The 529 Plan and the Coverdell ESA are two tax-advantaged education saving plans available for Americans. There are some key differences between the two plans. Understanding their pros and cons can help you determine which plan better fits your needs. Read More

Premium gas won’t add zip to most engines, and in fact can hurt fuel economy. Read More

Two weeks ago we criticized the appalling lack of accountability by senior management at Wells Fargo (“Wells Fargo Sins, But…”). Looks as though others agree with me. Just yesterday Wells CEO John Stumpf morphed from bank executive into a blue-suited, silver-haired piñata before the House Financial Services Committee. And not only has… Read More

This week the U.S. Labor Department issued new regulations that mandate your financial advisor to conform to a “fiduciary standard” when recommending investment products for retirement plans.Unlike the previous standard of “suitability”, which only required that a recommended product not be inappropriate for a client, a fiduciary level of… Read More

Medicare and medical expenses are among the most misunderstood parts of retirement and retirement spending. It’s no wonder that the leading cause of financial difficulties in retirement often is cited as medical expenses that aren’t covered by insurance or Medicare. Read More

You need a complete, up-to-date estate plan now more than ever, regardless of the value of your estate. Because few estates will face a federal tax burden, we can focus on the real issues of estate planning. Failure to have a plan or to have a quality, updated plan likely will lead to dissipation of much of your lifetime’s wealth by forces other than federal taxes. Read More

Giving gifts isn’t as easy as one might think. Watching every gift is the tax man, looking to take a piece of it. Even if your estate isn’t likely to be taxable, taxes still are a concern when making gifts. Read More

Most of you have a slug of “safe money” on which you’d like to earn a higher return without risking your principal. You’d also like a way to help pay for any long-term care expenses you incur. There are tools to help you reach both goals. Read More

Selecting the executor of your estate or a trustee is one of the most important decisions in estate planning. Bob discusses the factors in that decision.Selecting the executor of your estate or a trustee is one of the most important decisions in estate planning. We’re going to discuss the factors in that decision. Read More

A key to a successful estate plan is to learn from the mistakes of others. You only have one chance with your estate plan, so it’s important to avoid the pitfalls that snared others many times before. Read More