Do you like the direction the US is headed? Are you one of the millions of Americans who think that America is headed for disaster? If so, you are not alone; let me assure you. I speak with thousands of folks every year who feel the same way.

But that said, if folks are so visibly concerned, the lack of action is alarming, especially when we can so clearly see the danger we face. I've written before about the "why" we don't take action, but today I just want to concentrate on some simple, easy steps we can take right now to protect ourselves and our families. Some of them are almost free in fact. Sadly only a few of you will actually do something. I sincerely hope for your sake, that you are one of them.

Once upon a time in a far away land lived a community of farmers. They work the land for its fruits and most farmers raised one or two cows and enjoyed the milk they provided. Everybody was happy and generally prosperous. The farms were passed on from generation to generation and life was a long and quiet river…

Buying a property in France is a dream for many people, but can also be scary. To alleviate your fears when embarkingon this adventure, we have outlined the entire purchase process from getting financing to walking away with the keys.

Financing – Getting a French Mortgage

The first thing you should do is obtain a French mortgage. There are many lenders from which to choose with a range of loan products. If you have'pre-approval in principle’ you will know your budget in advance and have the security to make the purchase.This is an excellent time to buy as interest rates are still low (about 2.5%) and the U.S. dollar to euro rate of exchange is relatively favorable.

Finding Property in France

For Individuals: Trade Online…Offshore!

(Planners skip down)

The number one question I get asked today is: “Lou, how can I get more monthly income with a high degree of certainty.” The answer to that question depends on these two things. First thing is finding a proven, high cash flow business that is expanding and wants private funding. Second thing is structuring the transaction to be win-win for all parties.

Investors eager to protect their financial legacies have always relied on wills, trusts and estate plans to ensure security and continuity for future generations. But in the digital age, people are asking a new question: “how can I safe guard my digital life story?” And it’s not just what’s housed on hard drives, social networks and photo sharing sites that’s on their minds. It’s the irreplaceable memories gathering dust inshoeboxes and attics--all but forgotten in the modern era of Facebook, Shutterfly and Instagram.

Did you find this article’s headline intriguing? Good, it was meant to be. However, the headline is literally true. So how can someone buy a Mercedes with no out of pocket cost?

Let’s start at the beginning. My firm, Coordinated Financial Services, based in Pittsburgh, is a national firm that deals primarily with nonprofit organizations across he country. Our focus is creating major immediate and deferred gifts for our nonprofit clients.

This past January I was honored to make a presentation to the Hemisphere investment conference in Nicaragua. Part of my presentation explained “How to Buy a Mercedes with No Out of Pocket Cost.”

Investor Eligibility Criteria for Offshore Life Insurance

Let us first have a look of the Dollar's role in the world economy, in particular with regard to its share in settling world trade and financial transactions. A currency's share in settling world trade and financial transactions reflects ongoing developments since it is directly determined by the changing relationships of economic and trade power. So that tells us more than the share of world foreign exchange reserves, because it reflects only past trends since it concerns money which has already been accumulated.

How would you feel if a gang of criminals broke into your home, stole your most valuable possessions, and then went on national TV to claim it was for your own good?

My guess is that you would be pretty angry.  Yet this is essentially what our central bankers and political leadership are doing right now.

Last year, at a picturesque resort in beautiful Wyoming, Fed chairman Ben Bernanke met with his global counterparts, including the Bank of England’s Mervyn King, the European Central Bank’s Jean-Claude Trichet, and Masaaki Shirakawa of the Bank of Japan.

The financial world was attentively looking for indications of what these men are planning, after having exhausted every monetary policy tool at their disposal.