Home

Search results for "AF5"

  • How Brand Financial Training Helped Me Pass AF5

    This article is written by a recent AF5 candidate who passed AF5 shortly after R06 and shares practical insights into exam technique, revision strategy, and the use of Brand Financial Training’s AF5 analysis.

  • Why Sitting AF5 Straight After R06 is a Smart Strategy

    For candidates aiming to progress quickly through the CII qualifications, strategy matters. Tackling AF5 soon after R06 makes study more efficient and helps you move faster toward Chartered status. In this post, we’ll explore the key reasons this timing works so well.

  • Our Post-Exam Review of the February 2026 CII AF5 Exam

    The CII has now released the exam guide for the February sitting of AF5 so we can see how we did in our pre-exam analysis.

  • Our Post-Exam Review of the September 2025 CII AF5 Exam

    The CII has now released the exam guide for the September sitting of AF5 so we can see how we did in our pre-exam analysis.

  • Insights from the February 2025 AF5 Exam: What Candidates Can Learn

    The CII AF5 exam continues to test not just technical knowledge but the ability to apply it in a way that’s tailored to clients’ real-world circumstances. The February 2025 sitting offered several clear lessons on where candidates gained or lost marks – lessons that can help future students sharpen their approach and avoid common pitfalls.

  • Our Post-Exam Review of the February 2025 CII AF5 Exam

    The CII has now released the exam guide for the February sitting of AF5 so we can see how we did in our pre-exam analysis.

  • Brand Bitesize: Extending the Basic Rate Band with Pension Contributions

    In this Brand Bitesize video, we take a look at extending the basic rate band with pension contributions – relevant to the CII R03 exam, but also a worthy reminder for exams AF5 and R06.

  • Brand Bitesize: Personal Savings Allowance and Dividend Allowance

    In this Brand Bitesize video, we take a look at the Personal Savings Allowance and the Dividend Allowance – relevant to the CII R03 exam, but also a worthy reminder for the AF1, AF5, and R06 exams.

  • Our Post-Exam Review of the September 2024 CII AF5 Exam

    The CII has now released the exam guide for the September sitting of AF5 so we can see how we did in our pre-exam analysis.

  • Our Post-Exam Review of the February 2024 CII AF5 Exam

    The CII has now released the exam guide for the February sitting of AF5 so we can see how we did in our pre-exam analysis.

  • CII Exam Combinations to Consider

    For those of you starting to plan your exam journey for 2024, you’ll be pleased to hear the CII have released the exam dates for all their written exams. We use the word ‘written’ in its modern sense as, post-COVID, all these exams, except AF4, are actually written online rather than with pen and paper. The CII refers to them as ‘written’ to distinguish them from their multiple-choice exams. The multiple-choice exams can be taken at any time throughout the year. Now we’ve cleared that up, in this article, we thought we’d give you some food for thought about some of the exams you may want to consider sitting close together as you plan your route towards the Advanced Diploma in 2024.

  • Becoming Familiar with Unit Trusts and OEICs

    In this article we cover some useful facts about unit trusts and open-ended investment companies (OEICs) – of interest to those studying for the CII AF1, AF4, CF1, J10, R02 or R03 exams. The taxation of unit trusts is also a popular topic in both R06 and AF5.

  • Brand Bitesize: Understanding Phased Annuity Purchase

    In this Brand Bitesize video, we break down Phased Annuity Purchase – a key retirement income option often tested in the CII's R04, J05, AF5, and AF7 exams.

  • Brand Bitesize: Maximum Tax Relievable Pension Contributions

    Understanding the maximum tax-relievable pension contribution is a key area of the CII R03 Personal Taxation syllabus and regularly appears in wider financial planning exams such as R06, AF5 and AF7. In this Brand Bitesize video, we explain the rules that determine how much can be contributed to a pension with tax relief.

  • Preparing for the CII’s AF5 and R06 Financial Advice Questions

    In this article, we take a look at the financial advice process from an exam preparation perspective. This is relevant to the CII's R06 and AF5 exams.