Thanksgiving. An American tradition. One that is supposed to make us consider what it is for which we are really thankful.
All posts by Roy A. Ackerman, Ph.D., E.A.
Are Voters Stupid?
I’ve written a little about the recent 2012 Elections in the US. And, I don’t want to make a practice of letting politics overtake this blog. But, this post is not really about partisanship.
Ignorantia juris non excusat
We all know this statement….Ignorance of the law is no excuse. It can also make you look rather foolish. One of my friends, Ann Sattley, writes a blog about these law foibles.
Bypass Surgery should not be by-passed!
Medical professionals have been opting to use stents over bypass surgery for a while. Not only because there are fewer risks to the patients, but because the costs (before insurance) are dramatically different. Should you not have insurance, you can expect the insertion of a stent to run you about $ 41K, but bypass surgery can run about $ 170K. Now, these are not your out-of-pocket costs, because there are negotiated rates for those covered by insurance, but you can bet that it still costs you more for bypass surgery, even with insurance.
2013 Tax Changes?
It’s that time of year again. Tax planning- which really should occur all year long, but so many of you love to wait until now. Which could be a little late, but let’s hope not too late.
Real Estate Mogul Wannabe- Part 2
I recently wrote (So you want to be a real estate mogul) about the “right way” to get involved in real estate investment. You’ll remember that I suggested that you set up a corporation to hold all these properties; the business of the corporation would be real estate management.
The Law of Unintended Circumstances
About 30 years ago, we were expanding our transportation company (which was related to our health care business) in California. And, given our philosophy of looking for folks who needed a helping hand, we hired two folks whom we trained to become truck drivers for our firm. They both worked 20 hours a week to start. Once they acquired enough hours to take the tractor-trailer license test (and passed), we began using them for 35 to 42 hours a week. When, all of a sudden, one of the drivers announced he was quitting.
Fiscal Cliff? Or Opportunity?
OK. I admit it. I don’t have a magic wand. Oh, I’ve wanted one- since I was much younger. To try to have the policies of this great nation of ours be similar to my choices. But, that never happened.
Wait- this really is cool!
I know. If I mention engineering, science, or economics, then your eyes glaze over. But, these things are important- it’s how we make things, how we solve problems, and how we run our companies and our country. (OK, the politicians are making those last two things a little problematic.)
First Meetings
It’s that time of year. The time when you are finally recognizing that your financial picture may not be in order. The time when you wonder what you can do to save on taxes. The time when you want to plan your activities for next year.