BUSI 688 is Liberty's MBA course in retirement planning. Its written work is seven sets of end-of-chapter discussion questions, four forums (a 350-word thread with an attached Word copy and two 250-word replies), two mini-case retirement scenarios from the textbook, and a comprehensive retirement plan for the textbook's Mike and Maria Roman case, built with financial planning software and presented in a narrated PowerPoint.
Liberty's catalog lists the course as BUSI 688 Retirement Planning, 3 credit hours; Canvas and the course guide file print it as BUSI688.
What BUSI 688 covers
The catalog description: This course provides a comprehensive overview of retirement planning needs and analysis for effective planning strategies. Topics include qualified retirement plan design, Social Security, Medicare, group life health and disability insurance, and non-qualified deferred compensation.
The course gives a comprehensive overview of retirement planning needs and analysis, covering qualified retirement plan design, Social Security, Medicare, group life, health and disability insurance, and nonqualified deferred compensation. The text is Dalton and Dalton, Retirement Planning and Employee Benefits.
Seven quizzes (175 points) and an open-book comprehensive final exam (100 questions, 250 points) have no guide here. Each week runs Monday to Sunday, and the final week ends Friday.
Textbook named in the published guide: Dalton & Dalton, Retirement Planning and Employee Benefits (2018). Check the current edition in your Canvas section.
BUSI 688 assignments, week by week
Every graded written assignment in the published guide has its own how-to guide below. Quizzes, exams, checklists and class introductions are left out because there is nothing to write.
| Week | Assignment | Points | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Discussion Board Forum 1 | 25 | Thread at least 350 words; replies at least 250 words |
| 1 | End-of-Chapter Discussion Questions 1 | 25 | Not set in the guide; answer each assigned question fully |
| 2 | Mini-Case Retirement Scenario 1 | 50 | Not set in the guide; follow the scenario |
| 2 | End-of-Chapter Discussion Questions 2 | 25 | Not set in the guide; answer each assigned question fully |
| 3 | Discussion Board Forum 2 | 25 | Thread at least 350 words; replies at least 250 words |
| 3 | End-of-Chapter Discussion Questions 3 | 25 | Not set in the guide; answer each assigned question fully |
| 4 | Discussion Board Forum 3 | 25 | Thread at least 350 words; replies at least 250 words |
| 4 | End-of-Chapter Discussion Questions 4 | 25 | Not set in the guide; answer each assigned question fully |
| 5 | Mini-Case Retirement Scenario 2 | 50 | Not set in the guide; follow the scenario |
| 5 | End-of-Chapter Discussion Questions 5 | 25 | Not set in the guide; answer each assigned question fully |
| 6 | Discussion Board Forum 4 | 25 | Thread at least 350 words; replies at least 250 words |
| 6 | End-of-Chapter Discussion Questions 6 | 25 | Not set in the guide; answer each assigned question fully |
| 7 | End-of-Chapter Discussion Questions 7 | 25 | Not set in the guide; answer each assigned question fully |
| 8 | Comprehensive Retirement Plan Analysis | 150 | Set in the plan instructions |
| 8 | Comprehensive Retirement Plan Presentation | 50 | Not set in the guide |
Week 1: Discussion Board Forum 1
A 350-word thread drawing on experience and course material, posted with an attached Word copy, then two 250-word replies. How to write BUSI 688 Week 1 Discussion Board Forum 1.
Week 1: End-of-Chapter Discussion Questions 1
Answer the assigned end-of-chapter discussion questions from Dalton and Dalton chapters 1, 2 and 12. How to write BUSI 688 Week 1 End-of-Chapter Discussion Questions 1.
Week 2: Mini-Case Retirement Scenario 1
A short textbook retirement scenario covering parts of a financial plan such as financial situation, taxes, insurance, investments, retirement and estate planning. How to write BUSI 688 Week 2 Mini-Case Retirement Scenario 1.
Week 2: End-of-Chapter Discussion Questions 2
Answer the assigned end-of-chapter discussion questions from Dalton and Dalton chapters 3 and 4. How to write BUSI 688 Week 2 End-of-Chapter Discussion Questions 2.
Week 3: Discussion Board Forum 2
A 350-word thread drawing on experience and course material, posted with an attached Word copy, then two 250-word replies. How to write BUSI 688 Week 3 Discussion Board Forum 2.
Week 3: End-of-Chapter Discussion Questions 3
Answer the assigned end-of-chapter discussion questions from Dalton and Dalton chapters 5 and 6. How to write BUSI 688 Week 3 End-of-Chapter Discussion Questions 3.
Week 4: Discussion Board Forum 3
A 350-word thread drawing on experience and course material, posted with an attached Word copy, then two 250-word replies. How to write BUSI 688 Week 4 Discussion Board Forum 3.
Week 4: End-of-Chapter Discussion Questions 4
Answer the assigned end-of-chapter discussion questions from Dalton and Dalton chapters 7 and 8. How to write BUSI 688 Week 4 End-of-Chapter Discussion Questions 4.
Week 5: Mini-Case Retirement Scenario 2
A short textbook retirement scenario covering parts of a financial plan such as financial situation, taxes, insurance, investments, retirement and estate planning. How to write BUSI 688 Week 5 Mini-Case Retirement Scenario 2.
Week 5: End-of-Chapter Discussion Questions 5
Answer the assigned end-of-chapter discussion questions from Dalton and Dalton chapters 9 and 10. How to write BUSI 688 Week 5 End-of-Chapter Discussion Questions 5.
Week 6: Discussion Board Forum 4
A 350-word thread drawing on experience and course material, posted with an attached Word copy, then two 250-word replies. How to write BUSI 688 Week 6 Discussion Board Forum 4.
Week 6: End-of-Chapter Discussion Questions 6
Answer the assigned end-of-chapter discussion questions from Dalton and Dalton chapter 11. How to write BUSI 688 Week 6 End-of-Chapter Discussion Questions 6.
Week 7: End-of-Chapter Discussion Questions 7
Answer the assigned end-of-chapter discussion questions from Dalton and Dalton chapters 13 and 14. How to write BUSI 688 Week 7 End-of-Chapter Discussion Questions 7.
Week 8: Comprehensive Retirement Plan Analysis
A comprehensive retirement plan for the textbook's Mike and Maria Roman case, built with the financial planning software. How to write BUSI 688 Week 8 Comprehensive Retirement Plan Analysis.
Week 8: Comprehensive Retirement Plan Presentation
A client-ready PowerPoint of the Romans' retirement plan with embedded audio narration recorded as if the clients were present. How to write BUSI 688 Week 8 Comprehensive Retirement Plan Presentation.
How BUSI 688 is graded
The published guide totals 1,010 points. The four forums are 25 each (100), the seven question sets 25 each (175), the two mini-cases 50 each (100), the comprehensive plan analysis 150, the presentation 50, quizzes 175, the final exam 250 and the checklist 10.
| Graded item | Points |
|---|---|
| Discussion Board Forums (4) | 100 |
| End-of-Chapter Discussion Questions (7) | 175 |
| Mini-Case Retirement Scenarios (2) | 100 |
| Comprehensive Retirement Plan Analysis | 150 |
| Comprehensive Retirement Plan Presentation | 50 |
| Quizzes (7) | 175 |
| Final Exam | 250 |
| Course Requirements Checklist | 10 |
The published scale puts an A at 940 to 1010 points.
Week timing in the published guide: Each course module/week begins on Monday morning at 12:00 a.m. (ET) and ends on Sunday night at 11:59 p.m. (ET). The final module/week ends at 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Friday.
How to approach BUSI 688
Read the Mike and Maria Roman case early; the comprehensive plan and presentation are both due in Week 8, the same week as the final exam.
Retirement rules change yearly, so check current contribution limits and Social Security figures rather than relying on the textbook's year.
Questions students ask
What is the BUSI 688 comprehensive retirement plan?
Using the textbook's case and the financial planning software, you complete a comprehensive retirement plan for the Mike and Maria Roman case (150 points) and present it in a PowerPoint with embedded audio narration, as if the clients were present (50 points), both in Week 8.
What are the BUSI 688 mini-case retirement scenarios?
Two short textbook assignments (Weeks 2 and 5, 50 points each) covering aspects of a financial plan such as financial situation analysis, taxes, insurance, investments, retirement and estate planning.
Working through BUSI 688 now?
Tell us the week and the assignment. A tutor who knows the course replies with a plan for the draft.