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Federal estate taxes have been a source of funding for the federal government almost since the U.S. was founded. In 1797, Congress instituted a system of federal stamps that were required on all wills offered for probate when property...
Read MoreA recent survey found that 23% of people were very confident about having enough money to live comfortably through their retirement years. At the same time, 33% were not confident.1 Congress in 2001 passed a law that can help older...
Read MoreOne of the common threads of a mobile workforce is that many individuals who leave their job are faced with a decision about what to do with their 401(k) account.¹ Individuals have three basic choices with the 401(k) account they...
Read MoreWhen financial markets turn volatile, some investors show their frustration by fleeing the markets in search of alternatives that are designed to offer stability. For example, in the first quarter of 2018, investors pulled $63 billion...
Read MorePursuing your retirement dreams is challenging enough without making some common, and very avoidable, mistakes. Here are eight big mistakes to steer clear of, if possible. No Strategy: Yes, the biggest mistake is having no strategy at...
Read MoreIndividuals hold about $2.2 trillion in annuity contracts; a tidy sum considering an estimated $9.2 trillion is held in all types of IRAs.1 Annuity contracts are purchased from an insurance company. In exchange, the insurance company...
Read MoreRetirement can have many meanings. For some, it will be a time to travel and spend time with family members. For others, it will be a time to start a new business or begin a charitable endeavor. Regardless of what approach you intend...
Read MoreSocial Security is a critical component of the retirement financial strategy for many Americans, so before you begin taking it, you should consider three important questions. The answers may affect whether you make the most of this...
Read MoreEveryone loves a winner. If an investment is successful, most people naturally want to stick with it. But is that the best approach? It may sound counter intuitive, but it may be possible to have too much of a good thing. Over time,...
Read MoreLooking at their recent track records doesn’t do much to settle the debate. As you can see from the chart below, during the past 10 years, growth stocks came out on top six times and value investing four times. Investing for...
Read MoreLooking at their recent track records doesn’t do much to settle the debate. As you can see from the chart below, during the past 10 years, growth stocks came out on top six times and value investing four times. Investing for...
Read MoreThe reason withdrawals from an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) prior to age 59½ are generally subject to a 10% tax penalty is that policymakers wanted to create a disincentive to use these savings for anything other than...
Read MoreHave you ever had one of those months? The water heater stops heating, the dishwasher stops washing and your family ends up on a first-name basis with the nurse at urgent care. Then, as you’re driving to work, giving yourself...
Read MoreThe reason withdrawals from an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) prior to age 59½ are generally subject to a 10% tax penalty is that policymakers wanted to create a disincentive to use these savings for anything other than...
Read MoreSome of us share a common experience. You’re driving along when a police cruiser pulls up behind you with its lights flashing. You pull over, the officer gets out, and your heart drops. “Are you aware the registration on...
Read MoreThe baby boomers have re-defined everything they’ve touched, from music to marriage to parenting and, more lately, to what “old” means—60 is the new 50! Longer, healthier living, however, can put greater stress...
Read MoreMost portfolios are constructed based on an individual's investment objective, risk tolerance, and time horizon. Using these inputs and sophisticated portfolio-optimization calculations, most investors can feel confident that they own...
Read MoreThere is no shortage of analysis for anyone interested in investing. A search for the term “stock market analysis” turned up 16 million hits on Google and well over 200,000 hits each on Bing, and Yahoo.¹ The majority...
Read MoreThis morning 100 million Americans began their day in the same way—drinking their first cup of coffee.¹ Few, if any, took a moment during this morning ritual to contemplate or marvel the complex journey that brought their...
Read MoreA living trust is a popular consideration in many estate strategy conversations, but its appropriateness will depend upon your individual needs and objectives. What is a living trust? A living trust is created while you are alive and...
Read MoreAccording to Giving USA 2017, Americans gave an estimated $390.05 billion to charity in 2016. That’s the highest total in more than 60 years since the report was first published.1 Americans give to charity for two main reasons:...
Read MoreIt doesn’t take a degree in finance to see the cost of college continues to rise. In its 2017 report, the College Board showed that public four-year institutions raised prices an average of 3.2% annually between the 2007-08 and...
Read MoreThere is no shortage of analysis for anyone interested in investing. A search for the term “stock market analysis” turned up 16 million hits on Google and well over 200,000 hits each on Bing, and Yahoo.¹ The majority...
Read MoreTaking withdrawals from a traditional portfolio exposes fixed-income investors to “sequence of returns” danger. In other words, experiencing negative returns early in retirement can deplete your portfolio more quickly than...
Read MoreWhen financial markets turn volatile, some investors show their frustration by fleeing the markets in search of alternatives that are designed to offer stability. For example, in the first quarter of 2018, investors pulled $63 billion...
Read MoreCharles de Gaulle once remarked, “The graveyards are full of indispensable men.”¹ While we know that life goes on regardless of the loss of any “indispensable” person, for a small business, the loss of a...
Read MoreEach month you settle down to pay bills. You pay your mortgage lender. You pay the electric company. You pay the trash collector. But do you pay yourself? One of the most basic tenets of sound investing involves the simple habit of...
Read MorePerhaps Bette Davis said it best when she observed, “Old age is no place for sissies.”¹ The challenges seniors have met throughout their lives have made them wiser and stronger, preparing them for the unique challenges...
Read MoreInflation sometimes seems like one of those afflictions of an era long since passed into the history books. While it’s true that double-digit inflation has been absent for the last 30 years or more, you may remember the high...
Read MoreAccording to a recent study by U.S. Trust, 64% of millionaire business owners over 50 have no formal succession plan.¹ While the number may shock you, it is not surprising that many small business owners are consumed by the myriad...
Read MoreCarve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you.¹Shannon L. Alder The desire to leave a legacy may be the height of altruism, for it is a gift to the...
Read MoreAncient Chinese merchants are said to have developed a unique way to manage their risk. They would divide their shipments among several different vessels. That way, if one ship were to sink or be attacked by pirates, the rest stood a...
Read MoreRecent years have witnessed the mainstreaming of alternative investments for certain accredited investors. In fact, one study found that alternative investments have grown to make up about 25% of state and locally run public pension...
Read MoreA recent survey found that 17% of people were very confident about having enough money to live comfortably through their retirement years. At the same time, 36% were not confident.¹ Congress in 2001 passed a law that can help...
Read MoreOne landmark study found that credit-based insurance scores are used by about 95 percent of all auto and home insurers in calculating the cost of insurance to individuals.¹ While the vast majority of insurance companies use...
Read MoreDuring your accumulation years, you may have categorized your risk as “conservative,” “moderate,” or “aggressive” and that guided how your portfolio was built. Maybe you concerned yourself with...
Read MoreEach month you settle down to pay bills. You pay your mortgage lender. You pay the electric company. You pay the trash collector. But do you pay yourself? One of the most basic tenets of sound investing involves the simple habit of...
Read MoreIt’s never a bad time to speak with your financial advisor about changes in your situation.
Read MoreConcerns over identity theft continue to grow, especially with news of data breaches at major companies and financial institutions. Unfortunately, you have little control over the hacking of these companies, but you do have control...
Read MoreMaintaining good records is important to help meet your tax and legal obligations. The right record keeping system not only helps satisfy these obligations, but it may save you money and time. Here’s what to consider for your...
Read MoreTip: Final Cost. Paying for a funeral can be a financial burden on a family. Make sure your estate management will provide your loved ones with sufficient funds to cover this important cost. If your family relies on your income,...
Read MoreTip: Retiring Older. One survey found 22% of baby boomers have found it difficult to pay mortgages or rent and have postponed plans to retire.Source: Insured Retirement Institute, 2018 For many people, retirement income may come from a...
Read MoreDid you know that... More than six in ten American workers have no private disability income protection,¹ 30 percent of U.S. households have no life insurance,² and About one in eight drivers is uninsured?³ If you ask a...
Read MoreBenjamin Franklin once said, “a penny saved is a penny earned.”¹ The modern upgrade to that observation might be that $100 not spent is more like $143.² One way to find the money to meet your spending or saving...
Read MoreFor the casual observer, it sometimes seems that variable annuities are either “terrible” or “wonderful.”Commentators in the financial media seem to occupy a polarity of opinions we might see in politics. What...
Read MoreTip: No Doubling. Investing in an annuity through a tax-advantaged retirement plan such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA will not provide additional tax advantages. Source: CNN Money, 2017 Despite not being as well known as some other...
Read MoreMaintaining good records is important to help meet your tax and legal obligations. The right record keeping system not only helps satisfy these obligations, but it may save you money and time. Here’s what to consider for your...
Read MoreFacebook, Twitter, LinkedIn—they’ve all fallen prey to hackers who exposed passwords and other personal information for hundreds of thousands of their users. If you haven’t yet had your password stolen, chances are,...
Read MoreTip: Mid May. If the government had raised taxes enough to cover federal borrowing, we would have had to work until May 6 just to cover the tax bill. Source: Tax Foundation, 2018 Taxes are one of the biggest budget items for most...
Read MoreTip: Best Seller. One of the more influential books on using fundamental analysis is Benjamin Graham’s Security Analysis. First published in 1934, it’s now in its sixth edition and has sold more than one million copies....
Read MoreVariable universal life insurance is permanent life insurance—it remains in force for the policyholder's whole life. And, as with universal life insurance, it provides a flexible premium and an adjustable benefit—meaning...
Read MoreAt first blush, the idea of a bond that doesn’t pay interest seems oxymoronic. After all, isn’t a bond a debt instrument that pays periodic interest and repays the principal at maturity?¹ Zero coupon bonds are indeed...
Read MoreTip: Contact Information. A letter of instruction might include contact information for individuals who could be helpful in the distribution of your assets, such as your lawyer or financial professional. Actor Lee Marvin once said,...
Read MoreTip: Before the Umbrella. Before becoming eligible for umbrella insurance, you may have to maximize coverage on your homeowner’s and car insurance policies, as these become deductibles to an umbrella policy. In 2017, the U.S. had...
Read MoreHigh-net-worth investors face investment challenges that some would consider unique to their financial status. The fundamental tenets of investing apply equally to them as with any other investor, but the affluent investor needs to be...
Read MoreMarriage changes everything, including insurance needs. Newly married couples should consider a comprehensive review of their current individual insurance coverage to determine if any changes are in order, as well as consider new...
Read MoreForty-six percent of Americans do not own any stocks or stock-related investments, such as mutual funds, according to a recent Gallup poll.¹ Individuals may cite different reasons for not investing, but with important long-term...
Read MoreTip: Average Benefit. In March 2018, the average monthly Social Security benefit for a retired worker was about $1,410. Source: Social Security Administration, 2018 Most children stop being “and-a-half” somewhere around age...
Read MoreTip: Don’t Put it Off. Putting off an easy thing makes it hard. Putting off a hard thing makes it impossible. -George Claude Lorimer Some of us share a common experience. You’re driving along when a police cruiser pulls up...
Read MoreThe Business Cycle Tip: Not Smooth. During both recessions and expansions, the economy can go through brief reversals in economic activity. A recession may include a short period of expansion followed by further decline; an expansion...
Read MoreEvery year, about 140 million households file their federal tax returns.¹ For many, the process involves digging through shoe boxes or manila folders full of receipts; gathering mortgage, retirement, and investment account...
Read MoreAn insurance deductible is the amount you, the insured, pay before any claim is paid by your insurance carrier. Depending upon the type of insurance, a policy may set the amount of deductible, or offer you the ability to select a...
Read MoreMost Americans know the fundamentals of good health: exercise, proper diet, sufficient sleep, regular check-ups, and no smoking or excessive alcohol. Yet, despite this knowledge, changing existing behaviors can be difficult. Look no...
Read MoreEveryone loves a winner. If an investment is successful, most people naturally want to stick with it. But is that the best approach? It may sound counter intuitive, but it may be possible to have too much of a good thing. Over time,...
Read MoreAmerican educational reformer Horace Mann called education “the great equalizer.”¹ In football, it’s been said that turnovers are the great equalizer. And anyone who’s ever watched CBS’s “The...
Read MorePerhaps Bette Davis said it best when she observed, “Old age is no place for sissies.”¹ The challenges seniors have met throughout their lives have made them wiser and stronger, preparing them for the unique challenges...
Read MoreDo you have a will? A will enables you to specify who you want to inherit your property and other assets. A will also enables you to name a guardian for your minor children. Do you have healthcare documents in place? Healthcare...
Read MoreAccording to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average person covered by Medicare has out-of-pocket medical expenses in excess of $5,500 a year. Premium costs accounted for 28% of the total, while long-term facility costs, medical...
Read MoreIn her will, American businesswoman Leona Helmsley left $12 million in a trust fund to her dog Trouble. Her four executors were responsible for seeing that her wishes were carried out. In the years after her death, they dealt with...
Read MoreThe baby boomers have re-defined everything they’ve touched, from music to marriage to parenting and, more lately, to what “old” means—60 is the new 50! Longer, healthier living, however, can put greater stress...
Read MoreThe federal government is an equal-opportunity tax assessor. Even the dead can’t escape taxes. The final accounting required of the deceased is not limited to an estate tax filing, but a federal income tax return must also be...
Read MoreOne of the most common questions people ask about Social Security is when they should start taking benefits. This is the $64,000 question. Making the right decision for you can have a meaningful impact on your financial income in...
Read MoreTip: How Much? Check your Social Security earnings and see an estimate of your benefits on the Web site, www.ssa.gov. Social Security’s been a fact of retirement life ever since it was established in 1935. We all think we know...
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