Blog

1 The Financial Planning Process 1-1

2 Financial Planning Tools: Personal Financial Statements and the Time Value of Money 2-1

3 Budgeting and Cash Management 3-1

4 Tax Planning 4-1

5 Managing Credit: Credit Cards and Consumer Loans 5-1

6 Making Automobile and Housing Decisions 6-1

7 Insuring Cars and Homes 7-1

8 Life Insurance and Long-Term Care Planning 8-1

9 Employee Benefits: Health, Disability, and Retirement Plans 9-1

10 Saving for Distant Goals: Retirement and Education Funding 10-1

11 The Fundamentals of Investing 11-1

12 Investing in Stocks and Bonds 12-1

13 Investing in Mutual Funds and Real Estate 13-1

14 Estate Planning 14-1

Feature Story 14-1

14.1 What is Estate Planning? 14-2

The Estate-Planning Process 14-3

Who Needs an Estate Plan? 14-3

Case Study 14.1: Estate Planning Changes over the Life Cycle 14-4

Key Components of an Estate Plan 14-5

Ethics in Action: Terri Schiavo’s Life-or-Death Experience 14-6

Organizing Financial and Legal Documents 14-7

14.2 Methods of Transferring Property 14-8

Preparing a Valid Will 14-8

Passing Property Outside a Will 14-12

14.3 Estate and Gift Taxes 14-13

Federal Gift Taxes 14-13

Federal Estate Taxes 14-13

Case Study 14.2: Lisa Calculates Her Taxable Estate 14-14

State Death Taxes 14-16

14.4 Reducing Taxes Through Trusts and Gifts 14-17

When are Trusts Useful? 14-17

Types of Trusts 14-17

Gifting Alternatives 14-18

Summary / Excel Worksheets / Key Terms / Concept Review Questions / Application Problems / Case Applications

Glossary G-1

Index I-1