July/August 2009 - FR2008-0407-0227E

Estate Planning:

Estate strategies when disability or chronic illness strikes
While creating an estate strategy can help protect your assets from future estate taxation, the value of this strategy extends far beyond taxes. A thorough estate strategy takes into account future unknown challenges, such as a long-term disability or chronic illness.

General Interest:

The value of a financial professional
If you're a do-it-yourself type of person, you may opt to make all your financial decisions yourself. But just as a certified car mechanic is probably the best bet to overhaul a car engine, a licensed financial professional may be best positioned to help you with some of life's financial solutions.

Eight ways to win in a down job market
Whether you are in the job market voluntarily or involuntarily due to job cuts, it pays to understand the image you present to the public and craft an image that is in demand. For all of your experience or academic achievement, perception beats reality every time when you have only minutes to make a first impression.

Lower your banking costs
When doing business with a bank, or any financial institution, for that matter, you want to get the most for your money by controlling costs as much as possible. Consider ways to make your banking low-cost or no-cost.

Lower your college costs
As college costs continue to soar, even as the economy stalls, many parents find ways to lower their children's college education costs.

Lower your travel costs
In stressful times a short vacation could work wonders for your spirit. Finding a way to take that break without spending a small fortune can make it even more enjoyable.

Insurance:

Ways to choose a solid fixed annuity
What would happen if an annuity insurer went under? There are protections in place to protect annuity owners, and there are other steps that individuals can take prior to purchasing an annuity to ensure they are buying the safest annuity possible.

Creating an estate strategy to deal with the unthinkable
When a husband and wife, or parent and child, die in a common disaster, the financial complications that may result can create added hardships for loved ones left behind. Creating an estate strategy to deal with this potential event may help prevent unnecessary taxes and legal challenges later on.

Retirement Planning:

Get to know your retirement plan
Get to know your retirement plan The best way to take advantage of your workplace retirement plan -- such as a 401(k) plan -- is to fully understand how it works and its benefits to you. Use your plan's educational tools and talk to your licensed financial professional to make sure your investing strategy is appropriate for you.

Plan loans and withdrawals can be hazardous to your future financial health
During times of financial stress, the immediacy of the present can outweigh plans for the future. You might first turn toward a 401(k) plan loan or withdrawal. There are times when you may have no choice, but in all cases you should be aware of the impact that a plan loan or withdrawal can have on your future investment goals.

Seniors:

Long-term care insurance or Medicaid? You may not have a choice.
Approximately 34 million Americans provided some care to family members who needed long-term care in 2007. While some may prefer to give the care, others may be forced to provide it because they don't understand the funding alternatives.

Small Business:

Learning from high-profile failures
Around the globe, recent headlines have been full of failures and near-failures of high-profile companies, thanks to poor economic conditions and even poorer planning by some company executives. What happened? It may be a cliché, but this still holds true: Fail to plan and you essentially plan to fail.

The ABCs of insurance coverage for your business
Insurance can be complicated. Specialized products provide financial protection for a wide range of reasons. Your licensed financial professional can help decipher the details, and you may discover how insurance may just provide a solution to one of your ongoing concerns.

Standard:

Use market fear to your advantage
If we needed any reminder that past performance doesn't guarantee future results and that equities can lose money, at least in the short term, we received that message loud and clear over the past year or so. But now you can take action to use market fear to your advantage.

Womens:

Women less confident about retirement prospects
Investing for retirement includes a number of aspects to consider, including future financial goals, risk tolerance, time horizon and income that will last as long as you do. But none of these factors matter if you don't save at all, so consider ways to start saving now.