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Features - Editor, 7 April 2008 - 5 Comments

Financial Planning for the Next Generation of Your Family



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It is the most enduring feature of North American financial planning. The entire continent has seen liberal inward migration for the last 500 years. Even Aleutians have originally come across the Baring Straits. Every continent and race finds at least a nook in contemporary USA.

The last 100 years have seen folk enjoy the fruits of sacrifice by immigrant ancestors. The numbers of nouveau riche do not match those who have built portfolios on inherited wealth. Is it time to focus today’s financial planning on our descendants? Financial planning decisions will look very different if we move away from the near term.

A switch from speculation to risk management seems to be the order of the day. This is essentially a return to the pioneer days of the United States. Immigrants did not look for immediate returns. They acquired and developed assets which would increase value with time. Visions of better futures for coming generations must have dominated financial planning in those days.

Savings, selected stocks, bonds, refinance of expensive debt, and realty, are five areas that can orient financial planning beyond our lifetimes. We plan to work on each of these five topics for our April 2008 publications. Your inputs on our choices of subjects matter most. Do please join our forum and suggest matters which you think we should study. You can write for us as well if there is a facet of financial planning in which you have a special interest.

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Comments

1. On Wednesday 9 April 2008 at 03:15, by Investa

Traditionally, people all over the world have used gold as a standard instrument of long range financial planning. There will always be days when the gold price stops climbing, or even dips. However, it is most likely to beat inflation by a wide margin over time.

2. On Thursday 10 April 2008 at 03:32, by stocka

There are psychological barriers to selling gold. It is something we prefer to buy. You can use gold to build an heirloom. Its value in combating stagflation is of academic interest only. You can make more money by trading in the right shares.

3. On Friday 11 April 2008 at 02:38, by Mint

Reluctance to sell gold is a trait of people in China and if Indians. Westerners do not suffer from this phobia. Gold prices may rise slower at times, or perhaps not at all, but there is no more proven hedge against inflation.

4. On Sunday 13 April 2008 at 03:00, by Zeus

Online trading in stocks is a facility which our ancestors did not have. They invested in gold because more dynamic options were unavailable in their days. It is not appropriate to invest in gold in this day and age. It is a resource with limited supplies, little utility, and panders to our silly side.

5. On Sunday 13 April 2008 at 23:41, by asiaconsult

Gold is sacred in India. It also has unique values in China. Occidental investors do not view gold in the same way as orientals. However, the prospects for gold price inflation are secular in today's markets.

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