Greetings!
Can you believe Autumn is just about here!? Time is flying by and we have been so productive this past month, as summer comes to a close and business is in full swing. We can't wait for you to see our stunning new office space on your next visit or on November 7th, when we'll finally gather together to celebrate our success these past five fantastic years, and toast to many more successful years ahead. (D on't forget to register below to tell us that you're coming!)

A few months ago we launched into our Education Outreach Initiative, an effort to provide women and families with a better understanding of their financial options and help them achieve financial balance. We presented to a large group at IQUVIA in New York City and again this month for a group of J&J employees. In August, in honor of Women's Equality Day, we had the unique opportunity to reach women in transition through our local YWCA with a special financial literacy seminar, created just for their needs. We love every opportunity to get out into the community and share our mission of empowering women.

We hope you think of us when you hear of someone in need of our unique services. If you know of a women's group or employer group that would be interested in learning about our tools for financial balance and how we can help "maximize your money," please reach out to us.

We look forward to seeing you on November 7th!

Marianna
We are never too busy to see how we can
take care of someone you care about.
NEWS THAT AFFECTS YOU
MARKET COMMENTARY: Turbulent Month for Markets
August was a rough one for stocks, with all three major U.S. indices declining during the month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) fell by 1.32 percent, while the S&P 500 lost 1.58 percent. The Nasdaq Composite suffered the heaviest losses, finishing the month down 2.46 percent. Still, things could have been worse. With periods during the month where markets fell by as much as 4 percent to 6 percent, a bounce back at month-end helped stave off larger declines.

Despite the volatility, fundamentals improved in August. According to Bloomberg Intelligence, S&P 500 earnings grew by 2.2 percent in the second quarter...

Take 529 Plan Distributions
With Confidence:
 5 Tips to Help You Avoid Tax Consequences
529 plans offer unparalleled flexibility and control to account owners. Benefits include generous contribution limits, tax-deferred growth and tax-free distributions to fund a wide array of qualified education expenses.

Once you’ve entered the distribution phase of 529 ownership, it’s important to understand the mechanics and potential implications of taking distributions from your account. These five tips may help you avoid unintended tax consequences.

1. Many college expenses can be funded tax- and penalty-free — but not all.
Perhaps the best feature of 529 plan accounts is the ability to use earnings tax-free to pay for qualified education expenses (QEE), including:

■ Tuition and required fees
■ Books and required equipment
■ Computers (including required software and access to the internet primarily used by the student)
■ Room and board (at least half-time student status required)
■ Additional expenses for a special needs bene ciary
Almost all U.S. two- and four-year public and private colleges and universities and many vocational and technical schools are considered quali ed institutions. Off-campus housing may also be deemed quali ed in an amount not to exceed the cost of living on campus in a dormitory, provided the institution offers student housing.

2. Scholarships allow you to take non-qualified withdrawals penalty-free — and with potential tax benefits.

If a 529 account beneficiary receives a scholarship, the 10% federal penalty that would otherwise apply to non-qualified distributions from the account is waived to the extent of the scholarship amount. Most scholarships are awarded as annual awards, renewable for a certain number of years. For example, a scholarship may be awarded as $10,000 annually, renewable for four years.

In this example, the total amount of the scholarship...

3 Things Women Should Know
If You're Counting on Your Husband's Retirement
Women face special challenges when planning for retirement. Women are more likely than men to work in part-time jobs that don't qualify for a retirement plan. And women are more likely to interrupt their careers (or stay out of the workforce altogether) to raise children or take care of other family members. As a result, women generally work fewer years and save less , leaving many to rely on their husbands' savings and benefits to carry them both through retirement.

But this reliance creates risk — risk of divorce, risk that retirement funds won't be adequate to last two lifetimes (a risk that falls disproportionately on women, who are projected to live about five years longer than men), 2 and risk of bad retirement payout decisions.

MEDICARE MARATHON October 15th
Are you eligible for Medicare yet? How about a friend or family member? If so, then you should take advantage of our complimentary Medicare Marathon on  Tuesday, October 15th.

John Barbati, of  Penn Health Insurance Solutions,  will be conducting  30 minute 1-on-1 sessions  with clients, friends, family, even your neighbors! Last year, we helped those with questions about Medicare figure out which healthcare plan would work best for their needs. This year we are excited to offer the same complimentary service so that you can make the right decisions about your healthcare.

Please reach out to  Samantha , our Client Service Manager, to reserve a spot for you, your family, and friends.  Don't delay, there are limited spots available!
We hope to see you at our office to take advantage of this informative meeting.4
CURO IN THE COMMUNITY
Children in Foster Care Still Need Your Help
As we prepare for our Open House Celebration and Build-A-Sweet Case Project on November 7th, we are still in need of items to include in each duffle bag.

We've got the bags and basics, but we NEED YOUR HELP with a few extra feel good items. Please consider sending a donation of new toys, books, night lights, hygiene items and more through our Amazon Wish List or bring into the office on your next visit. Thank you for your help and supporting our community and this worthy cause.
We want to know about
the DREAMS you've achieved!
Is there something you set your mind to: a goal to accomplish, a passion to pursue, a dream to achieve? If you made it happen and we were able to help you along the way - we want to know about it and help inspire others to do the same!

Send us your (hi-res) JPEGs and a brief story and we will feature you (with or without your name - as you choose) on our unique Dream Wall and on our office wall, to help inspire others just setting out on their journey to financial balance.
If you know someone that would benefit from this communication,
please share this email.
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