What do you do when you earn well and have generally dialed in the fundamentals: save, invest, reduce debt, stay protected? The challenge was never knowing what to do. It's knowing what to do first, and in what order. That's a harder question than it looks. Each of these priorities is sound on its own. Max out the retirement contributions. Pay down the balances. Build the cushion. Put money to work in the market. But...

The IRS recently updated some rules about trusts that could make your heirs accidentally liable for capital gains taxes. It's another quiet change that could severely impact families trying to maximize their legacies.

The world of finance is never static. It's an ever-changing landscape that reflects the ebb and flow of economic indicators, political events, and public sentiment. Lately, the chatter about market downturns and fiscal squabbles in Washington has reached a fever pitch. So, let's break it all down for better understanding.