More than 80% of investors would appreciate having basic, unbiased investor education and information.^1
1 FINRA Investor Education Survey, 2007

Welcome to our research center! We've put together a library of information on important financial topics that we believe you'll find helpful.

Simply click on one of the general financial topics below and you'll find a selection of easy-to-understand information sheets about related financial concepts and strategies. This information is updated regularly to reflect the latest facts, figures, legislation, and economic trends.

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Estates & Trusts Estate Planning Living Trusts Avoiding Probate Charitable Gifts Controlling the Distribution Paying Estate Taxes Benefits of A-B Trusts Gifting Strategies Charitable Lead Trusts Charitable Remainder Trusts Wealth Replacement Trusts Family Limited Partnerships Property Ownership Eliminating the Estate Tax   Retirement How Much Do I Need to Save A New Chapter for Retirement SIMPLE IRAs Stretch IRAs IRA Rollover Roth 401(k) Profit-Sharing Plans Money Purchase Pension Plans 403(b) Plans Why Purchase Annuities Split-Annuity Strategy Annuity Living Benefits 1035 Exchanges Unforgettable Birthdays Your Business and Retirement Planning Options Future of Social Security Social Security Income Keogh Plans SEP IRAs Equity-Indexed Annuities Retirement Plan Distributions Traditional IRAs 401(k) Plans Managing Retirement Plans Save Now or Later Roth IRAs

Tax Planning Capital Gains Tax Estate Tax Gift Tax Retirement Plan Limits Estate Tax Repeal Required Minimum Distributions Charitable Trust Tax Benefits Retirement Plan Taxes Withdrawing Before Age 59.5 Tax Deferral Tax-Advantaged Investments Tax Deductions Tax-Advantaged Alternatives Tax Strategies for Retirement Plans Tax-Free Investments Mutual Fund Profits Tax-Free Insurance Upgrades   Investing Dividends Exchange-Traded Funds Growth Stocks vs. Value Stocks Mutual Fund Taxes Stock Zero-Coupon Bonds Annuity Taxes Bond Ladders Common Stock vs. Preferred Stock Diversification Types of Bonds Bonds Bond Ratings Stock Indexes Mutual Funds vs. Stocks Mutual Funds Closed-End Funds Mutual Fund Loads Annuities Fixed vs. Variable Annuities Investment Risks Asset Classes Asset Allocation College Savings Plans College Investment Options Managed Investments Dollar-Cost Averaging 529 Plans

Cash Management Cash Management Basics Doubling Your Money Cash Management Tools Money Market Funds Managing Cash Biweekly Mortgages Reverse Mortgages Smart Financing Ideas College Financial Aid Savings Alternatives Effects of Inflation Home Equity Loans   Risk Management Why Purchase Life Insurance Annuities as an Insurance Product Property and Casualty Insurance Business Owner Policies Life Insurance for Business Owners Split-Dollar Life Insurance Last-Survivor Life Insurance Disability Insurance for Business Owners Types of Life Insurance Term Life Insurance Whole Life Insurance Universal Life Insurance Variable Life Insurance Auto Insurance Insurance Claims Maximizing Insurance Benefits Insuring Your Future Protecting Your Home Assessing Disability Insurance Types of Health Care Additional Liability Coverage HMOs and PPOs Evaluating Insurance Companies Long-Term-Care Costs Medicare Coverage