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Historically, one of the best ways to fight the effects of inflation has been to utilize growth-oriented investments.

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

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.

One attractive feature of an annuity is tax-deferral but qualified and non-qualified annuities are taxed differently.

While stable, CDs can create an income tax bill. Fixed annuities and municipal bonds can offer tax advantages.

The probate process can be lengthy and complex. There are strategies you can use to help avoid the probate process.

If you haven't taken steps already, consider planning now for the distribution of the assets of your estate.

An A-B trust can be an effective way to help reduce estate taxes and preserve family assets for heirs.

For the grantor, there are a few potential tax benefits that can come with setting up a charitable trust.

Understanding different types of investment risk can help investors manage their money more effectively.

Stock market indexes can be useful benchmarks for gauging the performance of an investment portfolio over time.

A bond is simply evidence of a debt from a government entity or a corporation and represents a long-term IOU.

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

A sound cash management program uses a disciplined approach: accounting, analysis, allocation, and adjustment.

A 403(b) plan is a tax-deferred retirement savings plan that can only be offered by a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity.

Before making investment decisions, it is helpful to determine the real rate of return on the investment.

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

With closed-end funds, investors pool their money together to purchase a professionally managed portfolio of stocks and/or bonds.

Consider additional liability insurance to help protect you from the potentially devastating effects of liability lawsuits.

Employer-sponsored retirement plans are more important than ever, but managing the assets can be confusing.

Living benefits can help protect variable annuity owners from running out of money in retirement.

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.

IRAs and employer-sponsored retirement plans are subject to annual contribution limits set by the federal government.

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

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

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

Short-term cash management instruments can help you establish a sound cash management program.

The Social Security Administration’s retirement estimator gives estimates of your future benefits based on your actual Social Security earnings record.

If you do not participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan, you might consider a traditional IRA.

Consider a trustee-to-trustee transfer to an IRA versus a lump-sum distribution from a workplace retirement plan.

It's important to understand the strengths and weaknesses of common stock versus preferred stock.

When receiving money accumulated in your employer-sponsored retirement plan, you have two options: lump sum or annuity.

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

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

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

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

529 plans are tax-advantaged savings plans that generally allow people of any income level to contribute.

With traditional IRAs and most employer-sponsored retirement plans, taxes are not payable until funds are withdrawn.

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

Many traditional tax-advantaged investment strategies have gone away, but there are still some alternatives.

Capital gains are profits realized from the sale of assets; a tax is triggered only when an asset is sold, not held.

401(k) employer-sponsored retirement plans have many benefits, including that the funds accumulate tax-deferred.

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

Required minimum distribution is the annual amount that must be withdrawn from a qualified retirement plan/account.

Several factors could undermine the financial security provided by the proceeds of your life insurance policy.

A Section 1035 exchange is a tax-free exchange of an existing annuity contract or life insurance policy for a new one.

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

To retain the tax advantages associated with charitable giving, your gift must be made to a qualified organization.

To help you choose insurance wisely, determine how much coverage and what kind of policy is best for your situation.

Dollar-cost averaging involves investing a set amount of money on a regular basis, regardless of market conditions.

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

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

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

A designated income beneficiary could receive payment of a specified amount from a charitable remainder trust.

Tax-deferred retirement plans for self-employed individuals have higher contribution limits than IRAs.

A business owner policy is an insurance package that assembles the basic coverages required by a business owner in one bundle.

Careful estate planning is still one of the most important ways to manage and protect your assets for your heirs.

Charitable lead trusts are designed for people who would like to benefit a charity now rather than later.

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

There are a variety of retirement planning options that could help meet your needs. Here are some of the most popular.

An indexed annuity may provide some upside potential and downside protection.

Qualified Roth IRA distributions in retirement are free of federal income tax and aren’t included in gross income.

Annuities, an insurance-based financial vehicle, can provide many benefits that retirement investors might want.

A wealth replacement trust could be used to gift appreciated assets to a charity as well as provide for heirs.

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

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

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

A Roth 401(k) is funded with after-tax money, and allows for tax- and penalty-free withdrawal of earnings if requirements are met.

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

ETFs have unique attributes and attempt to track all types of indexes, industries, or commodities.

Knowing the basics of a disability income insurance policy is a good first step toward protecting your family.

A bond ladder is a strategy involving the purchase of bonds that have staggered maturity dates.

Wills and trusts allow you to spell out how you would like your property distributed, but they also go beyond that.

Bond ratings gauge a bond issuer’s financial ability to repay its promised principal and interest payments.

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

If you believe your estate will be subject to estate taxes, consider how your heirs will pay the bill.

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

One estate planning strategy that families with closely held businesses could consider is the family limited partnership.

Tax-deferred retirement account withdrawals before age 59½ generally trigger a 10% federal tax penalty.

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

Bonds are issued by many entities and share many characteristics, each type of bond has certain benefits and risks.