FINANCIAL LEARNING
Consider Keeping Your Life Insurance When You Retire
Do you need a life insurance policy in retirement? One school of thought questions this decision. Perhaps your kids have grown, and the need to help...
Countdown to College
As a parent, you of course want to give your child the best opportunity for success, and for many, attending the "right" university or college is...
Counteracting Capital Gains with Tax-Loss Harvesting
Tax-loss harvesting means taking capital losses (selling securities for less than what you initially paid for them) to offset any capital gains you...
Critical Estate Documents
Joint Ownership Durable Power of Attorney Living Trust What does it do? Enables you to own property jointly with another person Authorizes someone...
Debt Stress
The average American owes $59,580 in debt. Of that $59,580, $41,830 is from mortgage debt, $5,640 is from student loans, and $5,470 is from auto...
Five Most Overlooked Tax Deductions
Who among us wants to pay the IRS more taxes than we have to? While few may raise their hands, Americans regularly overpay because they fail to take...
Four Really Good Reasons to Invest
Thirty-nine percent of Americans do not own any stocks or stock-related investments, according to a recent Gallup poll.¹ Individuals may cite...
Getting a Head Start on College Savings
One study estimates the average cost of raising a child to the age of 17 for a middle-income family is about $310,605. As a point of comparison, the...
Important Birthdays Over 50
Age 50 At age 50, workers in certain qualified retirement plans are able to begin making annual catch-up contributions in addition to their normal...
Retirement Seen Through Your Eyes
How do you picture your future? Some see retirement as a time to start a new career. Others see it as a time to travel. Still others plan to spend...
Three Key Questions to Answer Before Taking Social Security
Social Security is a critical component of the retirement financial strategy for many Americans, so before you begin taking it, you should consider...
What Is a 1035 Exchange?
According to the most recent information available, Americans have individual life insurance with a total face value of $14 trillion.1 Due to a...
What Is a Roth 401(k)?
While many people are familiar with the benefits of traditional 401(k) plans, others are not as acquainted with Roth 401(k)s. Since January 1, 2006,...
What’s New for Social Security?
Whether you’re applying for Social Security in the future or currently receiving benefits, there are some important changes to earnings limits,...
3 Estate Challenges for Blended Families
Preparing your estate can be complicated, and if you're a part of a blended family, estate decisions can be even more complex and nuanced. Blended...
Retiring Wild: National Parks and You
For many older adults, finding time to experience nature can be one of the greatest pleasures in retirement. And what better place to take in...
Retirement Questions That Have Nothing to Do With Money
Preparing for retirement is not entirely financial. Your degree of happiness in your "second act" may depend on some factors that don't come with an...
Retiree Health Care Coverage Overseas
According to the AARP, an estimated 39% of Americans over the age of 50 expect to travel internationally in 2023.1 Overseas travel may be one of the...
Putting a Price Tag On Your Health
We hear over and over again how important it is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. But being healthy for its own sake isn't easy—especially when...
Protection Against Uninsured Drivers
About 12.6 percent of all motorists, or one-in-eight drivers, do not have automobile insurance, according to the Insurance Research Council.¹ Having...
Personal Finance Tips for Military Families
One study found that military personnel have more credit problems and are more likely to make late house payments than their civilian counterparts.¹...
Navigating Retirement Pitfalls
Much is written about the classic financial mistakes that plague start-ups, family businesses, corporations, and charities. Some classic financial...
Mutual Funds vs. ETFs
The growth of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) has been explosive. In 2006, there were less than 1,000; by 2023, there were nearly 10,000 investing in a...
Investing with Your Heart
Some individuals believe that return on investment shouldn't be the only criterion for how they invest their money. For them, the social impact of...
Inflation & Your Money
"If the current annual inflation rate is 3 percent, why do my bills seem like they're 10 percent higher than last year?"1 Many of us ask ourselves...
How the Federal Reserve Works
Have you ever taken a close look at paper money? Each U.S. bill has the words "Federal Reserve Note" imprinted across the top. But many individuals...
Global vs. International: What’s the Difference?
With international stock markets comprising about 41.6 percent of the world's capitalization as of 2022, a broad range of investment opportunities...
Financial Aid for Students 101
Preparing for college while still in high school can be difficult for even the most academically-minded student. These days, you need to excel in...
Dog Bites Neighbor. Now What?
In 2022, there were 17,597 dog bite claims nationwide, totaling aggregate damages of over $1 billion, according to the Insurance Information...
Does Your Credit Score Affect Your Insurance Rates?
While the vast majority of insurance companies use credit-based insurance scores to help determine the price of insurance, it is banned in the...