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Historically, one of the best ways to fight the effects of inflation has been to utilize growth-oriented investments.

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.

There are numerous investment alternatives available to help provide liquidity.

The probate process can be lengthy and complex. There are strategies you can use to help avoid the probate process.

An A-B trust can be an effective way to help reduce estate taxes and preserve family assets for heirs.

A living trust can help control the distribution of your estate upon death.

A designated income beneficiary could receive payment of a specified amount from a charitable remainder trust.

Careful estate planning is still one of the most important ways to manage and protect your assets for your heirs.

Charitable lead trusts are designed for people who would like to benefit a charity now rather than later.

A wealth replacement trust could be used to gift appreciated assets to a charity as well as provide for heirs.

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.

The labels growth and value reflect different approaches that can be used when making investment decisions.

Understanding different types of investment risk can help investors manage their money more effectively.

Stock market indexes can be useful benchmarks for gauging the performance of an investment portfolio over time.

A bond is simply evidence of a debt from a government entity or a corporation and represents a long-term IOU.

Mutual fund taxes can be cumbersome, but there are ways to help mitigate the amount of taxes you may owe.

Both fixed and variable annuities could be appropriate options for an individual interested in purchasing an annuity.

An important element to successful investing is to manage investment risk while maintaining the potential for growth.

Before investing in stocks, it is important to understand some of the basics and the risks involved in owning stocks.

Dollar-cost averaging involves investing a set amount of money on a regular basis, regardless of market conditions.

A mutual fund is a collection of stocks, bonds, and other securities with certain benefits and risks.

It is important to understand how dividends (taxable payments to shareholders) fit with your long-term goals.

The difference between purchasing an individual stock versus shares in a mutual fund to potentially earn dividends.

Zero-coupon bonds represent a type of bond that does not pay interest during the life of the bond.

ETFs have unique attributes and attempt to track all types of indexes, industries, or commodities.

There are other ways to invest in stocks and bonds besides owning individual shares or bonds.

Bonds are issued by many entities and share many characteristics, each type of bond has certain benefits and risks.

Allocating too much of your retirement investments to one company, even your own, can be a risky proposition.

Living benefits can help protect variable annuity owners from running out of money in retirement.

If you leave a job or retire, you should consider your options regarding your employer retirement plan assets.

Many realize it’s important to save for retirement, but knowing exactly how much to save is another issue altogether.

The Social Security Administration’s retirement estimator gives estimates of your future benefits based on your actual Social Security earnings record.

If you do not participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan, you might consider a traditional IRA.

When receiving money accumulated in your employer-sponsored retirement plan, you have two options: lump sum or annuity.

Profit-sharing plans give employees a share in the profits of a company and can help to fund their retirements.

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.

401(k) employer-sponsored retirement plans have many benefits, including that the funds accumulate tax-deferred.

A Section 1035 exchange is a tax-free exchange of an existing annuity contract or life insurance policy for a new one.

Tax-deferred retirement plans for self-employed individuals have higher contribution limits than IRAs.

Company-owned life insurance is one way to help protect a business from financial problems caused by the death of a key employee.

Some of the pros and cons of whole life insurance.

Term life insurance differs from permanent forms of life insurance in that it offers temporary protection.

Couples who want to help protect their legacy from estate taxes could consider last-survivor life insurance.

Consider a universal life insurance policy if you want the flexibility to change your premium or death benefit.

Variable life insurance gives you the control to allocate your account value among a variety of investment options.

Several factors could undermine the financial security provided by the proceeds of your life insurance policy.

To help you choose insurance wisely, determine how much coverage and what kind of policy is best for your situation.

While stable, CDs can create an income tax bill. Fixed annuities and municipal bonds can offer tax advantages.

For the grantor, there are a few potential tax benefits that can come with setting up a charitable trust.

IRAs and employer-sponsored retirement plans are subject to annual contribution limits set by the federal government.

A 1035 exchange allows you to exchange your life insurance policy for one from another company without tax liability.

Consider a trustee-to-trustee transfer to an IRA versus a lump-sum distribution from a workplace retirement plan.

With traditional IRAs and most employer-sponsored retirement plans, taxes are not payable until funds are withdrawn.

Many traditional tax-advantaged investment strategies have gone away, but there are still some alternatives.

Required minimum distribution is the annual amount that must be withdrawn from a qualified retirement plan/account.

The federal gift tax applies to gifts of property or money while the donor is living.

Everything you own, whatever the form of ownership, is subject to federal, and possibly state, estate taxes.