Whether or not Mid-America was in error, New Life did encourage agents, in a 1998 brochure, to have clients leave it their trust remainders.

FORBES: Charity begins with a commission

Another common error is to simply move the old life to a new destination, which can also be problematic, she says.

CNN: Taking a step into the slow lane

But it would be a mistake to conclude that online courses fulfill the same role in a person's life as a college education, just as it would be an error to equate four years of high school with some online study and a GED exam.

CNN: Online courses need human element to educate