Conventional wisdom suggests the best retirement plans carry no debt. But advisors need to take a more sophisticated view and put a premium on debt-enhanced liquidity

Assume your client has been told that other family members may qualify for benefits based on his SS record.  However, the amount of benefits will be subject to the MFB.

Not for long. | Copyright Alex Wong, Getty Images Social Security is in even worse financial shape than we thought, according to some Harvard researchers which looked at all forecasts the administration has made for the program over its 80...

Smells like teen spirit. | Copyright Frank Micelotta, Getty Images Many people are unhappy about their retirement prospects these days, but perhaps none moreso than members of Generation X. More than two-thirds (67 percent) of Gen Xers bel...

Rematch? | Copyright Harry How, Getty Images ETFs sold through retail channels in the first quarter outpaced mutual funds for the first time in four years. ETF assets being sold through independent b/ds, wirehouses, RIAs and discount broke...

Investors young and old love Apple. | Copyright Justin Sullivan, Getty Images Millennials and baby boomers may have different levels of trust in financial services and engage banks and advisors in very different ways, but when it comes to ...

Carl Icahn's not impressed. | Copyright Michael Nagle, Getty Images A lot of people probably wish they could replicate the moves of famous activist investors like Carl Icahn, Bill Ackman and Daniel Loeb, fund managers who have achieved hig...

TMI? | drmglc/iStock/Thinkstock One-third of Americans have no financial plan, a new study by Northwestern Mutual is reporting. The study also reflects that nearly 60 percent of Americans feel their financial planning is deficient. While t...

A taxpayer’s honorable conduct has no bearing on the taxable status of retirement account payments