Read Doug’s articles originally printed in The Jerusalem Post.
Profile Perspectives
Proper financial planning can change your relationship with money.
Should You Buy Bonds After You Make Aliya?
Unfortunately, very few new arrivals in Israel are lucky enough to have a great job lined up for them when they get off the plane. Rather, the vast majority of new olim need to learn Hebrew, set up their homes, and adjust to a new culture. Olim who are around retirement age may have a hard time meeting a similar income level to what they had back in the Old Country…. Read more
Are You and Your Assets in Different Time Zones?
A middle-aged couple that recently made aliya told me that they were concerned about how to handle their IRAs (Individual Retirement Accounts) in America. They thought that the only choices were to leave these assets with a broker in a different time zone or else transfer the funds to their Israeli shekel account. … Read more
Should You Keep a Mortgage With a Low Interest Rate?
Some readers were surprised by my piece published in The Jerusalem Post and on Profile Perspectives called, “The Most Important Thing to Do Before You Retire.” In it, I argued that you should try to eliminate all debt, including mortgages, before quitting work.
One reader wrote: “Doug,… Read more
Is Fear Causing You to Lose Money?
Some investors’ fear of losing money compels them to completely avoid the stock market and other volatile investments. This phenomenon is often called “loss aversion.”
People suffering from loss aversion will sometimes wait until they see the market has gone up a lot, and then they invest. They forget about history and just believe that the economy will continue strengthening…. Read more
Problems With Your U.S. Brokerage Account?
Many readers have recently contacted me because they received a letter from their U.S. brokerage firm informing them that either “You can no longer purchase additional shares of mutual funds in your account,” or “We will no longer provide investment advisory services to you and/or you may only enter liquidating orders or non-solicited orders in your account.”
This letter is not a result of new American legislation;… Read more
How Being a Good Listener Helps Your Investments
When I started my career as a financial planner, my mother, who was also a licensed stock broker, gave me this important piece of advice: “Just listen to what the clients are saying and let them talk. Then, it will become obvious what investment is appropriate for them.”
The importance of listening to what others have to say is vital in so many fields and professions,… Read more
How to Make Money with Mutual Funds
One of the easiest ways to diversify your portfolio is to invest in a mutual fund. A mutual fund is like a basket in which lots of investors place their money and then that single large account is managed by a team of professionals. There are mutual funds that specialize in stocks,… Read more
Three Important Retirement Planning Worries
Though the difference between retirement planning and all-inclusive financial planning may seem slim, people often plan too much for one target.
If you focus excessively on your future retirement, you might forget that you have other bills and goals before then. Obviously, the less money you spend today will mean the more money you’ll have tomorrow…. Read more
Why Cash May be More Important Than Stocks
While it’s important to divide your assets between stocks and bonds, cash plays an important role in your asset allocation.
Cash as an investment vehicle is not the same as any cash in your emergency fund, which should be the equivalent of three to six months’ living expenses. Successful investment portfolios sometimes have a slice of their pie invested specifically in liquid (cash) investments…. Read more
Why You Can’t Buy a U.S. Mutual Fund
The compliance officers at many mutual fund companies seem to believe that the Patriot Act (which was supposed to deter and punish terrorism, and strengthen U.S. measures to prevent, detect, and prosecute international money laundering and financing of terrorism) made it illegal to let people living outside the United States buy U.S…. Read more