Menu Alpine Capital Partners connect Articles Welcome to our research center! We've put together a library of information on important financial topics that we believe you'll find helpful. Simply click on one of the general financial topics below and you'll find a selection of easy-to-understand information sheets about related financial concepts and strategies. This information is updated regularly to reflect the latest facts, figures, legislation, and economic trends. Estates & Trusts What Key Estate Planning Tools Should I Know About? Wills and trusts allow you to spell out how you would like your property distributed, but they also go beyond that. How Can a Living Trust Help Me Control My Estate? A living trust can help control the distribution of your estate upon death. What Are the Pitfalls of Probate? The probate process can be lengthy and complex. There are strategies you can use to help avoid the probate process. How Can My Gift Benefit Me and the Charity? To retain the tax advantages associated with charitable giving, your gift must be made to a qualified organization. How Can I Control the Distribution of My Estate? If you haven't taken steps already, consider planning now for the distribution of the assets of your estate. How Will I Pay Estate Taxes? If you believe your estate will be subject to estate taxes, consider how your heirs will pay the bill. Can I Benefit from an A-B Trust? An A-B trust can be an effective way to help reduce estate taxes and preserve family assets for heirs. What Gifting Strategies Are Available to Me? Compare the advantages and disadvantages of different gifting strategies available for planned giving. How Can I Benefit from a Charitable Lead Trust? Charitable lead trusts are designed for people who would like to benefit a charity now rather than later. How Can I Benefit from a Charitable Remainder Trust? A designated income beneficiary could receive payment of a specified amount from a charitable remainder trust. How Can I Benefit from a Wealth Replacement Trust? A wealth replacement trust could be used to gift appreciated assets to a charity as well as provide for heirs. Could My Family Benefit from a Family Limited Partnership? One estate planning strategy that families with closely held businesses could consider is the family limited partnership. What Is the Best Form of Property Ownership for Me? Sole ownership, joint tenancy, tenancy in common, and community property have special benefits for property owners. History of the Federal Estate Tax Careful estate planning is still one of the most important ways to manage and protect your assets for your heirs. Retirement What Is a SEP IRA? A SEP IRA is a type of plan under which the employer contributes (up to a certain limit) to an employee’s IRA. What Is a SIMPLE? The SIMPLE plan may appeal to small business owners as it is easy to set up, administer, and allows for a tax deduction. What Is an IRA Rollover? If you leave a job or retire, you should consider your options regarding your employer retirement plan assets. What Is a Roth 401(k)? A Roth 401(k) is funded with after-tax money, and allows for tax- and penalty-free withdrawal of earnings if requirements are met. Don’t Bank Your Retirement on Your Business Allocating too much of your retirement investments to one company, even your own, can be a risky proposition. Save Now or Save Later? If you start saving for retirement sooner, the more money you are likely to accumulate and possibly retire sooner. Tax Planning What Is the Capital Gain Tax? Capital gains are profits realized from the sale of assets; a tax is triggered only when an asset is sold, not held. What Is the Estate Tax? Everything you own, whatever the form of ownership, is subject to federal, and possibly state, estate taxes. What Is the Gift Tax? The federal gift tax applies to gifts of property or money while the donor is living. How Much Money Can I Put Into My IRA or Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plan? IRAs and employer-sponsored retirement plans are subject to annual contribution limits set by the federal government. What Is a Required Minimum Distribution? Required minimum distribution is the annual amount that must be withdrawn from a qualified retirement plan/account. What Are the Tax Benefits of Charitable Trusts? For the grantor, there are a few potential tax benefits that can come with setting up a charitable trust. What Tax Deductions Are Still Available to Me? Changes to the tax code have left a few key deductions for itemizers, like medical, dental and some business expenses. What Tax-Advantaged Alternatives Do I Have? While stable, CDs can create an income tax bill. Fixed annuities and municipal bonds can offer tax advantages. What Is the Most Tax-Efficient Way to Take a Distribution From a Retirement Plan Consider a trustee-to-trustee transfer to an IRA versus a lump-sum distribution from a workplace retirement plan. Is There Such a Thing as a Tax-Free Investment? It's important to understand tax-exempt vehicles when establishing a comprehensive tax planning strategy. Investing What Is a Bond Ladder? A bond ladder is a strategy involving the purchase of bonds that have staggered maturity dates. Common Stock vs Preferred Stock It's important to understand the strengths and weaknesses of common stock versus preferred stock. What Are Dividends? It is important to understand how dividends (taxable payments to shareholders) fit with your long-term goals. What Is an Exchange-Traded Fund? ETFs have unique attributes and attempt to track all types of indexes, industries, or commodities. Growth Stocks vs. Value Stocks The labels growth and value reflect different approaches that can be used when making investment decisions. How Are Mutual Funds Taxed? Mutual fund taxes can be cumbersome, but there are ways to help mitigate the amount of taxes you may owe. What Is Diversification? An important element to successful investing is to manage investment risk while maintaining the potential for growth. What Types of Bonds Are Available? Bonds are issued by many entities and share many characteristics, each type of bond has certain benefits and risks. What Is a Bond? A bond is simply evidence of a debt from a government entity or a corporation and represents a long-term IOU. What Do Bond Ratings Mean? Bond ratings gauge a bond issuer’s financial ability to repay its promised principal and interest payments. What Is a Stock Index? Stock market indexes can be useful benchmarks for gauging the performance of an investment portfolio over time. How Do Mutual Funds and Stocks Differ? The difference between purchasing an individual stock versus shares in a mutual fund to potentially earn dividends. What Is a Mutual Fund? A mutual fund is a collection of stocks, bonds, and other securities with certain benefits and risks. What Is a Closed-End Fund? With closed-end funds, investors pool their money together to purchase a professionally managed portfolio of stocks and/or bonds. What Is a Mutual Fund Load? It’s important to understand mutual fund loads, or sales charges, and exactly what they entail so you can make informed investing decisions. What Investment Risks Should I Know About? Understanding different types of investment risk can help investors manage their money more effectively. What Are the Different Classes of Assets? There are five broad asset classes that you should take into consideration when constructing your investment portfolio. What Is Asset Allocation? Asset allocation is a method used to help manage investment risk; it does not guarantee a profit or protect against investment loss. What Stock and Bond Investing Alternatives Do I Have? There are other ways to invest in stocks and bonds besides owning individual shares or bonds. What Is Dollar-Cost Averaging? Dollar-cost averaging involves investing a set amount of money on a regular basis, regardless of market conditions. 529 Lesson Plan: High Scores for 529 Plans 529 plans are tax-advantaged savings plans that generally allow people of any income level to contribute. Cash Management What Cash Management Tools Are Available? Short-term cash management instruments can help you establish a sound cash management program. What Savings Alternatives Are Available? There are a number of savings alternatives that could help you earn a reasonable rate of return. How Does Inflation Affect Me? Historically, one of the best ways to fight the effects of inflation has been to utilize growth-oriented investments. Risk Management Do I Need a Business Owner Policy? A business owner policy is an insurance package that assembles the basic coverages required by a business owner in one bundle. Life Insurance for Business Owners Company-owned life insurance is one way to help protect a business from financial problems caused by the death of a key employee. What Is Last-Survivor Life Insurance? Couples who want to help protect their legacy from estate taxes could consider last-survivor life insurance. Disability Income Insurance for Business Owners As a business owner, a disability can create an economic hardship putting both your personal finances and business at risk. What Is Variable Life Insurance? Variable life insurance gives you the control to allocate your account value among a variety of investment options. What Types of Health Coverage Are Available? There are three basic types of medical insurance plans: fee-for-service, managed care, and high-deductible health plan. How Can I Extend My Liability Coverage? Consider additional liability insurance to help protect you from the potentially devastating effects of liability lawsuits. Am I Prepared for Long-Term Care Expenses? The odds of needing long-term care increase as you age. Prior planning can help protect you from financial ruin. A Colorado Registered Advisory Firm. May also do business in other states subject to that state's laws and regulations. Alpine Capital Partners, LLC Site Map Back To Top Check the background of this financial professional on FINRA's BrokerCheck