Articles

Estates & Trusts

• Living Trusts

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

• Property Ownership

  Sole ownership, joint tenancy, tenancy in common, and community property have special benefits for property owners.

Retirement

• 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.

• 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

• 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-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.

• Stock

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

• 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.

• Mutual Funds

  A mutual fund is a collection of stocks, bonds, and other securities with certain benefits and risks.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Term Life Insurance

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

• Types of Life Insurance

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