Articles
75% of Americans agree they would benefit from having basic financial education and information.
Source: The 2016 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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Charitable Giving
To retain the tax advantages associated with charitable giving, your gift must be made to a qualified organization.
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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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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.
Retirement
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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.
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SIMPLE IRAs
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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Stretch IRAs
A “stretch” or “multigenerational” IRA may be a useful approach to extend tax-deferred savings that can benefit your heirs for generations.
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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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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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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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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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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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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.
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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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Required Minimum Distributions
Required minimum distribution is the annual amount that must be withdrawn from a qualified retirement plan/account.
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Withdrawing Before Age 59.5
Tax-deferred retirement account withdrawals before age 59½ generally triggers a 10% federal income tax penalty.
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Tax Deferral
There can be a substantial benefit to deferring taxes as long as possible.
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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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United States Tax History
American tax law is a constantly changing landscape. The latest major piece of tax legislation is the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.
Investing
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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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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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Bonds
A bond is simply evidence of a debt from a government entity or a corporation and represents a long-term IOU.
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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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Investment Risks
Understanding different types of investment risk can help investors manage their money more effectively.
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Asset Classes
There are five broad asset classes that you should take into consideration when constructing your investment portfolio.
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Asset Allocation
Asset allocation is a method used to help manage investment risk; it does not guarantee a profit or protect against investment loss.
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College Savings Plans
There are several funding methods for a child's college education including mutual funds and Section 529 plans.
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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.
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529 Plans
529 plans are tax-advantaged college savings plans that generally allow people of any income level to contribute.
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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Reverse Mortgages
There are techniques that can enable older homeowners to use their property to finance their lifestyle.
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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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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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Types of Life Insurance
When selecting a life insurance policy, examine all your options, as well as the positives and negatives of each type.