News & Updates
Not All Sunsets Are Beautiful
Good to Know Income taxes and transfer taxes will rise—in some cases painfully—after December 31, 2025. Transfer taxes include gift, estate, and generation-skipping taxes. Income tax rates will increase and transfer taxes may rise as taxpayer friendly provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) expire (sunset) for years beginning on or after January…
Read MoreFinancial Firms Account for Increase in CFP® Professionals
CFP® Board Updates New data from the CFP Board confirms recent trend of leading US firms adding more CFP® Professionals than ever. There were 6,089 new Certificants in 2023, with 1,000 of those coming from Edward Jones alone. In fact, four firms increased their number of CFP® Professionals by more than 200. The four leading…
Read More529 To Roth IRA Rollover
Good to Know Your prospect started saving for their child’s college education early and consistently. Fast forward to when the child graduates from college. Now it’s obvious there’s $35,000 in the 529 plan that will not be needed for college. When they turn to you for advice, how do you advise them? Here’s an interesting…
Read MoreCFP® Certification—A Competitive Edge
CFP® Certificants in the News According to CFP Board, “more than 10,000 firms across the U.S. are employers of CFP® professionals, and with good reason.” The chart below testifies to the explosive growth of clients that prefer working with a CFP® Certificant in 2023, rising dramatically to over eight of every ten clients from only two…
Read MoreStudent Loan Forgiveness Fraud
Good to Know The Federal Trade Commission cautions that “scammers might try and tell you they can help you avoid repayments, lower your payments, or get your loans forgiven — for a price.” That sage advice could not be more timely. Whenever there’s confusion over student loans and dishonest money to be had, scammers flock…
Read MoreCFP Professionals Highly Satisfied With their Career
CFP® Board Updates A 2023 Survey of CFP® Professionals shows overwhelming satisfaction with their career choice. Furthermore, they fully believe the certification has a positive impact on their career. 87% of CFP® Professionals are satisfied with their career 89% are satisfied with their decision to pursue CFP® Certification An overwhelming 86% would recommend others pursue…
Read MoreRelationships, Psychology, and Financial Issues
Good to Know CFP Board’s focus on the psychology of financial planning led to a new domain topic— The Psychology of Financial Planning. Our focus in today’s article is on financial tensions in relationships. According to The Practitioner Resource Guide (Guide) offered by CFP Board, three common relationship tensions include Financial Enabling, Financial Control, and,…
Read MoreCFP Board Supports Expansion of Fiduciary Duty
CFP® Certificants in the News The Employee Retirement Investment Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) pioneered desperately needed reforms for employer provided retirement plans. As just one example of pre-ERISA abuses, some employers required lengthy vesting requirements and—in a flagrantly deplorable practice—terminated employees before they became vested to avoid paying pensions. Fifty years ago, ERISA rode…
Read MoreCFP Board Announces 2023 Academic Research Colloquium Winners
CFP® Board Updates The CFP Board Center for Financial Planning held the 7th annual Academic Research Colloquium for financial planning and related disciplines. It was held December 7-8, 2023 at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel in Arlington, VA. The colloquium is an international meeting of researchers, practitioners, graduate students and leaders of the financial…
Read MoreArtificial Intelligence in Insurance
Good to Know The promise of AI must be tempered by the responsibility for its use by insurance companies according to a guidance bulletin published December 4 by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). According NAIC Commissioner Birrane, “This initiative represents a collaborative effort to set clear expectations for state Departments of Insurance regarding…
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