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Historically, one of the best ways to fight the effects of inflation has been to utilize growth-oriented investments.

There are techniques that can enable older homeowners to use their property to finance their lifestyle.

There are a number of savings alternatives that could help you earn a reasonable rate of return.

A sound cash management program uses a disciplined approach: accounting, analysis, allocation, and adjustment.

Before making investment decisions, it is helpful to determine the real rate of return on the investment.

Short-term cash management instruments can help you establish a sound cash management program.

Here are some smart ways to refinance your home.

Biweekly mortgage payments can have a dramatic effect on the amount of interest homeowners have to pay.

There are numerous investment alternatives available to help provide liquidity.

It's important to understand the options, such as financial aid grant programs, when having to pay for college.

Shifting some debt to a home equity loan, which typically allows interest payments to be tax deductible, could have its advantages.

Money market funds can be a highly liquid and effective cash management tool.

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.

The labels growth and value reflect different approaches that can be used when making investment decisions.

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

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

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

Starting to invest early for college and remaining consistent can help investors reach their goals.

An important element to successful investing is to manage investment risk while maintaining the potential for growth.

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

The difference between purchasing an individual stock versus shares in a mutual fund to potentially earn dividends.

There are several funding methods for a child's college education including mutual funds and Section 529 plans.

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

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

Employer-sponsored retirement plans are more important than ever, but managing the assets can be confusing.

If you do not participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan, you might consider a traditional IRA.

401(k) employer-sponsored retirement plans have many benefits, including that the funds accumulate tax-deferred.

There are a variety of retirement planning options that could help meet your needs. Here are some of the most popular.

Greater demand is being placed on the Social Security system as the baby boom generation has begun to retire.

Some of the pros and cons of whole life insurance.

Term life insurance differs from permanent forms of life insurance in that it offers temporary protection.

Consider a universal life insurance policy if you want the flexibility to change your premium or death benefit.

Variable life insurance gives you the control to allocate your account value among a variety of investment options.

Changes to the tax code have left a few key deductions for itemizers, like medical, dental and some business expenses.

Many traditional tax-advantaged investment strategies have gone away, but there are still some alternatives.

Capital gains are profits realized from the sale of assets; a tax is triggered only when an asset is sold, not held.

The federal gift tax applies to gifts of property or money while the donor is living.

Tax-deferred retirement account withdrawals before age 59½ generally trigger a 10% federal tax penalty.

Everything you own, whatever the form of ownership, is subject to federal, and possibly state, estate taxes.