Overview
Target-Maps funding goal templates utilize pre-filled, default values to quickly get the conversation started about saving for the following life events:
Loss of Life
Long Term Disability
Long Term Care
Education Funding for Dependents
Retirement
and Custom goals designed by the advisor
Target-Maps utilize information entered on the client's Asset-Map to generate dollar values and durations based on these Target-Map preferences. Of course, the results may be adjusted on a per case basis by editing specific Target-Map Reports.
*Best Practice*
Check your Target-Map Preferences before running Target-Maps to ensure they align with your desired planning expectations!
Access Target-Map Preferences
Click your likeness in the upper right area.
Select "Target-Map Preferences" to access the default values and adjust them to your liking.
Tip: most advisors adjust them to the region they are in, the demographic of the majority of their clients, or the way they like to discuss funding goals with their client.
Adjust Default Preferences
Target-Map General Settings
These preferences are common to all Target-Maps. The defaults may be adjusted on a per case basis by editing specific Target-Map Reports.
Item | Explanation | Impact |
Expected net return on capital | Sets the net rate of return of assets funding the plan and acts as the discount rate of cash flows in both the What you want and What you have pages. | Affects the entire Target-Map |
Annual increase of contributions | Accomodates for inflation while saving for a deficit. This also adjusts the COLA of the What you have cash flows. | Affects the monthly amount to save over the duration in a deficit state. Or, the monthly amount of over-saving in a surplus state. |
Retirement age | The retirement age of the primary member. It is the assumption when not specified on a specific Target-Map. | The age the primary member is assumed to retire. That will either be a Start Age or an End Age, depending on the Target-Map to help determine duration. |
Mortality age | The mortality age of the primary member. It is the assumption when not specified on a specific Target-Map. | The age the primary member is assumed to pass away. That will be the End Age to help determine duration on the What you want page. |
Default tab | Select the default tab to be displayed when you open a Target-Map (either What you want, What you have, or What it means). | Impacts the first page seen when editing a Target-Map or opening a Target-Map for client review. |
Financial Sources Available: Percent Lost to Taxes
Percent Loss to Taxes of financial sources available for cash flows, assets and insurances. The Amount Lost to Taxes is the percentage of the gross value of a financial instrument that will effectively be lost to taxes. Since gross values are commonly used in the Asset-Map and financial statements, a reduction of that gross value is necessary to account for the embedded tax obligation that is due upon consumption. This figure is not necessarily equal to the marginal tax rate but rather an intelligent accommodation to the amount of unpaid taxes embedded in the gross value that should be discounted for purposes of consumption.
Adjustments on the assumed tax obligations appear on the What you have page of a Target-Map in the Loss to taxes column. Your preferences will be applied to the various types of cash flows, assets and insurances that are available for selecting to fund the plan.
Adjustments to these parameters are not retroactive and are not applied to Target-Maps that have already been run.
Defining Default Funding Goals (What you want)
The overall funding goal dollar value is defined by the preferences below. These funding goals represent the What you want page on a Target-Map. Each Target-Map What you want page has a number of talking points that are calculated by these values.
🎯Loss of Life Target-Map Preferences
The Loss of Life Template attempts to pre-fill standard funding requirements for the survivors of a lost household member based on the financial professional's preferences. Toggle the checkboxes next to the conversation topics to include (checked) or exclude (unchecked) those fields on the Target-Map calculations.
✅Income replacement
Derive a dollar value to preserve current lifestyle.
Talking point | Description | Type |
Lost Member Income Replacement | Percentage of the lost member's gross income that will be replaced after taxes | Percentage |
Income Replacement Stop Age | Replacement income set to stop at the age of the lost member | Age |
Costs of living adjustment |
| Percentage |
✅Transitional income replacement
Cover immediate, short term expenses to prevent the need to use current assets.
Talking point | Description | Type |
Percent Member income Replacement | Percentage of the lost member's gross income that will be replaced after taxes. | Percentage |
Duration in Years | Set number of years to derive a sum total of cash for short term expenses | Years |
Cost of Living Adjustment |
| Percentage |
✅Debt Obligations
Pay off household liabilities found on the client's Asset-Map.
Liabilities of Household to be paid |
| Percentage |
✅Final Expenses
Cover expenses related to burial, last expenses, celebration of life, etc.
Amount |
| Dollar value |
✅Emergency Reserves
Boost savings account.
Percent of household income |
| Percentage |
✅Legacy / Bequests
General estimate of desired dollar amount for legacy plans.
Percent of household net worth |
| Percentage |
✅Education Funding
If the client has dependents (household member must have "dependent" box checked), calculate the dollar value of a default years worth education. This is taken from the Dependent Education Target-Map preferences tab.
🎯Long Term Disability Target-Map Preferences
The Disability Template attempts to pre-fill standard funding requirements for a household member's disability event based on the financial professional's preferences. Toggle the checkboxes next to the titles to include (checked) or exclude (unchecked) those fields on the Target-Map calculations.
✅Earned Income Replacement
Talking point | Description | Type |
Disabled Member's Earned Income Replacement | Percentage of the disabled member's gross earned income that will be replaced after tax. | Percentage |
Until Disabled Member's Age | Replacement income will continue until the disabled member reaches this age. | Age |
Cost of Living Adjustment |
| Percentage |
✅Lost Savings Replacement
Talking point | Description | Type |
Lost retirement savings | Percentage of the member's earnings (pre-disability) needed to replicate would-be retirement savings. | Percentage |
Until Disabled Member's Age | Lost retirement replacement will continue until the disabled member reaches this age. | Age |
Cost of Living Adjustment |
| Percentage |
🎯Long Term Care Target-Map Preferences
The Long-term Care Template attempts to pre-fill standard funding requirements for a household member's long-term care event based on the financial professional's preferences. Toggle the checkboxes next to the titles to include (checked) or exclude (unchecked) those fields on the Target-Map calculations.
✅Long-term Care Annual Expenses
Talking point | Description | Type |
Net Spendable Amount | Annual amount of a long-term care nursing home stay. | Fixed dollar amount |
Duration of LTC Event in Years |
| Number of years |
Cost of Living Adjustment |
| Percentage |
✅Home Modification
Estimate a one-time dollar amount for home modification.
✅Care Coordination
The cost of administrative help to deal with the coordination of benefits. This is a one-time dollar amount.
✅Caregiver Training
The of training of family to care for loved one. This is a one-time dollar amount.
🎯Dependent Education Target-Map Preferences
The Dependent Education Template attempts to pre-fill standard funding requirements for a dependent's education need based on the financial professional's preferences. Toggle the checkboxes next to the titles to include (checked) or exclude (unchecked) those fields on the Target-Map calculations.
✅Dependent Education Expenses
Talking point | Description | Type |
Annual spending (today's value) | The cost for school each year. | Fixed dollar amount |
Cost of Living Adjustment |
| Percentage |
Starting Age | The age of the dependent when they start school | Age |
Ending Age | The age of the dependent when they end school | Age |
🎯Retirement Target-Map Preferences
The Retirement Template attempts to pre-fill standard funding requirements for the selected household members Retirement plan based on the financial professional's preferences. Toggle the checkboxes next to the titles to include (checked) or exclude (unchecked) those fields on the Target-Map calculations.
✅Living Expenses
Talking point | Description | Type |
Percentage of Primary and Spouse gross income | The percentage of gross income needed for retirement living expenses, after tax. | Percentage |
Starting Age | The age of the eldest member at retirement. | Age |
Ending Age | The mortality age of the eldest member. | Age |
Cost of Living Adjustment |
| Percentage |
Living expenses is assumed to be for the individual or the couple, even though one member is chosen.
The eldest member is selected by default to quickly establish a start year and end year of this plan. This can be adjusted by the advisor as desired within the Target-Map's What you want page.
✅Travel Expenses
This layers a desired cash flow for travel during retirement.
Talking point | Description | Type |
Percentage of Primary and Spouse gross income | The percentage of gross income needed for travel, after tax. | Percentage |
Starting Age | The start age of travel. | Age |
Ending Age | The end age for travel. | Age |
Cost of Living Adjustment |
| Percentage |
✅Medical Expenses
This layers a desired cash flow for added medical expenses during retirement.
Talking point | Description | Type |
Percentage of Primary and Spouse gross income | The start age of medical expenses | Percentage |
Starting Age | The start age of medical expenses | Age |
Ending Age | The end age of medical expenses. | Age |
Cost of Living Adjustment |
| Percentage |
Want an overview? Need a refresher? Why not attend free training? Click here to reserve your spot.
2/2026

