clients don't often think about or know to avoid altogether. Last month, our very own expert @CFP_PHD Sara Stolberg Berkowicz (certified financial planner), was featured in an AARP article on 9…
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What's Going On Out There? #21
As 2024 begins, I'd like to hear what you are excited about going into this year. The beginning of the year is a time for reflection and planning and I'd love to hear what you're hoping for this year with regards to your financial planning practice. For me, I am excited about meeting with my clients junior and senior…
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What's Going On Out There? #20
As the last post of 2023, I just have one question. What do you think has had the greatest impact on financial planners in 2023? The stock market's amazing final run? FINRA's new CE requirements? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
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What's Going On Out There? #19
There's been quite a bit of speculation as to what the Fed plans to do with interest rates over the next several months. With inflation pretty much under control, and concerns about the economy slowing, should they consider lowering rates? Or, with the economy and particularly the stock market doing well right now, do they…
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What's Going On Out There? #18
This week the Dow and the S&P500 each reached levels they haven't been to since January 2022. While economic signals are still mixed, the market response has been quite bullish this year. Inflation is down, but prices are still up. Real estate prices are staying up, but so are mortgage rates. Like I said - mixed. Why do…
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More on CRPC!
Looking to learn more on what a CRPC (Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor) does and why they are so important? Check out this short video by our very own @Mike Harris, and click here to read a previous article on the same. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx7-Dxzbce0
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What's Going On Out There? #16
There have been numerous articles over the past year on the challenge of getting employees to go back to the offices they worked in before the pandemic. Some employees relocated when their company went virtual to take advantage of a lower cost of living in another area. Others say they don't want to go back because they've…
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What's Going On Out There? #14
This week there has been quite a bit in the news about how China's economy is struggling and foreign investment in China is decreasing with some firms pulling out of China completely. China has been viewed by many companies as an opportunity for growth, but it appears that is starting to change. Political pressure adds to…
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What's Going On Out There? #13
The headline of the Wealth Management section of the Wall Street Journal dated October 30, 2023 is: Can AI Replace Your Financial Adviser? Not Yet. But Wait. The article goes on to evaluate how ChatGPT, a generative AI, compares today to what a financial adviser can do. Those of us who use planning software have been using…
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📚New books on the psychology of financial planning📚
Have you read any of these books? If so, what is your opinion? 1.) The Psychology of Financial Planning by the CFP Board (black cover, paperback) 2.) The Psychology of Financial Planning Practitioners Guide by Klontz, Chaffin, & Klontz (blue cover, hardback) 3.) The Psychology of Financial Planning Practitioners Toolkit by…