Read Doug’s articles originally printed in The Jerusalem Post.
Profile Perspectives
Proper financial planning can change your relationship with money.
Are You Guilty of This Portfolio Management Mistake?
At an initial meeting, a new retiree told me, “I’m not really sure what stocks I own.” When I asked how he had put together his portfolio, he explained that some of the positions came from an inheritance, while others… “Well, I’m not really sure,” and a couple of stocks were recommendations from “this guy who sits next to me in shul.” When I asked him if that guy still thinks they’re good stocks,… Read more
How Can You Maximize the Tax Efficiency of Your Retirement Accounts?
As a U.S. Certified Financial PlannerTM sitting in Jerusalem, I work mostly with immigrants who keep their assets in American investment accounts. When a recent oleh listed the various retirement plans that he held in the United States, he mentioned:
- Individual Retirement Account (IRA),
- 401(k) retirement plan from an old employer,
What You Need to Know Before Buying Bonds
If you are looking for an investment with a steady yield that is generally considered more predictable than the stock market, consider buying bonds. To watch a short explanatory video about bonds, go here: Profile-financial.com/bonds.
What are bonds?
When you buy a bond, you essentially lend money to a government,… Read more
How to Grow Your Money Twice as Fast: Save More
What’s the best way to save, and how much money should you save?
Most of the clients that I speak with have saved a lot of money in their U.S. bank and brokerage accounts. As such, we normally talk about the best strategies they can use to invest that money. But for folks who haven’t accumulated a lot of savings,… Read more
Are Foreign Investments Good for Your Retirement Portfolio?
Do you want to minimize risk in your retirement accounts? If so, consider diversifying your holdings to include foreign investments.
Investing internationally may boost your returns and minimize risk, as you’re “geographically diversified” and not relying on any single country’s economic performance. Geographic diversification can be achieved by buying foreign stocks,… Read more
Why Bonds Are Considered to Be a Safe Investment
Is there a safe investment that carries little risk?
Bonds are often described as a “safe investment” since, compared with other investments, they have a smaller risk of losing principal. However, just because some people call them “safe,” that does not mean they cannot lose money. Bonds are popular because they distribute interest payments on a set schedule,… Read more
Inheritance Anxiety Is A Real Thing… How Not To Worry About Your New Money
What would be your first reaction if you received an inheritance?
When a client received an inheritance from her elderly aunt, she told me:
“I thought she was going to leave everything to my cousin. I never imagined in my wildest dreams that any of it would come to me. Although the extra money will come in useful,… Read more
The Best Way to Update Investments in an Inherited IRA
If you inherit an IRA (Individual Retirement Account), it’s important to be aware of the regulations concerning transferring the account to you, the “beneficiary.” In addition to your financial advisors guiding you through the technical requirements for processing the account, they should help you with any possible emotional angst you inherited along with the monetary. … Read more
What Are the Tools You Need to Plan For Retirement?
When you plan for retirement, you must have the right tools. What are the most important things that you need?
An emergency fund
Before you begin saving for retirement, create an emergency fund for unexpected expenses. This way, you will always have money available in a crisis and you won’t need to withdraw from savings or take a loan…. Read more
Does Your Brokerage Firm Know Your Address?
Is your investment account in jeopardy because of your address? If your American brokerage firm no longer wants to hold your account because your legal address is not in the United States, you may find useful information in this free Profile Toolkit.
Financial companies follow strict regulations for all their clients…. Read more