Read Doug’s articles originally printed in The Jerusalem Post.
Profile Perspectives
Proper financial planning can change your relationship with money.
What You Need to Know in Choosing Where to Invest
Last week, I mentioned an investment ad I had seen on a flight that pushed people to invest with a certain bank because of the bank’s location (Switzerland), its secrecy policies, and its “unique” investment schemes. I argued that none of these were sufficient reasons to work with them…. Read more
What Everyone Ought to Know About Getting an Inheritance
Oftentimes, when a person receives a windfall, such as an inheritance, he suddenly discovers many long-lost relatives, and various “old friends” who crawl out of the woodwork after years of silence. All of them come knocking on his door, either asking him for money “because I am in a desperate situation,” or they may tell him about an amazing investment opportunity that is “perfect” for him…. Read more
Is Retirement a Beginning or an Ending?
How do you visualize your retirement? Is it the end of your working career or the beginning of being your own boss? Will you spend your retirement enjoying the fruits of years of hard work, or will you constantly worry about outliving your savings?
If you plan properly, retirement can be a time to look forward to rather than a time of dread…. Read more
The Art of Diversification and Laddering
The principle of not putting all of your eggs in one basket applies to life in general, and particularly investing. You don’t have to be an egg farmer or a Nobel Prize winner to understand the sense in planning your finances carefully and not putting all of your money in one place in order to spread out the risk…. Read more
Are You Too Healthy to Retire?
In times gone by many people had physically taxing jobs that made retiring mandatory when their body aged and their strength diminished. But in today’s world of office cubicles, often the most physically demanding work that one must do is walk to the water cooler. Therefore, the question being asked in financial planning circles is,… Read more
Watch Out for Investment Ads
Recently, I flew to an investment conference. As I settled in for the long trip, I read the in-flight magazine. When I got to the advertisements for financial companies, I reviewed them carefully and realized a critical distinction: Whereas some sold form, others sold content.
Don’t invest in image
One Swiss bank’s ad stressed two images,… Read more
Sell These Bonds Before You Make Aliya
If you are in a high tax bracket in the United States, you may own some municipal bonds in an effort to minimize your tax bill.
First of all, what are muni bonds? As their name suggests, these are issued by government entities. When you purchase a municipal bond,… Read more
Four Things to Do After Receiving an Inheritance
Receiving an inheritance is an emotionally wrought event. However, don’t let your emotions get in the way of making fiscally sound decisions.
Some folks expect to receive an inheritance, and they even factor it into their financial plan. If you are reasonably certain that you’ll receive an inheritance in the future,… Read more
Give a Check…and Some Knowledge
The advice to take care of yourself first is not selfish. All too often, I meet with people who have who gifted away their own financial security…all in the name of helping their adult children. Remember, you are not responsible for paying your adult children’s bills.
The right way to gift
The best gifts are those that come with thought behind them…. Read more
Are Your Pensions Safe?
The “three-legged stool” approach to retirement – a traditional pension, social security, and individual savings plans – is not necessarily stable anymore. Instead of depending on an increasingly cash-strapped government or pension plans with portfolio managers whose actual investment results may fall short of your anticipated benefits, perhaps it’s time to look inward…. Read more
