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.

Retirement

• SEP IRAs

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

• SIMPLE IRAs

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

• Stretch IRAs

  A “stretch” or “multigenerational” IRA may be a useful approach to extend tax-deferred savings that can benefit your heirs for generations.

• 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.

• Profit-Sharing Plans

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

• Money Purchase Pension Plans

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

• 403(b) Plans

  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.

• A New Chapter 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 59 that can impact your taxes, Medicare eligibility, and retirement benefits.

• Your Business and Retirement

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

• 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.

• 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.

• 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

• 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.

• Estate Tax

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

• Gift Tax

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

• 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 Deductions

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

• 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.

Investing

• Dividends

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

• Growth Stocks vs. Value Stocks

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

• Mutual Fund Taxes

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

• Stock

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

• Zero-Coupon Bonds

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

• Diversification

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

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

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.

• Money Market Funds

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

• Biweekly Mortgages

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

• 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.

• Home Equity Loans

  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.

• Annuities as 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Evaluating Insurance Companies

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

• Medicare Coverage

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