Articles

More than 80% of investors would appreciate having basic, unbiased investor education and information.^1
1 FINRA Investor Education Survey, 2007

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.

• Estates & Trusts

  Estate Planning
  Living Trusts
  Avoiding Probate
  Charitable Gifts
  Paying Estate Taxes
  Gifting Strategies
  Charitable Lead Trusts
  Charitable Remainder Trusts
  Wealth Replacement Trusts
  Family Limited Partnerships
  Property Ownership
  Eliminating the Estate Tax
  

  Retirement

  Stretch IRAs
  IRA Rollover
  Planning Options
  Future of Social Security
  Social Security Income
  Keogh Plans
  SEP IRAs
  Retirement Plan Distributions
  401(k) Plans
  Save Now or Later
  Roth IRAs
  

• Tax Planning

  Capital Gains Tax
  Estate Tax
  Gift Tax
  Retirement Plan Limits
  Estate Tax Repeal
  Required Minimum Distributions
  Charitable Trust Tax Benefits
  Retirement Plan Taxes
  Withdrawing Before Age 59.5
  Tax Deferral
  Tax Deductions
  Tax-Advantaged Alternatives
  Tax Strategies for Retirement Plans
  

• Investing

  Bond Ratings
  Mutual Funds vs. Stocks
  Closed-End Funds
  Annuities
  Fixed vs. Variable Annuities
  Investment Risks
  

  Cash Management

  Cash Management Basics
  Doubling Your Money
  Cash Management Tools
  Money Market Funds
  Managing Cash
  Reverse Mortgages
  College Financial Aid
  Savings Alternatives
  Effects of Inflation
  

  Risk Management

  Term Life Insurance
  Long-Term-Care Costs
  Medicare Coverage