If you own real estate—perhaps a vacation home or income property that has increased substantially in value over the years—and you want to keep it in the family, there are a number of planning strategies you can use to help minimize the estate and gift tax consequences of the transfer.

Remember when flying for business or pleasure was actually something you looked forward to? When you could arrive within minutes of departure, stroll right up to your gate, sit in a comfortable seat with ample leg room, enjoy a free cocktail (or two, depending on your destination), eat a hot meal, and collect your bags quickly when the flight was over?

When you need cash, what’s the best course of action? If you’re tempted to reach for a credit card to get the cash you need, you may want to reconsider. There may be better ways to meet your personal liquidity needs.

We've all heard the remarkable tales about people who stumbled on antiques or works of art worth millions of dollars in their attic or at yard sales. But even those of us who have artwork or collectibles in full view in our homes may not know how much they are actually worth.

The midpoint of the year can be a good time to step back and assess your financial goals to make sure you're still on track and given any changes in the economy and markets as well as your personal situation.

Investors tend to buy high and sell low. They tend to become greedy when markets are approaching a high, and they become fearful when markets are at, or near, low points. Studies show that the more frequently investors check their portfolio performance, the more they trade, and the worse their performance becomes. In fact, investors in liquid investments (such as stocks) tend to sell quicker than investors in illiquid investments (such as real estate) because the pricing is readily available. How can you avoid falling into this trap? Should you just buy and hold? Set it and forget it?