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

There are numerous investment alternatives available to help provide liquidity.

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

A living trust can help control the distribution of your estate upon death.

An annuity is a flexible financial vehicle that can help protect against the risk of living a long time because it provides an option for a lifetime income.

Understanding different types of investment risk can help investors manage their money more effectively.

Stock market indexes can be useful benchmarks for gauging the performance of an investment portfolio over time.

A bond is simply evidence of a debt from a government entity or a corporation and represents a long-term IOU.

Both fixed and variable annuities could be appropriate options for an individual interested in purchasing an annuity.

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

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

A mutual fund is a collection of stocks, bonds, and other securities with certain benefits and risks.

It is important to understand how dividends (taxable payments to shareholders) fit with your long-term goals.

ETFs have unique attributes and attempt to track all types of indexes, industries, or commodities.

There are other ways to invest in stocks and bonds besides owning individual shares or bonds.

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

Living benefits can help protect variable annuity owners from running out of money in retirement.

If you leave a job or retire, you should consider your options regarding your employer retirement plan assets.

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

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

If you do not participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan, you might consider a traditional IRA.

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

With the changing pension landscape, it is important to take charge of your own retirement security.

401(k) employer-sponsored retirement plans have many benefits, including that the funds accumulate tax-deferred.

Qualified Roth IRA distributions in retirement are free of federal income tax and aren’t included in gross income.

Some of the pros and cons of whole life insurance.

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

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

Property and casualty insurance can help protect a variety of assets. Find out what it does and doesn’t cover.

Variable life insurance gives you the control to allocate your account value among a variety of investment options.

The odds of needing long-term care increase as you age. Prior planning can help protect you from financial ruin.

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

With traditional IRAs and most employer-sponsored retirement plans, taxes are not payable until funds are withdrawn.

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

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

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