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Prudence is required during summer regarding global assets, balancing uncertainties and risks against opportunities presented by low valuations and oversold markets. Japan and the United States offer buying opportunities, while European equities are more exposed to risk. Reducing risk in portfolios may provide a tactical hedge through the soft patch.

Based on third-quarter events, the probability of more vulnerable markets has risen. Minor policy mistakes may have more severe impact. Yet, with expectations so low, a "less-bad" economic report, a credible policy initiative from the Obama administration or an important move by the Europeans or Chinese could trigger a meaningful global equity rally.

The Internal Revenue Service records more than 1 million tax-related cases of identity theft every year, and resolving these cases can be time-consuming. This newsletter identifies typical incidents and explains how to resolve them. It also discusses how intra-family loans can help to transfer wealth.

A significant number of family businesses eliminate family dynamics from the business equation, according to a survey. The researchers found significant differences between family-focused and business-focused family businesses in the complexity of the owners' lives, motivations to sell the business, and intent to use tax strategies to minimize taxes.

Weighing the evidence most often cited by bullish investors, the authors find it to be predicated primarily on a thinly supported assumption that strong corporate earnings growth will continue. The bear's case, on the other hand, appears more solid as it focuses on weakness in the underlying drivers of corporate earnings growth as well as on long-term structural debt and deficit issues.

Keynesian principles helped us to bridge some of the most troubled waters any of us have ever seen, but it may be time to recognize that solving unemployment means more than just stimulus packages to put people back to work. It means aiding the private sector in its quest for new markets and new profit-making opportunities.

Most families with vacation property want an ownership structure that addresses management authority, transferability of ownership interests, and resolution of disputes. Only a limited liability company addresses all of those issues and protects family members from personal liability associated with owning the property.

The consolidation phase for equities appears to be reaching an end, causing Credit Suisse to reverse part of a tactical downgrade from February and take equities to 2 percent overweight on a one- to three-month basis. That rate would be increased if the markets fell further or the outlook for China became clearer.

This report by the World Economic Forum looks at the strategic importance of long-term investing for financial stability and the role of wealthy families as long-term investors alongside institutional actors such as sovereign wealth funds, endowment foundations, pension funds, and other entities.

The financial risks associated with unplanned health care events need to be part of the financial planning process to guard against negative impacts to an investment portfolio or retirement income plan in the event of a catastrophe.