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Naming Beneficiaries: What You Need to Know
A major issue in estate planning is whom to name as beneficiaries on life insurance policies, pension plan accounts, IRAs, and annuities. This  important decision often doesn't take into account the substantial estate and income tax consequences the beneficiary may incur.
So before you name a beneficiary, you may wish to gain a basic understanding of beneficiary designations.
One of the first things you need to know is that, in many cases, beneficiary designations supersede a will. That said, not only is naming a beneficiary important, it is equally important to make sure that your beneficiary arrangements are consistent with your other estate planning documents.
More on 'Naming Beneficiaries: What You Need to Know' here.
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Market Commentary
It was a short week, but it wasn't quiet
Oil prices moved higher, according to The Wall Street Journal, after the  U.S. Energy Information Administration reported crude-oil inventories fell unexpectedly last year. Analysts had predicted oil supplies would rise.
One expert cited by The Wall Street Journal suggested the stockpile decline and subsequent oil price rally owed much to Gulf Coast refiners reducing inventories "to mitigate state ad valorem taxes on year-end crude stocks." If that's the case, the oil price increase may not be sustained.
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By the Numbers
Notes: S&P 500, Gold, DJ-UBS Commodity Index returns exclude reinvested dividends (gold does not pay a dividend) and the three-, five-, and 10-year returns are annualized ... more important disclosure mentions found here. (We urge you to read the entire disclosure statement.)
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