Advisor News Insight |
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News • AFRs • Website • Recommended • Tools • Requirements • Featured • CE |
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INDUSTRY NEWS |
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Divorce Planning |
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Qualified Domestic Relations Orders: A Practical Guide to Dividing PBGC Benefits in DivorcePension benefits paid by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) are covered by federal law. Benefits paid by PBGC can be significant financial assets, which may be divided when a marriage ends. When there is a divorce, it is important that the divorce decree clearly addresses whether and how these retirement plan benefits will be divided. This guide can help you navigate the QDRO process, ensuring the participant and alternate payee will receive the benefits as determined in the divorce proceeding. (Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), 03/24/2026) |
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Estate Planning |
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Art, Legacy and IntestacyThe recent Disfarmer settlement highlights interesting legal and ethical questions about art in an estate. Who controls an artist’s legacy after they die? The short answer is: whoever the artist entrusts to do so. But, like many aspects of estate planning, that simple statement can get complicated when it comes time to put it into practice. (David H. Lenok, Senior Editor, Wealth Management and Trusts & Estates, 03/25/2026) |
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Washington Legislature Adopts Income Tax and Changes to Estate TaxThe Washington state legislature has adjourned for 2026, and key tax changes are in store if Governor Bob Ferguson signs several tax-related bills into law, and if those tax changes then survive expected legal challenges. The legislature passed a new state income tax (known as the “millionaires’ tax” because it provides a standard US$1,000,000 deduction, effectively limiting application of the tax to individuals whose income exceeds US$1,000,000), while also passing a bill to undo the 2025 increases to Washington’s estate tax rates. (K&L Gates LLP, 03/23/2026) |
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IRA Planning |
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Young Spouse, Spousal Rollover, Year-of-Death RMD...And A Penalty?An interesting scenario involving a year-of-death RMD and surviving spouses came across our desk recently. A husband died in January 2026 at the age of 75. His surviving spouse had just turned 59. The husband was beyond his RBD and was taking RMDs, but had yet to take any of his 2026 RMD. As such, that responsibility fell to the beneficiary – his wife. (Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF®, IRA Analyst, Ed Slott and Company, LLC, 03/23/2026) |
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Life Insurance Planning |
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Using Loan Regime Split-Dollar Life Insurance to Navigate Nonprofit Executive Compensation RulesA loan regime split-dollar life insurance arrangement can be an important option to provide retirement benefits to nonprofit executives while mitigating the impact of tax provisions that impact other types of nonprofit executive compensation. Nonprofit organizations face unique challenges when designing competitive compensation packages for executives. (Jason J. Kohout, Partner, and Emmaline S. Jurgena, Associate, Foley & Lardner LLP, 03/09/2026) |
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Medicare & Medicaid Planning |
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March 2026 Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment PolicyThe March Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy is an annual, legally mandated publication from Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) that evaluates payment adequacy in Medicare’s fee-for-service systems. It provides recommendations on payment updates for providers—including hospitals, physicians, skilled nursing, and hospice—aiming to balance access to care with program efficiency. (MedPAC, 03/2026) |
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Medicare Premiums Could Double Over The Next Decade, Wrecking Retirement BudgetsMedicare costs typically increase at a higher rate than Social Security benefits. Medicare premiums could rise to $5,000 a year by 2035, according to this report from Morningstar. Medicare beneficiaries could see their premiums double over the next 10 years, eating into their Social Security benefits and ultimately handicapping their buying power in retirement, due in part to rising healthcare costs and government overpayments to insurance companies that administer Medicare Advantage plans. (Jessica Hall, Retirement Reporter, MarketWatch, 03/17/2026) |
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Retirement Planning |
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Back to the Future: DOL Reinstates 1975 Fiduciary TestOn March 20, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published a final rule that formally removes the 2024 “Retirement Security Rule,” which was a Biden-era regulation that would have expanded who is considered a retirement “fiduciary” under ERISA. In its place, the DOL has restored a 1975 standard known as the “Five-Part Test,” which was used for nearly 50 years to determine when a financial professional is acting as a fiduciary. (Anne M. Meyer, Partner, Snell & Wilmer, 03/20/2026) |
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Tax Planning |
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Roth Employer Contributions Come With a 1099-R SurpriseElecting Roth treatment for employer contributions can trigger unexpected income—and a tax-timing risk advisors can’t afford to miss. If your clients have taken distributions from any tax-deferred retirement account, they know that the distribution is reported on IRS Form 1099-R. The Secure 2.0 Act now requires that a 1099-R be distributed to the taxpayer when they elect to have certain employer contributions made to a Roth account under their employer’s plan if permitted, even though they did not take money out of the plan. This new rule could apply to their designated Roth accounts, Roth SEP IRAs, and Roth Simple IRAs when employer contributions are made to their account. (Denise Appleby, CEO, Appleby Retirement Consulting Inc., 03/10/2026) |
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There’s Never Been a Better Time to Play the Tax Shelter GameMany Americans work with tax experts and money managers to navigate IRS rules and keep as much of their income as legally allowed. But those with a higher tolerance for risk can easily find promoters to recommend newer, often untested strategies that promise bigger savings. (Erin Schilling, Reporter, and Michael J. Bologna, Senior Correspondent, Bloomberg Industry Group, 03/26/2026) |
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ASSUMED FEDERAL RATES (AFRs) |
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§7520 Rate for April is: 4.80% |
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USEFUL FINANCIAL WEBSITE |
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Registered Social Security Analyst® (RSSA®)Become the Trusted Authority Clients Are Searching For Traditional prospecting is becoming harder as consumer trust declines and product confusion rises. The Registered Social Security Analyst® (RSSA®) program flips this dynamic by giving you a topic clients actually want to discuss. Instead of a sales pitch, you lead with a specialized service that lowers resistance and positions you as a high-value retirement guide before any other advisor enters the picture. By uncovering an average of $139,000 in lifetime benefits that clients would otherwise leave on the table, an RSSA creates a high-value, low-resistance entry point that naturally transitions into broader annuity, life insurance, and wealth management discussions. By joining the RSSA® program, you gain the tools to transform your practice:
Stop chasing prospects and start leading with the specialized expertise that naturally uncovers high-ticket life and annuity opportunities. Elevate your practice, close the knowledge gap, and make Social Security the foundation of your growth strategy. |
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RECOMMENDED READING |
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ADVISOR TOOLS |
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Free 2026 Federal Income Tax and
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Financial / Insurance Calculators & WebsitesDiscover a wealth of online calculators and informational websites tailored to your needs. Our extensive resources cover essential areas such as financial planning, retirement calculations, investment analysis, and insurance needs assessment, empowering you to provide comprehensive guidance and services to your clients. |
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STATE REQUIREMENT UPDATES |
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Stay Up-to-Date on Your
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FEATURED COURSE(S) |
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CE Credits
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B.E.S.T. CE PROGRAMS |
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CFP® Ethics CE WebinarJoin Us for Our Upcoming 2-Hour Live Webinar and
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Webinar Consists of the Following2-hour live presentation: CFP Ethics A Practical Application of CFP Board’s Code and Standards (Course#: 277681) - No exam required. This
presentation is approved by the Certified Financial Planner
Board of Standards and fulfills the requirement
for CFP Board approved Ethics CE. It is designed to
educate CFP® professionals on CFP Board’s new Code of
Ethics and Standards of Conduct. |
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Pricing Options
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NOTE: Additional fee includes CFP Board fee of $1.25 per credit hour/per student. If you add IAR CE credits, there is also an additional IAR’s governing board filing fee of $3.00 per credit hour/per student. (IAR CE credits are approved in the states that have adopted the NASAA Model Regulations.) Registering includes the following three web pages: (each may open in a separate window)
NOTE: Do not close any of your web pages / browsers |
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CFP®: This webinar is approved by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards and fulfills the requirement for CFP Board approved Ethics CE. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP®, and CFP® in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements. IWI: Investments & Wealth Institute® (IWI) has accepted this CFP® Ethics webinar for 2 hours of CE credit towards the IWI certifications. (CIMA®, CPWA® and RMA®) NASAA (IAR) Disclaimer: “NASAA does not endorse any particular provider of CE courses. The content of the course and any views expressed are my/our own and do not necessarily reflect the views of NASAA or any of its member jurisdictions.” |
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IAR Ethics Virtual Super CE ProgramJoin Us for Our Upcoming 1-Hour Live Webinar and
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Program Consists of the Following:
The Ethical Practices and Professional Responsibility presentation is designed to present financial and insurance professionals with the ethical practices and standards required when conducting business in their state. (No CE credit.) Ethics for Financial and Insurance Professionals (Course #: C27297) is designed to meet the mandatory 6-hour CE credit requirement under the Ethics and Professional Responsibility for Investment Adviser Representatives (IARs). Requires you to spend six (6) hours of reading and reviewing the self-study course material PRIOR to taking the exam. The 60-question exam requires an invite code that is given to all attendees during the live webinar presentation. To receive CE credit, advisors must obtain a passing grade of 70% or higher. If the exam is not passed on the first attempt, students have two (2) additional retakes for a maximum of three (3) attempts. |
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Pricing Options
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NOTE: Additional fee includes IAR’s governing board filing fee of $3.00 per credit hour/per student. If you add CFP CE credits, there is also an additional CFP Board fee of $1.25 per credit hour/per student. (IAR CE credits are only available for states that have adopted the NASAA Model Regulations.) NASAA (IAR) Disclaimer: “NASAA does not endorse any particular provider of CE courses. The content of the course and any views expressed are my/our own and do not necessarily reflect the views of NASAA or any of its member jurisdictions.” |
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Unauthorized reproductions of Advisor News Insight newsletter are strictly prohibited. However, you are permitted to forward this newsletter (in its entirety) to colleagues via email. Under no circumstances should this newsletter be posted on any website without prior written consent from Broker Educational Sales & Training (B.E.S.T.). Please note that this newsletter comprises information gathered from various web-based sources, and B.E.S.T. does not assert authorship of the material unless explicitly mentioned. The articles contained herein are copyrighted by their respective publishers. While we have taken measures to verify the functionality of all included links, we cannot guarantee their continuous operation, as publishers may relocate or remove content. It is important to understand that B.E.S.T. neither endorses nor assumes any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, completeness, legality, or reliability of the material linked to in this newsletter. The opinions expressed within this newsletter belong solely to the author and do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of B.E.S.T. Readers are strongly encouraged to rely on the information provided herein ONLY AFTER conducting their independent review of its accuracy, completeness, effectiveness, and timeliness. THIS
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ResourcesAccess a robust suite of resources at your fingertips, encompassing calculators, informative websites, quick-reference guides for taxes, Social Security, and Medicare, as well as monthly newsletters and recorded webinars. Gain a wealth of knowledge and stay up-to-date with ease through our comprehensive offerings. |
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