On my list of places to revisit, Las Vegas ranks…well, it is not on the list.
It represents so much that I dislike in terms of glitz, noise, and crowds. Plus, to get outside of most of the Vegas’ hotels, you have to walk through smokey hallways filled with gamblers addicted to the mesmerizing spins and flashing lights of the one-armed-bandits and the less than frequent clink, clink, clink of money dropping into the hopper. Once you get outside, it is still smokey until you get away from the hotel.
Have I said enough? No, wait.
Then, you get accosted on the streets with people snapping cards in your face with some amazing offer.
The shows and concerts are full priced, but half length. So, why am I getting ready to go there for five days? Because of my friends. Some bonds require sacrifice to keep them strong!
As you may know, I am in close contact with a group of my high school buddies. We have been getting together for what used to be Boys’ Weekend but now is more like Boys’ Week for about 25 years. We missed our get-togethers during the worst of Covid. We are scattered all over the country but fly in for our annual or bi-annual gatherings.
During our early years, the visits were spurred by the outliers returning home to Pittsburgh to visit parents and a chance to hang out. Now, after the passing of Rhoda Sikov, Bill’s mother, the last of the parents is gone. But our little community stays strong.
Five of us play on a virtual bridge team so we have some contact through that. It is so much more fun and meaningful to spend time with them versus faceless teammates on the internet.
We try to get together once a week on Zoom, something that I suggested during Covid. During the peak of the pandemic, with limited social engagements, everyone had time to visit. Now, we still have the weekly meetings for about an hour but not everyone shows up for every visit.
We talk about our feelings and have deep philosophical discussions. Just kidding.
Our discussions are more about the Steelers, the latest movies and television series, and lots of directed sarcastic remarks.
Some of us have been friends for 50 years or longer. We all remember all our parents and that creates a special bond. Our shared history keeps us connected and keeps memories alive. All but one of us are loyal to Mineo’s Pizza, but there is one Aiello’s defector…hey nobody’s perfect. We are all Steelers fans.
We have a sense of comradery that I suspect none of us have with anyone else.
Why am I telling you this? Just a little prod to action. Even if you are out of touch, pick up the phone and call a long-time acquaintance. If you don’t live in the same city, get together anyway. Of course, family comes first. But friends come second.
We do have tickets to The Sphere Experience that might be the one good thing about the town, after the company I keep!
James Lange
CPA/Attorney
I know you may be sick of hearing about our new books. That said, Retire Secure for Parents of a Child with a Disability hit #1 on Amazon in retirement planning and in personal taxes. We are really looking forward to a great year serving and advocating for members of this deserving community.
Retire Secure for Parents of a Child with a Disability
A Virtual Summit on Zoom
Monday, February 12, 2024
Register to attend one, two or all three sessions at:
DisabledChildPlanning.com/Summit
This summit will feature the three co-authors of the new best-selling book, Retire Secure for Parents of a Child with a Disability. The three speakers will cover their respective areas of expertise to provide you with the highest quality information to help your child with a disability. All authors agree about the most important steps for you to take so your child will get the most out of what you’ve got.
Below is the three-part solution which corresponds to the three sessions in this summit:
- Get your child approved for Supplemental Social Security Income (SSI), usually after the child turns 18. Later, it is usually optimal to get the child approved for Social Security Disability Income (SSDI). Getting approved is the “Golden Ticket” to enormous benefits. Please see Session One with Deborah McFadden.
- Optimize your estate planning. You will need appropriate wills, trusts, other documents and perhaps most importantly, a special needs trust that will preserve government benefits and also provide money for your child. If the underlying asset that funds the trust is an IRA or retirement plan, it also needs to meet four conditions to enjoy the “stretch IRA” rule that is so critical for beneficiaries with a disability. Please see Session Two with Julieanne Steinbacher.
- Optimize your tax strategies starting with a long-term Roth IRA conversion plan. The question of whether, how much, and when to convert are addressed. (The “conclusion” for many parents will be a series of conversions over a number of years.) We will also contrast optimal vs. mediocre planning. Our recommendations are based on peer-reviewed math, not conjecture or opinion.
We will also cover the importance of getting the coveted eligible designated beneficiary (EDB) status that comes with SSI and SSDI for your child. There will also be non-Roth related content including use of the ABLE Act. Please see Session Three with James Lange.
Introduction: 10:00 - 10:20 am (Eastern)
Introduction with James Lange, CPA/Attorney
Jim will give a quick introduction including the basics, the importance of getting this planning right, and which sessions you should plan to attend.
Session One: 10:20 am – Noon (Eastern)
Critical Steps to Get Your Child Approved for SSI or SSDI in Order to Receive Cash Benefits, Tuition, Medical, and Other Benefits
Deborah L. McFadden, Former United States Commissioner of Disabilities will talk about Social Security Disability (SSI/SSDI) and Vocational Rehabilitation, and when and how to initiate the process. She will discuss why getting your child approved for SSI/SSDI is the “Golden Ticket.”
The following and many more questions will be answered during this informative presentation. There will be time for you to ask specific questions as it relates to your child and his/her disability.
Can my child qualify for these programs if I have a high income?
Is it true my child can get everything paid for including tuition, room/board, and books?
- Can my child go out of state for college?
- Can my child go to a school for technical training/certification?
- What if my child has a “hidden disability,” will he/she still qualify?
- What options do I have for funding my child’s education?
- If my child will not qualify for any loans from FAFSA, do I still need to apply?
- Can my child apply for SSI before he/she is 18 years old?
- Can my child work and still receive benefits?
Session Two: 12:30 – 2:30 pm (Eastern)
Trust & Estate Planning for Families with a Special Needs Child
In this presentation, Attorney Julieanne E. Steinbacher, CELA, will cover the need to prepare a plan that will endure the lifetime of a child with special needs. It’s important to identify and understand what assets are going to pass directly to a child with special needs and if those assets will adversely affect his or her ability to qualify for certain government benefits. The sooner a legal plan is in place, the better off your child will be in the future.
Join us as we discuss how families with individuals with special needs can best be prepared for what the future may bring. Topics to be covered include:
- Basic legal documents that everyone should have.
- Why you should review any existing legal plan periodically to make sure it’s still in good order & current with the law.
- What you need to know before meeting with an attorney.
- Power of Attorney vs. Guardianship.
- Key differences between a 1st Party Special Needs Trust, 3rd Party Supplemental Needs Trust, and a Pooled Trust.
- Who should be a Trustee?
- How can life insurance provide a benefit to an estate plan?
- Funding a Special Needs Trust – what assets should you consider?
- Summary of our wishes.
- Recent changes to laws affecting individuals with special needs.
Session Three: 3:00 – 5:00 pm (Eastern)
How Strategic Roth IRA Planning Can Make Your Disabled Child Financially Secure for Life
James Lange, CPA/Attorney and parent of a child with a disability will demonstrate the significance of a long-term Roth IRA conversion strategy for you and your special needs child or grandchild.
For a majority of IRA and retirement plan owners with a special needs child, the dilemma is not about whether you should opt for a Roth conversion, but rather the timing and amount to convert. The ideal solution is typically not a single conversion, but a sequence of Roth conversions spread out over a period of years.
Assumptions and personal circumstances may differ, but using what we deem are sound assumptions*, many families who get the Roth conversion planning correct could be financially better off by hundreds of thousands, and in the case of my daughter, $1,890,000 in today’s dollars. Applying the same strategies with plausible assumptions, even someone with an IRA of $500,000 could enhance their child’s with a disability financial situation by $239,068.
In this session, you will learn:
- A mathematically proven approach to Roth IRA conversions that you likely have not encountered.
- Peer-reviewed calculations on Roth IRA conversions, and factors that determine how much and when to convert.
- How to efficiently transfer after-tax dollars in retirement plans to a Roth IRA at zero cost, potentially saving hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes down the line.
- How to plan for the conversion of an inherited retirement plan to a Roth at your beneficiary’s tax rate―not your own―after your passing.
- The rationale behind establishing an ABLE account for your child.
- Who Gets What? Nuanced estate planning for children with dissimilar needs and situations.
*Assumptions available at https://PayTaxesLater.com/Assumptions
Bonuses for All Attendees
All attendees will receive a free digital copy of our new best-selling book, Retire Secure for Parents of a Child with a Disability. Additional bonuses will be announced during the event.
Summit Speakers:
James Lange, CPA/Attorney/Registered Investment Advisor:
Jim Lange’s tax and estate planning strategies have been endorsed by The Wall Street Journal (36 times). He has written 9 best-selling financial books that help IRA and retirement plan owners get the most out of what they’ve got. Some of Jim’s books have been endorsed by the country’s top experts including Charles Schwab, Burton Malkiel, Larry King, Jane Bryant Quinn, Roger Ibbotson, and 50 more. Having Roth IRA conversion and SECURE Act expertise was critical in developing Jim’s solution for his daughter who has a disability.
Deborah L. McFadden, Former U.S. Commissioner of Disabilities:
Deborah McFadden was appointed by President George H.W. Bush as U.S. Commissioner of Disabilities and was instrumental in the writing and passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. For years, she has been recognized as one of, if not the top expert in the country helping individuals with disabilities qualify for SSI, SSDI, and other crucial resources. She is the mother of two USA Paralympic athletes. One daughter, Hannah, is ranked third in the world in rock climbing. Her other daughter, Tatyana, has won 20 Paralympic medals including eight gold medals. Tatyana is one of, if not the most honored, and recognized athletes with a disability in the world.
Julieanne E. Steinbacher, Esq., CELA, LLM in Estate and Elder Law:
Julieanne Steinbacher is the founding shareholder of Steinbacher, Goodall & Yurchak, an elder care and special needs planning law firm, with offices in Williamsport, State College, Wyalusing and Wysox, Wilkes-Barre, and Altoona PA. As a former social worker, she has seen the devastating effects the lack of planning for long-term care can have on a family. As an attorney, her goal is to educate the community and empower them to make planning decisions. Each of her law offices has social workers on staff to help families coordinate care and benefits. She has over 20 years of experience drafting special needs planning documents for families and administering estates.
Disclaimer: Lange Accounting Group, LLC offers guidance on retirement plan distribution strategies, tax reduction, Roth IRA conversions, saving and spending strategies, optimized Social Security strategies, and gifting plans. Although we bring our knowledge and expertise in estate planning to our recommendations, all recommendations are offered in our capacity as CPAs. We will, however, potentially make recommendations that clients could have a licensed estate attorney implement.
Asset location, asset allocation, and low-cost enhanced index funds are provided by the investment firms with whom Lange Financial Group, LLC is affiliated. This would be offered in our role as an investment advisor representative and not as an attorney.
Lange Financial Group, LLC, is a registered investment advisory firm registered with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Banking, Harrisburg, PA. In addition, the firm is registered as a registered investment advisory firm in the states of AZ, FL, NY, OH, and VA. Lange Financial Group, LLC may not provide investment advisory services to any residents of states in which the firm does not maintain an investment advisory registration. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. All investing involves risk, including the potential for loss of principal. There is no guarantee that any strategy will be successful. Indexes are not available for direct investment. If you qualify for a free consultation with Jim, and attend a meeting, there are two services Jim and his firms have the potential to offer you. Lange Accounting Group, LLC could offer a one-time fee-for-service Financial Masterplan. Under the auspices of Lange Financial Group, LLC, you could potentially enter an assets-under-management arrangement with one of Lange’s joint venture partners.
Please note that if you engage Lange Accounting Group, LLC and/or Lange Financial Group, LLC for either our Financial Masterplan service or our assets-under-management arrangement, there is no attorney/client relationship in this advisory context.
Although Jim will bring his knowledge and expertise in estate planning to this workshop and to the meetings, it will be conducted in his capacity as a financial planning professional and not as an attorney. We are not soliciting for legal services.