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

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

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

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

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

The probate process can be lengthy and complex. There are strategies you can use to help avoid the probate process.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

Company-owned life insurance is one way to help protect a business from financial problems caused by the death of a key employee.

Some of the pros and cons of whole life insurance.

Medicare is the federal health insurance program for those persons age 65 and over. But what does it cover?

Term life insurance differs from permanent forms of life insurance in that it offers temporary protection.

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.

To help you choose insurance wisely, determine how much coverage and what kind of policy is best for your situation.

The odds of needing long-term care increase as you age. Prior planning can help protect you from financial ruin.

Using a financially sound insurance company is an important part of ensuring your family’s financial security.

A business owner policy is an insurance package that assembles the basic coverages required by a business owner in one bundle.

If you have a family who relies on your income, it is important to have life insurance protection.

If you were to suffer an illness or disability that required long-term nursing care, would you be covered?

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

It's important to understand tax-exempt vehicles when establishing a comprehensive tax planning strategy.

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

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

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

Many traditional tax-advantaged investment strategies have gone away, but there are still some alternatives.

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

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

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

Tax-deferred retirement account withdrawals before age 59½ generally trigger a 10% federal tax penalty.

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