Monthly Newsletter

This month's newsletter

 Life Events

Getting Married  GETTING MARRIED (OR DIVORCED): Some Financial Guidelines  How To Prepare Financially For A First Marriage  How To Prepare Financially For A Divorce  How To Prepare Financially For Re-Marriage  INFOSOURCES  External Sites  Getting Married  Marriage and the Financial Considerations  Planning a Wedding  Wedding Checklist  Registry Checklist  Getting Divorced  Basic Information  Divorce Laws by State  DivorceNet  Divorce Online  Divorce Source  LIFE INSURANCE: How Much And What Kind To Buy  Do You Need Life Insurance?  Types of Insurance  How Insurance Products Differ  How to Shop for Insurance  Shopping for a Policy  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  ESTATE PLANNING: How to Get Started  External Sites  AARP Life Insurance  Calculators  Life Insurance Calculator  FAQs  What are the major differences in legal treatment between married and unmarried couples?  What estate and financial planning steps are particularly important for unmarried couples?  Do married couples need more insurance?  If you change your name after marriage, who should be notified?  Do I need to update my will when I get married?  What are the tax implications of marriage?  How can married couples hold property?  Planning Aids  Becoming A Parent  BECOMING A PARENT: The Financial Considerations  What it Will Cost You  Birth through Infancy  Ages One through Six  Ages Six through Twelve  Ages Thirteen through Eighteen  Teaching Your Kids How to Handle Money  Savings and Investment  Taxes and Credit  INFOSOURCES  External Sites  Adoption Information  Child Care Search  Foster Parent  Improve Your Parenting Skills  National Child Care Association  Raising Children  THE "NANNY TAX" RULES: What To Do If You Have Household Employees  Who is a Household Employee?  Can Your Employee Legally Work in the United States?  Do You Need to Pay Employment Tax?  State Unemployment Taxes  Social Security and Medicare Taxes  Federal Unemployment (FUTA) Tax  Do You Need to Withhold Federal Income Tax?  How Do You Handle the Earned Income Credit (EIC)?  How Do You Make Tax Payments?  What Forms Must You File?  What Records Must You Keep?  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  SELLING YOUR HOME: How to Minimize the Tax on the Gain  HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS: How To Get The Maximum Deduction  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  ROTH IRAs: How they Work And How To Use Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: HOW To Take Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: WHEN To Take Them  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  LIFE INSURANCE: How Much And What Kind To Buy  Do You Need Life Insurance?  Types of Insurance  How Insurance Products Differ  How to Shop for Insurance  Shopping for a Policy  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  ESTATE PLANNING: How to Get Started  External Sites  AARP Life Insurance  Calculators  Life Insurance Calculator  FAQs  Raising a Child  How much will it cost me to raise a child?  What costs can I expect during the first year?  How much will I spend on my child during ages one through six?  How much will I spend on my child during ages six through twelve?  How much will I spend on my child during ages thirteen through eighteen?  How can I teach my kids good financial skills?  Saving for College  When should I start saving for my child's education?  How much will my child's college education cost?  How should I invest my child's college fund?  What is the "kiddie tax"?  What is an Education IRA and who is eligible for one?  Planning Aids  Preparing for College  YOUR CHILD'S COLLEGE EDUCATION: How To Finance It  Savings And Investment Strategies  If You're Caught Short  Sources of Financial Aid  Planning Techniques  How to Reduce Taxes  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  INVESTMENT BASICS: What You Should Know  ANNUITIES: How They Work and When You Should Use Them  HOME EQUITY LOANS: How To Shop For The One That's Best For You  HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS: How To Get The Maximum Deduction  External Sites  Apply for Financial Aid  Career Search  College Credit Education Loan Program  Criteria used to evaluate college applicants  Select the best college  How Do Colleges Rank?  HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS: How To get the Maximum Deduction  Coverdell Education Savings Accounts (Section 530 Programs)  Qualified Tuition Programs (Section 529 Programs)  Traditional and Roth IRAs  Education Savings Bonds  Education Credits  Qualified Tuition and Related Expenses Deduction  Employer-Provided Education Assistance  Student Loans  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  SELLING YOUR HOME: How To Minimize The Tax On The Gain  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  ROTH IRAs: How they Work And How To Use Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: HOW To Take Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: WHEN To Take Them  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  FAQs  When should I start saving for my child's education?  How much will my child's college education cost?  How should I invest my child's college fund?  If you have insufficient savings for your child's education, what should you do?  What types of grants are available for college?  What types of loans are available for college?  How can I increase the amount of financial aid my child is entitled to?  How can I save taxes on college savings?  Planning Aids  Developing a Financial Plan  YOUR FINANCIAL PLAN: Getting Started On a Secure Future  Identify Your Goals  Determine Your Net Worth  Determine Your Cash Flow  Plan to Achieve Your Goals  Establish How Much You'll Need  Put the Plan Into Action  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  DISABILITY INSURANCE: What To Look For  DISABILITY BENEFITS: How To Get All You're Entitled To  CAR INSURANCE: 10 Cost-Cutters To Save You Money  HOMEOWNERS' INSURANCE: How To Get The Best Coverage and Value  ASSET ALLOCATION: How To Diversify for Maximum Return  External Sites  Social Security Administration  Develop a Financial Plan  A Financial Health Checkup  Calculators  Personal Financing  How much car can I afford?  How long will it take to pay off my credit cards?  How much do I need to save for college?  How long will it take to save for a major purchase?  Simple Loan Calculator  How Much Can I Borrow?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Long Would it Take to Pay Off a Loan  What Would My Payments Be?  Home Financing  Should I refinance my home mortgage?  What would my payments be for a fixed rate loan?  What would my payments be for an adjustable rate loan?  What would my payments be for a balloon loan?  Should I rent my home or buy?  Which loan is better, Fixed or Adjustable?  What would I save if I make extra payments?  How much house can I qualify for?  How much house can I afford?  Advanced mortgage calculator  BUDGETING: How To Prepare a Workable Plan  Step 1: Analyze Your Income And Expenses  Step 2: Set Budgeting Goals  Step 3: Create Your Budget  Step 4: Review Your Adherence To The Budget  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  YOUR FINANCIAL PLAN: Getting Started On A Secure Future  YOUR RETIREMENT PLAN: How To Get Started  SAVING MONEY: 10 Major Ways To Increase Your Nest Egg  External Sites  Social Security Administration  Develop a Financial Plan  A Financial Health Checkup  Calculators  Personal Financing  How much car can I afford?  How long will it take to pay off my credit cards?  How much do I need to save for college?  How long will it take to save for a major purchase?  Simple Loan Calculator  How Much Can I Borrow?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Long Would it Take to Pay Off a Loan  What Would My Payments Be?  Home Financing  Should I refinance my home mortgage?  What would my payments be for a fixed rate loan?  What would my payments be for an adjustable rate loan?  What would my payments be for a balloon loan?  Should I rent my home or buy?  Which loan is better, Fixed or Adjustable?  What would I save if I make extra payments?  How much house can I qualify for?  How much house can I afford?  Advanced mortgage calculator  FAQs  How do I determine my long-term financial goals?  Is there any validity to financial planning "rules of thumb"?  What do women in particular need to keep in mind with regard to financial planning?  What special problems do unmarried couples have to be concerned with?  Planning Aids  Dealing with Your Bank  BANK ACCOUNTS: What to Look and Ask For  Comparing Types Of Accounts  Choosing An Account  Getting a Better Deal  Protecting Your Account  Using Electronic Fund Transfers  INFOSOURCES  External Sites  Auto Loan Rates  Background on Credit Unions  Bank Financial Condition Ratings  Consumer Reports  Credit Card Interest Rates  Credit Union Rates  Federally Insured Banks  Home Equity Loan Rates  Money Market Rates  Mortgages  Savings Accounts and CD Rates  Calculators  Personal Financing  How much car can I afford?  How long will it take to pay off my credit cards?  How much do I need to save for college?  How long will it take to save for a major purchase?  Simple Loan Calculator  How Much Can I Borrow?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Long Would it Take to Pay Off a Loan  What Would My Payments Be?  Home Financing  Should I refinance my home mortgage?  What would my payments be for a fixed rate loan?  What would my payments be for an adjustable rate loan?  What would my payments be for a balloon loan?  Should I rent my home or buy?  Which loan is better, Fixed or Adjustable?  What would I save if I make extra payments?  How much house can I qualify for?  How much house can I afford?  Advanced mortgage calculator  APPLYING FOR A LOAN: How To Get The Best Loan At The Lowest Cost  Types of Loans  How to Shop for a Loan  Comparing Loans  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  REFINANCING YOUR MORTGAGE: When And How To Do It  MORTGAGES ALTERNATIVES: How To Choose The Right One  REVERSE MORTGAGES: How They Can Enhance Your Retirement  HOME EQUITY LOANS: How To Shop For The One That's Best For You  MORTGAGE LOCK-INS: Questions To Ask  External Sites  Loans and Mortgages  E-Loan  I-Own.com  Home Equity Loans  Mortgages by BankRates.com  RealEstate.com  Housing Resources  Consumer Information Center  Consumer rights in housing matters  National Center for Home Equity Conversion  Federal Trade Commission  Calculators  Personal Financing  How much car can I afford?  How long will it take to pay off my credit cards?  How much do I need to save for college?  How long will it take to save for a major purchase?  Simple Loan Calculator  How Much Can I Borrow?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Long Would it Take to Pay Off a Loan  What Would My Payments Be?  Home Financing  Should I refinance my home mortgage?  What would my payments be for a fixed rate loan?  What would my payments be for an adjustable rate loan?  What would my payments be for a balloon loan?  Should I rent my home or buy?  Which loan is better, Fixed or Adjustable?  What would I save if I make extra payments?  How much house can I qualify for?  How much house can I afford?  Advanced mortgage calculator  FAQs  Bank Accounts  What banking fees do I need to look out for when shopping for an account?  What are the different types of bank accounts available?  What type of account should I open?  How should I shop for a "best buy" bank account?  How much protection is provided by federal deposit insurance?  How can I negotiate checking account fees with my current bank?  What is overdraft protection and should I have it?  What is the Truth in Savings Act?  ATM Transactions  How do automated teller machine (ATM) and other electronic transfer transactions work?  What should I do if I find an error related to an electronic fund transfer or ATM transaction?  What happens if my ATM card is lost or stolen?  Will I be able to use my ATM card overseas?  How will I know a pre-authorized credit (such as automatic payroll deposit) has been made?  How do I stop a pre-authorized payment?  Planning Aids  Improving Your Credit  CREDIT CARDS: How to Choose and Use Them Wisely  Examine the Card's Terms  Use it Wisely  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  CREDIT REPORTS: What You Should Know--And Do--About Yours  YOUR CREDIT CARD RIGHTS: What To Do If You Have A Problem  MERCHANT CREDIT CARD ABUSES: What They Cannot Ask You To Do  GETTING OUT OF FINANCIAL TROUBLE: Steps You Can Take  External Sites  ATM Locator for MasterCard  ATM Locator for VISA  Better Business Bureau  Consumer Credit Information  Credit Card Information by BankRate.com  Credit Information from the FTC  Equifax Credit Bureau  Experian Credit Bureau  Manage your credit and debt  Online Credit Reports  Trans Union Credit Bureau  VISA Card  Calculators  Personal Financing  How much car can I afford?  How long will it take to pay off my credit cards?  How much do I need to save for college?  How long will it take to save for a major purchase?  Simple Loan Calculator  How Much Can I Borrow?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Long Would it Take to Pay Off a Loan  What Would My Payments Be?  CREDIT REPORTS: What You Should Know and Do About Yours  Credit Evaluation Factors  Cosigning An Account  Credit Limits  Obtaining Your Credit Reports  ECOA Designation Codes  Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)  Finance Company Credit Cards  Fraud  Joint Accounts  Name/Alias  Putting An Explanation In Your Credit File  Understanding Your Credit Report  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  YOUR CREDIT CARD RIGHTS: What To Do If You Have A Problem  MERCHANT CREDIT CARD ABUSES: What They Cannot Ask You To Do  GETTING OUT OF FINANCIAL TROUBLE: Steps You Can Take  External Sites  ATM Locator for MasterCard  ATM Locator for VISA  Better Business Bureau  Consumer Credit Information  Credit Card Information by BankRate.com  Credit Information from the FTC  Equifax Credit Bureau  Experian Credit Bureau  Manage your credit and debt  Online Credit Reports  Trans Union Credit Bureau  VISA Card  Calculators  Personal Financing  How much car can I afford?  How long will it take to pay off my credit cards?  How much do I need to save for college?  How long will it take to save for a major purchase?  Simple Loan Calculator  How Much Can I Borrow?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Long Would it Take to Pay Off a Loan  What Would My Payments Be?  MERCHANT CREDIT CARD ABUSES: What They Cannot Ask You To Do  Personal Information  Minimum Charge Requirements  Extra Charge for Using a Credit Card  ID When Paying By Check  Cards Other than the "Big Three"  How to Complain  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  CREDIT REPORTS: What You Should Know—And Do—About Yours  GETTING OUT OF FINANCIAL TROUBLE: Steps You Can Take  CREDIT CARDS: How To Choose—And Use—Them Wisely  YOUR CREDIT CARD RIGHTS: What To Do If You Have A Problem  External Sites  ATM Locator for VISA  Better Business Bureau  Consumer Credit Information  Credit Card Information  Credit Information  Equifax Credit Bureau  Experian Credit Bureau  Manage Your Credit and Debt  Online Credit Reports  Trans Union Credit Bureau  VISA Card  Calculators  Personal Financing  How long will it take to pay off my credit cards?  How long will it take to save for a major purchase?  Simple Loan Calculator  How Much Can I Borrow?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Long Would it Take to Pay Off a Loan  What Would My Payments Be?  YOUR CREDIT CARD RIGHTS: What To Do If You Have A Problem  Prompt Credit For Payment  Refunds Of Credit Balances  Resolution Of Errors  Removal Of Unauthorized Charges  Resolution Of Disputes  Prompt Shipment  Protection Against Offensive Junk Mail/Junk Calls  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  CREDIT CARDS: How To Choose--And Use--Them Wisely  GETTING OUT OF FINANCIAL TROUBLE: Steps You Can Take  CREDIT REPORTS: What You Should Know--And Do--About Yours  MERCHANT CREDIT CARD ABUSES: What They Cannot Ask You To Do  External Sites  ATM Locator for MasterCard  ATM Locator for VISA  Better Business Bureau  Consumer Credit Information  Credit Card Information by BankRate.com  Credit Information from the FTC  Equifax Credit Bureau  Experian Credit Bureau  Manage your credit and debt  Online Credit Reports  Trans Union Credit Bureau  VISA Card  Calculators  Personal Financing  How much car can I afford?  How long will it take to pay off my credit cards?  How much do I need to save for college?  How long will it take to save for a major purchase?  Simple Loan Calculator  How Much Can I Borrow?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Long Would it Take to Pay Off a Loan  What Would My Payments Be?  GETTING OUT OF FINANCIAL TROUBLE: Steps You can Take  Getting Started  Credit Counseling Agencies  Personal Bankruptcy  Scams and Pitfalls  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  YOUR CREDIT CARD RIGHTS: What To Do If You Have A Problem  CREDIT CARDS: How To Choose--And Use--Them Wisely  CREDIT REPORTS: What You Should Know--And Do--About Yours  MERCHANT CREDIT CARD ABUSES: What They Cannot Ask You To Do  External Sites  ATM Locator for MasterCard  ATM Locator for VISA  Better Business Bureau  Consumer Credit Information  Credit Card Information by BankRate.com  Credit Information from the FTC  Equifax Credit Bureau  Experian Credit Bureau  Manage your credit and debt  Online Credit Reports  Trans Union Credit Bureau  VISA Card  Calculators  Personal Financing  How much car can I afford?  How long will it take to pay off my credit cards?  How much do I need to save for college?  How long will it take to save for a major purchase?  Simple Loan Calculator  How Much Can I Borrow?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Long Would it Take to Pay Off a Loan  What Would My Payments Be?  FAQs  Credit Cards  Which are the best credit cards?  If someone steals my credit card, how much am I liable for?  Are rebate credit cards a good deal?  What is the difference between the average daily balance, adjusted balance, and previous balance?  What can I do if I'm dissatisfied with a credit card purchase?  What can I do if there is a mistake on my credit card bill?  How can I get the most benefit from my credit cards?  What restrictions and limitations can a merchant impose before accepting my credit card?  How can I stop junk mail or telemarketing calls?  Credit Reports  How can I check my credit report?  What if there is an error on my credit report?  How can I build a credit history so that I can establish credit?  Who can see my credit file?  How can I decipher my credit report?  Credit Rating  How will a divorce or separation affect my credit?  What factors affect my credit rating?  Does having a credit card or using another person's credit card improve my credit rating?  Does having a bank account improve my credit rating?  Is my credit rating affected by where I live?  Does my age affect my credit rating?  How important is my debt income ratio in determining my credit-worthiness?  Will bankruptcies or "charge-offs" affect my credit rating?  Will delinquent child support payments affect my credit?  Can my credit rating be negatively affected by having too much available credit?  Financial Trouble  How can I tell whether I have too much debt?  What steps should I take if I get into financial trouble?  What can I do if I am being hounded by a debt collector?  What are my rights against banks, creditors and debt collectors?  Loans  What should I do if a friend or family member asks me to cosign a loan?  How can I get the best deal on a home equity loan or an equity line of credit?  What are the costs of obtaining a home equity line of credit?  Should I obtain a home equity line of credit or a traditional second mortgage loan?  How should I determine which of several loan alternatives is best?  Planning Aids  Choosing a Professional  LAWYERS: How To Choose The Right One  Decide Whether You Need a Lawyer  Get Some Names  Start Asking Questions  Interview the Candidates  Make Your Decision  Clarify Fee Arrangements and Similar Issues  Define Your Relationship And Stay Involved  INFOSOURCES  External Sites  Attorney Finder  Attorney Locate  Lawyer Look-Up  Lawyers and Legal Malpractice  Lawyers.com  American Association for Retired Persons (AARP)  HMOs: How To Choose and Deal With Them  Capitation  Lack Of Coverage For Certain Procedures  Need For Pre-Approvals  Lack of Full Disclosure  Need To Go Through A Gatekeeper  Difficulty In Obtaining Redress  Artificial Formulas May Dictate Your Treatment  Second-Rate Devices  Inadequate Mental Health  INFOSOURCES  External Sites  The National Committee for Quality Assurance  Books and Other Publications  The HMO Survival Guide: Save Money, Play by the Rules and Get the Best Care  The Insider’s Guide to HMOs: How to Navigate the Managed-Care System and Get the Health Care You Deserve  Choosing and Using an HMO  FAQs  When should I hire a Lawyer?  How would I handle a dispute on my own?  How do I find a good Lawyer?  What questions should you ask potential Attorneys?  What legal fee arrangements are best for me?  How can I save money on legal fees?  Planning Aids  Buying Insurance  LIFE INSURANCE: How Much And What Kind To Buy  Do You Need Life Insurance?  Types of Insurance  How Insurance Products Differ  How to Shop for Insurance  Shopping for a Policy  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  ESTATE PLANNING: How to Get Started  External Sites  AARP Life Insurance  Calculators  Life Insurance Calculator  CAR INSURANCE: 10 Cost-Cutters To Save You Money  Comparison Shop  Choose Your Coverage Carefully  Consider Higher Deductibles  Drop Collision And Comprehensive On Older Cars  Buy A Low Profile Car  Avoid Duplicate Medical Coverage  Maximize Discounts  Collect All Of The Benefits You're Entitled To  Use Car Repair Networks  Drive Carefully And Take Your Car Key  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  YOUR NEXT CAR: Should You Buy Or Lease?  External Sites  Auto Discount Worksheets  Auto Insurance - InsureMarket  Auto Insurance Savings Quiz  Crash Tests and Car Safety  Independent Evaluation of Car Insurance Policies  Insurance Institute  Insurance News Network  Insurance Tips - Collision Repair Industry Insight  InsWeb: Auto Insurance  HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE: How To Get The Best Coverage And Value  What Homeowners' Insurance Generally Covers  Policy Coverage To Consider  Shopping For A Policy  INFOSOURCES  External Sites  Homeowners' Insurance  Insurance News Network  National Flood Insurance Program  DISABILITY INSURANCE: What To Look For  Planning for the Worst-Case Scenario  Checking Up on What You Have  Employer Provided Coverage  Governmental Coverage  What to Look for in a Private Policy  Be Ready to Prove Your Income Level  Watch Out for the "Definition of Disability"  Waiting Period  How Long Will Coverage Last  Residual Benefits  Non-Cancelable vs. Guaranteed Renewable  Riders and Options  Check Out Your Insurer  Premium-Reducing Tips  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  DISABILITY BENEFITS: How To Get All That You're Entitled To  External Sites  A. M. Best  Disability Benefits  Disability Insurance Costs  Social Security Online  Standard & Poor's Rating of Insurance Companies  DISABILITY BENEFITS: How To Get All You're Entitled To  General Information  Taxation of Benefits  Benefit Payments  Having a Child After Benefits Start  Reaching Retirement Age  Eligibility for Medicare  Changes That Can Affect Your Benefits  How to Report a Change  Disability Case Reviews  Work Incentives  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  DISABILITY INSURANCE: What To Look For  External Sites  A. M. Best  Disability Benefits  Disability Insurance Costs  Social Security Online  Standard & Poor's Rating of Insurance Companies  LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE: How To Get The Best Deal  How LTCI Works  Why Purchase LTCI  The Pros and Cons  Other Alternatives  Can You Afford LTCI?  How To Select an Insurer  What to Look for in a Policy  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  DISABILITY BENEFITS: How To Get All That You're Entitled To  DISABILITY INSURANCE: What To Look For  LIFE INSURANCE: How Much And What Kind To Buy  REVERSE MORTGAGES: How They Can Enhance Your Retirement  External Sites  Long-Term Healthcare  Medicaid Long-Term Care Services  Medicare  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  How Annuities Work  How Annuities Best Serve Investors  The Various Types Of Annuities  Choosing A Payout Option  How Payouts Are Taxed  How To Shop For An Annuity  Costs, Penalties, And Extras  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  INVESTING IN MUTUAL FUNDS: Time-Tested Guidelines  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  Calculators  Investment Analysis Calculator  How Can I Save a Million Dollars?  Investment Yield Calculator  Present Value Calculator  Future Value Calculator  Simple Savings Goal Calculator  How Much Money Could I Save?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Much Would I Need to Start With?  How Much Would I Need to Save Each Month?  FAQs  Auto Insurance  How can I lower my car insurance costs?  What coverage should my auto policy include?  How should I handle an auto insurance claim?  Does it make sense to comparison shop for car insurance?  How much of a deductible should I take on my car insurance?  Is it worthwhile to maintain collision coverage on older cars?  Does the kind of car I buy affect my car insurance?  Does my address affect my car insurance?  Does it make a difference if I pay my insurance annually, semi-monthly or monthly?  What types of auto insurance discounts are available?  Life Insurance  How do insurance companies classify individuals for rate purposes?  What questions should I ask my life insurance agent?  What should I watch out for when buying life insurance?  How do I compare the cost of several insurance policies?  Do I really need life insurance?  How much life insurance should I buy?  What type of life insurance should I buy?  Should kids have life insurance?  How do I balance life insurance with my other investments?  Long-Term Care Insurance  Should I buy long-term care insurance?  What are the alternatives to long-term care insurance?  How much does long-term care insurance cost?  What should I look for in a long-term care insurance policy?  Should I comparison shop for long-term insurance coverage?  Is it worthwhile buying "dread disease" insurance, and other types of special health insurance?  Do I need disability insurance? How can I ensure I have adequate coverage?  Homeowners' Insurance  How can I get the "best buy" in homeowner's insurance?  How much homeowner's insurance should I buy?  How can I make sure my homeowners' insurance is adequate?  How should I shop for a home insurer?  How much of a homeowner's deductible should I have?  Should I buy home and auto policies from the same company?  Should insurance costs be a factor in the home purchase decision process?  Should I insure the entire cost of the home including land?  Does home security reduce insurance cost?  Do home insurer's offer discounts for non-smokers?  How often should I review my homeowner's policy?  Should I buy private or governmental sponsored storm insurance?  Annuities  How do life annuities differ from life insurance?  What would I use an annuity for?  What's the down side to buying an annuity?  What types of annuity are available?  What are my options for collecting my annuity?  What's the tax on payouts from a qualified plan or IRA annuity?  Is it a good idea to buy annuities for my IRA or qualified plan?  What's the tax on payout of an annuity bought as an investment?  What tax must my beneficiaries or heirs pay if my annuity continues after my death?  How should I shop for an annuity?  What are the added or hidden costs in buying an annuity?  Planning Aids  Getting a Loan  APPLYING FOR A LOAN: How to Get the Best Loan at the Lowest Cost  Types of Loans  How to Shop for a Loan  Comparing Loans  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  REFINANCING YOUR MORTGAGE: When And How To Do It  MORTGAGES ALTERNATIVES: How To Choose The Right One  REVERSE MORTGAGES: How They Can Enhance Your Retirement  HOME EQUITY LOANS: How To Shop For The One That's Best For You  MORTGAGE LOCK-INS: Questions To Ask  External Sites  Loans and Mortgages  E-Loan  I-Own.com  Home Equity Loans  Mortgages by BankRates.com  RealEstate.com  Housing Resources  Consumer Information Center  Consumer rights in housing matters  National Center for Home Equity Conversion  Federal Trade Commission  Calculators  Personal Financing  How much car can I afford?  How long will it take to pay off my credit cards?  How much do I need to save for college?  How long will it take to save for a major purchase?  Simple Loan Calculator  How Much Can I Borrow?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Long Would it Take to Pay Off a Loan  What Would My Payments Be?  Home Financing  Should I refinance my home mortgage?  What would my payments be for a fixed rate loan?  What would my payments be for an adjustable rate loan?  What would my payments be for a balloon loan?  Should I rent my home or buy?  Which loan is better, Fixed or Adjustable?  What would I save if I make extra payments?  How much house can I qualify for?  How much house can I afford?  Advanced mortgage calculator  MORTGAGE LOCK-INS: Questions To Ask  Lock-Ins and Fees  Locking in the Mortgage  Escrow Accounts  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  MORTGAGES ALTERNATIVES: How To Choose The Right One  REVERSE MORTGAGES: How They Can Enhance Your Retirement  HOME EQUITY LOANS: How To Shop For The One That's Best For You  REFINANCING YOUR MORTGAGE: When And How To Do It  External Sites  Loans and Mortgages  E-Loan  I-Own.com  Home Equity Loans  Mortgages by BankRates.com  RealEstate.com  Housing Resources  Consumer Information Center  Consumer rights in housing matters  National Center for Home Equity Conversion  Federal Trade Commission  MORTGAGE ALTERNATIVES: How To Choose The Right One  Traditional Mortgage  Non-Traditional Mortgage  Buy-Downs  Rent with Option to Buy  Reverse Mortgage  Some Cautions  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  MORTGAGE LOCK-INS: Questions To Ask  REVERSE MORTGAGES: How They Can Enhance Your Retirement  APPLYING FOR A LOAN: How To Get The Best Loan At The Lowest Cost  HOME EQUITY LOANS: How To Shop For The One That's Best For You  REFINANCING YOUR MORTGAGE: When And How To Do It  External Sites  Loans and Mortgages  E-Loan  I-Own.com  Home Equity Loans  Mortgages by BankRates.com  RealEstate.com  Housing Resources  Consumer Information Center  Consumer rights in housing matters  National Center for Home Equity Conversion  Federal Trade Commission  Calculators  Personal Financing  How much car can I afford?  How long will it take to pay off my credit cards?  How much do I need to save for college?  How long will it take to save for a major purchase?  Simple Loan Calculator  How Much Can I Borrow?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Long Would it Take to Pay Off a Loan  What Would My Payments Be?  Home Financing  Should I refinance my home mortgage?  What would my payments be for a fixed rate loan?  What would my payments be for an adjustable rate loan?  What would my payments be for a balloon loan?  Should I rent my home or buy?  Which loan is better, Fixed or Adjustable?  What would I save if I make extra payments?  How much house can I qualify for?  How much house can I afford?  Advanced mortgage calculator  REFINANCING YOUR MORTGAGE: When and How To Do It  Who Can Benefit From Refinancing?  How To Go About Making The Decision  How To Determine Your Refinancing Costs  How Would Refinancing Affect Your Tax Situation?  Some Tips For Obtaining The Best Deal  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  MORTGAGES ALTERNATIVES: How To Choose The Right One  MORTGAGE LOCK-INS: Questions To Ask  REVERSE MORTGAGES: How They Can Enhance Your Retirement  APPLYING FOR A LOAN: How To Get The Best Loan At The Lowest Cost  HOME EQUITY LOANS: How To Shop For The One That's Best For You  External Sites  Loans and Mortgages  E-Loan  I-Own.com  Home Equity Loans  Mortgages by BankRates.com  RealEstate.com  Housing Resources  Consumer Information Center  Consumer rights in housing matters  National Center for Home Equity Conversion  Federal Trade Commission  Calculators  Personal Financing  How much car can I afford?  How long will it take to pay off my credit cards?  How much do I need to save for college?  How long will it take to save for a major purchase?  Simple Loan Calculator  How Much Can I Borrow?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Long Would it Take to Pay Off a Loan  What Would My Payments Be?  Home Financing  Should I refinance my home mortgage?  What would my payments be for a fixed rate loan?  What would my payments be for an adjustable rate loan?  What would my payments be for a balloon loan?  Should I rent my home or buy?  Which loan is better, Fixed or Adjustable?  What would I save if I make extra payments?  How much house can I qualify for?  How much house can I afford?  Advanced mortgage calculator  HOME EQUITY LOANS: How To Shop For The One That Is Best For You  What Is A Home Equity Line Of Credit?  What to Look For  Costs Of Obtaining A Home Equity Line  How Will You Repay?  Line Of Credit vs. Traditional Second Mortgage  How to Compare Costs  The Finance Charge And The Annual Percentage Rate (APR)  Comparing Loans  Special Considerations For The Cost Of Home Equity Lines Of Credit  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  MORTGAGES ALTERNATIVES: How To Choose The Right One  MORTGAGE LOCK-INS: Questions To Ask  REVERSE MORTGAGES: How They Can Enhance Your Retirement  APPLYING FOR A LOAN: How To Get The Best Loan At The Lowest Cost  HOME EQUITY LOANS: How To Shop For The One That's Best For You  External Sites  Loans and Mortgages  E-Loan  I-Own.com  Home Equity Loans  Mortgages by BankRates.com  RealEstate.com  Housing Resources  Consumer Information Center  Consumer rights in housing matters  National Center for Home Equity Conversion  Federal Trade Commission  Calculators  Personal Financing  How much car can I afford?  How long will it take to pay off my credit cards?  How much do I need to save for college?  How long will it take to save for a major purchase?  Simple Loan Calculator  How Much Can I Borrow?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Long Would it Take to Pay Off a Loan  What Would My Payments Be?  Home Financing  Should I refinance my home mortgage?  What would my payments be for a fixed rate loan?  What would my payments be for an adjustable rate loan?  What would my payments be for a balloon loan?  Should I rent my home or buy?  Which loan is better, Fixed or Adjustable?  What would I save if I make extra payments?  How much house can I qualify for?  How much house can I afford?  Advanced mortgage calculator  FAQs  Should I prepay my mortgage?  When should I refinance my home?  Should I borrow against my securities?  What is a home equity line of credit?  What are the costs of obtaining a home equity line of credit?  What is an interest rate "lock-in"?  What disclosures must a lender give you?  What is a reverse mortgage?  What loan interest is tax-deductible?  What are the limitations on deductibility of loan interest?  Is interest expense incurred for business purposes deductible?  Is investment related interest expense deductible?  Is interest on educational loans tax deductible?  When can you stop paying private mortgage insurance?  Planning Aids  Planning for Retirement  YOUR RETIREMENT PLAN: How To Get Started  Estimating Your Retirement Income  Establishing Goals For Retirement  Deciding on Investments  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  INVESTMENT BASICS: What You Should Know  ASSET ALLOCATION: How To Diversify For Maximum Return  INVESTING IN MUTUAL FUNDS: The Time-Tested Guidelines  ROTH IRAs: How They Work and How To Use Them  External Sites  401Kafe  401K Frequently Asked Questions  American Association of Retired Persons  SeniorCom  Social Security Online  The Retirement Net  Calculators  Roth IRA comparison calculator  IRA Calculator  Roth IRA Calculator  IRA Deposit Calculator  Roth IRA Deposit Calculator  Simple Spending Calculator  Advanced Spending Calculator  How Long Would I Be Able to Make Withdrawals?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Much Money Would I Need to Start With?  How Much Money Could I Withdraw Each Month?  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  How Annuities Work  How Annuities Best Serve Investors  Choosing a Payout Option  How Payouts Are Taxed  How Payouts Are Taxed  How To Shop For An Annuity  Costs, Penalties, And Extras  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  INVESTING IN MUTUAL FUNDS: Time-Tested Guidelines  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  Calculators  Investment Analysis Calculator  How Can I Save a Million Dollars?  Investment Yield Calculator  Present Value Calculator  Future Value Calculator  Simple Savings Goal Calculator  How Much Money Could I Save?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Much Would I Need to Start With?  How Much Would I Need to Save Each Month?  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: WHEN To Take Them  Withdrawal While You're Alive  Withdrawal After You Die  Tax Planning  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  SELLING YOUR HOME: How To Minimize The Tax On The Gain  HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS: How To Get The Maximum Deduction  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  ROTH IRAs: How they Work And How To Use Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: HOW To Take Them  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: HOW To Take Them  Take Everything in a Lump Sum  Take An Annuity  Roll Over The Distribution  Take A Partial Withdrawal  Do Some Combination Of The Above  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  SELLING YOUR HOME: How To Minimize The Tax On The Gain  HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS: How To Get The Maximum Deduction  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  ROTH IRAs: How they Work And How To Use Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: WHEN To Take Them  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  ROTH IRAs: How They Work And How To Use Them  How Contributions Are Treated  How Withdrawals Are Treated  Converting From a Traditional IRA  Undoing a Conversion to a Roth IRA  Withdrawal Requirements  Use in Estate Planning  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  SELLING YOUR HOME: How To Minimize The Tax On The Gain  HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS: How To Get The Maximum Deduction  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: HOW To Take Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: WHEN To Take Them  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  Calculators  Roth IRA comparison calculator  IRA Calculator  Roth IRA Calculator  IRA Deposit Calculator  Roth IRA Deposit Calculator  Simple Spending Calculator  Advanced Spending Calculator  How Long Would I Be Able to Make Withdrawals?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Much Money Would I Need to Start With?  How Much Money Could I Withdraw Each Month?  THE "SIMPLE" PLAN: A Retirement Plan for the Really Small Business  How Much You Can Put in and Deduct  Withdrawal: Easy, but Taxable  A SIMPLE Plan  What's Not So Good about SIMPLEs  How to Get Started in a SIMPLE  Keoghs, SEPs and SIMPLEs Compared  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  EMPLOYEE BENEFITS: How To Handle Them  HOME-BASED BUSINESS: Some Basics You Should Consider  FAQs  Social Security Benefits  Who is entitled to Social Security disability benefits?  When do Social Security disability benefits begin?  Are Social Security disability benefits taxable?  How long do Social Security disability payments continue?  What happens to Social Security disability benefits when I reach retirement age?  What happens if Social Security turns down my claim for disability benefits?  Will I receive Social Security when I retire?  How can I find out what Social Security will pay me when I retire?  Can I count on Social Security being around when I retire?  Disability Insurance  Should I purchase my own disability insurance policy?  What does worker's compensation insurance cover?  How much disability insurance coverage should I have?  How is disability defined?  When can I qualify for Medicaid?  Long-Term Care Insurance  Do I need long-term care insurance?  How does long-term care insurance work?  In a long-term care policy, what is the elimination period?  How should I select a long-term care insurance provider?  Planning Aids  Buying & Maintaining a Car  YOUR NEXT CAR: Should You Buy Or Lease?  How Leasing Works  Determining Your Costs  Option Rights  Questions to Ask Before You Sign  Other Factors to Consider  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  CAR INSURANCE: 10 Cost-Cutters To Save You Money  External Sites  Auto Advice  Buying and Leasing a Car  Buying and Selling a Car  Car Purchasing Information  Edmund's  Financing Your Car  Free Quotes  Independent Car Ratings  Insurance News Network  Kelley Blue Book  MSN's CarPoint  Refinancing Your Car  Calculators  Leasing  Simple lease calculator  Advanced Lease Calculator  How Much Can I Afford to Lease?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  What Would My Residual Be?  What Would My Payments Be?  Personal Financing  How Much Car Can I Afford?  How Long Will it Take to Save for a Major Purchase?  Simple Loan Calculator  How Much Can I Borrow?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Long Would it Take to Pay Off a Loan?  What Would My Payments Be?  CAR INSURANCE: 10 Cost-Cutters To Save You Money  Comparison Shop  Choose Your Coverage Carefully  Consider Higher Deductibles  Drop Collision And Comprehensive On Older Cars  Buy A Low Profile Car  Avoid Duplicate Medical Coverage  Maximize Discounts  Collect All Of The Benefits You're Entitled To  Use Car Repair Networks  Drive Carefully And Take Your Car Key  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  YOUR NEXT CAR: Should You Buy Or Lease?  External Sites  Auto Discount Worksheets  Auto Insurance - InsureMarket  Auto Insurance Savings Quiz  Crash Tests and Car Safety  Independent Evaluation of Car Insurance Policies  Insurance Institute  Insurance News Network  Insurance Tips - Collision Repair Industry Insight  InsWeb: Auto Insurance  FAQs  Buying or Leasing Your Next Car  Should I Buy or Lease My Next Car?  How can I get the "best buy" when buying a new car?  How Should I Negotiate for a New Car?  Should I negotiate on a car lease as I would on a car purchase?  How does an auto lease work?  What are the initial (up-front) costs of leasing a car?  What questions should I ask about a car lease?  Why is a security deposit required when I lease a car?  How much can a dealer charge me at the end of an auto lease?  What ongoing lease items must the dealer disclose?  What is a "maintenance lease"?  What are the typical final (lease-end) costs?  What is a lease-purchase option?  What is a lease early-termination option?  What is a "capitalized cost reduction"?  Auto Insurance  What type of car insurance coverage should I have?  Can I save on car insurance with a higher deductible?  Should I have collision or comprehensive coverage on an older, low-value car?  What's the most cost-effective way to prevent car theft?  What features should I look for in a car alarm system?  Planning Aids  Buying & Selling a Home  BUYING A HOME: What To Do And How To Do It  Deciding How Much To Spend  Working With Your Real Estate Agent  Finding the Right Home  Negotiating the Sale Price  Arranging for the Mortgage  Inspecting the Home  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  MORTGAGES ALTERNATIVES: How To Choose The Right One  HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE: How To Get The Best Coverage And Value  HOME EQUITY LOANS: How To Shop For The One That's Best For You  External Sites  General  100 Questions and Answers About Buying a New Home  Buying Process  Closing the Deal  Consumer Rights in Housing Matters  Homefair.com  HUD Home Buying Guide  Tips on Owning Your Home  Financing  E-Loan  I-Own.com  Home Equity Loans  Mortgages by BankRates.com  RealEstate.com  Housing Resources  Consumer Information Center  Consumer rights in housing matters  National Center for Home Equity Conversion  Federal Trade Commission  HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE: How To Get The Best Coverage And Value  What Homeowners' Insurance Generally Covers  Policy Coverage to Consider  Shopping for a Policy  INFOSOURCES  External Sites  Homeowners' Insurance  Insurance News Network  National Flood Insurance Protection  MORTGAGE ALTERNATIVES: How to Choose the Right One  Traditional Mortgage  Non-Traditional Mortgages  Buy-Downs  Rent with Option to Buy  Reverse Mortgages  Some Cautions  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  MORTGAGE LOCK-INS: Questions To Ask  REVERSE MORTGAGES: How They Can Enhance Your Retirement  APPLYING FOR A LOAN: How To Get The Best Loan At The Lowest Cost  HOME EQUITY LOANS: How To Shop For The One That's Best For You  REFINANCING YOUR MORTGAGE: When And How To Do It  External Sites  Loans and Mortgages  E-Loan  I-Own.com  Home Equity Loans  Mortgages by BankRates.com  RealEstate.com  Housing Resources  Consumer Information Center  Consumer rights in housing matters  National Center for Home Equity Conversion  Federal Trade Commission  Calculators  Personal Financing  How much car can I afford?  How long will it take to pay off my credit cards?  How much do I need to save for college?  How long will it take to save for a major purchase?  Simple Loan Calculator  How Much Can I Borrow?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Long Would it Take to Pay Off a Loan  What Would My Payments Be?  Home Financing  Should I refinance my home mortgage?  What would my payments be for a fixed rate loan?  What would my payments be for an adjustable rate loan?  What would my payments be for a balloon loan?  Should I rent my home or buy?  Which loan is better, Fixed or Adjustable?  What would I save if I make extra payments?  How much house can I qualify for?  How much house can I afford?  Advanced mortgage calculator  REVERSE MORTGAGES: How They Can Enhance Your Retirement  How Does a Reverse Mortgage Work?  General Rules that Apply to Homeowners  How Payments are Received  Tax Rules  Maximum Loan Amounts  Negative Aspects  Is a Reverse Mortgage for You?  Other Alternatives  How Federal Rules Help With Mortgage Shopping  A Summary of Available Plans  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  SURVIVORS BENEFITS: A Guide To This Often Overlooked Insurance Add-On  YOUR PENSION: What You're Entitled To  SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS: How To Get The Maximum Amount  ROTH IRAs: How They Work and How To Use Them  External Sites  American Association of Retired Persons  Retirement Planning and Improvement  SeniorCom  Social Security Online  The Retirement Net  Calculators  Roth IRA comparison calculator  IRA Calculator  Roth IRA Calculator  IRA Deposit Calculator  Roth IRA Deposit Calculator  Simple Spending Calculator  Advanced Spending Calculator  How Long Would I Be Able to Make Withdrawals?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Much Money Would I Need to Start With?  How Much Money Could I Withdraw Each Month?  REFINANCING YOUR MORTGAGE: When and How To Do It  Who Can Benefit From Refinancing?  How To Go About Making The Decision  How To Determine Your Refinancing Costs  How Would Refinancing Affect Your Tax Situation?  Some Tips For Obtaining The Best Deal  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  MORTGAGES ALTERNATIVES: How To Choose The Right One  MORTGAGE LOCK-INS: Questions To Ask  REVERSE MORTGAGES: How They Can Enhance Your Retirement  APPLYING FOR A LOAN: How To Get The Best Loan At The Lowest Cost  HOME EQUITY LOANS: How To Shop For The One That's Best For You  External Sites  Loans and Mortgages  E-Loan  I-Own.com  Home Equity Loans  Mortgages by BankRates.com  RealEstate.com  Housing Resources  Consumer Information Center  Consumer rights in housing matters  National Center for Home Equity Conversion  Federal Trade Commission  Calculators  Personal Financing  How much car can I afford?  How long will it take to pay off my credit cards?  How much do I need to save for college?  How long will it take to save for a major purchase?  Simple Loan Calculator  How Much Can I Borrow?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Long Would it Take to Pay Off a Loan  What Would My Payments Be?  Home Financing  Should I refinance my home mortgage?  What would my payments be for a fixed rate loan?  What would my payments be for an adjustable rate loan?  What would my payments be for a balloon loan?  Should I rent my home or buy?  Which loan is better, Fixed or Adjustable?  What would I save if I make extra payments?  How much house can I qualify for?  How much house can I afford?  Advanced mortgage calculator  SELLING YOUR HOME: How To Do It Effectively  Finding A Good Real Estate Agent  Reviewing The Listing Agreement  Speeding Up The Selling Process  Negotiating Effectively  Planning Your Move  Getting Ready for the Move  Figuring the Tax  Notify People of Your Move  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  REFINANCING YOUR MORTGAGE: When & How To Do It  HOME EQUITY LOANS: How To Shop For The One That's Best For You  REVERSE MORTGAGES: How They Can Enhance Your Retirement  MORTGAGES ALTERNATIVES: How To Choose The Right One  HOMEOWNERS' INSURANCE: How To Get The Best Coverage and Value  SELLING YOUR HOME: How To Minimize The Tax On The Gain  Appraisal  Appraisal Institute  National Association of Independent Fee Appraisers  External Sites  Appraisal  Appraisal Institute  National Association of Independent Fee Appraisers  Inspection  Inspect America SuperSite  American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI)  Resources  HomeGain.com  Selling Process  Calculators  Personal Financing  How much car can I afford?  How long will it take to pay off my credit cards?  How much do I need to save for college?  How long will it take to save for a major purchase?  Simple Loan Calculator  How Much Can I Borrow?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Long Would it Take to Pay Off a Loan  What Would My Payments Be?  Home Financing  Should I refinance my home mortgage?  What would my payments be for a fixed rate loan?  What would my payments be for an adjustable rate loan?  What would my payments be for a balloon loan?  Should I rent my home or buy?  Which loan is better, Fixed or Adjustable?  What would I save if I make extra payments?  How much house can I qualify for?  How much house can I afford?  Advanced mortgage calculator  SELLING YOUR HOME: How To Minimize the Tax On the Gain  Main Home  How to Figure Gain or Loss  Basis  Basis Other than Cost  Adjusted Basis  Exclusion For Sales After May 6, 1997  Recapture Of Federal Subsidy  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS: How To Get The Maximum Deduction  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  ROTH IRAs: How they Work And How To Use Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: HOW To Take Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: WHEN To Take Them  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  FAQs  Buying a Home  How much should I spend on my next home?  How can I find a good real estate agent when buying a home?  Can I save money by buying a home without a real estate agent?  How can I negotiate the lowest price when buying a home?  Should I have the home I want to buy inspected?  What should I watch out for when dealing with home contractors?  How much should I expect to pay in closing costs?  Should I Buy or Rent?  Selling a Home  How can I find a good real estate agent when selling my home?  Which type of listing agreement should I enter into with the real estate agent?  How can I speed up the sale of my home?  How can I get the best price for my home?  Mortgages  How can I minimize the problems in getting a mortgage?  How can I lock in a mortgage most effectively?  How are escrow payments calculated?  What should I do if my bank or other mortgage lender sells my mortgage?  When can I stop paying private mortgage insurance?  How can I avoid paying private mortgage insurance?  Should I prepay my mortgage?  When should I refinance my home?  Should I pay off my mortgage?  What are the different options for mortgages?  How do I choose between low rates and low points on a mortgage?  Which mortgage is best for me?  Planning for Your Move  How can I get the best deal in hiring a moving company?  How can I minimize the problems in moving?  Whom should I notify of a new address?  Planning Aids  Planning Your Estate  ESTATE PLANNING: How To Get Started  The Overall Picture  Estate Tax Repeal  Wills  Trusts  Post-Mortem Letters  Living Wills  Life Insurance  Disclaimers  Lifetime Gifts  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  POST-MORTEM LETTER: How To Prepare It And What To Include  LIFE INSURANCE: How Much And What Kind To Buy  POST-MORTEM LETTER: How To Prepare It And What To Include  What The Post-Mortem Letter Does  What The Post-Mortem Letter Does Not Do  How To Get The Post-Mortem Letter To Your Executors  What The Post-Mortem Letter Should Contain  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  ESTATE PLANNING: How To Get Started  DEATH OF A SPOUSE: Financial Steps You Should Take  FUNERALS: What To Do At This Stressful Time  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: WHEN To Take Them  Withdrawal While You're Alive  Withdrawal After You Die  Tax Planning  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  SELLING YOUR HOME: How To Minimize The Tax On The Gain  HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS: How To Get The Maximum Deduction  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  ROTH IRAs: How they Work And How To Use Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: HOW To Take Them  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: HOW To Take Them  Take Everything in a Lump Sum  Take An Annuity  Roll Over The Distribution  Take A Partial Withdrawal  Do Some Combination Of The Above  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  SELLING YOUR HOME: How To Minimize The Tax On The Gain  HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS: How To Get The Maximum Deduction  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  ROTH IRAs: How they Work And How To Use Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: WHEN To Take Them  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  ROTH IRAs: How They Work And How To Use Them  How Contributions Are Treated  How Withdrawals Are Treated  Converting from a Traditional IRA  Undoing a Conversion to a Roth IRA  Withdrawal Requirements  Use in Estate Planning  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  SELLING YOUR HOME: How To Minimize The Tax On The Gain  HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS: How To Get The Maximum Deduction  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: HOW To Take Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: WHEN To Take Them  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  Calculators  Roth IRA comparison calculator  IRA Calculator  Roth IRA Calculator  IRA Deposit Calculator  Roth IRA Deposit Calculator  Simple Spending Calculator  Advanced Spending Calculator  How Long Would I Be Able to Make Withdrawals?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Much Money Would I Need to Start With?  How Much Money Could I Withdraw Each Month?  FAQs  Living Trusts  Just What is a Probate?  What is a Living Trust?  Do I Need a Living Trust?  How Does a Living Trust Avoid Probate?  Is it Expensive to Create a Living Trust?  Is a Trust Document Ever Made Public, like a Will?  Does a trust protect property from creditors?  Do I need a trust if I'm young and healthy?  Can a living trust save on estate taxes?  Wills  What happens if I die without a will?  Can I just make a handwritten will if I don't have much property?  Do I need to file my will with a court or in public records somewhere?  Can I use my will to name somebody to care for my young children?  What happens to my will when I die?  What if someone challenges my will after I die?  What instructions should I give my survivors about funeral ceremonies and the disposition of my body?  Your Estate and Taxes  Will my estate have to pay taxes after I die?  Do states also impose death taxes?  How can I minimize federal estate taxes?  Can I avoid paying state death taxes?  Can I just give all my property away before I die and avoid estate taxes?  Planning Aids  Making Charitable Contributions  CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS: How To Give Wisely  Giving Your Time  Mail Solicitations  Public Education Solicitations  Telephone, Door-To-Door, And Street Solicitations  Sweepstakes Appeals  Charity Thrift Stores  Fund-Raising Dinners, Variety Shows, And Other Events  Charity-Affinity Credit Cards  Charity/Business Marketing  Disaster Appeals  Police And Firefighter Appeals  Child Sponsorship Groups  A Charity's National Office and Its Affiliates  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  FRAUDULENT CHARITIES: How To Protect Yourself  ADVANCED CHARITY TECHNIQUES: Maximizing Your Deductions  External Sites  GuideStar  National Charities Information Bureau  ADVANCED CHARITY TECHNIQUES: Maximizing Your Deduction  Planned or Deferred Giving  Types of Planned and Deferred Gifts  Should You Make a Planned or Deferred Gift?  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS: How To Give Wisely  FRAUDULENT CHARITIES: How To Protect Yourself  External Sites  GuideStar  National Charities Information Bureau  FRAUDULENT CHARITIES: How To Protect Yourself  How the States Regulate Charities  How the IRS Regulates Charities  How to File a Complaint  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  ADVANCED CHARITY TECHNIQUES: Maximizing Your Deductions  CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS: How To Give Wisely  External Sites  GuideStar  National Charities Information Bureau  CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF PROPERTY: Maximizing the Deduction  Determining Fair Market Value  Contributions Subject to Special Rules  Donating Property That Has Decreased in Value  Donating Property That Has Increased in Value  Ordinary Income Property  Capital Gain Property  Bargain Sales  Penalty  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  ADVANCED CHARITY TECHNIQUES: Maximizing Your Deduction  FRAUDULENT CHARITIES: How To Protect Yourself  External Sites  Kelley Blue Book  FAQs  Charitable Contributions  How can I spot a charity scam?  What should I watch out for with mail solicitations?  What should I watch out for with door-to-door solicitations?  How can I maximize my tax benefit from charitable contributions?  What are the most tax-effective ways of donating?  Should I make a planned or deferred gift?  Is it wise to give my time to charity?  How do charity thrift stores work?  How are tickets to charitable events treated?  Charitable Deductions  How can I find out if contributions to a particular charity are tax-deductible?  What information can I obtain from the IRS about a charity?  What types of deductible contributions can be made to charity?  What types of organizations generally qualify for a charitable deduction?  What types of organizations generally do not qualify for a charitable deduction?  What is the limit on the deductibility of charitable contributions?  Can I deduct contributions to tax-exempt organizations?  What should I look out for in my charitable giving?  Is federal gift or estate tax due on my charitable gift?  Some charities talk about planned or deferred giving. What is that?  Planning Aids  Avoiding Scams  CON ARTISTS: How To Spot and Stop Them  Who Are the Victims?  Buzz Words and Tip-Offs  Areas in Which Con Artists Operate  Some Successful Con Games Described  Five Questions that will Reveal a Securities Con  Ten Steps for Avoiding Scams  Some Specific Suggestions For Telemarketing Fraud  Tip-Offs That A Caller Could Be A Crook  INFOSOURCES  External Sites  Better Business Bureau  Federal Trade Commission: Bureau of Consumer Protection  Internet Fraud Watch  Internet Scambusters  National Fraud Information Center  U.S. Consumer Gateway  WebAssured  FRAUDULENT CHARITIES: How To Protect Yourself  How the States Regulate Charities  How the IRS Regulates Charities  How to File a Complaint  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  ADVANCED CHARITY TECHNIQUES: Maximizing Your Deductions  CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS: How To Give Wisely  External Sites  GuideStar  National Charities Information Bureau  FAQs  How can I spot a rip-off?  What should I know about Internet fraud?  What are some of the Internet scams I should look out for?  How can I prevent the illegal use of my credit card or Social Security number?  How trustworthy are "credit clinics" and other organizations that claim to help me out of financial trouble?  How honest are ads touting "federal government surplus" sales?  How can I protect myself from penny stock fraud?  How can I protect myself from a pyramid scheme?  How can I protect myself from a Ponzi scheme?  How can I protect myself from travel scams?  When buying a used car, how can I avoid buying a "lemon"?  How can I avoid being ripped off by auto mechanics?  How can I avoid being pick-pocketed?  Planning Aids  Getting Divorced or Becoming Widowed  GETTING MARRIED (OR DIVORCED): Some Financial Guidelines  How To Prepare Financially For A First Marriage  How To Prepare Financially For A Divorce  How To Prepare Financially For Re-Marriage  INFOSOURCES  Getting Married  Marriage and the Financial Considerations  Planning a Wedding  Wedding Checklist  Registry Checklist  Getting Divorced  Basic Information  Divorce Laws by State  DivorceNet  Divorce Online  Divorce Source  LIFE INSURANCE: How Much And What Kind To Buy  Do You Need Life Insurance?  Types of Insurance  How Insurance Products Differ  How to Shop for Insurance  Shopping for a Policy  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  ESTATE PLANNING: How to Get Started  Calculators  Life Insurance Calculator  AARP Life Insurance  FAQs  How do I prepare financially for divorce?  How should we handle credit card accounts during a divorce?  What do I do if my current or former spouse's poor credit affects me?  What happens to my credit history after a divorce?  What are the legal issues that must be faced in most divorces?  How does property get divided in a divorce?  What are the tax implications of divorce?  What happens when retirement plans or IRAs are divided up in a divorce?  Can I deduct the cost of getting a divorce?  Who is entitled to deduct the dependency exemption of a child after divorce?  Planning Aids  Coping with Major Illness  LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE: How To Get The Best Deal  How LTCI Works  Why Purchase LTCI  The Pros and Cons  Other Alternatives  Can You Afford LTCI?  How to Select an Insurer  What to Look for in a Policy  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  DISABILITY BENEFITS: How To Get All That You're Entitled To  DISABILITY INSURANCE: What To Look For  LIFE INSURANCE: How Much And What Kind To Buy  REVERSE MORTGAGES: How They Can Enhance Your Retirement  External Sites  Long-Term Healthcare  Medicaid Long-Term Care Services  Medicare  DISABILITY INSURANCE: What To Look For  Planning For The Worst-Case Scenario  Checking Up On What You Have  Employer-Provided Coverage  Governmental Coverage  What To Look For In A Private Policy  Be Ready To Prove Your Income Level  Watch Out For The "Definition Of Disability"  Waiting Period  How Long Will Coverage Last?  Residual Benefits  Non-Cancelable vs. Guaranteed Renewable  Riders And Options  Check Out Your Insurer  Premium-Reducing Tips  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  DISABILITY BENEFITS: How To Get All That You're Entitled To  External Sites  A. M. Best  Disability Benefits  Disability Insurance Costs  Social Security Online  Standard & Poor's Rating of Insurance Companies  DISABILITY BENEFITS: How To Get All You're Entitled To  General Information  Taxation of Benefits  Benefit Payments  Having A Child After Benefits Start  Reaching Retirement Age  Eligibility For Medicare  Changes That Can Affect Your Benefits  How to Report a Change  Disability Case Reviews  Work Incentives  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  DISABILITY INSURANCE: What To Look For  External Sites  A. M. Best  Disability Benefits  Disability Insurance Costs  Social Security Online  Standard & Poor's Rating of Insurance Companies  FAQs  Social Security Benefits  Who is entitled to Social Security disability benefits?  When do Social Security disability benefits begin?  Are Social Security disability benefits taxable?  How long do Social Security disability payments continue?  What happens to Social Security disability benefits when I reach retirement age?  What happens if Social Security turns down my claim for disability benefits?  Will I receive Social Security when I retire?  How can I find out what Social Security will pay me when I retire?  Can I count on Social Security being around when I retire?  Disability Insurance  Should I purchase my own disability insurance policy?  What does worker's compensation insurance cover?  How much disability insurance coverage should I have?  How is disability defined?  When can I qualify for Medicaid?  Long-Term Care Insurance  Do I need long-term care insurance?  How does long-term care insurance work?  In a long-term care policy, what is the elimination period?  How should I select a long-term care insurance provider?  Planning Aids  Coping with the Death of a Loved One  DEATH OF A SPOUSE: Financial Steps You Should Take  Collecting the Papers  Survivor Benefits  Veterans' Benefits  Employee Benefits  The Will  Probate  Taxes  Changing Ownership or Title  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  POST-MORTEM LETTER: How To Prepare It And What To Include  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: WHEN To Take Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: HOW To Take Them  ESTATE PLANNING: How to Get Started  SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS: How To Get The Maximum Amount  SURVIVORS BENEFITS: A Guide To This Often Overlooked Insurance Add-On  External Sites  Funeral Planning and Final Arrangement  Probate & Executor Information  Survivor's Benefits  FUNERALS: What To Do At This Stressful Time  Arranging a Funeral  How the Funeral Rule Protects You  Statement of Funeral Goods and Services Selected  How to Make a Complaint  Benefits for Widow/Widowers  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS: How To Get The Maximum Amount  SURVIVOR'S BENEFITS: A Guide To This Often Overlooked Insurance Add-On  External Sites  Funeral Planning and Final Arrangement  Probate & Executor Information  Survivor's Benefits  POST-MORTEM LETTER: How To Prepare It And What To Include  What The Post-Mortem Letter Does  What The Post-Mortem Letter Does Not Do  How To Get The Post-Mortem Letter To Your Executors  What The Post-Mortem Letter Should Contain  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  ESTATE PLANNING: How To Get Started  DEATH OF A SPOUSE: Financial Steps You Should Take  FUNERALS: What To Do At This Stressful Time  FAQs  What papers will I need if a family member dies?  What steps should I take regarding the deceased's assets?  How can I avoid overpaying for the funeral of a family member?  What Social Security benefits are surviving family members entitled to?  What is Probate?  What taxes are due upon the death of a family member?  Can I refuse to accept property bequeathed to me by a family member so as to cut taxes?  Can I file a joint return in the year my spouse dies?  Must I pay taxes on the proceeds of a life insurance policy payable to me?  If I receive distributions from a retirement plan or an IRA of the deceased, must I pay income taxes on the distribution?  How will my spouse's assets be distributed if he/she died without a will?  Planning Aids  Improving Your Retirement  YOUR PENSION: What You're Entitled To  What Does ERISA Do For You?  What Standards Does ERISA Set?  What Information Does The Plan Have To Provide You?  What Age And Length Of Service Requirements May Your Plan Impose?  Are Plan Features Other Than Accrued Benefits Protected?  Can Your Plan Reduce Future Benefits?  What If You Leave Your Job and Return Later?  What Is Vesting And How Does It Work?  When Will Your Benefits Be Paid?  What Will Your Surviving Spouse Get When You Die?  How Do You Make A Claim For Benefits?  Can You Choose Your Own Investments?  How Must Your Plan Be Funded?  Can Your Plan Be Terminated?  Is Your Accrued Benefit Protected If Your Plan Merges?  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  REVERSE MORTGAGES: How They Can Enhance Your Retirement  SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS: How To Get The Maximum Amount  SURVIVORS BENEFITS: A Guide To This Often Overlooked Insurance Add-On  ROTH IRAs: How They Work and How To Use Them  Life Events Planning  American Association of Retired Persons  Retirement Planning and Improvement  SeniorCom  Social Security Online  The Retirement Net  Calculators  Roth IRA comparison calculator  IRA Calculator  Roth IRA Calculator  IRA Deposit Calculator  Roth IRA Deposit Calculator  Simple Spending Calculator  Advanced Spending Calculator  How Long Would I Be Able to Make Withdrawals?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Much Money Would I Need to Start With?  How Much Money Could I Withdraw Each Month?  SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS: How To Get The Maximum Amount  Eligibility For Retirement Benefits  Amount Of Your Retirement Benefit  Choosing Your Retirement Date  Benefits For Widows/Widowers  How Work Affects Your Benefits  Your Family's Benefits  How to Apply  Your Right to Appeal  How Work Affects Your Benefits  Taxability of Benefits  Pensions From Work Not Covered By Social Security  Leaving the United States  Medicare Insurance  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  REVERSE MORTGAGES: How They Can Enhance Your Retirement  SURVIVORS BENEFITS: A Guide To This Often Overlooked Insurance Add-On  YOUR PENSION: What You're Entitled To  ROTH IRAs: How They Work and How To Use Them  External Sites  American Association of Retired Persons  Retirement Planning and Improvement  SeniorCom  Social Security Online  The Retirement Net  Calculators  Roth IRA comparison calculator  IRA Calculator  Roth IRA Calculator  IRA Deposit Calculator  Roth IRA Deposit Calculator  Simple Spending Calculator  Advanced Spending Calculator  How Long Would I Be Able to Make Withdrawals?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Much Money Would I Need to Start With?  How Much Money Could I Withdraw Each Month?  SURVIVOR BENEFITS: A Guide To This Often Overlooked Insurance Add-On  Eligibility for Survivor Benefits  Who Can Get the Benefits?  How Much Are the Benefits?  How to Apply for Benefits?  Medicare  Confidentiality Of Your Personal Information  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  REVERSE MORTGAGES: How They Can Enhance Your Retirement  SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS: How To Get The Maximum Amount  YOUR PENSION: What You're Entitled To  ROTH IRAs: How They Work and How To Use Them  External Sites  American Association of Retired Persons  Retirement Planning and Improvement  SeniorCom  Social Security Online  The Retirement Net  Calculators  Roth IRA comparison calculator  IRA Calculator  Roth IRA Calculator  IRA Deposit Calculator  Roth IRA Deposit Calculator  Simple Spending Calculator  Advanced Spending Calculator  How Long Would I Be Able to Make Withdrawals?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Much Money Would I Need to Start With?  How Much Money Could I Withdraw Each Month?  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: WHEN To Take Them  Withdrawal While You're Alive  Withdrawal After You Die  Tax Planning  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  SELLING YOUR HOME: How To Minimize The Tax On The Gain  HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS: How To Get The Maximum Deduction  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  ROTH IRAs: How they Work And How To Use Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: HOW To Take Them  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: HOW To Take Them  Take Everything in a Lump Sum  Take An Annuity  Roll Over The Distribution  Take A Partial Withdrawal  Do Some Combination Of The Above  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  SELLING YOUR HOME: How To Minimize The Tax On The Gain  HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS: How To Get The Maximum Deduction  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  ROTH IRAs: How they Work And How To Use Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: WHEN To Take Them  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  REVERSE MORTGAGES: How They Can Enhance Your Retirement  How Does A Reverse Mortgage Work?  General Rules That Apply To Homeowners  How Payments Are Received  Tax Rules  Maximum Loan Amounts  Negative Aspects  Is A Reverse Mortgage For You?  Other Alternatives  How Federal Rules Help With Mortgage Shopping  A Summary Of Available Plans  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  SURVIVORS BENEFITS: A Guide To This Often Overlooked Insurance Add-On  YOUR PENSION: What You're Entitled To  SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS: How To Get The Maximum Amount  ROTH IRAs: How They Work and How To Use Them  External Sites  American Association of Retired Persons  Retirement Planning and Improvement  SeniorCom  Social Security Online  The Retirement Net  Calculators  Roth IRA comparison calculator  IRA Calculator  Roth IRA Calculator  IRA Deposit Calculator  Roth IRA Deposit Calculator  Simple Spending Calculator  Advanced Spending Calculator  How Long Would I Be Able to Make Withdrawals?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Much Money Would I Need to Start With?  How Much Money Could I Withdraw Each Month?  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  How Annuities Work  How Annuities Best Serve Investors  The Various Types Of Annuities  Choosing A Payout Option  How Payouts Are Taxed  How To Shop For An Annuity  Costs, Penalties, And Extras  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  INVESTING IN MUTUAL FUNDS: Time-Tested Guidelines  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  Calculators  Investment Analysis Calculator  How Can I Save a Million Dollars?  Investment Yield Calculator  Present Value Calculator  Future Value Calculator  Simple Savings Goal Calculator  How Much Money Could I Save?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Much Would I Need to Start With?  How Much Would I Need to Save Each Month?  ROTH IRAs: How They Work And How To Use Them  How Contributions Are Treated  How Withdrawals Are Treated  Converting From a Traditional IRA  Undoing a Conversion to a Roth IRA  Withdrawal Requirements  Use in Estate Planning  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  SELLING YOUR HOME: How To Minimize The Tax On The Gain  HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS: How To Get The Maximum Deduction  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: HOW To Take Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: WHEN To Take Them  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  Calculators  Roth IRA comparison calculator  IRA Calculator  Roth IRA Calculator  IRA Deposit Calculator  Roth IRA Deposit Calculator  Simple Spending Calculator  Advanced Spending Calculator  How Long Would I Be Able to Make Withdrawals?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Much Money Would I Need to Start With?  How Much Money Could I Withdraw Each Month?  FAQs  Retirement Plan Distributions  How should I take distributions from my retirement plan?  When should I take a lump-sum distribution from my retirement plan?  What should I do about my retirement plan assets in my ex-employer's plan if I change jobs?  Can creditors get at my retirement assets?  How will my state tax affect my retirement withdrawals?  Can moving to another state when I retire save me taxes on my retirement plan?  What is a reverse mortgage?  Annuities  Is it better to take an annuity or a lump-sum distribution?  What is a joint and survivor annuity?  Can I change from a joint and survivor annuity if it doesn't meet my needs?  IRAs  When shall I use a rollover to my IRA?  Is there a downside to an IRA rollover?  Planning Aids  Handling Other Situations  SAVING MONEY: 10 Major Ways To Increase Your Nest Egg  1. Prepare A Financial Plan  2. Save Your Income  3. Cut Your Mortgage Costs  4. Cut Your Consumer Debt  5. Cut Your Credit Card Costs  6. Cut Your Bank Fees  7. Fine Tune Your Insurance Coverage  8. Cut Your Utility Costs  9. Cut Your Phone Bills  10. Forego One Big Expense Per Year  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  YOUR FINANCIAL PLAN: Getting Started On A Secure Future  BUDGETING: How To Prepare A Workable Plan  REFINANCING YOUR MORTGAGE: When And How Do It  HOME EQUITY LOANS: How To Shop For The One That's Best For You  CREDIT CARDS: How To Choose And Use Them Wisely  BANK ACCOUNTS: What To Look And Ask For  LIFE INSURANCE: How Much And What Kind To Buy  CAR INSURANCE: 10 Cost-Cutters To Save You Money  HOMEOWNERS' INSURANCE: How To Get The Best Coverage And Value  RECORDKEEPING GUIDE: How Long You Should Retain Your Records  DOCUMENT LOCATOR SYSTEM: Handy Aid For Keeping Track Of Your Records  E-SHOPPING TIPS: Things You Should Know Before You Go CyberShopping  Calculators  How much car can I afford?  How long will it take to pay off my credit cards?  How much do I need to save for college?  How long will it take to save for a major purchase?  Simple Loan Calculator  How Much Can I Borrow?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Long Would it Take to Pay Off a Loan?  What Would My Payments Be?  RECORDKEEPING GUIDE: How Long You Should Retain Your Records  Keep Indefinitely  Keep for a Prescribed Period  Throw Out Now  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  E-SHOPPING TIPS: Things You Should Know Before You Go CyberShopping  SAVING MONEY: 10 Major Ways To Increase Your Nest Egg  DOCUMENT LOCATOR SYSTEM: Handy Aid For Keeping Track Of Your Records  DOCUMENT LOCATOR SYSTEM: A Handy Aid For Keeping Track Of Your Records  The Document Locator System  Set Up Tabbed Sections  File the Documents  Documents You Should Be Able to Locate Easily  Where to File What  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  RECORDKEEPING GUIDE: How Long You Should Retain Your Records  SAVING MONEY: 10 Major Ways To Increase Your Nest Egg  E-SHOPPING TIPS: Things You Should Know Before You Go CyberShopping  E-SHOPPING TIPS: Things You Should Know Before You Go Cyber-shopping  1. Check Out The Merchant  2. Be Organized  3. Set A Budget  4. Give Yourself Enough Time  5. Use Bookmarks To Compare Products  6. Know When To Cut Your Losses  7. File A Complaint  8. Holiday Shopping Tips From The FTC  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  RECORDKEEPING GUIDE: How Long You Should Retain Your Records  SAVING MONEY: 10 Major Ways To Increase Your Nest Egg  External Sites  Better Business Bureau Online: Shopping Online  BizRate.com  Trust-E  WebAssured  FAQs  How can I resolve a consumer complaint?  How can I reduce my bank fees?  How can I save on my insurance costs?  How can I cut my utility costs?  How can I reduce the cost of my phone bill?  How can I reduce the cost of my mortgage?  Planning Aids

 Business Strategies

THE 2003 TAX LAW: How It Will Affect You and What to Do About It  General Rate Cuts  Rate Cuts on Investment Income  Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) Relief  Family Tax Cuts  Business Tax Cuts  State Tax Impact  2003 Tax Cut Examples  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  Recordkeeping--Why It's Necessary  What Exactly Will The Records Tell You?  The Basic Recordkeeping System  Understanding Cash Flow  Planning A Positive Cash Flow  Keeping A Cash Reserve  Projections  Using a Personal Computer  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  YOUR BUSINESS SUCCESSION: How To Plan For It  RAISING CAPITAL: How To Get Money For A Small Business  PRICING YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: A Basic Review  BUSINESS PLANS: How To Prepare An Effective One  EVALUATING YOUR MARKET: A Basic Review  THE HOME-BASED BUSINESS: Some Basics You Should Consider  FORM OF BUSINESS ORGANIZATION: Which Should You Choose  EMPLOYEE BENEFITS: How To Handle Them  COMPUTER SYSTEMS: How To Set One Up That Best Meets Your Needs  External Sites  Better Business Bureau - General Information  Business Owners' Toolkit  Keeping Better Records  SBA - Starting Your Business  U.S. Patent and Trademark Office  TRAVEL AND ENTERTAINMENT: Maximizing The Tax Benefits  Travel Expenses  Entertainment Expenses  How Do You Prove Expenses Are "Directly Related"?  How Do You Meet The "Associated With" Test?  For Whom Can You Get The Deduction?  Recordkeeping And Substantiation Requirements  Employees "Fully Reimbursed"  Auto Expenses  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  SELLING YOUR HOME: How To Minimize The Tax On The Gain  HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS: How To Get The Maximum Deduction  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  ROTH IRAs: How they Work And How To Use Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: HOW To Take Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: WHEN To Take Them  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  THE "NANNY TAX" RULES: What To Do If You Have Household Employees  FORM OF BUSINESS ORGANIZATION: Which Should You Choose?  Types of Business Entities  Choosing the Tax Treatment  Choosing the Form  Choosing the Pass-through Entity  Professional Practice Entities  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  SELLING YOUR HOME: How To Minimize The Tax On The Gain  HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS: How To Get The Maximum Deduction  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  ROTH IRAs: How they Work And How To Use Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: HOW To Take Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: WHEN To Take Them  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  RAISING CAPITAL: How To Get Money For A Small Business  Finding Sources of Money  Borrowing Money  How to Write a Loan Proposal  How Your Loan Request Will Be Reviewed  SBA Programs  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  YOUR BUSINESS SUCCESSION: How To Plan For It  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  PRICING YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: A Basic Review  BUSINESS PLANS: How To Prepare An Effective One  EVALUATING YOUR MARKET: A Basic Review  THE HOME-BASED BUSINESS: Some Basics You Should Consider  FORM OF BUSINESS ORGANIZATION: Which Should You Choose  EMPLOYEE BENEFITS: How To Handle Them  COMPUTER SYSTEMS: How To Set One Up That Best Meets Your Needs  External Sites  American Venture Capital Exchange  Business Owners' Toolkit  Entrepreneur America  MoneyHunter  Keeping Better Records  SBA - Financing Your Business  U.S. Patent and Trademark Office  Venture Capital Resource Library  EMPLOYEE BENEFITS: How To Handle Them  What Is An Employee Benefit Plan?  Why Offer Your Employees Benefits?  Health, Disability, And Life Insurance Plans  Balancing Cost, Quality And Accessibility  Retirement Benefit Plans  Leave  Perquisites  Flexible Compensation or "Cafeteria" Plans  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS: How To Get The Maximum Amount  YOUR BUSINESS SUCCESSION: How To Plan For It  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  RAISING CAPITAL: How To Get Money For A Small Business  PRICING YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: A Basic Review  BUSINESS PLANS: How To Prepare An Effective One  EVALUATING YOUR MARKET: A Basic Review  THE HOME-BASED BUSINESS: Some Basics You Should Consider  FORM OF BUSINESS ORGANIZATION: Which Should You Choose  COMPUTER SYSTEMS: How To Set One Up That Best Meets Your Needs  External Sites  Better Business Bureau - General Information  Business & Workplace Briefs  Business Owners' Toolkit  BuyerZone.com  Employee Benefit News Online  National Center for Employee Ownership  SBA - Starting Your Business  Your Rights in the Workplace  BUSINESS PLANS: How To Prepare An Effective One  If You're Starting a New Business  What the Business Plan Should Include  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  YOUR BUSINESS SUCCESSION: How To Plan For It  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  RAISING CAPITAL: How To Get Money For A Small Business  PRICING YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: A Basic Review  EVALUATING YOUR MARKET: A Basic Review  THE HOME-BASED BUSINESS: Some Basics You Should Consider  FORM OF BUSINESS ORGANIZATION: Which Should You Choose  EMPLOYEE BENEFITS: How To Handle Them  COMPUTER SYSTEMS: How To Set One Up That Best Meets Your Needs  External Sites  Better Business Bureau - General Information  BizPlus Small Business Info  Business Owners' Toolkit  Business Plan Outline  Plan Village  Plan Ware  SBA - Starting Your Business  U.S. Federal Trade Commission  YOUR BUSINESS SUCCESSION: How To Plan For It  What Makes the Family Business Unique?  Strategic Planning  The Family Retreat  Succession Planning  Letting Go  Consider a Board of Directors  Making Succession Work  Estate Planning  Implementation  Planning Checklist  Summary  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  ESTATE PLANNING: How To Get Started  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  RAISING CAPITAL: How To Get Money For A Small Business  EMPLOYEE BENEFITS: How To Handle Them  BUSINESS PLANS: How To Prepare An Effective One  COMPUTER SYSTEMS: How To Set One Up That Best Meets Your Needs  THE HOME-BASED BUSINESS: Some Basics You Should Consider  EVALUATING YOUR MARKET: A Basic Review  PRICING YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: A Basic Review  FORM OF BUSINESS ORGANIZATION: Which Should You Choose  External Sites  Better Business Bureau - General Information  Business Owners' Toolkit  Family Business  SBA - Starting Your Business  U.S. Patent and Trademark Office  THE HOME-BASED BUSINESS: Some Basics You Should Consider  Is A Home-Based Business Right For You?  Possible Legal Requirements  Planning Techniques  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  YOUR BUSINESS SUCCESSION: How To Plan For It  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  RAISING CAPITAL: How To Get Money For A Small Business  PRICING YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: A Basic Review  BUSINESS PLANS: How To Prepare An Effective One  EVALUATING YOUR MARKET: A Basic Review  FORM OF BUSINESS ORGANIZATION: Which Should You Choose  EMPLOYEE BENEFITS: How To Handle Them  COMPUTER SYSTEMS: How To Set One Up That Best Meets Your Needs  External Sites  250 Free Business Reports  American Association of Home-Based Businesses  Business Owners' Toolkit  BuyerZone.com  Home Business Magazine  SBA - Starting Your Business  Start, Grow, & Succeed in Your Home Based Business  EVALUATING YOUR MARKET: A Basic Review  Market Research  Questions to Ask  Market Data  Export Markets  Summary  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  YOUR BUSINESS SUCCESSION: How To Plan For It  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  RAISING CAPITAL: How To Get Money For A Small Business  PRICING YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: A Basic Review  THE HOME-BASED BUSINESS: Some Basics You Should Consider  FORM OF BUSINESS ORGANIZATION: Which Should You Choose  EMPLOYEE BENEFITS: How To Handle Them  COMPUTER SYSTEMS: How To Set One Up That Best Meets Your Needs  External Sites  Advertising Age  Business Owners' Toolkit  Inc. Online: The Online Sleuth  Marketing Resource Center  SBA - Starting Your Business  PRICING YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: A Basic Review  Retail Cost and Pricing  Competitive Position  Pricing Below the Competition  Pricing Above the Competition  Multiple Pricing  Cost Factors and Pricing  Figuring Costs and Profits For a Consultant Service  Summary  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  YOUR BUSINESS SUCCESSION: How To Plan For It  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  RAISING CAPITAL: How To Get Money For A Small Business  BUSINESS PLANS: How To Prepare An Effective One  EVALUATING YOUR MARKET: A Basic Review  THE HOME-BASED BUSINESS: Some Basics You Should Consider  FORM OF BUSINESS ORGANIZATION: Which Should You Choose  EMPLOYEE BENEFITS: How To Handle Them  COMPUTER SYSTEMS: How To Set One Up That Best Meets Your Needs  External Sites  Advertising Age  Business Owners' Toolkit  Inc. Online: The Online Sleuth  Marketing Resource Center  SBA - Starting Your Business  DEVELOPING AN ADVERTISING PROGRAM: A Basic Review  What Do I Want My Advertising To Accomplish?  Whom Should My Advertising Speak To?  What Should My Advertising Say?  Where Should I Place My Advertising?  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  YOUR BUSINESS SUCCESSION: How To Plan For It  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  RAISING CAPITAL: How To Get Money For A Small Business  BUSINESS PLANS: How To Prepare An Effective One  EVALUATING YOUR MARKET: A Basic Review  THE HOME-BASED BUSINESS: Some Basics You Should Consider  FORM OF BUSINESS ORGANIZATION: Which Should You Choose  EMPLOYEE BENEFITS: How To Handle Them  COMPUTER SYSTEMS: How To Set One Up That Best Meets Your Needs  External Sites  Advertising Age  Business Owners' Toolkit  Direct Marketing Association  Inc. Online: The Online Sleuth  Marketing Resource Center  SBA - Starting Your Business  U.S. Federal Trade Commission  THE "SIMPLE" PLAN: A Retirement Plan for the Really Small Business  How Much You Can Put in and Deduct  Withdrawal: Easy, but Taxable  A SIMPLE Plan  What's Not So Good about SIMPLEs  How to Get Started in a SIMPLE  Keoghs, SEPs and SIMPLEs Compared  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  EMPLOYEE BENEFITS: How To Handle Them  HOME-BASED BUSINESS: Some Basics You Should Consider  FAQs  Small Business  How can I ensure that my small business will survive the transition into the next generation?  What's involved in succession planning for family businesses?  How do I know whether I have what it takes to run my own business?  What should I include in a business plan?  Is a home-based business right for me?  What legal requirements might affect a home-based business?  How can I avoid running into cash flow problems in my small business?  What steps can I take to improve my business cash flow?  Should I keep a cash reserve in my small business?  Marketing and Pricing  How do I research whether my small business' product or service will sell?  What market research questions should I ask?  What costs should I consider in determining how much to charge for my products or services?  Financing  How can I raise money for my small business?  What types of loans exist for business financing?  What do banks look for when considering a loan request?  How do I write a good loan proposal?  Employee Benefits  As a small employer, what do I need to know about employee benefits?  What type of medical plans are available for employees?  What is a preferred provider organization?  What is a health maintenance organization?  What types of disability benefits do companies provide to employees?  What types of life insurance plans are available for employees?  What is "self-insurance"?  What is a "cafeteria-plan"?  Recordkeeping  What kind of records do I need to keep in my business?  What do I need to know about automating part or all of my business?  How can I ensure that I'm choosing the right computer system?  How can I successfully implement a new computer system?  Travel & Entertainment Expenses  Can I deduct the cost of meals on days I call on customers or clients away from my office?  Must I report employer reimbursements for travel, entertainment and meals?  What are the limits on deductible travel, entertainment and meals cost?  Can I deduct living expenses on temporary assignment away from the area where I live and work?  What expenses can I deduct while traveling away from home?  What can't be deducted as travel expenses?  What can't I deduct from business entertainment?  How do I prove my travel and entertainment expenses?  Business Forms of Organizations  Which kinds of business organization or business entity will limit my liability to business creditors?  What is the "corporate double tax" and how can it be avoided?  Which types of business entity are best for tax purposes?  Which are the "pass-through" entities?  What entities will let me both limit my liabilities and avoid the double tax?  What's so great about limited liability companies (LLCs)?  What special considerations are there if my business is a professional practice?  What are the federal tax consequences of changing your form of business organization?  Do state business entity rules follow federal tax rules?  Planning Aids

 Tax Strategies

THE 2003 TAX LAW: How It Will Affect You and What to Do About It  General Rate Cuts  Rate Cuts on Investment Income  Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) Relief  Family Tax Cuts  Business Tax Cuts  State Tax Impact  2003 Tax Cut Examples  TAX SAVING STRATEGIES: A Helpful Checklist  Avoid or Defer Income Recognition  Maximize Your Deductions  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  SELLING YOUR HOME: How To Minimize The Tax On The Gain  HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS: How To Get The Maximum Deduction  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  ROTH IRAs: How they Work And How To Use Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: HOW To Take Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: WHEN To Take Them  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  TRAVEL AND ENTERTAINMENT: Maximizing The Tax Benefits  THE "NANNY TAX" RULES: What To Do If You Have Household Employees  Calculators  Roth IRA comparison calculator  IRA Calculator  Roth IRA Calculator  IRA Deposit Calculator  Roth IRA Deposit Calculator  Simple Spending Calculator  Advanced Spending Calculator  How Long Would I Be Able to Make Withdrawals?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Much Money Would I Need to Start With?  How Much Money Could I Withdraw Each Month?  TRAVEL AND ENTERTAINMENT: Maximizing The Tax Benefits  Travel Expenses  Entertainment Expenses  How Do You Prove Expenses Are "Directly Related"?  How Do You Meet The "Associated With" Test?  For Whom Can You Get The Deduction?  Recordkeeping And Substantiation Requirements  Employees "Fully Reimbursed"  Auto Expenses  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  SELLING YOUR HOME: How To Minimize The Tax On The Gain  HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS: How To Get The Maximum Deduction  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  ROTH IRAs: How they Work And How To Use Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: HOW To Take Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: WHEN To Take Them  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  THE "NANNY TAX" RULES: What To Do If You Have Household Employees  THE "NANNY TAX" RULES: What To Do If You Have Household Employees  Who is a Household Employee?  Can Your Employee Legally Work in the United States?  Do You Need to Pay Employment Tax?  State Unemployment Taxes  Social Security and Medicare Taxes  Federal Unemployment (FUTA) Tax  Do You Need to Withhold Federal Income Tax?  How Do You Handle the Earned Income Credit (EIC)?  How Do You Make Tax Payments?  What Forms Must You File?  What Records Must You Keep?  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  SELLING YOUR HOME: How to Minimize the Tax on the Gain  HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS: How To Get The Maximum Deduction  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  ROTH IRAs: How they Work And How To Use Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: HOW To Take Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: WHEN To Take Them  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS: How To Get The Maximum Deduction  Coverdell Education Savings Accounts (Section 530 Programs)  Qualified Tuition Programs (Section 529 Programs)  Traditional and Roth IRAs  Education Savings Bonds  Education Credits  Qualified Tuition and Related Expenses Deduction  Employer-Provided Education Assistance  Student Loans  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  SELLING YOUR HOME: How To Minimize The Tax On The Gain  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  ROTH IRAs: How they Work And How To Use Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: HOW To Take Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: WHEN To Take Them  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  SELLING YOUR HOME: How To Minimize The Tax On The Gain  Main Home  How to Figure Gain or Loss  Basis  Basis Other than Cost  Adjusted Basis  Exclusion For Sales After May 6, 1997  Recapture Of Federal Subsidy  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS: How To Get The Maximum Deduction  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  ROTH IRAs: How they Work And How To Use Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: HOW To Take Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: WHEN To Take Them  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  How Annuities Work  How Annuities Best Serve Investors  The Various Types Of Annuities  Choosing A Payout Option  How Payouts Are Taxed  How To Shop For An Annuity  Costs, Penalties, And Extras  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  INVESTING IN MUTUAL FUNDS: Time-Tested Guidelines  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  Calculators  Investment Analysis Calculator  How Can I Save a Million Dollars?  Investment Yield Calculator  Present Value Calculator  Future Value Calculator  Simple Savings Goal Calculator  How Much Money Could I Save?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Much Would I Need to Start With?  How Much Would I Need to Save Each Month?  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: WHEN To Take Them  Withdrawal While You're Alive  Withdrawal After You Die  Tax Planning  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  SELLING YOUR HOME: How To Minimize The Tax On The Gain  HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS: How To Get The Maximum Deduction  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  ROTH IRAs: How they Work And How To Use Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: HOW To Take Them  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: HOW To Take Them  Take Everything in a Lump Sum  Take An Annuity  Roll Over The Distribution  Take A Partial Withdrawal  Do Some Combination Of The Above  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  SELLING YOUR HOME: How To Minimize The Tax On The Gain  HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS: How To Get The Maximum Deduction  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  ROTH IRAs: How they Work And How To Use Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: WHEN To Take Them  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  ROTH IRAs: How They Work And How To Use Them  How Contributions Are Treated  How Withdrawals Are Treated  Converting From a Traditional IRA  Undoing a Conversion to a Roth IRA  Withdrawal Requirements  Use in Estate Planning  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  SELLING YOUR HOME: How To Minimize The Tax On The Gain  HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS: How To Get The Maximum Deduction  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: HOW To Take Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: WHEN To Take Them  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  Calculators  Roth IRA comparison calculator  IRA Calculator  Roth IRA Calculator  IRA Deposit Calculator  Roth IRA Deposit Calculator  Simple Spending Calculator  Advanced Spending Calculator  How Long Would I Be Able to Make Withdrawals?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Much Money Would I Need to Start With?  How Much Money Could I Withdraw Each Month?  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  Tip #1: Keep Track of Reinvested Dividends  Tip #2: Be Aware That Exchanges of Shares Are Taxable Events  Tip #3: Be Wary of Buying Shares Just Before Ex-Dividend Date  Tip #4: Do Not Overlook the Advantages of Tax-Exempt Funds  Tip #5: Keep Records of Your Mutual Fund Transactions  Tip #6: Re-investing Dividends & Capital Gain Distributions when Calculating  Tip #7: Adjust Cost Basis for Non-Taxable Distributions  Tip #8: Use the Best Method of Identifying Sold Shares  Tip #9: Avoid Backup Withholding  Tip #10: Don't Forget State Taxation  Tip #11: Don't Overlook Possible Tax Credits For Foreign Income  Tip #12: Be Careful About Trying the "Wash Sale" Rule  Tip #13: Choose Tax-Efficient Funds  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  INVESTING IN MUTUAL FUNDS: Time-Tested Guidelines  ASSET ALLOCATION: How To Diversify Your Assets For Maximum Return  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  Association of Mutual Fund Investors  Morningstar.Com  Mutual Funds Central  National Association of Investors Corporation  The American Association of Individual Investors  Ultimate Guide to Mutual Funds  Calculators  Investment analysis calculator  How can I save a million dollars?  Investment yield calculator  Present value calculator  Future value calculator  Simple savings goal calculator  How much money could I save?  What interest rate would I need?  How much would I need to start with?  How much would I need to save each month?  FORM OF BUSINESS ORGANIZATION: Which Should You Choose?  Types of Business Entities  Choosing the Tax Treatment  Choosing the Form  Choosing the Pass-through Entity  Professional Practice Entities    Related Financial Guides  SELLING YOUR HOME: How To Minimize The Tax On The Gain  HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS: How To Get The Maximum Deduction  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  ROTH IRAs: How they Work And How To Use Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: HOW To Take Them  RETIREMENT PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS: WHEN To Take Them  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  RECORDKEEPING AND CASH FLOW: Effective Techniques  ADVANCED CHARITY TECHNIQUES: Maximizing Your Deduction  Planned or Deferred Giving  Types of Planned and Deferred Gifts  Should You Make a Planned or Deferred Gift?  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS: How To Give Wisely  FRAUDULENT CHARITIES: How To Protect Yourself  External Sites  GuideStar  National Charities Information Bureau  CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF PROPERTY: Maximizing the Deduction  Determining Fair Market Value  Contributions Subject to Special Rules  Donating Property That Has Decreased in Value  Donating Property That Has Increased in Value  Ordinary Income Property  Capital Gain Property  Bargain Sales  Penalty  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  ADVANCED CHARITY TECHNIQUES: Maximizing Your Deduction  FRAUDULENT CHARITIES: How To Protect Yourself  External Sites  Kelley Blue Book  FAQs  Tax Savings Strategies  What's the best way to borrow to make consumer purchases?  What special deductions can I get if I'm self-employed?  Can I ever save tax by filing a separate return instead of jointly with my spouse?  Why should I participate in my employer's cafeteria plan or FSA?  What's the best way to give to charity?  I have a large capital gain this year. What should I do?  What other tax-deferred investments should I consider?  What tax-deferred investments are possible if I'm self-employed?  How can I make tax-deferred investments?  What can I do to defer income?  Why should I defer income to a later year?  Mutual Funds  How are mutual fund tax distributions taxed?  Are reinvested dividends from a mutual fund taxable?  Am I subject to tax if I switch from one fund to another in the same family?  Am I subject to tax on return-of-capital distributions?  Should I invest in tax-exempt funds to cut my income taxes?  How do the states generally tax mutual fund distributions?  What are the tax benefits and problems from investing in a foreign mutual fund?  Retirement Assets  Will my heirs owe income taxes when they inherit my retirement assets?  Will my heirs owe estate taxes on inherited retirement assets?  Is estate tax deferred if my heir will get an annuity?  How can I minimize or eliminate tax on inherited retirement assets?  How should I take distributions from my retirement plan?  When should I take a lump-sum distribution from my retirement plan?  What should I do about my retirement plan assets in my ex-employer's plan if I change jobs?  Can creditors get at my retirement assets?  How will my state tax affect my retirement withdrawals?  I understand that I'm required to take money out of my retirement plan after I reach age 70 1/2. Why is that?  How can I continue the tax shelter for retirement plan assets after age 70 1/2?  Suppose there are still retirement assets in my account at my death. Can the shelter continue for those who receive those assets?  Did anything happen in 2001 to change the withdrawal requirements?  My IRA document prescribes the minimum amount I must withdraw after age 70 1/2. Must I follow this document?  Can moving to another state when I retire save me taxes on my retirement plan?  What is a reverse mortgage?  Roth & Traditional IRAs  What's good about investing in IRAs?  Can anyone have a traditional IRA?  Can my homemaker spouse have an IRA?  What makes Roth IRAs so special?  Can anyone have a Roth IRA?  Can I set up a Roth IRA for my spouse?  Can I set up a Roth IRA for my child?  What's the downside to Roth IRAs?  What can I do if I converted to a Roth IRA and my income exceeds $100,000?  What if my Roth IRA assets fall in value after conversion?  How are my heirs taxed on inherited Roth IRA wealth?  Tax Benefits of Higher Education  What types of tax relief are available for costs of my children's higher education?  What's the education tax credit?  Do any tax planning considerations apply to the education tax credit?  Do living expenses while in school qualify for tax relief?  How does a Coverdell (Section 530) program work?  How can my family make best use of a Coverdell (Section 530) program?  What are qualified tuition programs?  How do Coverdell Section 530 plans and qualified tuition Section 529 plans differ?  Can my traditional IRA be used for education?  Can a Roth IRA be used for education?  What tax deductions are available for college education?  What tax benefits are available for continuing/adult education for a hobby or a sideline?  Can I deduct student loan interest?  If I take a home equity loan to pay education expenses, can I deduct the interest?  What tax treatment applies if my student loan debt is canceled?  What's the tax relief for education savings bonds?  Must I pay tax on my employer's payment or reimbursement of my education expenses?  Can I take tax deductions from education I pay for that helps me in my work?  The "Nanny Tax" Rules  What kinds of household workers are covered by nanny tax rules?  What must I do if I think my worker or worker-to-be isn't a U.S. citizen?  What are my tax duties if I have a household employee?  If I hire teenagers as babysitters or for yard work, must I withhold and pay tax for them?  Are there ways to pay my household employee that minimize employment tax?  I'm not sure yet whether I'll pay enough this year to require withholding. What should I do?  Okay, I've withheld tax on the employee and I owe the employer's share. How do I pay these amounts?  Do I have to reduce the worker's take-home pay by the tax on that pay?  In what cases do I owe unemployment tax?  Do I need to withhold federal income tax?  My household employee wants an advance earned income credit payment. What must I do?  What federal tax forms must I file if I have a household employee?  Recordkeeping For Your Taxes  What pieces of paper do I need to keep in order to do my taxes?  What types of records should I keep?  How long should I keep these records?  Should I keep my old tax returns? If so, for how long?  What other types of tax records should I keep?  Are there any non-tax records I should keep?  What kind of recordkeeping system do I need?  Annuities  What would I use an annuity for?  What types of annuity are available?  What are my options for collecting my annuity?  How should I shop for an annuity?  What are the added or hidden costs in buying an annuity?  How do life annuities differ from life insurance?  What's the downside to buying an annuity?  What's the tax on payouts from a qualified plan or IRA annuity?  Is it a good idea to buy annuities for my IRA or qualified plan?  What's the tax on payout of an annuity bought as an investment?  What tax must my beneficiaries or heirs pay if my annuity continues after my death?  Planning Aids

 Investment Strategies

THE 2003 TAX LAW: How It Will Affect You and What to Do About It  General Rate Cuts  Rate Cuts on Investment Income  Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) Relief  Family Tax Cuts  Business Tax Cuts  State Tax Impact  2003 Tax Cut Examples  BUYING ON MARGIN: How It Works and What To Watch Out For  How Does Margin Work?  The Risks  Read Your Margin Agreement  Know the Margin Rules  Margin Rules  INVESTMENT BASICS: What You Should Know  How Securities are Bought and Sold  How Prices are Established  How Your Securities are Protected  Protecting Yourself  Types of Investments  Investment Contracts and Limited Partnerships  Risk vs. Return  Planning Techniques  Security Selection  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  INVESTING IN MUTUAL FUNDS: Time-Tested Guidelines  ASSET ALLOCATION: How To Diversify Your Assets For Maximum Return  External Sites  Investing  EDGAR Database of Corporate Information  National Association of Investors Corporation  The American Association of Individual Investors  The Investment FAQ  Wall Street Research Net  Stock Indices  AMEX Composite  Reuters.com  Dow Jones Industrial Averages  Dow Transports  Dow Utilities  NASDAQ Composite  NYSE Composite  Russell 2000  S&P 500  Calculators  Investment Analysis Calculator  How Can I Save a Million Dollars?  Investment Yield Calculator  Present Value Calculator  Future Value Calculator  Simple Savings Goal Calculator  How Much Money Could I Save?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Much Would I Need to Start With?  How Much Would I Need to Save Each Month?  ASSET ALLOCATION: How To Diversify For Maximum Return  What is Asset Allocation?  How Does Asset Allocation Work?  What Are the Asset Categories?  How Are Asset Allocation Models Built?  What is Right for You?  INFOSOURCES  External Sites  Investing  EDGAR Database of Corporate Information  National Association of Investors Corporation  The American Association of Individual Investors  The Investment FAQ  Wall Street Research Net  Stock Indices  AMEX Composite  Reuters.com  Dow Jones Industrial Averages  Dow Transports  Dow Utilities  NASDAQ Composite  NYSE Composite  Russell 2000  S&P 500  Calculators  Investment Analysis Calculator  How Can I Save a Million Dollars?  Investment Yield Calculator  Present Value Calculator  Future Value Calculator  Simple Savings Goal Calculator  How Much Money Could I Save?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Much Would I Need to Start With?  How Much Would I Need to Save Each Month?  INVESTING IN MUTUAL FUNDS: The Time-Tested Guidelines  How to Choose a Mutual Fund  What About Recommendations?  Comparing Performance  Comparing Costs  Comparing Investment Philosophy  Comparing Customer Service  Risk Factors in General  Summary  INFOSOURCES  External Sites  Association of Mutual Fund Investors  Morningstar.Com  Mutual Funds Central  National Association of Investors Corporation  The American Association of Individual Investors  Ultimate Guide to Mutual Funds  Calculators  Investment analysis calculator  How can I save a million dollars?  Investment yield calculator  Present value calculator  Future value calculator  Simple savings goal calculator  How much money could I save?  What interest rate would I need?  How much would I need to start with?  How much would I need to save each month?  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  Tip #1: Keep Track of Reinvested Dividends  Tip #2: Be Aware That Exchanges of Shares Are Taxable Events  Tip #3: Be Wary of Buying Shares Just Before Ex-Dividend Date  Tip #4: Do Not Overlook the Advantages of Tax-Exempt Funds  Tip #5: Keep Records of Your Mutual Fund Transactions  Tip #6: Re-investing Dividends & Capital Gain Distributions when Calculating  Tip #7: Adjust Cost Basis for Non-Taxable Distributions  Tip #8: Use the Best Method of Identifying Sold Shares  Tip #9: Avoid Backup Withholding  Tip #10: Don't Forget State Taxation  Tip #11: Don't Overlook Possible Tax Credits For Foreign Income  Tip #12: Be Careful About Trying the "Wash Sale" Rule  Tip #13: Choose Tax-Efficient Funds  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  INVESTING IN MUTUAL FUNDS: Time-Tested Guidelines  ASSET ALLOCATION: How To Diversify Your Assets For Maximum Return  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  Association of Mutual Fund Investors  Morningstar.Com  Mutual Funds Central  National Association of Investors Corporation  The American Association of Individual Investors  Ultimate Guide to Mutual Funds  Calculators  Investment analysis calculator  How can I save a million dollars?  Investment yield calculator  Present value calculator  Future value calculator  Simple savings goal calculator  How much money could I save?  What interest rate would I need?  How much would I need to start with?  How much would I need to save each month?  ANNUITIES: How They Work And When You Should Use Them  How Annuities Work  How Annuities Best Serve Investors  The Various Types of Annuities  Choosing a Payout Option  How Payouts Are Taxed  How to Shop for an Annuity  Costs, Penalties, and Extras  INFOSOURCES  Related Financial Guides  INVESTING IN MUTUAL FUNDS: Time-Tested Guidelines  MUTUAL FUND TAXATION: How To Cut The Tax Bite  Calculators  Investment Analysis Calculator  How Can I Save a Million Dollars?  Investment Yield Calculator  Present Value Calculator  Future Value Calculator  Simple Savings Goal Calculator  How Much Money Could I Save?  What Interest Rate Would I Need?  How Much Would I Need to Start With?  How Much Would I Need to Save Each Month?  FAQs  Planning Aids

 Tax Tools

Tax Tables  401(K) Contribution Limits  Amount of Estate Assets Exempt from Federal Estate Tax  Annual Gift Tax Exclusion  Tax Treatment of Investment Income for Children Under Age 14  IRS-Approved Auto Mileage  Reduction of Itemized Deductions for High-Income Taxpayers  Excise Tax on "Luxury" Cars  Long-Term Capital Gains Tax Rates (Assets Held More Than One Year)  Self-Employed Health Insurance Deductions  Amount of Equipment Purchases Eligible for Expensing (Section 179) in First Year  Tax Worksheets  Self-Employment Tax  Tax-Free Portion of an Annuity  Tax on Sale of a Home  Tax on Early Roth IRA Withdrawal  Tax Explorer  Tax Calendar  Tax Forms  Tax Offices (IRS) for Every State  Tax Glossary

 Calendars

Planning Calendar  Tax Calendar