Articles

Welcome to our research center! We've put together a library of information on important financial topics that we believe you'll find helpful.

Simply click on one of the general financial topics below and you'll find a selection of easy-to-understand information sheets about related financial concepts and strategies. This information is updated regularly to reflect the latest facts, figures, legislation, and economic trends.

Market Commentary

Estates & Trusts

What Key Estate Planning Tools Should I Know About?

Wills and trusts allow you to spell out how you would like your property distributed, but they also go beyond that.
How Can a Living Trust Help Me Control My Estate?

A living trust can help control the distribution of your estate upon death.
What Are the Pitfalls of Probate?

The probate process can be lengthy and complex. There are strategies you can use to help avoid the probate process.
How Can My Gift Benefit Me and the Charity?

To retain the tax advantages associated with charitable giving, your gift must be made to a qualified organization.
What Gifting Strategies Are Available to Me?

Compare the advantages and disadvantages of different gifting strategies available for planned giving.
How Can I Benefit from a Charitable Lead Trust?

Charitable lead trusts are designed for people who would like to benefit a charity now rather than later.
How Can I Benefit from a Charitable Remainder Trust?

A designated income beneficiary could receive payment of a specified amount from a charitable remainder trust.
How Can I Benefit from a Wealth Replacement Trust?

A wealth replacement trust could be used to gift appreciated assets to a charity as well as provide for heirs.
What Is the History of the Federal Estate Tax?

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

Retirement

Why Do People Buy Annuities?

Annuities, an insurance-based financial vehicle, can provide many benefits that retirement investors might want.
What Are Annuity Living Benefits?

Living benefits can help protect variable annuity owners from running out of money in retirement.
How Much Do I Need to Save?

Many realize it’s important to save for retirement, but knowing exactly how much to save is another issue altogether.
What Does the Changing Pension Landscape Mean for Retirement?

With the changing pension landscape, it is important to take charge of your own retirement security.
Will Social Security Retire Before You Do?

Greater demand is being placed on the Social Security system as the baby boom generation has begun to retire.
How Can I Estimate My Future Social Security Benefits?

The Social Security Administration’s retirement estimator gives estimates of your future benefits based on your actual Social Security earnings record.
What Is a Self-Employed Retirement Plan?

Tax-deferred retirement plans for self-employed individuals have higher contribution limits than IRAs.
What Is an Indexed Annuity?

An indexed annuity may provide some upside potential and downside protection.
What Are My Retirement Plan Distribution Options?

When receiving money accumulated in your employer-sponsored retirement plan, you have two options: lump sum or annuity.
What Is a Traditional IRA?

If you do not participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan, you might consider a traditional IRA.
What Is a 401(k) Plan?

401(k) employer-sponsored retirement plans have many benefits, including that the funds accumulate tax-deferred.
How Should I Manage My Retirement Plan?

Employer-sponsored retirement plans are more important than ever, but managing the assets can be confusing.
Save Now or Save Later?

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

Tax Planning

How Can I Benefit from Tax-Advantaged Investments?

Many traditional tax-advantaged investment strategies have gone away, but there are still some alternatives.
What Tax Deductions Are Still Available to Me?

Changes to the tax code have left a few key deductions for itemizers, like medical, dental and some business expenses.
What Is the Most Tax-Efficient Way to Take a Distribution From a Retirement Plan

Consider a trustee-to-trustee transfer to an IRA versus a lump-sum distribution from a workplace retirement plan.
How Can I Upgrade My Insurance — Tax-Free?

A 1035 exchange allows you to exchange your life insurance policy for one from another company without tax liability.

Investing

How Are Growth and Value Stocks Different?

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

An important element to successful investing is to manage investment risk while maintaining the potential for growth.
How Do Mutual Funds and Stocks Differ?

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

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.
What Investment Risks Should I Know About?

Understanding different types of investment risk can help investors manage their money more effectively.
What Is Dollar-Cost Averaging?

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

Cash Management

How Long Will It Take to Double My Money?

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

Risk Management

What Is Term Life Insurance?

Term life insurance differs from permanent forms of life insurance in that it offers temporary protection.
What Is Whole Life Insurance?

Some of the pros and cons of whole life insurance.
What Is Universal Life Insurance?

Consider a universal life insurance policy if you want the flexibility to change your premium or death benefit.
Am I Prepared for Long-Term Care Expenses?

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

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

Glen L. Jackson, Financial Advisor, AIF®Accredited Investment Fiduciary Specializing in Serving Federal Employees

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