Books
Download these Booklets on important retirement topics to get a basic understanding of concepts and tools that you can integrate into your own customized retirement strategy.
Articles: Annuities
Learn more about different types of annuities, including specific features that can affect your payout, how women can use annuities to set up a more secure retirement, and how to decide where an annuity might fit into your retirement estate plan.
Fixed Indexed Annuities ~~~ These conservative investments have become a popular alternative to bonds. Fixed indexed annuities can be very useful investments. As the name implies, FIAs are fixed annuities with a rate of return [...]
Guaranteed Lifetime Income Rider and Living Benefits Basics ~~~ Over a little more than a decade, guaranteed lifetime income riders have become all the rage as an attached benefit to deferred annuity policies. A deferred [...]
What Are Annuities? ~~~ An annuity is a tax-deferred savings vehicle set up using a contract between a person or entity (contract owner) and an insurance provider or broker. The contract owner then contributes money [...]
Annuity Lifetime Income Riders: How Rollup Rate and Payout Rate Affect Income ~~~ Lifetime income riders offer guaranteed minimum lifetime income, but these two rates significantly affect the payout you receive. An income rider is [...]
Articles: Social Security
Get an overview of how the Social Security program works and the risks of it defaulting on future payments to retirees. Weigh the pros and cons involved in claiming your benefits at different ages. See how health care costs could take a big chunk of your Social Security income later in life.
Should You Apply For Social Security Now...or Later? ~~~ When should you apply for benefits? Consider a few factors first. Now or later? When it comes to the question of Social Security income, the choice [...]
Verifying Social Security Records to Maximize Your Benefits ~~~ Verifying your personal and earnings information with the Social Security Administration will help ensure that your future Social Security income is calculated correctly. In addition to [...]
The Latest on Social Security ~~~ Social Security payments and thresholds are adjusted every year to keep pace with inflation, and benefits may also be adjusted to comply with legislative policy changes. Benefits: Qualified Americans [...]
Articles: Life Insurance
Understand the key features of a life insurance policy. Learn about the types of life insurance and how they can help you achieve your financial goals in different phases of life.
Articles: Financing Your Retirement
When should you retire? How much savings is enough? What can you do to ensure that you’ll have an income for the rest of your life? Don’t forget to include inflation in your planning. Women can take steps now to avoid financial insecurity later in life.
The Good News: The Longer You Live, The Longer You Live The Bad News: Insurance Companies Are Rolling Out New Rates to Reflect the Increase In Life Expectancy The Society of Actuaries (SOA) released new [...]
401k Fees and Rollover Options These fees could erode your retirement savings as much as 30% over time. Understanding the fees associated with your retirement accounts is very difficult. But, if you don’t know or [...]
Understanding Lump Sum Pension Buyouts While it is possible for you to take a lump sum payment, invest it wisely, and benefit from the situation in various ways, it’s important to remember that you are [...]
Retiring in America ~~~ How Safe is Your Safe Money? Whatever your picture of retirement, the best way to get there and enjoy it once you’ve arrived is with a focused, thoughtful plan. Americans are [...]
Articles: Tax Efficiency in Retirement
Brush up on when and how to prepare for tax day. Learn about tax-reducing credits and investment strategies. Explore tax consequences and potential uses of Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs).
Muni Bonds Generate Tax Free Interest - Or Do They? Here is an overview of municipal bonds including potential tax liability. Municipal bonds (also known as “munis”) are attractive to many investors because the interest [...]
The U.S. Savings Bond Tax Trap Open that safe deposit box. See if your bond has matured. Did you buy U.S. Savings Bonds decades ago? Or did your parents or grandparents purchase some for you? [...]
Are You Taking Taxes Into Account When Saving And Investing? It isn’t always top of mind, but it should be. How many of us save and invest with an eye on tax implications? Due to [...]
End-of-the-Year Money Moves Here are some things you might want to do before saying hello to the New Year. What has changed for you this year? Did you start a new job – or leave [...]
Articles: Estate Planning
Learn how to set up your estate plan and put in place strategies for minimizing probate and also conflicts between your heirs. Do a deeper dive into living trusts and beneficiary designation.
Calculators
From estimating how much to set aside each month, how long your projected nest egg will last you, what to expect from the effects of inflation as well as predictions for your Social Security income – these calculators can help!