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There are five broad asset classes that you should take into consideration when constructing your investment portfolio.

Historically, one of the best ways to fight the effects of inflation has been to utilize growth-oriented investments.

It’s important to understand mutual fund loads, or sales charges, and exactly what they entail so you can make informed investing decisions.

There can be a substantial benefit to deferring taxes as long as possible.

An annuity is a flexible financial vehicle that can help protect against the risk of living a long time because it provides an option for a lifetime income.

The labels growth and value reflect different approaches that can be used when making investment decisions.

Asset allocation is a method used to help manage investment risk; it does not guarantee a profit or protect against investment loss.

If you start saving for retirement sooner, the more money you are likely to accumulate and possibly retire sooner.

If you haven't taken steps already, consider planning now for the distribution of the assets of your estate.

An A-B trust can be an effective way to help reduce estate taxes and preserve family assets for heirs.

For the grantor, there are a few potential tax benefits that can come with setting up a charitable trust.

Understanding different types of investment risk can help investors manage their money more effectively.

There are techniques that can enable older homeowners to use their property to finance their lifestyle.

Stock market indexes can be useful benchmarks for gauging the performance of an investment portfolio over time.

There are a number of savings alternatives that could help you earn a reasonable rate of return.

A bond is simply evidence of a debt from a government entity or a corporation and represents a long-term IOU.

Allocating too much of your retirement investments to one company, even your own, can be a risky proposition.

A split-annuity strategy can generate immediate income while potentially stretching some retirement savings.

Mutual fund taxes can be cumbersome, but there are ways to help mitigate the amount of taxes you may owe.

A sound cash management program uses a disciplined approach: accounting, analysis, allocation, and adjustment.

A 403(b) plan is a tax-deferred retirement savings plan that can only be offered by a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity.

Before making investment decisions, it is helpful to determine the real rate of return on the investment.

Starting to invest early for college and remaining consistent can help investors reach their goals.

With closed-end funds, investors pool their money together to purchase a professionally managed portfolio of stocks and/or bonds.

Employer-sponsored retirement plans are more important than ever, but managing the assets can be confusing.

Living benefits can help protect variable annuity owners from running out of money in retirement.

Both fixed and variable annuities could be appropriate options for an individual interested in purchasing an annuity.

IRAs and employer-sponsored retirement plans are subject to annual contribution limits set by the federal government.

A living trust can help control the distribution of your estate upon death.

If you leave a job or retire, you should consider your options regarding your employer retirement plan assets.

A money purchase plan is a retirement plan where employer contributions are based on a fixed percentage of compensation.

Many realize it’s important to save for retirement, but knowing exactly how much to save is another issue altogether.

Short-term cash management instruments can help you establish a sound cash management program.

The Social Security Administration’s retirement estimator gives estimates of your future benefits based on your actual Social Security earnings record.

Here are some smart ways to refinance your home.

An important element to successful investing is to manage investment risk while maintaining the potential for growth.

If you do not participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan, you might consider a traditional IRA.

Consider a trustee-to-trustee transfer to an IRA versus a lump-sum distribution from a workplace retirement plan.

It's important to understand the strengths and weaknesses of common stock versus preferred stock.

When receiving money accumulated in your employer-sponsored retirement plan, you have two options: lump sum or annuity.

Biweekly mortgage payments can have a dramatic effect on the amount of interest homeowners have to pay.

Profit-sharing plans give employees a share in the profits of a company and can help to fund their retirements.

With the changing pension landscape, it is important to take charge of your own retirement security.

529 plans are tax-advantaged savings plans that generally allow people of any income level to contribute.

There are numerous investment alternatives available to help provide liquidity.

There are key dates after you turn 59½ that can impact your taxes, Medicare eligibility, and retirement benefits.

It's important to understand the options, such as financial aid grant programs, when having to pay for college.

With traditional IRAs and most employer-sponsored retirement plans, taxes are not payable until funds are withdrawn.

Capital gains are profits realized from the sale of assets; a tax is triggered only when an asset is sold, not held.

401(k) employer-sponsored retirement plans have many benefits, including that the funds accumulate tax-deferred.

The SIMPLE plan may appeal to small business owners as it is easy to set up, administer, and allows for a tax deduction.

Required minimum distribution is the annual amount that must be withdrawn from a qualified retirement plan/account.

A Section 1035 exchange is a tax-free exchange of an existing annuity contract or life insurance policy for a new one.

Before investing in stocks, it is important to understand some of the basics and the risks involved in owning stocks.

To retain the tax advantages associated with charitable giving, your gift must be made to a qualified organization.

Dollar-cost averaging involves investing a set amount of money on a regular basis, regardless of market conditions.

A mutual fund is a collection of stocks, bonds, and other securities with certain benefits and risks.

A designated income beneficiary could receive payment of a specified amount from a charitable remainder trust.

Tax-deferred retirement plans for self-employed individuals have higher contribution limits than IRAs.

Careful estate planning is still one of the most important ways to manage and protect your assets for your heirs.

The federal gift tax applies to gifts of property or money while the donor is living.

There are a variety of retirement planning options that could help meet your needs. Here are some of the most popular.

An indexed annuity may provide some upside potential and downside protection.

Qualified Roth IRA distributions in retirement are free of federal income tax and aren’t included in gross income.

Annuities, an insurance-based financial vehicle, can provide many benefits that retirement investors might want.

Shifting some debt to a home equity loan, which typically allows interest payments to be tax deductible, could have its advantages.

It is important to understand how dividends (taxable payments to shareholders) fit with your long-term goals.

The difference between purchasing an individual stock versus shares in a mutual fund to potentially earn dividends.

Greater demand is being placed on the Social Security system as the baby boom generation has begun to retire.

Zero-coupon bonds represent a type of bond that does not pay interest during the life of the bond.

A Roth 401(k) is funded with after-tax money, and allows for tax- and penalty-free withdrawal of earnings if requirements are met.

A SEP IRA is a type of plan under which the employer contributes (up to a certain limit) to an employee’s IRA.

ETFs have unique attributes and attempt to track all types of indexes, industries, or commodities.

Money market funds can be a highly liquid and effective cash management tool.

There are several funding methods for a child's college education including mutual funds and Section 529 plans.

Wills and trusts allow you to spell out how you would like your property distributed, but they also go beyond that.

Bond ratings gauge a bond issuer’s financial ability to repay its promised principal and interest payments.

Sole ownership, joint tenancy, tenancy in common, and community property have special benefits for property owners.

If you believe your estate will be subject to estate taxes, consider how your heirs will pay the bill.

Compare the advantages and disadvantages of different gifting strategies available for planned giving.

There are other ways to invest in stocks and bonds besides owning individual shares or bonds.

One estate planning strategy that families with closely held businesses could consider is the family limited partnership.

Everything you own, whatever the form of ownership, is subject to federal, and possibly state, estate taxes.

Bonds are issued by many entities and share many characteristics, each type of bond has certain benefits and risks.