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Why?

What?

How to View Current Year Cash Flow in Reports

Configuring Cash Flow Assumption Settings

Assumption Setting Options

Firm, Advisor, and Client Level Settings

How to Update Assumption Settings

 

 

Why?

Small adjustments to current-year transactions can create significant long-term impacts in a financial plan. For example, making a maximum workplace plan contribution of $23,000 in 2024 and letting it grow at 6% over 60 years results in roughly $750,000 in future value compared to waiting to contribute in 2025. Having control over when and how these transactions are modeled is critical for building realistic and customized plans. 

 

 

 

 

What?

Orion Planning offers flexible tools to control how the current calendar year is included in cash flow, balance sheet, and simulation reports. This guide will walk you through how to adjust these settings to ensure your client plans reflect real-world cash flow scenarios accurately.

 

Please reach out to the SME Financial Planning Team for additional assistance.

 

 

 

How?

NOTE: The Cash Flow, Balance Sheet, and Advanced Report use the Current Calendar Year by default. You are able to override this and start with the Next Full Year at the client, Advisor, and Firm level by using the "Plan Start Year" setting at the various levels.

 

 

 

How to View Current Year Cash Flow in Reports

• In Orion Planning, click Reports in the left menu.

• Click the Cash Flow, Balance Sheet, or Advanced Reports tab.

• Use the  next to the current year to see a breakdown of each remaining month for that year.  

 

 

 

 

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Configuring Cash Flow Assumption Settings

Assumption Setting Options

To customize each client's plan as needed, set assumptions for four key cash flow categories: 

 

• Taxes 
• Investment Earnings
• Distributions (e.g., RMDs, Roth conversions, annuities)
• Contributions (e.g., workplace plans, IRAs)

 

 

 

There are 3 options for each category:

 

Category	Most Conservative	Balanced (Pro-Rated)  DEFAULT SETTING	Most Optimistic
Taxes	Assume no taxes have been paid	Apply pro-rated over 12 months	Assume all taxes were already paid
Investment Earnings	Assume all earnings have already occurred	Apply pro-rated over 12 months	Assume no earnings have occurred
Distributions	Assume no distributions have been made	Apply pro-rated over 12 months	Assume all distributions were already made
Contributions	Assume all contributions were already made	Apply pro-rated over 12 months	Assume none made yet, defer to year-end

 

Pro-Rated Assumptions Example (DEFAULT)

You onboard a client in June and set a contribution assumption as pro-rata:

 

• Annual Max Contribution: $12,000
• Months Remaining: 6 (June to December)
• Monthly Contribution: $1,000
• Total Assumed Contribution: $6,000 (12,000 / 12 * 6)

 

Living Expenses Still Occurring in December of the Current Year

• Large purchase goals (car purchase, vacation, etc.)
• Education goals (already enrolled or beginning in current year)
• Buying a home or a second home
• Any details part of a home purchase (HOA, property tax, home insurance)
• Lump sum pension payouts
• Death Benefit proceeds
• Roth Conversions

 

Automation for Future Years

The Revert to pro-rata for future years toggle (default ON) tells the system to revert to the balanced, pro-rata approach in future years. 

 

Example: If you onboard a client midyear (June 2025) and set the system to reflect that they’ve already made all contributions and paid taxes, the tool will automatically switch back to the balanced approach starting January 2026—no need to manually reset each year. 

 

 

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Firm, Advisor, and Client Level Settings

These settings are available across all levels of Orion Planning: 

 

Firm Level - Firms can set defaults across all advisors. 

Advisor Level - Advisors can use firm defaults or customize their own. 

Client Level - Advisors can apply client-specific assumptions or inherit advisor-level settings. 

 

Important Notes:

• If a firm restricts advisor-level overrides, client-level customization remains available, giving maximum flexibility for accurate, personalized plans.

• The system default within Client Settings is "Use Advisor Settings", which is the option set at the My Settings or Firm Settings level. The default the My Settings and Firm Settings is the Pro-Rated option.

 

 

How to Update Assumption Settings

For a Specific Client:

• In the client view, click the client's name in the upper left.

• Click Client Settings

• Update the Plan Start Date dropdown to Current Calendar Year

• Click

• Make adjustments and click Save.

 

 

 

For My Settings or Firm Settings:

• Click the menu icon in the upper right corner of Orion Planning, and select Settings.
• Select My Settings or Firm Settings

• In the Plan Assumptions section, click  under the Plan Start Year setting.

• Make adjustments and click Save.

 

Please Note: Theoption will only appear if the Plan Start Year is set to Current Calendar Year.

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