The Stretch IRA strategy is a method for lengthening the life of your IRA assets, in hopes they span multiple generations. We stress the word “method” because the Stretch IRA is not actually a product – it’s a wealth preservation strategy your beneficiaries can use to stretch the life of the IRA assets they inherit from you.1 We’ll explain how it’s done below, but first we’ll help you understand the benefits. Stretching Your IRA Can Help It Grow Tax-Deferred Longer Stretching your IRA can lower the required withdrawal amounts your heirs have to take each year, meaning the value of your IRA can grow tax-deferred longer – a benefit that can keep the IRA in the family for generations. [+] Read More

Probate comes from the Latin phrase “to prove,” and refers to the process of proving to a court that a last will and testament is valid. It is frequently a difficult and lengthy process, and in many cases can be quite expensive. Below, we’ll outline three steps you can take to help your family avoid probate. Settling an estate is a difficult time as it is, so it’s worth it to take the right steps taking today to ensure it goes smoothly. Probate Fees Can Add Up Quickly The fees vary from state to state, but just to give you an idea, the typical probate costs on a $500,000 estate in California could range between $14,390 and $27,390. On the higher end, this could mean losing over 5% of your estate to probate fees, not to mention all the time attorneys and family members will have to spend seeing it through.1 Avoid Probate with These 3 Steps In many cases you will likely need to apply some combination of the below approaches, so it is important to speak with your financial advisor and an estate attorney to know which options are right for you. [+] Read More

First and foremost – don’t pay extra for the advice! As part of a comprehensive investment plan, your financial advisor should provide guidance on your 401(k) asset allocation, and which investments you choose depends on how you’re allocated outside of your 401(k). You should receive a detailed analysis—and this advice—at no extra charge. If you don’t have a financial advisor, have one look at your complete financial picture including your 401(k), and see what type of advice you get. Then, repeat this exercise with two or three different financial advisors and compare each, to see which one offers the most compelling and thoughtful advice. That might be the financial advisor worth hiring. In the meantime, here are 4 sound tips for setting up your 401(k) asset allocation [+] Read More

One of the great things about setting up beneficiaries on your retirement and other investment accounts is that you can set them up virtually any way you want. You can relinquish complete control of your assets, or you can set up systems to maintain some control over how the assets are distributed. The choice is yours. When deciding how to assign beneficiaries on your retirement and other investment accounts (including your IRA beneficiaries), there are a few important considerations. Here are five questions to discuss with your financial advisor when discussing setting up your beneficiaries. [+] Read More

If you’ve recently retired or are about to, congratulations! It’s probably been a long road, and your next step is to make sure that path continues during retirement. This means it’s time to speak with your financial advisor to create, or update, a comprehensive investment plan. Here’s a brief “how to prepare for retirement” guide to help you get started. [+] Read More

Many investors are tempted to manage their own investment accounts. Some have a great deal of interest in the stock and bond markets and enjoy the challenge. Others may want to just save money in fees. In either case, an investor shoulders the critical responsibilities of making sure their investments perform well and meet their needs for the long-term. This is a challenging task. Before deciding to self-manage, we’d consider these three benefits to hiring money managers to do it for you. Save Time and Reduce Stress Retirement should be about enjoying the fruits of your labor and reaching your lifelong goals. Self-managing investments may become a hindrance to achieving this, because the amount of time, research, and the frequency with which someone needs to make critical decisions is great. Hiring money managers places these responsibilities on someone else. [+] Read More

2013 is shaping up to be a strong overall year for the equity markets, and has hopefully been a positive year for many readers’ investment plans as well. As the year draws to a close, it’s time to review a few year-end planning strategies and tips. This should serve as a basic guide to investors to review their tax situations and investment plans before year end. Our suggestions may not apply to all investors, so it’s important to consult a financial advisor and/or tax advisor before considering any adjustments. Tax Planning Strategies to Consider Offset Capital Gains Using a Tax-Loss Selling Strategy Investors are able to offset capital gains with capital losses. If capital losses exceed capital gains in 2013, the excess can be used to reduce taxable income, such as wages, up to an annual limit of $3,000 ($1,500 if married but filing separately). If the total net capital loss is more than the yearly limit ($3,000), taxpayers can carry over the unused portion to the next year.1 [+] Read More

Churchill Management Group's November commentary looks back at past market bubbles and compares them to the current market environment. "Generally after a bubble has occurred, it takes many decades for human behavior to rise up to another extreme. Amazingly, thanks to the investing public jumping back into the market, it seems possible that the NASDAQ is starting to look a little bubble-like barely a decade after its last Bubble peaked. We are calling this a “DOUBLE BUBBLE”." Download Churchill's Full Commentary Here Get Free Research Reports on Churchill Management [+] Read More

Many investors are wondering how a government shutdown could affect the stock market and their portfolio strategy. History suggests that past government shutdowns have had little effect on the market, though in 2011 the threat of a government shutdown corresponded with a stock market correction. In any case, investors should consult with their financial advisor to ensure their portfolio is properly diversified according to their financial plan. How Has the Stock Market Reacted to Past Government Shutdowns? The last two government shutdowns occurred fairly closely to one another - one lasted from November 13 - November 19, 1995, and the next one spanned from December 5, 1995 - January 6, 1996.1 The S&P 500 exhibited a bit of choppiness in that general time frame, but the general trajectory of the bull market was unaffected: Figure 1: S&P 500 from January 1, 1995 – December 31, 2006 (click chart for larger version) Source: St. Louis Federal Reserve [+] Read More