By Dom DiFurio  Domenico Fornas // Shutterstock 

Written By: Natalie P. McNeal Data Work By: Wade Zhou It's well-documented that the surest, and often best, return on investments comes from playing the long game. But between stocks and real estate, which is the stronger bet?

The year is winding down, and it will be the new year before we know it—and then tax season arrives. That is still a few months off, but good planning can be done well in advance of tax deadlines and the preparation stage.Reaching out to your tax advisor now, before year-end, allows time for you to address things so there are fewer surprises later (and possibly save some money in the process). Here are seven topics to bring up to your CPA or tax preparer.

If you’ve lived in a northern state and you’re approaching retirement, the dream of moving to a sun-kissed state with low or no state income taxes has probably crossed your mind at least once. Or maybe you’re a southerner with dreams of snow-capped hills for a holiday retreat.