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      Understanding your business owners policy       Why insure your business?     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     Transferring or selling a business       Transferring your family business   Decision Tools     Business planning basics       2003 numbers       Net worth calculator     Tax planning       Accelerating deductions/postponing income       Accelerating income/postponing deductions     Transferring or selling a business       Business succession planning alternatives       Business succession strategy analyzer       Buy-sell agreement analyzer       Buy-sell planning questionnaire       Planning for succession of a business interest   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?     Employee benefits and other issues       How can I boost the morale of my employees without incurring huge expenses?       How can I find good employees for my business?       What are health reimbursement arrangements?       What are incentive stock options (ISOs)?       What benefits should I offer to my employees?     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     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     Determining how much to save for college       College savings analyzer       Finding the funds to pay for a college education       Higher education figures at-a-glance     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     Financial aid       College application and financial aid calendar       Comparison of federal higher education loans       Financial aid calendar     Tax issues       Comparison of education tax credits and deductions       Qualified education expenses defined       Summary of tax-advantaged college savings options   FAQs     Applying to college       How many colleges should my child apply to?       When are college applications due?     College costs       Are there any ways to lower the cost of college?       What expenses are included in the annual cost of college?       What is the college inflation rate?     Education tax credits       Now that my child is in college, am I entitled to any education tax credits?       What are the Hope credit and the Lifetime Learning credit?     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?     Paying for college       I've heard that a grandparent can pay a grandchild's tuition directly to the college without any gift tax problems. Is this true?       Should I take out a home equity loan to pay for my child's tuition?       Should I use my 401(k) to fund my child's college education?       Should I withdraw money from my IRA to pay for my child's college tuition?     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     Charitable giving       Charitable giving       Life insurance and charitable giving     Estate planning basics       Estate planning--an introduction       Gift and estate taxes       Trust basics     Medicaid planning       Medicaid and nursing home care       Medicaid and the principal residence       Medicaid planning basics   Decision Tools     Charitable giving       How a charitable remainder trust works       The best property to give to charity     Estate planning basics       Federal estate tax estimator       Federal transfer tax exemption amounts under the Tax Act of 2001       Table of federal estate tax brackets and exemption limits     Probate       The probate process: initial tasks   FAQs     Estate and gift tax       I just made a gift. Do I have to file a gift tax return?     Estate planning basics       What makes up my taxable estate?     Probate       Does property owned jointly avoid probate?       What is probate and why do I want to avoid it?   Government Benefits   Articles     Medicare and Medicaid       Coordinating long-term care insurance with government benefits       Health insurance in retirement       Medicaid and nursing home care       Medicaid and the principal residence       Medicaid planning basics       Medicare     Other government benefits       Government-sponsored disability insurance programs       Receiving unemployment benefits       What employers need to know about workers' compensation insurance     Social Security       Social Security disability benefits       Social Security retirement benefits       Social Security survivor's benefits       Understanding Social Security   Decision Tools     Medicare and Medicaid       Medicaid eligibility for nursing home care       Medicare figures at-a-glance       Medicare, Medigap, and Medicaid     Social Security       Disability income needs worksheet       How earnings affect Social Security       Social Security disability insurance (SSDI): awards and applications illustrator       Social Security figures at-a-glance       Sources of retirement income: filling the Social Security gap       What are your chances of becoming disabled?   FAQs     Medicare and Medicaid       How do I enroll in Medicare?       How does Medicare Advantage work?       I'm putting money into a 529 plan for my grandchild. But are the 529 assets subject to Medicaid spend-down requirements?       I'm thinking about placing my mother in a nursing home. Will Medicaid pay for her care?       If I'm covered by Medicare, should I have additional health insurance?     Social Security       Are my Social Security benefits subject to income tax?       Does my 16-year-old have to pay Social Security tax on her earnings?       How can I get an estimate of my Social Security benefits?       How do I get disability benefits from Social Security?       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?       Should I retire now at age 62 and collect Social Security benefits, or should I wait until age 65?       When do I have to apply for a Social Security number for my newborn?   Personal Finance   Articles     Buying a car       ABCs of auto insurance       Buying a car       GAP insurance       How safe is that new car?   Decision Tools     Owning a car       Auto insurance analyzer       Auto loan payment calculator       How to save money on your auto insurance       Should you buy or lease your car?     Owning a home       Is my home mortgage interest fully deductible?       Less common mortgage options       Mortgage payment calculator       Popular types of mortgages       Should you refinance your mortgage?   FAQs     Buying, selling, or leasing a car       How much will my monthly car payment be?       Is there any way to get out of a car lease?       Should I buy or lease a car?       Should I pay cash for a car or finance it?     Mortgages       Can my mortgage lender require me to have an escrow account?       I am behind on my mortgage payments. Will my lender begin foreclosure proceedings?       My mortgage includes a statement that a penalty may be imposed for early payoff. What does that mean?       Should I pay off my student loans early with a home equity loan?       Should I take out a home equity loan to pay for my child's tuition?       What are the advantages of making biweekly mortgage payments?       What's involved in getting a VA mortgage?       What's the difference between a home equity line of credit and a second mortgage?       Which mortgage is better--fixed rate or adjustable?       Why do I have to purchase homeowners insurance in order to obtain a mortgage?     Selling a home       How do I figure the tax on the sale of my home?       I'm having a hard time selling my home. Should I take out a reverse mortgage?       Should I sell or rent out my present home?   Protection Planning   Articles     Business insurance       Business interruption insurance       Business liability insurance basics       Business overhead expense insurance       Life insurance for the self-employed       What employers need to know about workers' compensation insurance       Why insure your business?     General insurance topics       Buying insurance: what savvy consumers should know       Umbrella liability insurance       Why buy insurance?     Long-term care insurance       Five things to watch out for when buying long-term care insurance       Long-term care insurance: how does it work?       Should you buy long-term care insurance?       Tax tips: long-term care insurance       Understanding long-term care riders and options       Using life insurance riders to pay for long-term care       What do long-term care insurance policies cover?   Decision Tools     Business insurance       Business life insurance needs       How cross purchase plans work       How entity purchase plans work       How insurance preserves assets       Number of policies needed with a cross purchase plan     Homeowners insurance       Disaster checklist       Fall/winter home maintenance checklist       Home inventory checklist       Homeowners insurance quiz       How to save money on your homeowners insurance       Personal liability umbrella insurance   FAQs     Business insurance       How can I get affordable health insurance if I'm self-employed?       I own a business. Are there any creative ways I can use life insurance in my business?       What kind of insurance coverage do I need for my small business?   Retirement Planning   Articles     Social Security       Social Security retirement benefits       Understanding Social Security   Decision Tools     401(k) plans       401(k) plans       Individual 401(k) Illustration       Should you save in a 401(k) or a Roth IRA?     Health care issues       Medicaid eligibility for nursing home care       Medicare figures at-a-glance       Medicare, Medigap, and Medicaid     IRAs       IRA eligibility flowchart: 2005       Roth IRA: how much can you contribute in 2005?       Traditional IRA future value calculator       Traditional IRA required minimum distribution illustrator       Traditional IRA: how much can you contribute and deduct in 2005?     Social Security       How earnings affect Social Security       Social Security figures at-a-glance   FAQs     Employer-sponsored retirement plans       Can I roll a retirement plan distribution into an IRA?       Can I still have a traditional IRA if I contribute to my 401(k) plan at work?       Should I contribute to my 401(k) plan at work?       What are my options if I inherit an IRA or employer-sponsored plan?       What is vesting?     Health care issues       Can I deduct premiums paid for long-term care (LTC) insurance?       How do I enroll in Medicare?       Should I buy long-term care insurance?       What is long-term care insurance?     IRAs       Can I avoid the 10 percent penalty tax for early withdrawals from a traditional IRA?       Can I contribute to a Roth IRA?       Can I set up a traditional IRA?       Can I shift my traditional funds to a Roth IRA?       Can I still have a traditional IRA if I contribute to my 401(k) plan at work?       I need money--can I take funds from my IRA?       Should I invest in a Roth IRA or a traditional IRA?       What are required minimum distributions and how are they calculated?     Social Security       Are my Social Security benefits subject to income tax?       How can I get an estimate of my Social Security benefits?       Should I retire now at age 62 and collect Social Security benefits, or should I wait until age 65?       When I retire, how much will I receive from Social Security?   Special Situations   Articles     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.     Loss of a spouse       Claiming life insurance benefits       Organizing your finances when your spouse has died       Social Security survivor's benefits   Decision Tools     Caring for an aging parent       Housing options for aging parents       Tips for caregivers     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?   Tax Planning   Articles     General tax planning       Am I having enough withheld?       Choosing an income tax filing status       Help! I can't pay my tax bill       Income tax planning and 529 plans       Surviving an audit       Tax benefits of home ownership       Tax planning for income       Tax planning for the self-employed       Year-end tax planning     Tax credits and deductions       Education tax credits       Personal deduction planning       Qualifying for the home office deduction       Understanding personal tax credits     Taxes and insurance       Tax planning tips: auto insurance       Tax planning tips: disability insurance       Tax planning tips: life insurance       Tax tips: health insurance       Tax tips: homeowners insurance       Tax tips: long-term care insurance   Decision Tools     General tax planning       Accelerating deductions/postponing Income       Accelerating income/postponing deductions       Federal individual income tax fundamentals     Tax credits and deductions       Comparison of education tax credits and deductions       General business tax credits       Is my home mortgage interest fully deductible?       Tax credit sampler   FAQs     General tax planning       Am I having enough tax withheld from my paycheck?       Are my Social Security benefits subject to income tax?       Are scholarships and grants subject to federal income tax?       Do I have to file a federal income tax return?       My spouse passed away this year. When I file my taxes, what filing status should I claim?       What is my tax bracket?       What is the basis of property received as a gift?       What penalties and interest will I be charged for paying and filing my federal income taxes late?     Tax credits       Can I take the credit for the elderly or disabled?       Can I take the tax credit for child care?       Now that my child is in college, am I entitled to any education tax credits?       What are the Hope credit and the Lifetime Learning credit?       What is the child tax credit?       What is the difference between the child tax credit and the child and dependent care tax credit?     Tax deductions       Can I deduct home office expenses?       Can I deduct premiums paid for long-term care (LTC) insurance?       Can I deduct the cost of improvements or repairs I've made to my home?       How do I deduct and substantiate my gambling losses?       I paid my mother's real estate taxes last year. Can I deduct this on my tax return?       I refinanced my principal home last year and paid points. What are points, and can I deduct them on my tax return?       If I prepay next year's taxes this year, can I deduct them this year?       If I work at home occasionally, am I entitled to a home office deduction?       Is student loan interest deductible?       My spouse and I are filing separate returns. Can we both itemize our deductions? If so, how do we split the deductions?       My town has assessed against me a real estate betterment for new sewer lines installed in my street. May I deduct this amount on my tax return?       We just bought our first home. What can we deduct from the settlement statement?     Taxes and child support/alimony       Are alimony payments considered taxable income?       What are the tax implications of child support payments?     Taxes and home ownership       Can I deduct the cost of improvements or repairs I've made to my home?       How do I figure the tax on the sale of my home?       I refinanced my principal home last year and paid points. What are points, and can I deduct them on my tax return?       I rent my home out for two weeks each year. Do I have to show this rental income on my federal income tax return?       If I prepay next year's taxes this year, can I deduct them this year?       My town has assessed against me a real estate betterment for new sewer lines installed in my street. May I deduct this amount on my tax return?       We just bought our first home. What can we deduct from the settlement statement?     Taxes and insurance proceeds       Are life insurance proceeds income taxable?       I receive disability insurance payments. Are they taxable?