Newsletters

Forty-three percent of Americans spent more time planning their most recent vacation than planning for their retirement.1
1 AARP, 2008

Will you outlive your retirement income?  How much liability insurance should you have? Should you add stocks to your portfolio?  Are your financial expectations for the coming year realistic?

Our financial newsletters are designed to provide helpful information on a wide variety of financial topics.  Simply click on one of the newsletter topics below to read the article in its entirety.

  • October

    HOT TOPIC: Moving Forward from the Credit Crisis
    On Monday, September 15, 2008, the country awoke to news that three of the nation's largest financial institutions were unable to survive without help. Now, more than a year after that fateful September day, the economy shows signs of stability.

    Making Moves to the Money Market
    Money market funds are mutual funds that invest solely in cash-equivalent assets that are categorized as low-risk, low-return investments.

    Estate Conservation You Can Trust
    Trusts are popular estate conservation tools that can help facilitate the smooth transfer of estate assets and maintain the family’s privacy.

    Retirement Countdown in a Down Market
    The process leading up to retirement should begin years beforehand to help protect portfolio assets in the event that the markets are affected by unfavorable economic conditions.

    Fixed Annuities May Offer Stability
    A source of guaranteed income may help remove some of the uncertainty associated with retiring when the financial markets are fluctuating.

    Get Ready for Earnings Season
    Earnings can provide a key to understanding the performance of an individual company and the behavior of the stock market in general.

  • September

    HOT TOPIC: The Personal Saving Rate: What It Doesn't Mean to You
    The term "personal saving rate" can be misleading. It doesn't define "saving" in the same way that most people do. What should the personal saving rate mean to you?

    A New Way to Diversify
    Exchange-traded funds are unique investments that resemble mutual funds in some ways and behave like stock in other ways.

    One Final Letter
    A letter of instructions can help someone clearly state his or her preferences for many important issues such as organ donation, funeral arrangements, and other details not enumerated in a trust.

    Insurance for Your Whole Life
    If your situation calls for life insurance coverage that extends beyond your working years, it might be time to consider whether permanent life insurance would be appropriate.

    Variable Annuities Add Guarantees
    Investors who would rather not choose between a guaranteed income and above-average investment gains may want to consider variable annuities with living benefit guarantees.

    A Long Look at the National Debt
    To better comprehend the size and scope of the national debt, it helps to measure it against the size of the overall economy.

  • June

    HOT TOPIC: Social Security and Medicare in Crosshairs
    An entitlement crisis has been looming on the horizon for several years. Unfortunately, according to the latest reports from the trustees of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds, a spike in unemployment has helped to hasten the arrival of these programs’ insolvency.

    Estate of Emergency?
    To help ensure that an estate is distributed according to one's wishes, it’s important to have certain legal documents in place.

    It's Time to Get Real
    During times of market volatility, it can be easy for investors to lose sight of two seemingly immovable obstacles standing in the way of their long-term investment goals: taxes and inflation.

    Inflation Goes to College
    Over the past 10 years, tuition and fees have grown more than 4% faster than the rate of general inflation at public four-year colleges and more than 2% faster than inflation at private four-year colleges.

    Testing Your Liability Limits
    This quiz tests the reader’s understanding of personal liability.

    The Positives of Negative Correlation
    Few asset groups are perfectly negatively correlated, but a portfolio may still be able to benefit from the correlation principle.

  • May

    HOT TOPIC: Don't Risk an IRA Rollover Mistake
    A rising unemployment rate means more people face an important decision about what to do with the money in their former employer’s retirement plan. Fortunately, an IRA rollover can help, but only if it's done correctly.

    Celebrate Life and the Benefits of Insuring It
    In addition to the protection it can bring, life insurance can also offer some tax benefits.

    A Question of Identity
    Not only is identity theft costly, it can also be a major hassle that affects a person’s credit score for years. The key to preventing ID theft is awareness.

    Exchange-Traded Funds Can Be for Conservative Portfolios, Too
    If you avoided ETFs because they were predominantly composed of stocks, the growing availability of bond ETFs might warrant a second look.

    The Land of Income Mobility
    In America, just about anyone who is dissatisfied with his income has the opportunity to roll up his sleeves and move into a different income bracket.

    Recapping Market Capitalization
    The blurring of lines between large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap companies is an indication that it may be time to evaluate whether your portfolio holdings have shifted toward or away from your investment objectives.