Articles

Estates & Trusts

• What Gifting Strategies Are Available to Me?

  Compare the advantages and disadvantages of different gifting strategies available for planned giving.

• How Can I Benefit from a Charitable Lead Trust?

  Charitable lead trusts are designed for people who would like to benefit a charity now rather than later.

• How Can I Benefit from a Charitable Remainder Trust?

  A designated income beneficiary could receive payment of a specified amount from a charitable remainder trust.

Retirement

• Will Social Security Retire Before You Do?

  Greater demand is being placed on the Social Security system as the baby boom generation has begun to retire.

• How Can I Estimate My Future Social Security Benefits?

  The Social Security Administration’s retirement estimator gives estimates of your future benefits based on your actual Social Security earnings record.

Tax Planning

• How Can I Keep More of My Mutual Fund Profits?

  Want to keep more of your mutual fund profits? You may be interested in strategies to help lower your tax liability.

• How Can I Upgrade My Insurance — Tax-Free?

  A 1035 exchange allows you to exchange your life insurance policy for one from another company without tax liability.

Investing

• What Is Diversification?

  An important element to successful investing is to manage investment risk while maintaining the potential for growth.

• What Is a Mutual Fund?

  A mutual fund is a collection of stocks, bonds, and other securities with certain benefits and risks.

• What Is a Closed-End Fund?

  With closed-end funds, investors pool their money together to purchase a professionally managed portfolio of stocks and/or bonds.

• What Is a Mutual Fund Load?

  It’s important to understand mutual fund loads, or sales charges, and exactly what they entail so you can make informed investing decisions.

• What Investment Risks Should I Know About?

  Understanding different types of investment risk can help investors manage their money more effectively.

• What Are the Different Classes of Assets?

  There are five broad asset classes that you should take into consideration when constructing your investment portfolio.

• 529 Lesson Plan: High Scores for 529 Plans

  529 plans are tax-advantaged savings plans that generally allow people of any income level to contribute.

Cash Management

• What Are Some Tips for Managing My Money?

  A sound cash management program uses a disciplined approach: accounting, analysis, allocation, and adjustment.

• How Long Will It Take to Double My Money?

  Before making investment decisions, it is helpful to determine the real rate of return on the investment.

• How Does Inflation Affect Me?

  Historically, one of the best ways to fight the effects of inflation has been to utilize growth-oriented investments.

Risk Management

• What Are the Main Types of Auto Insurance?

  Even if your state doesn’t require certain types of auto insurance, it may be wise to purchase multiple types to ensure you are covered for a variety of situations.

• How Can I Insure My Future?

  To help you choose insurance wisely, determine how much coverage and what kind of policy is best for your situation.

• Do I Need Disability Income Insurance?

  Knowing the basics of a disability income insurance policy is a good first step toward protecting your family.

• How Can I Extend My Liability Coverage?

  Consider additional liability insurance to help protect you from the potentially devastating effects of liability lawsuits.

• Am I Prepared for Long-Term Care Expenses?

  The odds of needing long-term care increase as you age. Prior planning can help protect you from financial ruin.

• What Does Medicare Cover?

  Medicare is the federal health insurance program for those persons age 65 and over. But what does it cover?

• How Likely Am I to Need Long-Term Care?

  If you were to suffer an illness or disability that required long-term nursing care, would you be covered?