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.

• Benefits of A-B Trusts

  An A-B trust can be an effective way to help reduce estate taxes and preserve family assets for heirs.

• Gifting Strategies

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

• Charitable Lead Trusts

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

• Charitable Remainder Trusts

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

• Wealth Replacement Trusts

  A wealth replacement trust could be used to gift appreciated assets to a charity as well as provide for heirs.

• 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.

• History of the Federal Estate Tax

  Careful estate planning is still one of the most important ways to manage and protect your assets for your heirs.

Retirement

• Planning Options

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

• Future of Social Security

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

• 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.

• Indexed Annuities

  An indexed annuity may provide some upside potential and downside protection.

• 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

• Tax Deferral

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

• 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.

• Tax-Free Investments

  It’s important to understand tax-exempt vehicles when establishing a comprehensive tax planning strategy.

Investing

• 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.

• Bond Ratings

  Bond ratings gauge a bond issuer’s financial ability to repay its promised principal and interest payments.

• Stock Indexes

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

• 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.

• Dollar-Cost Averaging

  Dollar-cost averaging involves investing a set amount of money on a regular basis, regardless of market conditions.

• 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.

• College Financial Aid

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

• Effects of Inflation

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

Risk Management

• Why Purchase Life Insurance

  If you have a family who relies on your income, it is important to have life insurance protection.

• Property and Casualty Insurance

  Property and casualty insurance can help protect a variety of assets. Find out what it does and doesn’t cover.

• Business Owner Policies

  A business owner policy is an insurance package that assembles the basic coverages required by a business owner in one bundle.

• Life Insurance for Business Owners

  Company-owned life insurance is one way to help protect a business from financial problems caused by the death of a key employee.

• Split-Dollar Life Insurance

  Split-dollar life insurance is an arrangement to purchase and fund life insurance between two parties.

• Last-Survivor Life Insurance

  Couples who want to help protect their legacy from estate taxes could consider last-survivor life insurance.

• Disability Income Insurance for Business Owners

  As a business owner, a disability can create an economic hardship putting both your personal finances and business at risk.

• 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.

• Universal Life Insurance

  Consider a universal life insurance policy if you want the flexibility to change your premium or death benefit.

• Variable Life Insurance

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

• 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.

• Insurance Claims

  When it is time to make an insurance claim, it helps if you are familiar with your policies and the steps you should take to file a claim.

• 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.

• Protecting Your Home

  Since your home is one of your greatest assets, you should make sure it is adequately protected. That's where homeowners insurance enters the picture.

• Assessing Disability Income Insurance

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

• Types of Health Coverage

  There are three basic types of medical insurance plans: fee-for-service, managed care, and high-deductible health plan.

• Additional Liability Coverage

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

• HMOs and PPOs

  Selecting health insurance is often one of the most important decisions you will make. Do you know the different types?

• Evaluating Insurance Companies

  Using a financially sound insurance company is an important part of ensuring your family’s financial security.

• Long-Term Care Costs

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

• Medicare Coverage

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