Everplans - An ECEPC Member Benefit

A former investment advisor representative at MetLife Securities, Lucas "Luke" Noble has owned the North Andover, Massachusetts-based Noble Financial Group, LLC, since 2010. Providing comprehensive fee-based financial and estate planning services for individuals and businesses, he manages in excess of $300 million in assets. Lucas Noble holds membership with several professional organizations, including the Essex County Estate Planning Council (ECEPC).

A regional affiliate of the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (NAEPC), the ECEPC is comprised of more than 100 estate planning and wealth management professionals. In addition to networking opportunities and educational resources, members are granted access to a wide range of benefits, many of which can help them improve their practice. One of these benefits is Everplans.

Available at a special rate for all NAEPC members, Everplans allows estate planning professionals to gather and store all relevant client documents and information on one central platform. These documents can include wills, healthcare directives, letters to family and friends, and life insurance policies.

Moreover, the life and legacy platform has secure cloud storage capability and sharing technology that allows clients to choose which documents they share with family members, friends, and others in their lives. Users also have access to thousands of educational articles and other resources.

 

MDRT Productivity Action Plan Helps Financial Professionals Succeed

Lucas Noble, a resident of North Andover, Massachusetts, has been working in the financial services industry for more than 10 years. Formerly an investment adviser representative for MetLife Securities, he provides comprehensive financial and estate planning services to businesses and individuals through Noble Financial Group, LLC, his North Andover-based company. As a testament to his success in the field, Lucas “Luke” Noble is a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), a global association of leading life insurance and financial services professionals.

In response to the global pandemic and economic crisis, MDRT implemented its Productivity Action Plan in October 2020. The plan, acknowledging that financial professionals have faced challenging business conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, waives 2021 production requirements for 2020 and 2019 members. MDRT also stated that it will not raise membership dues in 2021 and will adjust the 2021 production requirement for first-time applicants or prior-to-2019 members.

Through the Productivity Action Plan, MDRT hopes to help financial professionals qualify for membership in 2021, despite the challenges that they faced during the prior year. As part of this, the organization also developed the Focus on Resources hub, a site with top-tier content from industry professionals that is available to both members and non-members. This content is meant to help financial professionals navigate the challenges they face so they can continue thriving in their careers in the upcoming years.

The Difference between Liquid and Illiquid Assets

A Certified Financial Planner and Chartered Financial Consultant, Lucas “Luke” Noble of North Andover, Massachusetts, holds a bachelor of science in finance from Salem State University. Through his North Andover-based firm Noble Financial Group, LLC, Lucas Noble provides clients with unique and personalized financial advice spanning a wide range of topics, including asset allocation between liquid and illiquid investments, which is key to investment success.

When it comes to investments, liquidity refers to how quickly an asset can be sold without it negatively affecting the price. Assets that are capable of being sold almost instantly without giving up meaningful value are regarded as liquid. Liquid investments, including large-cap stocks, treasuries, and cash, are quickly converted into cash at fair market prices and are capable of being bought and sold within a small amount of time, from a few seconds to a day. Investors value liquid assets and often pay more to include them in their portfolio.

Meanwhile, illiquid assets cannot be easily sold without sacrificing the meaningful value of the asset. Long-term bonds, for instance, are seen as illiquid, as are private equity investments and real estate investment trusts (REITs). While illiquid assets still have a place in investment portfolios, they do expose investors to more volatility since they hold the investor’s money for a longer amount of time, thus leaving it open to market fluctuations. 

Tax-Loss Harvesting - A Tax Planning Strategy

Possessing more than a decade of experience in the financial services sector, North Andover, Massachusetts, resident Lucas “Luke” Noble leads Noble Financial Group as the owner and chief executive officer. With a dedication to helping people and businesses with financial matters, Lucas Noble of North Andover is knowledgeable about tax planning. An essential part of financial growth, tax planning involves logically analyzing your financial situation to decrease your tax liability. When investments are a factor, tax-loss harvesting is one form of tax management or planning.

Tax-loss harvesting (TLH), also known as tax-loss selling, is a tax-savings strategy typically implemented toward a calendar year’s end, although it may occur at any time. With this approach, an investment is sold prior to the close of the tax year for a loss. Doing so reduces a person’s tax liability because it offsets capital gains resulting from a fruitful investment of the same type or the profitable sale of securities. In this manner, it is also possible to offset non-investment income up to $3,000.

Tax-loss harvesting can only be applied to taxable investment accounts that are subject to capital gains taxes. These do not include 401(k) accounts or individual retirement accounts (IRAs) because these grow tax-deferred. Investments used in tax-loss harvesting comprise ones with diminished value that are already losing the investor money or underperforming. Additionally, the sold asset is replaced with a similar one. This helps the portfolio maintain its asset allocation and expected return levels.