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Annuity Investment Guide
While there is not a lack of information on annuities, there certainly is a lack of good information. In an age full of information, we are constantly bombarded with irrelevant data.

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Beta Factors: How They Can Be Used In The Current Situation
Ever since the turn of the century, world stock markets have been very volatile. In other words there have been significant movements (up or down) in share prices.

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Investing In Sons Business Could Cause A Real Family Feud
Q: My youngest son wants to borrow $5,000 to start his own business. My wife is afraid to tell him no.

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In a Time of Need
As I take my leisurely walk with my dog through the older section of the local cemetery, I pause to read the details on the barely legible, weathered headstones. I am fascinated with the dates, for I know each stone has a story to tell, a history of its own time and place, but only enough space for identity.

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Ask The SEC
Who is the SEC and why should I ask them anything? The Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, DC is the government bureau that regulates the securities industry. They make the regulations that all stock exchange listed companies, brokerage houses and mutual funds must follow.

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Pros & Cons of Investing in Bonds
What are Bonds?A bond is a debt security, by which you are lending money to a government, municipality, corporation, federal agency or other entity known as the issuer. In return for investing in the bond, the issuer promises to pay you a specified rate of interest during the life of the bond and to repay the face value of the bond (the principal) when it becomes due.

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Invest To Make Money, Not To Get Rich
The technology boom of the '90s romanticized the "rags-to-riches" ideal that all of us dream about when investing. For those that invested $1000 in Dell at $5 during 1990, held through the seven splits, then sold in March 2000 at $59, the dream was a reality.

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5 Things To Know About The Stock Market
50% Of U.S.

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Begging Your Trust in Africa
The syntax is tortured, the grammar mutilated, but the message - sent by snail mail, telex, fax, or e-mail - is coherent: an African bigwig or his heirs wish to transfer funds amassed in years of graft and venality to a safe bank account in the West. They seek the recipient's permission to make use of his or her inconspicuous services for a percentage of the loot - usually many millions of dollars.

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POOF goes your RRIF !
Some time ago I attended a seminar where participants were told to burn some money; a reasonably-sized amount of money. You should have heard the gnawing and gnashing of teeth in that room! Step right up, folks, and light it on fire.

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Investing Offshore for Retirement
As an expatriate you are in a privileged savings and investing position. Make the most of the options available to you while you can, consider investing offshore for your retirement.

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Retirement - Its Sooner Than You Think!! (Honestly)
Many people hear "retirement" and think- what? 401K? Roth vs. Traditional IRA? Stocks, bonds, mutual funds? Do they?Or do many people put money away according to the suggested amount and then simply hope that when retirement comes all will work out?One report I read estimated that 66 million Americans have put away a Whopping $0 towards retirement.

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Seven Investment Terms Everyone Should Know
For those who have never given their financial future a second thought, the term "Financial Planning" could be a scary one. Investments can be a smart way to invest money for your future, but it can be confusing for those who have no experience in the financial business.

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Chile Leads the Latin Pack
Everyone's talking about China. Don't miss the opportunities in the other CHI.

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Wit and Wisdom on Money, Wall Street and Success - Part #1
I love to collect quotes as they concisely promote a philosophy which is readily understandable.In my 25+ years of investing I have collected hundreds of quotes related to Wisdom, Wall Street and Success.

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CYA
You all know what CYA stands for. Of course, Cover Your Assets.

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Eight Questions to Ask Your Financial Advisor
You may like your financial advisor, but is he really looking out for you? All advisors are not created equal, and you have a right to know what makes them different! You also have a right to ask yours if he compares!(1) Do you use a holistic approach to financial planning by determining my values and goals?(2) Do you work on a fee-only basis, a commission basis, or both, and why?(3) Do you have company-established insurance requirements, or do you recommend insurance only when it is needed by your clients?(4) Do you attempt to 'beat' the market through timing and selection, or do you believe that attempts to do so are not worth the additional level of fees and risk? Are you aware that a vast majority of my returns will be based on asset allocation, rather than timing and selection?(5) Are you a Registered Investment Advisor, and therefore a fiduciary? In other words, must you legally and ethically put my interests above your own?(6) Do you meet with your clients at least three times a year to refine their portfolio and find out how events in their lives may have changed their financial goals?(7) Do you return phone calls the same day you receive them, and are you available to answer questions as they arise?(8) When you wake up each morning, do you ask yourself how you can best be of help to your clients that day?Adjust these questions as you see fit, and depending upon what your own objectives and needs are from an advisor. The best advice is to never be afraid to ask!© 2004 Matthew S.

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Rules for Simplified Employee Pension Plans better known as a SEP Plans
A SEP is a special type of IRA. Under a SEP plan the employer creates an IRA account for each eligible employee, hence the name SEP-IRA.

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Caveat Emptor: You May Owe Taxes Despite 401(K) Losses!
One among many ways you lose money in non-indexed mutual funds is the tax trap. You may have to pay taxes even when your mutual fund loses money! To many people this is painfully unexpected.

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Financial Planners
"Financial planners are like dentists: they may occasionally inflict pain, but in the end, you will be better off for following their advice!"Whoever wrote these lines must have either been a financial planner or someone who relied heavily on planners for finance management. We all know that planning our finances is vital.

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