Discussion

i think cash flow is the key goal to proper in this bad economy

but, i am just not educated enough right now to see emerging opportunities and not enough courage to take those chances

There will allways be someone, who during a slump, recession or downturn has the skills, know how and access to the capital, to find some very below value assets for acquisition. This is a great time to aquire assets cheaply, if one has the competency, knowledge and talent to steer these assets through the darkest of days. If they do, then they will be in business and trading won't they???

Much easier to say than to do isn't it??

Studying business and economics as early in life as possible seems a good answer.

As a female accountable for dependants, I find it difficult to get past the negative thoughts and move forward taking risks with no safety net. There is no family or friends to support my breaking away from the traditional modes of thought! I have always been a believer in risks however with dependants, I have not taken many if any.
I'd like to break out and be financially secure and successful and my previous thoughts haven't taken me anywhere accept down in this recent spiral. And losing my home was devistating yet it was a monkey off my back! Unemployed and where to go from here? I haven't been able to land a job to pay the bills etc. and savings is depleting quickly. I'm looking to invest the very little I have. I have no investment knowledge or background...so! where do I begin? Which book/cd?

Obviously a way to win in this economic climate is to purchase precious metals- that's the easy part. The hard part seems to be finding the point in which to sell the metals.

I decided to take this course- get the M3 from shadowstats.com, and divide that number by the gold reserves of the United States.

the number i got was 60,000 dollars/0z. Am i missing something, or are things really this bad?

Personally optimistic in my ability to navigate the changing economy.
Pessimistic that global events could overwhelm all my best planning.
I am taking risks with debt well supported by cashflow ... but I guess it could all be overwhelmed by catastrophic global financial events.

Some of the 1950 events are 1960's ie Beaatles. It is more a series of events continuing for several decades that fed the economy.

People still fly but airlines aren't making money.

The profit is no longer in manufacturing.

I have a problem that none of your other readers has mentioned. It is causing me a great deal of distress. I have tried to attack it from every angle I can find, but still have not solved it.

Here is the problem: I am the beneficiary of 2 irrevocable trust funds established by my grandparents. Whatever money is left is supposed to be divided between my 3 children when I die. I have no control over these trust funds except the "power of appointment" to remove one trustee and appoint another. The documents state that the trustee must be a bank or a trust company with fiduciary powers. In the 2001-2002 crash, the trusts lost 650,000. In the 2008 crash, they have lost another 100,000.

I must get control of this money before the rest of it vanishes into thin air. I hired an international tax & estate attorney to help me set up a private company in Bermuda so I could become the trustee of the trusts. Apparently, this "Limited Guarantee Company" works for all citizens of the world who want to gain control of their family trusts EXCEPT US citizens. The attorney says I cannot do this because the IRS will treat it as a controlled foreign corporation & tax it to death. He wants to redomicile the trusts to an offshore location & have me use a Swiss investment manager. The problem with this is the $$ will still be trapped in paper assets inside a failing financial system, out of my control. I want to be able to put it into tangible investments and even keep some of it in a private safe if necessary.

The trusts are domiciled in Missouri so I researched the Missouri Uniform Trust Code. According to this code, beneficiaries can go into court to try to get a judge to terminate the trusts early. BUT, the beneficiaries have to prove that termination will not interfere with the grantors' purpose. The current trustee has the right to protest the termination. What trustee wouldn't protest such a thing, because termination results in the trustee losing a source of income fees? I consulted with an attorney & he said I was a doom & gloomer, that the market will come back, and that I need the asset protection that the trusts provide. He obviously doesn't understand the historic change taking place. I told him if he didn't help me, that I might as well kiss that money goodbye becuase it is going to vanish into thin air & go to zero. Two days after I talked to him, he mailed me a brochure from Northern Trust stating that bubbles are just part of history and to stay invested for the long term. He also enclosed a letter telling me not to worry about the trusts!

In the US, only 5 states allow the formation of private trust companies AND they require that 500k to 1 mil be deposited with the department of banking in that state, AND one must agree to be regulated as a bank. Those states also require a family office structure, which costs at least 50K/yr to maintain. They are only for the mega rich--50mil and above.

Robert, if you or any of your readers have suggestions, please let me know. There are thousands of people who are trust beneficiaries who need to get control of their money. There is a website called Heirsinc. that has horror stories about what trustees have done to beneficiaries. The number one complaint of trust beneficiaries is POOR investment performance. That is my biggest complaint, and the second is that they do not follow the trust document. My grandparents said the trustee could invest in real estate, but I have never had a trustee who would do that. They have no knowledge of real estate investing, and they don't like real estate because they cannot manage it from their computer screens. They always follow the "prudent man rule" and the "prudent investor rule" (I call them "imprudent") and stick with stocks, bonds, and mutual funds.

Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated.

One thing that I feel that is haveing a huge effect on our economy is abortion. abortion just does not only stop a beating heart abortion also stops generations of families. take the baby boomers, plus generations of families that should have been and you have another factor the the equasion.

In fact, I choose I quadrant than B quadrant, because:

1. I choose New Zealand Dollar & South Africa Rand deposit, because they can provide high rates Interest income, and My local not pay interest tax.

2. I can put little money to New Zealand Dollar & South Africa Rand, these are not same the stock, mutual fund, bonds,because stock, mutual fund, bonds are set minimum amount. The normal, they required put US$10,000 minimum amount to products. The Deposit is if I had little money, can put little money to deposit, and received interest income.

3. I decided 40 years old on retire. Because I had interest income on each month, then the interest income can cover total expenses, and Net cashflow income, achieved financial freedom.

If you any opinion, send me:
Jessekevinsammak@yahoo.com.hk
http://jessekevinsammak.mysinablog.com

I am feeling optimistic because in the last credit crunch I didn't have any knowledge and the interest rate kept rising so we struggled. This time I'm getting educated and I have no debt so I am looking forward to spending wisely and learning from you and others how and where to invest.
Rita J