Slides from 12/6/16 Military Families Learning Network "2016 Personal Finance Year in Review" webinar: https://learn.extension.org/events/2815

1. 2016 Personal Finance
Year in Review
https://learn.extension.org/events/2815
This material is based upon work supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Office of Family
Readiness Policy, U.S. Department of Defense under Award Numbers 2010-48869-20685, 2012-48755-20306, and 2014-48770-22587.
Barbara O’Neill, Ph.D., CFP®, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
oneill@aesop.rutgers.edu

2. An Eclectic Collection of
Personal Finance Topics
This webinar may be the only in-depth annual
review conducted anywhere of personal
finance related research, events, trends,
legislation, and resources.

3. Webinar Objectives
Present a 2016 “Financial Year in Review”
• Key findings from 2016 personal finance research studies
• Key findings from 2016 government data
• Key 2016 financial events and trends and products
• Key government legislation/policies affecting personal finances
• New or revised financial education resources in 2016
• Preview of expected 2017 personal finance changes
• Key take-aways of 2016 events for financial practitioners

4. Q1: What Do You Think
Was the MOST
Significant Personal
Finance Event of 2016?

5. Key Findings From
2016 Personal
Finance Studies
(Academic)

6. Propensity to Plan: A Key to
Health and Wealth (3/16)
• Respondents reporting frequent planning behavior
had higher health behavior scores
• Respondents reporting frequent planning behavior
had higher financial behavior scores
• Respondents who had higher health behavior scores
had higher financial behavior scores
https://www.onefpa.org/journal/Pages/MAR16-
Propensity-to-Plan-A-Key-to-Health-and-Wealth.aspx

7. Retirement Age and
Life Expectancy
• Retiring after age 65 may help people live longer
• Risk of dying (any cause) was 11% lower for a one-
year delay from age 65 to 66
• Risk of dying fell further for people who retired
between age 66 and 72
• Even people who retired for health reasons had
lower risk of dying
• Postponing retirement may delay natural age-related
declines in functioning
http://jech.bmj.com/content/early/2016/03/21/jech-2015-
207097.short?g=w_jech_ahead_tab (Wu et al.)

8. Home Equity as a Retirement
Income Strategy
• Pfau (4/16) study of use of reverse mortgages to
supplement portfolio withdrawals
• Opening line of credit at start of retirement and then
delaying its use until the portfolio is depleted
creates the most downside protection
• Key take-aways:
– Open RM line of credit at earliest possible age and leave
it unused as long as possible
– Lenders or government could eliminate this strategy
– RMs are not just something to use as a last resort
https://www.onefpa.org/journal/Pages/APR16-Incorporating-Home-Equity-
into-a-Retirement-Income-Strategy.aspx

9. Retirement Portfolio Math
• Isrealsen (1/16): A portfolio of 65% stocks and 35%
bonds/cash has historically had a 98% chance of
lasting 35 years
– Assumes a 4% withdrawal rate and a 3% COLA increase
• Retirees with portfolio balances equal to 12 times
their final working year salary can replace 60% of
their wages with a 5% withdrawal rate
http://www.aaii.com/journal/article/the-mathematics-
of-retirement-portfolios

10. “Safe” Retirement Spending
• “Feel Free” Retirement Spending Strategy (4/16):
Spending level where you have little worry about
depleting savings
• Person’s age ÷ 20
• Age 60: 60 ÷20 = 3% of savings
• Age 70: 70 ÷ 20 = 3.5% of savings
• Age 80: 80 ÷ 20 = 4% of savings
http://www.investmentnews.com/article/20160622/FR
EE/160629965/this-simple-retirement-spending-
strategy-takes-on-the-4-rule

11. Retirement Spending
“Guardrails”
• Klinger (2016) studied retirement portfolio “failures”
(i.e., running out of money)
• Asset returns alone were not a good early warning
sign of failure
• Withdrawal rate ratio was a good indicator of future
portfolio failure
• Applying a guardrail to a retirement strategy could
help ensure a financially successful retirement
https://www.onefpa.org/journal/Pages/OCT16-Guardrails-to-
Prevent-Potential-Retirement-Portfolio-Failure.aspx

12. Personal Traits of Savers
• Age- Willingness to save decreases until age 60 and flattens
• Economic Hardship in Early Life- Increases savings
• Savings Behavior in Youth- Increases savings
• Interest in Financial News- Increases savings
• Household Administration- Running a “tight” household
• A Sense of Control- More willing to set aside money now for
future spending
• Optimism Regarding the Economy- More willing to
postpone current consumption
http://www.aaii.com/journal/article/what-personal-traits-do-
savers-share.mobile

13. Impulsiveness and Saving
• Research by Newcomb (7/16)
• When people focus on the future, they tend to be
less impulsive, regardless of their level of financial
literacy
• High levels of impulsiveness and materialism were
associated with poor financial decision-making
• The strongest predictor of good financial decisions
was not financial literacy but focus on the future
http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2016/08/save-money.aspx

14. Key Findings From
2016 Personal
Finance Studies
(Non-Academic)

15. “4% Rule” Withdrawal or
Annuities?
• TIAA Institute Study (5/16): compared systematic
withdrawals to annuitizing
• Conclusion: Do both!
– Put half of savings into variable annuity
– Get additional income from withdrawals from stock and
bond portfolio
• Combination approach provided the best mixture
of both income and ending wealth
https://www.tiaainstitute.org/public/institute/research/lifetime-
income/achieving-retirement-income-security

16. 2016 EBRI Retirement
Confidence Survey (RCS)
• 69% of workers (or their spouse) had saved for
retirement
• Considerable gap between workers’ expectations
and retirees’ experience about leaving workforce
• 48% of workers (or spouse) had calculated
retirement savings need
• 54% of workers had < $25,000 saved (excluding
value of home and DB pension)
– Includes 26% who have < $1,000
https://www.ebri.org/pdf/surveys/rcs/2016/EBRI_IB_422.Mar16.RCS.pdf

17. Millennial Retirement Planning
• AICPA Study (3/16): Millennials have 2 major
obstacles to saving for retirement
– Student loan debt
– Pessimism and scars from the 2008 financial crisis
• Only half had started to save for retirement
• Half fear losing their savings in retirement
• Reassure millennials that time is on their side
– Time to invest
– Time diversification
https://www.aicpa.org/press/pressreleases/2016/pages/saving-
is-a-top-priority-for-millennials.aspx
Journal of Financial Planning, September 2016, p. 14.

18. America Saves Week Survey
• 2016 survey: 49% of 1,004 respondents save at
least 5% of income
• 43% save automatically outside of work
• 40% report good or excellent progress in “meeting
their savings needs”
• Those with “a savings plan with specific goals” save
more successfully than those without a plan
http://www.americasavesweek.org/less-than-half-of-u-
s-households-report-good-savings-progress-
according-to-9th-annual-america-saves-week-survey/

19. Financial Fragility
Associated Press poll (5/16)
• 75% of people in households making <$50,000/year
would have difficulty coming up with $1,000 to cover
an unexpected bill
• 67% of people in households making $50,000 to
$100,000/year would have difficulty
• 38% of people in households making >$100,000/year
would have difficulty
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/965e48ed609245539ed315
f83e01b6a2

20. Cost of Child Care
New America study (9/16)
• Full-time care in a center for a child age 4 or under
costs > average in-state college tuition
– Child care center: $9,589
– Average college tuition: $9,410
• One-fifth of families use a “patchwork” approach
http://www.fa-mag.com/news/finding-good--affordable-
childcare-tough-in-any-u-s--state-29212.html
http://www.wsj.com/articles/soaring-child-care-costs-
squeeze-families-1467415411

21. FINRAIEF National Financial
Capability Study (NFCS)
• 2015 findings released in Summer 2016
• Continuation of some positive trends in 2015 from
2012 study (e.g., less difficulty paying bills)
• Percentage of Americans with health insurance
increased from 78% in 2012 to 87% in 2015
• 34% of 27,564 respondents probably or certainly
could not come up with $2,000 for unexpected needs
• Half of respondents do not have an emergency fund
of three months expenses
http://www.usfinancialcapability.org/downloads/NFCS_2015_Report_Natl_Findings.pdf

22. Identity Theft Aftermath
• Identity Theft Resource Center report: Identity Theft”
The Aftermath 2016
• 150 million Social Security numbers exposed in
breaches in 2015
• Takeovers of credit cards down (due to chips?) but
new account fraud and unauthorized use of debit
cards, bank accounts, and PayPal increased
• Nearly half of tax fraud victims were forced to borrow
money or apply for government assistance when
they did not receive refunds
http://www.idtheftcenter.org/images/page-docs/AftermathFinal_2016.pdf

23. Key Findings From
2015 Government
Data

24. Spending Patterns of
Older Adults
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Study (3/16):
Spending patterns do not change significantly in
many categories until a person reaches age 75
• Spending drops significantly after age 75
• Clothing, transportation, entertainment decline
• Health expenditures increased beyond age 64
– $4,958 in age 55-64 group
– $5,956 in age 65-74 group
– $5,708 in age 75+ group
http://www.bls.gov/opub/btn/volume-5/spending-patterns-of-
older-americans.htm

25. Credit Card Debt
May 2016 Credit Card Debt Statistics:
• Average American household debt: $5,700
– Households with and without revolving balances
• Average for balance-carrying households: $16,048
– Remember, many households are carrying much more
• 38.1% of all households carry some sort of credit
card debt (Census and Federal Reserve data)
https://www.valuepenguin.com/average-credit-card-debt

26. Baby Boomer Debt
2/16 Federal Reserve Bank of NY data
• Unprecedented debt loads for older Americans
• Average 65-year old borrower has 47% more
mortgage debt and 29% more auto debt than 65-
year olds in 2003
• Student loan debt among 65-year olds is a growing
category
http://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-fed-finds-large-increase-
in-debts-held-by-those-over-age-50-1455289257

27. Median Income Increase
9/16 Census Bureau report
• First gain in household income since 2007
• Largest annual gain since Census Bureau began
releasing data in 1967
• Median household income in 2015 was $56,516, up
5.2% ($2,798) from a year earlier after inflation
• 2015 official poverty rate: 13.5% vs. 14.8% in 2014
http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-household-incomes-
surged-5-2-in-2015-ending-slide-1473776295

28. Household Net Worth Increase
• Collective record of $89.1 trillion for all U.S.
households (Federal Reserve data)
• Generally driven by strong stock market and rising
home values and increased bank deposits
• More than 3 million households remain underwater
on mortgages
http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-household-wealth-rises-to-
record-1474042043

29. “A Tale of Two Americas”
• National averages indicate recovery from the Great
Recession
• National statistics do not reflect the experience of
many people
• Income and assets of upper 10% of households are
skewing data used to measure economic health
• “Hollowing out” of mid-level positions in workforce
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/6594cedbfa2140f3a766862ae7ef13c0/memphis
-and-around-us-economic-averages-miss-big-picture

30. Financial Fragility
May 2016 Federal Reserve Board study:
• 46% of adults said they either could not cover an
emergency expense costing $400 or would cover it
by selling something or borrowing something
• 31% of non-retired respondents had no retirement
savings or pension
http://www.federalreserve.gov/2015-report-economic-
well-being-us-households-201605.pdf

31. Upper Middle Class Makes Gains
• Upper middle class is larger and richer than it has
ever been
– 29.4% of population in 2014
– 12.9% of population in 1979
• Study definition: household earnings of $100k to
$350k for family of three
http://www.wsj.com/articles/upper-middle-class-sees-
big-gains-research-finds-1466554177

32. Q2: Any Other
Interesting 2016
Financial Surveys That
You Remember?

33. Key 2016 Financial
Events and Trends
and Products

34. High-Deductible Health
Insurance Plans
• In 2016, FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, more
than half of workers- 51%- have a deductible
of more than $1,000 for a plan covering a
single person (vs. 46% in 2015)
• In 2017, 84% of large employers will offer
high-deductible plans
– 35% of large employers will offer ONLY high-
deductible plans (Kaiser/HRET survey)
http://www.wsj.com/articles/employers-shift-higher-
health-care-costs-to-workers-1476194147

35. Pullback on Employer
Workplace Wellness Benefits
• Decline in workplace wellness benefits designed to
cut employee health costs
• Examples include
– Onsite flu shots
– 24-hour nurse hotlines
– Health coaching
– Insurance premium discounts
• Measuring ROI for wellness programs is difficult
http://www.wsj.com/articles/employers-cut-down-on-
wellness-benefits-1466395262

36. Percentage of Uninsured
Americans at Historic Low
• 2016 Survey: 8.8% of respondents lack health
insurance (versus 16% in 2010)
• Translates to 27.3 million people
• 15.9% of 25 to 34 year olds were uninsured
• 8.1% of 45 to 64 year olds were uninsured
• Around 40% of those under 65 were in a high-
deductible plan (versus 25.3% in 2010)
http://www.wsj.com/articles/percentage-of-uninsured-historically-
low-1473220802

37. ACA Targeting Young Adults
• Big push to sign up uninsured young adults < age 35
• Using Twitter and Twitch (video game platform)
• Young adults help offset costs of older, sicker people
• Open enrollment: 11/1/16-1/31/17
• < 30% of those with coverage were age 18-34 (2016)
• Concern: Enrollment stagnation could lead more
insurers to drop out
http://www.wsj.com/articles/obama-administration-to-appeal-to-
young-adults-to-sign-up-for-health-insurance-1474984080

38. ACA Health Plan Choices Shrink
• Kaiser Foundation estimate: There could be just one
option for coverage in 31% of counties in 2017 (vs.
7% of counties in 2016)
• Many insurers are losing money on ACA health
plans
• Humana and Aetna have withdrawn from market
• Remaining insurers seeing sharp premium increases
http://www.wsj.com/articles/health-insurers-pullback-
threatens-to-create-monopolies-1472408338

39. ACA Tax Penalties
• Called a “shared responsibility payment” by the IRS
– In effect, an extra tax
– Substantially higher than 2014 amount
• Taxpayers owe the GREATER OF a flat assessment or a
percentage of income
• 2016 flat assessment penalty is $695 per adult ($347.50
per child) with a maximum of $2,085 per household
• 2016 percentage of income penalty is 2.5% of household
income, up to national average cost of a Bronze plan
https://www.healthcare.gov/fees/fee-for-not-being-covered/

40. Decline in Long Term Care
(LTC) Insurance Purchases
• Americans bought 105,000 LTC policies in 2015 (vs.
750,000 in 2000); 3.2 million boomers turned 65
• 70% of people turning 65 in 2016 will need some
type of LTC at some point in their lives
• 8 hours of daily care costs about $44,000
• A year of nursing home care costs $91,000
http://www.fa-mag.com/news/americans-need-long-
term-health-planning---will-they-get-it-29081.html

41. Older Working Women
• Since 12/07, the share older working women (age
65+) has grown while the percentage of every other
category of U.S. worker- by age and gender has
declined or is flat
• 1 in 7 women work past 65 vs. 1 in 12 in 1992
• Projected to be 1 in 5 women by 2024
• Find job rewarding and/or financial need
http://www.wsj.com/articles/older-women-reshape-u-s-
job-market-1456192536

42. Oldest Baby Boomers Turned 70
• 2.5 million living baby boomers (of 3.4 million born in
1946) hit the “Big 70” milestone in 2016
• Can expect about 15 more years of life
• Increase in age 70+ people working; will be ¼ of
people age 70 to 74 by 2024
• Beginning of required minimum distributions: first
RMD in 2016 or 2017
• Never before have so many 70-year olds owed
money on their house
http://www.aarp.org/politics-society/history/info-2016/baby-
boomers-turning-70.html

43. Bank Overdraft Fees
• 1/16 Article:
http://money.cnn.com/2016/01/14/investing/atm-
overdraft-fees/
• Typical overdraft fee is $34
• CFPB Study: majority of overdrafts are made on
transactions of $24 or less
• CFPB Study: If someone borrowed $24 for three
days and paid an overdraft fee of $34, the APR
would be 17,000%

44. Wells Fargo Scandal
• Wells Fargo fined $185 million for creating fake bank
and credit card accounts.
• Culture of unrealistically high sales targets
• >5,000 employees let go; CEO Stumpf stepped down
• Unwanted credit cards, fake PIN numbers, etc.
• Transfers to fake accounts often triggered overdraft
fees when original account balance ran low
• Take-Away: Check your credit report!
http://money.cnn.com/2016/09/30/pf/fake-bank-
accounts/

45. ACH Upgrades
• Automated Clearinghouse Network (ACH) for
electronic fund transfers ($42 trillion annually)
• 9/16: Big step toward real-time money movements
• Businesses can hold onto cash until day that
workers get paid instead of a few days later
http://www.wsj.com/articles/same-day-paycheck-
deposits-finally-arrive40-years-later-1474668954

46. “Quiet Catastrophe” Report
• Smaller % of men age 25-54 are working today than near the
end of the great depression!
• If labor force participation was as high today as 2000, 10
million more Americans would have jobs
• Get by on government benefits and support by others
• Spend 5.5 hours a day watching TV and movies
• Nicholas Eberstadt monograph: Men Without Work: America’s
Invisible Crisis:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/americas-quiet-
catastrophe-millions-of-idle-men/2016/10/05/cd01b750-8a57-
11e6-bff0-d53f592f176e_story.html?utm_term=.ca77bf920858

47. Millennials Living at Home
• For first time in modern era, living with parents edges
out all other living arrangements for 18- to 34-year-
olds (5/16 Pew Research Center Report)
• Just under a third (32.1%) of millennials live at home
(almost half in NJ)
• Impact on parents’ retirement savings, home
downsizing plans, etc.
http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2016/05/24/for-first-
time-in-modern-era-living-with-parents-edges-out-
other-living-arrangements-for-18-to-34-year-olds/

48. Student Loan Debt
• Share of borrowers defaulting on student loans has
fallen modestly but remains high
• Just over 11% of 5.2 million students who left school in
FY 2013 have defaulted
– Default = go > 360 days without making a payment after
leaving school
• More students are finding jobs and increased use of
income-driven repayment plans that reduce payments
http://www.wsj.com/articles/fewer-students-are-defaulting-on-
loans-after-leaving-college-1475083308

49. Free FICO Credit Scores
• 2013- Discover was first major card issuer to give
customers free access to FICO scores
• 2016- Most big banks now provide credit score
access to customers.
• An estimated 100 million Americans now have
access to their credit score
– Through their credit card or bank
• Does not impact credit score because people are
not actively applying for new credit
http://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2016-03-09/banks-now-
giving-customers-access-to-credit-scores-for-free

50. Tax Fraud Scams
• Explosion of fake e-mails and calls purporting to
come from IRS
• Some ask victims to pay a balance tied to the
Affordable Care Act (ACA)
• Some ask for payment with a prepaid debit card
• The IRS never initiates contact by e-mail or phone
http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-new-irs-email-scam-
coming-to-your-inbox-1475143202

51. Tax ID Theft Cut in Half
• Unprecedented public-private crackdown
• Tax preparation firms and IRS shared information
• Prevented millions of dollars in fraudulent refunds
• Tax identity theft dropped 50% during first nine
months of the year
• More new safeguards planned for 2017
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2016/11/03/irs-says-
2016-crackdown-helped-slow-identity-theft-tax-refund-
fraud/93234624/

52. Predatory Installment Loans
• CFPB crackdown on payday loans has led to
increase in predatory installment loans (“filling a void”)
• Installment loans are not in CFPB payday loan
proposals
• Often carry triple digit APRs, but have longer
repayment periods, e.g., 6-12 months
• May be for a few thousand dollars, paid in a series of
installments vs. in a lump sum
• Customers still struggle to repay debt (balance
declines very slowly)
http://www.wsj.com/articles/a-payday-loan-alternative-gains-
ground-1470603307

53. 40th Birthday of First Index Fund
• 9/76- Vanguard 500 Index Fund opened (Jack Bogle)
with $11.3 million on assets
• Today: 20 million investor clients, including many
“Bogleheads”: https://www.bogleheads.org/
• > $3 trillion in passively managed assets
http://www.wsj.com/articles/jack-bogle-the-undisputed-
champion-of-the-long-run-1472855372
https://gcalhoun.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/16-09-01-
wsj-happy-birthday-to-the-index-fund.pdf

54. U.S. Homeownership Rate
• 7/16 Census Bureau Report- % of U.S. households
that own homes matched lowest level in 51 years
(1965, when the U.S. Census began tracking)
• Just 62.9% of households owned a home
• Peak of 69.2% in 2004
• Reasons include: rising property prices, high rents,
stagnant pay, student loan debt
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/7874336198a5405f8bfaa2673a56d
ffe/us-homeownership-rate-629-percent-matches-51-year-low

55. New Respectability for
Reverse Mortgages
• Repackaged with 2013 consumer protections
– Homeowners can’t take all of their equity at once
– Protections for non-borrowing spouse (can remain in
home if certain conditions are met)
• Empirical research: No longer just a “last resort”
– Can extend life of savings; line of credit can help portfolio
recover after market downturns
– Can delay taking Social Security benefits until age 70
http://www.wsj.com/articles/new-math-on-reverse-
mortgages-1458525888

56. Q3: Any Other
Interesting 2016
Financial Events,
Trends, or Products?

57. Key Government
Legislation and
Policies Affecting
Personal Finances

58. IRS Waivers on 60-Day Rollover
Deadline for Retirement Plans
• 2016 IRS clarification of acceptable reasons for
waivers of 10% penalty and ordinary income tax
• Reasons include
– Financial institution and postal errors
– Misplaced distribution checks never received
– Severe damage to principal residence
– Death or serious illness in family
– Incarceration of taxpayer
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rp-16-47.pdf

59. DoL Final Fiduciary Rule
“Covered investment advice is defined as a
recommendation to a plan, plan fiduciary, plan
participant and beneficiary or IRA owner for a fee or
other compensation, direct or indirect, as to the
advisability of buying, holding, selling or exchanging
securities or other investment property, including
recommendations as to the investment of securities
or other property after the securities or other
property are rolled over, transferred or distributed
from a plan or IRA”
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa/about-ebsa/our-activities/resource-
center/fact-sheets/dol-final-rule-to-address-conflicts-of-interest

60. DoL Fiduciary Rule Implications
• Aimed at eliminating exorbitant fees and commissions
• Financial advisors who provide guidance on
retirement plan assets are required to recommend
what is in the best interests of their client
• Compensation paid to advisors must be “reasonable”
• Expect adjustments in retirement services market
procedures (takes effect in April 2017)
http://www.investmentnews.com/article/20160509/FEATURE/160509939/the-
dol-fiduciary-rule-will-forever-change-financial-advice-and-the

61. Changes to Social Security
Claiming Strategies
• Beginning May 2016, married couples are no longer
able to file for- and then suspend- receiving benefits
for the purpose of making their spouse eligible to
take spousal benefits
• Age 62 by 12/31/15 (born 1953 or earlier)- restricted
application for spousal benefits only still allowed at
full retirement age (FRA)
• Still have one-time right to withdraw application for
benefits within 12 months after benefits begin
https://www.onefpa.org/journal/Pages/JUN16-Redo-Strategies-When-Can-
You-Redo-a-Prior-Social-Security-Claiming-Decision.aspx

62. New FAFSA Timeline
• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• Can file as early as October 1 instead of next year
• Can use actual income tax data instead of estimated
data from returns not yet filed
• May get earlier financial aid offers from colleges
• Take-aways:
– Submit FAFSA as early as possible
– Realize capital gains on assets before January 1 of
student’s sophomore year of HS to avoid having money
count as income
• http://www.kiplinger.com/article/college/T042-C000-S002-new-strategies-to-
get-more-financial-aid.html

63. 2016 Military Topic: Military
Lending Act (MLA)
• Military Lending Act (MLA) Final Rule changes in effect 10/3/16
• Extends MLA protections, including 36% Military Annual Percentage Rate
(MAPR) cap, to a wider range of credit products, including credit cards.
• Modifies MAPR to include fees for credit-related ancillary products sold in
connection with the credit transaction, finance charges associated with
consumer credit, and certain application and participation fees.
• Provides a safe harbor for creditors ascertaining whether a consumer is
covered by the final rule's protections.
• Modifies existing prohibition on rolling over, renewing or refinancing
consumer credit.
• Subjects creditors to civil liability and administrative enforcement for MLA
violations.
https://www.fdic.gov/news/news/financial/2015/fil15037.html

64. 2016 Military Topic: Blended
Retirement System (BRS)
• Authorized by the National
Defense Authorization Act (2016).
• Three Pillars:
1. Retirement pay or pension
2. Automatic contributions, plus
matching contributions, to TSP
3. Continuation pay at mid-career
point

65. Breaking the BRS Down
• 1% automatic DoD contribution to TSP after 60 days of service regardless
of SM’s contribution; 2 YOS vesting
• Up to 5% base pay match for TSP deposits through 26 YOS
• Serve 20 years, get 40% of highest 36 months of average base pay
• One-time continuation bonus paid out at 12 years to SMs who serve 4
more years: 2.5x monthly base pay (military has discretion to increase
amount for skills, retention)
• Anyone with < 12 years of service as of 12/31/17 is eligible to sign up for
the BRS
• Opt-in period is calendar year 2018
• SMs who joined before 1/1/06 will be grandfathered in current system
http://www.defense.gov/News/Article/Article/655705/dod-plans-benefit-
revision-with-blended-retirement

66. 2016 Military Topic: Military
Family Lifestyle Survey
(Blue Star Families)
• Third annual survey in 2016
• Increases understanding of unique needs and
challenges of military families
• Almost 7,000 respondents in 2015
• 2016 findings released in December 2016
https://bluestarfam.org/2016/04/blue-star-families-launches-
2016-annual-military-family-lifestyle-survey/

67. DMDC Surveys
• DoD Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC)
• Methodology vs. Blue Star Families studies:
http://download.militaryonesource.mil/12038/MOS/Su
rveys/ADSS_MFLS_Comparison_9_7_2016.pdf
• 2016 Active Duty Spouse Survey Results (7/16):
http://www.militaryonesource.mil/footer?content_id=2
93017

68. Q4: Any Other
Interesting 2016
Financial Legislation or
Policies?

69. New or Revised
Financial Education
Resources in 2016

70. Annual Limits Relating
to Financial Planning
http://www.cffpinfo.
com/annual-limits/

71. Next Gen Personal Finance
• Significant changes to several units
– Created new Types of Credit unit
– Revamp of Managing Credit unit revamp
• New Products:
– Question of the Day
– Data Crunches
– Interactive Library
– Forms and Statements (Coming Soon!)
• New Lessons: Entrepreneurship, Identity Theft and Philanthropy
• Expanded NGPF Assessment Bank with Pre and Post-Tests and 10
Questions Per Lesson
• Launched Professional Development opportunities
– NGPF Summer Institute
– Professional Learning Community
– Q&A Forum
• Had 52 guests on the NGPF Podcast, including Barbara O'Neill!

72. NEFE
SAM (Smart About Money): http://www.smartaboutmoney.org/
• Three courses (Emergency Fund, Transportation, Housing) were added
• Five Money Basics courses were added on basic concepts such as:
credit/debt, employment, insurance, investing, and spending/saving.
• Comprehensive worksheets have been added.
• Typical questions (and answers) were added to a section called Common
Money Questions.
• The site is now mobile responsive and can be viewed on smartphones
and tablets.

73. NEFE
Evaluation Toolkit: http://toolkit.nefe.org/
The Evaluation Toolkit Manual was revised by the Claremont Evaluation
Center. The Financial Education Evaluation Manual helps financial
educators understand the purpose and goals of evaluation and provides
a basic overview of the evaluation process.
CashCourse: https://www.cashcourse.org/
New CashCourse content for 2016:
• 5 CashCourse coursework modules translated to Spanish
• New Budget Wizard student budgeting tool
• 7 new articles on insurance, contributed by the NAIC

74. NEFE White Paper on Financial
Education Evaluation
Perspectives on Evaluation in Financial
Education: Landscape, Issues, and Studies
10 sections about different audiences and topics
for financial education
http://toolkit.nefe.org/Portals/0/NEFE%20Evaluation%20White%2
0Paper%20October%202016.pdf?ver=2016-10-31-154554-707

75. CFPB
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/adult-financial-education/

76. Jump$tart Coalition
Making the Case for Financial Literacy 2016:
http://jumpstart.org/assets/files/Making_the_Case_2016_UpdateMay2016.pdf

77. eXtension Student Loan
Fact Sheet Series
• College Savings Options
• Paying for Education and Training Beyond High School
• Types of Student Loans
• Student Loans: Responsible Borrowing
• Determining Your Student Loan Servicer and Loan Balance
• Choosing a Federal Student Loan Repayment Plan
• Federal Student Loan Consolidation and Forgiveness
• Recovering from Student Loan Default
• Student Loans: Later Life Impacts
• Student Loan Legislation: Changes You Need to Know
http://articles.extension.org/pages/72895/student-loans

78. Rutgers Cooperative Extension
High School Lesson Plans
• Risks and Benefits of Entrepreneurship (85k PDF)
• Compound Interest: Your Best Friend or Worst Enemy (106k PDF)
• Know the Score: Credit Score Modeling and Impacts (360k PDF)
• The Impact of Inflation (128k PDF)
• Monetary Transaction Tools (572k PDF)
• Civic Financial Responsibility (511k PDF)
• Insuring and Protecting Property Insurance (112k PDF)
• Comparing Insurance How Health Insurance Works (973k PDF)
• Values, Goals, and Financial Decisions (252k PDF)
• Spending Plan/Budget: Your Financial Road Map (112k PDF)
• Interest: The Cost of Borrowing Money (126k PDF)
http://njaes.rutgers.edu/money/

79. Road to Financial Wellness
Pit Stop Video (Phroogal)
• https://njaes.rutgers.edu/money/road-to-financial-wellness.asp

80. Q5: Any Other New
Financial Education
Resources Developed in
2016?

81. Preview of Expected
2017 Personal
Finance Changes

82. Social Security
Social Security Feature 2017 2016
Maximum Taxable Earnings $127,200 $118,500
Quarter of Coverage $1,300 $1,260
Earnings Limit (for benefits < FRA) $16,920 $15,720
Maximum Social Security Benefit $2,687 $2,639
0.3% COLA for Social Security beneficiaries in 2017
https://www.ssa.gov/news/press/factsheets/colafacts2017.pdf

83. Health Savings Accounts
HSA Feature 2017 2016
Contribution Limit Self-Only: $3,400 (+ $50)
Family: $6,750
Self-only: $3,350
Family: SAME
Catch-Up Contribution $1,000 SAME
High Deductible Health
Plan (HDHP) Minimum
Deductibles
Self-Only: $1,300
Family: $2,600
Self-Only: SAME
Family: SAME

84. 2017 Retirement Savings Plan
Contribution Limits
• Increases in income phase-outs for IRA savers
• Increases in AGI limits for the saver’s credit
• Increase in overall defined contribution plan limit: up
to $54,000 (from $53,000 in 2016)
• SAME 401(k)/403(b)/TSP maximum contribution
limit of $18,000 for 2017
• Same $6,000 maximum catch-up limit
http://www.forbes.com/sites/ashleaebeling/2016/10/27/irs-announces-2017-
retirement-plans-contributions-limits-for-401ks-and-more/#6d21270556e2

85. Inflation-Adjusted Limits to
Take Effect in 2017
• Standard deduction for singles up $50 to $6,350
• Standard deduction for couples up $100 to $12,700
• Standard deduction for heads of household up $50
to $9,350
• Maximum EITC of $6,318 (3+ qualifying children)
• Estate tax exclusion amount will rise to $5,490,000
from $5,450,000 in 2016
https://www.irs.gov/uac/newsroom/in-2017-some-tax-benefits-increase-
slightly-due-to-inflation-adjustments-others-are-unchanged

86. Key Take-Aways
• Researchers continue to tweak “safe” withdrawal rates
• Personal traits are related to financial behaviors
• Many Americans are unprepared financially for retirement
• Many American households are “financially fragile”
• High deductible insurance policies are now the norm
• Fewer men age 25-54 and more older women are working
• The Military Lending Act (MLA) and Blended Retirement
System (BRS) are key 2016 military personal finance events

87. Comments? Questions?
oneill@aesop.rutgers.edu
@moneytalk1 on Twitter
Have a wonderful holiday season and a great new year!