Read Doug’s articles originally printed in The Jerusalem Post.
Profile Perspectives
Proper financial planning can change your relationship with money.
Retirees Fired by Their Brokers in America
More and more Americans living in Israel have recently “been fired” by their brokers in America. Their advisors, with whom they may have worked for decades, have informed them that their brokerage firm will no longer service accounts with non-American addresses. Although people of all ages have been ousted, retirees have been hit the hardest…. Read more
Do you want steady income from your dollar deposits?
While some people set up their investment portfolio in order to grow their bottom line, others want their investments to provide a steady income. If you want your dollar deposits to provide income, take the following three steps:
#1. Create an “income oriented” financial plan
Look at the overall economy when creating your financial plan…. Read more
Should You Have Bonds in Your Investment Portfolio?
The past few weeks I’ve written a lot about bonds and considered whether bonds should be in your investment portfolio. Many people love the income and relative safety bonds provide, but other people hate them. It’s important to understand why investors love and hate bonds.
Predictable interest rate
LOVE: Folks who despise uncertainty buy bonds because of the “fixed income” schedule…. Read more
Are You Getting High Interest Rates on Your Dollar Deposits?
Do you remember the good old days of getting high interest rates on your dollar deposits?
Remember when you used to look forward to getting your monthly statement because the high interest earned made a substantial difference in your bottom line. This doesn’t necessarily only have to be a memory of the past – you can still get high interest on dollar deposits if you know where to shop…. Read more
Want to Boost Your Monthly Investment Income?
Last week I wrote about a widow who wanted to boost monthly investment income she received from her portfolio. If you missed the column, here’s the bottom line: Consider bonds. (Click here to read the article).
What’s the easiest way to buy bonds?
“Isn’t there an easy way for me to get monthly income from my portfolio… kind of like a pension?” my client inquired…. Read more
How To Squeeze More Dollars Out Of Your Investments
A recent widow in her seventies came into my office in Jerusalem for an initial meeting on how to increase her investment income. She said that the $25,000 per year from her portfolio and pensions was simply not enough income to maintain her lifestyle.
The pension stopped – Oy!
Her husband’s pensions stopped when he died,… Read more
How to Invest Your Dollars When You Live in Israel
“I’m making aliya next month, Doug,” a soon-to-be-retired doctor called from New York to tell me. “Now that I’ll be living in Jerusalem, should I move my investments to Israel and transfer all my brokerage and bank accounts to one of the Israeli banks?”
Look at each part individually
Moving yourself and your family to Israel,… Read more
Did You Get the “Dear Client, We Can’t Help You Letter”?
Many American brokerage companies have stopped servicing their clients who have foreign addresses, including those who made aliya. These firms have decided that government regulations have simply made the job of maintaining clients overseas too complex. For some people, it may seem like bad news when their broker sends them a letter saying,… Read more
What American Expats Need to Know About Foreign Mutual Funds
If you’re an oleh from the United States and you’re considering putting your money into an Israeli or other foreign mutual fund, think again.
Here’s why:
Owning a foreign mutual fund may cause increased U.S. taxes
If you have money in a teudat sal,… Read more
Want Help Understanding and Organizing your Money?
I recently met with a woman who wanted help understanding and organizing her money, specifically her U.S. dollar investments.
“I’m totally overwhelmed with statements,” she told me as she emptied envelope after envelope onto my desk. “I have no idea what I own and I don’t know how to read all this stuff.”
By the time our meeting ended,… Read more