Year: 2008

In a world where investor confidence has been shattered by massive mismanagement by top executives in the banking, insurance, mortgage lending, stock brokerage and auto industry fields, now comes the greatest Ponzi scheme in history. Bernard Madoff has reportedly admitted and is accused of bilking experienced investors worldwide out of an estimated $50 billion. There are many […]

Ben Bernanke, as Chairman of the Federal Reserve, is continuing his efforts to stop our economy from free-falling. This past Tuesday, in yet one more unprecedented move, the Federal Reserve cut the Federal Funds Rate from 1% to a ‘target’ rate of 0% to 0.25%, the lowest rate in history. The Fed Funds Rate is a […]

As 2008 comes to a close, everyone is focused on our faltering economy and declining stock market. However, it would be a mistake to miss the opportunity of doing tax planning before the end of the year. Here are my top strategies for you to consider:   Convert to a Roth IRA. One benefit of a huge stock […]

This year more than ever, you will want to keep tight control on your holiday spending. With the economy in the tank and unemployment rising, your best defense is well, a good defense. Follow these four steps to stay on budget and out of debt:   Step 1. Determine the total amount of money you can afford to […]

Many retirees are worried about the survivability of their retirement investments in the face of breathtaking stock market losses. As panic has begun to set in, millions of once-sane investors have thrown in the towel. Over the next several months, those who have cashed out will realize that the interest being paid on the money market account […]

As General Motors, Chrysler and Ford request federal funds, we as taxpayers should ask tough questions of our congressional representatives. After all, in the end, it’s our money they are committing and our future and the future of our children they are mortgaging. Short answers of ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the bailout requests are not sufficient to […]

Now that we know who will have his hands on the reins of power in Washington next year, tax planning for 2008 just got easier. In addition to what I discussed last week, here are some other strategies you should consider: Income and expense shifting. Review your income and expenses and, to the extent possible, shift […]

What’s the best way to take advantage of the sea-change that will begin in January 2009? Obama has promised to increase taxes for families making over $250,000 (single tax filers making over $200,000) while reducing the taxes on everyone else. Clearly, on the surface, this appealed to a majority of voters but its implementation may prove more […]

In the midst of chaos, there is always opportunity. Falling residential real estate prices both locally and nationwide mean now is an excellent time to buy a home, especially for first-time home buyers. In order to help stimulate our economy and help first-time home buyers, Congress passed the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, which offers […]

Recent events have caused much fear and anxiety about the current state of the economy and markets. However, we live in a world of duality where every force also has a counter-force. While a recovery may take some time, here are five opportunities hidden in the midst of all of the doom and gloom.     1. Convert […]