Retirement & Financial Planning Report

Online, you can shop around to get an idea of what’s available from various mortgage lenders. There are some “mortgage …More

You have until April 15, 2003, to make contributions to a child’s Coverdell education savings account (ESA) for 2002. The …More

If you turned 70-1/2 in 2002, you must begin to take required minimum distributions from IRAs and other tax-deferred retirement …More

Your marital status for tax purposes is the last day of the year. Thus, if you’re planning a winter wedding, …More

If you’re self-employed or run a small business (including a sideline business), last-minute equipment purchases probably will be deductible. Section …More

Regardless of the type of mortgage you seek or the amount of down payment you can make, here’s how to …More

If you want to hold some of your portfolio in real estate you might decide to own investment property directly. …More

With bank CDs and money market funds offering skimpy yields, you might want to turn to bonds instead. The average …More

Do you own a substantially-appreciated home or second home? If you hold onto it, it will be in your taxable …More

The U.S. Treasury Department has just announced that as many as 78 million Americans will be able to file their …More

If you don’t need current income, consider a tax-deferred fixed annuity as an alternative to municipal bonds. TIAA-CREF, for example, …More

Many 529 college savings plans, offered by various states, offer funds from sponsors such as Vanguard. The same funds may …More

Historically, term life insurance was coverage that people renewed each year, paying a higher premium with increasing age. Recently, longer-term …More

Instead of converting your entire IRA to a Roth IRA, you can pick and choose which securities to convert, selecting …More

International stocks, especially those in Europe, may be better valued than U.S. stocks and likely to outperform in the future. …More

When you buy a house you should make a down payment of at least 20 percent. If you make a …More

When you’re traveling away from home on business, all meals qualify as business meals, so they’re 50 percent deductible. That’s …More

Why do you need life insurance? Often, for one of these two reasons: Income replacement. If your untimely death will …More

A revocable “living” trust can ease the transition for those you leave behind. Not only does it eliminate the time …More

If you sell a stock at a loss and buy it back within 30 days, you can’t take the tax …More

Before you convert an IRA to a Roth IRA, you can separate the account into various categories: value stocks, growth …More

If you’re interested in reducing your taxable estate, consider using a qualified personal residence trust (QPRT). You can transfer your …More

The tax exclusion for Section 529 college savings plan withdrawals is scheduled to expire at the end of the year …More

You should consider including life insurance in your estate plan. A savvy advisor can help you answer these questions: How …More

Adding foreign stocks to a domestic portfolio can reduce overall volatility. According to Barclays Global Investors, San Francisco, the optimal …More

As 2002 draws to a close, there are reasons for implementing a Roth IRA conversion before year-end. At this point, …More

If you’re starting a sideline business, you need adequate capital. Broadly speaking, business entities are financed in two ways: Equity. …More

We’ve posted 2003 premiums for the Federal Employees Health Benefits program in our Hot Free Info section of our website: …More

Tax-deferred exchanges can be better than property sales. When you sell investment property, you’ll owe tax not only on any …More

If you have development rights to give away, you may be able to donate a conservation easement to a local …More