The Basics of Options

An option is a securities contract that allows the holder to buy or sell a fixed amount of shares of stock (or indexes and commodities) at a specified price within a limited time period. If the option is not exercised during the specified period, the option expires. Most options usually expire within a year; however, some may not expire for as long as three years.

Required Minimum Distributions

The much touted Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 has a silver lining that extends the bankruptcy protections enjoyed by employment-sponsored retirement plans, which are covered by the Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Congress designed the law to curb perceived abuses by debtors in bankruptcy.