Jerry Mendes - Insurance and Investments

Affiliated with Gateway Financial Advisors, Inc. and Cambridge Investment Research, Inc.

Welcome to our Web site, where you’ll find a wealth of information in the form of newsletter articles, calculators, and research reports.

We hope your visit will help you understand the opportunities and potential rewards that are available when you take a proactive approach to your personal financial situation. We have created this Web site to help you gain a better understanding of the financial concepts behind insurance, investing, retirement, estate planning, and wealth preservation. Most important, we hope you see the value of working with skilled professionals to pursue your financial goals.

We’re here to help educate you about the basic concepts of financial management; to help you learn more about who we are; and to give you fast, easy access to market performance data. We hope you take advantage of this resource and visit us often. Be sure to add our site to your list of "favorites" in your Internet browser. We frequently update our information, and we wouldn’t want you to miss any developments in the area of personal finance.

Life Insurance

How much life insurance would you need to produce a sufficient income stream for your family?

Roth IRA Conversion

This calculator can help you determine whether you should consider converting to a Roth IRA.

Estate Taxes

Use this calculator to estimate the federal estate taxes that could be due on your estate after you die.

Taxable Equivalent Yield

Calculate the rate of return you would have to receive from a taxable investment to realize an equivalent tax-exempt yield.

More Calculators →

Diving into Dividends

Dividends have traditionally been considered a source of income, but they also can be a powerful way to help build savings. A recent study found that dividends contributed 44% of S&P 500 total returns from 1930 through September 2010. This article explains how dividends work and the role that dividends could play in an investor's savings strategy.

Earning Income from Mutual Funds

More than half of working Americans are concerned that they may not have enough money to live comfortably during retirement. Although mutual funds are often thought of as a tool to build savings, they can also be used to generate income. This article examines the potential income benefits of bond funds, equity or stock income funds, and hybrid funds.

Evaluating Life Insurance Needs

It's a good idea for people to evaluate their life insurance coverage to help ensure it keeps pace with their needs. Not only do major life events affect the amount of coverage that may be needed, but inflation can reduce the purchasing power of the death benefit and a greater benefit may be needed to cover estate taxes and other debts.

Tax Changes for 2012

Mandatory annual inflation adjustments generally affect federal income tax brackets, retirement plan contribution limits, and estate tax exemption levels. Here are some of the major changes that could affect readers in 2012, with a table showing 2012 income thresholds for the six federal income tax brackets.

More Newsletters →