Read Doug’s articles originally printed in The Jerusalem Post.
Profile Perspectives
Proper financial planning can change your relationship with money.
Why Inherited Wealth Doesn’t Fix Financial Worry… And What Does
A client called recently to check in on her account. After we reviewed her portfolio, she paused and said something I hear often: “I’m still scared about money.” This was someone with a well-structured portfolio worth well over a million dollars, earning reliable income, and carrying no debt. The numbers said one thing…. Read more
Market Volatility Has You Worried? Why Long-Term Investing Still Looks Good
A client called recently, unsettled by the headlines. Markets were choppy, pundits were predicting the worst, and the urge to pull back felt overwhelming. It was a familiar conversation. Every few years, there is a new reason to panic: A pandemic, trade wars, rate hikes, tariffs, a debt crisis overseas. Each time,… Read more
When a Wire Request Triggers Alarm Bells
The email looked routine: a wire transfer request to pay for a family safari in Kenya. But something felt off. When we received the message from a longtime client asking us to send funds to a third-party account in East Africa, we didn’t process it. We picked up the phone instead. … Read more
When Mutual Funds Trigger Unexpected Tax Bills for Americans in Israel
A couple came to me with a portfolio they had accumulated over many years, long before we began working together. They asked about their previous year’s large tax bill. “We haven’t sold anything nor withdrawn money from the account,” they said. “So why do we owe capital gains tax?”
When I reviewed the paperwork with them and their accountant,… Read more
Earning More in Retirement Than While Working? Your Financial Plan May Need Updating
A client called for a portfolio review. Within minutes, she said something that I always like to hear. She and her husband were earning more in retirement than they had during their working years. She paused, as if the reality still surprised her. They weren’t touching savings at all. Everything they needed came from monthly income. … Read more
Forced Early Retirement in Israel? Why Cross-Border Planning Can’t Wait
A professional I spoke with recently had been mentally preparing for retirement at 62. He was still working full time for a U.S. company, managing a team remotely from Israel. Then new leadership began flagging his cross-border arrangement as a compliance issue. Suddenly, retirement was no longer a choice he controlled. … Read more
Can a Trust Protect Your Children Without Causing Conflict?
A client called to discuss how to protect his sons after he was gone… without creating any conflict.
Several years earlier, he had worked with an attorney to establish a trust. A professional trustee would manage the assets, a trust protector would provide oversight, and both sons would be protected from outside pressure or impulsive decisions. … Read more
Scattered U.S. Accounts Are Costing Americans in Israel More Than They Realize
A woman in her early 80s called for a financial planning discussion along with her son. She lives comfortably in Jerusalem, managing expenses from Social Security, Bituach Leumi, and a pension from her time as a teacher. Her American accounts had been scattered across a few financial institutions for years, untouched and slowly leaking value she didn’t realize she was losing. … Read more
The Portfolio Your Spouse Built May Not Be the One You Need
A prospective client sat across from me wanting to review her portfolio. She had moved to Israel several years earlier with accounts managed by a firm in the U.S. and wanted to know if she should stay or switch to someone local.
I pulled up the statement. About half the portfolio was in equity funds and structured products linked to the S&P 500…. Read more
Blockchain Is Not Bitcoin: What Investors Confuse and Why It Matters
“I keep hearing about this blockchain thing,” a client said on a recent call. “Now it seems like it’s actually happening in a big way.” She wanted to invest in a blockchain ETF, but when I asked what caught her interest, the conversation revealed a pattern I see often: investors confuse the blockchain with Bitcoin. … Read more