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.

• 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.

• Gifting Strategies

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

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.

• IRA Rollover

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

• 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.

• Future of Social Security

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

• Save Now or Save Later

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

Tax Planning

• Tax Deferral

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

• Tax-Free Investments

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

Investing

• Diversification

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

• 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 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.

Cash Management

• Reverse Mortgages

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

Risk Management

• 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.

• 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.

• Long-Term Care Costs

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

• Long-Term-Care Needs

  If you were to suffer an illness or disability that required long-term nursing care, would you be covered?

• Types of Life Insurance

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