What Are the Pitfalls of Probate?
Have you ever wondered what will happen to your estate after you die? How long will it take for your loved ones to receive the estate you’ve left them? Will each receive what you’d like them to have? If you’re like most people, your estate will go through a lengthy probate process. Probate consists of […]
Read MoreWhat Tax Deductions Are Still Available to Me?
Tax reform measures are enacted frequently by Congress, which makes it hard for U.S. taxpayers to know which deductions are currently available to help lower their tax liability. In fact, a former head of the IRS once said that millions of taxpayers overpay their taxes every year because they overlook one of the many key […]
Read MoreWhat Cash Management Tools Are Available?
There are a number of short-term cash management instruments available to the individual establishing a sound cash management program. These alternatives include money market mutual funds, Treasury bills, and certificates of deposit. Money market mutual funds simply pool investors’ dollars and purchase large denomination money market instruments. Individuals invest in the mutual fund for as […]
Read MoreSocial Security Income
Estimating your future Social Security benefits used to be a difficult task, but not any longer. For an estimate of your projected benefits, go to www.ssa.gov/estimator. The retirement estimator gives estimates based on your actual Social Security earnings record. The website form will ask you for a number of facts, including your name, Social Security […]
Read MoreWhat Is a Bond?
When you invest in bonds, you are investing in the debt of a government entity or a corporation. A bond is simply evidence of a debt and represents a long-term IOU. Bonds are issued by federal, state, and local governments; agencies of the U.S. government; and corporations. By selling debt with a promise to pay […]
Read MoreWhat Is Universal Life Insurance?
Universal life insurance was developed in the late 1970s to overcome some of the disadvantages associated with term and whole life insurance. As with other types of life insurance, you pay regular premiums to your insurance company, in exchange for which the insurance company will pay a specific benefit to your beneficiaries upon your death. […]
Read MoreHow Can a Living Trust Help Me Control My Estate?
Living trusts enable you to control the distribution of your estate, and certain trusts may enable you to reduce or avoid many of the taxes and fees that will be imposed upon your death. A trust is a legal arrangement under which one person, the trustee, controls property given by another person, the trustor, for […]
Read MoreHow Can I Benefit from Tax-Advantaged Investments?
For many people, tax-advantaged investing is an excellent way to reduce their taxes. And while many of the traditional tax-advantaged strategies have been eliminated, there are still alternatives left that can help you reduce your taxes. Some are described below. Real Estate Partnerships Two of the most common types of real estate partnerships are low-income […]
Read MoreHow Long Will It Take to Double My Money?
Before making any investment decision, one of the key elements you face is working out the real rate of return on your investment. Compound interest is critical to investment growth. Whether your financial portfolio consists solely of a deposit account at your local bank or a series of highly leveraged investments, your rate of return […]
Read MoreWill Social Security Retire Before You Do?
People have traditionally seen Social Security benefits as the foundation of their retirement planning programs. The Social Security contributions deducted from workers’ paychecks have, in effect, served as a government-enforced retirement savings plan. However, the Social Security system is under increasing strain. Better health care and longer life spans have resulted in an increasing number […]
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