Avoiding Estate Planning Mishaps
The bad news: when it comes to your assets, mistakes you make in estate planning can cost you plenty.
The good news: with a little planning, such mistakes can be easily avoided.
So avoid these major estate planning mistakes when it comes to your finances:
Mistake #1: Incorrectly Giving Away Property- Estate planning experts say this no-no is all too common in remarried households. Let’s say a father wants his home to go to a child from his second marriage. To do that, he makes a provision in his will stating his intention. Read more
Life Insurance Q & A
A while back I was writing a wealth creation book for CNBC and, in the research phase of that project, I developed some life insurance themes for people who may not be too sure about life insurance.
Let’s see if they can help straighten some issues out: Read more
The Plight of the Declining U.S. Dollar
If you think you’re having a bad year — and I hope you’re not — consider the plight of the declining U.S. dollar. In fact, if you’re thinking of traveling overseas, be prepared to reckon with the great unraveling of the world’s most pre-eminent currency.
Going back to January 1, 2007,, the dollar has been the 51st worst performing currency in the world. That means a whopping 50 currencies, from New Zealand to Norway, have bettered the U.S. dollar. Almost halfway through the year, things haven’t gotten any better. Last week, the slumping dollar slid to a new low against its primary rival, the euro, after the U.S. economy recorded its fourth consecutive quarter of negative growth. Read more
Do Good Stocks Come in Small Packages?
In the past decade or so, small cap stocks have been the best performing asset class out there. Plus, there are plenty of great small cap stocks and mutual funds to choose from.
One of the interesting aspects of small-cap stocks is that they are dynamic. In other words, the term “small-cap” is just an approximation that could change over time. Read more
Legal Expert has Some Good Advice on Divorce and Money
Anyone going through the pain of divorce knows it’s not just the emotional angst that can leave you sleepless at night — it’s the financial angst, as well.
Fortunately, things seem to be changing as more divorced couples are taking the “Do It Yourself” approach and leaving overly-litigious lawyers out of the equation — and saving a bundle in the process. That’s the notion forwarded by California divorce guru Ed Sherman, author of the groundbreaking books Divorce Solutions as well as How to Do Your Own Divorce in California, both of which are used as primers by about-to-split couples looking to reduce the pain of divorce. Read more
Intuit Study: Not Your Father’s Small Business
Is the face of small business changing?
An intriguing new study from Mountain View, Calif.-based Intuit - the financial software giant - says so. Tossing around terms like “mompreneurs” and “entrepreneurial immigrants”, Intuit says disparate new groups of small business owners are promising to permanently alter the entrepreneurial landscape, making it more diverse and more competitive than ever. Read more
Should You Handle Your Own Debt Management Issues?
Identifying and attempting to correct debt problems is critical to solving those problems.
For some small business owners, identifying debt problems is as far as they want to go. After that, it’s time to pass the baton off to a professional debt counselor or credit repair company. In some cases, a financial advisory or attorney might even be brought into the picture, especially if the business owner has some significant financing issues. Read more
The Skinny on Unsecured Personal Loan and Signature Loans
You need money. If you’ve been looking for an unsecured personal loan, and you have good credit, a job and a reasonable work history, you may have some very attractive options you didn’t know about.
First of all, let’s talk about what a unsecured personal loan is. They are loans based on your ability to repay and history of doing so. Beyond that, they require only your signature and are sometimes called signature loans or personal unsecured loans. They don’t require any collateral to secure the loan in the event that you’re unable to pay it back. Read more
Small Business “Angels” Can Help Save Your Bacon
Any small business owner can relate to the concept of having a great idea but not enough money to finance it — especially if your company’s future is riding on getting that money.
That’s where an “angel” investor can help.
Angel investors operate under the premise that with a little due diligence and a lot of elbow grease, good companies operating under the market radar can become great - - and very profitable – companies. Read more