| 25 ways to make a profit in 2008
It is easy to scoff at such pointers but it does chime with many experts’ fears. The consensus view is that the Footsie will end just 1% higher at 6,550, according to a poll of analysts by The Sunday Times. There’s no need to despair, though, as there are always ways to beat the market.We asked some of the nation’s top fund managers, analysts and advisers where they would invest to beat the market. Whether you are cautious or feeling brave, you’ll find more than a few ideas to help you profit in 2008. THE GUNG-HO INVESTOR If you like big risks, these are the tips our panel think will make the biggest returns. They are highly speculative and you should only invest what you can afford to lose. 1 Bullish on Russia The Russian market is turning out to be many analysts’ top pick.
Use trusts to avoid nursing home costs
Q: One of my friends lives in a nursing home. Her children are worried the nursing home will take their mother's home to pay for her care. This gets me thinking about my home. What are my options to ensure my children -- and not the nursing home -- get my home after I pass away? A: Medicaid spends about $8,000 per month for a resident's long-term care, so you're wise to investigate your options to protect your home. By transferring your home to a Medicaid avoidance trust, you can place the home beyond the reach of Medicaid's cost recovery program. How does that work? As my readers know, a trust is nothing more than a "rule book" governing the manner in which you own an asset. So, rather than owning the home outright, you own it subject to the rules of the trust. You are the trustee and beneficiary during your lifetime.
Inflation a major policy challenge for GCC
What is really needed is a package of measures to check inflation and resolve the problem, which has started to put pressure on the domestic economy," said the ADCCI. According to the Merill Lynch report, high inflation poses a major medium-term challenge to the sustainability of the GCC's business model and needs to be addressed in a "more credible way". "The region's strategy of diversifying away from an oil-dependent economy is well grounded, given the painful swings in the past, along with oil and gas prices. However, resources are still scarce in terms of human capital and physical absorptive capacity is limited," Merill Lynch said. Earlier this week, Ziad Dabbas, a consultant at National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) told Emirates Business that the rent cap will help but is "not a complete solution".
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