.jpg)
Learning Center
A Wealth of Content to Inform and Help Educate You
Here, you’ll find dozens of articles, an extensive list of financial calculators, and a glossary of financial terms.
Retirement
Retirement is one of the key financial goals for many people. Saving early and often is important. So is taking advantage of products and accounts designed specifically for retirement. Tax advantages are a key feature of annuities, IRAs and employer sponsored retirement savings plans, such as 401(k), 403(b) and 457(b) plans. Any earnings growth in these products is generally tax-deferred until you make withdrawals, generally when you are retired and may well be in a lower tax bracket.
Calculators
- Cost of Retirement
Use this calculator to estimate how much income and savings you may need in retirement.
- Impact of Inflation
Estimate the future cost of an item based on today’s prices and the rate of inflation you expect.
- IRA Eligibility
Use this calculator to determine whether you qualify for the different types of IRAs.
- Retirement Plan Early Distribution
Estimate how much would remain after paying income taxes and penalties if you took an early distribution from a retirement plan.
- Retirement Portfolio Lifespan
How Long Will Your Funds Last?
- Roth IRA Conversion
This calculator can help you determine whether you should consider converting to a Roth IRA.
Research Articles
- How Can I Control the Distribution of My Estate?
If you haven't taken steps already, consider planning now for the distribution of the assets of your estate.
- How Should I Manage My Retirement Plan?
Employer-sponsored retirement plans are more important than ever, but managing the assets can be confusing.
- Retirement Plan Distributions
When receiving money accumulated in your employer-sponsored retirement plan, you have two options: lump sum or annuity.
- Save Now or Save Later?
If you start saving for retirement sooner, the more money you are likely to accumulate and possibly retire sooner.
- Social Security Income
The Social Security Administration’s retirement estimator gives estimates of your future benefits based on your actual Social Security earnings record.
- 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.
Annuity
Variable annuities provide the opportunity for market appreciation — through a variety of investment options — with tax-deferral and future income. Variable annuities are designed for people willing to take on more risk in exchange for greater growth potential. While there is risk associated with a variable annuity, many offer guarantees of principal and downside protection at an additional cost and depending on contract rider availability. However, these guarantees do not apply to the investment performance or amounts held in the variable investment options.
Research Articles
- How Does Inflation Affect Me?
Historically, one of the best ways to fight the effects of inflation has been to utilize growth-oriented investments.
- Retirement Plan Distributions
When receiving money accumulated in your employer-sponsored retirement plan, you have two options: lump sum or annuity.
- What Gifting Strategies Are Available to Me?
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of different gifting strategies available for planned giving.
- 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 Is the Difference Between a Fixed Annuity and a Variable Annuity?
Both fixed and variable annuities could be appropriate options for an individual interested in purchasing an annuity.
- What Stock and Bond Investing Alternatives Do I Have?
There are other ways to invest in stocks and bonds besides owning individual shares or bonds.
Life Insurance
How much life insurance do you need? It's probably one of the most important and unsettling questions that I pose to my clients. It's also a question that many of us tend to ignore until it's too late. Perhaps the best way to come to terms with this difficult subject is to educate yourself and understand how best to determine your coverage needs.
I wanted to provide you with a selection of resources that can help you understand what Life Insurance is all about. I'd also like to assist you in determining your coverage needs and how you can best meet your objectives.
Calculators
- Life Insurance
How much life insurance would you need to produce a sufficient income stream for your family?
Research Articles
- How Can I Build and Preserve My Estate?
Life insurance can be used to help preserve the value of your estate for your heirs.
- How Can I Determine the Financial Strength of My Insurance Company?
Using a financially sound insurance company is an important part of ensuring your family’s financial security.
- How Can I Maximize My Insurance Benefits?
Several factors could undermine the financial security provided by the proceeds of your life insurance policy.
- What Is Term Life Insurance?
Term life insurance differs from permanent forms of life insurance in that it offers temporary protection.
- What Is Universal Life Insurance?
Consider a universal life insurance policy if you want the flexibility to change your premium or death benefit.
- What Is Whole Life Insurance?
Some of the pros and cons of whole life insurance.
Investing
Many financial plans include at least some weighting in stocks and/or mutual funds, and while historically equities have tended to rise in value over the long term, they carry a certain amount of risk, both for long- and short-term investors. It is therefore imperative that you have realistic financial goals and investment objectives in place before you begin to invest.
Calculators
- College Funding
Use this calculator to estimate the cost of your child’s education, based on the variables you input.
- Tax-Deferred Savings
Compare the potential future value of tax-deferred investments to that of taxable investments.
Research Articles
- 529 Lesson Plan: High Scores for 529 Plans
529 plans are tax-advantaged savings plans that generally allow people of any income level to contribute.
- How Can I Keep More of My Mutual Fund Profits?
Want to keep more of your mutual fund profits? You may be interested in strategies to help lower your tax liability.
- How Can I Save for My Child’s College Education?
There are several funding methods for a child's college education including mutual funds and Section 529 plans.
- How Do Money Market Mutual Funds Work?
Money market funds can be a highly liquid and effective cash management tool.
- How Do Mutual Funds and Stocks Differ?
The difference between purchasing an individual stock versus shares in a mutual fund to potentially earn dividends.
- How Does Inflation Affect Me?
Historically, one of the best ways to fight the effects of inflation has been to utilize growth-oriented investments.
- What Are the Different Classes of Assets?
There are five broad asset classes that you should take into consideration when constructing your investment portfolio.
- What College Investment Options Do I Have?
Starting to invest early for college and remaining consistent can help investors reach their goals.
- What Is a Bond?
A bond is simply evidence of a debt from a government entity or a corporation and represents a long-term IOU.
- What Is a Closed-End Fund?
With closed-end funds, investors pool their money together to purchase a professionally managed portfolio of stocks and/or bonds.
- What Is a Mutual Fund?
A mutual fund is a collection of stocks, bonds, and other securities with certain benefits and risks.
- What Is a Stock Index?
Stock market indexes can be useful benchmarks for gauging the performance of an investment portfolio over time.
- 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 Is Asset Allocation?
Asset allocation is a method used to help manage investment risk; it does not guarantee a profit or protect against investment loss.
- What Is Diversification?
An important element to successful investing is to manage investment risk while maintaining the potential for growth.
- What Is Dollar-Cost Averaging?
Dollar-cost averaging involves investing a set amount of money on a regular basis, regardless of market conditions.
- What Is the Difference Between a Fixed Annuity and a Variable Annuity?
Both fixed and variable annuities could be appropriate options for an individual interested in purchasing an annuity.
- What Stock and Bond Investing Alternatives Do I Have?
There are other ways to invest in stocks and bonds besides owning individual shares or bonds.
- What Types of Bonds Are Available?
Bonds are issued by many entities and share many characteristics, each type of bond has certain benefits and risks.
We’ll help you sort this all out and find a plan that suits you best.
Schedule a meeting with one of our professionals
Our Professionals