J&L Financial Planning Software

"Retirement planning rapidly emerging as a software specialty", by Dave McClure. Accounting Today June 4, 2007

"The J&L Retirement Planner is a specialized version of the company's financial planning toolset, offering the same planning capabilities as the financial planning or Professional versions. The primary difference is that this version focuses on retirement planning, rather than more general life goals, and it de-emphasizes the ongoing processes of asset allocation and management."

"Designed as a broad-brush analysis, the planner 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 12.0, released in early 2007, makes the software Vista-compatible and adds new capabilities for rebalancing up to five separate account groups yearly or multi-yearly; managing unlimited budgets to itemize both income and expenses; and making lump-sum or periodic payments to the principal of mortgages and loans."

"The retirement planning version includes 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 Rule 72t, and the ability to handle requirements for the IRS-required minimum distributions at ages 59-1/2 and 70-1/2."

"For retirement planners who require more advanced planning and portfolio management, the Professional version scales even further, with the addition of unlimited budgets, real estate investments, Monte Carlo simulations, historical return analysis and asset allocation. It also allows the planner to track an investment's total returns (realized and unrealized gains, dividends, and cost basis), customize reports and financial graphing, export data to spreadsheets and databases, and access more reports."

"Designed with a straightforward timeline organization, the J&L Retirement Planner and the Professional version are both well-suited to accountants serving clients who are not yet engaged in formal financial planning for wealth accumulation and distribution. Their low cost - and the free updates and upgrades included in the price - make either one an excellent choice for accountants seeking an uncomplicated but effective planning solution."