Retirement Portfolio Lifespan

How Long Will Your Funds Last?

Personal Inflation Rate

Is your personal inflation rate higher or lower than the CPI?

Required Minimum Distributions

Estimate the annual required distribution from your traditional IRA or former employer's retirement plan after you turn age 70.

Investor Profile

Asset Allocation and It's Ever Changing "Mix" Are Powerful Keys

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Designating Retirement Plan Beneficiaries

IRAs and defined-contribution plans have become an important component of personal wealth for households. Designating account beneficiaries and keeping the designations current can be a complex — but important — process to perform on a regular basis as certain life events and tax situations can necessitate a change.

Tax Changes for 2012

Mandatory annual inflation adjustments generally affect federal income tax brackets, retirement plan contribution limits, and estate tax exemption levels. Here are some of the major changes that could affect readers in 2012, with a table showing 2012 income thresholds for the six federal income tax brackets.

New Opportunity Under the Federal Gift Tax

The 2010 Tax Relief Act raised the lifetime gift-tax exclusion to $5 million. This means it could be a good time to make the most of tax-free gift transfers. If so, it's important to understand the annual and lifetime gift exemption limits, as well as which gifts might not be subject to them.

Another Year, Another AMT Patch

The 2010 Tax Relief Act adjusted AMT exemption levels for 2010 and 2011 to help prevent an estimated 21 million middle-income taxpayers from being subject to the alternative minimum tax. Will Congress enact another patch for 2012?

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