Owners of small businesses structured as sole proprietorships or "pass-through" entities face a distinctive challenge: Their business income impacts their personal tax liability. Careful planning is imperative. We discuss some important points to keep in mind, including current tax rates and brackets, as well as the potentially powerful qualified business income deduction.

Traditional and Roth IRAs can be relatively "safe" retirement-savings vehicles, depending on what they're invested in. But a drawback is that they limit your investment choices. A self-directed IRA gives you more flexibility in your investment choices but comes with greater risk as well.

The tax laws regarding withdrawals from IRAs are complex. Depending on your age, you could end up paying penalties for taking money out too early or for not taking money out on schedule. After you have passed on, your heirs also need to know when to take money out to steer clear of penalties. Keep reading to learn the rules.

Few things can derail an estate plan as quickly as unanticipated long-term care (LTC) expenses. Most people will need some form of LTC (such as a nursing home or assisted living facility stay) at some point in their lives. And the cost of this care is steep. This article explores a few options to fund LTC expenses so that a person won't deplete his or her nest egg. A sidebar details tax benefits available to offset LTC expenses.