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HD0-200 HDI Qualified Help Desk Senior Analyst

EXAM CODE: HD0-200
EXAM NAME: HDI Qualified Help Desk Senior Analyst

HDI Support Center Analyst (HDISCA) training focuses on support center strategies for effective customer service, emphasizing problem-solving and trouble-shooting skills, contact handling procedures, incident management, communication skills, and an introduction to service management process.

Service and support analysts provide front line technical support and act as the primary point of contact for customers. It is vital that these IT service professionals provide the highest quality customer care to every customer on every contact. Through HDI's Support Center Analyst training, your team can learn the critical skills required to do so.

Unit 1: Role of the Support Center Analyst
Support Industry Evolution
The Role of the Analyst
The Value of the Analyst
The Future of Service and Support
Unit 2: Structural Framework of Service and Support
Understanding the Business
Structural Components Overview
Strategy
Services
Service Level Management
Standard Operating Procedures
Business Alignment
Unit 3: Service Management Processes
Best Practices for Service and Support
Incident Management
Request Fulfillment
Access Management
Security Management
Knowledge Management
Unit 4: Tools, Technology, and Service Delivery
Systems Thinking Approach
ITIL Support Tools and Technology
Support Delivery Methods
Social Media
Unit 5: Understanding Metrics
Systems Thinking - Applied to Metrics
Metrics
Dashboards
Quality Assurance
Unit 6: Communication Essentials
Communication Essentials
Active Listening
Voice Components
Effective Word Choices
Written Communication
Effective Cross-Cultural Communication
Unit 7: Troubleshooting & Incident Management
Troubleshooting and Problem-Solving
The Incident Management Process
Unit 8: Customer Management Skills
Challenging Customer Behaviors
Emotional Intelligence
Expressing Empathy
Managing Customer Behaviors
Unit 9: Personal & Professional Development
SWOT Assessment
Personal Development Skills Overview
Time Management
Stress Management
Managing Your Career

HDI Qualified Help Desk Senior Analyst
HDI Qualified approach
Killexams : HDI Qualified approach - BingNews https://killexams.com/pass4sure/exam-detail/HD0-200 Search results Killexams : HDI Qualified approach - BingNews https://killexams.com/pass4sure/exam-detail/HD0-200 https://killexams.com/exam_list/HDI Killexams : What Are the Criticisms of the Human Development Index (HDI)?

The Human Development Index (HDI) assigns numerical values to different countries as a measure of human prosperity. These values are derived by measuring levels of education, standard of living, and life expectancy. Countries with higher scores on the index are said to be better developed than those with lower scores.

The system is designed to help determine strategies for improving living conditions for people around the world. Human Development Index (HDI) values are often influential in conjunction with gross domestic product (GDP) and can affect a nation's fiscal and public policy. However, some critics argue that these measures are flawed and do not create an accurate picture of prosperity.

Key Takeaways

  • The Human Development Index (HDI) is a statistic the United Nations developed and compiled to measure various countries' levels of social and economic development. 
  • HDI values are influential and can affect the fiscal and public policy of a nation.
  • Critics argue that the HDI's measurements are flawed and do not create an accurate picture of prosperity.

How the Human Development Index (HDI) Is Valued

The HDI was developed by Pakistani economist Mahbub ul Haq and Indian Nobel laureate Amartya Sen and eventually launched in 1990.

The goal was to measure development beyond just focusing on how much money people have. The HDI is calculated as the geometric mean of the following:

  • The health factor is assessed by life expectancy at birth.
  • The standard of living factor is assessed by gross national income (GNI) per capita.
  • The education factor is assessed by the mean years of schooling for adults and the expected years of schooling for children of school entering age.

Criticism of the Human Development Index (HDI)

Critics argue that the HDI assigns weights to certain factors that are equal tradeoffs when these measurements may not always be equally valuable. For example, countries could achieve the same HDI through different combinations of life expectancy and GNI per capita. This would imply that a person's life expectancy has an economic value.

The HDI also correlates factors that are more common in developed economies. For example, a higher level of education would tend to lead to higher GNI per capita. Critics argue the benefit or lack thereof of including two highly correlated values when perhaps one would be a better indicator of a country's well-being.

The HDI also fails to take into account factors such as inequality, poverty, and gender disparity. A country with a high value for GNI per capita would indicate a developed country, but what if that GNI is reached by marginalizing certain genders or ethnic classes? And what if that GNI is achieved by a small percentage of the population that is wealthy and, therefore, ignores the poor?

Furthermore, the values of the factors that make up the HDI are bound between 0 and 1. This means that certain countries that already have high GNIs, for example, have little room to Boost in terms of GNI score even if their GNI continues to grow and improve. This same parameter affects the logic of the life expectancy score.

Why Is the Human Development Index (HDI) Controversial?

The HDI is controversial because it is highly influential yet considered to be deeply flawed. The United Nations itself even admits that the HDI is not “a comprehensive measure of human development” and that the index is slow to reflect exact policy changes and improvements to the lives of a nation’s citizens.

What Are the Biggest Criticisms of the HDI?

The HDI was designed to measure development not just in terms of how much money people have but also in terms of education and length of life. The problem is not everyone is happy about the choice of indicators nor the way they are aggregated.

What Are the 4 Indicators of the Human Development Index (HDI)?

The HDI focuses on the following four factors: mean years of schooling, expected years of schooling, life expectancy at birth, and gross national income (GNI) per capita. 

The Bottom Line

The HDI is designed to consider other factors besides wealth, allowing a multifaceted examination of global prosperity and emerging market nations. However, the weaknesses of this measurement lead some critics to challenge its practicality for use in establishing foreign policy. This measurement does not sufficiently capture other factors that influence prosperity either.

Tue, 18 Aug 2020 08:34:00 -0500 en text/html https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/042815/are-there-critics-human-development-index-hdi.asp
Killexams : Life Insurance in a Qualified Retirement Plan

It is possible to buy life insurance through some qualified retirement plans, like a 401(k) or a pension. If you do so, you can pay for the coverage using pre-tax dollars. In other words, you save on taxes while buying life insurance.

These plans tend to be complex to administer and must follow strict rules for managing the life insurance policy. This strategy if often used by business owners who control their company retirement plan and have the need for a large, expensive life insurance policy.

Key Takeaways

  • You pay life insurance premiums with pre-tax dollars in a qualified retirement plan.
  • Defined contribution plans and defined benefit plans are options that allow life insurance.
  • If your plan is terminated early or you retire, the remaining balance can be rolled over into an IRA.
  • This strategy must meet complex regulatory requirements and can be expensive.
  • An individual policy may be easier to manage and offer you more flexibility to design coverage.

Cash-Value Life Insurance

Advantages and Disadvantages

Buying life insurance in a qualified retirement plan does offer several advantages, including:

  • The ability to use pre-tax dollars to pay premiums that would otherwise not be tax-deductible.
  • The option to pay for the insurance using your existing retirement plan savings.
  • Fully funding your retirement benefit if you die while working.
  • Providing an income-tax-free death benefit to your policy beneficiaries.
  • Asset protection, as an Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) plan is generally protected from creditors.

However, there are also some disadvantages:

  • The life insurance policy can only be held in the plan while you are a participant.
  • It can be complex to unwind the insurance when you retire or if the plan is terminated.
  • The organization sponsoring the plan needs to offer a qualified plan that allows for life insurance. These plans tend to be costly to set up and require annual reporting and ongoing administration. Lower-cost retirement plans, like an IRA or a simplified employee pension, do not allow life insurance.
  • Plans must abide by ERISA rules that require all eligible employees to be included. The plan cannot discriminate in favor of certain participants, such as only offering benefits to the business owner and key executives.

Rules for Life Insurance in Qualified Retirement Plans

Defined-Contribution Plans

In a defined-contribution plan, if a whole life policy is purchased, the premium must be less than 50% of the contributions made to the plan. If a universal life policy is used, the premium paid must be less than 25% of plan contributions. A special rule also applies to profit-sharing plans if seasoned money is used to pay the life insurance premium.

Contributions that have accumulated in your account for a minimum of two years are considered seasoned (although some plans can have longer seasoning periods). However, all contributions become seasoned once your account is at least five-years-old.

If the plan allows only seasoned money to be used to pay the insurance premiums, then the percentage limits for defined contribution plans no longer apply. However, the limits do apply if a mix of non-seasoned and seasoned contributions are used.

Defined-Benefit Plans

Defined-benefit pension plans have a different requirement that the life insurance must be incidental. In addition, and your death benefit can be no greater than one hundred times your expected monthly retirement benefit.

However, the IRS has additional rules for Section 412(e)(3) plans (which are defined-benefit plans that often use an annuity or life insurance to fund the retirement benefit). For these plans, the amount of qualified money that can be used to pay life insurance premiums may be higher than that for other defined-benefit plans.

Tax Issues

When life insurance is purchased in a qualified account, the premium is paid with pretax dollars. Consequently, the participant must recognize the economic benefit received as taxable income.

The amount recognized varies each year and is calculated by subtracting the cash value from the policy death benefit. The taxable value (economic benefit) of the insurance received is determined by using the lower of the IRS Table 2001 cost or the life insurance company’s cost for an individual, standard rated one-year term policy.

If you retire or the plan you participated in is terminated, you have several options. The policy can be bought and transferred to an irrevocable life insurance trust, transferred to the insured, surrendered with the remaining cash value left in the plan, or sold to the insured or a grantor trust established by the insured.

If you die prematurely, your beneficiaries receive the death benefit (less any cash value in the policy) free of income taxes. Any taxable economic benefit paid by the participant while you are still alive can be recovered tax-free from the cash value.

The remaining cash value can remain in the plan or be taxed as a qualified plan distribution. However, any death benefit paid from a policy in a qualified plan is included in the decedent’s estate for state and federal estate tax calculations.

Exit Strategies

If you retire or the plan is terminated, there are several alternatives to handling the life insurance policy in the plan. Under any of these options, the remaining value in the qualified plan could then be rolled over to an IRA.

  • The policy could be purchased by and transferred to an irrevocable life insurance trust. If properly structured, the death benefit will remain free of income and estate taxes.
  • Transfer ownership of the policy to the insured (you). The policy cash value would have to be recognized as taxable income in the year of the distribution. If you are under age 59½, penalties may apply.
  • Surrender the policy, leaving the cash value in the qualified plan. However, this means the insured is giving up the life insurance coverage.
  • You can buy the policy or sell it to a grantor trust that you establish. As long as the policy is sold for fair market value, there is no immediate income tax liability. This approach allows you to maintain the coverage.

Once the policy is out of the qualified plan, you can make any desired changes to the coverage to meet your retirement and estate planning needs. There are, however, special rules that dictate what members of a family who own more than 50% of a business can do when buying a life insurance policy from the pension plan, so check with your financial advisor to determine the best choice.

Why Buy Life Insurance in a Qualified Retirement Plan?

Doing so permits buyers to use pre-tax dollars to pay premiums that would not otherwise be tax-deductible. If the plan participant dies prematurely, the retirement benefit is fully funded. This also provides an income-tax-free death benefit to your policy beneficiaries and provides asset protection from creditors.

What Are Some Downsides of Buying Life Insurance in a Qualified Retirement Plan?

For starters, the life insurance policy can only be held in the plan while the insured is a participant. Unwinding the insurance at retirement or if the plan is terminated can be complex. Also, the business needs to have a qualified plan that allows for life insurance, and these plans tend to be costly and complicated. Finally, plans must abide by ERISA rules that require all eligible employees to be included.

Is Life Insurance a Retirement Plan?

Life insurance is often referred to as a retirement plan due to the cash component of some life insurance policies that act as retirement income for individuals. However, life insurance should not be considered as a replacement to other traditional retirement plans, such as 401(k)s and IRAs. The rate of return is not as high as investing in the stock market.

The Bottom Line

It is possible to buy life insurance through some qualified retirement plans. Doing so allows you to pay the premiums with pre-tax dollars and your existing retirement funds. However, there are many strict rules you must adhere to. This makes the process difficult and expensive. In many cases, you may be better off simply purchasing an individual policy. Consult with an insurance and a retirement plan expert before moving forward with this strategy.

Correction—December 1, 2021: A previous version of this article referred to the 412(i) plan. The 412(i) plan was replaced by the 412(e)(3) plan in 2007.

Sat, 03 Jan 2015 01:33:00 -0600 en text/html https://www.investopedia.com/articles/wealth-management/122915/why-own-life-insurance-qualified-retirement-plan.asp
Killexams : 5 Reasons Most Leaders Are Not Qualified To Lead

I was selected for a leadership fast-track program at my first job after college. Entry to the program, similar to many corporate academy programs, was based on performance – meaning sales. But I expected the program to have different measurements for promotion to leadership positions. It didn’t. I’ll never forget my confusion the first time I saw someone from the program that most of us would have never wanted to work for - promoted to district manager. I asked my district manager why. He told me that person had sold the most product in the last year.

Just because he sold the most he was now leading. That did not make sense to me. It still doesn’t.

What I saw that day followed me throughout my corporate career: People getting promoted for the wrong reasons. Too many people became leaders for doing what they were told to do inside the box they were given: They moved the most product, followed the status quo, and looked like the other senior leaders. They were simply what I call the best “sowers” of opportunities right in front of them – not seizing and solving for other opportunity gaps that existed within their departments and the organization.

Watch on FORBES:

I understood why: There was little reward for doing more than sowing. Seeing, sharing, and growing together? There was no mandate for that. Why risk anything for something that wasn’t valued? Follow the prescribed steps and you will find success, which basically amounted to “sell more and don't rock the boat.” Which is why most employees when assigned a task, given a special project, or asked to execute a plan, they do what they are best at: executing to deliver immediate, short-term results. They keep sowing, sowing, sowing and sowing like those around them and forget about seeing, sharing or growing.  This is not just hyperbole or unsubstantiated generalization. It’s based on data from the “Workplace Serendipity Quiz” and it is exactly why our workplaces have stopped innovating.

But while I understood this, I struggled with it. The marketplace was changing and the workplace wasn’t evolving to adapt to these changes.

Flash-forward to today and the result is a lot of people in leadership roles who should not be. Note: I am not saying these people should not have been rewarded for what they successfully sowed. But if leadership is all about sowing then it is just about the transaction – everything is a commodity including the people you sell to and who work with and for you. It is never about individuals; it is about sales and eventually someone somewhere will beat you on that, be they in another part of the country or another part of the world. You are running yourself into the ground and losing to the people who want to take the current opportunity from you and those who are seeing new ones.

When I mention this to the leaders I work with, I get a lot of nodding heads. Their number one complaint about leadership is that they have lost touch with the business today. Which is why I believe that at least 25% of leaders in their and other organizations should not be leading anymore. These leaders are no longer getting and giving their employees what they need and want as individuals and fail to realize the marketplace has passed them by.

This is not grounds for firing; it is grounds for reinvention and renewal – for reallocation and reimagining all our resources. Too often people get fired from roles because the organization is dumping salaries, but oftentimes this is the wrong approach for senior people where the ROI of their salary can be better felt elsewhere: Move them into advisory roles where they lead from behind rather than out in front and allow their rich history with the organization, the wisdom that they bring, the client experience, and their experiences to contribute and influence in a different way.

Doing this, however, requires those leaders to be vulnerable enough to understand that organizational wisdom and courage to see enterprise-wide reinvention and renewal as an opportunity for evolution and growth – both individually and for the capacities of the organization. Departments have operated as silos for too long. Organizations must drive engagement in the workplace and growth in the marketplace by moving away from traditional models that promote top-down, hierarchical, departmental, siloed, one-size-fits-all approaches. They must activate departments throughout the entire organization and strengthen competencies in which employees and consumers are at the center of their growth strategies.

In the end, leaders must know that 30 years experience does not mean they are ready for the marketplace of today. For example, I have worked with dozens of leaders who became heads of operations a generation ago. Many of them were qualified for the job but they are not today. They did not have the wisdom to evolve. They did not continue to touch operations the way they did when they got that title. And their losing touch means the organization lacks competency to lead it through changes.

How do you know if your leaders are unqualified to lead and that the workplace and marketplace has passed them by?

1. They lack leadership influence beyond their job descriptions and thus fail to understand how that influence should maximize organizational and marketplace growth and discover the full potential in others

2. They are not courageous enough to embrace diversity of thought and find like-mindedness in people within their differences to build relationships in the workplace built on collaboration and trust.

3. They don’t articulate their personal brand value proposition– how their differences are understood and what opportunity gaps their brands solve for to close them with greater speed and agility.

4. They fail to drive growth through the Cultural Demographic Shift™ and the distinct needs of diverse populations to influence growth strategies faster and more efficiently – for all

5. They are complacent and thus refuse to break down silos between departments, teams, and people to strengthen corporate culture and create competitive advantages and growth opportunities.

Leaders who understand this – and thus lead in the opposite way – have what I call the innovation mentality and will never let the marketplace and workplace pass then by. They know there may have been nothing wrong with what they did before to get where they are today – just that it did not necessarily prepare you for evolution to be relevant today and in the future. They know sowing is essential to success and they often must do what you are told to succeed and advance.

They also do not miss the opportunities to be significant and make their leadership sustainable in a fast-changing marketplace. They must have the circular vision to see that the way organizations and leaders operated a generation ago is not as relevant, timely, or influential today. They must always be ready to change the conversation and break free from the status quo. If that sounds like leadership cognitive dissonance to you then you do not have the innovation mentality required to lead today.

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 01:46:00 -0500 Glenn Llopis en text/html https://www.forbes.com/sites/glennllopis/2017/02/04/5-reasons-most-leaders-are-not-qualified-to-lead/
Killexams : The guardrails approach is a flexible retirement withdrawal strategy: Here's how it works

Many experts recommend that people withdraw 4% from their retirement portfolio each year in order to make their retirement savings last. This much touted advice, however, may not hold true for today's retirees. While personal finance experts have relied on the 4% rule for years, a exact Morningstar report predicted that future retirees might have a higher chance of making their retirement savings last if they use a lower withdrawal rate.

Financial planner William Bengen first developed the 4% rule in 1994 by using historical returns of the stock market and a 30-year retirement horizon. The 4% rule dictates that people should withdraw 4% of their retirement portfolios in the first year, only adjusting for inflation each subsequent year. By using a portfolio of 50% stocks and 50% bonds, Bengen found that people with a 4% withdrawal rate had a 90% chance of success (which meant not running out of money during retirement).

Yet today's retiree's are facing an entirely different financial market.

While current retirees have experienced higher than expected stock market and bond returns over the past 30 years, researchers at Morningstar predict that future retirees might find themselves facing lower returns on bonds and stocks after the market's exact stellar performance.

This could mean a future decline in the value of people's retirement portfolios. The report recommends that retirees consider a lower withdrawal rate of 3.3% to ensure they don't run out of money in retirement.

Though researchers suggest a lower withdrawal rate with adjustments for inflation, retirees might also consider trying a more dynamic withdrawal approach. The guardrail approach is one such method. Below, Select explains what the guardrails approach is and how it works.

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What is the guardrails approach to retirement?

The guardrails approach, which was developed by financial planner Jonathan Guyton and professor William Klinger, requires that retirees change their withdrawal rate based on the performance of the market. This approach is designed to account for changes in the value of your portfolio. Your withdrawal rate will fall when the market is doing poorly or increase when it is doing well.

With the guardrails approach, people set a high guardrail and a low guardrail based on their target withdrawal rate. Therefore, when your withdrawal rate is above or below guardrails, you reduce or increase your withdrawal amount so you end up within the target withdrawal range.

"And if you think about driving your car down a road, you hit a guardrail, it does two things. It puts a ding in your car, and it changes your momentum so that instead of the momentum pushing you toward the edge of the road, it now starts to shift you back toward the middle where it's safe," said Guyton in a Morningstar interview.

Your guardrails are set at 20% above and below your withdrawal rate. For a target withdrawal rate of 5%, the lower guardrail is 4% and the upper guardrail is 6%. The target withdrawal range would be between 4 and 6%.

If your withdrawal rate falls outside your guardrails (after adjusting for inflation) you would take a 10% increase or reduction in your withdrawal amount. After taking the 10% adjustment, your withdrawal rate should be between the upper and lower guardrails. For example, if your retirement withdrawal rate is above 6% next year, you take the inflation-adjusted withdrawal amount and reduce it by 10% so your withdrawal rate is below 6%. 

Consider what would happen in a market downturn:

  • Year 1: If your portfolio is worth $1 million and your withdrawal rate is 5%, you withdraw $50,000.
  • Year 2: The value of your portfolio decreases to $800,000 and your normal withdrawal of $50,000, with an adjustment for inflation, would be more than 6% of your portfolio. This means you've hit a guardrail. You would then take the inflation-adjusted withdrawal amount (assuming 4% inflation) of $52,000 and reduce it by 10% so you would withdraw $46,800 which would be less than 6% of your portfolio.

It's important to note that the guardrails approach does not require that retirees cut their spending by 10% in a market downturn. Retirees often have different sources of income, such as a 401(k) or a traditional IRA. With a pre-tax retirement account like a traditional IRA and a 401(k), you do not pay taxes on your upfront contributions, but you pay taxes on the money when you withdraw it in retirement.

If you had to decrease your withdrawal amount by 10%, part of that reduction could come from the reduced amount of income tax you owe on your retirement withdrawals. 

When coming up with your retirement strategy it could be prudent to consult a financial planner to help find the optimal withdrawal rate and come up with what your guardrails would be.

Saving for retirement

You'll need to start building a retirement nest egg when you're young in order to have savings to draw upon in retirement. First off, you should focus on maximizing your 401(k) match. Some employers offer employees matching 401(k) contributions, typically between 2 and 4% of each paycheck. Your 401(k) contributions are made pre-tax and are automatically deducted from your paycheck.

After you've earned your 401(k) match, you might also consider opening an individual retirement account (IRA). With an individual retirement account, you'll have more choice in how you invest your money. An individual retirement account will typically give you the option of investing in individual stocks, bonds, mutual funds and CDs. 

The two most popular retirement accounts are the Roth IRA and the traditional IRA. The major difference between a Roth IRA and a traditional IRA is how the accounts are taxed.

Contributions to a Roth IRA are taxed upfront, so the contributions can grow and be withdrawn tax-free. Contributions to a traditional IRA are not taxed until withdrawal. Roth IRAs have an income limit. In 2022 individuals making more than $144,000 and married couples filing jointly making more than $214,000 are not eligible to contribute to a Roth.

There are no income limits for traditional IRAs. Contributions to a traditional IRA are tax deductible (which means your contribution reduces your taxable income, and therefore the amount you owe in taxes) depending on your income and whether you have a retirement plan through work.

When Select analyzed over 20 different Roth IRA accounts, it found that Charles Schwab, Fidelity Investments, Ally Invest, Betterment and Wealthfront offered some of the best Roth IRAs. Select looked at which accounts had no (or a low) minimum deposit, commission-free trading of stocks and ETFs and the variety of investment options offered to find the best Roth IRAs.

Bottom line

Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.

Sun, 30 Jul 2023 06:34:00 -0500 en text/html https://www.cnbc.com/select/guardrails-approach-retirement-withdrawal-strategy-how-it-works/
Killexams : Our Academic Approach

Our small classes put students face-to-face with leading faculty, where they can ask questions, delve deep, iterate, postulate, and collaborate. Through intensive project-based learning and research, students gain hands-on experience that can be put to use as soon as they graduate. Our students don’t just explore challenging problems—they prototype innovative solutions. And through internship opportunities across New York City, they get real-world experience, as well as the chance to expand their professional networks.

The integrated curriculum that is a hallmark of our university means students can immerse themselves in multiple disciplines. This approach puts rigorous intellectual and creative exploration at our core, and allows students to develop tools to solve problems creatively in a changing and complex world. 

The courageous intellectual spirit of The New School’s founders remains present in the academic rigor, creative exploration, and multidimensional study that define our university. 

Sun, 29 Aug 2021 13:31:00 -0500 en text/html https://www.newschool.edu/academics/excellence-rigor/
Killexams : The brothers who qualified for the top of an international aircraft design competition No result found, try new keyword!The brothers who qualified for the top of an international aircraft design competition (credit: Courtesy) "The company announced the competition in October 2022," recalls Ben, "my brother Tom ... Tue, 04 Jul 2023 03:32:00 -0500 en-us text/html https://www.msn.com/ Killexams : What Is A Qualified Longevity Annuity Contract (QLAC)?

Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.

A qualified longevity annuity contract (QLAC) is a type of annuity contract specifically designed to keep you from outliving your retirement savings. As a deferred annuity, QLACs provide you with a guaranteed stream of income later in life. In addition, they can help you reduce the retirement account withdrawals mandated by Congress, helping to defer some income taxes.

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What Is a QLAC?

A QLAC is a deferred fixed annuity contract sold by insurance and financial services companies that you purchase with money from a retirement account, such as a 401(k) or an individual retirement account (IRA).

The qualified part of the name means the annuity has met the requirements set by the government for special treatment when purchased with retirement account funds. With 401(k)s and most IRAs, you also get preferential tax treatment—with an understanding that by age 72 to 75 depending on your birthday, you must begin withdrawing at least a minimum amount of money from the account every year and pay ordinary income tax on those withdrawals.

You can spend up to $200,000 of your retirement funds on a QLAC without it counting as a currently taxable withdrawal. You’ll only start paying taxes on that amount when your annuity payments begin.

Longevity alludes to the chief purpose of a QLAC: making sure you don’t outlive your money. You can buy the QLAC now and put off payments until as late as when you turn 85.

The annuity contract part of QLAC means you get a guaranteed stream of income. Your QLAC provider sends you regular income payments based on the amount you’ve deposited in the annuity, the percentage growth they certain and the date you want to start receiving payments. The longer you wait to start receiving income, the larger your payments will be.

One important caveat: You can’t purchase QLACs with the assets in a Roth IRA or an inherited IRA account. Since Roth IRAs don’t require you to start taking RMDs in the first place, there’s no advantage to buying a QLAC using money saved in a Roth IRA.

QLACs and Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs)

With traditional IRAs, and workplace retirement plans like 401(k)s and 403(b)s, RMDs are mandated starting at age of 73 as of this year. That rises to age 75 starting in 2033. They’re taxed at your marginal ordinary income tax rate, and the size of each year’s distribution is calculated by an IRS formula that factors in your account balance at the end of the previous year and your life expectancy.

One big selling point of a QLAC is that your contributions to the annuity reduce the balance in your retirement accounts used to calculate those RMDs.

Suppose you were born in June 1950. You’re 73 years old. Your traditional IRA balance was $400,000 at the end of 2022. Your RMD this year would be your account balance divided by 26.5 (this figure takes into account life expectancy and other factors), for a total distribution of $15,094, according to the IRS formula.

But let’s say you’ve taken $200,000 your IRA and invested it in a QLAC. You arrange to delay distributions until you turn 85. Your RMD this year would now be calculated based on a $200,000 balance, requiring you to withdraw just $7,547. That’s a difference of $7,547—and that means lower income taxes on your conventional RMD. The $200,000 you’ve spent on the QLAC won’t be taxed until you start receiving taxable annuity payments at a later date.

That’s not until 2035, based on your plan.

“One of the benefits of QLACs is that they help people who want to reduce their required minimum distributions and make their IRAs last longer,” says Stuart Ritter, a retirement planning expert for T. Rowe Price.

Steven Kaye, a financial planner in Warren, N. J., says, “People tend to spend their RMDs. So a QLAC forces people—in a good way—to leave more money in their IRAs.”

How to Evaluate A QLAC

To evaluate a QLAC, you must determine the company’s stability and then the specific product’s suitability for your needs.

You want an annuity that will provide stable income over your lifetime, so check the financial strength ratings of the annuity company through A.M. Best, S&P Global Financial Strength Ratings and the Comdex rating system. You can also review their reputation and customer satisfaction by looking at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) complaint score index.

Once you’ve determined a company is a good fit, review the following features to evaluate if a specific QLAC is right for you:

  1. Income start date
  2. Payout options
  3. Death benefits
  4. Fees
  5. Surrender penalties
  6. Inflation protection

Only you can know what features you are likely to want or need in the future, which allows you to customize your QLAC. Consider working with a financial advisor to narrow down your options and make sure you’re picking the right one.

QLAC Contribution Limits

At the end of last year, President Biden signed Secure Act 2.0. This major retirement reform simplified the rules governing how large of a QLAC you are allowed to buy.

Now, you are permitted to buy a QLAC for up to $200,000 from an eligible retirement plan. Previously, you were limited to the lesser of 25% of your account balance or $145,000.

The current $200,000 upper limit is a combined cap that applies to all of your eligible retirement accounts. If you have a traditional IRA as well as a 401(k) account, for instance, you cannot spend more than $200,000 overall, no matter how many accounts you take the money from and no matter how many QLACs you purchase.

Congress and the president did create one legal loophole.

“If you and a spouse both have your own eligible retirement accounts, you can each spend up to the $200,000 limit,” said Stan “The Annuity Man” Haithcock, whose nickname alludes to his field of expertise.

The $200,000 limit on QLAC premiums is a lifetime limit across all funding sources. Still, the law calls for adjustments based on inflation, and those can be yearly. Inflation must be high enough to warrant $10,000 cost-of-living adjustments, Ritter says.

When Should You Begin Collecting QLAC Income?

Choosing a start date for QLAC income payments depends on your current age, health and financial situation. The longer you defer the start date, the higher your payments will be.

To a certain extent, choosing an income start date depends on how many years you can live on the rest of your savings, and how long you think you’re going to live in general. If you’re 65 and in poor health, you probably don’t want to wait until age 85 to start receiving income payments—and you may not be a good candidate for this sort of annuity at all.

“If the probabilities are that you have a longer than average life expectancy, QLACs can be a windfall,” says Artie Green, a Los Altos, Calif.-based financial planner. “But if you have a shorter than expected longevity, of course, that works against you with any annuitization.”

“Another way to think about this is that a QLAC fills part of your income need when you’re older,” Ritter says. “It solves part of your financial jigsaw puzzle.”

Depending on your QLAC provider, you may be able to change the date your payments will start, but only before you’ve received any payments.

“Once you start annuitizing or receiving income, you can’t change [the date] with any one of the products that I know of,” Kaye says. Make sure you understand whether a date change is possible before you purchase a QLAC product.

How a QLAC Can Reduce Your Taxes

A QLAC reduces an investor’s tax burden by protecting a portion of retirement account money from RMD calculations, resulting in smaller required distributions and potentially lower income tax liabilities.

Since they are purchased with pre-tax retirement savings, once you receive income from a QLAC, the distributions are taxable at whatever your marginal ordinary income tax rate is at that time.

What Happens To A QLAC When You Die?

What happens to a QLAC when you die depends on the features of your specific QLAC. Some offer a survivor payout, also referred to as contingent annuity payments. These would continue your annuity payments to your designated beneficiary—usually a spouse—after your death.

Some annuities feature other death benefits that would return any unused premiums to your beneficiaries through a lump sum or series of payments.

If you have individuals who will depend on your annuity after your passing, you need to make sure any QLAC you choose has one of these features. Without these features in your annuity, your survivors would get nothing.

What Is a QLAC Cash Refund Death Benefit?

When purchasing a QLAC, you have the option of choosing a plan whose payments stop when you die, a plan whose payments stop when you and your spouse die (called a joint life QLAC), or a plan that will pay a refund upon your death. In that last case, if there’s any difference between the premium you paid for the plan and the sum of all payments made from the plan, it will be refunded to a named beneficiary.

“If that’s what you want, you should get what’s called a joint life with cash refund annuity,” says Haithcock. “That way, you and your spouse get income while at least one of you is alive. And 100% of your unused premium goes to your stated beneficiaries, not to the evil annuity company.”

Just remember that bells and whistle carry a price tag. Choosing a refund death benefit or joint life QLAC will lower the annual dollar value of QLAC payments you receive, or increase your policy’s upfront price..

Why Choose a QLAC?

A QLAC has several advantages for retirees:

  • Long-term income security. If you’re worried that your retirement savings might not last for the long haul, a QLAC can offer some peace of mind. QLACs provide guaranteed income later in retirement and can act as hedges against long-term care costs later in life.
  • RMD deferral. If you’re looking to minimize how much money you’re required to draw from your retirement accounts, a QLAC allows you to delay distributions on a portion of your savings up until you turn 85.
  • Principal protection. A QLAC locks in future payments, protecting your retirement money from market dips later in life. But unless you purchase an inflation rider, which will lower the initial amounts you receive from an annuity, your monthly payment may lose value over time.
  • Income for your spouse. If you set up a QLAC as a joint annuity, it will continue paying income as long as you or your spouse is still living. That said, joint annuities tend to offer lower payments due to this benefit.

Who Should Buy A QLAC?

Individuals who do not feel comfortable managing the risks of a stock portfolio in retirement but who want a steady guaranteed income should consider a QLAC. While proper management of an investment portfolio can be just as tax efficient as a QLAC, it is more complex and requires much more hands-on work. If you’d rather sit back and know that you’ll receive money every month when you need it, a QLAC is a good choice for you.

“People have to understand that a QLAC is not an investment,” Haithcock says. “It is a contract. You don’t buy it for market growth. You buy it so someone else, the insurer, takes on the risk that the market goes down. You still get your income.”

How to Manage QLAC Risks

QLACs aren’t free of downsides. Some retirement experts aren’t big fans of them. Consumers give up the chance of putting their money to work pursuing higher growth using other financial tools, such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds and ETFs.

And QLAC yields often come up short in any comparison to higher yielding securities.

“The future growth difference between money invested with a prudent investment mix and the fixed rate (offered by the annuity) can leave the QLAC investor with less money over the long run,” says Neal Nolan, a CFP in Asheville, NC.

But once you own a QLAC, the insurer is obligated to pay you the agreed upon income stream for as long as the contract calls for. “That safety is what you’re buying,” Haithcock says.

A QLAC Ladder

One way to manage this risk is to “ladder” QLACs by purchasing a series of smaller QLACs over several years, assuming rates might increase in the future.

“Laddering is also beneficial in that the older you are when you buy one, the bigger the payout,” Green says. “For example, buying a QLAC at age 65 to start paying at age 75 will have a smaller payout than buying one at age 66 to start at age 76, even if interest rates do not change over that time.”

As with any financial product that promises payouts far into the future, the financial strength of the issuing company is also a concern. Unlike banking products, annuities are not guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

While QLAC providers insure their products, it’s still possible for insurance to fall short. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to the financial ratings of the insurer you’re purchasing the QLAC from. You might also consider purchasing QLACs from more than one firm to spread out the risk.

“A third alternative is to buy only from a company that is a member of the National Organization of Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Associations (NOLHGA),” Green says. “It’s like insurance for insurers and will cover some amount of the annuity payout if your insurer goes bankrupt.”

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How Does A QLAC Differ From A Fixed Annuity

QLACS are typically started at a much older age than fixed annuities and offer less flexibility than fixed annuities. In general a fixed annuity will typically start providing payments shortly after a contract is purchased while a QLAC will typically start payments at a specific date in the future. QLACs also offer an RMD exclusion benefit that fixed annuities do not.

The Bottom Line on QLACs

QLACs can be a helpful addition to your retirement plan if you’re worried about outliving your nest egg and if you like the idea of counting on a guaranteed income stream later in life. But the product isn’t right for everyone. For more information on QLACs and whether they’re appropriate for your retirement plan, consult a financial advisor.

Fri, 08 Oct 2021 11:53:00 -0500 Kate Ashford en-US text/html https://www.forbes.com/advisor/retirement/qlac-qualified-longevity-annuity-contract/
Killexams : HDI Market 2023 Revenue, at CAGR of 2.21% % CAGR 114 Pages

CAGR and Revenue:The global HDI market size was valued at USD 10775.99 Million in 2022 and will reach USD 12287.52 Million in 2028, with a CAGR of 2.21percent during 2022-2028.

Years considered for this report: -

Historical Years: 2018-2021

Base Year: 2022

Estimated Year: 2023

Forecast Period: 2023-2030

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HDI Market Report Detail Scope and Segmentation

Report Coverage

Report Details

Top Companies Mentioned

Daeduck GDS, LG Innotek, ZDT, Meiko, Young Poong (KCC), SEMCO, ATandS, Unimicron, Tripod, Multek, Ibiden, Unitech, DAP, Compeq, TTM

By Applications Covered

Computer and Display, Telecommunications, Consumer Electronics, Automotive, Others

By Type Covered

ELIC (Every Layer Interconnection), HDI PCB (2+N+2), HDI PCB (1+N+1),

No. of Pages Covered

114

Forecast Period Covered

2023 to 2030

Growth Rate Covered

CAGR of 2.21percent percent during the forecast period

Value Projection Covered

USD 12287.52 million by 2030

Historical Data Available for

2017 to 2022

Region Covered

North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America,Middle East,Africa

Countries Covered

U.S. ,Canada, Germany,U.K.,France,Japan , China , India, GCC, South Africa , Brazil

Market Analysis

It assessesHDI market size, segmentation, competition, and growth opportunities. Through data collection and analysis, it provides valuable insights into customer preferences and demands, allowing businesses to make informed decisions.

Buyer Attention:

1. Does this report consider the impact of COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war on the HDI market?

Yes. As the COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war are profoundly affecting the global supply chain relationship and raw material price system, we have taken them into consideration throughout the research, and in Chapters, we elaborate at full length on the impact of the pandemic and the war on the HDI Industry

Final Report will add the analysis of the impact of Russia-Ukraine War and COVID-19 on this HDI Industry.

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#Which are the driving factors of the HDI market?

Growing demand for[Computer and Display, Telecommunications, Consumer Electronics, Automotive, Others]around the world has had a direct impact on the growth of the HDI

#The HDI segments and sub-section of the market are illuminated below:

Based on Product Types the Market is categorized into[ELIC (Every Layer Interconnection), HDI PCB (2+N+2), HDI PCB (1+N+1), ]that held the largest HDI market share In 2023.

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2.How do you determine the list of the key players included in the report?

Daeduck GDS
LG Innotek
ZDT
Meiko
Young Poong (KCC)
SEMCO
ATandS
Unimicron
Tripod
Multek
Ibiden
Unitech
DAP
Compeq
TTM

Short Description About HDI Market:

The global HDI market size was valued at USD 10775.99 Million in 2022 and will reach USD 12287.52 Million in 2028, with a CAGR of 2.21percent during 2022-2028.

The HDI market report covers sufficient and comprehensive data on market introduction, segmentations, status and trends, opportunities and challenges, industry chain, competitive analysis, company profiles, and trade statistics, etc. It provides in-depth and all-scale analysis of each segment of types, applications, players, 5 major regions and sub-division of major countries, and sometimes end user, channel, technology, as well as other information individually tailored before order confirmation.

Meticulous research and analysis were conducted during the preparation process of the report. The qualitative and quantitative data were gained and Tested through primary and secondary sources, which include but not limited to Magazines, Press Releases, Paid Databases, Maia Data Center, National Customs, Annual Reports, Public Databases, Expert interviews, etc. Besides, primary sources include extensive interviews of key opinion leaders and industry experts such as experienced front-line staff, directors, CEOs, and marketing executives, downstream distributors, as well as end-clients.

In this report, the historical period starts from 2018 to 2022, and the forecast period ranges from 2023 to 2028. The facts and data are demonstrated by tables, graphs, pie charts, and other pictorial representations, which enhances the effective visual representation and decision-making capabilities for business strategy.

(Ask for Sample)

This HDI Market Research/Analysis Report Contains Answers to your following Questions

What are the global trends in the HDI market? Would the market witness an increase or decline in the demand in the coming years?

How big is the opportunity for the HDI market? How will the increasing adoption of HDI for mining impact the growth rate of the overall market?

How much is the global HDI market worth? What was the value of the market In 2020?

Who are the major players operating in the HDI market? Which companies are the front runners?

Which are the exact industry trends that can be implemented to generate additional revenue streams?

What Should Be Entry Strategies, Countermeasures to Economic Impact, and Marketing Channels for HDI Industry?

Customization of the Report

Can I modify the scope of the report and customize it to suit my requirements?

Yes. Customized requirements of multi-dimensional, deep-level and high-quality can help our customers precisely grasp market opportunities, effortlessly confront market challenges, properly formulate market strategies and act promptly, thus to win them sufficient time and space for market competition.

Inquire more and share questions if any before the purchase on this report at:

Detailed TOC of Global HDI Market Insights and Forecast to 2030

1 Introduction

1.1 Objective of the Study

1.2 Definition of the Market

1.3 Market Scope

1.4 Years Considered for the Study (2015-2030)

1.5 Currency Considered (U.S. Dollar)

1.6 Stakeholders

2 Key Findings of the Study

3 Market Dynamics

3.1 Driving Factors for this Market

3.2 Factors Challenging the Market

3.3 Opportunities of the Global HDI Market

3.4 Technological and Market Developments in the HDI Market

3.5 Industry News by Region

3.6 Regulatory Scenario by Region/Country

3.7 Market Investment Scenario Strategic Recommendations Analysis

4 Value Chain of the HDI Market

4.1 Value Chain Status

4.2 Upstream Raw Material Analysis

4.3 Midstream Major Company Analysis (by Manufacturing Base, by Product Type)

4.4 Distributors/Traders

4.5 Downstream Major Customer Analysis (by Region)

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5 Global HDI Market-Segmentation by Type

6 Global HDI Market-Segmentation by Application

7 Global HDI Market-Segmentation by Marketing Channel

7.1 Traditional Marketing Channel (Offline)

7.2 Online Channel

8 Competitive Intelligence Company Profiles

9 Global HDI Market-Segmentation by Geography

9.1 North America

9.2 Europe

9.3 Asia-Pacific

9.4 Latin America

9.5 Middle East and Africa

10 Future Forecast of the Global HDI Market from 2023-2030

10.1 Future Forecast of the Global HDI Market from 2023-2030 Segment by Region

10.2 Global HDI Production and Growth Rate Forecast by Type (2023-2030)

10.3 Global HDI Consumption and Growth Rate Forecast by Application (2023-2030)

11 Appendix

11.1 Methodology

12.2 Research Data Source

Continued.

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Market Growth Reports is the credible source for gaining the market reports that will provide you with the lead your business needs. At Market Growth Reports, our objective is providing a platform for many top-notch market research firms worldwide to publish their research reports, as well as helping the decision makers in finding most suitable market research solutions under one roof. Our aim is to provide the best solution that matches the exact customer requirements. This drives us to provide you with custom or syndicated research reports.

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Press Release Distributed by The Express Wire

To view the original version on The Express Wire visit HDI Market 2023 Revenue, at CAGR of 2.21% % CAGR - 114 Pages

COMTEX_438179344/2598/2023-08-10T14:43:50

© 2023 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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Killexams : Who's in the first Republican primary debate? Trump, DeSantis, and other 2024 candidates have qualified

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Killexams : Taking a Holistic Approach to ESG Efforts

When it comes to moving the needle on ESG goals and outcomes, Cara Smyth thinks about chess.

The global senior managing director of ESG and responsible retail at Accenture, and fellow and founder of Fordham University’s Responsible Business Coalition said “everybody knows what the [ESG] goals are, where we are marching — but it’s still too difficult to march.”

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Why? Smyth said while the fashion apparel and retail industry has the best intentions at heart, too many companies are compartmentalized and don’t collaborate enough. She said there needs to be a more holistic and systems-thinking approach. Think of it as a chess board, Smyth said, with each piece having a definitive role in the quest of implementing effective ESG practices.

For its part, Accenture’s exact ESG report serves as a playbook for brands and retailers to be successful. It includes 12 interconnected systems and issues the industry is trying to solve, “which is just one big system in itself,” Smyth said, noting that each chess piece (IT, finance, marketing, warehouse management, HR, operations, etc.) must work together and with transparency while also collaborating with vendors.

“And there’s a change management part,” Smyth said. “This is where you have to ask, ‘How am I going to get the waste out? How am I going to think about dynamic planning? Am I going to offshore, nearshore, onshore or produce less?’”

“You have to look at the systems that are inside a company and look at companies and suppliers in each of the systems that are caught in the entire chain,” Smyth said. “I think a lot of what is so electrifying and exciting about sustainability now is everybody starting to see the connections — including ones between industries. Maybe someone is thinking of leather and somebody else is thinking of beef supply. Well, they should get together and talk. Or someone is making jewelry and someone else has recycled steel — then they should get together.”

But there’s another dimension to systems thinking: the individual.

Smyth said the individual mindset plays a key role across an entire organization. “Everybody should be invited to think differently,” she said. “And I think we’re being forced to do that anyway because of the stakeholder pressures. But the first critical step is in the operating model.”

When Smyth first started working in the sustainability space, everything was siloed. “They kept the sustainability team separate from the business,” she said, adding that now brands and retailers need to align everyone across the value chain while seeing their own part to play.

At this stage in the ESG journey, Smyth said retailers and brands need to unleash innovation and creativity — internally and externally with vendor partners. “You have to find ways to release a lot of trapped value in the chain,” she said. Again, it goes back to asking questions. With vendors, Smyth said to question them about their processes. “Ask them, ‘Why is it coming in on a hangar and in a poly bag?’” Smyth said. “If you are a brand and I’m a retailer, and we were the same company, how would we think differently? And because of the sustainability goals and science-based targets and regulations that are coming on stream, you can’t just talk about your goals. You now have to talk about your remediation plans.”

Smyth said once the switch is flipped with regulations and remediation plans, “now you’ve got to actually fix it. And that means you’re going to have to collaborate in a different way. So, this brand and supplier engagement strategy is fantastic. It’s the way of the future. It’s creating a new dialogue while moving the system in a different direction.”

ESG practices also need to be driven by purpose. “And pleasure,” Smyth said. “We need to bring sexy back to sustainability — a little bit — because it’s gotten a little heavy and difficult. But if you think like, ‘Wow, I can actually do this better and do it differently’ — honestly, it’s a thrill.

“We’re at a point where all of the pressures are coming together in the right way to move things in a new direction,” Smyth said. “So, I am super hopeful.”

Best of WWD

Click here to read the full article.

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 04:25:00 -0500 en-US text/html https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/taking-holistic-approach-esg-efforts-160108190.html
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