Retirement & Financial Planning Report

In 2005, domestic stock funds gained less than 6.75 percent, on average, according to Morningstar, Inc. That’s far below the …More

You might want to work with one mutual fund family, if that family offers excellent funds in each asset class …More

A competent real estate agent can help you look at more homes that meet your specific needs. However, you need …More

Before you rush to invest in stocks or bonds, build a firm foundation. Budgeting should be a priority. Track your …More

If you want to contribute to a 529 college savings plan for a newborn child or grandchild, most investment professionals …More

One life insurance policy generally can be exchanged for another, tax-free. However, changing the beneficiary can lead to a costly …More

Having an IRA is good but having a Roth IRA might be even better. You can convert all or part …More

A capital improvement to your home may be partially tax-deductible, if it is made to alleviate a specific health condition. …More

If you or your spouse qualifies as a real estate professional, the so-called passive loss rules don’t apply. Then you …More

Cash value life insurance policies (called whole life, universal life, or variable life insurance) promise tax-free investment accumulation. When enough …More

Losses from investment property that you rent to tenants generally are “passive losses,” which might not be fully deductible. However, …More

What kind of life insurance should you buy? There is no “right” answer but if you know the different kinds, …More

According to Morningstar, over 86 percent of the variable annuities sold in the third quarter of 2005 had at least …More

Don’t create a trust when it’s not necessary. Trusts can help avoid probate and smooth the transition in case you …More

Can you deduct the costs of getting an MBA degree? Perhaps, even though the tax code says that education outlays …More

When you buy life insurance, there are some traps you must avoid. For example, the insured individual should not name …More

http://apps.opm.gov/conference/index.cfm FEDweek’s Retirement Planning Training Education Partner, Personal Benefit Services–will be a special exhibitor at booth #107. With the advent …More

Federal law now requires each of the major consumer reporting agencies (Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian) to provide you with a …More

Beating the stock market is easier said than done. For the 78-year period, 1927 through 2004, the S&P 500 Index …More

Morningstar has just named Chris Davis and Ken Feinberg as “domestic stock fund managers of the year” for 2005. Together …More

If you have a tax-deferred retirement account (such as an IRA) as well as investments in a taxable portfolio, which …More

In 2005, foreign stocks handily outpaced U.S. stocks. Here are the total returns of various asset classes, according to Dimensional …More

On your 2005 tax return, you can deduct either (1) the state and local sales tax you paid last year …More

As you prepare your 2005 tax return, gather the results of securities transactions from last year. Keep in mind: Net …More

You’ll probably spend some time in the next couple of months thinking about taxes. You need to be careful, though. …More

As the time nears to file 2005 tax returns, some taxpayers go into a meeting with their tax preparer with …More

If you decide to invest in collectibles, keep these points in mind: Focus on what you enjoy and do some …More

If you are the beneficiary of an IRA, be careful. The re-titling of an inherited IRA is a critical process …More

Home buyers can seek financing from either of two sources: Mortgage brokers. These firms will go to many different potential …More

If children under age 14 have more than $1,700 in unearned income in 2006, the excess will be taxed at …More