Welcome to our research center! We've put together a library of information on important financial topics that we believe you'll find helpful.
Simply click on one of the general financial topics below and you'll find a selection of easy-to-understand information sheets about related financial concepts and strategies. This information is updated regularly to reflect the latest facts, figures, legislation, and economic trends.
If you have a family who relies on your income, it is important to have life insurance protection.
Property and casualty insurance can help protect a variety of assets. Find out what it does and doesn’t cover.
Split-dollar life insurance is an arrangement to purchase and fund life insurance between two parties.
A business owner policy is an insurance package that assembles the basic coverages required by a business owner in one bundle.
As a business owner, a disability can create an economic hardship putting both your personal finances and business at risk.
Company-owned life insurance is one way to help protect a business from financial problems caused by the death of a key employee.
Couples who want to help protect their legacy from estate taxes could consider last-survivor life insurance.
An indexed annuity may provide some upside potential and downside protection.
If you do not participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan, you might consider a traditional IRA.
401(k) employer-sponsored retirement plans have many benefits, including that the funds accumulate tax-deferred.
Employer-sponsored retirement plans are more important than ever, but managing the assets can be confusing.
If you start saving for retirement sooner, the more money you are likely to accumulate and possibly retire sooner.
Qualified Roth IRA distributions in retirement are free of federal income tax and aren’t included in gross income.
Wills and trusts allow you to spell out how you would like your property distributed, but they also go beyond that.
The probate process can be lengthy and complex. There are strategies you can use to help avoid the probate process.
To retain the tax advantages associated with charitable giving, your gift must be made to a qualified organization.
If you haven't taken steps already, consider planning now for the distribution of the assets of your estate.
If you believe your estate will be subject to estate taxes, consider how your heirs will pay the bill.
An A-B trust can be an effective way to help reduce estate taxes and preserve family assets for heirs.
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of different gifting strategies available for planned giving.
Charitable lead trusts are designed for people who would like to benefit a charity now rather than later.
A designated income beneficiary could receive payment of a specified amount from a charitable remainder trust.
A wealth replacement trust could be used to gift appreciated assets to a charity as well as provide for heirs.
One estate planning strategy that families with closely held businesses could consider is the family limited partnership.
Sole ownership, joint tenancy, tenancy in common, and community property have special benefits for property owners.
529 plans are tax-advantaged savings plans that generally allow people of any income level to contribute.
Careful estate planning is still one of the most important ways to manage and protect your assets for your heirs.
Term life insurance differs from permanent forms of life insurance in that it offers temporary protection.
Some of the pros and cons of whole life insurance.
Consider a universal life insurance policy if you want the flexibility to change your premium or death benefit.
Variable life insurance gives you the control to allocate your account value among a variety of investment options.
Even if your state doesn’t require certain types of auto insurance, it may be wise to purchase multiple types to ensure you are covered for a variety of situations.
When it is time to make an insurance claim, it helps if you are familiar with your policies and the steps you should take to file a claim.
Several factors could undermine the financial security provided by the proceeds of your life insurance policy.
To help you choose insurance wisely, determine how much coverage and what kind of policy is best for your situation.
Since your home is one of your greatest assets, you should make sure it is adequately protected. That's where homeowners insurance enters the picture.
Knowing the basics of a disability income insurance policy is a good first step toward protecting your family.
There are three basic types of medical insurance plans: fee-for-service, managed care, and high-deductible health plan.
Consider additional liability insurance to help protect you from the potentially devastating effects of liability lawsuits.
Selecting health insurance is often one of the most important decisions you will make. Do you know the different types?
Using a financially sound insurance company is an important part of ensuring your family’s financial security.
The odds of needing long-term care increase as you age. Prior planning can help protect you from financial ruin.
Medicare is the federal health insurance program for those persons age 65 and over. But what does it cover?
A sound cash management program uses a disciplined approach: accounting, analysis, allocation, and adjustment.
It's important to understand the options, such as financial aid grant programs, when having to pay for college.
Historically, one of the best ways to fight the effects of inflation has been to utilize growth-oriented investments.
Bonds are issued by many entities and share many characteristics, each type of bond has certain benefits and risks.
A bond is simply evidence of a debt from a government entity or a corporation and represents a long-term IOU.
Bond ratings gauge a bond issuer’s financial ability to repay its promised principal and interest payments.
Stock market indexes can be useful benchmarks for gauging the performance of an investment portfolio over time.
Understanding different types of investment risk can help investors manage their money more effectively.
There are five broad asset classes that you should take into consideration when constructing your investment portfolio.
Starting to invest early for college and remaining consistent can help investors reach their goals.
Dollar-cost averaging involves investing a set amount of money on a regular basis, regardless of market conditions.
There can be a substantial benefit to deferring taxes as long as possible.
While stable, CDs can create an income tax bill. Fixed annuities and municipal bonds can offer tax advantages.
It's important to understand tax-exempt vehicles when establishing a comprehensive tax planning strategy.
There are a variety of retirement planning options that could help meet your needs. Here are some of the most popular.
Greater demand is being placed on the Social Security system as the baby boom generation has begun to retire.
The Social Security Administration’s retirement estimator gives estimates of your future benefits based on your actual Social Security earnings record.
Tax-deferred retirement plans for self-employed individuals have higher contribution limits than IRAs.