These insurance products offer the promise of guaranteed income, an attractive proposition for many retirees in a volatile market. Variable annuity sales rose 16% in the first quarter over the same period last year.  What’s an annuity? In simple terms, an annuity is a contract between a customer and an insurance company. The customer makes…

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Term life insurance offers a more affordable option than permanent life insurance for anyone looking to protect their loved ones against unexpected financial expenses upon their death. Read our guide on what is term life insurance to understand how it works, who it’s for, and how to get it. Term life insurance is a type…

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If you’ve been thinking about converting your traditional IRA into a Roth, this could be the year to finally do it. This type of retirement savings account is appealing because of its tax treatment. A traditional IRA (individual retirement account) is tax deferred — that is, investors receive a tax deduction on the money they…

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Generation X, comprised of adults between the ages of 40 and 55, have entered their prime earning years while at the same time enjoying a bull market for stocks. This demographic represents about a quarter of households in the U.S. (26.8%) and a similar share of household net worth (26.9%). However, many economists see Gen…

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The prodigious bank ledger used to be one of most important components of America’s financial system. Hand-written entries detailed every account holder’s deposits, withdrawals, loans and payments. A lot has changed since then. In fact, in just the last decade, banking has become as much a technological innovation as it has a money manager. Even…

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Throughout investment industry and financial media sources we constantly hear the message that our money should be diversified. By spreading assets throughout a number of different vehicles, we can take advantage of various market opportunities while helping protect them from some investment risks. But how much diversification is too much? And what exactly should it…

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