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Life Insurance: How Much Is Enough?

You may already be aware of the importance of having enough life insurance coverage to handle financial matters that could affect your family in the event of your death. However, determining the appropriate amount of coverage for your...

3 Golf Tips to Keep Your Retirement Plan on Course

In golf, as in finances, there are a few rules of thumb that may improve your game: keep a level head, avoid traps, practice before trying something new and stay the course. Applying lessons from the golf course to your financial life...

The Principles of Financial Literacy

Financial literacy refers to the skills and knowledge that allow an individual to make informed and effective decisions through their understanding of finances. Financial literacy starts by building a basic understanding of 'money...

7 Retirement Considerations

When helping people get ready for retirement, financial professionals find the same issues come up over and over. Thinking ahead can spell the difference between a retirement with enough money and a stressful one with difficult...

Understanding Social Security Strategies

As you age, the question of when to collect Social Security (SS) retirement benefits will likely come to mind. There is no one size fits all age; your unique circumstances and goals will dictate the appropriate time for you to take...

What role does Social Security play in your retirement income strategy?

If you've ever wondered why so many lottery winners (an estimated 70 percent) seem to blow through all their winnings so quickly, the answer often lies in two key traits: overconfidence and trusting the wrong people.1 The same holds...

3 Moments in Life Where You Should Consider Consulting a Financial Professional

If you've ever wondered why so many lottery winners (an estimated 70 percent) seem to blow through all their winnings so quickly, the answer often lies in two key traits: overconfidence and trusting the wrong people.1 The same holds...

5 Last Minute Considerations Before Tax Day

With April’s federal tax filing and payment deadline on the horizon, Americans are dotting their i’s and crossing their t’s as they prepare for the countdown to Tax Day. But before you rush to get that return out the...

Saving for Your Retirement

Major considerationsHow much will you need in retirement?When do you plan to retire? What kind of lifestyle do you desire? How much do you have right now that you can count on for your retirement? What about Social Security; do you...

Wealth Due to Inheritance

What is it?IntroductionIf you're the beneficiary of a large inheritance, you may find yourself suddenly wealthy. Even if you expected the inheritance, you may be surprised by the size of the bequest or the diverse assets you've...

Tax Planning for Business Owners

What is business tax planning?When starting a business, you must consider a number of tax-related issues. Although business tax planning is a complicated area, it is essential to understand three major topics: tax consequences when the...

Retirement Investors Get Another Boost from Washington

Amid the 1,650-page, $1.7 trillion omnibus spending legislation passed by Congress last week and expected to be signed by President Biden were several provisions affecting work-sponsored retirement plans and, to a lesser degree, IRAs....

Trusts

What is a trust?A trust is a legal entity that is created when you transfer property to a trustee for the benefit of a third person. The trustee manages the property for the beneficiary in accordance with the terms and the instructions...

A Look at Tax Planning for Retirement

After years of saving and planning for their golden years, many people nearing retirement fail to consider the tax burden they may face on income they receive after they stop working. While you will likely see a reduction in the amount...

Tax Prep Checklist: Everything You Need to Be Ready for Tax Season

Regardless of whether you prepare your taxes yourself or use a professional's services, it's a good idea to gather the information and documentation you need well in advance of your actual tax filing date. Below, we've listed some key...

Your Financial Fresh Start: 12 Resolutions in 12 Months

Change may be difficult, especially when you try to change your financial habits. The process might be easier if you take an incremental approach. Do you want to get on top of your finances this year? Are you looking for ways to...

New Year, New Goals: Your Countdown to Financial Health

For many people, a new year provides a new start—and nothing says "new start" like a fresh new set of financial goals. But setting these goals is easier said than done. What steps should you take to get the most bang for your...

Make a Positive Impact This Giving Tuesday With Impact Investing

While Black Friday and Cyber Monday center on consumer deals, Giving Tuesday—the Tuesday after Thanksgiving—has a different focus. Each year, individuals and corporations are encouraged to use the day to support charities...

Year-End Tax Planning Basics

The window of opportunity for many tax-saving moves closes on December 31, so it's important to evaluate your tax situation now, while there's still time to affect your bottom line for the 2022 tax year.Timing is everythingConsider any...

The 12 Days of Year-End Planning: Things to Consider Going into “The New Year"

At the end of the year, it is necessary to reflect on your financial picture, review the last 12 months, and plan for the future. With all that is involved, it can seem overwhelming. Consider breaking up the responsibilities over...

Taking Charitable Giving to Another Level

Did you know that you can gift a new or existing life insurance policy to your favorite charity? When properly designed, a charitable life insurance program may improve your overall financial situation and offer tax benefits, all while...

Being Thankful for Financial Wellness

‘Tis the season to give thanks for the many blessings that you have received throughout the year and blessings that help you as you move into the future. One thing to be truly thankful for is financial wellness. When you are...

3 Tips to Manage Year-End Tax Liability

With the end of the tax year fast approaching, you may want to find ways to minimize your tax liability. Implementing one or more of the simple strategies discussed below may allow you to hold on to more of your earnings, potentially...

Tax Planning and Financial Planning Go Hand in Hand

With tax season coming to an end, it’s the ideal time to use this year's tax return to help update your financial plan. If you’re in the group of one in four Americans who do not already have a financial plan, it may be...

5 Helpful Halloween Tricks to Navigating a Scary Stock Market

Investing can be a roller coaster—and, when the market starts dropping, it may even feel more like a haunted house. With recession fears mounting, what can investors do to stay the course and escape unscathed? Here we discuss...

Ten Things You Must Know About Medicare

Heading into your retirement years brings a slew of new topics to grapple with, and one of the most maddening may be Medicare. Figuring out when to enroll, what to enroll in and what coverage will be best for you can be daunting. To...

Inflation Reduction Act: What You Should Know

The Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law on August 16, 2022, includes health-care and energy-related provisions, a new corporate alternative minimum tax, and an excise tax on certain corporate stock buybacks. Additional funding is...

8 Things Financial Planning Can Help You Address

Financial planning is unique for each person; no two financial plans look the same because everyone's life and personal goals are different. Regardless of what your goals are, financial planning can help you work towards achieving them...

Balancing Work and Family

Balancing work and family is a highly personal endeavor, and there is no magic formula. It takes planning and resolve, and you'll need to make choices along the way that align with what's important to you.At one time, the typical...

Making Decisions About Medicare

This is a general overview of Medicare coverage. For more information, visit medicare.gov.You can also get free, personalized help from a trained counselor by contacting your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). Your...

Six Potential 401k Rollover Pitfalls

You're about to receive a distribution from your 401(k) plan, and you're considering a rollover to a traditional IRA. While these transactions are normally straightforward and trouble-free, there are some pitfalls you'll want to avoid...

Is the U.S. Economy in a Recession

In an early July poll, 58% of Americans said they thought the U.S. economy was in a recession, up from 53% in June and 48% in May.1 Yet many economic indicators, notably employment, remain strong. The current situation is unusual, and...

Five Lessons To Remember During Bear Markets

The Stock Market has been trying to teach these lessons forever….The real value of a bear market may be that it gives investors, who are temporarily frozen within its grip, the opportunity to learn or relearn important lessons...

What Parents Should Know About Using IRAs for College Savings

When you ponder saving for college, you may think your options are limited to a 529 college savings account or a regular brokerage account. However, many parents are using individual retirement accounts (IRAs) or Roth IRAs to help pay...

Financial Planning Challenges and Strategies for the Sandwich Generation

Almost half of all adults are part of the "sandwich generation." These are adults in their 40s and 50s who are helping support or care for a parent while also supporting or caring for a child.1 Being caught between two generations of...

Staying on Track with Your Retirement Investments

All investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal, and there can be no assurance that any investment strategy will be successful. And asset allocation and diversification alone cannot guarantee a profit or eliminate...

Caring for Your Aging Parents

What is it?Caring for your aging parents is something you hope you can handle when the time comes, but something you probably hope you never have to do. Caring for your aging parents means helping them plan for the future, and this can...

Wellness in Retirement: The Benefits of Social Wellness for Retirees

Social isolation makes people more susceptible to illness and death.1 While retirement is a time for relaxation and enjoyment from a lifetime of work, it may lead to a lack of purpose if you have depended on work for...

3 Tips for Staying Calm While Navigating a Volatile Market

When market volatility takes investors on a wild ride, fear and panic are common responses to this stock market roller coaster. Acknowledging these emotions may be a good first step, but acting upon them could result in impulsive,...

Financial Freedom vs. Financial Independence: Key Differences and How to Work Towards Both

Working towards financial independence can often be a lifelong process. But for many, financial freedom may come far sooner—and include some fun along the way. What are the differences between financial independence and financial...

Will Rising Mortgage Rates Slow Down Housing?

The housing market has been frustrating for buyers and a boon for sellers, but there are signs that those frustrations might be easing – depending on where you live. Would-be buyers have struggled with historically low...

10 Easy Financial Planning Steps for Beginners

If you've never engaged in financial planning and are unsure how to get started, this article is for you. A financial plan starts by evaluating your current financial situation and future expectations and can be created independently...

How Fuel Costs Could Impact Summer Travel Plans

If you are planning a trip this summer that involves flying, not driving, you may incorrectly assume it is possible to avoid the effects of rising fuel prices. Unfortunately for flying travelers, airlines also face the pressure of...

High Inflation - How Long Will It Last

In March 2022, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), the most common measure of inflation, rose at an annual rate of 8.5%, the highest level since December 1981.1 It's not surprising that a Gallup poll at the end of...

What Federal Government Employees Should Know About Retirement

Understanding Life Insurance Beneficiary Arrangements

Managing Bond Risks When Interest Rates Rise

Navigating Market Volatility–or Not

How to Manage Savings For Retirement

3 Moments in Life Where You Should Consider Consulting a Financial Professional

10 Ways to Use Your Tax Refund

How To Measure Your Portfolio in Uncertain Times

Spring Clean Your Investment

Teaching Your Teen about Money

Here's How to Get a Faster Refund This Tax Season

Credit Education Month 4 Ways to Boost Your Credit IQ

An Engineer's Guide to Financial Planning

Financial Planning for Contractors and Construction Workers