As a small-business owner, one of your goals is to be as productive as possible while minimizing costs. This basically defines efficiency. It is during these tough economic times that cutting expenses becomes increasingly important.

People’s attitudes towards money obviously change as they get older. The crucial middle years of 40-60 are a time when people generally focus the most on saving, accumulating wealth, and pondering the concept of retirement.

Equity markets around the world have been under heavy pressure this month from a widening European sovereign debt crisis. The following commentary addresses short-term opportunities and long-term issues facing investors in light of this latest European sovereign debt crisis.

With interest rates at rock bottom and a growing expectation that rates will move upwards over the next year, many investment managers are jumping back into the floating rate bank loan space—an asset class which historically performs very well in low and rising interest rate environments.

It certainly looks that way to me. Throughout my eight years in the financial planning profession I’ve watched the rapid transition from commission and transaction-based business models into fee models.