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.
Wills and trusts allow you to spell out how you would like your property distributed, but they also go beyond that.
A SEP IRA is a type of plan under which the employer contributes (up to a certain limit) to an employee’s IRA.
The SIMPLE plan may appeal to small business owners as it is easy to set up, administer, and allows for a tax deduction.
If you leave a job or retire, you should consider your options regarding your employer retirement plan assets.
A Roth 401(k) is funded with after-tax money, and allows for tax- and penalty-free withdrawal of earnings if requirements are met.
Profit-sharing plans give employees a share in the profits of a company and can help to fund their retirements.
A money purchase plan is a retirement plan where employer contributions are based on a fixed percentage of compensation.
A 403(b) plan is a tax-deferred retirement savings plan that can only be offered by a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity.
Many realize it’s important to save for retirement, but knowing exactly how much to save is another issue altogether.
With the changing pension landscape, it is important to take charge of your own retirement security.
There are key dates after you turn 59½ that can impact your taxes, Medicare eligibility, and retirement benefits.
Allocating too much of your retirement investments to one company, even your own, can be a risky proposition.
If you do not participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan, you might consider a traditional IRA.
401(k) employer-sponsored retirement plans have many benefits, including that the funds accumulate tax-deferred.
If you start saving for retirement sooner, the more money you are likely to accumulate and possibly retire sooner.
Qualified Roth IRA distributions in retirement are free of federal income tax and aren’t included in gross income.
Capital gains are profits realized from the sale of assets; a tax is triggered only when an asset is sold, not held.
Everything you own, whatever the form of ownership, is subject to federal, and possibly state, estate taxes.
The federal gift tax applies to gifts of property or money while the donor is living.
IRAs and employer-sponsored retirement plans are subject to annual contribution limits set by the federal government.
Required minimum distribution is the annual amount that must be withdrawn from a qualified retirement plan/account.
With traditional IRAs and most employer-sponsored retirement plans, taxes are not payable until funds are withdrawn.
Tax-deferred retirement account withdrawals before age 59½ generally triggers a 10% federal income tax penalty.
There can be a substantial benefit to deferring taxes as long as possible.
Changes to the tax code have left a few key deductions for itemizers, like medical, dental and some business expenses.
Consider a trustee-to-trustee transfer to an IRA versus a lump-sum distribution from a workplace retirement plan.
Want to keep more of your mutual fund profits? You may be interested in strategies to help lower your tax liability.
It is important to understand how dividends (taxable payments to shareholders) fit with your long-term goals.
The labels growth and value reflect different approaches that can be used when making investment decisions.
Mutual fund taxes can be cumbersome, but there are ways to help mitigate the amount of taxes you may owe.
Before investing in stocks, it is important to understand some of the basics and the risks involved in owning stocks.
Zero-coupon bonds represent a type of bond that does not pay interest during the life of the bond.
An important element to successful investing is to manage investment risk while maintaining the potential for growth.
A bond is simply evidence of a debt from a government entity or a corporation and represents a long-term IOU.
Stock market indexes can be useful benchmarks for gauging the performance of an investment portfolio over time.
The difference between purchasing an individual stock versus shares in a mutual fund to potentially earn dividends.
A mutual fund is a collection of stocks, bonds, and other securities with certain benefits and risks.
With closed-end funds, investors pool their money together to purchase a professionally managed portfolio of stocks and/or bonds.
It’s important to understand mutual fund loads, or sales charges, and exactly what they entail so you can make informed investing decisions.
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.
Asset allocation is a method used to help manage investment risk; it does not guarantee a profit or protect against investment loss.
Dollar-cost averaging involves investing a set amount of money on a regular basis, regardless of market conditions.
A sound cash management program uses a disciplined approach: accounting, analysis, allocation, and adjustment.
Before making investment decisions, it is helpful to determine the real rate of return on the investment.
Money market funds can be a highly liquid and effective cash management tool.
Biweekly mortgage payments can have a dramatic effect on the amount of interest homeowners have to pay.
Here are some smart ways to refinance your home.
It's important to understand the options, such as financial aid grant programs, when having to pay for college.
Shifting some debt to a home equity loan, which typically allows interest payments to be tax deductible, could have its advantages.
If you have a family who relies on your income, it is important to have life insurance protection.
An annuity is a contract between you and an insurance company to pay you future income in exchange for premiums you pay.
Company-owned life insurance is one way to help protect a business from financial problems caused by the death of a key employee.
Split-dollar life insurance is an arrangement to purchase and fund life insurance between two parties.
Couples who want to help protect their legacy from estate taxes could consider last-survivor life insurance.
To help you choose insurance wisely, determine how much coverage and what kind of policy is best for your situation.
Medicare is the federal health insurance program for those persons age 65 and over. But what does it cover?
