Resources

• Articles

  • Cash Management

    • What Are Some Tips for Managing My Money?
    • How Can I Better Manage My Short-Term Cash?
    • What Are Some Smart Ways to Refinance?
    • What About Financial Aid for College?

  • Estates & Trusts

    • What Key Estate Planning Tools Should I Know About?
    • How Can a Living Trust Help Me Control My Estate?
    • What Gifting Strategies Are Available to Me?
    • Could My Family Benefit from a Family Limited Partnership?
    • What Is the Best Form of Property Ownership for Me?

  • Investing

    • What Are Dividends?
    • What Is an Exchange-Traded Fund?
    • How Are Growth and Value Stocks Different?
    • How Are Mutual Funds Taxed?
    • What Is a Stock Index?
    • How Do Mutual Funds and Stocks Differ?
    • What Is a Mutual Fund?
    • What Is a Mutual Fund Load?
    • What Is an Annuity?
    • What Is the Difference Between a Fixed Annuity and a Variable Annuity?
    • What Investment Risks Should I Know About?
    • How Can I Save for My Child’s College Education?
    • What Stock and Bond Investing Alternatives Do I Have?
    • 529 Lesson Plan: High Scores for 529 Plans

  • Retirement

    • What Is a SEP IRA?
    • What Is a SIMPLE?
    • What Is an IRA Rollover?
    • What Is a Roth 401(k)?
    • What Is a Profit-Sharing Plan?
    • What Is a Money Purchase Pension Plan?
    • What Is a 403(b) Plan?
    • Why Do People Buy Annuities?
    • What Is a Split-Annuity Strategy?
    • What Are Annuity Living Benefits?
    • How Much Do I Need to Save?
    • What Does the Changing Pension Landscape Mean for Retirement?
    • What Is a 1035 Exchange?
    • Unforgettable Birthdays
    • Should You Bank Your Retirement on Your Business?
    • What Are My Retirement Planning Options?
    • What Is a Self-Employed Retirement Plan?
    • What Is a Traditional IRA?
    • What Is a 401(k) Plan?
    • What Is a Roth IRA?

  • Risk Management

    • Why Purchase Life Insurance?
    • Why Are Annuities Considered an Insurance Product?
    • What Is Property and Casualty Insurance?
    • Do I Need a Business Owner Policy?
    • What Is Life Insurance for Business Owners?
    • What Is Split-Dollar Life Insurance?
    • What Is Last-Survivor Life Insurance?
    • What Is Disability Income Insurance for Business Owners?
    • How Can I Maximize My Insurance Benefits?
    • How Can I Insure My Future?
    • What Does Medicare Cover?
    • What Are the Basic Types of Life Insurance?

  • Tax Planning

    • What Is the Capital Gain Tax?
    • What Is the Estate Tax?
    • What Is the Gift Tax?
    • How Much Money Can I Put Into My IRA or Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plan?
    • What Is a Required Minimum Distribution?
    • What Are the Tax Benefits of Charitable Trusts?
    • When Must Taxes Be Paid on IRA and Employer-Sponsored Retirement Funds?
    • What Happens If I Withdraw Money from My Tax-Deferred Investments Before Age 59½
    • How Can I Keep More of My Mutual Fund Profits?
    • How Can I Upgrade My Insurance — Tax-Free?

• Newsletters

  • June

    • HOT TOPIC: Moody’s Downgraded U.S. Debt — Does It Matter?
    • Versatile 529 Plans Can Help with More than Just College
    • Life Insurance in Retirement
    • Catch Up for a More Comfortable Retirement
    • Look Out for Observation Care
    • Convertible Bonds Straddle the Line Between Fixed Income and Potential Growth

  • May

    • HOT TOPIC: Tariffs Drive Market Volatility
    • ETFs Are Closing the Gap with Mutual Funds
    • Debt After Death: What Happens to Debt When Someone Dies?
    • Playing Fair: New Consumer Protections for Airline Passengers
    • QLACs: Your Retirement Accounts Can Act Like Pensions
    • Concerned About Cyberattacks? The Threat Is Real

  • April

    • HOT TOPIC: Tariff Turmoil: The Makings of a Stock Market Correction
    • Are You Missing the Bull’s-Eye with a Target-Date Fund?
    • Breaking Down the Numbers: The Soaring U.S. National Debt
    • Cancer Happens: Insurance Can Help Fortify Your Finances
    • Traditional or Roth Contributions? Think It Through for Future You
    • The Four-Day Workweek: Is It Destiny or a Distant Dream?

  • March

    • HOT TOPIC: Tariffs: How They Work and Potential Economic Effects
    • Key Retirement and Tax Numbers for 2025
    • Accounts for Two: A Team Approach to Retirement Savings
    • Phased Retirement Can Help Smooth the Transition
    • Could There Be a Shift from Growth to Value?
    • Read a Good Beige Book Lately?

  • February

    • HOT TOPIC: The Social Security Fairness Act Increases Benefits for Millions
    • Three Market-Moving Economic Indicators to Watch
    • Financial Safety Nets: Exploring Available Sources of Emergency Funds
    • What’s New for 2025?
    • Indexed Annuities: Potential for Growth with Some Downside Protection
    • Is Tip Fatigue Wearing You Out?

  • January

    • HOT TOPIC: Data for Sale: Tips to Help Protect Your Private Information
    • Home Energy Rebates Could Save You Money
    • Would You Be Prepared for an Unplanned Early Retirement?
    • A Critical Combo: Life Insurance with Long-Term Care Benefits
    • Extreme Weather and Your Home Insurance: How to Navigate the Financial Storm
    • A Mortgage Recast Is an Alternative to Refinancing

  • December

    • Charitable Gifts of Life Insurance
    • Eight Ideas for Smarter Holiday Shopping
    • An Umbrella Policy Offers Extra Liability Coverage
    • Two Tax-Friendly Retirement Plans for the Self-Employed

  • November

    • HOT TOPIC: High Foreign Investment in the U.S. – Will It Last?
    • Treasury Yields Off 17-Year Highs
    • If You Don’t Have a Will Yet, Why Not?
    • FAFSA for 2025-2026 School Year Opens December 1
    • Do You Know Your Medicare Coverage Options?
    • Higher Rates Pressure Borrowers and Some Banks: Is Your Money Safe?

  • October

    • HOT TOPIC: The Fed Finally Cut Interest Rates
    • Can You Put the Brakes on Rising Auto Insurance Premiums?
    • Do You Have Enough Life Insurance?
    • Making the Most of Your Credit Card
    • A Pension Strategy That May Boost Your Income
    • What’s Your Real Return?

  • September

    • HOT TOPIC: Should You Worry About Market Volatility?
    • It’s Complicated: Inheriting IRAs and Retirement Plans
    • Retroactive Social Security Benefits: A Chance to Turn Back Time
    • Eight Great Investing Quotes
    • Thinking of Selling Your Home? Don’t Be Surprised by Capital Gains Taxes
    • Just Your Average Millionaire

  • August

    • HOT TOPIC: Real Estate Commission Changes Around the Corner
    • Watch for These Hazards on the Road to Retirement
    • Mixing It Up: Asset Allocation and Diversification
    • After the Loss of a Loved One, Watch Out for Scams
    • Consumer Sentiment: Do Americans See Brighter Days Ahead?
    • Equity REITs: Is There Room for Real Estate in Your Portfolio?

  • July

    • HOT TOPIC: The Economic Impact of an Aging World
    • Should You Buy or Lease Your Next Vehicle?
    • Birthday Benefits Quiz
    • The IRS Wants More Info About Your Gig Income
    • Can Home Improvements Lower Your Tax Bill? It Depends
    • Saving for College: 529 Plan vs. Roth IRA

• Videos

  • Should You Pay Off Debt or Save for Retirement?
  • Should You Sell When the Market Drops?
  • 3 Potential Benefits of Dollar-Cost Averaging
  • The Basics of Social Security Retirement Benefits
  • Financial Planning: Helping You See the Big Picture
  • Stocks and Stock Mutual Funds 101
  • Bonds and Bond Mutual Funds 101
  • The Pros and Cons of a Big Tax Refund
  • Do You Know Who Your Beneficiaries Are?

• Calculators

  • Cash Management

    • Cash Flow Analysis
    • Net Worth
    • Lifetime Earnings

  • Estate Planning

    • Estate Taxes

  • Loans & Credit Cards

    • Loan Payoff
    • Home Affordability
    • Mortgage Refinancing
    • Mortgage Acceleration
    • Credit Card Debt
    • Lease Payment
    • Car Affordability

  • Retirement & Inflation

    • Cost of Retirement
    • Required Minimum Distributions
    • Impact of Inflation
    • Retirement Plan Early Distribution
    • Retirement Portfolio Lifespan

  • Risk Management

    • Life Insurance
    • Life Expectancy
    • Long-Term Care Self Insurance
    • LTCI Cost of Waiting
    • Disability Income Insurance

  • Saving & Investing

    • College Funding
    • Savings Goals
    • Savings Accumulation
    • Taxable Equivalent Yield

  • Taxes & IRAs

    • Federal Income Tax
    • Tax-Deferred Savings
    • IRA Eligibility
    • Roth IRA Conversion

• Request A Quote

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  • Long-Term Care Insurance
  • Group Health
  • Life Insurance
  • Individual Health
  • Disability Income Insurance
  • Mortgage Qualification
  • 401(k) Information Request
  • Information Request

• Glossary

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