Tax planning tools Business Owner Articles Benefits and retirement plans Retirement plans for small businesses Insuring a business Income tax tips: business insurance 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 Funding a buy-sell agreement with disability insurance Funding a buy-sell agreement with life insurance Transferring your family business Decision Tools Choosing an entity Choosing a business entity Comparison of LLCs, LLPs, and professional corporations How C Corporations, Limited Liability Companies, and Limited Liability Partnerships Protect Personal Assets 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 How cross purchase plans work How entity purchase plans work Planning for succession of a business interest FAQs 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? Partnerships How does a limited partnership work? 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? Transferring or selling a business How can I keep my business in the family? What are some financing options for selling my business? What is a buy-sell agreement? What is a family limited partnership, and will it help reduce estate taxes? Valuing a business How can I determine what my business is worth for estate and gift tax purposes? Estate Planning Articles Beneficiary designations Choosing a beneficiary for your IRA or 401(k) Estate planning basics Estate planning--an introduction Gift and estate taxes Trust basics Wills--the cornerstone of your estate plan FAQs Estate and gift tax How can I determine what my business is worth for estate and gift tax purposes? How can I minimize taxes on my estate? I intend to make tuition payments directly to my grandchild's college, and I know this will reduce my estate. But would it be better to contribute to a 529 plan instead? I just made a gift. Do I have to file a gift tax return? What is a family limited partnership, and will it help reduce estate taxes? Retirement Planning Articles Saving for retirement Annuities and retirement planning Borrowing or withdrawing money from your 401(k) plan Choosing a beneficiary for your IRA or 401(k) Closing a retirement income gap Deciding what to do with your 401(k) plan when you change jobs Estimating your retirement income needs Evaluating an early retirement offer Retirement planning--the basics Saving for retirement and a child's education at the same time Taking advantage of employer-sponsored retirement plans Understanding defined benefit plans Understanding IRAs What to do after you've been automatically enrolled in your company's retirement plan FAQs Saving for retirement How aggressive should I be when I invest for retirement? How can I plan for retirement if my employer doesn't offer retirement benefits? How can we possibly save for retirement and our child's college education at the same time? How late is too late to start saving for retirement? How much money should I save for retirement? How should I structure my retirement portfolio? I think it's time to start planning for retirement. Where do I begin? What are catch-up contributions? What should I do if I determine that my income during retirement won't be enough to meet my retirement expenses? Special Situations Decision Tools Financial basics Auto loan payment calculator College funding options analyzer College savings analyzer Credit cards--advantages vs. disadvantages Growth of annual deposits calculator Loan amortization calculator Mortgage payment calculator Net worth calculator Personal cash flow worksheet Saving for your retirement Should you save in a 401(k) or a Roth IRA? 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?