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September 2022 |
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INDUSTRY NEWS
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Estate Planning
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Portability Extension Election
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
In Rev. Proc. 2022-32, the IRS established a five-year time-period for filing returns for portability when the estate is
below the filing threshold. This simplified method which doesn’t require a user fee should be used instead of the Private
Letter Ruling process. To claim the relief, the executor must file a completed Form 706 and state on top of the Form that
the return is quote: “Filed Pursuant to Rev. Proc. 2022-32 to elect Portability under Section 2010 (c)(5)(a).” Under this new
procedure this extension request must be made on or before the fifth anniversary of the decedent’s death.
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Health Care Planning
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How Much Does Health Spending Eat Away at Retirement Income?
Melissa McInerney, Professor of economics at Tufts University, Matthew S. Rutledge, Associate Professor of
the Practice of Economics at Boston College and a Research Fellow at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College (CRR)
and Sara Ellen King, graduate student at the University of Maryland and a former Research Associate at the CRR.
This study shows that, at the median, out-of-pocket (OOP) medical costs – including premiums, cost-sharing, and uncovered services
(excluding long-term care) – leave only 75 percent of Social Security benefits available for spending on other items. Premiums for
Medicare Parts B and D, Medicare Advantage, and supplemental plans (including retiree health insurance) make up the lion’s share of medical
spending for most retirees, except those with the highest spending.
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Long-Term Care Planning
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Most Older Adults Are Likely to Need and Use Long-Term Services and Supports
Richard W. Johnson and Melissa M. Favreault, Urban Institute, Judith Dey,
William Marton, and Lauren Anderson Department of Health and Human Services
Most Americans underestimate the risk of outliving their financial resources in retirement or experience economic hardship
stemming from large, unanticipated health and long-term care costs in later life. According to a recent Issue Brief released
by ASPE within the Department of Health and Human Services, reported that more than one-half of older adults, regardless of
their lifetime earnings, are projected to experience serious LTSS needs and use some paid LTSS after turning 65. More than
one-third (39%) will receive nursing home care.
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Medicare & Medicaid Planning
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Inflation Reduction Act of 2022: Changes to Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Coverage 2023 and Beyond
A number of changes are included in the “Inflation Reduction Act of 2022” that will impact future Medicare Part D prescription
drug plan coverage and costs. Here is a year-by-year summary of some of the top Medicare Part D plan changes:
Beginning 2023
- Drug price increases tied to inflation: Drug companies will be required to pay rebates to Medicare if retail drug prices
(for Part B and Part D drugs) rise faster than inflation (CPI-U).
- No co-pay vaccines: Medicare Part D beneficiaries will have no cost sharing for vaccines that are recommended by the Advisory
Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), such as Shingles and Pneumonia vaccines.
- $35 insulin: Insulin included on a Medicare Part D plan formulary will have a $35 monthly co-pay and will not be subject to the
plan’s deductible. In addition, beginning July 1, 2023, insulin furnished through Medicare Part B durable medical equipment (DME),
will also have a monthly co-pay of no more than $35. This new provision is similar to the current Medicare Part D Senior Savings Model
where 2021 and 2022 Medicare Part D plans had the option to offer some select forms of insulin for a co-pay of $35 or less.
Beginning 2024
- No cost for Part D formulary drugs after reaching 2024 TrOOP: The 5% coinsurance will be eliminated in the Catastrophic
Coverage phase and establish a maximum out-of-pocket drug cost (RxMOOP) capping formulary drug costs at the annual 2024 total out-of-pocket
cost threshold or TrOOP (estimated to be around $7,750 in 2024 - equating to Part D formulary drugs with a retail value of around $11,742).
- Partial-LIS becomes Full-LIS: Benefits for the low-income subsidy program will be extended with full-LIS benefit qualifications
increased to 150% of FPL and consequently, the current partial-LIS (135% to 150% of FPL) designation will be eliminated. With full-LIS or
Extra Help benefits, Medicare Part D beneficiaries can have a $0 monthly premium, no deductible, and very-low drug co-pays. (Section 11404).
- Eliminate large Part D premium increases: Annual Part D plan premiums cannot increase more than 6% per year.
Beginning 2025
- No cost for Part D formulary drugs after reaching $2,000 out-of-pocket cap: Medicare Part D beneficiaries will have a $2,000
maximum cap on out-of-pocket spending for Part D formulary drugs (RxMOOP). In 2025, the $2,000 RxMOOP should be reached when a person
purchases Medicare Part D formulary drugs with a retail value totaling $6,335. The $2,000 RxMOOP can increase every year like other Medicare
Part D parameters*.
- Change to Medicare Part D plan designs: With the addition of the $2,000 RxMOOP, Medicare Part D plans would have only two parts of
coverage (or less):
- the Initial Deductible (if any) and
- the Initial Coverage Phase that would continue until December 31 of the plan year - or cease when the plan member’s out-of-pocket
spending reached $2,000 and the person has no additional costs for Part D formulary drugs. Medicare Part D plans would no longer have the
Part D Coverage Gap (Donut Hole with the accompanying Donut Hole discount) and Catastrophic Coverage phases.
- A person’s drug costs can be evenly spread over the year: Medicare Part D plans are required to provide plan members an option allowing
people to spread their monthly prescription drug costs evenly over the year.
Beginning 2026
- Federal government drug price negotiation: In 2026, HHS will be allowed to negotiate prices for 10 Medicare Part D drugs (single-source
drugs with the highest Medicare Part D spending over the past 12 months).
- Insulin co-pay may be less than $35: Insulin covered by a Medicare Part D plan will cost the lesser of the $35 co-pay or 25% of the retail
price (as negotiated by the plan or by the government** (HHS)).
Beginning 2027
- Federal government drug price negotiation: HHS will negotiate prices for 15 additional Medicare Part D drugs with high spending.
Beginning 2028
- Federal government drug price negotiation: HHS will negotiate prices for 15 Medicare Part D and Part B drugs with high spending.
Beginning 2029
- Federal government drug price negotiation: HHS will negotiate prices for 20 additional Medicare Part D and Part B drugs with high spending.
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Retirement Planning
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Record Increases Projected for 2023 Retirement Plan Limits
Ted Godbout, Writer / Editor
at American Retirement Association
Announcement of the official limits is still a few months away, but early projections from Mercer suggest that nearly all qualified retirement
plan limits will increase by unprecedented amounts next year. The 2023 limits will reflect increases in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban
Consumers (CPI-U) from the third quarter of 2021 to the third quarter of 2022. Using this measure, inflation is projected to reach its highest level
since indexing began, causing 7% – 11% increases for most limits, based on their rounding levels, according to benefits consultant Mercer, whose past
projections have been rather accurate.
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Social Security Planning
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AARP Public Policy Institute: 2022 Social Security Quick Fact Sheets
Joel Eskovitz, JD, Director and
Jim Palmieri, Senior Strategic Policy Advisor, both from
AARP Public Policy Institute
This set of fact sheets spotlights the importance of Social Security, highlighting the different categories of beneficiaries, their average
benefit levels, and the importance of these benefits as a vital source of retirement income and poverty alleviation. Data are also provided
outlining Social Security’s impact on state economies.
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Practice Management
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The Future of Work in Investment Management: The Future of Skills and Learning
CFA Institute®, Future of Finance
In this report, the CFA Institute, identifies gaps between the supply and demand for skills, outline strategies for career development,
and propose structural changes to investment teams to better leverage the diversity of talent and the combined power of discrete but
complementary skills. Furthermore, the report, challenges investment professionals and investment industry leaders — at all career stages —
to continue to build their skills and increase their knowledge. An investment industry that prioritizes competency, ethics, and adaptability
will be well-positioned to thrive now and in the future.
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ASSUMED FEDERAL RATES (AFRs)
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§7520 Rate for September is: 3.6%
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FINANCIAL FACTS OF THE MONTH
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Did You Know That…
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Source: Social Security Administration (SSA)
55% of adult Social Security beneficiaries in 2019 were women.
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September is Life Insurance Awareness Month
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Source: LIMRA
Every September, the industry — led by Life Happens — comes together to sponsor Life Insurance Awareness Month.
This campaign is designed to educate consumers about the importance of life insurance and the role it plays in protecting
families’ financial security. LIMRA is proud to support Life Insurance Awareness Month (LIAM).
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September’s Name is Inaccurate
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Source: The Fact Site
September’s name is really quite inaccurate these days. It was originally the seventh month of the ancient Roman calendar,
and as such it was named Septem, which translates into “the seventh month.” It wasn’t until 451 BC that the months of January
and February were added to the calendar, making September the ninth month.
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September 17th
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Source: The Fact Site
September 17th is an incredibly important day for the US, as it was on this day in 1787 that the US Constitution was adopted.
If it weren’t for the Constitution, the US could be an incredibly different country today, with far fewer civil liberties!
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Taxes in America
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Source: Blue Water Credit
The average American pays an effective federal income tax rate of 13.5%. They also pay 9.9% in state and local income taxes,
3.3% in Social Security taxes, and 1.45% to Medicare.
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ADVISOR TOOLS
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2022 Federal Income Tax Guide
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Our Tax Guide contains tax information such as:
- Individual income tax rates
- Estates and trusts tax rates
- Roth IRA contribution limits and much more
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2022 Social Security & Medicare Reference Guide
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Our Reference Guide contains information such as:
- Social Security income limits
- Medicare Parts A-D deductibles and premiums
- Medicare surtaxes and much more
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Financial / Insurance Calculators & Websites
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An extensive list of online calculators and informational websites.
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REQUIREMENT UPDATES
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State Updates
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View updates by state, CE requirements and more by clicking on the link below.
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FEATURED COURSE
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Life Insurance, Annuity and Ethical Practices
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Life insurance is one of the most important tools in modern financial planning, but it is not always the most appreciated. In the purest sense,
life insurance is something that pays a death benefit to someone when an insured person dies. The risk of an early death is evident to most of us,
particularly when we have family obligations, dependent minor children to provide for, and unpaid debts. The need to cover expenses and replace lost
family income if early death occurs may be the main reason why people purchase pure life insurance protection, but it is not the only reason people
purchase life insurance products. This course will provide a review of the historical evolution of life insurance and into the 21st century, examining
its many forms, other types of benefits, and making it the foundation for financial planning. Also included is a guide to understanding annuities, annuity tax laws and contract structure,
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and their suitability. The course ends with ethical practices which will provide the
essentials of ethics, market conduct and compliance.
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Complete your CE requirement quickly and easily. This online course allows for convenient access to course material and
includes: self-paced courses, unlimited retakes of review questions and final examination,
instant grading, course material accessible for up to one year from date of purchase, and excellent customer support.
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Prices start at only $29.95.
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B.E.S.T. CE PROGRAMS
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Online CE Courses
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At B.E.S.T. we provide you with a lot of CE credit.
Courses are cost-effective, updated annually and
nationally approved for state insurance and professional
designation credits (CFP® & IWI). Our CE
courses are specifically designed for quick completion
and include:
- Self-paced courses
- Unlimited retakes of review questions and final examinations
- Instant grading
- Course material accessible for up to six (6) months from date of purchase
- Excellent customer support team
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Save 20% on Your Order When You Purchase Our Online CE Courses
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Simply order courses and enter Promo Code: CENOW in the
“Enter promotion code (optional)” input box located on the shopping cart page. (Promo code
ONLY valid at time of purchase. Code cannot be combined and expires on 09/30/2022.)
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Meet Your Mandatory CFP® Ethics Requirement
(Also approved for 2 hours of IWI Ethics.)
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Ethics CE: CFP Board’s Revised Code and Standards:
Ethics for CFP® Professionals
(CFP® Course#: 277681 | IWI Course#: 21BEST011)
Earn two (2) credit hours of CFP® Ethics
CE with NO EXAM REQUIRED!
(“Investments & Wealth
Institute™ has accepted this CFP Board approved Ethics webinar for
2 hours of CE credit towards the IWI certifications.”)
WEBINAR DOES NOT INCLUDE STATE INSURANCE CREDIT!
*PAYMENT OPTIONS:
- CFP® ONLY credit: $49.00 (USD)
- IWI ONLY credit: $49.00
- CFP® with IWI credits: $49.00
plus an additional fee of $25.00
NOTE: Attendees
MUST participate in all exercises during the webinar. Credit received for
attendee time logged and participation, and there will be
no exam.
(A $10.00 cancellation fee will apply for all
refunds requested.)
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Self-Study CE Course List
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As a top-notch continuing education provider we:
- Deliver CE to financial and insurance
advisors
- Offer up‑to‑date and industry pertinent CE
courses that maximize credits
- Provide ClearCert certified long-term care
and annuity training CE courses
- Supply CE courses that are approved in all
50 states and the
District of Columbia
Order
CE courses toll free at: 1-800-345-5669 OR send an
email to
[email protected].
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DISCLAIMER
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B.E.S.T. is not the author of the material unless
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B.E.S.T. does not endorse and
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NEWSLETTER IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES
ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE INVESTMENT, TAX,
ACCOUNTING OR LEGAL ADVICE.
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INFORMATION
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