Women: Taking Control of Money
Even if you have a partner who traditionally manages household finances, it's important to be involved in the budgeting and investing decisions that have an [...]
Is financial planning for women different than for men?
Women today have never been in a better position to achieve financial security for themselves and their families. What financial course will you chart?It is [...]
Four things women should know about Social Security
For more information about Social Security benefits, visit the Social Security Administration website at www.ssa.gov, or call (800) 772-1213 to speak with a representative. You [...]
Implications of the Supreme Court’s 2012 health care decision
On June 28, 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled, in a landmark decision, that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), including the provision [...]
Effect of the JOBS Act on start-up companies and their investors
You may have heard that the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act, which was signed into law by President Obama on April 5, 2012, makes [...]
Coming soon to an IRA portfolio near you: Longevity Annuities?
Photo courtesy Margan Zajdowicz. If a significant portion of your retirement assets are held in a retirement account like an IRA, how can you accomplish [...]
New data on the solvency of Social Security and Medicare trust funds (2012)
Reports Show Challenging Financial Outlook for Social Security and MedicareEvery year, the Trustees of the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds release reports to Congress [...]
What’s next with the Estate Tax? (2012)
What is the future of the federal estate tax? All we know for sure is that no one knows anything; it's all speculation. So, let's [...]
Long-term care insurance: companies leaving the marketplace
The Long-Term Care Dilemma: Insurers Leaving, Premiums IncreasingIf you've planned for long-term care, you've done well because there's a pretty good chance you or your [...]
Current tax changes: keeping track of new and expiring provisions (2012)
A number of significant federal income tax provisions expired at the end of 2011, a fact that might be easily overlooked with so much attention [...]
Section 409A
Internal Revenue Code Section 409A (Governing Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plans)What is Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 409A?IRC Section 409A, added by the American Jobs Creation [...]
Top Hat Plans
Custom Benefit Plans for Key Personnel A top-hat plan is a type of nonqualified deferred compensation (NQDC) plan that is established to provide unfunded [...]
Tax deduction for Long Term Care insurance increased
The Internal Revenue Service has raised the income-tax deduction limit for Long Term Care (LTC) policy premiums that are paid in 2012. As in the [...]
New cost-basis reporting rules being phased in
Calculating Cost Basis Gets Easier This YearBrokers must track and report cost basis to both you and the IRSAnyone who has ever been baffled by [...]
2012 Tax Deadline Pushed to April 17th
Aptly Named: "Emancipation Day" Taxpayers will have until Tuesday, April 17, to file their 2011 tax returns and pay any tax due because April 15 [...]
Uncle Sam Knows Asset Allocation?
You might be surprised to hear that the Securities and Exchange Commission has published one of the most helpful articles on asset allocation. As you [...]
Retirement and Tax Planning: 2012
Every year brings some financial change, so here are some relevant changes relating to investment, tax and estate planning for 2012. Retirement plans. 401(k), 403(b) [...]
Overview of Health Savings Plans
Health savings accounts (HSAs), Archer medical savings accounts (MSAs), health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs), and flexible spending arrangements (FSAs) are all personal health accounts that may [...]
Borrowing from Life Insurance Cash Value
Life Insurance Policy Loans: Tax and Other Implications As the owner of a life insurance policy, you can generally borrow the policy's cash surrender value [...]
Global Stock Market Retrospective: 2011
U.S. STOCKS HELD UP RELATIVELY WELL IN 2011 It was a weak year for equities, but foreign markets had it worse. 2011 had a definite [...]