Articles

Estates & Trusts

• Estate Planning

  Wills and trusts allow you to spell out how you would like your property distributed, but they also go beyond that.

• Living Trusts

  A living trust can help control the distribution of your estate upon death.

• Avoiding Probate

  The probate process can be lengthy and complex. There are strategies you can use to help avoid the probate process.

• Charitable Giving

  To retain the tax advantages associated with charitable giving, your gift must be made to a qualified organization.

• Controlling the Distribution

  If you haven’t taken steps already, consider planning now for the distribution of your estate’s assets.

• Paying Estate Taxes

  If you believe your estate will be subject to estate taxes, consider how your heirs will pay the bill.

• Gifting Strategies

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

• Charitable Remainder Trusts

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

• Family Limited Partnerships

  One estate planning strategy that families with closely held businesses could consider is the family limited partnership.

• Property Ownership

  Sole ownership, joint tenancy, tenancy in common, and community property have special benefits for property owners.

Retirement

• Planning Options

  There are a variety of retirement planning options that could help meet your needs. Here are some of the most popular.

• Social Security Income

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

• Self-Employed Retirement Plans

  Tax-deferred retirement plans for self-employed individuals have higher contribution limits than IRAs.

• Retirement Plan Distributions

  When receiving money accumulated in your employer-sponsored retirement plan, you have two options: lump sum or annuity.

• Traditional IRAs

  If you do not participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan, you might consider a traditional IRA.

• 401(k) Plans

  401(k) employer-sponsored retirement plans have many benefits, including that the funds accumulate tax-deferred.

• Managing Retirement Plans

  Employer-sponsored retirement plans are more important than ever, but managing the assets can be confusing.

• Save Now or Save Later

  If you start saving for retirement sooner, the more money you are likely to accumulate and possibly retire sooner.

• Roth IRAs

  Qualified Roth IRA distributions in retirement are free of federal income tax and aren’t included in gross income.

Tax Planning

• Retirement Plan Limits

  IRAs and employer-sponsored retirement plans are subject to annual contribution limits set by the federal government.

• Required Minimum Distributions

  Required minimum distribution is the annual amount that must be withdrawn from a qualified retirement plan/account.

• Retirement Plan Taxes

  With traditional IRAs and most employer-sponsored retirement plans, taxes are not payable until funds are withdrawn.

• Withdrawing Before Age 59.5

  Tax-deferred retirement account withdrawals before age 59½ generally triggers a 10% federal income tax penalty.

• Tax Deferral

  There can be a substantial benefit to deferring taxes as long as possible.

• Tax-Advantaged Investments

  Many traditional tax-advantaged investment strategies have gone away, but there are still some alternatives.

• Tax Deductions

  Changes to the tax code have left a few key deductions for itemizers, like medical, dental and some business expenses.

• Tax-Advantaged Alternatives

  While stable, CDs can create quite an income tax bill. Fixed annuities and municipal bonds can offer tax advantages.

• Tax Strategies for Retirement Plans

  Consider a trustee-to-trustee transfer to an IRA versus a lump-sum distribution from a workplace retirement plan.

• Mutual Fund Profits

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

• Tax-Free Insurance Upgrades

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

Investing

• Exchange-Traded Funds

  ETFs have unique attributes and attempt to track all types of indexes, industries, or commodities.

• Diversification

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

• Types of Bonds

  Bonds are issued by many entities and share many characteristics, each type of bond has certain benefits and risks.

• Bonds

  A bond is simply evidence of a debt from a government entity or a corporation and represents a long-term IOU.

• Stock Indexes

  Stock market indexes can be useful benchmarks for gauging the performance of an investment portfolio over time.

• Mutual Funds vs. Stocks

  The difference between purchasing an individual stock versus shares in a mutual fund to potentially earn dividends.

• Mutual Funds

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

• Closed-End Funds

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

• Mutual Fund Loads

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

• Annuities

  An annuity is a flexible financial vehicle that can help protect against the risk of living a long time because it provides an option for a lifetime income.

• Fixed vs. Variable Annuities

  Both fixed and variable annuities could be appropriate options for an individual interested in purchasing an annuity.

• Investment Risks

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

• Asset Classes

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

• Asset Allocation

  Asset allocation is a method used to help manage investment risk; it does not guarantee a profit or protect against investment loss.

• College Investment Options

  Starting to invest early for college and remaining consistent can help investors reach their goals.

• Stock and Bond Investing Alternatives

  There are other ways to invest in stocks and bonds besides owning individual shares or bonds.

• 529 Plans

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

Cash Management

• Cash Management Basics

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

• Doubling Your Money

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

• Cash Management Tools

  Short-term cash management instruments can help you establish a sound cash management program.

• Money Market Funds

  Money market funds can be a highly liquid and effective cash management tool.

• Managing Cash

  There are numerous investment alternatives available to help provide liquidity.

• Smart Financing Ideas

  Here are some smart ways to refinance your home.

• College Financial Aid

  It's important to understand the options, such as financial aid grant programs, when having to pay for college.

• Savings Alternatives

  There are a number of savings alternatives that could help you earn a reasonable rate of return.

• Effects of Inflation

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

Risk Management

• Term Life Insurance

  Term life insurance differs from permanent forms of life insurance in that it offers temporary protection.

• Whole Life Insurance

  Some of the pros and cons of whole life insurance.

• Variable Life Insurance

  Variable life insurance gives you the control to allocate your account value among a variety of investment options.

• Maximizing Your Insurance Benefits

  Several factors could undermine the financial security provided by the proceeds of your life insurance policy.

• Insuring Your Future

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

• Assessing Disability Income Insurance

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

• Additional Liability Coverage

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

• Long-Term Care Costs

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