Articles
79% of Americans agree they would benefit from having basic financial education and information.
Source: The 2018 Consumer Financial Literacy Survey, The National Foundation for Credit Counseling
Welcome to our research center! We've put together a library of information on important financial topics that we believe you'll find helpful.
Simply click on one of the general financial topics below and you'll find a selection of easy-to-understand information sheets about related financial concepts and strategies. This information is updated regularly to reflect the latest facts, figures, legislation, and economic trends.
Estates & Trusts
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Estate Planning
Wills and trusts allow you to spell out how you would like your property distributed, but they also go beyond that.
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Living Trusts
A living trust can help control the distribution of your estate upon death.
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Avoiding Probate
The probate process can be lengthy and complex. There are strategies you can use to help avoid the probate process.
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Charitable Giving
To retain the tax advantages associated with charitable giving, your gift must be made to a qualified organization.
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Controlling the Distribution
If you haven’t taken steps already, consider planning now for the distribution of your estate’s assets.
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Benefits of A-B Trusts
An A-B trust can be an effective way to help reduce estate taxes and preserve family assets for heirs.
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Gifting Strategies
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of different gifting strategies available for planned giving.
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Family Limited Partnerships
One estate planning strategy that families with closely held businesses could consider is the family limited partnership.
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Property Ownership
Sole ownership, joint tenancy, tenancy in common, and community property have special benefits for property owners.
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History of the Federal Estate Tax
Careful estate planning is still one of the most important ways to manage and protect your assets for your heirs.
Retirement
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SIMPLE Plans
The SIMPLE plan may appeal to small business owners as it is easy to set up, administer, and allows for a tax deduction.
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IRA Rollover
If you leave a job or retire, you should consider your options regarding your employer retirement plan assets.
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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.
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Profit-Sharing Plans
Profit-sharing plans give employees a share in the profits of a company and can help to fund their retirements.
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Money Purchase Pension Plans
A money purchase plan is a retirement plan where employer contributions are based on a fixed percentage of compensation.
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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.
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Why Purchase Annuities
Annuities, an insurance-based financial vehicle, can provide many benefits that retirement investors might want.
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Split-Annuity Strategy
A split-annuity strategy can generate immediate income while potentially stretching some retirement savings.
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Annuity Living Benefits
Living benefits can help protect variable annuity owners from running out of money in retirement.
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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.
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A New Chapter for Retirement
With the changing pension landscape, it is important to take charge of your own retirement security.
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1035 Exchanges
A Section 1035 exchange is a tax-free exchange of an existing annuity contract or life insurance policy for a new one.
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Unforgettable Birthdays
There are key dates after you turn 59 that can impact your taxes, Medicare eligibility, and retirement benefits.
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Your Business and Retirement
Allocating too much of your retirement investments to one company, even your own, can be a risky proposition.
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Retirement Plan Distributions
When receiving money accumulated in your employer-sponsored retirement plan, you have two options: lump sum or annuity.
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Traditional IRAs
If you do not participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan, you might consider a traditional IRA.
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401(k) Plans
401(k) employer-sponsored retirement plans have many benefits, including that the funds accumulate tax-deferred.
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Save Now or Save Later
If you start saving for retirement sooner, the more money you are likely to accumulate and possibly retire sooner.
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Roth IRAs
Qualified Roth IRA distributions in retirement are free of federal income tax and aren’t included in gross income.
Tax Planning
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Estate Tax
Everything you own, whatever the form of ownership, is subject to federal, and possibly state, estate taxes.
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Gift Tax
The federal gift tax applies to gifts of property or money while the donor is living.
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Retirement Plan Limits
IRAs and employer-sponsored retirement plans are subject to annual contribution limits set by the federal government.
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Required Minimum Distributions
Required minimum distribution is the annual amount that must be withdrawn from a qualified retirement plan/account.
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Charitable Trust Tax Benefits
For the grantor, there are a few potential tax benefits that can come with setting up a charitable trust.
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Retirement Plan Taxes
With traditional IRAs and most employer-sponsored retirement plans, taxes are not payable until funds are withdrawn.
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Tax-Advantaged Investments
Many traditional tax-advantaged investment strategies have gone away, but there are still some alternatives.
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Tax Deductions
Changes to the tax code have left a few key deductions for itemizers, like medical, dental and some business expenses.
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Tax-Advantaged Alternatives
While stable, CDs can create quite an income tax bill. Fixed annuities and municipal bonds can offer tax advantages.
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Tax Strategies for Retirement Plans
Consider a trustee-to-trustee transfer to an IRA versus a lump-sum distribution from a workplace retirement plan.
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Tax-Free Investments
It’s important to understand tax-exempt vehicles when establishing a comprehensive tax planning strategy.
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Mutual Fund Profits
Want to keep more of your mutual fund profits? You may be interested in strategies to help lower your tax liability.
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Tax-Free Insurance Upgrades
A 1035 exchange allows you to exchange your life insurance policy for one from another company without tax liability.
Investing
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Dividends
It is important to understand how dividends (taxable payments to shareholders) fit with your long-term goals.
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Exchange-Traded Funds
ETFs have unique attributes and attempt to track all types of indexes, industries, or commodities.
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Growth Stocks vs. Value Stocks
The labels “growth” and “value” reflect different approaches that can be used when making investment decisions.
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Mutual Fund Taxes
Mutual fund taxes can be cumbersome, but there are ways to help mitigate the amount of taxes you may owe.
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Stock
Before investing in stocks, it is important to understand some of the basics and the risks involved in owning stocks.
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Zero-Coupon Bonds
Zero-coupon bonds represent a type of bond that does not pay interest during the life of the bond.
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Diversification
An important element to successful investing is to manage investment risk while maintaining the potential for growth.
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Stock Indexes
Stock market indexes can be useful benchmarks for gauging the performance of an investment portfolio over time.
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Mutual Funds vs. Stocks
The difference between purchasing an individual stock versus shares in a mutual fund to potentially earn dividends.
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Mutual Funds
A mutual fund is a collection of stocks, bonds, and other securities with certain benefits and risks.
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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.
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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.
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Fixed vs. Variable Annuities
Both fixed and variable annuities could be appropriate options for an individual interested in purchasing an annuity.
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Investment Risks
Understanding different types of investment risk can help investors manage their money more effectively.
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Stock and Bond Investing Alternatives
There are other ways to invest in stocks and bonds besides owning individual shares or bonds.
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Dollar-Cost Averaging
Dollar-cost averaging involves investing a set amount of money on a regular basis, regardless of market conditions.
Cash Management
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Cash Management Basics
A sound cash management program uses a disciplined approach: accounting, analysis, allocation, and adjustment.
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Doubling Your Money
Before making investment decisions, it is helpful to determine the real rate of return on the investment.
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Money Market Funds
Money market funds can be a highly liquid and effective cash management tool.
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Biweekly Mortgages
Biweekly mortgage payments can have a dramatic effect on the amount of interest homeowners have to pay.
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College Financial Aid
It's important to understand the options, such as financial aid grant programs, when having to pay for college.
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Savings Alternatives
There are a number of savings alternatives that could help you earn a reasonable rate of return.
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Effects of Inflation
Historically, one of the best ways to fight the effects of inflation has been to utilize growth-oriented investments.
Risk Management
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Why Purchase Life Insurance
If you have a family who relies on your income, it is important to have life insurance protection.
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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.
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Business Owner Policies
A business owner policy is an insurance package that assembles the basic coverages required by a business owner in one bundle.
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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.
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Split-Dollar Life Insurance
Split-dollar life insurance is an arrangement to purchase and fund life insurance between two parties.
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Last-Survivor Life Insurance
Couples who want to help protect their legacy from estate taxes could consider last-survivor life insurance.
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Term Life Insurance
Term life insurance differs from permanent forms of life insurance in that it offers temporary protection.
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Whole Life Insurance
Some of the pros and cons of whole life insurance.
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Universal Life Insurance
Consider a universal life insurance policy if you want the flexibility to change your premium or death benefit.
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Variable Life Insurance
Variable life insurance gives you the control to allocate your account value among a variety of investment options.
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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.
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Types of Health Coverage
There are three basic types of medical insurance plans: fee-for-service, managed care, and high-deductible health plan.
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Additional Liability Coverage
Consider additional liability insurance to help protect you from the potentially devastating effects of liability lawsuits.
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HMOs and PPOs
Selecting health insurance is often one of the most important decisions you will make. Do you know the different types?
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Long-Term Care Costs
The odds of needing long-term care increase as you age. Prior planning can help protect you from financial ruin.
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Medicare Coverage
Medicare is the federal health insurance program for those persons age 65 and over. But what does it cover?