PLANNING TOOLS                    Though not a substitute for advice and information provided by a qualified professional, our planning tools offer a good starting point to understanding various components of establishing a successful business and a secure financial future.

Business Owner   Articles     Benefits and retirement plans       Group health insurance: a valued employee benefit       Health insurance for the self-employed       Retirement plans for small businesses       What employers need to know about workers' compensation insurance     Insuring a business       Why insure your business?     Starting a business       Choosing an entity for your business       Hiring your first employee       Tax planning for the self-employed   Decision Tools     Benefits and retirement plans       Building a retirement plan for your business       Comparison of types of educational assistance     Business planning basics       Net worth calculator     Choosing an entity       Comparison of LLCs, LLPs, and professional corporations     Insurance planning       Business life insurance needs     Tax planning       Accelerating deductions/postponing income       Accelerating income/postponing deductions   FAQs     Employee benefits and other issues       How can I boost the morale of my employees without incurring huge expenses?     Home-based businesses       Can I deduct home office expenses?     Incorporating a business       Should I incorporate my business?     Insurance coverage       What kind of insurance coverage do I need for my small business?     Raising capital       Can I borrow money from my wholly owned business?       How can I raise capital for my business?     Starting a business       Don't most small businesses fail?       Should I buy an existing business or start from scratch?       What are the stages of business development?   Education Planning   Articles     529 plans       The ABCs of 529 plans   Decision Tools     Determining how much to save for college       College savings analyzer   FAQs     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?       Should I take out a home equity loan to pay for my child's tuition?       Should I use my 401(k) to fund my child's college education?       Should I withdraw money from my IRA to pay for my child's college tuition?   Estate Planning   Articles     Estate planning basics       Estate planning--an introduction       Trust basics       Wills--the cornerstone of your estate plan     Life insurance       Life insurance and estate planning     Medicaid planning       Medicaid planning basics     Probate       Understanding probate   Decision Tools     Business planning       Business succession planning alternatives     Estate planning basics       Steps to estate planning success     Trusts       Advantages of trusts   FAQs     Estate and gift tax       How can I minimize taxes on my estate?     Trusts       What is a life insurance trust and why should I consider establishing one?       What is a living trust?     Wills       What is the difference between a living will and a living trust?       What will happen if I die without a will?   Government Benefits   Articles     Medicare and Medicaid       Medicaid planning basics       Medicare     Other government benefits       What employers need to know about workers' compensation insurance     Social Security       Understanding Social Security   Investment Planning   Articles     Investment basics       Handling market volatility       Investment planning--the basics       Six keys to successful investing       Taxation of investments       Understanding investment terms and concepts       Understanding risk   Decision Tools     Creating an investment portfolio       Annuities       Asset allocation pie chart illustrator       Building an investment portfolio       College funding options analyzer       Common types of mutual funds       Exchange traded funds and mutual funds compared       Investing for retirement       Major asset classes   FAQs     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     Buying a car       Buying a car     Financial basics       Getting started: establishing a financial safety net     Managing credit and debt       Credit traps for the unwary       Debt consolidation       Understanding your credit report   Decision Tools     Saving, spending, and borrowing       Consumer price index inflation calculator   FAQs     Buying, selling, or leasing a car       Should I buy or lease a car?     Selling a home       Should I sell or rent out my present home?   Retirement Planning   FAQs     Evaluating an early retirement offer       Should I accept my employer's early retirement offer?     Saving for retirement       How can I plan for retirement if my employer doesn't offer retirement benefits?       How can we possibly save for retirement and our child's college education at the same time?       I think it's time to start planning for retirement. Where do I begin?   Special Situations   Articles     Career planning       Health insurance and COBRA: sometimes you can take it with you     Caring for an aging parent       Caring for your aging parents     Marriage       Establishing a budget     Planning for travel       Health insurance for travelers       Rental car insurance       Travel insurance     Raising a family       How much life insurance do you need?       The best ways to save for college       When your child has special needs     Sudden wealth       Sudden wealth   FAQs     Terminal illness       Is there any way I can use life insurance to help cover my expenses if I become terminally ill?   Tax Planning   Articles     General tax planning       Tax planning for income       Tax planning for the self-employed       Year-end tax planning     Tax credits and deductions       Personal deduction planning     Taxes and insurance       Tax planning tips: auto insurance       Tax tips: health insurance   FAQs     Tax deductions       Can I deduct home office expenses?       Can I deduct the cost of improvements or repairs I've made to my home?       If I work at home occasionally, am I entitled to a home office deduction?       We just bought our first home. What can we deduct from the settlement statement?     Taxes and insurance proceeds       Are life insurance proceeds income taxable?