document.write('<p><b><font class="heading">Financial Planning Checklist</font></b></p><p><font class="text">Once you\'ve finished with');
document.write(' your tax planning for the year, and your return is safely on its way to the IRS, you\'re at an excellent point for a qui');
document.write('ck financial check-up. Your tax return is handy, as a quick snapshot of your financial situation, and the figures are re');
document.write('cent and accurate. Take a few minutes to consider these questions:</p><p><b>1. Have you determined your short- and lon');
document.write('g-term financial goals?</b><br>Have you consistently reviewed and updated them for any changes?</p><p><b>2. Are you sa');
document.write('ving and investing sufficient sums to fund your short- and long-term goals?</b><br>By defining goals that are time and d');
document.write('ollar specific, you can regularly assess if you are on track to reach them.</p><p><b>3. Are you making the best use of');
document.write(' tax-deferred savings plans, such as IRAs, 401(k)s, and Keoghs?</b><br>Are you contributing the maximum you can? Did you');
document.write(' make plan investment choices consistent with your investment time frame and risk tolerance? Alternatively, are you sati');
document.write('sfied that you have worked out the most appropriate way to take withdrawals for both yourself and your designated benefi');
document.write('ciaries, with a careful balancing of income tax and estate tax considerations?</p><p><b>4. If you are an employee, are');
document.write(' you getting the optimum from your employee benefits?</b><br>Do you understand and use any flexible spending accounts th');
document.write('at you may be eligible for? Have you developed a strategy for exercising your employer stock options and using any defer');
document.write('red compensation plans?</p><p><b>5. If you are concerned about paying for a child\'s education, are you saving and spen');
document.write('ding in the most appropriate ways?</b><br>Are you using tax-deferred savings, tax-favored loans, and tax credits? Are yo');
document.write('u striking an appropriate balance between saving in the child\'s name (either outright or in trusts) and saving in your o');
document.write('wn accounts?</p><p><b>6. Do you have an &quot;emergency fund?&quot;</b><br>Many experts recommend that you have the eq');
document.write('uivalent of three to six month\'s take-home pay in an account where you can get at it quickly. An emergency fund gives yo');
document.write('u cash to weather a squall or two without having to disturb your investment portfolio or sell off any other assets.</p>');
document.write('<p><b>7. Have you checked the asset allocation of your portfolio lately?</b><br>Run-ups and downturns in the market can');
document.write(' each disrupt the allocation of your investments, leaving you with more or less in any one asset class than you consider');
document.write(' optimal. Should you be thinking about tax-free or taxable fixed income securities, based on your marginal tax rate and ');
document.write('risk tolerance?</p><p><b>8. Do you have adequate insurance?</b><br>Adequate life insurance (to protect your family if ');
document.write('you die unexpectedly)? Adequate disability insurance (what if you or your spouse couldn\'t work for an extended period of');
document.write(' time)? Appropriate household and automobile insurance? Should you be thinking about an umbrella policy?</p><p><b>9. D');
document.write('o you have appropriate legal documents in place?</b><br>An up-to-date will? Trusts for you and/or your spouse and other ');
document.write('heirs? A living will or other health care directives? A durable power of attorney (for managing your assets if you can\'t');
document.write(')? Have you told family members or trusted friends where they can find these documents?</p><p><b>10. Is your credit un');
document.write('der good control?</b><br>Is the interest rate on your mortgage the best you can do, or should you be applying for a lowe');
document.write('r rate? Should you be shopping for a credit card with a lower interest rate, or perhaps for a home equity loan?</p><p>');
document.write('<b>11. Are you maximizing your cash flow through income tax strategies?</b><br>How are you funding charitable contributi');
document.write('ons -- with cash or securities? Do you prepay itemized deductions to accelerate the tax benefit?</p><p><b>12. If you o');
document.write('wn your own business, do you have a plan for smoothly passing on that business to family members or trusted employees?</');
document.write('b><br>Are you aware of and planning for any income and related estate taxes? Are you making optimum use of insurance to ');
document.write('safeguard your transition plans?</p><p><b>13. Have there been significant changes in your family this year?</b><br>Bir');
document.write('ths, deaths, graduations, engagements, and the beginning and ending of marriages can all have multifaceted effects on yo');
document.write('ur financial plans. Consider their effect on your own situation. You may want to start a college fund for a new baby, or');
document.write(' make a plan for investing assets you\'ve inherited, or make provision for your daughter\'s wedding next summer. On the ot');
document.write('her hand, if you have recently divorced, you will want to review the beneficiary designations on your insurance policies');
document.write(' and retirement plans.</p>');