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• Watching California: The National Yard Sale Begins

  By Scott Burns SAN DIEGO. “License to Chill” glides by a wonderful sight in San Diego harbor. Hundreds of sea lions, basking at leisure, occupy their own private resort, a long dock that is anchored out in the harbor. Respectful pelicans, cormorants and... Posted Oct 22 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with no comments Filed under: Taxes & Other Disasters, Government, Mortgages, ScottQA

• How History Is Likely To See Our Financial Crisis

  By Scott Burns Presidential candidate Barack Obama speaks with a broad brush. He explains the current crisis with typical overgeneralization. It is, he says, the result of “eight years of failed Republican policies.” Republicans take the opposite tack... Posted Oct 15 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: Taxes & Other Disasters, Government, ScottQA

• Promises, Promises, Promises

  By Scott Burns and Laurence J. Kotlikoff Here's your quiz question for the day: Who is the biggest liar of them all? The answer will surprise you and, yes, you're allowed to consult your daily newspaper or favorite Web sites. Gird yourself. You... Posted Sep 26 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with 5 comment(s) Filed under: Taxes & Other Disasters, Government

• Reading the New Map

  By Scott Burns It takes a lot of smoke and rubble to make things clear, but this week brought crystal clarity to a new level. Wall Street bet the ranch. Wall Street lost the ranch. As we see the household names crumble and fall, the landscape of American... Posted Sep 19 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with 5 comment(s) Filed under: Taxes & Other Disasters, Government

• Meet the Diabolical Tax, the Alternative Minimum Tax for the Retired

  By Scott Burns Q. What triggers taxation of Social Security benefits and what does not? Can the tax be avoided? ---L.M, by email A. The only proven way to avoid the tax is to have little or no income beyond Social Security benefits. I call this the Diabolical... Posted Aug 06 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: Q&A (from print), Taxes & Other Disasters, Government

• The Rush for Safety Has Reduced Yields

  By Scott Burns Q. Would you give us retirees your view as to the safest place for our hard-earned savings while we are having bank failures? ---H.V., by email (one of many asking the same question) A. For most people, the $100,000 FDIC insurance limit... Posted Jul 30 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with no comments Filed under: Retirement, Taxes & Other Disasters, Government

• Ending Insider Rating and the Credit Crisis

  By Scott Burns and Laurence J. Kotlikoff "... let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself -- nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance." -- President... Posted Mar 28 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with 5 comment(s) Filed under: Burns at Large, Taxes & Other Disasters, Government

• Magic in Finance, Part 4: Government, The Big Magician

  by Scott Burns When it comes to financial magic, the government of the United States takes the prize. Sleights of hand and clever distractions by purveyors of line-of-credit mortgages, living-benefit variable annuities and equity-indexed life insurance... Posted Nov 16 2007, 03:00 PM by admin with | with 3 comment(s) Filed under: Taxes & Other Disasters, Government

• The Darkest Horse

  MANCHESTER, N.H. -- The road to Saint Anselm College is marked with long Burma Shave strands of political placards. The name I see most is Biden. But all the Democratic Party candidates for president will be there. A two-hour debate between candidates... Posted Jun 09 2007, 11:00 PM by scottb with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: Taxes & Other Disasters, Government

• Who Will Get Your Employer's 401(K) Contributions?

  Today's Rude Opinion Poll: Which description best characterizes our elected representatives in Washington, regardless of party affiliation? They are hapless boobs, constantly passing laws that contradict each other. They are scheming miscreants, relentlessly... Posted May 27 2007, 12:00 AM by scottb with | with 26 comment(s) Filed under: Retirement, Social Security, Taxes & Other Disasters, Government

• April 15th and the Rising Price Of Civilization

  Thanks to a good accountant, the Burns family tax return was ready a week before deadline this year. Proud of ourselves, my wife and I signed it. Then we contemplated its enormity. While far shorter than "War and Peace," the heft of our 40-page return... Posted Apr 21 2007, 06:00 PM by scottb with | with 9 comment(s) Filed under: Taxes & Other Disasters, Government

• A Flat Tax, with bumps and potholes

  We already have a flat tax. It just has bumps and potholes. The fact that neither political party will acknowledge this is one of the reasons both parties are a useless disservice to the voting public. Instead, both parties have a vested interest in the... Posted Jan 27 2007, 06:00 PM by scottb with | with 24 comment(s) Filed under: Taxes & Other Disasters, Government

• It's All about What We Spend

  Q. I have often heard that a couple should plan on replacing 70 to 85 percent of pre-retirement income in retirement. I have questioned that guidance because I believe it is more important to replace expenses than it is to replace income. Of my current... Posted Oct 25 2006, 06:00 PM by scottb with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Taxes & Other Disasters, Government

• Why Do You Favor the Fair Tax?

  C.C. in Houston writes to say there is nothing fair about the Fair Tax plan for a single flat sales tax. He quotes a letter from another concerned citizen to the editor of the Houston Chronicle. "The so-called Fair Tax scheme is a blatant attempt by the... Posted Oct 18 2006, 06:00 PM by scottb with | with 29 comment(s) Filed under: Taxes & Other Disasters, Government

• Taxes: Government's Way of Telling You not to Work

  Q. I am in the top tax bracket and contribute the max to my 401k. The phase out rules and limitations of Roth IRAs close that option. I am trying to decide whether a low-cost Fidelity annuity is better than investing in a tax efficient mutual fund. Is... Posted Aug 17 2006, 03:38 PM by scottb with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Q&A (from print), Taxes & Other Disasters, Government