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Municipal bond
An investment security for which a state or local government promises to pay an amount at maturity (usually more than five years in the future) with interest, in return for a current investment. Municipal bonds are generally tax-free, but not always.
Marital Trusts
A marital trust is used to benefit the surviving spouse of the person who dies. There are many reasons for creating such a trust-- to provide asset protection for the surviving spouse, or to ensure that your children are the ultimate beneficiaries of your estate.
Bonds
Essentially loans or debt. When someone lends you money, he or she gets an IOU that promises the loan will be repaid with interest. When you buy a bond, you're basically buying that IOU. A bond certificate is like an IOU: it shows the amount loaned (principal), the rate of interest to be paid on the loan and the date that the principal will be paid back (maturity date). Bonds can be issued by government agencies, such as the U.S. Treasury and by corporations to raise money.
Asset allocation
Diversification of your investments, usually between U.S. and international equities, fixed income, real estate, and commodities.
Tax-deferred earnings (investments)
Earnings on which taxes are not paid until a future date, usually when funds are withdrawn. The TSP and traditional IRAs are examples of vehicles that offer tax-deferred earnings.
Revocable Trust
In a living, or revocable trust, you name yourself as the grantor, the trustee, and the current beneficiary. You then transfer some or all of your assets to the trust. The terms of the trust require that the trust is to be used for your benefit during your life. After your death, the living trust continues for the benefit of your intended beneficiaries.
Totten trust
A savings account that allows the depositor to open the account as trustee for someone else (no real trust is set up). Account owners may use the funds as they see fit during their lifetime, and then upon their death the account balance is paid to the named beneficiary.
Spendthrift Trusts
A spendthrift trust is created specifically to provide asset protection for the beneficiary. These trusts are written so that the beneficiary can receive the benefit of the trust, but have no right to demand benefits from the trust.
Foreign Bank Accounts
There is a thriving industry of offshore practitioners advising U.S. citizens to set up offshore bank accounts.
Beneficiary
The person who receives the benefits or gifts from an estate, insurance policy, IRA, pension plan, or trust.
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