Market Commentary

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.
What Are the Pitfalls of Probate?

The probate process can be lengthy and complex. There are strategies you can use to help avoid the probate process.
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 Will I Pay Estate Taxes?

If you believe your estate will be subject to estate taxes, consider how your heirs will pay the bill.
Can I Benefit from an A-B Trust?

An A-B trust can be an effective way to help reduce estate taxes and preserve family assets for heirs.
What Gifting Strategies Are Available to Me?

Compare the advantages and disadvantages of different gifting strategies available for planned giving.
How Can I Benefit from a Charitable Lead Trust?

Charitable lead trusts are designed for people who would like to benefit a charity now rather than later.
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.
How Can I Benefit from a Wealth Replacement Trust?

A wealth replacement trust could be used to gift appreciated assets to a charity as well as provide for heirs.
Could My Family Benefit from a Family Limited Partnership?

One estate planning strategy that families with closely held businesses could consider is the family limited partnership.
What Is the Best Form of Property Ownership for Me?

Sole ownership, joint tenancy, tenancy in common, and community property have special benefits for property owners.
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 Are My Retirement Planning Options?

There are a variety of retirement planning options that could help meet your needs. Here are some of the most popular.
Will Social Security Retire Before You Do?

Greater demand is being placed on the Social Security system as the baby boom generation has begun to retire.
How Can I Estimate My Future Social Security Benefits?

The Social Security Administration’s retirement estimator gives estimates of your future benefits based on your actual Social Security earnings record.
What Is a Self-Employed Retirement Plan?

Tax-deferred retirement plans for self-employed individuals have higher contribution limits than IRAs.
What Is an Indexed Annuity?

An indexed annuity may provide some upside potential and downside protection.
What Are My Retirement Plan Distribution Options?

When receiving money accumulated in your employer-sponsored retirement plan, you have two options: lump sum or annuity.
What Is a Traditional IRA?

If you do not participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan, you might consider a traditional IRA.
What Is a 401(k) Plan?

401(k) employer-sponsored retirement plans have many benefits, including that the funds accumulate tax-deferred.
How Should I Manage My Retirement Plan?

Employer-sponsored retirement plans are more important than ever, but managing the assets can be confusing.
Save Now or Save Later?

If you start saving for retirement sooner, the more money you are likely to accumulate and possibly retire sooner.
What Is a Roth IRA?

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

Tax Planning

What Is Tax Deferral?

There can be a substantial benefit to deferring taxes as long as possible.
What Tax Deductions Are Still Available to Me?

Changes to the tax code have left a few key deductions for itemizers, like medical, dental and some business expenses.
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.
Is There Such a Thing as a Tax-Free Investment?

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

Investing

What Types of Bonds Are Available?

Bonds are issued by many entities and share many characteristics, each type of bond has certain benefits and risks.
What Is a Bond?

A bond is simply evidence of a debt from a government entity or a corporation and represents a long-term IOU.
What Do Bond Ratings Mean?

Bond ratings gauge a bond issuer’s financial ability to repay its promised principal and interest payments.
What Is a Stock Index?

Stock market indexes can be useful benchmarks for gauging the performance of an investment portfolio over time.
What Investment Risks Should I Know About?

Understanding different types of investment risk can help investors manage their money more effectively.
What Are the Different Classes of Assets?

There are five broad asset classes that you should take into consideration when constructing your investment portfolio.
What Is Asset Allocation?

Asset allocation is a method used to help manage investment risk; it does not guarantee a profit or protect against investment loss.
What College Investment Options Do I Have?

Starting to invest early for college and remaining consistent can help investors reach their goals.
What Is Dollar-Cost Averaging?

Dollar-cost averaging involves investing a set amount of money on a regular basis, regardless of market conditions.
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 Are Some Tips for Managing My Money?

A sound cash management program uses a disciplined approach: accounting, analysis, allocation, and adjustment.
How Long Will It Take to Double My Money?

Before making investment decisions, it is helpful to determine the real rate of return on the investment.
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 Are Some Smart Ways to Refinance?

Here are some smart ways to refinance your home.
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.
How Does Inflation Affect Me?

Historically, one of the best ways to fight the effects of inflation has been to utilize growth-oriented investments.
Is a Home Equity Loan or Line of Credit Right for Me?

Shifting some debt to a home equity loan, which typically allows interest payments to be tax deductible, could have its advantages.

Risk Management

Why Purchase Life Insurance?

If you have a family who relies on your income, it is important to have life insurance protection.
What Is Property and Casualty Insurance?

Property and casualty insurance can help protect a variety of assets. Find out what it does and doesn’t cover.
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 Disability Income Insurance for Business Owners?

As a business owner, a disability can create an economic hardship putting both your personal finances and business at risk.
What Is Term Life Insurance?

Term life insurance differs from permanent forms of life insurance in that it offers temporary protection.
What Is Whole Life Insurance?

Some of the pros and cons of whole life insurance.
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.
What Are the Main Types of Auto Insurance?

Even if your state doesn’t require certain types of auto insurance, it may be wise to purchase multiple types to ensure you are covered for a variety of situations.
How Do I Make a Property Insurance Claim?

When it is time to make an insurance claim, it helps if you are familiar with your policies and the steps you should take to file a claim.
How Can I Maximize My Insurance Benefits?

Several factors could undermine the financial security provided by the proceeds of your life insurance policy.
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.
Do I Need Disability Income Insurance?

Knowing the basics of a disability income insurance policy is a good first step toward protecting your family.
What Types of Health Coverage Are Available?

There are three basic types of medical insurance plans: fee-for-service, managed care, and high-deductible health plan.
How Can I Extend My Liability Coverage?

Consider additional liability insurance to help protect you from the potentially devastating effects of liability lawsuits.
What Is the Difference Between an HMO and a PPO?

Selecting health insurance is often one of the most important decisions you will make. Do you know the different types?
How Can I Determine the Financial Strength of My Insurance Company?

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

Medicare is the federal health insurance program for those persons age 65 and over. But what does it cover?

Weekly Market Commentary

Weekly Market Commentary | September 30, 2024

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Articles

Market Commentary

Estates & Trusts

Retirement

Tax Planning

Investing

Cash Management

Risk Management

Weekly Market Commentary