Articles

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.

Estates & Trusts

Retirement

Tax Planning

Investing

  • How Are Annuities Taxed?

    One attractive feature of an annuity is tax-deferral but qualified and non-qualified annuities are taxed differently.

  • What Is a Bond Ladder?

    A bond ladder is a strategy involving the purchase of bonds that have staggered maturity dates.

  • How Are Common and Preferred Stocks Different?

    It's important to understand the strengths and weaknesses of common stock versus preferred stock.

  • What Are Dividends?

    It is important to understand how dividends (taxable payments to shareholders) fit with your long-term goals.

  • What Is an Exchange-Traded Fund?

    ETFs have unique attributes and attempt to track all types of indexes, industries, or commodities.

  • What Is Stock?

    Before investing in stocks, it is important to understand some of the basics and the risks involved in owning stocks.

  • What Are Zero-Coupon Bonds?

    Zero-coupon bonds represent a type of bond that does not pay interest during the life of the bond.

  • What Types of Bonds Are Available?

    Bonds are issued by many entities and share many characteristics, each type of bond has certain benefits and risks.

  • What Is a Bond?

    A bond is simply evidence of a debt from a government entity or a corporation and represents a long-term IOU.

  • What Do Bond Ratings Mean?

    Bond ratings gauge a bond issuer’s financial ability to repay its promised principal and interest payments.

  • What Is a Stock Index?

    Stock market indexes can be useful benchmarks for gauging the performance of an investment portfolio over time.

  • What Is a Mutual Fund?

    A mutual fund is a collection of stocks, bonds, and other securities with certain benefits and risks.

  • What Is a Closed-End Fund?

    With closed-end funds, investors pool their money together to purchase a professionally managed portfolio of stocks and/or bonds.

  • What Is an Annuity?

    An annuity is a flexible financial vehicle that can help protect against the risk of living a long time because it provides an option for a lifetime income.

  • What Investment Risks Should I Know About?

    Understanding different types of investment risk can help investors manage their money more effectively.

  • What Is Dollar-Cost Averaging?

    Dollar-cost averaging involves investing a set amount of money on a regular basis, regardless of market conditions.

  • 529 Lesson Plan: High Scores for 529 Plans

    529 plans are tax-advantaged savings plans that generally allow people of any income level to contribute.

Cash Management

Risk Management