Newsletters

Most Americans spend more time planning for vacations and holidays than planning for their retirement.1
1 Employee Benefit Research Insitute, 2007

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

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


  • January

    HOT TOPIC: Saving America's Storied Automakers
    The White House agreed to a strings-attached loan package to help keep the Big Three out of bankruptcy. But will the measure help keep the U.S. auto industry from dragging down the U.S. economy?

    A Simple Conversion
    It has never been easier to convert all or part of an employer-sponsored retirement plan to a Roth IRA.

    Investors Without Borders
    As foreign markets step up to take their places on the international stage, investors content to stay at home may miss out on some opportunities.

    Averaging for Dollars
    Dollar-cost averaging is a method of investing that may enable you to achieve a lower average cost per share over time.

    The Most Important Blank
    The most important document in an estate conservation strategy might not be a will or any other document a lawyer was paid to create, but rather your retirement account beneficiary form.

    Time for Forecasts
    Economic forecasting is an important part of business, but the future is elusive. Forecasts have limitations that should be considered when making investment decisions.

  • December

    HOT TOPIC: What's Ahead for 2009
    Economists believe the U.S. economy probably entered a recession in late 2008, but a recovery could be in motion by the second quarter of 2009. What else might 2009 have in store?

    Protection for a Rainy Day
    For a reasonable price, umbrella liability insurance policies can help close the gap between your auto and homeowners insurance policies and a potentially devastating liability claim.

    Social Security Outlook
    If your retirement is a long way off, you might want to consider the possibility that Social Security may not provide a significant source of your retirement income. Here’s why.

    Don’t Bet Your Life on These Insurance Myths
    Learning about common life insurance misconceptions can help you make one of the most important decisions for those you leave behind.

    What Employment Says About the Economy
    As important as the national unemployment rate is, it’s only a small segment of the overall data collected on the nation’s jobs situation and the economy at large.

  • October

    HOT TOPIC: Government Intervenes in Credit Crisis
    September was an unsettling month for the financial markets that Americans may not soon forget. Here's a look at what happened.

    Adding Stability in Volatile Times
    One strategy that can add growth potential to a portfolio, without assuming many of the risks associated with the financial markets, involves purchasing an annuity contract from an insurance company.

    Why Do Lower Prices Equal Higher Yields?
    The price/yield relationship is rooted in the secondary bond market, where bonds may trade at a premium or discount of the par (or face) value.

    Will Going Green Grow Green?
    About one out of every nine dollars under professional management in the United States is already invested according to socially screened criteria. There are several key questions to ask yourself when considering how this rising tide could affect your portfolio.

    Increase Your Protection
    If your net worth exceeds the amount of liability coverage provided by your homeowners and auto insurance policies (each usually tops out somewhere between $300,000 and $500,000), you might want to consider an umbrella liability insurance policy.

  • September

    Beat the Big Three What Ifs
    Taxes, inflation, and medical costs — among other factors — could have an unanticipated effect on your retirement. There may be little you can do to combat them once you are no longer working.

    Stay Off the Phishing Hook
    In the run-up to this year’s April 15 tax deadline, taxpayers forwarded more than 33,000 phishing scam e-mails to the IRS, causing the agency to put phishing at the top of its annual list of scams of concern to taxpayers.

    Your Best Interest
    Successfully managing credit is crucial, but there are some arcane credit-card rules that may affect your balance, your interest rate, and even your credit score.

    Life Lessons
    Research shows that most people who own life insurance may not have adequate coverage. The real problem is that many of these people may not find out that they lack the proper coverage until it's too late.

  • August

    Protect Your Downside
    When the economy takes a turn for the worse, bond mutual funds offer investors a chance to diversify their holdings and dampen risk.

    Every Little Bit Helps
    IRA catch-up contributions enable investors aged 50 and older to make up ground in saving for retirement, whether they had a late start or just want to sock away more money.

    What’s in It for You?
    The Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 contained favorable provisions that will benefit small business. It appears that the government wants to inspire businesses to spend freely, too.

    Good Time to Keep Going
    Inflation is rising. Home prices are falling. Oil and stock prices are volatile. Could this be a good time to ramp up your retirement savings? You might be surprised at the answer.

  • July

    Get Schooled on Saving for College
    One way to be prepared for the possibility that the tab for higher education may be higher than expected is to take advantage of the tax benefits of 529 plans.

    Are the Times A-Changin'?
    As the election year rolls along, Americans are facing an uncertain future and an election that could be the harbinger of great change.

    Estimate Your Estate
    It is imperative to have an estate conservation strategy. Taking an inventory of your assets is a good place to start.

    Surviving the Estate Tax with Survivorship Life
    People who never imagined they would have enough assets to trigger estate taxes could be in for a surprise. One way to help plan for this possibility is by purchasing a survivorship life insurance policy.

    It's Not as Bad as You Think
    Economic indicators, including GDP, are signaling continued growth, but consumer confidence is lower than it's been in years. Why do these figures seem to be moving in opposite directions?

  • June

    What Does the Dollar Do for You?
    Which is preferable, a strong dollar or a weak one?

    No Better Time Than Now
    You may not associate this time of year with reviewing the beneficiaries on your life insurance policy — nonetheless, it can be a good time to take this important step.

    Population Boomer
    The nearly 80 million boomers, who have reinvented so many aspects of American life, appear poised to leave their unique mark on retirement and possibly transform the economy in the process.

    What's Next for IPOs?
    Only 10 companies went public on U.S. stock exchanges in the first quarter of 2008. Even if you never participate in an initial public offering, the IPO market can reveal a wealth of clues about the financial climate at home and abroad.

  • May

    Define Your Own Benefits
    Everyone wants to be a happy retiree someday, but there's a big problem.

    In a Category All Its Own
    Since exchange-traded funds (ETFs) were first introduced in 1993, interest in them has grown steadily.

    New Lease on Life
    Can your risk-protection strategy benefit from a whole-life insurance policy?

    Go Green, But with Care
    Socially responsible investing has become a force to be reckoned with.

  • April

    Manage Your Tax Burden
    If tax season has you searching for ways to lighten your tax load, here are two options to consider.

    Conserve Your Estate
    Are your estate strategies up-to-date and ready for whatever legislative changes lie ahead?

    More Reasons to Convert
    Thanks to tax law changes, converting traditional IRA assets to a Roth IRA, or rolling over employer-sponsored retirement plans to a Roth, has become more attractive.

    The Cost of Care
    When preparing for life in retirement, you should consider the possibility that you may need long-term care at some point.

    Fuel for the Economy
    The world has become so dependent on oil that most economies simply could not exist in their present forms without it.

    What Would Warren Do?
    Investors who are uncertain how to react to bad news and troubling economic indicators could find themselves making matters worse with wrong moves that serve only to make them feel better. How does the world's top investor, Warren Buffett, react to market volatility?

  • March

    Six Times More Likely
    It may be uncomfortable to consider the possibility that you could become disabled; however, preparing for the possibility now could help you avoid some more serious discomfort later.

    The World Is Your Oyster
    If you want to expand your portfolio’s geographic boundaries, international mutual funds may be a good option.

    The Consumer Price Index and You
    Inflation is a long-term, sustained rise in the general level of prices, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

    Weather: It Matters
    Weather is common fare for small talk, but it’s difficult to think of many topics that can have a bigger effect on economic activity.

    Take Advantage of Temporary Tax Laws
    A raft of favorable tax provisions are in effect right now, but you better act fast. Most of them are scheduled to expire within the next two years.

  • February

    A Grand New Contribution
    If you were waiting for the day when you could sock away some serious dough in your individual retirement account, the time has arrived.

    Mutual Fund Mastery
    Test how much you know about one of the most popular investment vehicles.

    The Trouble with Timing
    The speculation that drives market timing can often cause investors to get in right before a downturn or to flee before realizing potential gains.

    Retirement, Boomer Style
    As the baby boomers leave the workforce for retirement, the nation is facing a shortage of workers to take their places. This demographic shift is expected to affect not only Social Security and Medicare, but the U.S. economy, as well.