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.

• 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.

Retirement

• IRA Rollover

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

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Roth IRAs

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

Tax Planning

• Required Minimum Distributions

  Required minimum distribution is the annual amount that must be withdrawn from a qualified retirement plan/account.

• 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-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

• Dividends

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

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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 Savings Plans

  There are several funding methods for a child's college education including mutual funds and Section 529 plans.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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

• Why Purchase Life Insurance

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

• Term Life Insurance

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

• Insuring Your Future

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

• Types of Health Coverage

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

• 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?

• Types of Life Insurance

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