Wealthy folks  looking to transfer assets to younger generations in tax-advantaged ways should act now, as the Obama administration is seeking to limit several favorite techniques of estate planning attorneys.  On the chopping block are the most commons uses of IDGTs (Intentionally Defective Grantor Trusts), GRATs (Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts), and discounts for gifts of [...]

Unsecured bank loan means there is no security offered against the borrowing in case of default.  Unsecured loans are available for businesses as well as individuals.  For a lender this type of loan is a big risk and for that reasons rates of interest are also high in unsecured bank loans to cover the higher [...]

What strange pass have we come to? The whole world is on the edge of its seat, this morning. Taking short breaths. People watch. They wait. They listen for a pronunciamiento that could mean trillions in lossesor gains. It could — in theory — push up the world’s growth ratespeeding up economies and bringing millions [...]

Hurricane Irene is barreling toward North Carolina, where a hurricane warning is in effect, and hurricane watches have been posted for Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York and New England. Unlike their neighbors to the south, Northeasterners may not be as familiar with hurricane preparedness. Full article…

As we explained earlier this week, almost every possible outcome of the current debt talks debacle will most likely be bad for the fragile recovery. Macroeconomic Advisers, an economic forecasting firm, has now estimated how the leading proposals for fiscal consolidation — from the House speaker, John Boehner, a Republican, and the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, [...]