With governments all over the world strapped for cash, they are desperately seeking any way to both save and raise money. Soon-to-be retirees should watch out because an easy target for governments to succeed in saving money would be to raise the retirement age. Not only would governments save money by not having to pay […]
The Chinese economy will expand from $11.2 trillion this year to $19 trillion in 2016. Meanwhile the size of the U.S. economy will rise from $15.2 trillion to $18.8 trillion. That would take America’s share of the world output down to 17.7%, the lowest in modern times. China’s would reach 18%, and rising. Just 10 […]
When working on financial plans for clients the trickiest issue that usually comes up is inheritance. Inheritance is one of those issues that no one really wants to talk about. A large US insurance company put it this way, ”Inheriting money is bittersweet. Although someone you cared about is gone, that person thought enough of […]
One of my favorite episodes of the sitcom ‘Seinfeld’ was where George Costanza, down on his luck, decided to do the exact opposite of what his instincts would normally dictate. His ‘do the opposite’ philosophy ended up getting him the beautiful women and a coveted job with the New York Yankees. Investors can learn a […]
This article appeared in The Jewish Week’s Aliyah supplement We all remember the old joke, “How do you become a millionaire in Israel? You come with two million!” While that used to be true, today Israel’s economy is flourishing and both economic and employment opportunities abound. Israel has gone from being just a tourist destination […]
Whether it’s from high divorce rates, living longer than their husbands, or getting married later in life, more and more women are finding themselves in charge of their own finances. As such, women need to be able to stand on their own two feet when it comes to money matters. In a growing number of […]
The Arab world has been shaken. Large protests in Tunisia, million-man marches in Egypt, and a new government in Jordon created to try and stave off protests. Are these protests the precursor to democracy taking over from dictatorships? Are they the beginning of a massive takeover of power by radical Islam? While only time will […]
The current visit to Washington D.C. of Chinese President Hu Jintao has once again brought increased attention to U.S./China relations. While those relations are chilly at best, the state of the Chinese economy is anything but. As the world continues to be mired in an economic slowdown, and even the rosiest of scenarios has stronger […]
As life expectancy continues to increase, the burden of both financially and physically caring for aging parents is one of the most important and pressing issues for adult children that exists today. I often see families torn apart by this responsibility. It’s sometimes difficult for families to retain harmony and still provide the necessary care […]
I know that being an optimist is not nearly as popular as being a pessimist when it comes to stock market prognosticating. After all, it is more exciting to read about the coming economic catastrophe that will send the global economy into an inescapable black hole than read about continued stock market gains. Pundits spewing […]
