Articles

Estates & Trusts

• What Key Estate Planning Tools Should I Know About?

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

Retirement

• What Is a SEP IRA?

  A SEP IRA is a type of plan under which the employer contributes (up to a certain limit) to an employee’s IRA.

• What Is a SIMPLE?

  The SIMPLE plan may appeal to small business owners as it is easy to set up, administer, and allows for a tax deduction.

• What Is an IRA Rollover?

  If you leave a job or retire, you should consider your options regarding your employer retirement plan assets.

• What Is a Roth 401(k)?

  A Roth 401(k) is funded with after-tax money, and allows for tax- and penalty-free withdrawal of earnings if requirements are met.

• What Is a Profit-Sharing Plan?

  Profit-sharing plans give employees a share in the profits of a company and can help to fund their retirements.

• What Is a Money Purchase Pension Plan?

  A money purchase plan is a retirement plan where employer contributions are based on a fixed percentage of compensation.

• What Is a 403(b) Plan?

  A 403(b) plan is a tax-deferred retirement savings plan that can only be offered by a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity.

• How Much Do I Need to Save?

  Many realize it’s important to save for retirement, but knowing exactly how much to save is another issue altogether.

• What Does the Changing Pension Landscape Mean for Retirement?

  With the changing pension landscape, it is important to take charge of your own retirement security.

• Unforgettable Birthdays

  There are key dates after you turn 59½ that can impact your taxes, Medicare eligibility, and retirement benefits.

• Should You Bank Your Retirement on Your Business?

  Allocating too much of your retirement investments to one company, even your own, can be a risky proposition.

• 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.

• What Is a Traditional IRA?

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

• What Is a 401(k) Plan?

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

• Save Now or Save Later?

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

• What Is a Roth IRA?

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

Tax Planning

• What Is the Capital Gain Tax?

  Capital gains are profits realized from the sale of assets; a tax is triggered only when an asset is sold, not held.

• What Is the Estate Tax?

  Everything you own, whatever the form of ownership, is subject to federal, and possibly state, estate taxes.

• What Is the Gift Tax?

  The federal gift tax applies to gifts of property or money while the donor is living.

• How Much Money Can I Put Into My IRA or Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plan?

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

• What Is a Required Minimum Distribution?

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

• When Must Taxes Be Paid on IRA and Employer-Sponsored Retirement Funds?

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

• What Happens If I Withdraw Money from My Tax-Deferred Investments Before Age 59½

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

• What Is Tax Deferral?

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

• What Tax Deductions Are Still Available to Me?

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

• What Is the Most Tax-Efficient Way to Take a Distribution From a Retirement Plan

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

• 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.

Investing

• What Are Dividends?

  It is important to understand how dividends (taxable payments to shareholders) fit with your long-term goals.

• How Are Growth and Value Stocks Different?

  The labels growth and value reflect different approaches that can be used when making investment decisions.

• How Are Mutual Funds Taxed?

  Mutual fund taxes can be cumbersome, but there are ways to help mitigate the amount of taxes you may owe.

• What Is Stock?

  Before investing in stocks, it is important to understand some of the basics and the risks involved in owning stocks.

• What Are Zero-Coupon Bonds?

  Zero-coupon bonds represent a type of bond that does not pay interest during the life of the bond.

• What Is Diversification?

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

• What Is a Bond?

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

• What Do Bond Ratings Mean?

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

• What Is a Stock Index?

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

• How Do Mutual Funds and Stocks Differ?

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

• 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 Is an Annuity?

  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.

• What Is Asset Allocation?

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

• What College Investment Options Do I Have?

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

• What Is Dollar-Cost Averaging?

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

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 Do Money Market Mutual Funds Work?

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

• What Advantages Does a Biweekly Mortgage Offer?

  Biweekly mortgage payments can have a dramatic effect on the amount of interest homeowners have to pay.

• What Are Some Smart Ways to Refinance?

  Here are some smart ways to refinance your home.

• What About Financial Aid for College?

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

• Is a Home Equity Loan or Line of Credit Right for Me?

  Shifting some debt to a home equity loan, which typically allows interest payments to be tax deductible, could have its advantages.

Risk Management

• Why Purchase Life Insurance?

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

• Why Are Annuities Considered an Insurance Product?

  An annuity is a contract between you and an insurance company to pay you future income in exchange for premiums you pay.

• What Is 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.

• What Is Split-Dollar Life Insurance?

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

• What Is Last-Survivor Life Insurance?

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

• What Is 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.

• How Do I Make a Property Insurance Claim?

  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.

• 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 Determine the Financial Strength of My Insurance Company?

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

• What Does Medicare Cover?

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