Enjoy the current installment of “Weekend Reading For Financial Planners” – this week’s edition kicks off with the news that legislative efforts to prevent the enforcement of the Department of Labor’s newly proposed “retirement security rule” have a cloudy future, as both Democrats and President Biden are opposing such efforts. Which suggests that, if enacted, the ultimate fate of the proposed regulation, like its similar predecessors, will likely be decided in the courts.
Also in industry news this week:
- CFP Board has expanded the details it provides regarding disciplinary actions, expanding transparency around the disciplinary process for both CFP professionals and the broader public
- A recent study suggests that advisory firms that hire specialists are able to offer more planning services and increase the amount of time advisors spend with clients, though doing so comes at a cost
From there, we have several articles on retirement planning:
- Why higher interest rates and lower inflation have led to an increased initial safe withdrawal rate for retirees, according to one analysis
- A group of retirement ‘supernerds’ critiques a recent claim that retirees can confidently use an 8% safe withdrawal rate
- Why retirees might consider gifting while they are alive rather than waiting until their deaths to leave money to loved ones and charities
We also have a number of articles on tax planning:
- How financial advisors can add value for clients by helping them make Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) correctly
- The range of tax-savings opportunities advisors can uncover when reviewing a client’s tax return
- A year-end tax planning checklist advisors and clients can use to ensure there will be no surprises when it comes time to file their 2023 tax returns
We wrap up with 3 final articles, all about managing wealth:
- Why having significant wealth does not immunize an individual from worrying about money
- How advisors can support clients who are entering a relationship with unequal wealth
- Budgeting and account management tools consumers (and their advisors) can consider using following the upcoming shutdown of Mint
Enjoy the ‘light’ reading!
