(NewsUSA) - How is it that so many people worry about how they’ll pay for college, and yet still haven’t taken advantage of 529 savings plans?  Maybe because they could be one of the best-kept secrets around.

Not only do contributions to the plans grow federal tax-free – unlike, say, regular savings accounts – but also untaxed is money withdrawn to pay for tuition, books and other qualified education expenses. 

You can get a rough idea of how much your child’s college education will wind up costing you with this online resource from the financial services firm Edward Jones.  (Warning: Be prepared for sticker shock.)  But know, too, that thanks to updates in the law, 529 plans can now also be used to fund up to $10,000 in tuition per year, per beneficiary, at elementary and secondary schools.

(NewsUSA) - Consumers are looking for someone they can trust to guide them in financial matters. Becoming a CFP^® professional helps you communicate that you’ll always prioritize your clients’ interests. Doing right by your clients is the guiding principle embedded in CFP Board’s commitment to setting and upholding ethical standards that benefit the public.

Duties Owed to Clients

As part of CFP^® certification, all CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^™ professionals commit to CFP Board to act as a fiduciary, meaning they put their clients’ interests first at all times when providing financial advice. They also commit to upholding the high standards outlined in the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct, which requires CFP^® professionals to uphold the principles of integrity, objectivity, competence and confidentiality.

The commitment every CFP^® professional makes is not a one-time pledge at the time of certification but a lifetime commitment. Each CFP^® professional is required to participate in an ethics continuing education program, which they must complete every two years to maintain their certification.

This gives clients confidence that they're partnering with a financial advisor who will put them on the path to a secure future. Consumers recognize the CFP^® certification as one they can trust, which is why becoming a CFP^® professional gives you an edge in a highly competitive marketplace. That edge can increase income by 12% when you earn CFP^® certification, with experienced advisors earning $192,000 a year, on average.

Robust Enforcement

Ongoing ethics instruction is part of CFP Board’s mission to not only set high ethical standards but also to uphold them. CFP Board has invested significant resources — both financially and operationally — to maintain an effective enforcement program that protects the integrity of the CFP^® certification marks and upholds the certification’s value for both practitioners and the public.

Over a recent three-year period, CFP Board’s enforcement team completed more than 1,200 investigations of CFP^® professionals. It also strengthened sanctions guidelines, modernized enforcement processes, and published new guides providing practical guidance on complying with the Code and Standards.

CFP^® professionals welcome the oversight. They consistently rank enforcing the CFP^® certification standards as one of their top priorities for CFP Board.

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(NewsUSA) - State fairs are not only a summer tradition, but they also play an important role in U.S. agriculture. State and county fairs put a spotlight on an essential part of the global economy, while also providing a platform for skilled young farmers to demonstrate their expertise in the food and farm industry.

During this year’s Governor’s Sale of Champions, CME Group presented the champion livestock exhibitors with one-time scholarships totaling $45,000. Each of these nine hard-working students will receive a $5,000 scholarship, which will be used to advance their education. Recipients of the 2023 CME Group scholarships included:  Bryce Clayton (Scott County, IL); Kashen Ellerbrock (Henry County, IL); Nolan Hoge (McDonough County, IL); Owen Pree (Iroquois County, IL); Maddox Reedy (Douglas County, IL); Hunter Shike (Champaign County, IL); Trig Stoller (Woodford County, IL); Chesney Thorton (McLean County, IL); Lilian Unger (Kankakee County, IL).  

“We are proud to celebrate agriculture here in Illinois and all over the world through our support of the Illinois State Fair,” said Derek Sammann, Senior Managing Director and Global Head of Commodities, Options & International Markets at CME Group. “We applaud all scholarship recipients this year for their commitment to agriculture and their communities. State fairs provide an opportunity for attendees to learn more about the vital role U.S. farmers and ranchers play in the global food system, and our investment in these students will help cultivate the next generation of leaders in agribusiness.”

CME Group also purchased the Grand Champion Barrow, which was exhibited by Hunter Shike and sponsored this year’s 4-H Illinois Superior Young Livestock Producers Contest at the fair. 58 4-H members from across Illinois competed in the skillathon contest and engaged in hands-on challenges in livestock management, livestock marketing and hedging, breed identification and use, quality assurance and equipment identification and use.  The contest promotes youth development, career development, and personal growth through increased knowledge of the livestock industry.

The nine champions each received a $1,000 CME Group scholarship to continue their education. Recipients of the 2023 CME Group Skillathon scholarships were: Jay Blider (Christian County, IL); Bayla Crouch (Woodford County, IL); Audry Curtain (Christian County, IL); Natalie Evans (Morgan County, IL); Carson Knittnel (McLean County, IL); Rhett Lehman (Moultrie County, IL); Isabel Pistouris (Christian County, IL); Hunter Shike (Champaign County, IL); Ben Wamsley (Christian County, IL).

This was the eighth year CME Group has provided scholarships at the Illinois State Fair, bringing total contributions to over $400,000.

(NewsUSA) - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health (OWH) has launched a new nationwide campaign, “Stronger than Sarcopenia” [saar-ko-pee-ni-uh], to raise awareness of sarcopenia in women, a condition characterized by loss of muscle mass, strength, and function in adults 65 and older.  Sarcopenia can significantly decrease someone’s quality of life and can lead to other health problems, including an increased risk of falls and broken bones.

Research studies have found a nationwide decline in physical activity due to changes in lifestyle during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sarcopenia is often made worse by a lack of physical activity.

“Since it was first defined as a condition in 2009, we have continued to learn more and more about the causes and effects of sarcopenia. As such, it is important that we keep women and health care professionals abreast of the latest information to help ensure the best care and outcome for patients,” said ADM Rachel L. Levine, M.D., Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Starting as early as age 30, people lose muscle mass and strength. However, some lose it more quickly due to sarcopenia. Studies show that more than 45 percent of adults 65 and older are affected by sarcopenia, with millions of younger adults at risk for developing it later in life.  The “Stronger than Sarcopenia” campaign encourages women to speak to their health care professionals about sarcopenia and for health care professionals to screen for the condition and provide proper treatment if needed. 

"The public is likely familiar with bone health disorders like osteoporosis and osteopenia, but muscle health disorders like sarcopenia can be equally as impactful on women’s abilities to maintain function and mobility as they age,” said Dorothy Fink, M.D., U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Deputy Assistant Secretary for Women’s Health. "Simple changes to daily routines, such as starting a manageable strength training plan and increasing the amount of protein in your diet, can help you maintain or regain lost muscle mass to more easily engage in everyday activities."

To reduce the risk for sarcopenia, engaging in activities that strengthen your muscles, like body weight exercises and weightlifting, show the most promise for strengthening muscles. The benefits of exercise, particularly strength and resistance training, include better balance, fewer falls and broken bones, and better quality of life.

Eating a healthy diet is also important in the treatment and management of sarcopenia. Eating a high-protein diet—above the recommended daily allowance—helps build and maintain muscle strength. Consuming 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein for every 2 pounds of body weight daily contributes to the prevention of sarcopenia.

If you have noticed a change in your strength or ability to do everyday tasks, it is important to talk to your health care professional. They can help you find out if you have sarcopenia and discuss ways to stay active, eat healthy, and safely do your everyday activities.

Additional information about “Stronger than Sarcopenia” is available online at www.womenshealth.gov/sarcopenia.

(NewsUSA) -  

Captivated by Jessica Rooker

Quinton Starks is a vain, self-absorbed, philandering playboy and company president whose life is work, partying, and one-night stands. He treats women as sexual objects rather than equals until he finds himself enthralled with a sweet and humble innkeeper, Amelia Johansson. Only there's one small problem—she’s married!

Once Quinton realizes Amelia isn't unattainable, he executes a plan to ensure their paths will cross again. Fate gives Quinton the opportunity to make Amelia his. He decides to sweep her away on a platonic trip with his gang in tow. After the trip turns steamy, Amelia realizes she cannot return to her normal life. Quinton’s full-service, fast-pace, and fun-loving lifestyle brings Amelia back to life—both mentally and physically. Read this hot romance that captures what the heart desires in a new relationship fueled with lust and love! Purchase at https://bit.ly/45vmLSy.

Dead to Rights by Bailey Herrington

For readers who enjoy mystery novels sprinkled with political and social commentary. David Elliott from What the Barber Knew returns in a new, action-packed thriller.

 1953. David is a college sophomore American Literature major who also plays baseball and has a propensity to jump into things without looking. When his revered professor Steven Jeffrey ostensibly commits suicide, David receives a coded letter from him a day later. With the help of his cousin Judy, David is determined to decipher the message and make it public.

However, they quickly become entangled in intrigue, murder, and peril masterminded by a cadre of CIA operatives. Only their courage and ingenuity can save them from also falling victims to staged murders. During their fight, David and Judy face personal and political revelations that will upend their lives. Purchase at https://amzn.to/42A2Oai.

What Happens Next by Christina Suzann Nelson

"Everyone has a story, and maybe everyone needs a little help toward healing."

Popular podcaster and ex-reporter Faith Byrne made a name for herself telling stories of greatness after tragedy--but her real life does not mirror the stories she tells. While her daughters spend the summer in Hawaii with her ex-husband, she must manage on her own. That changes when she's asked to spotlight her childhood best friend's missing person case on her podcast.

Dora Crane never accepted that her younger daughter could be dead. But when her husband leaves her and her older daughter intervenes, she agrees to counseling if Faith comes to Deep Valley and sheds light on the cold case. Will these two women finally get the answers they need to reconcile the past and the future? Purchase at https://bit.ly/3rDfH6Y.

Wrongful Acts by Tony Sclama

Two years ago, Nobel laureate Dr. Allisyn McLoren unexpectedly left her prestigious research position. Since then, as FDA commissioner she has restored the legitimacy and reputation of the troubled agency plagued by prior mismanagement and numerous deficiencies. But now she finds herself under pressure from government sources and a prior colleague to circumvent protocol and personally expedite approval of a bio-tech firm’s new form of gene therapy, and she’s at a loss to explain their motive.

When a homicide detective’s investigation of a deadly altercation between two friends leads him to Allisyn, they uncover a conspiracy to defraud the government that has deadly consequences. In her pursuit of the evidence to expose the deception, she must overcome a response that threatens her reputation, career, and even her life. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3MZaeON.

(NewsUSA) - Electricity was in the air at China’s signature annual auto show in Shanghai, according to experts at the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), a bipartisan nonprofit organization.

At AutoShanghai 2023, foreign and domestic auto makers rolled out their best to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) market, and the takeaway was clear: the future of the automotive industry in China is electric.

Notably, the PRC’s rise to prominence in the global EV industry follows many of the same industrial strategies that has propelled its rise in other technology sectors, such as fifth-generation (5G) telecommunications infrastructure. Some of these strategies include:

Deep Government Support. China’s EV milestones date back to Beijing’s 2006 The National Medium- and Long-Term Plan for the Development of Science and Technology (2006-2020). Since then, EVs have been featured in each major succeeding industrial plan.

Outbound and Inbound EV Investments. China has benefitted from access to foreign technology and expertise, which helped accelerate its indigenous EV production. Foreign automakers continue to pour investments into China, the largest auto market in the world, amid stiffening competition from their domestic rivals and despite risks to their intellectual property.

Dominance in Critical Minerals and Battery Production. China’s dominance in the critical materials that feed into the most expensive part of any electric vehicle – the battery– is a major competitive advantage to the country’s EV development.

Of course, the EV revolution goes beyond making and selling cars.  EVs represent a convergence of most of the technologies SCSP has identified that will shape the future of innovation: artificial intelligence, microelectronics, advanced networks, new energy storage and production, and smart manufacturing. Economic leadership in EVs will be a springboard for new jobs, a new and transformed industrial base, and new forms of prosperity. Geopolitically, leadership in EVs will forge new pathways toward energy transition and energy security.

Fortunately, the United States and its allies are organizing to compete in the EV sector on a global scale.

The United States and the European Union are mending their differences over the Inflation Reduction Act, which has breathed new life into the U.S. EV industry. Washington and Tokyo are also finding ways to cooperate more closely on EV supply chains. Looking ahead, the United States and its allies and partners should increase political support to better position their respective EV industries to compete with the PRC on a global scale. The U.S. also can jumpstart the EV innovation ecosystem by supporting research and development for new battery technologies. These actions will help the U.S. into the driver’s seat for the future of EVs and their economic and political impacts.

Visit scsp.ai for more information.