Every month Professional Paraplanner teams up with Brand Financial Training to provide a series of questions from across the CII syllabus to test your knowledge.
Whether you are preparing for your exams, or simply want to keep your knowledge up-to-date, Professional Paraplanner’s Development Zone can help.
These questions relate to examinable Tax year 25/26, examinable by the CII until 31 August 2026.
You will find the answers separately under the Development Zone tab on the Professional Paraplanner website.
We hope you find our Q&A useful in achieving your qualifications.
QUESTIONS
1. Under the Senior Managers and Certification Regime, each of the following is an example of a systems and controls function, with the exception of
A. Chief finance.
B. Chief risk.
C. Head of internal audit.
D. Compliance oversight.
2. When evaluating performance, which of the following are common methods of calculating risk-adjusted returns? (Tick all that apply)
A. Gearing ratio.
B. Information ratio.
C. Alpha.
D. Price-earnings ratio.
3. Andrew is a self-employed plumber and for the first time is going to complete his tax return online. He wants to know when the deadline is for submitting this to HM Revenue & Customs for the 2025/26 tax year. You tell him that the filing date is the
A. 31 October 2026.
B. 30 December 2026.
C. 31 January 2027.
D. 31 January 2028.
4. Chan is 59 and approaching retirement. He is considering his options regarding his pension arrangements and is interested in phasing benefits. Which approach would he NOT be able to take when seeking to do this?
A. Phased flexible annuity purchase.
B. Phased capped drawdown.
C. Phased flexi-access drawdown.
D. The phased taking of UFPLS.
5. In quantifying the protection needs of a client on death, the first consideration should be
A. Capital to make lifestyle changes.
B. Income for dependants in the long term.
C. Capital to settle liabilities.
D. Income for dependants in the short term.
6. A fund manager is analysing the potential of a company as an investment opportunity. When considering return on equity, they should be aware that this is the
A. amount of return paid to preference shareholders.
B. earnings achieved compared to equity invested.
C. amount of return paid to ordinary shareholders.
D. earnings achieved compared to capital employed.
7. An investment manager is considering selling futures. They are therefore hoping that the price of the underlying asset will
A. stabilise.
B. fall.
C. fluctuate.
D. rise.
8. Amanda, who lived in England, has died without leaving a will. She was married but had no children and has two surviving brothers and no other relatives. How will her estate of £650,000 be distributed under the laws of intestacy?
A. Entire estate absolutely to her spouse.
B. £450,000 plus personal chattels to her spouse, £200,000 to her brothers.
C. £550,000 plus personal chattels to her spouse, £100,000 to her brothers.
D. £322,000 plus personal chattels to her spouse, who also receives a life interest in £164,000, and £164,000 absolutely to her brothers.
9. Beryl is considering an equity release mortgage to fund the cost of her grandchildren’s school fees in the future. What product is most likely to suit her needs?
A. A home income plan.
B. A drawdown lifetime mortgage.
C. A home reversion plan.
D. A cash scheme lifetime mortgage.
10. Once contracts have been exchanged, the buyer acquires what sort of interest in the property?
A. Legal.
B. Equitable.
C. Commonhold.
D. Reversionary.
