PLANNING TOOLS AND ARTICLES FOR SPECIAL SITUATIONS The following planning tools and articles address many special circumstances of Life's financial detours.   This general information is not intended to address specific individual business situations. Remember, there is no substitute for professional advice.   Always consult with your financial team (attorney, insurance agent, investment advisor and tax advisor) before taking any action.

Special Situations   Articles     Career planning       Evaluating a job offer       Evaluating an early retirement offer       Health insurance and COBRA: sometimes you can take it with you       Receiving unemployment benefits     Caring for an aging parent       Caring for your aging parents       Do your parents need long-term care insurance?       Facing the possibility of incapacity       Housing options for older individuals       Medicaid and nursing home care       Medicaid and the principal residence       Medicaid planning basics       The sandwich generation: juggling family responsibilities.     Divorce       Dealing with divorce       Health insurance and divorce       Insurance concerns of divorcing couples     Loss of a spouse       Claiming life insurance benefits       Organizing your finances when your spouse has died       Social Security survivor's benefits     Marriage       Establishing a budget       Getting started: establishing a financial safety net       Merging your money when you marry     Planning for travel       Health insurance for travelers       Rental car insurance       Travel insurance     Raising a family       And baby makes three       Baby on board: keeping your child safe in the car       How much life insurance do you need?       Planning a family? Get to know your health insurance policy       Saving for retirement and a child's education at the same time       Teaching your child about money       Teaching your college-age child about money       Teaching your teen about money       The best ways to save for college       When your child has special needs     Sudden wealth       Sudden wealth     Terminal illness       Life insurance and terminal illness       Viatical settlements     Unmarried couples       Financial tips for unmarried couples   Decision Tools     Caring for an aging parent       Housing options for aging parents       Tips for caregivers     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?     Remarriage       Planning for marriage to someone with children       Providing for children from a previous marriage       Remarriage and prenuptial agreements       Remarriage with children: income tax considerations       Remarriage: sharing assets and debts   FAQs     Career planning       I'll be changing jobs next month, and I'm pregnant. Will I qualify for health insurance coverage with my new employer?       I'm getting laid off. How am I going to survive financially until I find another job?       I'm looking for a job. How can I tell if an employer is offering a good insurance benefit package?       If I leave my company, can I take my life insurance policy with me?       If I leave my job, will I lose my employer-sponsored health insurance?       If my employer goes out of business and discontinues its health insurance plan, am I still eligible for COBRA benefits?     Caring for an aging parent       How can I pay for nursing home care?       How can I tell if a nursing home provides high-quality care?       How do I talk to my elderly parents about their finances?       I paid my mother's real estate taxes last year. Can I deduct this on my tax return?       I'm planning to add an in-law apartment to my home. How will this affect my homeowners insurance?       I'm thinking about placing my mother in a nursing home. Will Medicaid pay for her care?       Is there such a thing as nursing home insurance?       My mother is 90. Is it OK for her to keep driving?       My parents can't manage alone anymore. What should I do?       What types of nursing care does long-term care insurance cover?     Consumer protection       How can I protect myself against identity theft?       How do I stop those annoying telemarketing calls?       My radio broke two months after I bought it. I tried to return it to the store, but it won't give me a refund. What can I do to get my money back?     Divorce       Are alimony payments considered taxable income?       How do I protect my assets in the event of a divorce?       My husband and I are divorcing after 30 years of marriage. Will I still be able to receive Social Security retirement benefits based on his earnings record after our divorce?       My husband and I are getting divorced. How do we decide whose health insurance policy will cover the children?       What are the tax implications of child support payments?     Loss of a spouse       How can I find out whether my deceased husband owned any life insurance?       My husband just died. Should I accept my daughter's offer to move in with her?       My spouse just died. Who do I need to notify?       My spouse passed away this year. When I file my taxes, what filing status should I claim?     Marriage       Am I liable for my spouse's debts?       I'm marrying someone with bad credit. How will this affect me?       Should I open a joint checking account with my spouse?       Should my spouse and I integrate our health insurance benefits?     Planning for travel       Do I have to pay U.S. taxes when I work abroad?       Does my auto insurance policy cover me on car trips outside the United States?       I'm going on a cruise. Do I need trip interruption insurance?       I'm planning on living in Europe for several months. Do I need special health insurance?       I'm traveling to Europe this summer and won't need my car. Can I get my auto insurance suspended to save money?       Should I buy travel insurance?     Raising a family       Can I take the tax credit for child care?       Does it make sense financially for both me and my spouse to work after our child is born?       How do I find quality child care?       How do I pay for child care?       My employer says that after my child is born, I have to come back in six weeks. But doesn't the law say that I'm entitled to three months of leave?       Should I buy life insurance on my child?       What is the difference between the child tax credit and the child and dependent care tax credit?       When do I have to apply for a Social Security number for my newborn?       Who should I name as guardian of my children in case my spouse and I should die at the same time?     Remarriage       I'm getting remarried. How will this affect my Social Security benefits?       Should I sign a prenuptial agreement to protect my assets when I remarry?     Sudden wealth       What's the best way to handle a financial windfall?       When I play the lottery, I have to choose between a lump sum and annual payments. Does it matter?     Terminal illness       Is there any way I can use life insurance to help cover my expenses if I become terminally ill?     Unmarried couples       Should my partner and I buy a house together even though we're not married?       Will my group health insurance cover my partner, even though we're not married?