Holiday commercials, greeting cards and even television sitcoms set the scene and the expectation: perfectly wrapped presents exchanged in the office or by a crackling fire. Not only does everyone receive a gift, but it is the perfect gift - just what they wanted. However, things are not always as they seem. For many, finances and schedules are turned upside down during the holidays, which ca...

The primary goal of portfolio management is to maximize your return for the risk you are willing to take. Sounds pretty straightforward, doesn't it? The trick is to find the proper balance in your portfolio to achieve this objective. Highly debated and much studied, this strategy is known as asset allocation. Is asset allocation important to your portfolio? A landmark study by Brinson, Hood an...

Earning income and providing for your family's needs can be a person's most important role in life. Many insure their homes, cars and personal belongings, but fail to consider what pays for these things - their ability to earn income. Although in many ways it's a misnomer, life insurance can take care of this potential loss. You are insuring not your life, but your potential earnings. Among t...