Archive for December 13th, 2009

Panama is developing rapidly as is its economy and tourism. With development come changes, some good and some not so great. Almost every visitor to the country dreams of buying a piece of paradise here. In fact Panama has been ranked high as one of the top places to settle after retirement. Whether you are considering Panama apartments as an investment or intend to live here; it is a very good decision. That said, it is important that you make this a decision with your head and not just your heart.

Buying real estate in the country is a great investment opportunity. Panama is growing well and expansion opportunities are many. Whether you decide to live in your apartment or rent it to tourists, it still makes good business sense. Continue reading ‘Panama Apartments’ »

Posted by Morgan on December 13, 2009 at 8:06 pm under Real-Estate.
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Just so everyone is clear, we’re talking here about a “reminder letter” or “follow-up” letter that a non-profit mails a few weeks after sending out a major appeal. The reminder letter is mailed only to donors who have not responded to the first appeal, and “reminds” them about the need discussed in the earlier mailing, and asks them to respond with a donation. We are not talking about the typical renewal series that member-based organizations mail to members to renew their membership. (“This is your final notice: Renew today!”)

Here are my observations about reminder letters:

  1. In all of my years writing fundraising letters for non-profits, I have written reminder letters for only one client.
  2. Mal Warwick (How to Write Successful Fundraising Letters, Revolution in the Mailbox), Stephen Hitchcock (Open Immediately!), Benjamin Hart (Fund your Cause with Direct Mail), Roland Kuniholm (Maximum Gifts by Return Mail) and other direct mail fundraising experts have little or nothing to say on the topic.
  3. Reminder letters are usually mailed by non-profit organizations that mail only once or twice a year. Any organization that mails six, eight or more times in any 12-month period could not send reminder letters because the reminders would arrive in mailboxes days before the next appeal.
  4. Reminder letters are most effective when the donor has a plausible deadline to meet, such as year-end or the conclusion of a capital or special campaign. Continue reading ‘Direct Mail Fundraising Letters – Should You Mail a Reminder Or Follow-Up Letter?’ »

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Posted by Morgan on December 13, 2009 at 4:46 pm under Fundraising.
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With so much uncertainty in today’s economy, it’s especially important to diversify your portfolio to reduce your risk and what better way than to invest in good mutual funds. While you shouldn’t expect instant riches overnight, even investing little amounts of money can go a long way towards your future.

If you do not want to concern yourself with the management of your portfolio, then investing in mutual funds is a great way to doing so as a majority of these are professionally managed. Depending on your risk level, there are many different categories of funds that invest in specific holdings. Continue reading ‘Good Mutual Funds – Tips to Choosing the Best Performing Mutual Funds’ »

Posted by Morgan on December 13, 2009 at 1:32 pm under Mutual-Funds.
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If you have a trustee for your IRA retirement account, be aware that many of them will not act as the trustee if there are unconventional investments involved. This includes self directed IRA for real estate. In this case, the IRA account owner will have to find their own trustee that will provide the services needed. It is possible to find a trustee online, but you should start by asking your CPA to see if there is someone they recommend. If you do look online, begin by searching for “self-directed IRAs.” This search will return a list of qualified trustees that can handle you account and any unconventional investments. Nonbank organizations are approved by the IRS and can act as a trustee for your account. Trustees that do handle real estate investments will also oversee all other investments, including stocks, mutual funds and bond. The fact that they also deal with real estate gives them an edge when competing for business. Most often, trustees will not handle an account that involves any unorthodox investments.

When you locate a trustee, consult with your CPA before taking any further steps. In addition to advising you on what is the best IRA, your CPA can perform a credibility check which will determine if your selected trustee is professional and financially stable. It is very important to have the right trustee handling your investments. The wrong trustee can place all of your assets at risk. Continue reading ‘IRA Investments – Trustee, Self-directed IRA & Self-Dealing’ »

Posted by Morgan on December 13, 2009 at 8:17 am under IRA-401k.
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