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News & Events Digest: July 2024





Zach Corkins
Treasury?s Power Ranger Dad Heads to Taekwondo World Championships

*Zach Corkins*?is a Departmental Specialist 13 with MI Treasury?s Individual Income Tax (IIT) Division, and a project lead for the upcoming Michigan Modernized Income Tax System legacy replacement project. He is a lifetime Michigander who graduated from Davenport University and lives in Potterville with his wife and two young sons.

Zach is also a real-life?*Power Ranger* [ [link removed] ]?who will be competing at the?2024 ATA Worlds: Tournament of Champions [ [link removed] ]?in Phoenix, Arizona in July, with an excellent chance of bringing home medals in seven martial arts events.

At age 34, Zach is the current Taekwondo state and district champion in his class and has achieved an incredible level of skill in both Taekwondo and Krav Maga in just three and a half years of practice and competition.

Read more about Zach Corkins on Treasury's Medium page. [ [link removed] ]



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MiABLE Chair
MiABLE account owners lead by example to inspire others to open disability savings accounts

In recognition of the 34th anniversary of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) in July, the Michigan Department of Treasury enlisted the help of MiABLE account owners in its ongoing campaign to encourage others with disabilities to open their own MiABLE savings accounts.

"Just as the ADA has provided legal security and equality of opportunity for people with disabilities for more than three decades, MiABLE continues to open the door for financial security and opportunity for people with disabilities and their families," said *R. Scott de Varona*, MiABLE program director. "MiABLE benefits thousands of Michiganders every day, and the best testimonial for opening a MiABLE account comes from the people who already have seen what it can do for their financial freedom."

For Livonia resident*?Aaron Martinuzzi*,*?*38, who suffered a spinal cord injury in a diving accident nearly two decades ago, opening a MiABLE has allowed him to remain fully employed as a software analyst while protecting his financial future.

In Michigan and nationally, a $2,000 federal asset limit is imposed on people with disabilities who receive government benefits. Compared with their peers, people with disabilities are twice as likely to live in poverty, less likely to be employed and more likely to be underemployed.

MiABLE allows individuals who became disabled before age 26 and their families to save up to $18,000 annually in various investment options, de Varona said.

Experts estimate that approximately 500,000 to 600,000 individuals in Michigan are eligible to open MiABLE accounts, but only about 1% of that number are currently enrolled statewide.

?At the time I opened my MiABLE account, it was the only way I could exceed the Social Security asset limits,? Martinuzzi said. ?It was also helpful in planning for my future, knowing that I could have savings that were protected from mandatory liquidation should I need Social Security again, unlike an IRA or 401(k). I love that MiABLE makes sense.?

Martinuzzi is a strong proponent of MiABLE?s investment opportunities and urges other people with disabilities to consider investing in MiABLE to ensure they can leverage all the money they earn without risking losing other benefits.

?MiABLE can make employment more realistic for individuals whose talents and skills are being lost,? he said.

The ADA was signed into law in 1990 by President George H.W. Bush to ensure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. MiABLE was enacted in Michigan in 2015 ? at the time, just the fifth state in the nation to implement such a program ? as a disability savings program administered by the Michigan Department of Treasury.

MiABLE stands for Michigan Achieving a Better Life Experience and was designed to help ease the financial burden challenging families and people with disabilities. MiABLE accounts help people with disabilities save for current and future expenses without jeopardizing government assistance like Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income.

MIABLE and the ADA both were created through landmark legislation designed to give people with disabilities equal opportunity, and de Varona said opening a MiABLE account to coincide with the ADA?s anniversary is ?a great way to pay tribute to the doors they opened.?

For South Lyon residents?*Carrie Hanshaw*?and her husband, opening a MiABLE account for their 18-year-old daughter,?*Amanda*, provides some financial peace of mind as Amanda, who has a genetic chromosome disorder causing developmental and intellectual delays, prepares to go off to college and start her life as an independent young woman.

?As soon as we heard about MiABLE, we knew it would be a financial tool that would work for us,? said Hanshaw, a strong supporter of the financial independence and overall inclusion opportunities that come through having a MiABLE account. ?In fact, we heard about ABLE accounts before they even existed in Michigan. We enrolled as soon as we possibly could.?

For more information or to open a MiABLE account, additional information is available on MiABLE?s website. [ [link removed] ]



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Podcast

ICYMI: State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks and Chief Economist Eric Bussis discuss May's Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference (CREC). [ [link removed] ]



Job Postings Image

Your Career Starts Here! [ [link removed] ]






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MIC Conference
*Don?t miss out! Register today for the first-ever Integrated Infrastructure Conference!*

The Michigan Infrastructure Council (MIC) is?inviting registrations for the first-ever Integrated Infrastructure Conference [ [link removed] ]. We are thrilled to co-host the conference with the Transportation Asset Management Council (TAMC) and Water Asset Management Council (WAMC). The conference theme is "Creating a Culture of Asset Management for a Brighter Future."

*The conference will take place Tuesday, Aug. 13, and Wednesday, Aug. 14, at the L.V. Eberhard Center at Grand Valley State University * in Grand Rapids *.*

The conference attendees have a great opportunity to hear from industry leaders and take part in discussions on topics such as:


* Empowering Justice40 communities
* Building resilient infrastructure to address changes in climate
* Using artificial intelligence for smarter infrastructure management
* Collaborating on clean energy strategies
* Reimagining the use of the highway rights-of-way
* Much more

There will be numerous educational opportunities, including plenary and breakout sessions for different infrastructure asset classes (such as transportation, drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, energy, and communications), as well as dedicated networking time.

30-Year Integrated Infrastructure Strategy

The Integrated Infrastructure Conference will feature a presentation of the 30-Year Integrated Infrastructure Strategy. This strategy aims to create a comprehensive infrastructure framework that strengthens social bonds, empowers a robust economy, and safeguards our natural heritage, great lakes, and quality of life for future generations.

*The registration deadline for this in-person event is August 4, 2024.*

We are looking forward to seeing you there!

*2024 Integrated Infrastructure Conference* [ [link removed] ]


*Register Today! Seating is Limited!* [ [link removed] ]



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Rachael Eubanks Veteran
Hire a Veteran Day: Michigan Department of Treasury

State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks was recently featured in a video about National Hire a Veteran Day on July 25, 2024.?

National Hire a Veteran Day recognizes and highlights the valuable contributions that veterans can make to civilian workplaces. The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency is proud to recognize the Michigan Department of Treasury as a Gold-level Veteran-Friendly Employer.

Veterans bring a unique set of skills, experiences, and values to the workforce because of their military service. Despite their skills and qualifications, veterans still struggle to find employment after leaving the military.

The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency?s Gold-Level Veteran-Friendly Employer program aims to address veteran unemployment by encouraging Michigan employers to actively recruit and hire veterans, reducing barriers to their successful transition to civilian careers.

WATCH: State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks and National Hire a Veteran Day? [ [link removed] ]



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Credit Score
How to Build Your Credit Score with MI Money Matters

Building your credit is a crucial part of achieving financial stability and independence. It requires consistent effort, responsible financial habits, and a strategic approach to credit management.

And you can do this.?

You can INCREASE your credit rating and LOWER your interest rates (saving thousands of dollars over a lifetime of purchases, loans and mortgages) by incorporating five key habits into your personal financial wellness plan.

Partnering with the National Association of State Treasurers (NAST) and Enrich?s software platform, Michigan Treasury created MI Money Matters to equip Michiganders with the information they need to reach their individual financial goals.?

MI Money Matters is a personal finance education program that provides each user with their own ?action plan? based on a financial behavior assessment that analyzes each user?s financial ?personality.??Individuals who participate gain personal money management insight plus access to interactive tools that can assist them with saving, smart borrowing, and loan repayment.?

To learn more about MI Money Matters, go to Michigan.gov/MIMoneyMatters [ [link removed] ].

WATCH: How to Build Your Credit Score with MI Money Matters [ [link removed] ]



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Former State Treasurer Doug Roberts
Remembering Former State Treasurer Doug Roberts

Former State Treasurer Doug Roberts died on July 11, 2024, at the age of 76. He was appointed state treasurer by former Governor John Engler and served the State of Michigan from January 1991 to November 1998 and again from April 2001 to December 2002.

Roberts had a passion for public service and his influence was felt throughout state government. He served as deputy budget director for former Governors William Milliken and Jim Blanchard, was the director of Michigan?s Office of Revenue and Tax Analysis, was deputy state school superintendent, was the very first director of the Office of the State Employer and was executive director of the Senate Fiscal Agency. After retiring from state employment, he was chair of the State Tax Commission.?

Doug loved to share stories of his government experience as well as his father?s time in the U.S. Secret Service.

Those who worked with Roberts will remember his distinctive laugh and magnanimous personality. He was a wise and caring mentor to many, operating with the utmost integrity and kindness.

Roberts was incredibly appreciative of the support he received from those who worked with him -- and he made sure they felt his gratitude.

A detailed obituary for former State Treasurer Doug Roberts can be found online. [ [link removed] ]



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