In the News

The federal government requires the use of certain published interest rates to value various items used in estate planning, such as an income, annuity, or remainder interest in a trust. The government also specifies interest rates that a taxpayer may be deemed to use in connection with certain installment sales or intra-family loans.

An estate plan is a map that explains how you want your personal and financial affairs to be handled in the event of your incapacity or death. It allows you to control what happens to your property if you die or become incapacitated. An estate plan should be reviewed periodically.

When a Saver Marries a Spender, Every Penny Counts - Clarity Capital Partners

The rising costs of food, gas, electricity, and health care can strain anyone's budget. The situation is even worse if your living expenses increase while your income stays the same, because your purchasing power will steadily decline over time. That's why cost-of-living adjustments, or COLAs, are especially valuable to retirees and others living on fixed incomes.

As the year draws to a close, there might be a slew of tasks on your to-do list. One task to consider is setting up a meeting with your financial professional to review your investments. If you take the time to get organized now, it may help you accomplish your long-term goals more efficiently. Here are some steps that might help.

529 plans are savings vehicles tailor-made for college. Anyone can open an account, lifetime contribution limits are typically over $300,000, and 529 plans offer federal and sometimes state tax benefits if certain conditions are met. Here are some common questions on opening an account.

Do you really know as much as you think you do about your 401(k) plan? Let's find out.

Whenever an individual legally changes his or her name, it is important to contact the Social Security Administration (SSA) as soon as possible. Failure to notify the SSA of a name change could prevent your wages from being posted correctly to your Social Security earnings record and might even result in a delay when you file your taxes.

The advantages of tax deferral are often emphasized when it comes to saving for retirement. So it might seem like a good idea to hold off on taking taxable distributions from retirement plans for as long as possible.

Life insurance has long been recognized as a useful way to provide for your heirs and loved ones when you die. Naming your policy's beneficiaries should be a relatively simple task. However, there are a number of situations that can easily lead to unintended and adverse consequences. Here are six life insurance beneficiary traps you may want to avoid.