Smart Nest Egg bloghttp://www.smartnestegg.com/blog/Insights and strategies for protecting your wealthen-US2010-03-19T15:33:08ZSquarespace Site Server v5.9.3 (http://www.squarespace.com/)Another look at the jobs crisishttp://www.smartnestegg.com/blog/2010/3/19/another-look-at-the-jobs-crisis.htmlSteve Merrell2010-03-19T12:00:27ZEconomics Policy unemploymentThe decline of the American jobs market is illustrated dramatically in this graphic from LeToya Egwuekwe, a graduate student at American University. Nothing new here, but it is a stark reminder of how far we have come in just a few short years.

Click here for a larger version of the graphic.

]]>A great time to start a businesshttp://www.smartnestegg.com/blog/2010/3/18/a-great-time-to-start-a-business.htmlSteve Merrell2010-03-18T21:06:29ZBusiness Owners Financial Planning Personal Development Personal finance business startup entrepreneurNewsflash for the 8.4 million people who have lost jobs since December 2007: This could be a great time to start a business.

It might sound crazy, but recessions are powerful catalysts for would be entrepreneurs. It's a classic case of Schumpeter's creative destruction. As jobs are destroyed, tremendous amounts of talent and experience are released from their corporate moorings and creativity explodes. As people begin looking for new ways to ply their trades, the loss of employment becomes a springboard for a surge of business creation. I speak from personal experience because this is exactly what led me to start Willow Ridge Capital Advisors.

]]>Are you prepared?http://www.smartnestegg.com/blog/2010/3/10/are-you-prepared.htmlSteve Merrell2010-03-10T17:20:17ZDamage from the 1989 Loma Prieta quake.Most of our efforts at Smart Nest Egg focus on helping people get prepared for the big financial events in their lives: retirement, education of children or grandchildren, etc. But other events can have a huge impact on our lives and we need to be ready for them, too. The recent devastation in Haiti and Chile highlight that preparedness isn't just about having money in the bank.]]>Saturday Night Live: Don't buy stuffhttp://www.smartnestegg.com/blog/2010/3/8/saturday-night-live-dont-buy-stuff.htmlGary Alt2010-03-09T04:17:04ZConsumers Debt Provident Living SNL Saturday Night Live Steve MartinThis is hilarious...it wasn't that long ago this was considered common sense.  Now it's considered comedy on SNL.  Let's get back to living providently as a way to strengthen our families and our country.

]]>Want some good financial advice? Dump your broker.http://www.smartnestegg.com/blog/2010/2/15/want-some-good-financial-advice-dump-your-broker.htmlSteve Merrell2010-02-15T18:48:22ZBetter Investor Financial Planning Personal finance Portfolio Strategy brokers financial advice mutual fundsHave you ever wondered how much value brokers add? In my nearly 25 years in this business, I've asked that question many times, so you can imagine how my interest was piqued when an academic study called "Assessing the Costs and Benefits of Brokers in the Mutual Fund Industry" showed up in my inbox.]]>