By Vincent Gallo

Planned gifts that allow the donor to retain an income stream for life or a term of years include charitable remainder trusts, charitable gift annuities, and pooled income funds (collectively, charitable life income plans). A related technique is the gift of a remainder interest in a house or farm, which allows the donor to retain the use of the house or farm for life or a term of years.

By C. L. Huddleston, J.D.

In the appropriate situation, Roth IRA conversions can be a home run for doctors and their families. Some of the considerations are obvious and intuitive, but others are more obscure.

By Lawrence B. Keller, CFP®, Andrew Schwartz, CPA

Although it has been around since 1998, and is one of the best financial tools available, most physicians, as high-income taxpayers, were unable to take advantage of it due to income limitations. However, as part of The Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 (TIPRA) signed into law by President Bush on May 17, 2006, that has changed. Now, taxpayers earning more than $100,000, finally have the option to convert their IRAs and other eligible retirement accounts to a Roth IRA as of January 1, 2010.

By David B. Mandell, JD, MBA, Jason O'Dell

The entire financial world was turned upside down in 2008 and 2009. Investors, executives, employees and the general public are left wondering, “who can I trust?” and “how will all these changes affect me?” The disturbing realities may have a serious impact on the economy for years to come. Did you ever think:

Banks would lose so much money that they would have to significantly reduce their lending?

Foreclosures would reach such a level?

Large Wall Street firms like Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns, and Merrill Lynch would face such serious financial challenges?

* Some of the most sought after investment managers, Madoff and Stanford, would be exposed as scam artists?

By Christopher R. Jarvis, MBA, Kimberly Renners, MBA

Even though the Fed suggested last month that the economy had bottomed out and is poised to start growing again, the central bank has yet to lay out details of its so-called "exit strategy" to unwind all the steps it has taken in the past year to try and get the economy back on track. The Federal Reserve is studying the idea of borrowing money from the money-market mutual fund industry as part of its exit strategy to avoid post-crisis inflation. Some economists worry that if the Fed is too slow to rein in its various liquidity programs, all the cash it has injected into the financial system could spark a jump in inflation.

"The ingredients for runaway inflation down the road remain in place," said Allen Sinai, chief global economist for Decision Economics. "Right now inflation is quiet, but it's a sneaky problem.” Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke has repeatedly said the central bank has the tools it needs to pull back on these programs, but he has yet to say how or when it will do so.

Let's quickly reflect on why the inflation/deflation outlook is now the hardest investing problem to solve...

By Vincent Gallo

By Mason Salisbury

The “Asset Protection LLC” – It used to be all LLCs where the same. What ever LLC operating agreement was on the word processor or on the form book CD was the one you sold to clients. Embarrassingly, these LLCs are still nearly omnipresent. Good news is it will not matter what kind of LLC you have if you are never sued and the average LLC owner is not sued. Bad news is you may not be the average LLC owner.

By Mason Salisbury

Every state has its own set of “Exemption” statues. In them you will find perhaps the only unassailable creditor protection available and it can be extensive. Not planning retirement savings, home ownership, and life insurance purchases around your state’s exemptions is foolish indeed. I am a South Carolina attorney and this article is about South Carolina “Exemptions” only. What dollar amount of home equity, 401(k)s, IRAs, life insurance, annuities, cars, jewelry, tools of your trade, and household furnishings are safe from creditors no matter what.

By C. L. Huddleston, J.D.

We all know about "Asset Diversification." Skilled investment managers and investors know about "Currency Diversification." But in an increasing income tax rate environment that is not enough. Introducing "Tax Regime Diversification."

By Andrew Schwartz, CPA