Planning Tools Please note that these articles cannot substitute for advice, tailored to your specific situation, by a C.P.A, attorney, or financial advisor.

Business Owner   Articles     Benefits and retirement plans       Benefit plans for small businesses       Disability income insurance for the self-employed       Group health insurance: a valued employee benefit       Group term life insurance       Health insurance for the self-employed       Key employee life and disability insurance       Life insurance for the self-employed       Offering group disability insurance       Retirement plans for small businesses       Understanding individual 401(k) plans       What employers need to know about workers' compensation insurance     Insuring a business       Business automobile insurance basics       Business interruption insurance       Business liability insurance basics       Business overhead expense insurance       Commercial general liability       Do you need crime insurance?       Income tax tips: business insurance       Insurance tips for business travelers       Insuring your home business       Professional liability coverage       Properly insuring your business       Understanding your business owners policy       Why insure your business?     Starting a business       Advantages and disadvantages of self-employment       Choosing an entity for your business       Funding a business       Hiring your first employee       Qualifying for the home office deduction       Record keeping for your own business       Starting or buying a business       Tax planning for the self-employed   Decision Tools     Choosing an entity       Choosing a business entity       Comparison of LLCs, LLPs, and professional corporations       How C Corporations, Limited Liability Companies, and Limited Liability Partnerships Protect Personal Assets   FAQs     Home-based businesses       Can I deduct home office expenses?       If I work at home occasionally, am I entitled to a home office deduction?     Incorporating a business       Can I change my business from a C corporation to an S corporation?       Can I change my business from an S corporation to a C corporation?       Should I incorporate my business?     Starting a business       Don't most small businesses fail?       How do I find good advisors such as lawyers and accountants to help with my business?       Is buying a franchise a good way to get into business?       Should I buy an existing business or start from scratch?       Should I buy or lease assets for my business?       What are the stages of business development?       What should I look for in a business location?   Education Planning   Articles     529 plans       529 plans and financial aid eligibility       529 plans vs. other college savings options       529 plans: The ins and outs of contributions and withdrawals       Choosing a state savings plan       Estate planning and 529 plans       Income tax planning and 529 plans       Making changes to your 529 account       Opening a 529 account       The ABCs of 529 plans     Education planning basics       Education tax credits       Saving for retirement and a child's education at the same time   Decision Tools     529 plans       529 plans vs. Coverdell education savings accounts       529 plans: advisor-sold state savings plans       529 plans: direct-sold state savings plans       529 plans: prepaid tuition plans       State savings plan nonqualified withdrawals calculator       State savings plans vs. prepaid tuition plans     Evaluating college savings options       Advantages and disadvantages of 529 plans       Advantages and disadvantages of Coverdell education savings accounts       College savings vehicles compared     Financial aid       College application and financial aid calendar       Comparison of federal higher education loans       Financial aid calendar     Tax issues       Comparison of education tax credits and deductions       Qualified education expenses defined   FAQs     529 plan expenses and fees       What expenses and fees are generally associated with 529 plans?     529 plans and financial aid       How will my 529 account be treated for financial aid purposes?     529 plans vs. other ways to save for college       How does a 529 plan compare with a Coverdell education savings account?       How does a 529 plan compare with an UGMA/UTMA custodial account in my child's name?       How does a 529 plan compare with investing in a mutual fund in my name?       How does a 529 plan compare with using U.S. savings bonds for college expenses?     529 plans: Making contributions       How much can I invest in a 529 plan?       How often can I make contributions to my child's 529 account?     529 plans: Tax issues       Can I deduct my contributions to my 529 account?       Can I use 529 funds to pay my child's college expenses in the same year I take either the Hope credit or the Lifetime Learning credit?       How does the annual gift tax exclusion apply to contributions to a 529 plan?       Will I pay income tax when the money in my 529 plan is withdrawn to pay for college expenses?     Choosing a 529 plan       Can I invest in any state's 529 plan, or am I limited to my own state's plan?       How do I know whether to choose a state savings plan or a prepaid tuition plan?     Education tax credits       Now that my child is in college, am I entitled to any education tax credits?       What are the Hope credit and the Lifetime Learning credit?     Paying for college       I've heard that a grandparent can pay a grandchild's tuition directly to the college without any gift tax problems. Is this true?     Student loans       Are my student loan payments tax deductible?       Is student loan interest deductible?   Estate Planning   Articles     Charitable giving       Charitable giving     Estate planning basics       Estate planning--an introduction       Facing the possibility of incapacity       Gift and estate taxes       Trust basics       Wills--the cornerstone of your estate plan     Medicaid planning       Medicaid and nursing home care       Medicaid and the principal residence       Medicaid planning basics     Probate       Bypassing probate       Understanding probate   Decision Tools     Business planning       Choosing a business entity     Estate planning basics       Common incapacity documents       Steps to estate planning success       Table of federal estate tax brackets and exemption limits     Trusts       Advantages of trusts   FAQs     Estate and gift tax       How can I minimize taxes on my estate?       I just made a gift. Do I have to file a gift tax return?       What is the applicable exclusion amount?     Estate planning basics       How often do I need to review my estate plan?       What makes up my taxable estate?     Planning for incapacity       What is the difference between a power of attorney and a durable power of attorney?     Probate       Does property owned jointly avoid probate?       What is probate and why do I want to avoid it?     Trusts       Can an UGMA/UTMA account reduce my child's financial aid for college?       Should I establish a trust for my child's college education fund?       What is a Crummey power?       What is a life insurance trust and why should I consider establishing one?       What is a living trust?     Wills       Can I disinherit relatives I don't like?       Can I transfer my business through my will?       Do I have to accept a bequest I don't want?       Do I need an attorney to prepare my will?       How will estate taxes be paid if I leave no provision in my will?       I want my son to have my valuable collection of baseball cards when I die. How do I make sure he gets it?       What is the difference between a living will and a living trust?       What will happen if I die without a will?       Who should I name as guardian of my children in case my spouse and I should die at the same time?       Who should I name as trustee?   Government Benefits   Articles     Medicare and Medicaid       Coordinating long-term care insurance with government benefits       Health insurance in retirement       Medicaid and nursing home care       Medicaid and the principal residence       Medicaid planning basics       Medicare     Other government benefits       Government-sponsored disability insurance programs       Receiving unemployment benefits       What employers need to know about workers' compensation insurance     Social Security       Social Security disability benefits       Social Security retirement benefits       Social Security survivor's benefits       Understanding Social Security   Decision Tools     Medicare and Medicaid       Medicaid eligibility for nursing home care       Medicare figures at-a-glance       Medicare, Medigap, and Medicaid     Social Security       Disability income needs worksheet       How earnings affect Social Security       Social Security disability insurance (SSDI): awards and applications illustrator       Social Security figures at-a-glance       Sources of retirement income: filling the Social Security gap       What are your chances of becoming disabled?   FAQs     Medicare and Medicaid       How do I enroll in Medicare?       How does Medicare Advantage work?       I'm putting money into a 529 plan for my grandchild. But are the 529 assets subject to Medicaid spend-down requirements?       I'm thinking about placing my mother in a nursing home. Will Medicaid pay for her care?       If I'm covered by Medicare, should I have additional health insurance?     Social Security       Are my Social Security benefits subject to income tax?       Does my 16-year-old have to pay Social Security tax on her earnings?       How can I get an estimate of my Social Security benefits?       How do I get disability benefits from Social Security?       I'm getting remarried. How will this affect my Social Security benefits?       My husband and I are divorcing after 30 years of marriage. Will I still be able to receive Social Security retirement benefits based on his earnings record after our divorce?       Should I retire now at age 62 and collect Social Security benefits, or should I wait until age 65?       What happens if I start collecting Social Security after age 65?       What is SSI?       When do I have to apply for a Social Security number for my newborn?       When I retire, how much will I receive from Social Security?       Will my children receive money from Social Security when I die?   Investment Planning   Articles     Choosing investment vehicles       Creating an investment portfolio       Mutual fund basics     Investment basics       Handling market volatility       Investment planning--the basics       Six keys to successful investing       Taxation of investments       Understanding investment terms and concepts       Understanding risk     Investment goals       Common investment goals       Retirement planning--the basics   Decision Tools     Creating an investment portfolio       Building an investment portfolio       Investing for retirement     Investment planning basics       Common investment mistakes to avoid       Growth of annual deposits calculator       Simple rules for investing     Taxes       Capital gains and dividends tax relief   FAQs     Creating an investment portfolio       How do I construct an investment portfolio that's right for me?       How long should I hang on to an investment?       How should I structure my retirement portfolio?     Investing basics       Should I invest my extra cash or use it to pay off debt?       What is asset allocation and how does it work?       What's the difference between growth investing and value investing?     Mutual funds       Is it better to invest in a tax-free or a taxable mutual fund?       What is the difference between an open-end and a closed-end mutual fund?     Savings bonds       Are government savings bonds risk free?       Do series EE bonds offer any special advantages if used for college savings?     Taxes       How did the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 change capital gains tax rates?       I have investment property. What does basis mean, and how do I determine the basis of my property?       Will I have to pay tax on my investment income?   Personal Finance   Articles     Financial basics       Establishing a budget       Getting started: establishing a financial safety net       Working with a financial advisor     Managing credit and debt       Contemplating bankruptcy       Credit traps for the unwary       Understanding your credit report     Owning a home       Buying a home       Tapping the equity in your home       Tax benefits of home ownership   FAQs     Bankruptcy       Can I buy a house even though I declared bankruptcy?       I can't pay my bills. Should I declare bankruptcy?       What's the difference between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy?     Buying a home       Can I buy a house even though I declared bankruptcy?       Should my partner and I buy a house together even though we're not married?       We just bought our first home. What can we deduct from the settlement statement?     Credit basics       How can I reduce my spending?       How do I get a copy of my credit report?       How long should I keep copies of my tax returns?       How much money should I keep in a savings account for emergencies?     Mortgages