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Tuesday, April 2, 2019

It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day tasks of running your business and to put off thinking about the future. But every business needs a plan. A buy-sell agreement is a great tool to help you and your fellow business...

 

Friday, March 29, 2019

Technology has not only shrunk the tools we use, but it has also given small businesses the power to operate like big businesses. Technological tools can help small businesses get better organized, efficiently manage their finances, or...

 

Friday, March 15, 2019

Many parents teach their children the ABCs at a very young age, but do they teach them the ABCs of good credit? At certain points in life, everyone must deal with banks, loans, credit, and finances. You may have learned your lessons...

 

Friday, March 8, 2019

When it comes to estate planning, women have unique concerns. The fact is that women live an average of 5.0 years longer than men.* That's important because it means that there's a greater chance that you'll need your assets to last...

 

Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Paying the Marriage Penalty When does one plus one not equal two? When it comes to paying federal income taxes. If your spouse earns significantly more than you do, you and your sweetheart enjoy what is known as the “marriage...

 

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Tuesday, February 19, 2019

A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement between a landowner and another party, usually a government agency or nonprofit trust, which restricts the use of the land in perpetuity, even as the land remains the private...

 

Tuesday, February 12, 2019

Working from home can certainly provide you with personal benefits, such as a flexible schedule and more family time. But increasing numbers of people are discovering the tax advantages as well. It's no secret that you generally can't...

 

Friday, February 8, 2019

An economic downturn may not seem like the best time to increase charitable giving, but at the same time, the need for funding at many nonprofits is especially acute as a result of the current economy. In addition to supporting a...

 

Thursday, January 31, 2019

Vacation homes require a special type of insurance--one that protects your vacation home but doesn't overlap with your already existing homeowners insurance coverage. Here are some things to consider when insuring your vacation home....

 

Tuesday, January 22, 2019

You know how important it is to plan for your retirement, but where do you begin? One of your first steps should be to estimate how much income you'll need to fund your retirement. That's not as easy as it sounds, because retirement...

 

Friday, January 18, 2019

You're beginning to accumulate substantial wealth, but you worry about protecting it from future potential creditors. Whether your concern is for your personal assets or your business, various tools exist to keep your property safe...

 

Thursday, January 10, 2019

Medicare won't cover all of your health-care costs during retirement, so you may want to buy a supplemental medical insurance policy known as Medigap. Offered by private insurance companies, Medigap policies are designed to cover costs...

 

Thursday, January 3, 2019

In today's corporate environment, cost cutting, restructuring, and downsizing are the norm, and many employers are offering their employees early retirement packages. But how do you know if the seemingly attractive offer you've...

 

Thursday, December 27, 2018

If you care about what happens to your money, home, and other property after you die, you need to do some estate planning. There are many tools you can use to achieve your estate planning goals, but a will is probably the most vital....

 

Friday, December 21, 2018

As a business owner, you're going to have to decide when will be the right time to step out of the family business and how you'll do it. There are many estate planning tools you can use to transfer your business. Selecting the right...

 

Friday, December 14, 2018

A beneficiary is the person or entity you name (i.e., designate) to receive the death benefits of a life insurance policy. Some statesrequire that your beneficiary have an insurable interest in your life or be related to you (at least...

 

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Divorce can be a lengthy process that may strain your finances and leave you feeling out of control. But with the right preparation, you can protect your interests, take charge of your future, and save yourself time and money. You...

 

Friday, December 7, 2018

Let's say you want to reward a few key executives with low-cost life insurance. Can you do so without providing the same benefit to your other employees? You can with a split dollar life insurance plan. In fact, such an arrangement can...

 

Tuesday, December 4, 2018

If you give away money or property during your life, those transfers may be subject to federal gift and estate tax and perhaps state gift tax. The money and property you own when you die (i.e., your estate) may also be subject to...

 

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

TRENDS IN CHARITABLE GIVING Tip: Importance of Itemizing. Charitable contributions are deductible only if you itemize deductions on Form 1040, Schedule A. Those who take the standard deduction cannot deduct their contributions....

 

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

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....

 

Friday, November 9, 2018

Your credit report contains information about your past and present credit transactions. It's used primarily by potential lenders to evaluate your creditworthiness. So if you're about to apply for credit, especially for something...

 

Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn—they’ve all fallen prey to hackers who exposed passwords and other personal information for hundreds of thousands of their users. If you haven’t yet had your password stolen, chances are,...

 

Monday, November 5, 2018

Concerns over identity theft continue to grow, especially with news of data breaches at major companies and financial institutions. Unfortunately, you have little control over the hacking of these companies, but you do have control...

 

Thursday, November 1, 2018

Here's the dilemma: You have a traditional 401(k) that contains both after-tax and pre-tax dollars. You'd like to receive a distribution from the plan and convert only the after-tax dollars to a Roth IRA. By rolling over/converting...

 

Friday, October 26, 2018

Tip: If You’re a Victim. If you think you may have had your identity stolen, take action immediately. Start by contacting the Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov), where you can find information about what to do next. Many...

 

Monday, October 15, 2018

This modern twist on the Ben Franklin maxim reflects the multiplicity of taxes to which earnings are subject in today’s world.¹ Finding ways to manage expenses is one of the cornerstones of a sound financial strategy. Here...

 

Thursday, October 11, 2018

Stocks just had their worst one-day drop since February, as a combination of higher bond yields, U.S./China tensions, nervousness over the upcoming midterm elections, six straight months of gains, and worries about peak margins this...

 

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Few life changes are of more consequence than a divorce. In addition to the financial and emotional difficulties, you'll face specialconcerns about your insurance coverage. Planning for these changes should begin long before the...