Retirement & Financial Planning Report

A savvy estate planning move may be to put your home (or a second home) into a qualified personal residence …More

Instead of giving away assets you might need some day, you can make loans to your children. This tactic allows …More

If you’re planning to move in retirement, take lifestyle changes as well as lower costs into consideration. Someone who has …More

A full-service retirement community may be ideal for your olden years. Ideally, you’ll be surrounded by like-minded contemporaries, free to …More

In 2005, assets held in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) rose nearly 30 percent, to almost $300 billion. More than 50 new …More

In many estate plans, the first spouse to die (usually the husband) leaves his assets to the surviving spouse (usually …More

When you’re shopping for a home, a real estate agent who represents the seller may not have your best interests …More

If you invest in real estate that’s rented to low-income tenants, you can qualify for tax credits. Tax credits reduce …More

Not all long-term care (LTC) insurance policies cover assisted living facilities. You should review your policy, especially if it’s a …More

With a fixed annuity, you are guaranteed a certain yield for a certain period of time, after which the yield …More

The “kiddie tax” rules will be a bit more lenient in 2006. Children under age 14 can have as much …More

Where can investors expect to make money in the bond market during 2006? Mortgage-backed securities, such as GNMA (“Ginnie Mae”) …More

Within the U.S. stock market, small-companies and value stocks have led the way for several years but a change of …More

All five Thrift Savings Plan funds yielded positive returns in 2005, with the international stock (I) fund leading the way …More

If you’re concerned about a future estate tax obligation, you can make tax-free gifts each year. In 2005, you can …More

Year-end tax planning for married couples should take into account recent tax law, which has raised the standard deduction to …More

Savvy year-end tax planning should include your itemized deductions. Medical expenses are deductible only to the extent they exceed 7.5 …More

Your year-end tax planning may include charitable contributions. Donating appreciated securities offers greater tax benefits than writing checks. That’s because …More

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) can play a role in tax-loss harvesting strategies. When you take a loss on a security, the …More

The tax code allows you to deduct up to $3,000 worth of net capital losses on your tax return while …More

As 2005 draws to a close, it’s time to look at your portfolio and your trading results so far in …More

Over the past five years, 75 percent of all actively-managed funds lagged the S&P SmallCap 600 Index. Among small-cap growth …More

Over the past five years, 75 percent of all actively-managed funds lagged the S&P SmallCap 600 Index. Among small-cap growth …More

Municipal bond interest generally is exempt from federal income tax but you may be subject to state and local income …More

Tax benefits can make permanent life insurance (universal, variable, or whole life policies) attractive. Those tax benefits include: Tax-advantaged death …More

According to an academic study, since 1959 commodities futures have returned virtually the same as stocks. Depending on how returns …More

If you anticipate a long-term need for life insurance, permanent life rather than term coverage may be your best choice. …More

Do you have multiple beneficiaries for your IRA? If so, you’re probably better off establishing separate accounts. Suppose you have …More

IRAs, Roth IRAs, and SEP-IRAs are non-ERISA plans, so they don’t enjoy creditor protection under federal law. What kind of …More

As of recently, the yield on 10-year Treasury bonds was 4.56 percent. The interest paid by Treasuries is subject to …More