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It will take time to get the world economy back on track and the process will be difficult, Barclays Wealth says in its annual outlook. Researchers for Barclays summarize their current macroeconomic views and the implications for asset classes and investment in 2009. They also present their asset allocation recommendations and more specific investment themes, both for the short and medium terms.

Too often, family disputes over power and money are settled publicly in the courts, creating rifts among family members that may linger for decades. This article from Withers Bergman emphasizes the importance of transparency among family members and recommends non-legal solutions, such as the formation of a family council, regular family meetings, dissemination of information among family members and education programs for the young.

Entrepreneurs have become increasingly important players in the global economy and have amassed fortunes in doing so. While a worldwide financial crisis would seem to work against them, some entrepreneurs see today's challenging economic environment as the land of opportunity. This report from Barclays Wealth explores what makes entrepreneurs successful in good times and bad.

Cyber-criminals continue to show their creativity in accessing private information and inserting malicious code in the computer systems of unsuspecting companies and individuals. Finjan Software's most recent report on Web security trends highlights new areas of concern, including the use of Flash files, such as eye-catching banner ads, and PDF files to deliver undetected malicious code.

Taxes may always be with us, but not necessarily in the same way depending on where we live. Deutsche Bank takes a global look at income tax, comparing tax scales, types of deductions and tax systems from one country to another.

Individuals give to charitable causes with hopes that they are making a difference. Unfortunately, they rarely are given enough information to assess the success of individual programs. This white paper from Newdea discusses how donors and non-profits can work together to create a standard platform for information so that both know which programs are working and which should be discontinued.

Social campaigning, or advocacy, can bring societal wrongs to light and better humanity. But how can a charity or social group raise government and individual awareness of a societal problem enough to help many people in need and give a voice to the disadvantaged? This report from New Philanthropy Capital offers guidance for charities and their donors who want to take an active role in campaigning.

Trustees often are required to invest the assets of a trust or estate. In doing so, they may delegate power to an investment advisor or securities broker. If the advisor's or broker's investments result in losses, the trustees need to find and pursue any viable claim to recover the losses. Stein, Stein & Pinsky offers suggestion to help with this task, including details of the five main causes that form the basis for fraud and negligence claims against brokers.

Having conducted a survey of Vanguard IRA and 401(k) investors, the authors show that investors who score highly on tests of "emotional intelligence" (EI) tend to exhibit behaviors (e.g., the use of low-cost fund options, a decision not to trade too frequently) that correlate strongly with good investment performance.

Traditional forms of insurance often provide no protection to a non-profit organization in the event of a lawsuit by an employee, a member of the organization or a contractor. Directors and officers liability insurance can offer extended coverage, protecting the organization whenever it is called upon to defend itself or its personnel.