Newsletters
Most Americans spend more time planning for vacations and holidays than planning for their retirement.1
Will you outlive your retirement income? How much liability insurance should you have? Should you add stocks to your portfolio? Are your financial expectations for the coming year realistic?
Our financial newsletters are designed to provide helpful information on a wide variety of financial topics. Simply click on one of the newsletter topics below to read the article in its entirety.
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November
HOT TOPIC: Investors Flock to Bond Funds, But What Happens When Rates Rise?
Investors are on track to invest 11 times more money in bond funds in 2009 than they will invest in stock funds. This is not surprising, considering the market volatility in 2008, but are these investors operating on false assumptions about the capabilities of bond funds?
Home Equanimity
The contraction of the housing market has caused many people to take a second look at the way they view their homes.
The Measure of a Life
One way to help mitigate the financial blow of the loss of a head of household is through life insurance.
Confident in Consumer Confidence?
The consumer confidence index can be a useful tool, but it should play only a minor role in an investor’s overall outlook.
Playing Catch-Up with Contributions
Something as simple as increasing your contributions to tax-advantaged retirement programs can go a long way toward helping you pursue your long-term financial goals.
Measuring the Jobs Situation
Many people understand that a rising jobless rate is one of the hallmarks of a shrinking economy. But the national unemployment rate does not always reveal a complete picture of the jobs outlook.
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October
HOT TOPIC: Moving Forward from the Credit Crisis
On Monday, September 15, 2008, the country awoke to news that three of the nation's largest financial institutions were unable to survive without help. Now, more than a year after that fateful September day, the economy shows signs of stability.
Making Moves to the Money Market
Money market funds are mutual funds that invest solely in cash-equivalent assets that are categorized as low-risk, low-return investments.
Estate Conservation You Can Trust
Trusts are popular estate conservation tools that can help facilitate the smooth transfer of estate assets and maintain the family’s privacy.
Retirement Countdown in a Down Market
The process leading up to retirement should begin years beforehand to help protect portfolio assets in the event that the markets are affected by unfavorable economic conditions.
Fixed Annuities May Offer Stability
A source of guaranteed income may help remove some of the uncertainty associated with retiring when the financial markets are fluctuating.
Get Ready for Earnings Season
Earnings can provide a key to understanding the performance of an individual company and the behavior of the stock market in general.
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September
HOT TOPIC: The Personal Saving Rate: What It Doesn't Mean to You
The term "personal saving rate" can be misleading. It doesn't define "saving" in the same way that most people do. What should the personal saving rate mean to you?
A New Way to Diversify
Exchange-traded funds are unique investments that resemble mutual funds in some ways and behave like stock in other ways.
One Final Letter
A letter of instructions can help someone clearly state his or her preferences for many important issues such as organ donation, funeral arrangements, and other details not enumerated in a trust.
Insurance for Your Whole Life
If your situation calls for life insurance coverage that extends beyond your working years, it might be time to consider whether permanent life insurance would be appropriate.
Variable Annuities Add Guarantees
Investors who would rather not choose between a guaranteed income and above-average investment gains may want to consider variable annuities with living benefit guarantees.
A Long Look at the National Debt
To better comprehend the size and scope of the national debt, it helps to measure it against the size of the overall economy.
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August
HOT TOPIC: Michael Jackson's Eccentricities Did Not Extend to His Estate Plan
Critics are calling Michael Jackson's estate plan a hit. What did the King of Pop do right?
Municipal Haste
Municipal bonds offer an opportunity to earn an income that may be free of federal income tax.
The Long Road Ahead
The stock market has had its share of roller-coaster thrills lately, but don’t be tempted to react emotionally.
Note to Self: Check Beneficiary Designations
Outdated beneficiary forms have the potential to cause needless grief and hardship for surviving loved ones who are your intended heirs.
Still Time for Stimulus Benefits
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 offers some short-term tax benefits designed to encourage consumer activity and boost particular sectors of the economy.
Looking for an End to the IPO Drought
Even if you never expect to participate in an IPO, it’s wise to keep an eye on the pace of new listings.
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July
HOT TOPIC: Looking for a Recovery in Odd Places
Are signs of an economic recovery showing up in hemlines and lipstick sales?
Get Your Retirement Reality Check
A retirement needs-calculation goes beyond the commonly suggested target to have 70% of pre-retirement income.
Higher Education Pays, But So Will You
It’s likely that admission to the nation’s top colleges and universities will remain competitive, but adequate college savings can help ensure that a student’s opportunity to attend his or her school of choice is not compromised by the lack of resources.
It's Not Too Late to Consider Life Insurance
Results from one survey suggest that confidence in financial security tends to increase as life insurance coverage increases.
Good Care Begins Early
Ironically, people who avoid important discussions because they don’t want to be a burden are sowing seeds for even greater troubles because they are forestalling preparation and ignoring the risks associated with aging, possibly until it’s too late.
Stalking the Mighty Consumer
Economists, traders, investors, and policymakers all take great interest in the financial health of consumers and what they may do next.
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June
HOT TOPIC: Social Security and Medicare in Crosshairs
An entitlement crisis has been looming on the horizon for several years. Unfortunately, according to the latest reports from the trustees of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds, a spike in unemployment has helped to hasten the arrival of these programs’ insolvency.
Estate of Emergency?
To help ensure that an estate is distributed according to one's wishes, it’s important to have certain legal documents in place.
It's Time to Get Real
During times of market volatility, it can be easy for investors to lose sight of two seemingly immovable obstacles standing in the way of their long-term investment goals: taxes and inflation.
Inflation Goes to College
Over the past 10 years, tuition and fees have grown more than 4% faster than the rate of general inflation at public four-year colleges and more than 2% faster than inflation at private four-year colleges.
Testing Your Liability Limits
This quiz tests the reader’s understanding of personal liability.
The Positives of Negative Correlation
Few asset groups are perfectly negatively correlated, but a portfolio may still be able to benefit from the correlation principle.
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May
Celebrate Life and the Benefits of Insuring It
In addition to the protection it can bring, life insurance can also offer some tax benefits.
A Question of Identity
Not only is identity theft costly, it can also be a major hassle that affects a person’s credit score for years. The key to preventing ID theft is awareness.
Exchange-Traded Funds Can Be for Conservative Portfolios, Too
If you avoided ETFs because they were predominantly composed of stocks, the growing availability of bond ETFs might warrant a second look.
The Land of Income Mobility
In America, just about anyone who is dissatisfied with his income has the opportunity to roll up his sleeves and move into a different income bracket.
Recapping Market Capitalization
The blurring of lines between large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap companies is an indication that it may be time to evaluate whether your portfolio holdings have shifted toward or away from your investment objectives.
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April
HOT TOPIC: The Fed Plans to Spend Trillion or More to Spur Growth
For the first time in a generation, the Federal Reserve has undertaken a campaign to influence long-term interest rates, a departure from recent monetary policy that has focused almost exclusively on short-term rates.
Never Too Old—or Too Rich—to Consider Life Insurance
There are many possible reasons to consider owning life insurance, even if you have convinced yourself that it's no longer necessary in your situation.
Avoid the Timing Trap
Market timing is a risky approach that could have a significant effect on a portfolio’s long-term performance.
Income Now or Later
Immediate and deferred fixed annuities are insurance products that could help retirees safeguard some of their nest eggs and provide a steady income stream throughout retirement.
Defend Your Retirement from Inflation
Over long periods, inflation can pose a significant threat to quality of life for retirees, primarily because it reduces the purchasing power of their retirement incomes.
Separate Your Business from Your Portfolio
Allocating too much of your investment capital to one company — even your own — is a risky proposition.
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March
Hot Topic: Historic Stimulus Strives to Spur Economy
In an attempt to address the nation's ongoing economic challenges, Congress has passed and the president has signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The $787 billion package is remarkable not only in its scale and scope but in the speed of its passage as well.
Can You Count on Disability Income?
Disability income insurance replaces a percentage of your salary if you should experience a disability that makes it impossible for you to continue working.
When It Comes to IRAs, Know Your Limits
In recent years, IRAs have become the single largest vehicle for retirement savings in the United States.
Time to Revisit Risk
During volatile financial times, it is only natural to reconsider your own personal risk tolerance and review the role of risk in your portfolio.
Another Update on the History of the AMT
The future of the AMT is nothing but uncertain. Therefore, it is important to consider the potential effect of the AMT on your tax liability in the coming years.
What You Can Learn from LIBOR
To investors around the world, LIBOR is more than a mere benchmark for short-term interest rates. It’s a proxy for how global markets view the outlook for the U.S. economy.
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February
HOT TOPIC: Inflation Slows But Still Poses Long-Term Threat
After a year in which energy prices hit record levels, most consumers will be surprised to learn that the 2008 inflation rate was almost zero. But don't be fooled into thinking that inflation is no longer a threat to your long-term financial outlook.
Doing Fine in '09?
Considering the market volatility over the past few months, will we see an improvement in 2009 economic conditions?
Variables You Can Count On
One way to pursue gains in the stock market while also limiting downside risks is through the use of living benefit guarantees that are offered with some variable annuities (for an additional cost).
Retirement Is No Reason for a Portfolio to Stop Working
New research has revealed that nearly 90% of retirement income results from investment returns that are generated after the funds are socked away. This highlights the need to remain diligent when it comes to managing and monitoring investments during the retirement years.
Preparing Not to Inherit
Preparing for retirement will require adequate saving and investing, not just working hard to stay in the good graces of wealthy relatives.
Essential Fundamental Analysis
The fact is that the financial markets rely heavily on fundamental analysis in order to set prices and make decisions to buy or sell.
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January
HOT TOPIC: Saving America's Storied Automakers
The White House agreed to a strings-attached loan package to help keep the Big Three out of bankruptcy. But will the measure help keep the U.S. auto industry from dragging down the U.S. economy?
A Simple Conversion
It has never been easier to convert all or part of an employer-sponsored retirement plan to a Roth IRA.
Investors Without Borders
As foreign markets step up to take their places on the international stage, investors content to stay at home may miss out on some opportunities.
Averaging for Dollars
Dollar-cost averaging is a method of investing that may enable you to achieve a lower average cost per share over time.
The Most Important Blank
The most important document in an estate conservation strategy might not be a will or any other document a lawyer was paid to create, but rather your retirement account beneficiary form.
Time for Forecasts
Economic forecasting is an important part of business, but the future is elusive. Forecasts have limitations that should be considered when making investment decisions.
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December
HOT TOPIC: What's Ahead for 2009
Economists believe the U.S. economy probably entered a recession in late 2008, but a recovery could be in motion by the second quarter of 2009. What else might 2009 have in store?
Social Security Outlook
If your retirement is a long way off, you might want to consider the possibility that Social Security may not provide a significant source of your retirement income. Here’s why.
Don’t Bet Your Life on These Insurance Myths
Learning about common life insurance misconceptions can help you make one of the most important decisions for those you leave behind.
Managing Volatility with a Bond Ladder
One way to help manage interest-rate risk and cash flow from bonds is to construct a bond ladder.
What Employment Says About the Economy
As important as the national unemployment rate is, it’s only a small segment of the overall data collected on the nation’s jobs situation and the economy at large.
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