J&L Financial Planning Software

"This is not your father's basic analysis software", by Dave McClure,
Accounting Today March 20, 2006

The J&L Retirement and Financial Planning Software Professional provides a simple set of basic analysis tools based on a linear, chronological set of financial events that interact with a set of accounts. The result is a highly functional program that scales well to the professional level.

The basic functions of the program are geared toward an individual performing self-assessment and planning. More advanced features are added in the retirement planning version, including the ability to create up to five separate budgets, the ability to track the Internal Revenue Service basis, and implementation of college savings and early distribution programs established by the IRS. The Professional version scales even further with the addition of unlimited budgets, real estate investments, Monte Carlo simulations, historical return analysis, and enhanced flexibility in its graphics and presentation.

Designed as a "broad-brush" analysis, the J&L software nonetheless handles a broad cross-section of financial planning chores, broken down chronologically so that the client can assess progress and events in every year of life.

The program can create a scenario based on mortgage, loan, credit card debt, withdrawal, deposit and transfer events. Each event has the option to be adjusted yearly for inflation or a separate yearly adjustment rate.

The analysis output is displayed in a text format that shows the yearly effects on up to 50 accounts, including investment, tax-free, retirement, asset and equity accounts. The output may also be presented with bar, line and pie graphs.

Version 11.0 of the J&L software was released in February of 2006, and represents a major upgrade in such areas as handling of reverse mortgages and periodic or lump-sum payments to mortgages.

Because of its unique timeline organization, the J&L Retirement & Financial Planning Software Professional is well suited to the needs of emergent Baby Boomer clients who are not engaged in formal financial planning for wealth accumulation. Its straight-forward style removes the intimidation often associated with the planning process, and provides the planning professional with an economical and practical toolkit for client service.