Category: Financial Planning

  • Retirement investing: Where to begin

    Knowing how you plan to spend your retirement and what resources you already have can help you focus your investments, as Kyle Tetting explains in a MONEY TALK VIDEO. […]

  • Long-term care in retirement

    By Adam Baley While there is no risk-free way to pay for medical costs in retirement, investors need to be aware of such potential out-of-pocket expenses and their options for covering them. They need to have a plan in place. A key concern is for your spouse – trying to make sure that long-term care…

  • Mutual Fund Distributions – Part 2

    More capital gain distributions from mutual funds recently means investors need to be aware of possible tax consequences, Ron Hansen says in the second of two Money Talk Videos. […]

  • Educational investing

    By Steve Giles Once your retirement fund is in order, you need to know about the options available for tucking away money for school. A few options offer tax advantages, including the Coverdell Education Savings Account, the 529 College Savings Plan and the Uniform Transfer to Minors Account. […]

  • Plans to consider

    By Alexis Kobin A majority of American adults die without writing down their most basic desires for what is to happen when they pass on, according to estate planners. I am 29, and the idea of writing a will seemed pointless at this stage, until the birth of my son. He’s been my catalyst for…

  • Designating your beneficiaries

    By Isabelle Denton Just as it is important to be sure that you are allocated appropriately given market conditions and your risk tolerance, you need to know how your money will be passed to your heirs and that it is aligned with the rest of your estate plans. […]

  • Mutual funds to diversify portfolios

    Asset allocation accounts for the bulk of the long-term performance of investment portfolios. For the same reason you don’t put all your eggs in the same basket, successful investors rely on an array of investments. As Marc Amateis explains in a MONEY TALK VIDEO, mutual funds can help make it easier to diversify a portfolio.…

  • Counting on rainy days

    By Joel Dresang A longstanding rule of thumb has been to keep a rainy day fund of three- to six months’ worth of living expenses saved in safe, accessible accounts […]

  • Getting in form for filing

    By Lindsay Whaleysmith It is that season when year-end documents can overwhelm you, and you wonder what to stash in a folder until tax time. To provide some clarity and to better prepare you for tax preparation, here is a guide to some of the forms you may find as you sort your mail.

  • Year-end IRA tidying

    The end of the year is a good time for wise investors to take the opportunity to review, among other things, their retirement accounts. To help you consider what to do about your IRAs (Individual Retirement Arrangements), Debi Rybicki answered some frequently asked questions.