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.

Market Commentary

Estates & Trusts

What Key Estate Planning Tools Should I Know About?

Wills and trusts allow you to spell out how you would like your property distributed, but they also go beyond that.
What Gifting Strategies Are Available to Me?

Compare the advantages and disadvantages of different gifting strategies available for planned giving.

Retirement

A New Chapter for Retirement

With the changing pension landscape, it is important to take charge of your own retirement security.
Should You Bank Your Retirement on Your Business?

Allocating too much of your retirement investments to one company, even your own, can be a risky proposition.
Will Social Security Retire Before You Do?

Greater demand is being placed on the Social Security system as the baby boom generation has begun to retire.
How Should I Manage My Retirement Plan?

Employer-sponsored retirement plans are more important than ever, but managing the assets can be confusing.
What Is a Roth IRA?

Qualified Roth IRA distributions in retirement are free of federal income tax and aren’t included in gross income.

Tax Planning

What Is the Capital Gain Tax?

Capital gains are profits realized from the sale of assets; a tax is triggered only when an asset is sold, not held.
What Is the Most Tax-Efficient Way to Take a Distribution From a Retirement Plan

Consider a trustee-to-trustee transfer to an IRA versus a lump-sum distribution from a workplace retirement plan.

Investing

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 Is Diversification?

An important element to successful investing is to manage investment risk while maintaining the potential for growth.
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 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.
How Can I Save for My Child’s College Education?

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

Cash Management

What Advantages Does a Biweekly Mortgage Offer?

Biweekly mortgage payments can have a dramatic effect on the amount of interest homeowners have to pay.
Is a Home Equity Loan or Line of Credit Right for Me?

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

Risk Management

What Is Variable Life Insurance?

Variable life insurance gives you the control to allocate your account value among a variety of investment options.
What Types of Health Coverage Are Available?

There are three basic types of medical insurance plans: fee-for-service, managed care, and high-deductible health plan.
What Are the Basic Types of Life Insurance?

When selecting a life insurance policy, examine all your options, as well as the positives and negatives of each type.

Ronnie R. Rushing & Bradley K. Scott

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Articles

Market Commentary

Estates & Trusts

What Key Estate Planning Tools Should I Know About?

What Gifting Strategies Are Available to Me?

Retirement

A New Chapter for Retirement

Should You Bank Your Retirement on Your Business?

Will Social Security Retire Before You Do?

How Should I Manage My Retirement Plan?

What Is a Roth IRA?

Tax Planning

What Is the Capital Gain Tax?

What Is the Most Tax-Efficient Way to Take a Distribution From a Retirement Plan

Investing

What Is an Exchange-Traded Fund?

What Is Stock?

What Are Zero-Coupon Bonds?

What Is Diversification?

What Is a Bond?

What Is a Mutual Fund?

What Is a Closed-End Fund?

How Can I Save for My Child’s College Education?

Cash Management

What Advantages Does a Biweekly Mortgage Offer?

Is a Home Equity Loan or Line of Credit Right for Me?

Risk Management

What Is Variable Life Insurance?

What Types of Health Coverage Are Available?

What Are the Basic Types of Life Insurance?

Portfolio Compass

Client Letters

Outlook