"A Wise Man Should Have Money In His Head, But Not In His Heart." - Jonathan Swift - People who say they value money highly report that they are less happy in life than those who care more about love and friends. Enough said.
Yes, repeat, yes. Now may be a good time to identify your next investment real estate property. All the reasons you know or suspect.... Cap Rates, Interest Rates, Lenders seeking Strong Investors, Number of Investment Grade Properties on Market, Negotiating Room. Points to unusually good buys in investment RE. It's time to "get back down in the water with the leeches..." ... did you see "African Queen" too? ...Good ole "Bogie"
"The time is always right to do the right thing." - Martin Luther King, Jr. This is true in our financial life. Giving back is always the right thing. The best way to give....--Look beyond the headlines. Give to large causes, but don't overlook smaller charities that sometime go wanting. --Don't give over the phone. Telemarketers often take a cut of 50% or more. --Research and Focus. Know how the money you give is invested. Give to organizations tha best support your main needs focus.
PAY ONLY YOUR SHARE. The avoidance of taxes is the only intellectual pursuit that carries any reward. - John Maynard Keynes. While Keynes may have overlooked some of the more rewarding intellectual pursuits...he is on the money regarding taxes. As the saying goes, we only keep what we save.
Only Put Off Until Tomorrow What You Are Willing To Die Having Left Undone - Pablo Picasso. Although you may not have masterpieces to leave, you have no excuse not to take the elementary steps to make life easier on those you leave behind. For tips on dividing emotion-laden personal belongings, check out the website Who Gets Grandma's Yellow Pie Plate? (yellowpieplate.umn.edu). - Exit Gracefully.
TALK TO YOUR SPOUSE - "In every house of marriage there's room for an interpreter." - Stanley Kunitz. Your most improtant investment or financial partner is not your broker - it's your spouse. To make smart decisions, you need to talk, and if you're like most couples, to do a better job at it. MEN: Don't assume she doesn't car about this stuff. She does. But you need to lay off the jargon and speak English. WOMEN: Don't just leave it all to him. At minimum, know where the key papers are and how your money is invested. BOTH: Focus on goals, not on being right. It's not a contest.
