Retirement & Financial Planning Report

For elderly homeowners, a reverse mortgage might increase the money available for retirement spending. With a reverse mortgage, you get …More

Rebalancing your portfolio can boost returns, especially when the stock market is falling. To rebalance: 1. Set a target asset …More

A complete estate plan for your IRA might call for you to name your spouse as primary beneficiary, with your …More

Many grandparents contribute to 529 college savings accounts, which offer tax-free buildup and tax-free withdrawals for college costs. Often, the …More

Many couples think that they are doing well if they live within their means. In reality, it’s vital that a …More

Under the federal financial aid formula, parent-owned accounts in a 529 savings program have very little impact on student eligibility …More

No matter how old you are, you should have an estate plan that includes these basic steps: 1. Assess your …More

When you buy or sell stocks, there are two types of orders you can place: * A market order obligates …More

If you have a second home that you rent periodically, you should try to keep your personal use to less …More

Many investors take risks in non-traditional investments, including startup businesses. They don’t realize that most startups fail, and that such …More

An inheritance may provide substantial wealth but problems can arise if you inherit illiquid, hard-to-value assets such as real estate. …More

If you are looking for sources of college funding, consider your IRA. You can take money from your IRA, without …More

For many college graduates, repaying student loans has become less expensive. Parents who borrowed money to pay college bills also …More

If your estate plan calls for making contributions to charity, some techniques for making such donations work better than others. …More

As divorces and remarriages increase, many American families include stepsons and stepdaughters along with children from second as well as …More

Many estate plans include trusts that take effect after death. With any type of trust, it’s up to the trustee …More

Does your spouse work out of your home? Do you have a home-based sideline business? If so, you might be …More

If there is still money in a tax-favored 529 account after paying the beneficiary’s college costs, what can be done …More

Married couples–especially remarried couples–might consider a qualified terminable interest property (QTIP) trust in their estate planning. Suppose, for example, Walt …More

You may not be able to keep your parents from going into a nursing home but these tactics will increase …More

You can pare your homeowner’s insurance premiums yet still buy adequate protection. * Raise the deductible. Most homeowner’s insurance policies …More

When you’re shopping for life insurance, you should choose the right type of policy. * Term life. These policies pay …More

When you sell your home, you can exclude $250,000 worth of profits from tax. Married couples filing joint returns get …More

Under a federal program, parents of college students can use PLUS loans to borrow the full cost of attendance, minus …More

Many of your assets will pass to a named beneficiary or beneficiaries. They include your IRA, life insurance, annuities, payable-on-death …More

Money you contribute to an IRA but can not deduct forms a non-deductible IRA. You still get the benefit of …More

If you’re planning on building a home, consider taking out a “construction-to-permanent” loan. These arrangements start out as construction loans …More

For retirement income, consider a laddered bond portfolio. Such a ladder would contain individual bonds that mature at specific future …More

If you’re a single taxpayer, you can exclude up to $250,000 worth of capital gains on a sale of your …More

The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 (BAPCPA) provides that traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs are protected …More