Covisum Blog

Calculator figures how much social security benefit is taxable

Are you able to explain to this growing clientele how their benefits are taxed? Our calculator helps. The proportion of . . .
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Social Security Widow Benefit explained

Most of you are probably already familiar with a simplified version of the widow calculation which says that the . . .
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A closer look at the new Tax Clarity updates: self-employment tax

At the beginning of April, Covisum rolled out four new features to our Tax Clarity® software. The new self-employment tax . . .
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How advisors should talk taxes with clients

The elephant and the snowball Taxes are a critical piece in retirement planning, yet most financial advisors avoid . . .
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Hidden Value: Exposing the Annuity Bonus Trap

Hidden Value is a column in ThinkAdvisor where Joe Elsasser, CFP®, answers common questions with insights that advisors . . .
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On-Demand Webinar: Tax-Efficient Planning for Baby Boomers

Clients don’t always understand the interactions between different types of income and deductions, leading to potentially . . .
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Reaching Retirees on Social Media

Social Media... Not Just for Millennials  If you use seminars to attract new prospects, social media marketing and . . .
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Announcing Covisum's Newest Financial Planning Tool, Income InSight

  The deeply-integrated fintech solution you've been looking for has arrived: Income InSight™. The new retirement . . .
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4 New Features in Tax Clarity Help Advisors Make an Impact for Their Clients

Everyone in the financial services industry is talking about how the changes to the tax law will impact clients, and the . . .
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Hidden Value: Tax-Savvy Tactics for Retirement Cash Flow

Hidden Value is a column in ThinkAdvisor where Joe Elsasser, CFP®, answers common questions with insights advisors and . . .
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Hidden Value: Roth IRA Conversions, How Much Is Too Much?

Hidden Value is a column in ThinkAdvisor where Joe Elsasser, CFP®, answers common questions with insights advisors and . . .
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Hidden Value: Help Clients Understand Potential Social Security Benefit Cuts

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Hidden Value: Beware the Social Security Tax Torpedo

Hidden Value is a new column in ThinkAdvisor where Joe Elsasser, CFP®, answers common questions with insights advisors . . .
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How to Harness the Power of Educational Seminars

If you’re an advisor in growth mode, you may think your competence, professionalism and ambition are enough to help you . . .
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Follow the Tax Map to Find Clients Nontaxable Income

Imagine showing a prospect how to harvest $11,000 IRA income with no tax. Or a client how to harvest $67,500 of capital . . .
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The Social Security Program will not Leave Retirees High and Dry

With the latest advances in technology, it’s easy for clients to become overwhelmed by a flood of information that may or . . .
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Tax Clarity adds Quick Reference Guide for free-trial and paid subscribers

Your one-stop reference for tax acronyms, brackets and more Looking up tax brackets or what certain acronyms stand for . . .
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How to Convert Seminar Attendees to Clients

Seminar Success! Now What? You’ve successfully attracted people to attend your educational seminar on taxes in . . .
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Announcing: The New and Improved Social Security Timing

Current Subscribers Now Have Access to Try Social Security Timing in the Covisum Portal For the past decade, Social . . .
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Knowledge Base: Frequently Asked Questions About Tax Clarity

Q: What does the gray portion of the Tax Map represent? A: The gray portion of the Tax Clarity® Tax Map represents the . . .
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Clearing up the Annuity Bonus Confusion

Bonus. Sounds great, right? It sounds like “extra.” Getting a bonus is a good thing… right?It’s easy to understand why . . .
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Social Security 'Break-Even' Calculations Can Be Misleading

According to CNBC, one key calculation to keep in mind, when deciding when to claim Social Security benefits, is the . . .
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4 Ways Financial Advisors Can Make the Most of this Tax Season

Tax Day is rapidly approaching, and there are a few ways that financial advisors can be really helpful during this . . .
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Kitces Nerd's Eye View: How To Better Attract Your Ideal Clients

In a recent guest post for Michael Kitces' blog, Nerd's Eye View, Covisum's Director of Sales and Marketing, . . .
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Hidden Value: How Do You Compare Two Financial Plans?

Hidden Value is a new column in ThinkAdvisor where Joe Elsasser, CFP®, answers common questions with insights advisors . . .
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Live Webinar: Tax-Efficient Planning for Baby Boomers

Sequence of Withdrawals: Tax-Efficient Planning for Baby Boomers Covisum® is hosting a free webinar on Wednesday, March . . .
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Social Security Planning Should Be an Essential Part of Your Practice

Social Security Planning is Not Dead! It’s a common misconception that Social Security planning is dead. Social Security . . .
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FinPlan Friday: Avoiding the "Tax Torpedo"

FinPlan Fridays In our new video blog series, FinPlan Fridays, Covisum® Founder and President, Joe Elsasser, CFP®, will . . .
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Hidden Value: How to Help Retirees Pick the Right Life Insurance

Hidden Value is a new column in ThinkAdvisor where Joe Elsasser, CFP®, answers common questions with insights advisors . . .
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FinPlan Friday: Form Partnerships with CPAs

The Perfect Team: Financial Advisors and CPAs This week, Joe discusses the benefits of forming mutually beneficial . . .
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Hidden Value: How to Put the Brakes on Out-of-Control Spenders

Hidden Value is a column in ThinkAdvisor where Joe Elsasser, CFP®, answers common questions with insights advisors and . . .
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Financial Literacy Month: Hosting Educational Seminars

Since 2004, the United States has recognized April as Financial Literacy Month and focusing on financial literacy is . . .
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Live Webinar: 7 Steps to Fantastic Seminars

Tips For Making Your Next Seminar A Success Educational seminars can be a fantastic marketing tool, but it requires a . . .
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Roth Conversions Made Easy with Income InSight

Income InSight and Roth Conversions  The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act significantly lowered marginal income tax rates for most . . .
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Schedule Annual Client Review Meetings

We are well into February, and we’ve reached the perfect time of year to schedule annual reviews for your clients who are . . .
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Knowledge Base: Frequently Asked Questions About Social Security Timing

Q: What are differences between Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO)? A: While both . . .
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Hidden Value: Probability of Success vs. Consequence of Failure

Hidden Value is a column in ThinkAdvisor where Joe Elsasser, CFP®, answers common questions with insights advisors and . . .
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#NebraskaStrong: Flooding in our Headquarters State

Intense Winter Storm Leads to Devastating Floods  For most of us at Covisum, we've never seen devastation from floods . . .
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Better Answers Build Businesses

Income InSight brings together multiple financial planning techniques into one place: one website, one login, one client . . .
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5 Resolutions You Should Make for 2019 to Grow your Business

As we wrap up 2018 and launch into 2019, now is the perfect time to start thinking about how to strategically grow your . . .
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"Last Minute Tax Moves" Webinar Now Available for On-Demand Viewing

Your clients have until the end of the year to harvest from an IRA, execute a Roth conversion, or take a . . .
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6 topics that will attract prospects and how to deliver them

In retirement planning, free seminars to the public are a proven way to attract prospects and convert them to clients. . . .
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Forbes Finance Council: Understanding Financial Risk

Why You Shouldn't Just Focus On The Probability Of Success In a recent article for Forbes Finance Council, Covisum . . .
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On-Demand Webinar:  Structural Integrity in your Financial Plans

Are you frustrated with outputs from multiple sources in your tech stack that don't agree? Many advisors have a tech . . .
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CNBC: Advisors help clients tackle the complexities of Social Security

Americans nearing retirement have a lot of questions and anxiety about the Social Security program.  According to a . . .
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Income InSight Q&A

The retirement planning platform you’ve been waiting for has arrived: Income InSight™. Income InSight quickly and easily . . .
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Tax-Efficient Planning Can Deepen Existing Client Relationships

Business Growth: Marketing & Referrals  Prospecting is necessary for growing your practice, but maintaining your current . . .
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VLOG: Clients Expect Seminars to be Educational

April is Financial Literacy Month The United States has recognized Financial Literacy Month during the month of April . . .
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Take the Right Steps and Grow

You've Got Engagement, Now What? Marketing can be crucial to building an advisory practice, but attracting potential . . .
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On-Demand Webinar, "Last Minute Tax Moves: What Advisors Need to Know"

Covisum is hosting a free webinar on December 5 at 11:00 a.m. Central Time where advisors can learn how to optimize . . .
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Forbes Finance Council: Why Your Financial Advisor Should Tell You What You Need To Hear-Not What You Want

In a recent article for Forbes, Covisum President, Joe Elsasser, CFP®, highlighted the benefits of choosing a . . .
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Forbes Finance Council: An Annual Checkup Can Keep Your Retirement Plan Healthy

Which accounts should you be tapping, and in which order? In a recent article for Forbes Finance Council, Covisum Founder . . .
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Grow Your Business Through The Covisum Process

Covisum offers more than just software. We’ve developed a process that involves training and support to set you up for . . .
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The Covisum Tech Stack: Talking to Clients About the Value You Add

Here are some talking points that will help you discuss the value you can add for clients when you use the Covisum tech . . .
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Will Siri Take Your Job?

Technology and the future of your practice Technology is advancing faster than ever before. Who knew that dial-up . . .
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Hidden Value: 4 Ways Advisors Can Support Clients With Dementia

Hidden Value is a new column in ThinkAdvisor where Joe Elsasser, CFP®, answers common questions with insights advisors . . .
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Forbes Finance Council: Clearing Up Misconceptions About Social Security

Clearing Up Misconceptions About Social Security In a recent article for Forbes Finance Council, Covisum Founder and . . .
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Seven Steps to a Successful Seminar

By Joe Elsasser, CFP®, President Many people are hungry for financial information they can trust. Financial seminars are . . .
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Forbes Finance Council: Key Questions to Ask When Choosing a Niched Financial Advisor

In a recent article for Forbes, Covisum President, Joe Elsasser, CFP®, touts the many benefits of choosing a niched . . .
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Ask Our Director of Marketing: Q & A on Generating Leads for Your Financial Planning Business

Sometimes, advisors who are considering a subscription to Covisum software have questions about how to use our tools and . . .
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Technology Tools for Today: Covisum Tools Make It Easy

Covisum tools make it easy to provide Social Security advice, model future tax situations and give more realistic . . .
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Hidden Value: Think You Know the Capital Gains Tax Rate? Think Again.

Hidden Value is a new column in ThinkAdvisor where Joe Elsasser, CFP®, answers common questions with insights advisors . . .
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2018 Tech Tools for Today Software Survey

   If you're a subscriber to Social Security Timing ®, Tax Clarity ®, or SmartRisk TM, we would love to hear your . . .
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Live Webinar: Combatting Conflicts in Your Tech Stack

Your Clients Want Clear Insights in their Financial Plan Are you frustrated with outputs from multiple sources that don't . . .
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CNBC: Your Social Security Check Could Be 2.8 Percent Bigger Next Year

A recent article from CNBC says Social Security checks will likely increase next year. A 2.8 percent cost-of-living . . .
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Find the Information You Need in Covisum's Help Center

We Are Dedicated to Providing Awesome Support Covisum wants to make it easy for our customers to find the information you . . .
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FinPlan Friday: Find Your Financial Planning Niche

Identify Your Ideal Client and Grow This week, Joe discusses the benefits of niching your financial planning practice. . . .
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Tax Clarity Leaves a Lasting Impression on Prospective Clients

Demonstrate the Dollars You Add to Your Client's Retirement Strategy with Tax Clarity The first meeting with a . . .
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On-Demand Video: Open Architecture is Dead

Our Founder Shares the Future of Fintech Recently Covisum Founder and President Joe Elsasser, CFP®, presented "Open . . .
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Knowledge Base: Frequently Asked Questions About SmartRisk

Q: What does SmartRiskTM do?  A: SmartRisk uses a heavy-tailed model to provide more precise portfolio risk measurement, . . .
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Forbes Finance Council: Three Reasons A Gig Economy Is Overvalued

In a recent article for Forbes, Covisum President, Joe Elsasser, CFP®, suggests that despite a recent resurgence, the gig . . .
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CNBC: Get a bigger Check By Using These Social Security Claiming Strategies

Recently, CNBC highlighted some frequently overlooked Social Security claiming strategies. The article offered tips for . . .
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CNBC: Relying on your Spouse as Role Model for Money Could be Trouble

 A recent CNBC survey found that women are more likely than men to rely on their partner when it comes to finances. . . .
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ThinkAdvisor: A Major Shift is Coming in How Advisors Use Fintech

In a recent article for ThinkAdvisor, Covisum President, Joe Elsasser, CFP®, suggested that full integration will . . .
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CNBC: Experts Weigh-In on New Social Security Proposal

Recently Nobel laureate and behavioral economist Richard Thaler suggested that individuals should be allowed to use their . . .
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Build a Better Tech Stack

Covisum software can help you grow your financial planning practice by helping you communicate and deliver additional . . .
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These 4 tips will make planning your next seminar easy

Hosting educational seminars can be an effective way to grow your business and get you back on track to reach your 2018 . . .
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Covisum Honors Three with First-Annual President’s Awards

Covisum recently hosted an employee celebration event to mark the successful launch of Income InSight®. This new . . .
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The Covisum DNA: A Look at Company Culture and Vision

Call us a SaaS company, a fintech leader or a software company, but we believe we are more than that. Recently, we sat . . .
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New Tax Clarity™ software shows clients and prospects a more tax-efficient future

The makers of the patented Social Security Timing® software have developed software for advisors to quickly and easily . . .
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Forbes Finance Council: Is Working With a Robo-Advisor Right For You?

In a recent article for Forbes, Covisum Founder and President Joe Elsasser, CFP®, outlined the benefits and shortcomings . . .
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Review This Checklist Before Hosting Your Next Seminar

When done correctly, educational seminars are a great way to attract new clients. Start the planning process by reviewing . . .
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A Closer Look at Income InSight: Stress Tests

Provide Retirement Insights and Add Bottom Line Dollars for Your Clients Income InSight® was designed to help advisors . . .
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Build Your Credibility with the Power of Earned Media

People trust their local news outlets and the journalists who run them. In this era of skepticism and ‘fake news,’ . . .
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Considerations for government employees

When I spoke about Social Security planning at the NTSAA 403(b) Advisor Summit in Las Vegas, much of the discussion . . .
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Tax

Help Your Clients Avoid the "Tax Torpedo"

Social Security Timing® subscribers have helped clients save for retirement and have given them coaching on when to start . . .
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How do you know a portfolio is diversified?

By Ron Piccinini, PhD This is inspired by a true story.  There was this fellow named Edmund. Edmund's high-priced . . .
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0.3% Social Security benefit increase starts in January 2017

The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced on Tuesday, October 18, that for 2017 there will be a 0.3 percent . . .
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Dream Team: Financial Advisors & CPAs

Collaboration Leads to Better Client Thinking Financial advisors can capitalize on this era of new tax laws by forming . . .
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The 7 books (and papers) everyone with an interest in financial tech should read

In honor of Financial Literacy Month, Covisum President, Joe Elsasser,CFP®, has created a reading list for anybody with . . .
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Marketing strategy for financial advisors

How should financial advisors market their services? Four steps to achieve success Katie Godbout,  Covisum Marketing . . .
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Effects of work on Social Security benefits

If you are under full retirement age (FRA), there is a limit to what you can earn before some or all of your benefits are . . .
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How Tax Clarity works with Social Security Timing

Last week, the makers of Social Security Timing® released another innovative software program for financial advisors to . . .
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Thriving Through Changing Times

Is your business thriving? The 2018 FA Insight Study recently published by TD Ameritrade Institutional states that firms . . .
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3 questions that make creating a retirement investment strategy easier

Crafting a retirement investment strategy can be a daunting task for many people, even when they have a great financial . . .
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How To Make the Most of Your Social Security Benefits

PlanStrongerTV™ hosted by David Holland, CPA, CFP® featured Joe Elsasser, CFP® and president of Covisum in an episode . . .
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Tax Implications of Filing for Social Security Benefits Early Versus Filing Late

By Keith McCullough, Director of Support Services Many of us have heard someone say that Social Security is not going to . . .
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A Closer Look at the New Tax Clarity Updates: Dependent Tax Credit

At the beginning of April, Covisum rolled out four new features to the Tax Clarity® software. The new dependent tax . . .
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The Tailored Fit: Q&A

We sat down with Covisum President Joe Elsasser, CFP®, the author of, “The Tailored Fit: How Advisors Can Use Technology . . .
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CNBC Highlights Social Security Calculator Options

A recent article from CNBC offered an analysis of a handful of Social Security calculators currently available to assist . . .
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Tax

A closer look at the new Tax Clarity updates: saver’s credit

At the beginning of April, Covisum rolled out four new features to our Tax Clarity® software. The new saver’s credit . . .
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Throw CPAs a Life Jacket

Americans are inundating CPAs with questions about how the recently passed tax law will impact them. But most CPAs make . . .
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When break-even breaks down

We’ve all seen break-even calculators that show the exact age at which you can expect your decision to delay Social . . .
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Tax

Covisum updates Tax Clarity software to reflect  Tax Cuts and Jobs Act changes

Advisors can now answer clients' biggest question in the New Year: "How will the new tax law affect me?" Advisors and . . .
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SmartRisk terms revealed

Asset interaction. Drawdown analysis. Reward/risk ratio. Know the terms that will help you wow clients with SmartRisk™. . . .
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Is My Pension Covered or Not Covered?

It’s not uncommon for a client come into your office and tell you that they have a pension from the military, or a . . .
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A closer look at the new Tax Clarity updates: pass-through deduction

At the beginning of April, Covisum rolled out four new features to the Tax Clarity® software. The new pass-through . . .
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A Flaw with Bucket Strategies and Retirement Planning

The bucket strategy is designed to break a retiree’s assets into "buckets" based upon when those buckets are expected to . . .
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When clients ask: How do I stress-test my portfolio?

To help you talk risk with clients, Ron Piccinini, Ph.D., answers some common client questions here. Ron, Covisum’s . . .
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Generate the right leads for your practice

Katie Godbout, Marketing Strategist Recently, we talked about how to create a strategic marketing plan. Now, let's build . . .
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USA Today: Social Security Q&A

Covisum President, Joe Elsasser, CFP®, was recently quoted in a Social Security Q&A in  USA Today. 
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On-Demand Webinar, "Tax Law 2018: What Advisors Need to Know"

Do you have clients who don’t understand the relationship between ordinary and capital incomes? If you do, they could be . . .
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Tax

Social Security income tax advantages

Because Social Security carries a substantial tax advantage over other forms of income, delaying benefits in order to . . .
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The Three Biggest Problems CPAs Face & How You Can Help Solve Them

A symbiotic relationship between CPAs and financial advisors can prove beneficial for your clients - as well as both . . .
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Forbes Finance Council: The Truth About Portfolio Risk Exposure

In a recent article for Forbes, Covisum President, Joe Elsasser, CFP®, addressed common misconceptions surrounding . . .
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ThinkAdvisor: Covisum's advisor and quant discuss how to help married couples maximize their social security benefits

In an ongoing series exclusive to ThinkAdvisor, Joe Elsasser, CFP® and Ron Piccinini, PhD provide readers with two . . .
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Tax

Did the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Eliminate the Social Security Tax Torpedo?

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act represents a relatively significant tax cut for most middle-income retirees, but the bill did . . .
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Don't take our word for it... tools that will help you help your clients

By David Cechanowicz, JD, MSFS, AIF, AEP, Senior Financial Planner, REDW Stanley One of the most significant financial . . .
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The 5-Minute Triage: Learn Quickly if an IRA Deduction is Double Dipping

For many middle income people approaching retirement, a common question is whether to contribute to a traditional IRA or . . .
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The Arrow Group rallies in Reno

Financial advisors from across the country gathered in Reno, Nevada, Oct. 20 and 21 at Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa. . . .
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Charting the retirement course on Covisum's Tax Map

Case Study: The Real Tax System John and Jane are married and will be filing jointly. They are both over 65 years old. . . .
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We’re adding portfolio risk to our expertise

The Quant: Renaud “Ron” Piccinini, PhD Covisum is excited to announce that we’ve added Ron Piccinini to our team as . . .
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ThinkAdvisor: Covisum's Advisor and Quant Discuss the 4% Rule

In an ongoing series exclusive to ThinkAdvisor, Joe Elsasser, CFP® and Ron Piccinini, PhD provide readers with two . . .
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Achieving Business Goals Through Marketing

An introductory guide to marketing for financial advisors By Katie Godbout, Director of Sales & Marketing Creating a . . .
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Nationwide survey suggests many Americans have a poor understanding of Social Security

Results from a recent Harris Poll from the Nationwide Retirement Institute® suggest many Americans nearing retirement age . . .
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Real Daily highlights a report that suggests retirees have been underpaid millions

A recent article in Real Daily highlighted a report from the Inspector General of the Social Security Administration . . .
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WealthManagement.com: Explain Risk To Clients Now

Covisum President Joe Elsasser, CFP® recently contributed an article to WealthManagement.com, "Explain Risk To Clients . . .
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New features and resources added to SmartRisk

Our team cares about your business growth goals. That's one reason we created the software! And since its release, we've . . .
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Is 'fiduciary' a mindset?

There are 144 days until the Department of Labor Fiduciary Rule goes into effect. How will this new rule affect your . . .
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The Shift Away From Open Architecture in Fintech

In his recent white paper, “The Tailored Fit: How Advisors Can Use Technology to Mass-Customize Financial Planning,” . . .
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CNBC explains the best age to claim Social Security

According to an article from CNBC, the best way to determine the optimal age to claim your Social Security benefits is by . . .
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Covisum Rolls out Big Changes to Tax Clarity® Software

Updates will guide advisors through the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act OMAHA, Neb. (April 17, 2018)– Today, Covisum announced . . .
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ThinkAdvisor hears from the advisor and the quant: Using a Market Correction to Build Client Trust

In an ongoing series exclusive to ThinkAdvisor, Joe Elsasser, CFP® and Ron Piccinini, PhD provide readers with two . . .
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Can I Work and Collect Social Security Benefits?

The better question would be, “What happens if I work while collecting a Social Security benefit?” The short answer is . . .
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Women & money: the retirement planning opportunity you may be missing

A new study reveals that although women are taking control of household finances, they’re unprepared to meet long-term . . .
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User Spotlight: Lauren DeGroot

Lauren DeGroot is an associate advisor at Sequent Planning, LLC, an Omaha-based investment advisory and financial . . .
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New White Paper Examines How Advisors Can Use Technology to Mass-Customize Financial Planning

Covisum’s new white paper, “The Tailored Fit: How Advisors can use Technology to Mass-Customize Financial Planning,” . . .
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CNBC: Bad Social Security advice cost recipients $131 million, report finds

Covisum President Joe Elsasser, CFP® was recently quoted in a CNBC article, "Bad Social Security advice cost recipients . . .
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ThinkAdvisor features The Advisor and the Quant 

How should advisors prep for a crash? Joe Elsasser, CFP® and Ron Piccinini, PhD were recently featured in a ThinkAdvisor . . .
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New resources added to Social Security Timing

Our team cares about your business growth goals and we've been hard at work creating content and materials to help you . . .
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Why the lump sum payment doesn't always maximize benefits

Advisors often ask us about Social Security’s lump sum payment because they’ve read articles mentioning this option. . . .
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Making heads or tails of tails

By Ron Piccinini, Ph.D., Director of Product Development An investment’s failure or success is impacted by the worst and . . .
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Covisum Acquires PrairieSmarts’ risk tools to bring enhanced suite of retirement planning tools

PrairieSmarts’ risk and compliance tools to join Covisum’s line up of Social Security Timing and Tax Clarity solutions . . .
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Financial Planning highlights survey that suggests consumers want an advisor with tax knowledge

A recent article in Financial Planning highlighted a report from 1st Global that suggests the top priority among affluent . . .
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ThinkAdvisor: Covisum's advisor and quant discuss how to manage sequence of returns risk in retirement planning

In an ongoing series exclusive to ThinkAdvisor, Joe Elsasser, CFP® and Ron Piccinini, PhD provide readers with two . . .
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ThinkAdvisor: Covisum's advisor and quant discuss the impact of tax reform on investment portfolios

In an ongoing series exclusive to ThinkAdvisor, Joe Elsasser, CFP® and Ron Piccinini, PhD provide readers with two . . .
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WealthManagement.com: Is Social Security Benefit Planning Disappearing?

Covisum President Joe Elsasser, CFP® recently contributed an article to WealthManagement.com explaining explaining the . . .
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How risky is Warren's publicly traded sock portfolio?

Our in-house risk expert, Ron Piccinini, PhD plugged this well-known portfolio into SmartRisk (excluding the "others" . . .
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ThinkAdvisor asks the advisor and the quant: What are ‘fat tails’ and why do they matter?

Joe Elsasser, CFP® and Ron Piccinini, PhD were recently featured in a ThinkAdvisor article, "The Advisor and the Quant: . . .
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TheStreet: How Does Social Security Calculate My Benefit Check?

TheStreet readers ask about how to get the biggest Social Security checks possible. Robert Powell gets answers from the . . .
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5 Things To Start, Stop, And Keep Doing With Your Financial Practice In 2018

The New Year traditionally brings resolutions, some of which actually will be kept. Financial advisors should go beyond . . .
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New resources added to Tax Clarity

Our team cares about your business growth goals and we've been hard at work creating content and materials to help you . . .
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Women need financial advisors too - shouldn't they pick you?

By Katie Godbout, Director of Sales and Marketing It's a fact, there are more men working in the financial industry than . . .
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Why financial advisors never really used beta, and why they are right

By Ron Piccinini, PhD Director of Product Development How can you tell if someone went to Harvard? They will tell you . . .
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How one advisor more than tripled client responses

After changing his Social Security presentation and seminar, David Conner, a Social Security Timing® subscriber since . . .
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Meet Francine, our newest developer

Covisum helps you stay competitive by hiring the best. Meet our latest addition to the team, Francine Covisum has . . .
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Our team is growing

Covisum® is pleased to announce the addition of Katie Godbout as marketing strategist. From handshakes to high fives, . . .
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Dead or alive?: Social Security planning a year after Bipartisan Budget Act

The reports of the death of Social Security planning have been greatly exaggerated. A year after its passage, we look at . . .
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Closing the deal: first meeting must-do’s

Contributed by Joe Elsasser, CFP® president of Covisum You've done it. You've created a business and marketing plan. . . .
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ThinkAdvisor: Covisum's advisor and quant discuss how to plan for health care costs in retirement

In an ongoing series exclusive to ThinkAdvisor, Joe Elsasser, CFP® and Ron Piccinini, PhD provide readers with two . . .
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Investors Chronicle highlights SmartRisk

Investors Chronicle published an article, "Alpha Portfolios: Appreciating Real Tactical Risk" by James Norrington on . . .
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ThinkAdvisor: Covisum's advisor and quant discuss cryptocurrencies and financial planning

In an ongoing series exclusive to ThinkAdvisor, Joe Elsasser, CFP® and Ron Piccinini, PhD provide readers with two . . .
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ThinkAdvisor: 4 Tips for Navigating Clients’ Tax Questions

Yesterday, Joe Elsasser, CFP® and President of Covisum and Dave Cechanowicz, JD, MSFS, AIF® AEP and Senior Financial . . .
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WealthManagement.com: Social Security Tax Management Moves Upstream 

Covisum President Joe Elsasser, CFP® recently contributed an article to WealthManagement.com explaining how the Tax Cuts . . .
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Find out how your practice would fare in the next down market

By, Ron Piccinini, PhD, Director of Product Development From a risk manager’s perspective, a bank is a derivative on . . .
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Covisum's president, Joe Elsasser, CFP®, featured in Financial Planning

It's no secret, Joe Elsasser, our company president uses Covisum technology to reinforce measurable value for his own . . .
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Affilliate Program

Covisum’s affiliate program is a great way to earn commissions on qualifying software sales. It’s easy to join, plus, our . . .
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New white paper examines how advances in risk analytics are changing the client-advisor discussion

Covisum’s new white paper explains the dangers of relying on traditional models of explaining and estimating portfolio . . .
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Timing one spouse's benefit when the other already claimed

A subscriber called our support team and asked this claiming question for his client. I have a client, Jim, who is 62 . . .
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Improving lives through better retirement decisions

Financial advisors, now more than ever, must demonstrate value to clients in order to maintain and grow their businesses. . . .
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Covisum™ acquires PrairieSmarts’ risk technology to expand its suite of retirement planning tools

With Covisum’s newest technology acquisition, you’ll be able to estimate a client’s portfolio risk, show them in a . . .
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ThinkAdvisor: Covisum's advisor and quant discuss the benefits and risks of ESG investing

In an ongoing series exclusive to ThinkAdvisor, Joe Elsasser, CFP® and Ron Piccinini, PhD provide readers with two . . .
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The impact of tax reform on "Consider This" with Cathy Wyatt and Joe Elsasser

On February 9, Joe Elsasser, CFP® and President of Covisum appeared on "Consider This" on NET to discuss the impact of . . .
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InvestmentNews: New tax law offers opportunities for advisers and retirees

After the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed and Covisum updated Tax Clarity to reflect the changes, we've seen a huge influx . . .
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PLANADVISOR: Advisers Beware and Be Cautious When Talking Taxes in 2018

On Tuesday, President of Covisum Joe Elsasser, CFP® and Dave Cechanowicz, JD, MSFS, AIF® AEP and Senior Financial Planner . . .
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Beware of averages

When an individual or a couple decides how and when to claim their Social Security benefits, life expectancy is one of . . .
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Live webcast: with the creators of SmartRisk

Advisors, you’ve come to the right place. Join Joe Elsasser, CFP® and Ron Piccinini, PhD, live on November 9 at 3:00 p.m. . . .
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UPDATED: Cost of Living Adjustment

Last Friday, Social Security announced the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for benefits payable in 2018. Check out the . . .
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WATCH: Don't Be Fooled Into Believing a Portfolio is Diversified

SmartRisk was created for one overarching reason: risk software on the market is based on outdated math, and that math . . .
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Tax

See Tax Clarity in action

Advisors are using Tax Clarity to quickly produce a Tax Map and demonstrate how even the smallest adjustments to client . . .
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How do you explain asset interaction to clients?

Ultimately, our goal is to build client relationships and help clients achieve their financial goals. Listen to our . . .
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How the Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage impacts Social Security claiming

The June 26th Supreme Court decision that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry in all states has . . .
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Covisum Financial Planning

There's traditional financial planning... and there's Covisum financial planning. 
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Final budget dramatically changes Social Security claiming options

The 2016 budget makes sweeping changes to Social Security claiming rules for retirees surrounding the Restricted . . .
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New beginnings

We’re looking forward to a new year in a new space! As we look back at 2016, a lot has changed. In January, we launched . . .
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How can financial advisors add significant value for clients?

Financial advisors have a great opportunity to help clients harboring misunderstandings of common systems with . . .
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Advisor Perspectives Article

New tools to prove you acted as a fiduciary Bob Veres recently conducted a review of SmartRisk Pro, one of the risk tools . . .
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How deductions and exemptions can snowball

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Social Security Strategies in 2017

Joe Elsasser, CFP® and president of Covisum is passionate about improving lives through better financial decisions. He . . .
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Setting proper downside risk expectations during market volatility 

This just in from FinancialPlanning: The Dow finished the day down by 1,032.95 points, or 4.15% at 23,849.23 — down 2,767 . . .
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Tax Law 2018: What Financial Advisors Need to Know

Covisum is hosting a free webinar on January 30 at 11 a.m. Central where advisors can learn how to capitalize on . . .
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PLANADVISOR: Achieving ‘Tax Clarity’ on Retirement Income Is Possible in 2018

On Friday, Joe Elsasser, CFP®, president of Covisum spoke with PLANADVISOR's John Manganaro about the tax landscape . . .
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The Tax Landscape in 2018

The U.S. tax landscape is changing. Last week, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was passed into law. It is clear that there is a . . .
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Do you go with the cashflow?

If you have a client who questions the benefit amount in a strategy, walk him or her through a selected strategy’s . . .
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Tax

What will tax reform look like for the proactive advisor?

Now is the time to build relationships with CPAs At this point, it seems safe to expect some form of tax reform will pass . . .
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Investors Chronicle article features Ron Piccinini, PhD

Investors Chronicle published an article, "Does fortune favour the bold?" by James Norrington on July 27, 2017.
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Change to printed client report better illustrates income gap

Many subscribers have been asking for a column that calculates the additional years of work and non-Social Security . . .
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Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015: Changes to Social Security Rules

Learn how the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 impacts your clients. In this webinar, Joe Elsasser, creator of Social . . .
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SmartRisk Tutorial  

Designed specifically for financial advisors, SmartRisk helps you set proper downside expectations with your clients. . . .
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Portfolio risk: how much value is in the tails?

Investors know that time in the market is their friend. Stay in the market for a long period of time, and good things . . .
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Covisum Blog

On-Demand Webinar: Tax-Efficient Planning for Baby Boomers

Clients don’t always understand the interactions between different types of income and deductions, leading to potentially . . .
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Live Webinar: Tax-Efficient Planning for Baby Boomers

Sequence of Withdrawals: Tax-Efficient Planning for Baby Boomers Covisum® is hosting a free webinar on Wednesday, March . . .
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Hidden Value: Tax-Savvy Tactics for Retirement Cash Flow

Hidden Value is a column in ThinkAdvisor where Joe Elsasser, CFP®, answers common questions with insights advisors and . . .
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4 Ways Financial Advisors Can Make the Most of this Tax Season

Tax Day is rapidly approaching, and there are a few ways that financial advisors can be really helpful during this . . .
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Schedule Annual Client Review Meetings

We are well into February, and we’ve reached the perfect time of year to schedule annual reviews for your clients who are . . .
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Hidden Value: Roth IRA Conversions, How Much Is Too Much?

Hidden Value is a column in ThinkAdvisor where Joe Elsasser, CFP®, answers common questions with insights advisors and . . .
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2018 Tech Tools for Today Software Survey

   If you're a subscriber to Social Security Timing ®, Tax Clarity ®, or SmartRisk TM, we would love to hear your . . .
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"Last Minute Tax Moves" Webinar Now Available for On-Demand Viewing

Your clients have until the end of the year to harvest from an IRA, execute a Roth conversion, or take a . . .
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Hidden Value: Think You Know the Capital Gains Tax Rate? Think Again.

Hidden Value is a new column in ThinkAdvisor where Joe Elsasser, CFP®, answers common questions with insights advisors . . .
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