Articles

Eighty percent of Americans agree they would benefit from having basic financial education and information.^1
1 The 2009 Consumer Financial Literacy Survey, Harris Interactive, Inc., 2009

Welcome to our research center! We've put together a library of information on important financial topics that we believe you'll find helpful.

Simply click on one of the general financial topics below and you'll find a selection of easy-to-understand information sheets about related financial concepts and strategies. This information is updated regularly to reflect the latest facts, figures, legislation, and economic trends.

• Client Connections

  Understanding and Taking Advantage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
  

  Quarterly Recap

  Weathering the Storm
  2nd Quarter 2010
  3rd Quarter 2010
  4th Quarter 2010
  1st Quarter 2011
  2nd Quarter 2011
  3rd Quarter 2011
  4th Quarter 2011
  

  Market Commentary

  October 15th 2010
  December 15th 2010
  January 15th 2011
  February 4th 2011
  April 8th 2011
  June 9th 2011
  August 8th 2011
  August 9th 2011
  August 18th 2011
  August 23rd 2011
  September 7th 2011
  September 19th 2011
  September 20th 2011
  September 22nd 2011
  October 11th 2011
  October 27th 2011
  November 10th 2011
  November 21st 2011
  November 28th 2011
  December 12th 2011
  2012 Outlook
  January 11th 2012
  February 1st 2012
  

• Monthly Market Monitor

  June 2010
  July 2010
  August 2010
  September 2010
  October 2010
  November 2010
  December 2010
  January 2011
  February 2011
  March 2011
  April 2011
  May 2011
  June 2011
  July 2011
  August 2011
  October 2011
  November 2011
  January 2012
  

  Estates & Trusts

  Living Trusts
  Avoiding Probate
  Benefits of A-B Trusts
  Charitable Lead Trusts
  Charitable Remainder Trusts
  History of the Federal Estate Tax
  

  Retirement

  How Much Do I Need to Save?
  A New Chapter for Retirement
  IRA Rollover
  Annuity Living Benefits
  Social Security Income
  Retirement Plan Distributions
  Traditional IRAs
  401(k) Plans
  Save Now or Save Later
  Roth IRAs
  

• Tax Planning

  Estate Tax
  Required Minimum Distributions
  Retirement Plan Taxes
  Tax Deductions
  Tax Strategies for Retirement Plans
  

  Investing

  Dividends
  Exchange-Traded Funds
  Zero-Coupon Bonds
  Diversification
  Bonds
  Stock Indexes
  Mutual Funds
  Annuities
  Fixed vs. Variable Annuities
  Investment Risks
  Stock and Bond Alternatives
  

  Cash Management

  Managing Cash
  Effects of Inflation
  

  Risk Management

  Why Purchase Life Insurance
  Property and Casualty Insurance
  Term Life Insurance
  Whole Life Insurance
  Universal Life Insurance
  Variable Life Insurance
  Additional Liability Coverage
  Long-Term-Care Costs