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Two notices from Withers Worldwide discuss changes to U.S. tax rules in the deferred remuneration area that take effect on 1 January 2009. These rules (found in Sections 409A and 457A of the U.S. tax code) target deferred payments that do not satisfy complex technical requirements, imposing a compliance burden on non-U.S. as well as U.S. employers. (Section 409A)

Many officers of family offices serve on boards of directors for family-owned businesses or companies in which they have made equity investments. If these companies move into distressed status, litigation by investors and creditors may follow – and agents of family offices may appear to have the deepest pockets. This report from JD Ford & Company considers the role of these agents, noting potential land mines and offering suggestions for handling these situations successfully.

A concise review of past and present hedge fund environments can potentially provide an important context for understanding what the future may hold for hedge fund investing and what the resulting implications could be for qualified investors.

The IRS revenue ruling regarding the deductibility of management fees by limited partners of partnerships that invest in other partnerships tends to target funds of funds. WTAS believes this ruling may have a wider effect on any tiered partnership structure.

The United Nations' 2008 World Investment Report states that developing and transition economies attracted nearly $600 million in foreign investment in 2007, a 25 percent increase from the previous year. Much of that money came from trans-national corporations, but much more is needed, particularly to shore up the infrastructure of these nations. The 411-page report analyzes trends in corporate giving as well as the roles of both the giver and the developing country.

Solving complex social problems can require breaking down the barriers of centuries-old political, social and ethnic conflicts. This article from Synergos explores the concept of bridging leadership as a method of bringing opposing groups and diverse leaders together for social change.

The downturn in the global real estate market ended over-performance and returned property values to more realistic, historic values. But lower prices can be a benefit for investors who had limited real estate holdings or were priced out of the market previously. This report from State Street Global Advisers explores potential opportunities in the current market.

Investors who are looking to reduce risk and increase investment returns may want to consider owning farmland, according to this article from AgraShares. Across the past 40 years, owning and leasing a farm produced an average annual rate of return of 11 percent, comparable to the rate of return from stocks.

Mortgage defaults and the ongoing credit crunch are a challenge, but they have created opportunity for investors in distressed debt. Indeed, 51 percent of the investors surveyed by Debtwire for Bracewell & Giuliani report that say they see bargains in distressed debt.

A new report from Fortigent makes the case for a core/satellite approach to investing. Such an approach, the report says, justifies increased use of passive strategies to capture cost- and tax-effectiveness, creates easy to understand buckets for active core and satellite managers, and helps investors create endowment-like portfolios.