Retirement & Financial Planning Report

Did you overlook a legitimate deduction or credit and thus overpaid income tax on a return filed previously? If so, …More

In recent years, many homes were bought with nothing-down or little-down mortgages. Since then, home values have dropped in some …More

When you buy a long-term care (LTC) insurance policy, read the fine print carefully to see how the "waiting period" …More

To protect yourself against inflation, keep 10-15 percent of your portfolio in "hard assets," which tend to do well when …More

You may have an attorney and an accountant and possibly a financial planner. If so, you might be getting good …More

To get tax benefits from a conservation easement, you donate property development rights to an appropriate charity, usually a local …More

Making charitable donations with appreciated securities is a solid strategy. If you have owned the stocks or fund shares more …More

Two types of debt will give you mortgage interest deductions. * Home acquisition debt: Such loans are taken to buy, …More

The peak of the 1990s bull market occurred in the first quarter of 2000, when the Dow Jones Industrial Average …More

If you own and occupy your home for at least two years (730 days) of the previous five years, you …More

If you have a life insurance policy you no longer need or want, one option is to surrender it to …More

A Roth IRA may be useful as a backup source for college funding. Generally, after a Roth IRA has been …More

If you own rental property, you may be able to pocket tax-free cash. Suppose you buy a rental property for …More

There are a dozen real estate investment trusts (REITs) that specialize in health care properties such as independent living and …More

If you own and occupy your home for at least two years (730 days) of the previous five years, you …More

If you have a life insurance policy you no longer need or want, one option is to surrender it to …More

A Roth IRA may be useful as a backup source for college funding. Generally, after a Roth IRA has been …More

If you own rental property, you may be able to pocket tax-free cash. Suppose you buy a rental property for …More

There are a dozen real estate investment trusts (REITs) that specialize in health care properties such as independent living and …More

When you purchase an immediate annuity (also known as a payout annuity or an income annuity), you buy yourself a …More

When you get a margin loan from your broker, you’re gaining access to a low-interest line of credit secured by …More

A change in federal law encourages donations of conservation easements to local nonprofit groups. With such easements, you agree to …More

The Pension Protection Act of 2006 included a provision that can pay off if you inherit an account in an …More

Among the largest tax breaks in the Internal Revenue Code is the $250,000 exclusion on sale of a principal residence. …More

Ibbotson, a division of Morningstar, reports that consumer prices rose an estimated 2.03 percent in 2006, which is lower than …More

Should you select a 529 college savings plan on your own or should you use a financial professional? There are …More

Miscellaneous itemized deductions are deductible to the extent they exceed 2 percent of your adjusted gross income (AGI). Some people …More

Many retirees will have a taxable investment portfolio as well as money in a tax-deferred account such as an IRA. …More

Every November and December, investors are advised to take losses on securities such as stocks and stock funds. However, this …More

Before you name a disabled individual as beneficiary of your IRA, proceed with care. If the intended beneficiary participates in …More