Recession Over… Or Just Beginning?

Economic storm a'brewin' or good times coming? (Photo Wes Rogers, Creative Commons) Here’s a shock: There’s conflicting information that’s hitting the investing world about the state of the economy. As we fight through one of the worst economies in recent memory, stock market analysts and economists are peeping their heads out of the fallout shelter and making their predictions. One trend forecaster believes that we’re looking at a Super Depression in just a few years. Gerald Celente, who

Stop Focusing And Start Investing

July 27th, 2009 Goto commentsLeave a comment Creative Commons photo by Marfis 75I was a reporter once. One thing I found interesting is that several people can witness the same incident–like an auto accident–and each individual has a different description of the incident.Perspective plays a role. Attention is another factor. Even personal philosophy has a part in this phenomenon.After reviewing a couple of financial articles over the weekend, I saw the same behavior as people described current

The Da Vinci Tax Code: The Hidden Meaning of America’s Tax Structure

July 24th, 2009 Goto commentsLeave a comment CC Photo--anaorchosynThe United States existed as a nation for almost a hundred years without levying a personal income tax. And even when the first income tax was eventually foisted on the American people it was due to the substantial costs of the Civil War.The first income taxes were in the single-digit ranged. After some court wrangling, the legally-debatable income tax was pegged at 2 percent, but only for 10 percent of the wealthiest Americans.

The Personal Financial Freedom Manifesto

July 12th, 2009 Goto commentsLeave a comment If it makes you fly... Photo from Creative Commons (Flickr) by notsogoodphotography.Revolutions don’t happen in good times; they happen when times are desperate. We can safely say that times are about as dire as ever in recent memory, with no real signals that an economic reset is near.Unemployment is soaring. The stock market is limping. Governments are in turmoil.It’s time for a revolution. Except this revolution doesn’t need to include street rio

Great News! You’re Fired!

June 30th, 2009 Goto commentsLeave a comment Flickr photo by Bohman When those pink slips are passed out and those cardboard boxes appear on desks, most workers have pity and remorse for their soon-to-be departed colleagues.But, it may be the unemployed who should pity the workers who still have a job.First, the work load will increase without their fellow helpers there to shoulder some of the burden.Another reason is that while the laid-off worker has accepted his or her fate, the current emp