Retirement & Financial Planning Report

(Editor’s Note: Many of you have asked when it’s the right time for you or your spouse to elect to …More

Over a long a time frame, you want the returns you’ll get from stocks, not from bonds. Ibbotson Associates, Chicago, …More

It’s hard to believe, but it’s not uncommon for investors to overlook the maturity dates of certificates of deposit (CDs) …More

Conventional wisdom holds that you should be shifting your investment portfolio from stocks to bonds as you near or begin …More

You probably won’t change your will every time you buy a new car or sell stock. Therefore, you may want …More

If you’re in the market for a primary residence or a vacation house, do some preliminary homework: Be reasonable in …More

Don’t be discouraged by stock market weakness in recent months. The year’s far from over; there’s still plenty of time …More

“Junk” bonds rated B or CCC are low-rated, even for junk bonds, but there are bonds out there yielding over …More

There are two main reasons for investing in foreign stocks: opportunity and diversification. The U.S. share of world market capitalization …More

According to a recent survey, Wyoming is the least taxing place to live, for working people and for retirees. Others …More

A long-term care insurance policy can preserve your assets if you go into a nursing home. But what happens if …More

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs; see above) don’t make capital gain distributions so they don’t create tax pain for buy-and-hold investors. With …More

Indexing has become an increasingly popular investment strategy in recent years. If you invest in an index fund you’ll get …More

If you have to sacrifice your retirement savings to fund a college education for the kids, you may be making …More

If you have assets you want to pass on to your children, free of gift and estate tax, consider a …More

It’s probably not wise to borrow from your 401(k) account. There are two big drawbacks. First, you are giving up …More

Here’s an unintended result waiting to happen to folks who otherwise have all the bases covered with a solid financial …More

For several reasons, it pays to make taxable gifts while you’re alive rather than wait until death. Post-transfer appreciation is …More

When forming or modifying your investment portfolio, you should include the stocks that have led the way throughout the 1990s: …More

Married couples must decide whether to use a joint revocable trust or to have each spouse create his or her …More

Unless you’re a CPA, you probably need an accountant — a good one. Your accountant does much more than keep …More

If you’re considering creating a custodial account in your child’s name to fund his or her college education, you’ll find …More

For current income, tax shelter, and appreciation potential few investments can match direct ownership of rental property. However, you must …More

If you need to buy long term care insurance (see item # 2) with inflation protection, expect to pay double. …More

Here are two key questions that you should ask your bank or other certificate of deposit seller: Does my interest …More

If you run a part-time business out of your home new rules may help you take a home office deduction. …More

Now that Internet-led tech stock mania has cooled off, the hunt for solid investments should focus on future earnings. The …More

It’s about that time again. Time to check your key documents to see if they’re up to date. The best …More

Homeowner’s insurance policies are becoming more conservative. Instead of paying whatever it takes to replace a destroyed home, most policies …More

If you want to diversify internationally, buy stocks directly, and avoid the hassles of trading foreign stocks, you can invest …More