Business Owner   Articles     Starting a business       Advantages and disadvantages of self-employment       Choosing an entity for your business       Funding a business       Hiring your first employee       Qualifying for the home office deduction       Record keeping for your own business       Starting or buying a business       Tax planning for the self-employed   Decision Tools     Benefits and retirement plans       401(k) plans       Building a retirement plan for your business       Comparison of types of educational assistance       Individual 401(k) Illustration     Business planning basics       Net worth calculator     Choosing an entity       Choosing a business entity       Comparison of LLCs, LLPs, and professional corporations       How C Corporations, Limited Liability Companies, and Limited Liability Partnerships Protect Personal Assets     Tax planning       Accelerating deductions/postponing income       Accelerating income/postponing deductions   FAQs     Advertising a business       How can I get free publicity for my business?       How do I know where to advertise my business?       What is the best form of advertising?     Home-based businesses       Can I deduct home office expenses?       If I work at home occasionally, am I entitled to a home office deduction?     Incorporating a business       Can I change my business from a C corporation to an S corporation?       Can I change my business from an S corporation to a C corporation?       Should I incorporate my business?     Starting a business       Don't most small businesses fail?       How do I find good advisors such as lawyers and accountants to help with my business?       Is buying a franchise a good way to get into business?       Should I buy an existing business or start from scratch?       Should I buy or lease assets for my business?       What are the stages of business development?       What should I look for in a business location?   Education Planning   Articles     529 plans       529 plans and financial aid eligibility       529 plans vs. other college savings options       529 plans: The ins and outs of contributions and withdrawals       Choosing a state savings plan       Estate planning and 529 plans       Income tax planning and 529 plans       Making changes to your 529 account       Opening a 529 account       The ABCs of 529 plans     Education planning basics       ABCs of financial aid       Can I afford to send my child to college?       Education tax credits       Finding money to pay college bills out of pocket       Going back to school as an adult       Health insurance for college students       Helping your child make the transition from high school to college       How student loans impact your credit       Research tips when choosing a college       Saving for retirement and a child's education at the same time       Sticker shock--creative ways to lower the cost of college       Student loan basics       The best ways to save for college       The college application process   Decision Tools     Evaluating college savings options       Advantages and disadvantages of 529 plans       Advantages and disadvantages of Coverdell education savings accounts       Advantages and disadvantages of custodial accounts for college savings       Advantages and disadvantages of U.S. savings bonds for college savings       College funding options analyzer       College savings vehicles compared     Tax issues       Comparison of education tax credits and deductions       Qualified education expenses defined       Summary of tax-advantaged college savings options   FAQs     Financial aid       Are any financial aid programs tailored especially to parents of post-secondary students?       Are there any assets that are not counted for financial aid purposes?       Can an UGMA/UTMA account reduce my child's financial aid for college?       Can anyone get a Pell Grant?       Can we negotiate our child's financial aid award?       Do colleges offer financial aid?       How can my child find scholarships for college?       How do I apply for financial aid?       How do I know if I'm eligible for federal financial aid?       How does the federal financial aid process work?       Is there anything I can do now so that my child can obtain more financial aid later?       What are the major federal financial aid loan programs?       What happens if our child's college does not give us all the financial aid we need?       What is a Stafford Loan?     Saving for college       Are government savings bonds risk free?       Are savings bonds a good way to save?       Are state savings plans a good way to save for college?       Can an UGMA/UTMA account reduce my child's financial aid for college?       Do series EE bonds offer any special advantages if used for college savings?       Help! My child is only two years away from college and we haven't saved much. What should we do?       How can I save for my child's college education?       How can we possibly save for retirement and our child's college education at the same time?       Should I establish a trust for my child's college education fund?       Should I open a Coverdell education savings account?       Should I save for college in my name or my child's name?       What are the rules for Coverdell education savings accounts?       What is the CollegeSure CD?     Student loans       Are my student loan payments tax deductible?       Can I refinance my student loan?       How will I ever pay off my student loans?       I'm having trouble paying my student loans. What should I do?       Is student loan interest deductible?       Should I pay off my student loans early with a home equity loan?   Estate Planning   Articles     Assets       Asset protection in estate planning       Estate planning and 529 plans       Transferring your family business     Beneficiary designations       Choosing a beneficiary for your IRA or 401(k)       Designating a beneficiary for life insurance     Charitable giving       Charitable giving       Life insurance and charitable giving     Estate planning basics       Estate planning--an introduction       Facing the possibility of incapacity       Gift and estate taxes       Trust basics       Wills--the cornerstone of your estate plan     Life insurance       Life insurance and estate planning       Life insurance and terminal illness       Life insurance: do you need it?       Planning ahead for life insurance proceeds       The ins and outs of policy ownership     Medicaid planning       Medicaid and nursing home care       Medicaid and the principal residence       Medicaid planning basics     Probate       Bypassing probate       Understanding probate   Decision Tools     Business planning       Business life insurance needs       Business succession planning alternatives       Choosing a business entity       How cross purchase plans work       How entity purchase plans work       Number of policies needed with a cross purchase plan       Planning for succession of a business interest     Charitable giving       How a charitable lead trust works       How a charitable remainder trust works       The best property to give to charity   FAQs     Estate and gift tax       How can I determine what my business is worth for estate and gift tax purposes?       How can I minimize taxes on my estate?       How will estate taxes be paid if I leave no provision in my will?       I intend to make tuition payments directly to my grandchild's college, and I know this will reduce my estate. But would it be better to contribute to a 529 plan instead?       I just made a gift. Do I have to file a gift tax return?       If I am the account owner when I die, will the value of my 529 account be included in my estate?       The death benefit from insurance on my life will be paid to an irrevocable life insurance trust (ILIT). What if those funds are needed to pay my estate taxes?       What is a family limited partnership, and will it help reduce estate taxes?       What is the applicable exclusion amount?       Will the value of my 529 account be included in my estate or my beneficiary's estate?     Estate planning basics       How often do I need to review my estate plan?       Isn't estate planning only for the rich?       What makes up my taxable estate?     Trusts       Can an UGMA/UTMA account reduce my child's financial aid for college?       Should I establish a trust for my child's college education fund?       What is a Crummey power?       What is a life insurance trust and why should I consider establishing one?       What is a living trust?     Wills       Can I disinherit relatives I don't like?       Can I transfer my business through my will?       Do I have to accept a bequest I don't want?       Do I need an attorney to prepare my will?       How will estate taxes be paid if I leave no provision in my will?       I want my son to have my valuable collection of baseball cards when I die. How do I make sure he gets it?       What is the difference between a living will and a living trust?       What will happen if I die without a will?       Who should I name as guardian of my children in case my spouse and I should die at the same time?       Who should I name as trustee?   Special Situations   Articles     Career planning       Evaluating a job offer       Evaluating an early retirement offer       Health insurance and COBRA: sometimes you can take it with you       Receiving unemployment benefits     Caring for an aging parent       Caring for your aging parents       Do your parents need long-term care insurance?       Facing the possibility of incapacity       Housing options for older individuals       Medicaid and nursing home care       Medicaid and the principal residence       Medicaid planning basics       The sandwich generation: juggling family responsibilities.     Divorce       Dealing with divorce       Health insurance and divorce       Insurance concerns of divorcing couples     Loss of a spouse       Claiming life insurance benefits       Organizing your finances when your spouse has died       Social Security survivor's benefits     Marriage       Establishing a budget       Getting started: establishing a financial safety net       Merging your money when you marry     Planning for travel       Health insurance for travelers       Rental car insurance       Travel insurance     Raising a family       And baby makes three       Baby on board: keeping your child safe in the car       How much life insurance do you need?       Planning a family? Get to know your health insurance policy       Saving for retirement and a child's education at the same time       Teaching your child about money       Teaching your college-age child about money       Teaching your teen about money       The best ways to save for college       When your child has special needs     Unmarried couples       Financial tips for unmarried couples   Decision Tools     Caring for an aging parent       Housing options for aging parents       Tips for caregivers     Financial basics       Auto loan payment calculator       College funding options analyzer       College savings analyzer       Credit cards--advantages vs. disadvantages       Growth of annual deposits calculator       Loan amortization calculator       Mortgage payment calculator       Net worth calculator       Personal cash flow worksheet       Saving for your retirement     Insurance basics       Auto insurance analyzer       Comparison of types of life insurance       Disability income needs worksheet       Homeowners insurance quiz       Life insurance needs analyzer       Which health plan is right for you?     Remarriage       Planning for marriage to someone with children       Providing for children from a previous marriage       Remarriage and prenuptial agreements       Remarriage with children: income tax considerations       Remarriage: sharing assets and debts   FAQs     Career planning       I'll be changing jobs next month, and I'm pregnant. Will I qualify for health insurance coverage with my new employer?       I'm getting laid off. How am I going to survive financially until I find another job?       I'm looking for a job. How can I tell if an employer is offering a good insurance benefit package?       If I leave my company, can I take my life insurance policy with me?       If I leave my job, will I lose my employer-sponsored health insurance?       If my employer goes out of business and discontinues its health insurance plan, am I still eligible for COBRA benefits?     Caring for an aging parent       How can I pay for nursing home care?       How can I tell if a nursing home provides high-quality care?       How do I talk to my elderly parents about their finances?       I paid my mother's real estate taxes last year. Can I deduct this on my tax return?       I'm planning to add an in-law apartment to my home. How will this affect my homeowners insurance?       I'm thinking about placing my mother in a nursing home. Will Medicaid pay for her care?       Is there such a thing as nursing home insurance?       My mother is 90. Is it OK for her to keep driving?       My parents can't manage alone anymore. What should I do?       What types of nursing care does long-term care insurance cover?     Consumer protection       How can I protect myself against identity theft?       How do I stop those annoying telemarketing calls?       My radio broke two months after I bought it. I tried to return it to the store, but it won't give me a refund. What can I do to get my money back?     Divorce       Are alimony payments considered taxable income?       How do I protect my assets in the event of a divorce?       My husband and I are divorcing after 30 years of marriage. Will I still be able to receive Social Security retirement benefits based on his earnings record after our divorce?       My husband and I are getting divorced. How do we decide whose health insurance policy will cover the children?       What are the tax implications of child support payments?     Loss of a spouse       How can I find out whether my deceased husband owned any life insurance?       My husband just died. Should I accept my daughter's offer to move in with her?       My spouse just died. Who do I need to notify?       My spouse passed away this year. When I file my taxes, what filing status should I claim?     Marriage       Am I liable for my spouse's debts?       I'm marrying someone with bad credit. How will this affect me?       Should I open a joint checking account with my spouse?       Should my spouse and I integrate our health insurance benefits?     Planning for travel       Do I have to pay U.S. taxes when I work abroad?       Does my auto insurance policy cover me on car trips outside the United States?       I'm going on a cruise. Do I need trip interruption insurance?       I'm planning on living in Europe for several months. Do I need special health insurance?       I'm traveling to Europe this summer and won't need my car. Can I get my auto insurance suspended to save money?       Should I buy travel insurance?     Raising a family       Can I take the tax credit for child care?       Does it make sense financially for both me and my spouse to work after our child is born?       How do I find quality child care?       How do I pay for child care?       My employer says that after my child is born, I have to come back in six weeks. But doesn't the law say that I'm entitled to three months of leave?       Should I buy life insurance on my child?       What is the difference between the child tax credit and the child and dependent care tax credit?       When do I have to apply for a Social Security number for my newborn?       Who should I name as guardian of my children in case my spouse and I should die at the same time?     Remarriage       I'm getting remarried. How will this affect my Social Security benefits?       Should I sign a prenuptial agreement to protect my assets when I remarry?     Sudden wealth       What's the best way to handle a financial windfall?       When I play the lottery, I have to choose between a lump sum and annual payments. Does it matter?     Terminal illness       Is there any way I can use life insurance to help cover my expenses if I become terminally ill?     Unmarried couples       Should my partner and I buy a house together even though we're not married?       Will my group health insurance cover my partner, even though we're not married?   Tax Planning   Articles     General tax planning       Year-end tax planning   FAQs     General tax planning       What is my tax bracket?