Financial Planning Concepts

Welcome to our Web site, where you’ll find a wealth of information in the form of newsletter articles, calculators, and research reports.

We hope your visit will help you understand the opportunities and potential rewards that are available when you take a proactive approach to your personal financial situation. We have created this Web site to help you gain a better understanding of the financial concepts behind insurance, investing, retirement, estate planning, and wealth preservation. Most important, we hope you see the value of working with skilled professionals to pursue your financial goals.

We’re here to help educate you about the basic concepts of financial management; to help you learn more about who we are; and to give you fast, easy access to market performance data. We hope you take advantage of this resource and visit us often. Be sure to add our site to your list of "favorites" in your Internet browser. We frequently update our information, and we wouldn’t want you to miss any developments in the area of personal finance.

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Calculators

Mortgage Refinancing

Determine whether you should consider refinancing your mortgage.

Impact of Inflation

Estimate the future cost of an item based on today’s prices and the rate of inflation you expect.

Credit Card Debt

How Long Will It Take to Pay my Balance?

Estate Taxes

Use this calculator to estimate the federal estate taxes that could be due on your estate after you die.

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Newsletters

Balancing Stability and Growth

An investor who is 2 or 3 decades from retirement could decide to be more aggressive in pursuing investment growth than someone approaching retirement. Even though investors address this by transitioning to a more conservative asset allocation, they still need to seek growth while balancing the desire for principal preservation. This article offers some factors to consider.

Doing Your Heirs a Favor

Although a will and a trust specify disposition of assets, many other details of an individual’s final wishes might be explained in a letter of instructions. This article offers some topics to consider addressing in the letter to help loved ones make decisions and take care of final arrangements.

What Do Price/Earnings Ratios Really Have to Offer?

It's not hard to find the price/earnings ratios of publicly traded companies or even the market as a whole reported in the news. Unfortunately, it may be difficult to understand what the numbers mean without the ability to make meaningful comparisons.

Are Consumers Holding the Keys to a Better Economy?

Consumer spending still accounts for about 70% of gross domestic product, but some government statistics suggest that consumers may have reduced spending drastically in recent years, especially on discretionary items. High unemployment, household debt, and a general lack of confidence can affect consumers' ability and willingness to spend.

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