Newsletters
Forty-three percent of Americans spent more time planning their most recent vacation than planning for their retirement.1
Will you outlive your retirement income? How much liability insurance should you have? Should you add stocks to your portfolio? Are your financial expectations for the coming year realistic?
Our financial newsletters are designed to provide helpful information on a wide variety of financial topics. Simply click on one of the newsletter topics below to read the article in its entirety.
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July
HOT TOPIC: Celebrity Estate Planning Gone Wrong
Ever notice that celebrities seems to be experts at leaving their estates in chaos? Fortunately, their mistakes serve as useful reminders of why estate planning is so important.
Going Global
International funds enable investors to diversify not only across industry sectors but national borders as well. Despite this benefit, international mutual funds come with additional risks that should be considered carefully.
Inflation Gets Personal
The CPI attempts to measure the rate of inflation experienced by the average American, but this figure may not be entirely applicable to your situation.
Save More to Have More
There's one solution to a retirement savings shortfall that is so simple you might never have given it serious consideration: Set aside more of your current income. Even if you believe that you are currently saving as much as possible toward retirement, you might change your mind after you run the numbers.
Help Your Family Help You
Obviously, most of us prefer to keep our personal finances personal, but opening a discussion about family finances could help prevent headaches and challenges when difficulties strike.
The Board of Directors: A Key to Company Success
Given the wide and important role that the board plays, it is a good idea to look beyond the glossy portraits and become familiar with the individuals tasked with guarding shareholder wealth.
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June
HOT TOPIC: The Great Inflation-Deflation Debate
We're all used to worrying about inflation and its long-term effect on purchasing power. However, there's a growing chorus warning that deflation is the next big concern for the U.S. economy.
Get to Know Your Beneficiaries
It's a good idea to review your beneficiary designations on a regular basis to help ensure there is no debate over who will inherit your retirement assets and receive your life insurance benefits.
Investor Emotions and Where to Find Them
Anyone who has watched the stock market for any length of time knows it is subject to two key investor emotions: greed and fear.
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March
Pursuing Both Growth and Value
Maintaining a balance of growth and value investments may help investors add a new dimension of diversification to their portfolios.
Don't Let a Disability Cripple Your Family's Finances
One way to help protect against the financial ruin that a disability can bring is through disability income insurance.
Working for Social Security
There's nothing wrong with wanting to work in retirement, but if you decide to earn some extra income, make sure you understand how it will affect your Social Security benefits.
A Simple Way to Help Your Family
A letter of instructions, while not a legal document, can help your family cope during a difficult period by providing information that has no place in a will.
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February
Tips for Healthy Life Insurance
If you are about to retire or have recently entered retirement, it's a good time to consider whether your current life insurance policy meets your needs.
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January
HOT TOPIC: What's Ahead for 2010?
Economists expect the economy to grow by a respectable 3% in 2010, but they don't hold out much hope for the employment situation. What else can investors and consumers expect from the coming year?
Are Target-Date Funds Off Target?
Target-date funds are not for everyone, so it's important to gather all the facts.
The Benefits of Social Security
Take this quiz to assess how much you know about Social Security benefits.
Love and Marriage and Retirement
More than 80% of married couples 45 to 72 say they don't agree on when they should retire, what their retirement lifestyle should look like, or whether they will work in retirement.
Beware the Better-Than-Average Effect
Economists have found that, on average, people tend to believe that their own lives are improving at a faster rate than most everyone else's.
When Tea Leaves Won't Do
Economic indicators can be a good source of clues about trends, but it takes experience and skill to interpret their meaning.
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December
Hot Topic: 2010: The Year of the Roth Conversion?
Starting in 2010, anyone, regardless of income, can convert retirement plan assets to a Roth IRA.
An Extra Layer of Protection
Umbrella liability insurance can help protect a family from the financial ruin that a civil liability trial could bring.
New Year: Check and (Re)balance
Even if people have become jaded about making new year's resolutions, it shouldn't stop them from doing what they need to do to accomplish their financial goals.
Ready or Not, You're Retired!
In 2009, 47% of retirees left the workforce earlier than they expected.