Articles

Estates & Trusts

• How Can a Living Trust Help Me Control My Estate?

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

• What Are the Pitfalls of Probate?

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

• How Can I Build and Preserve My Estate?

  Life insurance can be used to help preserve the value of your estate for your heirs.

• How Will I Pay Estate Taxes?

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

• 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

• What Is an IRA Rollover?

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

• Why Do People Buy Annuities?

  Annuities, an insurance-based financial vehicle, can provide many benefits that retirement investors might want.

• What Are My Retirement Planning Options?

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

• 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.

• Social Security Income

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

• What Is an Indexed Annuity?

  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.

Tax Planning

• What Is the Gift Tax?

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

• 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  Required minimum distribution is the annual amount that must be withdrawn from a qualified retirement plan/account.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  With traditional IRAs and most employer-sponsored retirement plans, taxes are not payable until funds are withdrawn.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 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.

Investing

• What Is the Difference Between a Fixed Annuity and a Variable Annuity?

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

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 Can I Better Manage My Short-Term Cash?

  There are numerous investment alternatives available to help provide liquidity.

• 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 Is a Reverse Mortgage?

  There are techniques that can enable older homeowners to use their property to finance their lifestyle.

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.

• 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 Term Life Insurance?

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

• What Is Whole Life Insurance?

  Some of the pros and cons of whole life insurance.

• Do I Need Disability Income Insurance?

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

• What Types of Health Coverage Are Available?

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

• What Is the Difference Between an HMO and a PPO?

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

• 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.

• 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.

• 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?

• What Are the Basic Types of Life Insurance?

  When selecting a life insurance policy, examine all your options, as well as the positives and negatives of each type.