Customer Reviews

The Insured Portfolio: Your Gateway to Stress-Free Global Investments (Agora Series)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book presents some ideas on preserving your wealth by moving it off shore (It's all legal).

It's main focus is wealth preservation and not wealth creation.

Sure it talks about global investing through international fund investing, but it also recommends you spend $10,000 to get a legal opinion before going forward.

So if Spending ten grand is a worth while investment to ad a layer of protection to your investments, this book does present several options.

As for me, that kind of insurance would take years to make up..., even with above average yields.

Do you have a lotta money? Lotsa, lotsa money? And is it liquid? More than $5 million? If so, I have a book that could help you, The Insured Portfolio: Your Gateway to Stress-Free Global Investments (Agora Series).

There are risks that the rich want to avoid, or at least minimize:

Losses from lawsuits

Estate taxes

Income taxes

Lack of flight capital, if things go really bad

Inflation, or loss of purchasing power

Fear of US degeneration: Do you want leave the US, renounce your citizenship, and minimize/eliminate your tax liability in the process? It can be done, at least at present.

The first chapter describes the rise and decline of America. It is a bit harsh, but for one following demographic trends, it is accurate. So, why should you keep money in America, if things are so bad? (Uh, stable politics, relative freedom...)

The second chapter introduces international investing, because diversifying internationally offers greater possibilities for profit and capital preservation, given the greater tendency of the US to inflate the currency. To the authors, it is a panacea, and I find it somewhat unrealistic.

The third chapter goes into wills and trusts. How do you want to distribute your money after you die? How much control do you want until then?

The fourth chapter describes insurance policies that minimize taxation, while allowing for limited asset diversification. The strategies are pretty basic, I have seen better.

The fifth chapter goes into tax havens. Where can you minimize taxes and other costs best? I found this to be pretty boilerplate; if you pay attention, the tax havens are well-known, with their relative liabilities.

The final chapter tries to tie it all together, but it is all generalities, with little additional substance.

This book would be useful to someone who has prospered dramatically and has never considered wealth preservation. It gives a taste of all of the tools, but does not give enough to execute the tools on their own. You will have to hire bright experts to protect your wealth, but at least you will know what they are doing, and will be able to spot phonies.

Quibbles

I dislike Agora because of the doom-and-gloom outlook that they possess, but this book does not share in that flaw to any large degree. All of that said, all strategies that use insurance products are very expensive, and there is no proof that you can obtain above average returns on the assets. The authors talk a good same, but they offer little proof of superior performance.

Who would benefit from this book:

Only the very wealthy could benefit from this book, and many of them have wealth advisers already, who can help them with tax avoidance and estate protection. But this gives a good introduction to the topic so that a person could be wiser in hiring an adviser. He would know what the issues are.

The book is very interesting. It presents views and ideas on how to invest in other parts of the world not typically available to U.S. markets. The concepts are clear and easy to understand. It is an exciting new way to achieve growth and hedge against a deflating U.S. dollar and inflationary country. The shortfall to the book however, is that it doesn't provide any guidance on who to contact about seeking out these investments. I tried contacting the foreign banks, but never received a response. So unless you already have European bank relationships, it's difficult to find a broker.

The Insured Portfolio offers a compelling account of the history of wealth generation and financial mistakes made by American business professionals and investors over the last 135 years. The authors show readers how they can learn from these mistakes by delivering a solid game plan for building and maintaining wealth in the 21st century. Throughout each chapter, they collaborate to furnish readers with solid investment and tax planning wisdom that can be utilized to reap solid profits while protecting assets from frivolous lawsuits.

This well-researched financial planning guide explains why the American dream has "gone global." It also not only provides essential information about the currency market but it also details how investors are both affected by the market and affect the market. The Insured Portfolio presents readers with insight on effective means of estate planning and wealth preservation. Furthermore, the book's easily read, common-sense approach offers even the most casual investor wise and timely advice.

The authors conclude by sharing recommendations with their readers. They advocate that it is never too early to plan. Further, the authors advise readers to begin their journey to financial security by examining the current state of their finances. Next, readers are encouraged to prepare a clear statement of their goals for the future.

If you want to develop a solid plan for wealth preservation and asset protection planning, I suggest you read The Insured Portfolio. This well-written guide is one of the best financial books that I have read in a long time. By familiarizing yourself with the terms and concepts found in the book, you will be able to decide which of the people represented by the case studies you would most like to emulate.