Retirement: what are your concerns?

This new monthly series on retirement, will be featured in the third week of every month.

Retirement is a big deal everywhere. Longevity in so many countries has produced long-tailed retiree populations of epic...

What’s an investor to do in volatile times?

A number of United States investment market index milestones were reached in the last few months.

According to TD Ameritrade — MarketWatch in early January, 2018 “retail investor exposure to stock markets is at an all-time high”. This...

Did you ace the test?

How well did you do? Twenty-five test questions were provided in this column on March 3 and 10.

I’m expecting to hear from readers that they aced the test, because you should know that I went easy on you all. No fractions, statistics, or...

Getting to grips with Pondstraddler status

This is the first in the series of monthly Pondstraddler Life™ Financial Perspectives Reader FAQ.

Last week’s article, entitled “Are you a Pondstraddler”, invited interested readers with international connection concerns to take the...

Are you a Pondstraddler?

One of the most frequent lines of questioning I receive from readers is to do with islanders’ increasing interconnection with the outside world — and all of its rules and regulations.

In response to that, the Moneywise column, on the last...

Living beyond our means

Martha Myron, Moneywise

Now that all the pomp and circumstance, experienced pundit reviews, and scrutiny by the public (in the papers, of course) is long gone, it is now the turn of a lowly Bermudian financial planner — who writes for the...

Time to wrap up your financial literacy test

Last week we posted the first part of the annual Bermuda financial literacy test. Here is the second and final section for those brave souls who want to stress their brains this weekend.

The total test of 25 questions is relatively easy...

It’s time to test your financial literacy

Dear readers, we discussed the all encompassing role of mathematics in our economy, our lifestyles, and our very existence, last week.

We alone determine where we end up in our financial life. We can’t rely upon anyone but ourselves. We can...

Why maths are key to our prosperity

Maths are everything. Maths are absolute. Maths are everywhere in our world in virtually every decision we make in our daily lives. Behind the scenes, maths calculations have become so mundane that we have become practically oblivious.

Stay aware of US tax resident boundaries

This is the final article of a three-part series discussing when a foreign national, such as a Bermudian or Bermuda resident, can be classified as a US tax resident under US tax regulations. This week is focused on what happens when a Bermudian...

When does a Bermudian become a US taxpayer?

This is the second article of a three-part series discussing when a foreign national, such as a Bermudian or Bermuda resident, can be classified as a US tax resident under US tax regulations.

One of readers’ frequently...

When a US tax return becomes an obligation

The following question has been a familiar recurring topic over the 18 years of Moneywise.

A reader wrote: “Many Bermudians have — or are considering buying — homes in the United States even though they are not US...

Free financial advice sources – start learning

To be financially literate is to be financially successful. Financial literacy is the buzz phrase of the day. Everyone is concerned, well, almost everyone — from global leaders to governments to teachers to unions to non-profit organisations due...

Getting to grips with US tax regulations

What will be next? In just the last six years, our global tax world has ramped up significantly more detailed tax compliance, residency reporting and filing information.

Driven initially by the United States and its Foreign Account Tax...

Know your maths for your financial wellbeing

Maths rules the world — maths being a major component of the acronym Stem: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Money is an absolute. It does not lie. Maths is a universal language, needing no translation. People of diverse...

Getting your budget back on track

Over the past few weeks we’ve all been busy preparing for the holidays, shopping for the holidays, experiencing the warmth of the holidays. Now that it is all over and the new year is here, it is back to reality. And with it comes the usual...

New year’s resolutions for our government

New Year is fast approaching, now almost 20 years into the new millennium. It’s once again a time to reflect, to put aside the past year’s less-than-positive outcomes in your work, relationships, health, and philosophies. Whether you defined...

Holiday reading from finance to escapism

A few years ago I started a column called “Good Reads for Christmas,” which was written for entertainment and inspiration at this time of the year.

Dear readers, we realise your tolerance level during the holidays for all things financial...

We need a government debt-reduction plan

Author’s note: this article was originally published half-a-decade ago. It has been revised to reflect Bermuda’s current debt situation.

As at March 31, 2012, the Bermuda Government’s audited consolidated statements...

The economics of Christmas in Bermuda

The act of Christmas holiday shopping conjures up highly amusing and sometimes outrageous scenarios on global social media.

For example there are images of individuals frantically besting (or beating up) each other for the most in-demand...

Bitcoin, blockchain and the new revolution

Disruptive change is here and with it comes a multitude of new buzz words ranging from blockchain and bitcoin, to ether, alt coins, and Power Ledger.

Most frequently associated with finance, blockchain technologic consciousness is sweeping...

Our net worth entails much more than money

In November for a number of years, I have written about being grateful as this season always seems to be the time for reflection on who we were as a community, who we are now, what we have, where we are going, and what we hope to achieve in our...

Island needs comprehensive contingency plan

On November 5, Bermuda residents became stunningly aware of the radical vulnerability of our island’s economic success.

For more than 30 years, international business has poured billions into the local money supply, infrastructure...

Is the end of physical money near?

The thing about money — we all need it.

“Money bewitches people. They fret for it, and they sweat for it. They devise most ingenious ways to get it, and most ingenuous ways to get rid of it. Money is the only commodity that is...

Choices for a Bermudian with US connections

This is the third and final article in our series about a Bermudian with US connections returning home and making a decision about permanent residence. Please be aware that this article is general in nature, and take note of the full disclosure...

The evolution of mediums of exchange

There are numerous definitions for medium of exchange. The best one is from www.dictionary.com: “Anything generally accepted as representing a standard of value and exchangeable for goods or services.”

I prefer this definition. A medium of...

No hiding from US tax authorities

A Bermudian (and his foreign-born spouse) come home for permanent residence in Bermuda.

A reader FAQ featured on September 16, 2017 asked the following: “A Bermudian friend of ours is returning to Bermuda with his foreign spouse after two...

Reasons for investing in Bermuda stocks

This is the final article of six, published between October 2 and 7, in support of the Bermuda Stock Exchange World Investor Week Quiz Challenge. Each article has a question embedded. Find the question and send your answer to...

A hand-up is better than a handout

Everyone needs a job, from the time that a child is relatively small through to virtually the end of adult life.

Work provides purpose and motivation: mentally, physically, financially, and sometimes, spiritually fulfilling. Work is not as...

Dealing with Bermuda’s high cost of living

Almost six months ago, we put out a short questionnaire to the readers of The Royal Gazette. Some of you responded, bless you, and I thank these reader participants so very much.

No one really likes to fill out forms of...

A Bermudian returns home to face a tax maze

“Going home, going home, I am going home — to a tax compliance maze.”

A reader asks: “Perhaps, heeding the call from our local politicians and business leaders, a Bermudian friend of ours is returning home to Bermuda with his foreign...

Many ways that employees steal

Last week, we spent considerable righteous energy discussing rogue employers who, with no conscience or compunction whatsoever, cheat their employees out of benefits that they are entitled to as mandated by Bermuda employment law.

One...

A hefty price to pay when an employer cheats

As it is Labour Day on Monday, it is fitting to write this weekend regarding work as it relates to employer and employee roles, respect and benefits, or the lack thereof.

Bermuda is a unique jurisdiction in many ways. Don’t we know it!...

Primary residence certificate: more answers

Part three: final answers regarding the Bermuda Primary Family Homestead Exemption Certificate Application.

Readers who do not own homes, or are not eligible for the PFHC, may be bored to tears after three...

Designating a home for duty tax exemption

Having looked at how stamp duty can sometimes be avoided last week, this week we discuss the Primary Family Homestead Exemption Certificate application.

Various readers informed me that the PFHC application process has been taking anywhere...

How stamp duty can sometimes be avoided

Did everyone have a reality check after Cup Match? An exciting array of great reader questions arrived at my inbox in the last couple of weeks.

So! This week we focus on a discussion of the Bermuda Primary Family Homestead...

A financial quiz for the holiday weekend

Keep positive financial thought for this Cup Match weekend, and keep it real by knowing that just about every social life event revolves around relationships and money.

Having said that, it’s understandable that you aren’t going to be in...

Bermuda property and cross-border estate tax

A reader asked if I would write about cross-border estate taxation issues as they relate to Bermuda and the US, and the transfer of property in Bermuda.

I have done so by giving an opinion on the following questions.

Please note,...

New leader’s challenge to nurture prosperity

“The youth of a nation are the trustees of posterity” — Benjamin Disraeli

Bermuda has a new leader. Not yet 40 years old, David Burt swept to a decisive victory last week. In a masterful display of politics, collaboration, shrewdness,...

Your finances and election choices

Martha Myron, Moneywise

With the 2017 election just days away, here is a summary of some of the main points of both Bermuda’s political parties’ platforms. Note: this summary is not all inclusive. You, the voter are encouraged to...

Use your vote, but do your homework first

Every election is important. Why? Because every individual who has the right to vote can choose freely to exercise their vote. It is a wonderful privilege.

It is your right to cast a ballot in a confidential setting for the person or...

The America’s Cup multiplier effect

Ever wonder what drives an economy? Where does the money come from in circulation?

Most people don’t think about this because normal day-to-day living constraints take far greater precedence. Somehow, the necessary access to money is just...

Considerations when seeking a better return

A reader asked the question: “I have $40,000 sitting in a local bank account, just doing nothing. Can you advise on best investment options to yield a higher rate?”

The first part of the answer was published on June 10, this is part two. In...

Heavy rules demand evidence of who we are

Another Reader FAQ to Moneywise: “Can a US citizen obtain a Bermuda issued credit card if they have a PO box address in Bermuda?”

Short answer = No.

Long answer = No.

Very, very long answer = Maybe, under certain...

Check that your financial ducks are in a row

A reader asks: “I have $40,000 sitting in a local bank account, just doing nothing. Can you advise on best investment options to yield a higher rate?”

Choices, choices. The easiest answer would be to simply say why not consider a mutual...

Investing in water — salt and fresh

“Water, water everywhere … … nor any drop to drink” — Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, 1798

The world’s population relies on water, both fresh and...

Embracing adult life after graduation

It is graduation day and the setting is perfect. The audience is all dicty. Moms, dads, and relatives are all beaming because this is the transcendental day.

The speeches are beautifully prepared and eloquently delivered. They are full of...

Cautionary tale of Puerto Rico bonds

This is part 8 of the Bermuda Investment Primer series.

Bonds are not equity in a company, municipality, city, state, or country. Bonds are good old-fashioned debt.

Most bonds are issued with a term-certain...

Mothers must have a personal financial plan

Mothers have an incredible physiological uniqueness yet to be duplicated by the male species. Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World published in 1932 with his predictions of test tube babies produced en masse may be closer to realisation; but for...

Bonds and their role in an economy

In Part 8 of the Bermuda Investment Primer Series, Martha Myron looks at bonds, their structures and their role in an economy.

The business of insurance is the most dominant industry in Bermuda, both from an...

Do the maths before you retire

This week we look at five major issues that impact planning for retirement self-sufficiency and present a simple calculator to track your retirement lifestyle.

There are a number of major areas where soon-to-be retirees underestimate or do...