Articles

Eighty percent of Americans agree they would benefit from having basic financial education and information.^1
1 The 2009 Consumer Financial Literacy Survey, Harris Interactive, Inc., 2009

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
  Controlling the Distribution
  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
  Future of Social Security
  Social Security Income
  Self-Employed Retirement Plans
  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 Deductions
  Tax Strategies for Retirement Plans
  

• Investing

  529 Plans
  

  Risk Management

  Term Life Insurance
  Whole Life Insurance
  Universal Life Insurance
  Auto Insurance
  Insurance Claims
  Maximizing Insurance Benefits
  Insuring Your Future
  Protecting Your Home
  Assessing Disability Insurance
  Types of Health Care
  Additional Liability Coverage
  HMOs and PPOs
  Evaluating Insurance Companies
  Long-Term-Care Costs
  Medicare Coverage