Smart Stops on the Web

Plan Tomorrow Today
www.choosetosave.org

CPAs and financial planners will find resources for clients at this smart stop’s Financial Tools section: for example, a retirement planning worksheet and a checklist, “Women and Pensions: What Women Need to Know and Do.” Users can access mutual fund, Roth IRA and life insurance calculators or complete a retirement personality profile; educators can download a piggy bank wrapper to help spark kids’ early interest in savings.

The Provider Finder
www.retirementservicesnet.com

In addition to free lookups for retirement service providers and broker-dealers for clients, CPAs can search this Web site to get links to industry news headlines, as well as to retirement software sites and related magazines, newsfeeds and newsletters. Visitors also will find general links to airlines and airports, maps and directions, regional and national phone directories, and state and federal agencies including the Federal Reserve Board and IRS.

What CPAs Need to Know
www.estateretirementplanning.com

Investment advisers seeking to educate their clients will find detailed information on estate and retirement planning at this stop on the Web. Users can read about steps to take in estate planning—and mistakes to avoid—as well as how to choose an estate-planning attorney. This e-site also offers tips on avoiding living trust scams, establishing a trust fund and preparing a will.

Here’s a Savings Tip
www.personal-budget-planning-saving-money.com

Here CPAs can find advice for clients on how to create a retirement budget or develop a spending plan. Other sections have discussions on cash flow, pitfalls that can destroy a budget, keeping critical financial records in order, the cost of credit and getting out of debt. Users also will find income and expense worksheets, as well as a template for a weekly spending log.

Retirement Resources
www.retireonyourterms.com

This Web site offers information on fixed and variable annuities and investment allocation. In addition, users can check out articles in the library including “Creating Retirement Income for a Lifetime” and brochures such as “Understanding Annuities.” Visitors also will find case studies and calculators, frequently asked questions about annuities, a glossary and a quiz to test their retirement preparedness.

Tax Tips and Strategies
www.taxhawk.com

This stop on the Web has links to state and federal tax forms, tables and rates, and a tax deduction dictionary with explanations of form 1040 deductions. The section Top Ten Tax Tips offers advice on charitable contributions, college planning, rental real estate and retirement planning, to name a few, as well as discussions on common tax mistakes and nontaxable income.

Plan to Rest Easy
www.thebenefitnetwork.com

CPAs doubling as human resource managers will find articles in the section Benefit Trends on employee health insurance benefits and premiums, and advance planning for end-of-life care. Users who click on Resources will find links to benefit plan providers, benefits technology and executive compensation and retirement plan sites, as well as “Top Ten Things to ‘Check Off’ Before You ‘Check Out.’”

A Site to Stop Swindlers
www.quatloos.com

Users can learn how to guard against consumer scams, financial fraud and investment schemes here. Visitors can look up descriptions of advance fee scams, for example, in the Hall of General Fraud, join a discussion forum on such topics as Nigerian investment scams and read news articles including “Top Tax Lawyer Pleads Guilty to Felony Tax Evasion.” The Law Enforcement section provides links to federal agencies including the FBI and SEC.

Join the War on Fraud
www.wccfighter.com

Fraud investigators and auditors will get free special reports when they subscribe to this e-stop’s newsletter. All visitors can demo Fraud Aware, a Web-based awareness training course, and read answers to frequently asked questions as well as items such as “Cyber-Blood Suckers.” Useful Sites includes links to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, Electronic Crimes Task Force and National Check Fraud Center.

Law-Related Resources
www.romingerlegal.com

Visitors in need of links to legal forms, news, a directory of attorneys or employer and job-seeker services will want to bookmark this URL. Professional Directories includes links to expert witness and private investigator sites. Users also can connect to resources for online appraisals, paternity testing and the U.S. military, as well as to Gallup Polls and the Federal Elections Committee. Practice Areas has links to Web sites on bankruptcy, corporate law and federal taxation, to name a few.