Lifestyle

As we speed toward reconciliation of the House and Senate version of the healthcare reform bill that Americans don't want, it's a useful time to look at the bigger picture of the Obama Administration's eventful first year. It isn't a pretty picture.

The jury is still out, but some economists are finding hopeful signs in economic trends - like railroads and rhodium - that don't often make the financial headlines.

Americans are unschooled, and therefore uncomfortable, in money-based negotiations. The unspoken rule is: "Don't argue, just shop somewhere else," or worse, "Give in." While the process may seem contrived or stilted to some, it is absolutely grounded in human nature and being unaware is a very expensive luxury that can hurt our practices, our business affairs and our personal finances.

Does experience counterbalance deteriorating mental abilities? Recent research suggests not, a potentially explosive finding. However, the authors of this particular study offer some policy remedies to address age discriminatory practices that could result because of their work.

Over the next few weeks, your holiday credit card bills will let you know just how much you spent having a good time. Ignoring or delaying payment on those bills could lower your credit score, which could cripple your attempts to get a car loan or a mortgage down the road.

The tradition of making New Year's resolutions dates back more than 4,000 years, but with all that practice we still can't seem to get it right. Financial advisors from across the country provide you with tips on how to keep your practice on track to meet its financial goals in this, and every year.

Jolly old Saint Nick managed to drop a load of holiday cheer on Wall Street this year. What's behind this annual outpouring of buying sentiment? Santa Claus theorists have several opinions.

The benefits of international planning can be significant. However, the international tax and reporting laws are highly complex, leaving many areas where an individual or advisor could make a mistake. Make sure your team of advisors has an asset protection expert who can help you navigate these tricky waters.

When faced with a complex investment, Wall Street's denizens like to make it sound simple by giving it a cute name. Before you invest your hard-earned cash, it's best to find out what you're investing in.

The IRS recently released its standard mileage rate for calculating the write-off for business use of your car in 2010, and it's significantly lower than in 2009.

In order to make year-end reports look good, financial managers will often ditch bow-wow stocks or mutual funds, replacing them with "winners" at a high cost. Though the report looks sterling, the client should be seeing tin covered in silver.

As a result of the impending estate tax disappearance, the timing of death has never had such a financial impact. Die before January 1, and anything in your estate over the exemption level of $3.5 million will be taxed at 45%. Die after January 1, and there's no tax at all.

My advice to investors is to think holistically about your portfolio. In other words, you don't own stocks in a vacuum. You own them in the context of your overall portfolio. Take a look at your collection of stocks and/or mutual funds and examine how they interact. If they all move in the same direction, your portfolio is not as diversified as it should be. That is true for all of your asset classes, not just stocks.

Spend less. Save More. Make a budget. These fiscal pledges to do better are popular because most people realize that they can help improve their financial well being. But there are also some less common resolutions that you should consider.

Problems with online bill paying systems often involve bank computer glitches that cause late payments. If the transaction involves a credit card bill, a late payment could not only mean a hefty late fee, but could also lead to a steep rise in the interest rate on the card.

If our practices are not well managed, be it a solo practice or a large medical group, it not only hurts us but our ability to practice the most effective, efficient medicine for our patients. We cannot best help people if we are not confident in our ability to understand and manage all the resources available in our practices and communities.

If you're planning to buy a Pontiac, Saturn, or another soon-to-be-extinct brand, consider its five-year resale value which could be as low as 15%.

Prohibited transactions rules are intended to ensure that the assets of a plan are invested in a manner that benefits the SDIRA itself and not the SDIRA owner. Failing to understand these rules, or to find an advisor that does, may result in possible penalties.

Variable annuities, which offer investors tax-deferred growth along with a measure of loss protection, haven't protected much as of late. In fact, sales of VAs suffered through a decline that lasted through five consecutive quarters.

Executors' jobs can be made easier through the use of virtual safe deposit boxes. These web-accessible storage "vaults" preserve and protect digitized estate-related documents for a monthly fee, enabling all parties to access them conveniently at the discretion of the holder.

The media is full of ads touting easy ways to get rich quick, but when it comes to building wealth, there's really just one important rule: spend less than you make. It sounds simple, but it may not be easy.

If you're still stalking that perfect gift for a friend or colleague who's interested in things financial, books can be a good choice, and there are books aplenty about investing.

Beginning January 1, 2010, just days from now, the income-earning restrictions will be lifted from Roth IRAs. Physicians will then be able to convert retirement funds from traditional IRAs over to the Roth IRA. Sounds like a sweet deal, right? Well, maybe not.

The most recent Rasmussen poll found that 40% of voters approve of the healthcare reform bill, while 56% disapprove of it. If this is the case, then why is the Senate working so hard to pass it by Christmas?

With many investors forced to dip into retirement savings, it is important to find out in advance if you might qualify for an IRA early distribution exemption. Here are a few examples to illustrate when individuals are exempt from paying the 10 percent penalty.

Rather than give hidden-fee laden gift cards that expire, think about buying stock. You can do this the old-fashioned way by transferring stocks you own to the person on your gift list, but there are other options that are more tangible – and more fun.

Physicians' offices are serious businesses and by operating as such, in concert with patient-friendly business and clinical policies, you can avoid risk, better collect payments owed, and ultimately weather the changes now sweeping through the healthcare industry.

Rising unemployment is partially to blame for an increase in medical identity theft, say some law enforcement officials, but far more common however, is theft of medical records and using them either to obtain medical treatment or to file fraudulent claims.

How can you afford to take a vacation, but still manage overhead costs and lost profits from a lack of work? All it takes is a little planning. Besides, you can't postpone living indefinitely.

A good way to find out whether the financial advisor you're thinking about hiring is on the up-and-up, say consumer advocates, is to realize that you are hiring the advisor. You need to ask some hard questions, just as you would with any prospective employee.