It may not feel like it, but apparently we are. We invisible taxpayers have enough money to prop up teetering financial giants. Who knew? I didn't think we had enough to improve schools or provide basic health care for our less fortunate American brethren, and I still can't figure out how we're underwriting the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. All this while, literally, losing our own homes.
I now wonder if economics is more magic than math, especially when I see people from some of the same firms and philosophies who got us into this mess saying that things are better than they seem. Maybe we are just whining. Any child can tell you that there are times and circumstances when whining works. The problem here is that our whining is more beneficial for many of the people who created the mess than those who suffer as a result of it. If it wasn't clear before that we were on our own, it should be crystal clear now.
We have to think differently about money and how we manage it. For some, that may mean getting back to basics. Say It By Heart for the week of September 22nd can help that happen. I spoke with financial adviser Gary Demirkan about how we can change our thinking in order to change our bottom line. He considers the metaphysical (the impact of our energy on wealth creation) to the basic financial (protect the most important thing in your life: your earning power). In her no-nonsense style, accountant Mary Quigley shared ways to explore your tax options as the year draws to a close. I know, I know. Who wants to think about filing taxes now? But you know the old saw: forewarned is forearmed. If you don't feel "in the money," for the forseeable future you're going to need as much warning and armor as you can get.
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