– 529 Insiders
– News & Research
– Data
– ABLE Act Column
– State-Sponsored Retirement Savings Column
– Events

529 Dash, Required Reading for Your 529 Education: The goal of the 529 Dash is to address the specific needs and concerns of advisers and institutions who sell and service families and employers in the education financial planning process by creating and sharing industry relevant news, product training and best practices, while also building awareness and understanding of the importance of 529s, ABLE accounts and education financial planning.

Please Read, Engage and Share.

Paul Curley, CFA
Editor-in-Chief of 529 Dash
Director of College Savings Research
paul.curley@strategic-i.com
Twitter: @PaulCurleyBC

Reader’s Perspective: Q&A with Dr. John Karaffa, CPA, CFP, PFS, Founder and President of ProSport CPA in Quinton, Virginia

• How does this author and accountant help his professional athlete clientele to win championships in the college financial planning process?

Here is what you need to know from stories, research and data released this week:

• Nerd's Eye View by Michael Kitces, “Hiring children in the family business for tax (and other) benefits.” Editor's Take: Thank you Michael for highlighting the benefits of hiring children to support family run business, and the potential pitfalls including impacts to FAFSA calculations. Read the article to learn more.
• Finance Authority of Maine (FAME), “Claim your future – financial education to engage students.” Editor's Take: Thank you FAME for creating an online financial education tool for students, parents and schools. Read the article to learn more about Claim Your Future.
• 33% of Americans report their top savings goal in 2019 is to pay off debt such as credit card, student loans and mortgage.
• Boston College Center for Retirement Research, “Parent PLUS College Loans Can Spell Peril.” Editor's Take: Good reminder that all types of student loans are not equal. Know before your debt balance grows.
• Think Advisor, “New rules, new tips for 529 funding.” Editor's Take: Article provides an overview of how Tax Reform 1.0 impacted 529s and college financial planning.
• Recruiter's Corner, “Analyst.” Editor's Take: Sellwood Consulting is seeking to hire an Analyst in Portland, Oregon. Click the link to learn more.

Here is the latest 529 and ABLE market data by Strategic Insight that can be used by the media and other organizations.

ABLE accounts are tax-advantaged savings accounts for certain individuals with disabilities and their families. News, Research, Data & Resources:

• New York Times, “Hiring people with disabilities is good business.” Editor's Take: Timely article on an important topic.
• Rich Donovan, “Unleash Different.” Editor's Take: Rich Donovan, founder and CEO of The Return on Disability Group and keynote speaker at Strategic Insight's ABLE Afternoon Summit 2017, has released a book titled, “Unleash different: Acheiving business success through disability.” I will read the book, and provide a review on our 529 Insiders website in the near future. In the interim, congrats Rich and look forward to reading the book.
• Webinar, “ABLE accounts and special needs trusts.” Editor's Take: On January 31, ABLE Resource Center will host a webinar from 2pm to 3pm on this timely and important topic. Click the link to register.

Events: Strategic Insight ABLE Summit 2019 will be held on September 25, 2019, at the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, Florida, to deliver product training, insight and networking opportunities to support the successful implementation and growth of ABLE accounts. Please save the date, and thank you for the support.

State-sponsored retirement savings plans are tax-advantaged retirement savings accounts offered through private sector companies and administered by states. News, Research, Data & Resources:

• 401K Specialist, “How bad is small business 401k coverage in 2019?” Editor's Take: Given the current low 401k offering rate among small employers, state-sponsored retirement savings accounts have an opportunity to improve how families achieve their retirement planning goals.
• Forbes, “From dazed and confused to fun and secure: How state innovation is transforming retirement savings.” Editor's Take: The article provides an overview of how OregonSaves is helping business owners to provide a retirement solution to them and their employees. The business owners perspective is provided by the owner of a salon in Portland, Oregon. Read the article to learn more about the topic from their perspetive.

Save the Date: Strategic Insight 529 Conference 2019 will be held from September 23-25, 2019, at the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, Florida. Sessions:

• 529 Conference: A highly interactive and educational industry gathering with the entire education financial planning ecosystem.
• 529 Essentials: A pre-conference session to train professionals on 529 plans and education financial planning in a constantly evolving market.
• ABLE Summit: A post-conference session to deliver training, insight and networking opportunities to support the successful implementation and growth of ABLE accounts.

Updates this Week:

• 529 Conference 2019 website has been launched here.

702 King Farm Boulevard, Suite 400, Rockville, MD 20850  |  +1 212-217-6884  |  issgovernance.com