Issue 222:
– Monthly Webinar Series
– News & Research
– ABLE Act Column

529 Dash, Required Reading for Your 529 Education: The goal of the 529 Dash is to address the specific needs and concerns of institutions, advisers and financial professionals 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
Director of Savings Research
529 & ABLE Solutions, ISS Market Intelligence
paul.curley@issmarketintelligence.com
Twitter: @PaulCurleyBC

529 Advisor Channel & Stable Value Product Webinar:

• Hosted by Edward Kaminski, Senior Business Consultant at New York Life Stable Value and Paul Curley, Director of Savings Research at ISS Market Intelligence, the October monthly webinar will discuss the 529 advisor channel, updates to the advisor-sold status boards, and product training on Stable Value. In addition to a conversation on capital preservation investment options, the session will provide best practices for due diligence, and a discussion on commons myths and misconceptions regarding the different structures.
• Additionally, as covered every month, the presentation will provide 529 & ABLE industry announcements, research and market data updates, and question and answer opportunities throughout.

Register today, and thank you for the support.

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

• AKF Consulting, “State-run retirement programs: Insights for success.” Editor’s Take: Thank you AKF Consulting and Andrea Feirstein for sharing your insight on state-run retirement programs, and how some of the lessons learned in 529s and ABLE accounts do provide frameworks for working with the newest municipal fund security of state-run retirement programs. Look forward to learning more, and thank you for sharing.
• Start Engine, “Gift of College.” Editor’s Take: Thank you Gift of College for creating and sharing your great videos on how your team plans to eradicate student loan debt for Americans, and work with employers on achieving this goal through Gift of College at work. Click the link to learn more.
• Boston College Center for Retirement Research, “401(k)/IRA holdings in 2019: An update from the SCF.” Editor’s Take: While not directly related to 529s and education financial planning, the research does focus on savings rate being the primary driver and determinate factor in asset accumulation when planning for a parallel financial goal of retirement. Pivoting the story board from retirement to education financial planning, read the article to learn more about how savings rate, automation of savings, investment allocation, fees and time in investment all play an important role in achieving asset accumulation for financial goals.
• Morgan Stanley, “Investing in education within a goals-based wealth strategy.” Editor’s Take: The flyer provides an introduction and overview of the newly launched Morgan Stanley National Advisory 529 Plan managed by Morgan Stanley in conjunction with the state sponsor of North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority, and click the link to learn more.
• Private College 529 Plan, “Pandemic highlights value of higher ed, planning for college costs.” Editor’s Take: Thank you Bob Cole and Private College 529 for reinforcing the importance of education, and therefore the importance of education financial planning. Read the article to learn more.
• Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, “Texas Tuition Promise Fund and Texas Match the Promise FoundationSM Webinar.” Editor’s Take: Learn more about 529 prepaid plans and the Texas Tuition Promise Fund by registering for this upcoming webinar on October 21st. Thank you Texas for hosting and sharing your insight.
• Amazon.com, “Route 529: A parent’s guide to saving for college and career training with 529 plans.” Editor’s Take: Congrats to Patricia Roberts for launching this easy to read book for parents on how to successfully survive and thrive the journey to and through the college financial planning process. Also, congrats to her son Ben for writing and publishing the book’s forward. Together, Patricia and Ben show that the book publishing, like college financial planning, is a family process. Read, learn and grow.

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

• Cision, “True Link selected to manage ABLE Act Programs of Ohio, seven other states.” Editor’s Take: On October 16, 2020, True Link Financial announced that they will become ABLE administrators for the STABLE program which works with the twelve states of Arizona, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Read the article to learn more, and read STABLE’s press release here.
• Disability Scoop, “IRS issues final rules for ABLE accounts.” Editor’s Take: Important step in the successful progression of ABLE accounts, and thank you Disability Scoop for quoting and sourcing ISS Market Intelligence on the marketing sizing. Read the article for a round up and overview of the IRS issuance.
• University of New Hampshire, “Accessibility Webinar Series.” Editor’s Take: View of a recording of “Five habits for creating highly accessible documents” and more such as webinar slides, FAQs and other webinars by clicking on the link.
• IL ABLE, “IL ABLE & Special needs financial planning webinar.” Editor’s Take: On October 22, 2020, learn more about ABLE and special needs planning. Register today, and thank you Illinois for hosting the educational event and sharing your insight.
• Enable Savings Plan, “Possibilities.” Editor’s Take: Thank you for creating and sharing this quarterly newsletter on the Americans with Disabilities Act, tips to simply family finances, answers to frequently asked questions from account owners, and a message from the Nebraska State Treasurer.

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