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Before making investment decisions, it is helpful to determine the real rate of return on the investment.

Wills and trusts allow you to spell out how you would like your property distributed, but they also go beyond that.

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.

One attractive feature of an annuity is tax-deferral but qualified and non-qualified annuities are taxed differently.

Mutual fund taxes can be cumbersome, but there are ways to help mitigate the amount of taxes you may owe.

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

A bond ladder is a strategy involving the purchase of bonds that have staggered maturity dates.

A 403(b) plan is a tax-deferred retirement savings plan that can only be offered by a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity.

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.

A money purchase plan is a retirement plan where employer contributions are based on a fixed percentage of compensation.

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.

Profit-sharing plans give employees a share in the profits of a company and can help to fund their retirements.

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

The SIMPLE plan may appeal to small business owners as it is easy to set up, administer, and allows for a tax deduction.

An indexed annuity may provide some upside potential and downside protection.

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

Annuities, an insurance-based financial vehicle, can provide many benefits that retirement investors might want.

Greater demand is being placed on the Social Security system as the baby boom generation has begun to retire.

A Roth 401(k) is funded with after-tax money, and allows for tax- and penalty-free withdrawal of earnings if requirements are met.

A SEP IRA is a type of plan under which the employer contributes (up to a certain limit) to an employee’s IRA.

If you were to suffer an illness or disability that required long-term nursing care, would you be covered?

It's important to understand tax-exempt vehicles when establishing a comprehensive tax planning strategy.