Articles
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
-
What Key Estate Planning Tools Should I Know About?
Wills and trusts allow you to spell out how you would like your property distributed, but they also go beyond that.
-
How Can a Living Trust Help Me Control My Estate?
A living trust can help control the distribution of your estate upon death.
-
How Can My Gift Benefit Me and the Charity?
To retain the tax advantages associated with charitable giving, your gift must be made to a qualified organization.
-
How Can I Control the Distribution of My Estate?
If you haven't taken steps already, consider planning now for the distribution of the assets of your estate.
-
How Can I Benefit from a Charitable Remainder Trust?
A designated income beneficiary could receive payment of a specified amount from a charitable remainder trust.
-
What Is the 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
-
What Is a SEP IRA?
A SEP IRA is a type of plan under which the employer contributes (up to a certain limit) to an employee’s IRA.
-
What Is a SIMPLE?
The SIMPLE plan may appeal to small business owners as it is easy to set up, administer, and allows for a tax deduction.
-
What Is an IRA Rollover?
If you leave a job or retire, you should consider your options regarding your employer retirement plan assets.
-
What Is a 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.
-
What Is a Profit-Sharing Plan?
Profit-sharing plans give employees a share in the profits of a company and can help to fund their retirements.
-
What Is a Money Purchase Pension Plan?
A money purchase plan is a retirement plan where employer contributions are based on a fixed percentage of compensation.
-
What Is a 403(b) Plan?
A 403(b) plan is a tax-deferred retirement savings plan that can only be offered by a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity.
-
Why Do People Buy Annuities?
Annuities, an insurance-based financial vehicle, can provide many benefits that retirement investors might want.
-
What Is a Split-Annuity Strategy?
A split-annuity strategy can generate immediate income while potentially stretching some retirement savings.
-
What Are Annuity Living Benefits?
Living benefits can help protect variable annuity owners from running out of money in retirement.
-
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.
-
What Is a 1035 Exchange?
A Section 1035 exchange is a tax-free exchange of an existing annuity contract or life insurance policy for a new one.
-
Unforgettable Birthdays
There are key dates after you turn 59½ that can impact your taxes, Medicare eligibility, and retirement benefits.
-
Should You Bank Your Retirement on Your Business?
Allocating too much of your retirement investments to one company, even your own, can be a risky proposition.
-
What Is a 401(k) Plan?
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.
Tax Planning
-
What Is the 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.
-
What Is the Estate Tax?
Everything you own, whatever the form of ownership, is subject to federal, and possibly state, estate taxes.
-
What Is the Gift Tax?
The federal gift tax applies to gifts of property or money while the donor is living.
-
How Much Money Can I Put Into My IRA or Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plan?
IRAs and employer-sponsored retirement plans are subject to annual contribution limits set by the federal government.
-
What Is a Required Minimum Distribution?
Required minimum distribution is the annual amount that must be withdrawn from a qualified retirement plan/account.
-
What Are the Tax Benefits of Charitable Trusts?
For the grantor, there are a few potential tax benefits that can come with setting up a charitable trust.
-
When Must Taxes Be Paid on IRA and Employer-Sponsored Retirement Funds?
With traditional IRAs and most employer-sponsored retirement plans, taxes are not payable until funds are withdrawn.
-
What Happens If I Withdraw Money from My Tax-Deferred Investments Before Age 59½
Tax-deferred retirement account withdrawals before age 59½ generally triggers a 10% federal income tax penalty.
-
What Is Tax Deferral?
There can be a substantial benefit to deferring taxes as long as possible.
-
How Can I Benefit from Tax-Advantaged Investments?
Many traditional tax-advantaged investment strategies have gone away, but there are still some alternatives.
-
What Tax-Advantaged Alternatives Are Available?
While stable, CDs can create an income tax bill. Fixed annuities and municipal bonds can offer tax advantages.
-
What Is the Most Tax-Efficient Way to Take a Distribution From a Retirement Plan
Consider a trustee-to-trustee transfer to an IRA versus a lump-sum distribution from a workplace retirement plan.
Investing
-
What Are Dividends?
It is important to understand how dividends (taxable payments to shareholders) fit with your long-term goals.
-
What Is an Exchange-Traded Fund?
ETFs have unique attributes and attempt to track all types of indexes, industries, or commodities.
-
How Are Growth and Value Stocks Different?
The labels growth and value reflect different approaches that can be used when making investment decisions.
-
How Are Mutual Funds Taxed?
Mutual fund taxes can be cumbersome, but there are ways to help mitigate the amount of taxes you may owe.
-
What Is Stock?
Before investing in stocks, it is important to understand some of the basics and the risks involved in owning stocks.
-
What Are Zero-Coupon Bonds?
Zero-coupon bonds represent a type of bond that does not pay interest during the life of the bond.
-
529 Lesson Plan: High Scores for 529 Plans
529 plans are tax-advantaged savings plans that generally allow people of any income level to contribute.
Cash Management
-
What Cash Management Tools Are Available?
Short-term cash management instruments can help you establish a sound cash management program.
-
What Advantages Does a Biweekly Mortgage Offer?
Biweekly mortgage payments can have a dramatic effect on the amount of interest homeowners have to pay.
-
What About Financial Aid for College?
It's important to understand the options, such as financial aid grant programs, when having to pay for college.
Risk Management
-
Why Purchase Life Insurance?
If you have a family who relies on your income, it is important to have life insurance protection.
-
Why Are Annuities Considered 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.
-
Do I Need a Business Owner Policy?
A business owner policy is an insurance package that assembles the basic coverages required by a business owner in one bundle.
-
What Is 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.
-
What Is Split-Dollar Life Insurance?
Split-dollar life insurance is an arrangement to purchase and fund life insurance between two parties.
-
What Is Last-Survivor Life Insurance?
Couples who want to help protect their legacy from estate taxes could consider last-survivor life insurance.
-
What Is Term Life Insurance?
Term life insurance differs from permanent forms of life insurance in that it offers temporary protection.
-
What Is Universal Life Insurance?
Consider a universal life insurance policy if you want the flexibility to change your premium or death benefit.
-
What Is Variable Life Insurance?
Variable life insurance gives you the control to allocate your account value among a variety of investment options.
-
How Can I Insure My Future?
To help you choose insurance wisely, determine how much coverage and what kind of policy is best for your situation.
-
How Can I Protect My 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.
-
Am I Prepared for Long-Term Care Expenses?
The odds of needing long-term care increase as you age. Prior planning can help protect you from financial ruin.
-
What Are the Basic Types of Life Insurance?
When selecting a life insurance policy, examine all your options, as well as the positives and negatives of each type.