The Madoff Ponzi scheme has shocked investors but offers many lessons. The first is that no one can rely on the Securities and Exchange Commission to spot all, or even most, of the bad guys in the financial system before they hurt people.
What do Wall Street investment banks and retired investors have in common? They both must live off the return on their capital.
Investors will be glad to see the end of 2008 — a year that may live in infamy as one that was marked by the worst investment returns since the Great Depression.
The end of each year is a time of reflection and anticipation.
Where are the advocates for businesspeople and investors in President-elect Barack Obama's incoming administration?
The incoming administration should consider the regulatory reforms for the financial markets that it will propose to Congress and the regulatory agencies when it takes office in January.
Investors and their advisers are rightfully concerned about running afoul of the wash sale rule and triggering a taxable event. As you know, a wash sale — as defined in Section 1091 of the Internal Revenue Code — occurs when an investor sells property at a loss and within 30 days acquires "substantially identical" property.
Job no. 1 for the Federal Reserve Board and the Department of the Treasury was to stabilize the capital markets.
In a move that has received scant public attention, the SEC this month put into place changes that could harm investors.
President-elect Barack Obama deserves congratulations — and a warning to be careful what you wish for in this life.
Many institutions and individuals share responsibility for the mortgage crisis and the meltdown that followed: Congress, several successive presidential administrations, top executives at Fannie Mae
By now, even the most ardent advocates of asset allocation have to be asking themselves whether they should just go to cash and wait for saner times.
Congress is likely to debate another economic-stimulus package soon after it returns to Washington from campaigning for the election, unless the economy shows signs of turning around.
The government rescue plan inevitably will produce many villains.
Advise clients that the choices they make on their beneficiary forms are more important than they might imagine.
