About Writer Tony Novak is an independent writer and financial adviser in Narberth PA who provides OnlineAdviser services through MedSave.com and FreedomBenefits.org.
College Tuition Prepayment Plans Stumble Perhaps the most heartbreaking casualties of recent stock market performance are the 20 state-sponsored college tuition pre-payment plans throughout the country. With college costs continuing to grow at a pace of about 9% per year and investment returns on plan assets being flat or negative, the sponsors of the various prepaid tuition programs now project long-term cash shortages. Investors in the...... Similar Editorial : Mortgage Prepayment Penalties by Jakob Jelling. | Source : Fast College Degrees
Insurance Regulators Focus On Abusive Sales Practices State insurance regulators are focusing their efforts on a short list of five consumer problems areas related to the improper sale of variable annuities and life insurance. The problem areas include: 1) 1035 exchanges, 2) variable annuities inside of qualified accounts, 401(k)s or IRAs, 3) failure to fully disclose costs and fees, 4) comparing sub-accounts to mutual funds, and 5) improper or...... Similar Editorial : Cadillac Window Regulators by Glady Reign. | Source : Travel Insurance
Quick Facts On Disability Insurance Quick Facts About Disability Insurance?The sole purpose of individual disability insurance is to replace your after-tax income in the event of an accident or illness. These policies do not provide protection from medical expenses or recovery of damages for “pain and suffering”.?Since the benefit payments are designed to be income tax-free, insurance coverage in the amount of 2/3 of your salary is...... Similar Editorial : What is Disability Insurance by Peter Kenny. | Source : Travel Insurance
Update On Student Health Plans A highly effective but little-known strategy for controlling medical insurance costs will become a bit less attractive after September 1 when the nation’s leading issuer of medical insurance raises rates for policyholders over age 29. This change primarily affects self-employed individuals who maintained their own health insurance plans after graduation from college.Students who purchase private...... Similar Editorial : Individual Health Insurance Plans by Mike Yeager. | Source : Kaiser Permanente Health Insurance
Avoid Annuity Tax Problems Millions of investors own retirement annuity accounts but few are aware of the tax implications when the annuity is passed to an heir or beneficiary. A little known tax fact is that income tax on an individually owned annuity can be postponed only if the account owner’s spouse is named as the sole beneficiary. If the annuitant is not married, the same treatment may be obtained through the use of a...... Similar Editorial : Annuity Payments by Alison Cole. | Source : Iowa State Income Tax
IRS Fails As A Tax Adviser The Internal Revenue Service conducted a study of the quality of telephone advice it provides to taxpayers. It found that only 27% of callers actually received complete answers to their questions. Almost three quarters of callers were denied service, told to call back later, or had an excessive waiting time and simple hung up before speaking with a representative. Of those few callers that...... Similar Editorial : Why Marketing Fails by Amanda Murphy. | Source : Iowa State Income Tax
Tax Treatment For Coverdale IRAs A number of publications, including my own, have mistakenly reported over the past year that Coverdale IRAs, formerly known as Education IRAs, are tax deductible. Coverdale IRAs are not tax-deductible.Originally the concept of education IRAs was meant to provide a tax-deductible benefit that would defer taxes on contributions until the time of withdrawal, but the accounts were limited in size to...... Similar Editorial : Roth IRAs by rdcclu. | Source : Iowa State Income Tax
Conservative Investment Management Pays For This Firm It is genrally not a good idea for an independent financial adviser to endorse specific companies or products by name and this article is not intentionally written as an endorsement. But when another industry magazine printed an article sub-titled “American Skandia’s Stroke of Genius” for viewing by financial professionals only, it seems apparent that the outstanding actions of this company...... Similar Editorial : Investment Portfolio Management by Thomas Morva. | Source : Real Estate Investment Opportunities
