How to Protect Your Money from a Falling U.S. Dollar  

By Carina Oghoorian, ACap Asset Management, Inc.
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If the Federal Reserve has its way, the U.S. will experience rapid inflation in the coming months/years. The Fed believes it's easier to tame inflation rather than try and control the consequences of deflation. Historically low interest rates, quantitative easing 1 and 2, and a firm commitment to keep interest rates low for an extended period are all fuel for inflation, and a subsequent debasing of the U.S. dollar. While a weak U.S. dollar helps manage America's burgeoning trade deficit and benefits American exporters, it makes foreign goods more expensive. Although inflation is perceived as negative, investors should know that moderate inflation is actually healthy for the economy. The alternative is deflation - prices decline and consumers put off buying goods in anticipation of lower prices.  Japan experienced a devastating bout of deflation in the 1990s.

So, what can you do to help protect your portfolio from a falling dollar and growing inflation? While there are many ways to hedge against a weakening dollar and inflation, here are three things you can do now to profit from the dollar's decline.  

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Buying Foreclosures:  Are They Bargains or Headaches

By Dale McGeehon, Sales Associate, Realty Force, Inc.

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A perception many buyers have is that foreclosures are a better deal than regular sales.

While this may be true in some cases, I've found that in the long run they are not that much of a bargain.

Don't get me wrong, there are bargains (by that, I mean houses that will have instant equity) out there in foreclosures. But I think you have to look harder and longer for them than you would if you bought non-foreclosures, and then you have to move fast to get your offer accepted because the competition is pretty fierce, at least where I am in the DC suburbs of Maryland.

In almost every case, a foreclosure is going to need some work. The previous owners were in financial distress and may not have had the money to perform general and routine maintenance on the house for months before it went to foreclosure. The house could have sat vacant for months after the owners moved out. Empty houses are susceptible to break-ins, mold and damage from storms.

Often, when banks take over ownership, they remove all possessions from the previous owners left in the home-clothes, food, furniture, etc.-to make the home as empty as possible. And they may turn off the water supply, drain the pipes and shut off water valves inside to prevent any pipes from bursting in the winter.

But they usually do not make any repairs to the house, and they usually sell the house "as is," neither providing any disclosures as to the condition of the property nor showing any willingness to provide any financial credits to help the buyers make any repairs. (This is different from regular sales, in which case the sellers may agree to make a repair for a defect found during the buyer's inspection, or offer a subsidy that helps in the repair cost.)

But I've seen some foreclosures in which banks will made repairs. One lender had a four-year-old townhouse on the market and was telling buyers that it was planning on replacing a stained carpet that was damaged from a burst water pipe.

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The Unanswered Question 

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The other day I was at the gym trying to ward off the ill effects of my sedentary lifestyle, when a commercial came up on the TV screen of my elliptical trainer. What struck me was they were promising the closest thing to a brain transplant for people who trade their own brokerage account. As a matter of fact they said "it's here...It thinks like a trader."

The brokerage firm in question, which shall remain anonymous, claimed that their intuitive trading software "simplifies advanced trading. In fact, it almost anticipates your next move. So you can focus on the market-not on your platform."

I find these types of commercials to be deleterious to the public's financial health on several levels. They seem to imply that the reason you may not be making money is that you are using the wrong software. Does anyone really believe that? In this commercial they seem to be using "real people" or actors that are very good at impersonating "real people;" so this lends an air of credibility to their pitch.

The fact of the matter is that it is generally quite hard to make money consistently in the market. Anyone can get lucky from time to time. Stock tips can pay off occasionally. A major disservice this ad does to the public is that it encourages people to trade. In fact they offer up to six months of trades commission-free. To a certain segment of the population this sounds like a deal. Research tells a different story.

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Fetal Genetic Testing...A Moral Witches Brew

There is a kettle of moral soup brewing that promises to place some powerful and troubling tools into the hands of expectant parents around the globe.  Our first ingredient is the indisputable fact that there are plenty of people around the world who are eager to have boys rather than girls.  There is already a thriving cottage industry in countries like India and China using current fetal testing technology for sex selection.
 
Add a good pinch of scientific progress in identifying genetic predisposition for a growing variety of diseases.  Some of these diseases are gender specific like certain forms of muscular dystrophy or Rett Syndrome.  We can already determine if adults are prone to all kinds of medical conditions and diseases.  What if a doc could tell you if your 7 week old fetus might develop exotic forms of cancer, Down syndrome, sickle cell anemia, or even Alzheimer's?  Well, let's add the rest of the ingredients to the pot before we draw any conclusions.

Rather than a dash of oregano from our spice rack let's reach for the bottle of little blue pills.  We are rapidly reaching a point where ending an unwanted pregnancy will not require a trip to the abortion clinic.  Give scientists a few more years and a mom to be can go on Ebay and order up an abortion in a bottle delivered in a discrete brown paper package.  

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Great Places to Retire:  Some of the Most Livable Places in America

By Jerry H. Biese Genworth Life Insurance Company   

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When you imagine your retirement, do you picture yourself trying a new hobby, taking classes at a local university, or simply relaxing under the shade of a tree? There are many ways you can spend your golden years, and deciding where to live is an important decision. Consider what you're looking for in a neighborhood, as well as what type of lifestyle you want to have. Your retirement can be an opportunity to enjoy a well-deserved break and expand your horizons.

Here are three places that are earning recognition for their appeal to retirees.

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By Josh Mettle

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I recently worked with a Spinal Surgeon relocating to Utah who wanted to get a Physician Home Loan. After Medical School he was four years in residency and another couple years on an internship. Needless to say he had accumulated a few student loans along the way.  Unfortunately, somehow one of his student loan providers ceased sending him updates and applications for deferment and ended up sending him to collections...

He was distraught when I alerted him that his credit score was below the minimum threshold for Physician and Doctor home loan programs.  Luckily we were able to do a little credit magic and get the scores up high enough for an FHA mortgage; in the end he'll still get his home and an interest rate around 4.50%.

These things happen, what's important is to get going on your home loan application early, allowing as much time as possible to fix anything you are unaware of.  If you would like to increase your credit score in preparation for your next home purchase, use these Nine Credit Magic Tricks to get your scores higher.  It's short and sweet but gives you everything you need to know to get your credit score up in a hurry.  

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Another Look Down the Rabbit Hole  

By Michael O'Malley   

Here's great news from the welfare state.  With all the talk of deficit reduction and debt limits, more and more politicians are realizing that entitlements will have to be addressed.  And chief among those programs is Social Security.  

Current projections forecast that the Social Security Fund will begin passing out more money than it takes in by 2015 and by 2037 it will run out of cash.  Sooooo...there is quiet talk about raising the retirement age, changing the cap on taxable income, means testing and other proposals that are sure to get any politician who brings them up de-listed from the Washington social register.

But these musings are simply a quiet recognition that if there aren't changes made to entitlements our country will go broke (actually technically if it weren't for the fact that the government gets to print as much money as it wants we are already broke and 14 trillion bucks in the hole).

But even in the face of the looming catastrophe some liberals just can't keep from salivating in front of the cookie jar.  We simply cannot ignore the deserving poor they cry.  You know who they mean...that small group of folks made up of 50% of the population who don't pay any taxes at all.  

One proposal floating around would increase benefits for retirees after they have been on social security for 20 years. Yup, you heard me right...increase benefits.  More citizens are living past the age of 85 and are outliving their savings.  So of course, it is the government's responsibility (not the individual's or the family's) to save the day.  We can always channel benefits from the undeserving rich to fill the hole.    

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Independent Report Reveals What Wall Street Doesn't Want You to Know

By John Heck, Adagio Financial 

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I am sure it comes as no surprise to you that in my line of work I read a tremendous amount of independent research reports, economic news and industry laws and regulations. One of the most revealing independent research reports is the Quantitative Analysis of Investor Behavior (QAIB). The QAIB is released every March by Dalbar, Inc. Research & Communications Division and is a report I look forward to each year. 

Dalbar has released the QAIB report each year for the past 17 years. The report illustrates a wealth of information. For example:  

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