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79% of Americans agree they would benefit from having basic financial education and information.

Source: The 2018 Consumer Financial Literacy Survey, The National Foundation for Credit Counseling

Welcome to our research center! We've put together a library of information on important financial topics that we believe you'll find helpful.

Simply click on one of the general financial topics below and you'll find a selection of easy-to-understand information sheets about related financial concepts and strategies. This information is updated regularly to reflect the latest facts, figures, legislation, and economic trends.

Market Commentary

Estates & Trusts

Estate Planning

Wills and trusts allow you to spell out how you would like your property distributed, but they also go beyond that.
Living Trusts

A living trust can help control the distribution of your estate upon death.
Avoiding Probate

The probate process can be lengthy and complex. There are strategies you can use to help avoid the probate process.
Charitable Giving

To retain the tax advantages associated with charitable giving, your gift must be made to a qualified organization.
Controlling the Distribution

If you haven’t taken steps already, consider planning now for the distribution of your estate’s assets.
Wealth Replacement Trusts

A wealth replacement trust could be used to gift appreciated assets to a charity as well as provide for heirs.
Property Ownership

Sole ownership, joint tenancy, tenancy in common, and community property have special benefits for property owners.
History of the Federal Estate Tax

Careful estate planning is still one of the most important ways to manage and protect your assets for your heirs.

Retirement

SIMPLE IRAs

The SIMPLE plan may appeal to small business owners as it is easy to set up, administer, and allows for a tax deduction.
How Much Do I Need to Save?

Many realize it’s important to save for retirement, but knowing exactly how much to save is another issue altogether.
Planning Options

There are a variety of retirement planning options that could help meet your needs. Here are some of the most popular.
Future of Social Security

Greater demand is being placed on the Social Security system as the baby boom generation has begun to retire.
Social Security Income

The Social Security Administration’s retirement estimator gives estimates of your future benefits based on your actual Social Security earnings record.
Self-Employed Retirement Plans

Tax-deferred retirement plans for self-employed individuals have higher contribution limits than IRAs.
Retirement Plan Distributions

When receiving money accumulated in your employer-sponsored retirement plan, you have two options: lump sum or annuity.
Traditional IRAs

If you do not participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan, you might consider a traditional IRA.
401(k) Plans

401(k) employer-sponsored retirement plans have many benefits, including that the funds accumulate tax-deferred.
Managing Retirement Plans

Employer-sponsored retirement plans are more important than ever, but managing the assets can be confusing.
Roth IRAs

Qualified Roth IRA distributions in retirement are free of federal income tax and aren’t included in gross income.

Tax Planning

Capital Gain Tax

Capital gains are profits realized from the sale of assets; a tax is triggered only when an asset is sold, not held.
Retirement Plan Limits

IRAs and employer-sponsored retirement plans are subject to annual contribution limits set by the federal government.
Required Minimum Distributions

Required minimum distribution is the annual amount that must be withdrawn from a qualified retirement plan/account.
Retirement Plan Taxes

With traditional IRAs and most employer-sponsored retirement plans, taxes are not payable until funds are withdrawn.
Withdrawing Before Age 59.5

Tax-deferred retirement account withdrawals before age 59½ generally triggers a 10% federal income tax penalty.
Tax-Advantaged Investments

Many traditional tax-advantaged investment strategies have gone away, but there are still some alternatives.
Tax Strategies for Retirement Plans

Consider a trustee-to-trustee transfer to an IRA versus a lump-sum distribution from a workplace retirement plan.
Tax-Free Investments

It’s important to understand tax-exempt vehicles when establishing a comprehensive tax planning strategy.
Mutual Fund Profits

Want to keep more of your mutual fund profits? You may be interested in strategies to help lower your tax liability.

Investing

Dividends

It is important to understand how dividends (taxable payments to shareholders) fit with your long-term goals.
Growth Stocks vs. Value Stocks

The labels “growth” and “value” reflect different approaches that can be used when making investment decisions.
Mutual Fund Taxes

Mutual fund taxes can be cumbersome, but there are ways to help mitigate the amount of taxes you may owe.
Stock

Before investing in stocks, it is important to understand some of the basics and the risks involved in owning stocks.
Zero-Coupon Bonds

Zero-coupon bonds represent a type of bond that does not pay interest during the life of the bond.
Diversification

An important element to successful investing is to manage investment risk while maintaining the potential for growth.
Types of Bonds

Bonds are issued by many entities and share many characteristics, each type of bond has certain benefits and risks.
Stock Indexes

Stock market indexes can be useful benchmarks for gauging the performance of an investment portfolio over time.
Mutual Funds vs. Stocks

The difference between purchasing an individual stock versus shares in a mutual fund to potentially earn dividends.
Mutual Funds

A mutual fund is a collection of stocks, bonds, and other securities with certain benefits and risks.
Closed-End Funds

With closed-end funds, investors pool their money together to purchase a professionally managed portfolio of stocks and/or bonds.
Mutual Fund Loads

It’s important to understand mutual fund loads, or sales charges, and exactly what they entail so you can make informed investing decisions.
Annuities

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.
Fixed vs. Variable Annuities

Both fixed and variable annuities could be appropriate options for an individual interested in purchasing an annuity.
Investment Risks

Understanding different types of investment risk can help investors manage their money more effectively.
Asset Classes

There are five broad asset classes that you should take into consideration when constructing your investment portfolio.
Asset Allocation

Asset allocation is a method used to help manage investment risk; it does not guarantee a profit or protect against investment loss.
College Savings Plans

There are several funding methods for a child's college education including mutual funds and Section 529 plans.
College Investment Options

Starting to invest early for college and remaining consistent can help investors reach their goals.
Stock and Bond Investing Alternatives

There are other ways to invest in stocks and bonds besides owning individual shares or bonds.
529 Plans

529 plans are tax-advantaged college savings plans that generally allow people of any income level to contribute.

Cash Management

Cash Management Basics

A sound cash management program uses a disciplined approach: accounting, analysis, allocation, and adjustment.
Money Market Funds

Money market funds can be a highly liquid and effective cash management tool.
Biweekly Mortgages

Biweekly mortgage payments can have a dramatic effect on the amount of interest homeowners have to pay.
College Financial Aid

It's important to understand the options, such as financial aid grant programs, when having to pay for college.

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