PFP students Kylee Nelson, a senior, and Bailey Misbach, a junior, were selected as finalists for the 2019 National Financial Plan Competition. The pair presented their financial plan to IARFC board members via GoToMeeting earlier this month after being selected as semifinalists. Kylee and Bailey—along with Dr. Luke Dean—will be flown to Nashville, TN for the final competition on March 21.

The IARFC Financial Plan Competition is for undergraduate students enrolled in a financial services curriculum. Students are given a fictional case narrative and are required to craft a financial plan. The goal of the competition is to gain exposure to a case study and go through the process of crafting a financial plan.

“It’s been a great opportunity for me to expand my knowledge and get a feel for what it would be like to counsel with clients,” said Misbach.

This year, the IARFC received the most submissions ever with 56 plans representing 13 universities: Bowling Green University, Bryant University, California State University, Central Michigan University, Clarion University, Creighton University, University of Illinois, University of Missouri, University of North Florida, University of North Texas, University of Wisconsin, and Western Carolina University.

“Making the semifinals was harder than ever before, and I’m proud of the team for making the finals,” said Luke Dean, faculty advisor for the team.

As finalists, the team’s travel expenses are covered, which includes a stay at the world famous Gaylord Opryland Resort. At the final competition, the team will give a 25 minute presentation in front of mock clients, judges, and an audience of professionals from around the U.S. The other finalists are Central Michigan University and the University of North Texas. The winning team will get their case published in the IARFC Academic Journal of Personal Finance.

“This competition has pushed me to learn concepts in greater depths from a variety of sources, which will help me in the rest of my education and future career,” said Nelson.

The IARFC Annual Conference provides an excellent opportunity to network with experienced financial consultants, as well as a polished achievement to add to their resumes.

For additional information, check out IARFC's press release.