Financial planning news from around the web: Nov. 12 – 16, 2018

Licensure under fire in the states
State legislators are coming together to challenge the necessity and value of occupational licensing. So far, there have been no direct challenges to whether CPAs should be licensed. However, there’s a national anti-licensure legislative strategy that does not distinguish between occupations and learned professions such as CPAs.

401(k) contribution limit increases to $19,000 for 2019; IRA limit increases to $6,000
The Internal Revenue Service announced cost of living adjustments affecting dollar limitations for pension plans and other retirement-related items for tax year 2019.

Employees can now save in a 401(k) by using a credit card
Spending and saving are kind of like oil and water — they don't mix well together. But one company is trying to link credit-card spending to increased retirement savings, and financial advisers are taking notice.

Americans’ financial satisfaction reaches new high—can you feel it?
For the fifth quarter in a row, Americans’ personal financial satisfaction reached an all-time high. A record number of job openings, along with the stock market’s bullish performance though Q3 boosted Americans’ financial positions. With all these positive records, you may be wondering what it means for you.

Tech Corner - Virtual reality makes food taste better
In another example of VR bleeding into real life, Cornell University food scientists found that cheese eaten in pleasant VR surroundings tasted better than the same cheese eaten in a drab sensory booth. That’s right: cheese tastes better on a virtual farm versus inside a blank, empty cyberia.