Suggested Links of Forest Financial Advisors, Inc.

Introduction

While some of the sites on this list market services or publications, they are listed here because of the educational value of the free information they contain. This list is not intended to be comprehensive or to take the place of individualized professional advice. As with any web site, the reader should also beware that some of the information may be inaccurate or out of date.

Investments

A good general site for investment issues is the table of contents page of www.investorhome.com. This site provides a compilation of internet resources and links on investment issues. One of the many informative topics relates to asset allocation issues.

Two of the best sites on the advantages of an indexed and diversified approach to investing, as espoused by most academic experts as well as by Forest Financial Advisors, are those of the institutional investment firm of Dimensional Fund Advisors and www.indexfunds.com. These sites relate mostly to investments in equities.

For insight on bond and related fixed-income investments, we recommend the site of the Bond Market Association for general information and these two sites of the U.S. Treasury Department for specific background on U.S. Treasuries – www.savingsbond.gov and www.publicdebt.treas.gov.

Those interested in general information on diversified real estate investments might consult the web site of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)..

Tax Issues

The best sites are those of the public agencies – the Internal Revenue Service and the Illinois Department of Revenue. The IRS web site contains links to the revenue departments of other states.

Fairmark Press offers considerable free and fairly detailed information in the form of guides on certain topics. For example, there is some very good material on both stock options and the alternative minimum tax.

Retirement Planning

Individual Retirement Accounts and Qualified Plan Distribution Rules:  A Boston attorney and two New York CPA’s offer very useful discussions of the complex rules (now somewhat less so than previously) relating to distribution requirements of IRA and qualified plan accounts. Natalie Choate, Ed Slott, and Barry Picker have provided a very useful service. A separate site provides extensive information on Roth IRA’s.

The site of the Social Security Administration is as helpful for social security questions as the IRS web site is for federal tax information.

Those who have questions about their rights under a defined benefit pension plan may want to consult the site of the Pension Rights Center.

Divorce Planning

The Institute for Certified Divorce Financial Analysts is the national organization of Divorce Financial Analysts.

The Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois and its national counterpart, the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, promote an increasingly popular approach to divorce that is designed to minimize acrimony and expense. The collaborative process involves direct four-way meetings of lawyers and clients at an early stage, the use of financial and mental health professionals (“coaches”), and a pledge from all parties to avoid litigation.

The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, a national group of top divorce lawyers, offers a variety of useful information, including a “Divorce Manual: A Client Handbook.”

The Lilac Tree: Resources for Divorcing Women is an Evanston-based, not-for-profit organization that provides educational workshops, support groups, and professional referrals for north suburban and Chicago area women facing the prospect of divorce.

Employee Benefits and Stock Options

BenefitsLink offers a comprehensive library of information concerning employee benefit plans. The site provides compliance information and tools about employee benefit plans sponsored by private or governmental employers in the United States. While the site is largely oriented to those who administer and work with these plans on a regular basis, it also provides useful information to plan participants.

For stock option information, we again recommend the Fairmark Press guide, mentioned above in suggestions of tax sites.

Insurance

For life insurance, we immodestly believe that the site of fee-only consultants, Life Insurance Advisors, Inc., is the best source of in-depth information on questions to ask in choosing life insurance companies and products and assessing the performance of an existing policy. The company was founded by David Barkhausen of Forest Financial Advisors. The site offers 45 articles on topics ranging from tips on shopping for term insurance to avoiding the premature death of an existing “permanent” insurance policy.

For very basic general information about different types of insurance, the insurance.com site of Fidelity can be a useful starting point.

Educational Savings Plans and Financial Aid

Section 529 plans and a host of other educational savings plans (such as Coverdell education savings accounts) are discussed in detail at www.savingforcollege.com. There is a breakdown on the plans of each state.

The National Association of State Treasurers, the administrators of 529 plans, also maintains a useful site, www.collegesavings.org. It contains links with information on financial aid and other pertinent topics.

Useful information on financial aid as well as additional tips for educational savings are also available at www.finaid.org.

Legal and Estate Planning

FindLaw is a good beginning point for a search of free legal resources on the Internet. The site contains links to a great deal of substantive information – not only on estate planning but also on a broad range of legal topics. You can, for example, look up both Federal and state statutes through links from this site.

The site of the American Bar Association’s Real Property Probate and Trust Section offers useful estate planning information for the layman at a fairly basic level with highlighted topics and a helpful Question and Answer format.

Charitable Giving

GuideStar is a national database of nonprofit organizations that provides information about not-for-profit organizations. The site offers a simple way of verifying an organization’s tax-exempt status and reviewing its basic financial information.

The Council on Foundations site is a good source of information on foundations for those considering forming or involvement with either a private or community foundation.

General

Some of the best journalism about personal financial planning and investment topics appears in Bloomberg Wealth Manager, a monthly periodical circulated at no charge to financial advisors. Its contents can be viewed on line by anyone, also free of charge.