February 2011 Archives

Investing funds offshore of one's home country, there is an immediate benefit of protection against the troubles of the country's market or currency. Offshore investing can take many forms. Alternative investment vehicles often include a component of offshore investments, such as offshore real estate, or offshore farm land and agricultural production, or even offshore gold and silver storage.

Walter Parker Group is a specialty merger and acquisitions advisory firm providing unmatched expertise to companies seeking guidance in confidential merger and acquisition transactions, business valuations, financing, asset divestitures, joint ventures and equity investments. Our professionals have extensive operational experience, in a variety of industries, in the execution of mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and transaction advisory to private and publicly held companies.

By combining forward-looking planning and advisory with traditional merger and acquisition services, Walter Parker Group helps clients create, measure, and manage business value. Business value that is then realized through an appropriately planned exit strategy.

Offshore investing once was for the ultra-wealthy, those sporting net worth's well North of $10 million. Now almost anyone can move funds into the more exciting and potentially profitable world of offshore investments. Knowledge of how to enjoy the advantages of offshore investing is much more expensive and rare than with standard home country investing however.

As an alternative investment, moving funds out of your country of origin has largely been a winning trade for the past decade when calculated with currency fluctuations. China, Brazil, and India have all offered higher returns during bulls markets then the U.S. stock indexes over the past decade for instance. While these markets can be played with ETF's, there are several key shares that must be purchased using offshore investing houses.

Some of the key advantages of offshore investing within an alternative investment framework include:

• Higher potential returns than the domestic market


• Much broader range of stocks to choose from


• Often better pricing than domestic ETF's.


• Early availability of smaller capitalized issues


• Protection against single market dependence in real estate, stocks, weather effects, political effects, and currency devaluations

Related articles

• China Loosens Yuan's Overseas Limits (online.wsj.com)
• Guardian Hedge Funds Made £40 Million During Banking Crisis Editor Rusbridger on Board Which Approved Strategy (order-order.com)
• REFILE-China to begin mini-QFII on trial basis -sources (reuters.com)

One way to diversify your investment portfolio and potentially see bigger returns on your investments is to invest offshore. When choosing to invest offshore you are gaining access to untapped and potentially lucrative markets in countries that many investors would not even consider investing in.

There are a number of directions to go when considering investing offshore. However one of the most popular methods for investing offshore is through incorporating a company in an offshore jurisdiction. Incorporating an offshore company has two primary advantages; it can provide security for your assets and can help to minimize the taxation on your assets.

Incorporating an offshore company in the right jurisdiction can effectively protect both your investments and assets. By placing your resources in a legal entity such as an offshore company you benefit from the inherent protection of both domestic and international laws. Another option for safeguarding your assets through offshore investment is to establish a trust or foundation.

Forming an offshore company is a legitimate strategy for improving tax efficiency. Depending on the jurisdiction, one can benefit from both lower tax rates and double tax treaties between the offshore jurisdiction and your country of residence. With double tax treaties you avoid duplicate tax on global income. Converse to what many people think, investing your assets offshore is not necessarily tax evasion, but is a simple matter of legally capitalizing on well-established jurisdictions that provide favorable tax rates and laws.

Entrepreneurs who invest offshore should also consider offshore banking. Offshore banking makes the process of incorporating and running an offshore company easier and more efficient. Banking offshore provides greater protection of one's assets and investments, along with operational efficiency from the improved ability to manage transfer of funds for your international business. Two jurisdictions that are internationally regarded as respected financial hubs, are Singapore and Hong Kong.

Related articles

• You Must Report Offshore Insurance, Annuity, and Gold Accounts (lewrockwell.com)
• How I learned to avoid the taxman in the British Virgin Islands (theglobeandmail.com)

Online Trading Academy's Vice President of Education Wins in Multiple Categories for Forex Best Awards for 2011 from FXStreet.com

Irvine, CA (PRWEB) February 25, 2011

Sam Seiden, Online Trading Academy's Vice President of Education, has won Forex Best Awards for 2011 from FXStreet.com in every category in which he was nominated including Best Educator, Best Education Content: "Lesson From the Pros", and Best Webinar. This annual awards event honors top contributors to their site, FXStreet.com, the leading independent portal dedicated to providing complete and timely information about the Foreign Exchange (Forex) market.

Seiden brings over 15 years of experience in equities, Forex, options and futures trading which began when he was on the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. He has served as the Director of Technical Research for two trading firms and regularly contributes articles to industry publications. Seiden has educated thousands of traders and investors in seminars and conferences. "I am humbled and grateful to all who voted for me." said Seiden. "These awards validate the Online Trading Academy approach of teaching rule-based strategies, not ineffective conventional theories. Our approach truly transforms lives and helps improve the trading and investing performance of our clients worldwide."

As Vice President of Education, Sam leads a team of more than 60 instructors so students enrolled in any course will benefit from Sam's leadership and perspective. "Lesson from the Pros" is a weekly newsletter available to anyone who signs up for free membership of the Online Trading Academy community.

The Forex Best Awards for 2011 included 12 different categories in this annual awards event. A total of 7,880 votes were cast for the nominees that were selected by the FXStreet.com team based on their quality and popularity on the website. The winners were announced on Friday, February 18, 2011 at 9:30 am EST.

To learn more about Online Trading Academy please visit www.tradingacademy.com.

About Online Trading Academy

Irvine, California-based Online Trading Academy is a global network of financial education centers focused on teaching students the art of trading since June of 1997. With more than 20,000 graduates, Online Trading Academy offers professional instruction from experienced trading professionals, as well as a wide array of beneficial home study materials to supplement classroom study. Online Trading Academy offers instruction in physical classrooms and online; in multiple asset classes including Stocks, Options, Forex and Futures. Online Trading Academy has financial education centers throughout the world in Irvine, Los Angeles, Seattle, Dallas, Chicago, Detroit, Orlando, Atlanta, Washington DC, Philadelphia, New York City, Boston, Toronto, London, Dubai, Singapore, Mumbai and many more with plans to open a financial education center in Jakarta in 2011. For more information, visit www.tradingacademy.com.

About FXStreet.com

FXstreet.com, the leading independent portal dedicated to the Foreign Exchange (Forex) market, was brought to life in January 2000 by its founder, Francesc Riverola, an economist from Barcelona, who moulded his original "home business" into a solid international company. Together with his partners, Míriam Pinatell and Sergi Fernández, their project has grown to become the trusted source of Forex for millions of users throughout the world.

As their distinctive trademark, the portal has always been proud of their unyielding commitment to provide objective and unbiased information, to enable their users to take better and more confident decisions. On the portal, the real-time quotes, news, newsletters and interactive chats with experts from all over the world are among the most well received content. Furthermore, FXstreet.com is very proud of its sections on Fundamental and Technical analysis, as with these sections FXstreet.com has managed to gain the collaboration of the entire Forex industry, from individual professionals and small companies, right up to Forex Brokers and Investment Banks.

Contact

* Aljolynn Sperber
Online Trading Academy
(310) 994-7383

Weekly Gold Report

Gold Settles At $1409.30 For The Week... ($1409.30) This week has produced a $28.70 trading range that has had both traders and investors watching the news outlets as the violence in Africa and the Middle-east has caused the price of Crude Oil to breach the $100 per barrel this week and fueling inflation fears.

There have been reports of heavy casualties in cities surrounding Tripoli. Threatening the supply of Crude oil has ultimately been fueling oil prices, higher Crude prices are inflationary and would be "bullish" for both Gold and Silver.....The Gold should continue to be supported by these geo-political tensions. Libya is a OPEC member and produces 1.6 million barrels of oil a day however, their production has been halted according to oil analysts.

The United States suspended their Embassy operation in Libya. Libya's leader Muammar Gaddafi has remained defiant and has vowed to fight to the end if need be to remain in control of the Libyan government. The revolt has not only grown it has approached his door step as Tripoli has become the latest battle ground.

The market as well as global investors are breathing a sigh of relief as it has been reported that Saudi Arabia has raised its Oil output about 8 percent to around 9 Billion barrels per day to offset the loss of Libyan exports. This certainly helped halt the sky rocketing price of Crude oil.

Weekly News...Silver is continuing to impress as well as the volume has increased dramatically during this geo-political rally. The cheaper price in comparison to Gold has attracted both large and small investors who are looking for more "bang for their buck". Silver Closed at $33.13.5 for the week.

JOBLESS CLAIMS were 14,000 less that forecasted.

The precious metals continue to be the 'safe haven" choice of global investors as the Middle-east and African demonstrations continue to threaten the flow of Crude Oil. There is great concern that there will be a disruption in the worlds exports that would drive the price of Crude Oil skyrocketing. Since the revolution in Egypt that has forced former President Hosni Mubarak to step down the political tensions have spread to many more nations both in Africa and the middle-east including Morocco, Algeria. Libya, Bahrain, and Yemen. The demonstrators are all seeking the same result that occurred in Egypt.

SWING NUMBERS FOR 2/28

APRIL GOLD

RESISTANCE # 2........................$1420.00
RESISTANCE # 1........................$1414.00
PIVOT........................................$1407.00
SUPPORT # 1............................$1402.00
SUPPORT # 2............................$1395.00
VOLUME ...................................106,000

MARCH SILVER

RESISTANCE # 2........................$33.78
RESISTANCE # 1........................$33.34
PIVOT.........................................$32.68
SUPPORT # 1.............................$32.24
SUPPORT # 2.............................$31.58

Mike Daly / Gold Specialist
PFG BEST
mdaly@pfgbest.com
312-563-8029
877-294-4669

After opening an offshore bank account, one of the most complicated barriers people come across is withdrawing their cash. After all, not many have the time or resources to go to the Caribbean or a European tax haven whenever they want to get hold of their money.

One of the best ways to overcome this problem, that is both timely and cost-effective is to use a prepaid offshore credit card. Handily, "ultra-private" prepaid cards are also some of the most discrete methods available of withdrawing cash and making purchases with your offshore funds.

Prepaid offshore credit cards come in various formats. But first, what is a prepaid offshore card?

An offshore credit card is nothing more than a card issued by a banking institution or card provider outside of your home jurisdiction. Investors frequently see offshore credit cards as a discrete and easy way of accessing their offshore stash. Therefore in many cases the issuing bank will be located in a country with strict bank secrecy.

A prepaid offshore card is an offshore credit card that is "loaded" up front with as much money as you want to put on it. Rather than offering a line of credit, the card is simply a way of making all the purchases you want to make without borrowing anything. It is a credit card, so-called, because the prepaid offshore card often carries a brand name like Mastercard, Visa or Discovery and is internationally accepted.

A prepaid credit card differs from an ATM card or simple bank card because you can use it for much more. You can make purchases online, at PoS and withdraw from cash machines. Withdrawal/purchase limits will vary from card to card

Prepaid cards are loaded by being individually funded. As such they are not intrinsically linked to any offshore bank account, like an offshore debit card. Prepaid cards are a more discrete option if privacy is your aim.

The most common type of prepaid offshore credit card will bear the holder's name. If you have a company you could also get one in your company's name. Ultra-private "un-embossed" cards exist which carry no name, although some are not accepted by individual merchants. They carry only the credit card number within the magnetic strip and chip, so when swiped none of your personal information is recorded. Click on the link at the bottom of the page for more information about offshore credit card privacy.

What documents are needed to apply for a prepaid offshore credit card?

Just a scanned passport copy and a proof of residence are required by some issuers. Others may demand more detailed references or additional identification. Some prepaid cards with very low-limits can even be procured with no ID whatsoever.Fortunately, using a prepaid offshore credit card does not require any check of your credit history. Since the card is prepaid, you are not extended a credit line and therefore these checks are unnecessary. This makes prepaid cards a more private option than regular credit cards, since credit history checks are some of the greatest sources of confidential information leaks.

A number of nations are commonly referred to as tax havens. Examples of what a tax haven offers include not taxing foreign income, little or no taxation, and favorable treatment of foreign investments. What tends to rile nations whose citizens take their money offshore is that many offshore jurisdictions offer a degree of privacy to those who save or invest in their nation.

There are quite a number of offshore jurisdictions that qualify in one way or another for being described as a tax haven. What is a tax haven? What good or what use are they? Can some of the aspects of a given tax haven be useful to the individual investor, retiree, expatriate living offshore, or an offshore business?

Tax Haven
The simple definition of a tax haven is a country where taxes are low or non existent. That is OK for starters but there is a lot more to it. A better description might be that a tax haven levies no relevant taxes. What is common in many offshore jurisdictions is that they do not tax income earned elsewhere. What is also common is that in order to attract investment capital many nations will grant favorable tax treatment to investments that create and maintain jobs. For example, Panamanian Law 8 rewards investors in tourism projects in remote locations in the country with a twenty year tax forgiveness on all income. The signup date for this law has passed but those who invested in time have well over a decade of non-taxed profits ahead of them.

Another matter of tax treatment is the existence of tax treaties between countries. Many nations have agreements whereby income of a citizen of one country now resident in another is no subject to double taxation. The specifics of such tax treaties will vary by case but allow individuals and corporations to live, do business, save, and invest without fear of being "punished" for living offshore.

An offshore fund is a collective investment fund domiciled in an Offshore Financial Center. These funds have been in existence since the 1960's, and so named because they were established originally in the island tax havens of the Caribbean and the English Channel. The term 'Offshore' has since come to mean any jurisdiction, wherever geographically located, which is advantageously different from one's own domestic financial environment.

Benefits

The advantages take a number of forms: a tax free, or 'tax-lite' regime, which reduces the costs on the fund making increased performance achievable, and a less restrictive regulatory environment. Assets can be held in confidence, and the timing of tax payments, and mitigation of the rate at which they are levied can be managed by investing offshore.

Offshore funds offer eligible investors significant tax benefits compared to many high tax jurisdictions such as the United States and the European Union. However, where funds are repatriated to high tax jurisdictions, they are usually taxed at normal rates as foreign arising income.

Many of these tax-haven locations are considered investor friendly and are internationally regarded as financially secure.

1. Confidentiality
While conceding the need for greater degrees of co-operation with onshore authorities, the offshore centers' tradition of protecting investors' privacy still persists. If they are implementing measures necessary to maintain a reputation for profit, on money laundering for example, and if they are co-operative when there is evidence of criminal activity, they will nevertheless actively resist any attempts at 'fishing expeditions' on the part of onshore tax authorities.

2. Returns and Volatility
In addition to operating in a benign tax environment, offshore funds have the opportunity to further increase their returns through exposure to a wider range of asset classes. It is an accepted principle that diversity can better balance an investor's portfolio and reduces its volatility. By spreading investment around different financial centers, not only are diversity increased, but exposure to different market conditions and investment styles are brought into the mix as well.

Although most offshore jurisdictions permit funds to obtain licenses to operate as public funds, the onerous regulatory requirements associated with such licenses usually means that only a small minority of offshore funds is available for subscription by the general public. These funds are subject to formal constitutions, and operated and monitored in compliance with the rules of the local regulatory regime.

While shares in many offshore funds are available by direct application to the managers, the decision to invest in them is likely to be made within the context of broader financial planning. This, plus the desirability of expert guidance, makes an approach through an appropriate financial advisor highly to be recommended.

About the Author

Mark Plummer is an Asia based independent Offshore Investment advisor. Has been involved in the financial services and financial planning business since leaving full time education in 1977. It was his intention to provide an insight in to both the mainstream products offered by the general population of financial advisors out there and also the alternative investment areas that are often overlooked or ignored.

Related articles

• Offshore Accounts: Turn the tax tide (thejc.com)
• Financial Planning: Offshore Bonds or Pensions 2011? [Marcin Zientek] (ecademy.com)
• New Tax Law Strokes Hedge Fund Managers (blogs.forbes.com)

For many years, investing in the stock market was anything but easy. As an investor, you had to carefully research which stocks to buy, decide how much weight to give to the advice of your broker, then monitor the ticker carefully to determine whether to hold, and when it was time to bail out.

But the advent of mutual funds provided a much more hassle-free path to stock market investing for individuals who liked the idea of turning over the decision-making to experts. By buying shares in a mutual fund, the individual investor placed his money in a pool, alongside the funds of many other shareowners, which was then used to purchase a large portfolio of securities chosen by market professionals. If the fund managers did their homework well, the value of shares in the fund would grow nicely; inevitable losses from some holdings in the portfolio were offset by broad gains elsewhere. And the mutual fund share owner had no day-to-day decisions to make, once he selected the fund that looked right for him. Finally, mutual fund shares were liquid - the individual investor could pull money out of the fund much more easily than a conventional securities owner.

Today, the REIT - Real Estate Investment Trust - brings the mutual fund idea to the field of real estate investing. REITS are perfect for Individuals who would like to position their investment dollars to take advantage of real estate's profit potential, but are wary of the complications of conventional investment choices like rehabs or new construction, or are too busy to acquire the skills needed to navigate the real estate mine field. Instead, they can now buy shares in a REIT and let a team of professionals navigate the mine field.

Almost all REITs fall into two categories. They are either Equity REITs or Mortgage REITs or a hybrid of the two. Equity REITS use their pooled funds to acquire income producing properties - residences, office buildings, shopping centers...etc.. Mortgage REITs invest in income producing paper, by providing mortgages directly to property owners or operators or by purchasing existing mortgages. In both cases, whether from rents or mortgage payments, a REIT must annually distribute as dividends to its shareholders at least 90% of its taxable income.

As with mutual funds, REIT shares are liquid; shares can be sold at almost any time. And, again like mutual funds, the investment is passive - the individual shareholder is only faced with one decision: which REIT to own. All other choices are left to the REIT administrators.

On the other hand, a REIT doesn't give an individual owner any choice in which properties or mortgages are purchased - once you invest in a REIT, you accept the decisions of others.

Related articles

• A Few Things to Know About These High Yielders (fool.com)
• Calpers Dropping Stocks From Property Portfolio (online.wsj.com)

The term 'low-tax' is seldom used in conjunction with any non-offshore European jurisdiction - and yet having a company based and operational from within the European Union is highly desirable for many reasons and for many businesses.  For example, if you deal with clients, distributors, suppliers or resellers in Europe, they will prefer to be billed by or invoice a European company.

This leaves many in the position where they feel they need to bring operations onshore to Europe, but they are wary of the high corporate taxation structure generally in place across the entire EU.  However, did you know that there is one particular and distinctive EU jurisdiction where they have made it their business to remain competitive to international business, in a bid to diversify their economic reliance away from simply tourism for example - we're talking about Cyprus!

This means that thanks to our superior contacts at Lee Byers and the fact that Cyprus companies pay low rates of business tax, low-tax European company formation is now possible, and you can purchase a company with a guaranteed bank account without even having to set foot on the island or within Europe...

As stated, Europe is a highly desirable place to base your business for reasons of legitimacy, ease of operations and respectability.  Europe has some of the most highly respected centres for international business in all areas of economic output - from engineering to finance, from science to manufacturing, from ICT to tourism.  However, Europe is not considered to be 'low-tax' by any stretch of the imagination!

There are offshore centres within Europe - such as Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Jersey and Guernsey - but if you're in international business, you may be required or at least obliged to keep your company's operational and registered presence firmly onshore.

The good news is that there is one location in Europe that has fought to maintain its competitive taxation edge whilst coming onshore and within the fold of the European Union - we're talking about Cyprus.

PSG Online brings you offshore investments that give you access to international markets through our online trading platform. You will be able to invest offshore in stocks in real-time on 25 major international stock exchanges with our online International Trading Desk.

You will have the freedom to invest offshore on the New York Stock Exchange or the London Stock Exchange or any of the other major international exchanges utilising your own foreign investment allowance or through our Asset Swop Facility. This gives you complete control over a unique offshore portfolio with two distinct options. You can use your own funds transferred with Reserve Bank approval or you can use local Rand to invest offshore through our Asset Swop Facility.

We put easy access to international markets in your hands, allowing you to construct a portfolio of shares or Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) to capitalise on offshore investment opportunities. If you do not know how to invest offshore and are not comfortable with making all the offshore investment decisions on your own, we can match your requirements to a PSG Konsult financial advisor who will be able to manage a portfolio of offshore investments on your behalf.

You will receive an offshore investment trading account with the same flexibility and benefits as a local portfolio that is available through a simple online registration process. If you are an existing PSG Online client you will not need to reregister your FICA documents. You can manage your offshore investment account on your local share trading platform, combining easy access to your local and offshore investment accounts - and your derivative and currency trading accounts. The PSG stock trading platform gives you the most comprehensive online access to your portfolio in South Africa.

Americans who move abroad still have to file federal tax returns and pay any amounts due, but thanks to the Internet it is much easier than it used to be for US expats to get assistance from tax professionals who have experience in international tributary law.

An international CPA and international tax attorney can be an expat's best allies in preparing an effective strategy that maximizes the many legal exclusions, write off's and or breaks available to expats while meeting all regulatory requirements.

The US tax code is highly complex and runs to 75,000 pages at last count. Some of its most complicated and detailed provisions are those governing the rights and responsibilities of US citizens living overseas. An international tax attorney can ensure that an expat's tributary strategy incorporates every possible option for experiencing lower tariffs.

An expat who sets up a legal entity in the country of residence, for example, can be receive a salary from it without the income being subject the US self-employment tax. When setting up a foreign entity it is definitely advantageous to have an international tax attorney guiding the process, to help ensure the right choice of legal structure and other considerations.

An international tax attorney can advocate for the US expat in the event of any IRS challenge to the taxpayer's tax return or supporting documentation. The expat is showing a form of "due diligence" by having an experienced international tax attorney advise him or her, and this alone can have a positive influence on the outcome of a conflict with the IRS.

To be most effective, an international tax attorney should be part of an expat's tax strategy team, rather than someone who gets a call only when things with the IRS adversarial. Legal problems are avoidable if an expat's tax planning includes input from international accounting and legal veterans. Most tax problems could have been avoided with better planning and an international tax attorney can spot potential trouble spots in an expat's overall tax picture before they become major disruptions.

There are criminal penalties for not filing tax returns and civil penalties for not paying taxes due, so it makes sense to have an international tax attorney as part of one's tax preparation team. Complying with the filing deadlines and the special qualifying criteria that apply to expats requires expertise. One firm that specializes in expat tax issues is Tax Planner CPA, which has a website that is a good introduction to many aspects of expat taxation.

The site includes a Q&A section where visitors can have their expat tax questions answered by a team of CPAs and an I.T.A. The web site is www.taxplannercpa.com.

About the Author
David Odom is a US Citizen who during his trip to India was informed about his requirement to still File US taxes in spite of not having US income.Since then, he began investigating expatriate taxation and now writes articles on the subject - so that fellow Americans don't run into the same issues as he did of (international tax attorney).

Related articles

• Expats in Moscow are worried over new migration laws being introduced on Tuesday (rt.com)
• TaxWatch: Know your tax pro, or you could be on the hook (marketwatch.com)
• Finding the Best Tax Attorney (socyberty.com)

Abbey International, the Jersey based offshore bank has reduced the minimum balance requirement on its 12 and 18 month Fixed Deposit Contracts to £50,000, making these popular accounts significantly more accessible to a wider audience of offshore clients.

Currently, a fixed rate of 3.10% gross/AER is offered over 18 months, with 3.00%gross/AER payable over 12 months and 2.00% gross/AER over 9 months. Abbey International has also recently launched a 2 Year Fixed Deposit Contract paying 3.55% gross/AER, which complements its Best Buy 3 Year and 5 Year Best Buy accounts.

At the same time, interest rates on the bank's 12 month US dollar Fixed Deposit Contract were increased to 2.30% gross/AER. The US dollar Fixed Deposit Contract can be opened with a minimum balance of $150,000. Abbey International also offers a Euro 12 month Fixed Deposit Contract paying 2.60% gross/AER with a minimum balance of €100,000.

Abbey International is part of the highly regarded Santander Group, which has more than 150 years experience in banking and has clients all over the world. Santander has an AA credit rating from Fitch and Aa2 rating from Moody's credit rating agencies.

For further information on banking with Abbey International in Jersey, log onto: abbeyinternational.com

'The Importance of Being Long-term': Vanguard's William McNabb on What's Ahead for Investors

William McNabb became chief executive officer of The Vanguard Group on August 31, 2008 -- two weeks before the financial world went into free fall. On the evening of Sunday, September 14, the day Lehman Bros. declared bankruptcy, he was in Washington, D.C., welcoming institutional investors to the mutual fund company's bi-annual conference. The next morning, as world ticker tapes bled and "all hell was breaking loose," McNabb found himself in front of the company's 300 largest pension fund clients, "talking to them about the importance of being long-term, balanced and diversified, and taking a very long-term perspective on the markets." As he spoke, he recalled, a "soundtrack" looped in his head: "The world is melting down. What are we going to do?"

"It's been an interesting adventure," McNabb told an audience gathered for a recent Wharton Leadership Lecture. "We have come a long way in these past few years."

Continue reading: Vanguard's William McNabb on What's Ahead for Investors

Investing in gold can be the smartest choice to boost your savings account. Experts are predicting a steady rise in the value of gold in the recent years. Therefore, investing in gold can be a lucrative option to increase your savings in an innovative way.

If you have insurmountable debt currently then opt for a debt relief programs before you start investing in gold.

Here are a few gold investment techniques to boost your savings account:

1. Gold Bullion Coins and Bars

Investing in gold bullion coins and bars is one of the popular options for investment. Common bullion coins like South Africa Krugerrand, US Mint Eagles and Canadian Loons are available from the private and government dealers. Consider investing small bars as it is regarded as a reliable option amidst the investors. When the price is determined then the cost is inclusive of the current gold cost and premium for distribution. The price fluctuates with the demand for gold and the premium is contingent on dealers' discretion. Look for a reliable dealer who can offer the best deal. You also need to preserve the coin to maintain its value, so certified mint package will shield it from damage.

2. Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)

If you are not interested to deal with premiums and commissions then ETFs are the best options for investing in gold. ETFs are available in stock market as it is analogous to share. Only the stock broker's commission is required after purchasing them. The management procedure of ETFs is equivalent to a mutual fund but the perplexing paper work and unfair expenses are not mandatory.

But there are cost as well as management fee on the ETFs that dwindles the value of the shares.

3. Gold Mining Companies

You can purchase the public shares of the conventional gold mining companies. If you are interested in investing in gold then buy these shares. The Gold bullion price is directly proportionate to the value of the gold mining share price. So, with the rise in the price of the gold bullion it will boost the value of the shares.

4. Opt for a gold account with banks

You can open a gold account if you are planning to invest in gold. Your private banks and commodity brokers can give you the required information on it.

5. Gold certificates

Investing in gold certificates can be a feasible option for you. The gold certificates will help you to buy a limited amount of gold every month. You can opt for certificates or a gold accumulation plan for trading in gold. Gold accumulation plan guides you to acquire a set amount of gold monthly, as per the average market rate.

Related articles

• Gold & Silver Bullion: Insurance, Not Investment (bargaineering.com)
• US Government Produced Gold Bullion Coins For Retirees (your-story.org)
• Gold-plated retirement plans (telegraph.co.uk)
• Ten ways to invest in gold (telegraph.co.uk)
• Investing in gold: Is it worth it? (billshrink.com)

Traders are often lured to into the futures markets with a fascination for day trading. The thought of trading leveraged contracts without overnight risk is appealing to many, but underestimated by most. As a retail broker I have had the pleasure, and the pain, of watching day traders attempt to profit through strategies ranging from scalping to "position" intra-day trading which spans several hours. My observations have led me to the conclusion that day trading is perhaps one of the most difficult strategies to successfully employ. However, for those that have the perseverance to dedicate themselves to the practice, contain the natural ability to eliminate emotions and have enough experience under their belt day trading may also be one of the most potentially lucrative forms of market speculation.

The term day trading can be used to describe an unlimited number of strategies and approaches that involve buying and selling a contract in the same trading session. Many are system based, meaning that trading signals are executed according to specific technical set ups; others incorporate a trader's instinct along with the technical guidance. The approach that you take in the markets should be dependent on your personality and risk tolerances and not necessarily what has worked for somebody else. Let's face it; there are only about twenty to thirty commonly used oscillators if there were absolute magic to any of them more people would have discovered the holy grail. Rather than expecting an indicator or an oscillator to do the work for you, I believe it to be more productive that you properly educate yourself to the risks and the rewards of the markets as well as some of the less technical, and thus less talked about, aspects of day trading.

Day Trading is Mental

I believe that becoming a successful day trader comes down to instinct and the ability to control emotion. If you have ever been involved in athletics, you have probably heard the adage that performance is 95% mental and only 5% physical. I have found this to be true in trading as well, although instead of being physical trading is technical. Quite simply, it isn't which oscillators or indicators that you use, it is how you use them and perhaps more importantly how you deal with fear and greed as you are charting your trades. Here are a few day trading tips that may aid in the mental preparation of day trading.

Know the "Vol" and Accept the Consequences

You often hear traders talk about their need for volatility. It is a common perception among the trading community that higher volatility is equivalent to higher opportunity and therefore profit potential. Call me a "girl", but I happen to be a contrarian when it comes to this point of view. Sure, if the markets are moving there is an increased chance for you to catch a large move and make history in your trading account. However, there is another side to the story; let's not forget that if the market goes against your position you could be put in an agonizing position. Also, if you are a trader that insists on using stop orders, increased levels of volatility translates into amplified odds of being stopped out prematurely.

I am not suggesting that you avoid markets during times of explosive trade; however, you must fully understand the consequences and be willing to accept the risk accordingly.

In my opinion, the most convenient way of measuring volatility is through the use of Bollinger Bands. The bands allow a trader to visualize the explosion and contraction of volatility with similar movements in the bands. Simply put, as the bands get wider the volatility and market risk is also on the rise. Conversely, tighter bands suggest relatively lower levels of volatility. Please note that I didn't say lower levels of risk; this was intentional.
Figure 1: Traders can visualize market volatility through the use of Bollinger Bands. It is a good idea to do so on a daily chart to get the big picture of market volatility.

Narrow bands indicate that market volatility is relatively low, but if the contraction is excessive enough it may signal an extraordinary spike in price is imminent. Markets go through times of quiet trade but are often followed by large and sudden increases in instability. As you can imagine, being in the market at such times could be similar to winning the lottery or they could mean financial peril. Before executing a trade in a fast moving market, or one that is trading quietly, you must be aware and willing to accept the risk accordingly. Being conscious of all of the potential outcomes of your trade may prevent panic liquidation or the infamous deer in the headlights failure to act.

Trader's Tool Box

Technology has provided traders with an abundance of readily available information at their fingertips. Accordingly, I strongly believe that traders should properly understand and utilize the resources available to them. It doesn't make sense to pick a single indicator or oscillator and expect it to tell you the whole story; instead it should be viewed as a piece to the puzzle. With that said, it can often be counterproductive to bog yourself down with too much information or guidance; this is often referred to as analysis paralysis.

In my opinion, it is a good idea to pick three or four tools that fit your needs and personality. For example, if you are an aggressive trader with a high tolerance for risk you may opt for a quick oscillator such as the Fast Stochastics. If you are a slower paced individual, the MACD may better suit your needs as it is a much slower moving indication of trend reversals.

It is important to note that after you have entered a trade you shouldn't change the oscillator that you are watching simply because the original isn't telling you what you want to hear, or in this case see. This can be a tempting practice for traders that are caught in an adversely moving market and are in search of a reason to stay in the trade for fear of taking a loss.

Mental "Stop Loss"

As you are probably aware, a stop order (AKA stop loss) is an order requesting to be filled at the market should the named price be hit. A trader long a futures contract may place and stop order below the futures price to mitigate the risk of an adverse price move. Likewise a trader holding a short futures position may place a buy stop above the current market price as a risk management tool against a possible rally. Once executed, the trader would be flat the market at or near the named price.

Most traders or trading mentors will tell you that you should always use stops; I am not most. I argue that experienced and disciplined traders may be better off without the use of live stop orders and believe that mental stops may be a better alternative. Supporting my assumption is the theory that the dollar amount of the risk on any given trade is conceivably higher through the use of mental stops as opposed to actual working stop orders but the risk in the long rung may be less through the reduction of untimely exits.

The concept of a mental stop is simply picking out a price level at which it is fair to say that your position may have been an incorrect speculation and manually exiting the market once your pre determined price is hit. Using mental stops as opposed to placing an actual stop loss order may prevent the natural ebb and flow of the market from stopping you out at what ultimately becomes premature.

I am sure that you have all fallen victim to the stop order that was triggered to exit your trade only moments before the market reversed course and left you behind. Not only is this a frustrating place to be, but it often has an adverse impact on trading psychology going forward. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be uncommon for inexperienced traders to behave somewhat recklessly in an attempt to get their money back from the very market that took it from them. It is easy to give in to this mentality, but doing so will almost always end negatively.

IRA stands for Individual Retirements Accounts. Selecting the right kind of investment option for IRA has always been a matter of concern among people. Some of the commonly available investment options for IRAs are bond investments, stock investments, security investments and other similar options. However, investing your IRA in precious metals is considered as one of the most lucrative options available today.

There are a huge number of investment options available in the market, so that it becomes impossible to evaluate each of them and select the best one. It won't be easy for a beginner to obtain all the information at first. In such cases, he can make use of various websites and companies which offer help in gold investment. One would find a large number of companies which offers various IRA investment schemes, but it is extremely important to select your company carefully.

Business gurus have always suggested diversifying your investment options. In simple terms, never invest all your money is a single venture, no matter how fool proof they may sound. But, with the advent of precious metals investment, this ideology is gradually changing. These precious metals include Gold, Palladium, Silver and Platinum.

Gold has been considered as a very versatile commodity right through the human history. Its various unique features have ascertained its supremacy over other commodities. The huge reserves of gold were often considered to be a status of power and authority among the kings and nobles. It is also being used as a currency for international trade. It has maintained its value all these years and therefore considering it as an investment is definitely a wise choice.

Even amidst these tough times of recession, the gold investment sector has stood out as an excellent investment option. This has made people all the more attracted to this safe investment sector. Transparency is a major factor that drives people to this field. The fluctuating gold prices are made available to the customers in a timely manner.

IRA investment in precious metals has a unique advantage. You do not have to safeguard the precious metals personally; rather the money will be invested in these metals for you. This ensures that you are devoid of the risks involved in keeping these precious metals in your possession. Before investing in these precious metals, one should carefully check the quality of the respective metal. Bars and coins of these precious metals are available and the investor can choose them according to their liking.

Various researches have been conducted recently to compare the effectiveness of various investment ventures and the IRA investment in precious metals has secured top position. One of the major priorities while purchasing any commodity is the reputation of the respective dealer. When purchasing precious metals, this becomes all the more important. Dealers who have a longer history of service are obviously the better choice.

The Superior Gold Group is an industry leader in the precious metals investment industry.

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When it comes to offshore investing, Americans are usually at a disadvantage to most other nationalities. Even while living overseas they are still not able to escape the grasp of "Uncle Sam". Most offshore investment products offer no tax advantages, in fact they are likely to increase your tax accounts bill from all the extra paperwork he is going to have to do. There is however one investment product that will allow you to invest offshore and at the same time stay on good terms with the IRS. That product is the Offshore Deferred Variable Annuity.

Like its onshore cousin, the Offshore Deferred Variable Annuity allows money that you have saved for your retirement to grow tax free. There are however a few key differences.

Greater Investment Choices

With the onshore variety you are usually limited to a very narrow range of mutual funds. With the Offshore variety you can hold a much wider variety of assets. These can include Stocks, Bonds, Mutual Funds, Hedge Funds and Commodity Certificates as long as you maintain sufficient diversification to meet OID rules.

Real Creditor Protection

Most states in the US only offer limited protection for Deferred Variable Annuities. With the Offshore DVA the creditor would be faced with the challenge of going to court in an offshore jurisdiction that is a lot less friendly to claims by creditors.

Capital Guarantees

The Offshore DVA's that we recommend are covered by Isle of Man depositor protection that Guarantees you a minimum of 90% of your assets, in the unlikely event that the Insurer should become insolvent.

Beneficiaries

Should you die before you have received full value from your Annuity the residual value will be paid to your beneficiaries. With the onshore variety this is usually retained by the Insurance company.

Advantage Over Other Offshore Schemes

Because this qualifies as a 403B scheme, non periodic withdrawals taken prior to the annuity start date will be treated as income less the percentage of assets within the plan that make up the original investment. For example if you invested $250,000 in your offshore DVA and the plan was now worth $500,000, and you decided to withdraw $50,000 then the taxable portion as income would be $25,000. If this was done through a non qualifying plan such as a Portfolio Bond everything larger than your original investment would be considered the first money to come out and would be subject to full taxation as income.

Like the onshore variety you should in most cases only contribute to an Offshore DVA if you have fully used up your IRA contributions or other tax deductable opportunities. But having said that, if you are an American Taxpayer purely because of your Green Card or are an American Citizen who intends to retire abroad, then you should definitely consider the advantages offered. You can contribute by way of cash or doing a tax free rollover of your onshore DVA, Roth IRA, non ERISA Pension Plan or Offshore Portfolio Bond.

To find out more please feel free to contact me.

The Wealth Manager

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Israel, there is good news and bad news.

The good news - and it is huge - is that Israel will soon be awash in natural gas. Gas discovered on the country's outer continental shelf will turn the country from being hydrocarbon-deprived to being a net exporter.

Indeed, Israel is set to become so rich that it is laying the groundwork for creating a sovereign wealth fund for overseas investments in order to protect the country from inflation and the shekel from getting too strong.

The bad news is that with Hezbollah poised to control Lebanon's government, Iran has de facto arrived on Israel's northern border. Even without an Iranian nuclear weapon, this is a grave deterioration in Israel's security.

Already Lebanon has asked the United Nations to guarantee that Israel does not violate the integrity of Lebanon's outer continental shelf, where Iran plans to help Lebanon drill for gas.

Geology is about to change the political geography of the world's most combustible neighborhood.

The two huge gas discoveries are in the Tamar and Leviathan fields. Taken together, the gas reserves are estimated at 26 trillion cubic feet or 10 times larger than Britain's North Sea discoveries.

Since its creation in 1948, Israel has drilled on land for oil and gas with very little success. While the Arab Gulf countries have found and produced massive quantities of oil and gas, Israel has scrounged in the international markets for its hydrocarbons, including coal.

Israel's isolation made this difficult and expensive. In recent years, it has bought gas from Egypt. But Egypt will lose its good customer.

Patrick Cox, CEO of TaxMasters, Gives Tips on Some Common Taxpayer Mistakes That Can Lead to IRS Audits

HOUSTON, Feb. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As we enter yet another tax season, many individual taxpayers and small business owners share fears about being audited by the IRS, often fueled by misconceptions concerning the audit process and a lack of information about how to avoid being selected for an audit. While audit regulations can be complicated, there are specific steps you can take to stay off the IRS's radar, according to Patrick Cox, CEO of TaxMasters.

According to Cox, "There is an increased chance of being audited by the IRS when taxpayers take aggressive deductions such as those for unreimbursed employee business expenses, large charitable deductions compared to income or large medical deductions compared to income. Unnecessary and untimely deductions for losses on a business or large losses claimed in one year compared to income from other sources can also raise red flags."

Cox added, "Other common deductions the IRS looks for are businesses with high mileage expenses, high meals and entertainment expenses and other large expenses compared to income for things like repairs, maintenance and supplies."

In fiscal year 2010, the IRS attempted to collect overdue tax liabilities from no fewer than 4.3 million taxpayers. With the effectiveness of aggressive IRS collections actions being called into question, the IRS may be forced to find additional revenue using other strategies. The IRS has increasingly used correspondence examinations, which are adjustments to a taxpayer's liability communicated by mail through an IRS notice, to effectively increase collections without all the drama and inefficiency of a field audit or desk audit.

So what's the lesson? If a taxpayer has any monsters hiding in his or her tax closet, the time to stop feeding that monster is now. The IRS may be slow to act, but when it does decide to pursue something, the agency does so with unrelenting vigor. Just ask Wesley Snipes, who wound up in prison years after failing to file only three tax returns.

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The headline reads "Undiscovered master piece sells for millions at Auction". The family was overjoyed to discover that a picture that had hung on their grandfather's wall for years attracted a six figure price at auction. Grandson and heir said "The whole family knew he collected odds and ends but we never envisaged it would amount to anything."

Ok the above is fiction, but it's what's at the back of the majority of collector's minds, especially those who collect art. Buy it cheap and sell it for squillions. Just don't rely on it as your retirement fund. In many respects it is a lottery, your betting your collection decision against that fickle beast, public opinion. The beauty of the art collecting lottery is you can hang the ticket on your wall. A win, win situation, your wall decorations are working for you and all your friends can admire your taste.

Now that can be scary, because 90 out of 100 people know damn all about art. If it isn't chocolate box pretty it isn't art, right. Wrong, have a look at the masters of art in your local museum or better still here on the internet and see how many pretty pictures you can find. Look at Picasso, Gauguin, Pollock, Matisse, Cezanne or Van Gogh to mention a few.

It's Ok, I'll wait.

Not much prettiness there. What is there is life, both the depiction of it and in the picture itself. There is an energy that radiates from art and if you allow it that energy will take you places you have never been before. But be prepared, it will confront you, it will challenge you, it is opinionated and isn't afraid to speak its mind, it is prepared to stand up and be counted, it is art.

Some easy to follow indicators of a bad offshore centre, read this article to learn more about offshore investing.

• Check whether the country has a trouble-free history and a secure society. Countries with a history of civil war, military coups and civil unrest are deninitely not right for banking or investment purposes.
• Steer clear of banana republics! Look at the human rights recored of the government. A government with a high regard for its domestic population is likely to regard you equally highly. A goverment that treats its citizens like cattle - to be reared, milked and slaughtered - is likely to land you in a situation where your private wealth and capital has become government-owned wealth and capital!
• Keep and eye out on the coverage, your offshore centre receives in the international press. Countries and regions rarely become hotspots overnight. Keep abreast of events and the socio-poitical climate.
• Offshore is no different to onshore in the sense that both will attract sharks who are only too willing to separate the unwitting and the ignorant from their hard-earned cash. Generally, the individuals who get stung are thoe who haven't done their homework. Offshore tax minimisation is perfectly legal and should play an important part in your financial planning. Investing offshore doesn't involve breaking any laws. What's important is that tax evastion is not legitimate tax minimisation. It involves wilfully failing to ovserve a law in order to evade taxes, which otherwise have to be paid. Do not evade taxes - or you'll end up in very hot water!

Additional benefits of investing offshore:

Tax minimisation is not the only advantage to adding an offshore element to your investment porfolio. It is a form of diversification, and means your capital is protected against fluctuations in the economy. Nobody can predict the market's health tomorrow. A serious downturn in the South African market performance could significantly reduce your worth, literally overnight. The assets you hold offshore are free from the effects of events in South Africa.

Bottom line: Just remember, as with any investment - you cannot control how an offshore investment performs Never invest more than you can afford.

Arnold Jansen is an article writer. Potchefstrooom is a city in South Africa. Not only does this author specialize on certain topics, you can also check out the latest business website Potchefstroom and Potchefstroom Accommodation

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How to Rationally Invest in Gold

Here are some basic tips and advice for investing in gold coins, so you can learn to make the right, rational decisions when it comes to your yellow precious metals.

If you are going to get the most out of your gold buying experience, then you have to make sure that you invest in the right gold products. Many people make the decision that they want to jump on the gold bandwagon, but they never really take the time to pinpoint how they want to get involved. What ends up happening is that these people make an ill-advised purchase and then they end up with a gold product that they just are not happy with. So how should you invest in gold? This obviously depends upon your investment goals and needs, but there are some general rules to live by in the gold investing world.

Considering coins first
Most people who choose gold are doing so as a small part of their overall portfolio. They have other investments in stocks, small caps, mutual funds, bonds, and everything else that you can think of. In this way, gold is more of a way to complete their investment portfolio than anything else. For these individuals gold coins are a good place to start. The nice thing about coins is that you know that they're real. You have them in your hand and you can store them in your personal safe. If all else fails and the markets crash, you will still have something tangible to hold onto. Though extreme circumstances like that should never come into play, it's nice to know that you have some surety.

Buying into bullion
In one form or another, gold bullion is becoming a staple of the gold investment world. There are lots of people who refuse to invest in anything else, mostly because they enjoy the security that they get with bullion. You can buy bars of gold bullion and you will know that these bars are completely pure in nature. What this means is that you will not have to worry about the quality or the purity of your investment. It will be certified, pure gold, that will retain its value as long as gold holds its value. For those folks with a little bit more room to spare, investing in bars of gold bullion can be a good idea.

Don't overlook gold mining stocks
While much of the value of investing in gold is tied up in the physical, tangible nature of the holdings, you should not overlook the gold stocks that are out on the market today. Too many people take the mindset that it's "coins or bust". When you do this, you are not looking at the total number of opportunities and you are selling the market short. Blue chip gold mining stocks provide investors with the type of market control that they look for in great stocks. On the flip side of this, the small, exploratory mining stocks have a lot of power in terms of growth potential. These companies are generally run well and there is always the chance that they could be bought out. These are powerful stock attributes.

Taking these gold tips to heart will allow individual investors to meet their goals when investing in gold. With so many different options out there, you owe it to yourself to look at your own portfolio and figure out where it has holes. Gold can fill those holes, either by providing you with a high-growth option or providing you with the type of tangible, steady growth investment that you have been looking for. In either case, it's important to understand all that is out there, so that you can make an informed decision at the very least.

By Shaun Connell

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There are three basic reasons why investing offshore is typically better than investment in an individual's country of origin. These reasons are a higher rate of return on investment, lower taxation, and less paperwork

Offshore investments typically provide a higher rate of return on investment, lower overall taxation, and less cumbersome regulation than investment in an individual's or corporation's country of origin. These are the basic three reasons why offshore investments commonly outperform investments in a person's homeland. However, there are a lot more advantages to investing offshore.

There is a tendency for government and the law to become complicated. There is also precious little tendency for governments to review laws, tax codes, and the like with the purpose of making them simpler and fairer. Thus prosperous nations find themselves bogged down in the red tape of government. Businesspeople in these nations find themselves subsidizing government programs meant to pay off special interest groups. It is this situation of continual complication of living and doing business that provides an opportunity for nations offshore. It is because of the increasing difficulty in doing business and attending the personal matters that leads individuals and corporations to set up businesses offshore, bank offshore, move money into offshore trusts, or set up foundations for asset protection and privacy away from prying eyes.

In a broad sense offshore investment is keeping money in a jurisdiction other than an individual's or corporation's country or origin and, typically, country of residence. It can be as simple as setting up an offshore bank account in a nation where interest rates are favorable and the jurisdiction is tax advantaged. Investment can, obviously, go farther with investment in offshore business opportunities or even setting up business for oneself. To the extent that the individual or corporation wishes to take full advantage of many of the asset protection aspects and privacy aspects of offshore legal vehicles an investor may choose to set up a legal structure incorporating these features in order to guard investment gains. This having been said let's look at the three primary reasons for why it is better to invest offshore.

Higher Rate of Return on Investment Offshore

It is fairly common to see higher interest rates in offshore banks than in ones country of origin. Many parts of the planet are growing their economies faster than Europe, North America, and Japan. Businesses in these countries need capital and are willing and able to pay for it. Because many solid businesses are located in "third world" countries they often find it hard to raise capital and commonly pay a premium. Thus a bank will lend at higher rates and, typically, pay higher interest rates to depositors to attract needed capital. The rate of business expansion in parts of Latin America, such as Panama where the recession never happened, or the second tier nations of Asia who are leading the world out of the recession is such than businesses need to "offshore" from their nations for capital or pay higher interest rates to attract money. This results in the same attractive investment opportunity offshore, simply by banking money where interest rates can be higher.

Following our introduction to QNUPS, we examine the critical considerations you need to keep in mind when assessing whether a Qualifying Non-UK Pension Scheme is the right offshore and expatiate pension solution Lee Byers.

As discussed in our earlier report Lee Byers's Independent Guide to QNUPS, Qualifying Non-UK Pension Schemes are potentially highly tax efficient schemes suitable for expatriates and high net worth individuals. However, the legislation defining them has been open to loose and perhaps misleading interpretation to date, which is why we feel we need to impart some critical information about these schemes to you, should you be considering them as an offshore pension solution.

QNUPS's benefits should be looked at in light of QROPS (Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Schemes) benefits. What's more, because the legislation that introduced QNUPS has shown itself to be open to broader and perhaps more favourable interpretation that HM Revenue and Customs intended, it's highly likely that amendments and alterations to the rules will come. This means that one needs to tread carefully when assessing whether QNUPS are the right solution.

In this report we will explain why qualified and approved advice must be sought before you take any QNUPS-type action with your 'frozen' onshore UK pension or your already transferred or established QROPS solution.

Why You Must Seek Advice
In many cases, expatriates and people soon leaving the UK as well as those planning a retirement abroad find that QROPS can be significantly beneficial to them, especially when chosen with careful and expert guidance. Therefore, it follows that the same individuals would be wise to seek further advice about QNUPS too. However, any advice given needs to take into account the fact that each individual has a unique financial situation requiring personalised guidance - with some individuals also seeking and needing appropriate advice relating to their other financial assets and liabilities in order for the QNUPS advice given to be totally appropriate to them. Advice should only be taken from advisers who are qualified, professional, independent and approved for the provision of QNUPS information - and one should be prepared to question and test advice given that appears to follow the most favourable line of interpretation of these new schemes. This is because it is unlikely HMRC introduced the legislation to allow for anyone to transfer all assets - onshore and offshore - into a QNUPS and escape all forms of inheritance or death taxation - yet this is how some advisories are choosing to interpret HM Revenue and Customs guidelines!

Like death and taxes, the price of oil is always with us. And like taxes, it may be President Barack Obama's worst nightmare at election time next year.

Among forecasters, there is a sharp division between those who see an inexorable rise in the price of oil and those who believe it will stabilize about where it is now.

The hawks see gasoline streaking ahead to $4-a-gallon this year and $5-a-gallon in 2012.

Others say demand will collapse and it won't go that high. The Energy Information Administration is very conservative in its forecasts and it gives very high prices only a 10-percent chance of coming about.

Adding to the confusion is a nasty little spat between the International Energy Agency in Paris and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries over price, inventory and what OPEC calls "technical factors," such as pipelines down for repair or the loss of the Deep Water Horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico last year. IEA is saying that OPEC is keeping its production quotas low to jack up the price-currently just over $90 a barrel and the highest grade Brent crude from the North Sea as high as $99 a barrel-and it is endangering the global recovery with its actions.

But OPEC Secretary General Abdalla Salem el-Badri has taken issue with the IEA for roiling the markets with weak data and speculation. "Supplying the world's media with unrealistic assumptions and forecasts will serve only to confuse matters and create unnecessary fear in the markets," he said.

OPEC, which drastically cut back its targets for production in 2008 with the collapse of the global economy, has, in fact, increased its production by 2.3 million barrels a day while formally not changing its declared targets. OPEC controls about 42 percent of the world's oil production.