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Historically, one of the best ways to fight the effects of inflation has been to utilize growth-oriented investments.

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

Before making investment decisions, it is helpful to determine the real rate of return on the investment.

Here are some smart ways to refinance your home.

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

Shifting some debt to a home equity loan, which typically allows interest payments to be tax deductible, could have its advantages.

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

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

A designated income beneficiary could receive payment of a specified amount from a charitable remainder trust.

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

Charitable lead trusts are designed for people who would like to benefit a charity now rather than later.

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

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

Compare the advantages and disadvantages of different gifting strategies available for planned giving.

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

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.

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

Dollar-cost averaging involves investing a set amount of money on a regular basis, regardless of market conditions.

If you start saving for retirement sooner, the more money you are likely to accumulate and possibly retire sooner.

Allocating too much of your retirement investments to one company, even your own, can be a risky proposition.

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

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

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

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

Selecting health insurance is often one of the most important decisions you will make. Do you know the different types?

Some of the pros and cons of whole life insurance.

Consider additional liability insurance to help protect you from the potentially devastating effects of liability lawsuits.

Term life insurance differs from permanent forms of life insurance in that it offers temporary protection.

Consider a universal life insurance policy if you want the flexibility to change your premium or death benefit.

To help you choose insurance wisely, determine how much coverage and what kind of policy is best for your situation.

Using a financially sound insurance company is an important part of ensuring your family’s financial security.

A business owner policy is an insurance package that assembles the basic coverages required by a business owner in one bundle.

There can be a substantial benefit to deferring taxes as long as possible.

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

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

Changes to the tax code have left a few key deductions for itemizers, like medical, dental and some business expenses.

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

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

Tax-deferred retirement account withdrawals before age 59½ generally trigger a 10% federal tax penalty.

Everything you own, whatever the form of ownership, is subject to federal, and possibly state, estate taxes.