JOHN P. GERLACH, CLU, ChFC

Life Insurance

How much life insurance would you need to produce a sufficient income stream for your family?

Risk Tolerance

This calculator is designed to help you clarify your comfort level with investment risk.

Cost of Retirement

Use this calculator to estimate how much income and savings you may need in retirement.

Estate Taxes

Use this calculator to estimate the federal estate taxes that could be due on your estate after you die.

More Calculators →

Building a Business Versus Building Wealth

The market for small businesses has been less than ideal over the past few years. Thus a business owner's efforts to build a successful business may not always translate to an increase in personal wealth. One way to insulate a business owner's personal financial situation from the fluctuating small-business market is by investing outside the company.

Tax-Efficient Investments for the Tax-Averse

Raising taxes is one of many ideas that have been proposed to help reduce mounting federal budget deficits. Readers who are concerned about the prospect of higher taxes in the future may want to consider the tax advantages associated with municipal bonds and tax-exempt mutual funds.

HOT TOPIC: Debating the Debt Ceiling

There has been substantial debate in Congress over raising the ceiling on the national debt. Although many Americans could be adversely affected if Congress decided not to increase the debt ceiling, this is unlikely to happen.

Fixed for Life

More than 40% of Americans ages 36 and older are at risk of running out of money in retirement, according to a retirement readiness study. In fact, almost one-third of people with upper-middle incomes and 13% with high incomes may not be able to pay for basic retirement expenses and uninsured health-care costs after two decades in retirement.

More Newsletters →