Annuities are financial products that provide a guaranteed income stream in exchange for a lump sum payment or series of payments. There are several different types of annuities, including fixed, variable, and indexed, each with its own features and benefits.

Here is an overview of how annuities work:

An individual enters into a contract with an insurance company to purchase an annuity.

The individual makes a lump sum payment or a series of payments to the insurance company.

The insurance company invests the payments and earns a return on the investment.

The individual can choose to receive the income from the annuity in a number of ways, such as:

A fixed amount each month...

I’ve been accused of acting my shoe size more times than I can count. I’m OK with that. Why is that, you ask? Kids have way more fun.

If we take ourselves too seriously, we’ll turn into gargoyles — stiffly observing the world around us from our lofty perches. No thanks.

With that in mind, here are some words I’ve collected that only sound bad — they’re actually completely innocent words (I promise!).

Let’s start with the word you know about: masticate. All masticate means is to chew. There’s no need to have your mind in the gutter when someone utters “masticate.”

Have you ever seen an aholehole? Before you ask me if I kiss my mother with that mouth, let me...

Are you and your money prepared for the next pandemic or recession?

The COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing economic downturn took pretty much everyone by surprise. Are you ready for the next crisis?

Most Americans were caught off-guard by the swiftness with which the COVID-19 pandemic arrived and the economic disaster it birthed.

While we are just beginning to see some of the consequences of a hobbled economy, most experts agree that the effects will be far-reaching and, perhaps, long-lasting.

If you are nearing retirement, now is a perfect time to evaluate and strengthen your financial plan. You will want to discover and plug any potential revenue “leaks,” create a safe money...

Many people focus on one word to guide them through the next year. Is this something you do? If so, you might want to make sure it’s the correct word. While I don’t recommend choosing any of the following words to usher you through 2023, you certainly don’t want to get these confused!

When something “topples,” it means that an item falls over. Similarly, if a government gets “toppled,” that means the people in power get overthrown by another group. On the other hand, if a government gets “topless,” that means they had too much to drink at the New Year’s party and took their shirts off.

If you take your shirt off, are you likely to see “muscles” or...