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The article discusses reasons why people should keep more money than they think in the stock market, focusing on the inability of investors to know whether stock prices are overvalued or undervalued.

The article discusses challenges of finding bargain stocks within the U.S. amid increasing prices of U.S. stocks and bonds, including suggestions from financial advisers such as Josh Strauss of Pekin Singer Strauss Asset Management for investors to look at overseas markets in Russia, Japan, and Great Britain.

The article focuses on taxation of United States expatriates, stating the U.S. imposes a second tax and disclosure regime on American citizens living abroad, and mentions it isn't always possible to move investments to the U.S. due to concerns of financial institutions of U.S. compliance rules.

The article discusses the tax benefits and challenges related to self-employment as of April 2014, including the deduction of business expenses from taxable income, the required documentation and payment of estimated taxes quarterly, and increased Social Security and Medicare taxes paid by self-employed individuals.

The article offers personal finance advice on investments, focusing on U.S. Treasury inflation-protected securities (TIPS) and saying that as of 2013, long-term TIPS are a poor investment choice, offering returns that will not keep up with inflation over the duration of the security.

The author discusses signs of a revival in the U.S. housing market, cautions investors against purchasing the stocks of home-building companies such as D. R. Horton whose stock prices have risen sharply, and recommends that investors interested in real estate consider buying a home or rental property.

The article discusses market-timing, the practice of forecasting stock market performance, as well as the costs of stocks and U.S. Treasury bonds.

The article discusses several tax shelters available to taxpayers of ordinary means including tax exemptions for municipal bonds, tax-free capital gains on the sale of a home, and Roth individual retirement accounts from which funds can eventually be withdrawn free of taxes.

The author focuses on the U.S. Dow Jones Industrial Average which is back at 10,000 as of October 2009. He says mutual-fund investors continue to offer their stock funds for sale and purchase bond funds as they seek for more stability. He mentions additional concerns about the future of the financial system being indicated by the bond markets, gold and the dollar. He also notes that Chinese stock prices have increased by over 60% as measured in dollars since the beginning of the year.

The article focuses on the lump sum left to Ruth Madoff, the wife of investor Bernard Madoff, after her settlement with the U.S. Justice Department. She is also facing claims from the Securities and Exchange Commission and the trustees liquidating her husband's estate. Analysis showed that her $2.5 million settlement should give her an annual income of about $125,000 a year. The impact of the settlement on her lifestyle is also discussed.

The author discusses issues in managing funds. He explains that one must avoid managers who are unknown or unregulated. He notes that one is safe when funds are held separately in custody at a big broker-dealer firm regulated by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and backed by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation. He advises one to double check investment records that appear too steady over the long term.

The article reports that publicly traded preferred stock in the U.S. offer double digit yields, making them attractive investments. There are preferred stocks from blue-chip companies such as J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., Wells Fargo & Co., and General Electric Co. Preferred shares have their share of risk. They rank above common shares but below bonds. These shares issued mostly by financial institutions pay a fixed dividend in perpetuity. Investors need to be cautious as preferred shares come with clauses and rules, carrying extra profits or extra risks.

The article discusses a report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics that American workers actually earned less in May than in April, and substantially less than the previous year as of 2008. According to the report, the rising energy and food prices offset any nominal rise in wages. The report urges people to get ahead of food inflation by shopping ahead and to make smart decision on fuel consumption. Data shows that wages are falling behind in most industries with only professional and business service workers able to keep ahead of the rising prices.

The author reflects on the financial crisis being experienced by Bear Stearns. He says that a major bond institution could not sell Treasurys for a bit due to the liquidity crisis. He states that successful investing is not easy but can be achieved by buying low and selling high. He says that the U.S. government should step in and provide liquidity to help the ailing financial market.

The article offers advice on how falling stock prices and the fall in long-term interest rates can offer tax advantages to persons wishing to pass on assets to their heirs. Lower stock prices mean more shares of stock can be given to heirs under the $12,000 annual tax-free limit set by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. Lower interest rates have expanded a tax loophole on some estate-planning trusts.

The article presents advice to individual investors on purchasing municipal bonds. Exchange-traded funds offer a safe route, although individual bonds offer the chance for better gains. General obligation bonds have a better chance of being repaid than revenue bonds, which depend on a specific revenue source. In general bonds issued by states are safer than those issued by cities and towns.

The article presents questions and answers related to real estate, valuation and mortgages in the U.S.

The article focuses on investing in Treasury inflation-protected securities or TIPS in the U.S. The reaction of investors and financial planners to the increase in consumer prices by seeking haven on TIPS influenced the appreciation of its prices. In effect, the bonds were overvalued. TIPS have a guaranteed real yield on top of its consumer-price index which is affected by inflation. The real yield has dropped to a level that may even lead to a negative return. Investors are also advised to study first the situation before investing in TIPS.

The article focuses on the advantages being offered by closed-end municipal bonds for investors seeking a secure long-term income and are investing in a taxable account. It mentions that the municipal bonds pay almost exactly the same interest rate as the U.S. Department of Treasurys. It emphasizes that the income being produced by the bonds is exempt from federal tax.

The article presents the high-quality stocks that offer dividend yields of 3.5% or better as of January 2008. Most of these stocks are Europe-based but multinational in scope and all have depository receipts in New York and easily accessible to U.S. investors. Despite the presence of varying risks, the companies have strong defensive qualities to ride out recession. The list includes pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline, telecom giants Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone Group and France Telecom.

The article reports on closed-end investment funds offering a discount of 15% or better in the U.S. in December 2007. Market turmoil and tax-loss selling have driven these funds down to these levels. There is $272 billion invested in U.S. closed-end funds. It provides information on closed-end funds.