Retirement & Financial Planning Report

If you need to tap your retirement plan, withdrawing money from an IRA before age 59 1/2 may expose you …More

Life insurance may play a vital role in an estate plan because insurance proceeds can be counted on to provide …More

Variable annuities offer buyers the chance to choose among subaccounts, many of which resemble stock funds or bond funds. Your …More

If you invest in residential real estate that’s rented to tenants with moderate incomes, you can qualify for a tax …More

Several “rewards” programs direct money you spend into 529 college savings plans. Rebates typically range from 1 percent to 5 …More

For a variety of reasons, ranging from weakness in the U.S. dollar to a lack of obvious investment bargains, some …More

If you participate in a retirement plan such as the federal Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), you’ll have to decide what …More

If you hold a mutual fund from a family that has admitted to wrongdoing, there are reasons to think about …More

If you prepare your own taxes, take care when selecting a tax form. Some forms are simpler than others but …More

Many tax-deferred variable annuities come with surrender charges. That is, if you want to bail out of your investment within …More

Stocks often are judged by the company’s earnings per share. However, investors also should pay attention to the top line …More

When you sell your home, capital gains of up to $250,000 are tax-free ($500,000 if you’re married). However, many home …More

If you hold mutual funds from a family named in the recent scandals, you should not bail out before considering …More

The new 15 percent rate on capital gains may tempt you to sell appreciated real estate. However, there are fine …More

Compared with mutual funds, closed-end funds offer benefits to investors. They trade like stocks so managers don’t have to be …More

When you create a trust that may be in effect for many years, naming a corporate trustee makes sense. You …More

With many mutual fund families implicated in some sort of scandal, investors may prefer exchange-traded funds, or ETFs. They offer …More

When it comes to paying for prescription drugs, seniors have an opportunity if they

You probably receive offers from credit card companies, allowing you to transfer debt and pay little or no interest on …More

When you annuitize a variable annuity, you take the risk that you might die right away, and the payment stream …More

Many people think of a resume or application as a sales tool that they can use to help sell themselves. …More

Prepaid tuition plans are offered by 19 states. These plans offer the same tax-free accumulation and distributions as 529 college …More

If you’re going to start a sideline business, set it up as a limited liability company (LLC). This business structure …More

The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 not only creates the first prescription drug benefit in the …More

High home values and low rates are increasing the amount homeowners can borrow through reverse mortgages. Such mortgages allow homeowners …More

So-called “living benefits” can pay off for variable annuity purchasers during their lifetime, in contrast to the guaranteed death benefits …More

If you have a student in college or bound for college this fall, be sure to send in your Free …More

If you decide not to invest with a mutual fund family named in the recent scandals, finding substitutes won’t be …More

Even if you don’t qualify to deduct an IRA contribution, the tax law allows nondeductible contributions. Earnings inside such IRAs …More

When you get ready to meet with your tax advisor, have your receipts organized by category, along with any other …More