Read Doug’s articles originally printed in The Jerusalem Post.
Profile Perspectives
Proper financial planning can change your relationship with money.
3 Financial Moves to Make Before the End of the Year
The end of the year is a good time to review your financial plan. If your savings plan or the market as a whole has swerved off course, now is an opportune time to adjust accordingly. Here’s what to look for:
Saving Goals
Are your long-term and short-term goals the same as they were last year?… Read more
Why is it Difficult to Follow Financial Advice?
A client recently called me to discuss the stocks in her IRA (Individual Retirement Account).
“I know an IRA account is a good place for growth stocks,” she told me, “since any taxes on the growth are deferred until I withdraw the funds. I chose the individual stocks in the account because I believe in the strong fundamentals of the company and that the company will grow…. Read more
What Married Men Need to Know About Money
This isn’t meant to be a sexist rant. Rather, the following is a common refrain I’ve heard in my ~30 years as a financial professional.
Recently, a retired woman told me, with tears in her eyes, that when her husband died she was completely helpless to handle her own money. She told me,… Read more
What Tax Might Take 40% of Your Assets One Day?
Careful planning addresses two major points: what happens to your money while you’re alive, and what happens to your money after you pass away.
In my work as a financial advisor helping Americans who live in Israel with their U.S. investments, I see many who neglect the second aspect, estate planning…. Read more
What People Mistakenly think Financial Success Is
Many people think that they don’t need a financial plan. They think that being able to avoid overdraft means financial success.
While avoiding debt is important, other steps are necessary to build a secure financial future. Creating a workable financial plan is one of the best ways to improve your finances…. Read more
Three Tips for Managing an Inheritance
In my job as a financial professional helping Americans living in Israel with their U.S brokerage accounts, I regularly receive calls from people who just received an inheritance and don’t know what to do with it.
The first three things you should do after receiving an inheritance are:
Take a step back
Many emotions surround an inheritance…. Read more
Why You (Might) Have Bad Financial Habits
Children learn from watching their parents, so when you interact with money, you’re teaching the next generation some pretty important lessons, for better or for worse.
Teach by example. If your children see that you only spend what you have and are careful to save and donate, they will copy your good financial habits…. Read more
What Every U.S. Citizen Living in Israel Should Know
If you are an American citizen living in Israel you have tax reporting requirements to the IRS.
You need to report your foreign accounts
You must report your accounts with an FBAR form, which you send to the IRS. Neglecting to report information leaves you open to stiff fines and penalties…. Read more
Did You Inherit Your Broker With the Inheritance?
If you receive an inheritance, make sure that you only receive financial assets. Just because you inherit assets, doesn’t mean that you need to use the same financial advisor as the deceased did. Before you inherit someone else’s financial advisor, consider the following points:
Put everything under one umbrella
Consolidating your assets,… Read more
Are Bonds a Good Investment for You?
Bonds are a very popular investment, but before you buy any, let me tell you waht I share with my clients about them.
Think of a bond as a loan between you and a company or government. Assuming all goes normally, here’s how it looks:
1. You lend them a sum of money…. Read more