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Personal and Business Financial Strategies
Bruce Levine, CLU, ChFC
Susan Murphy Reid, CLU, ChFC, CASL, ChHC, REBC
Angelo Tardi

Articles

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.

Cash Management

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

Cash Management

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

Cash Management

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

Cash Management

Here are some smart ways to refinance your home.

Cash Management

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

Cash Management

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

Estates & Trusts

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

Estates & Trusts

Life insurance can be used to help preserve the value of your estate for your heirs.

Estates & Trusts

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

Estates & Trusts

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

Estates & Trusts

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

Estates & Trusts

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

Estates & Trusts

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

Estates & Trusts

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

Estates & Trusts

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

Investing

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

Investing

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.

Investing

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

Investing

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

Retirement

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

Retirement

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

Retirement

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

Retirement

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

Risk Management

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

Risk Management

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

Risk Management

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

Risk Management

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

Risk Management

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

Tax Planning

While stable, CDs can create an income tax bill. Fixed annuities and municipal bonds can offer tax advantages.

Tax Planning

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

Tax Planning

United States tax law is a constantly changing landscape. The latest major piece of tax legislation is the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.

Tax Planning

Many traditional tax-advantaged investment strategies have gone away, but there are still some alternatives.

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