Recognize Wall Street tactics for what they are, and make smarter decisions with your money Wall Street Potholes shares insights into the money management industry, revealing the shady practices that benefit the salesman far more than the client. Bestselling author Simon Lack brings together a team of experienced money managers to give you straight-from-the-source intel, and teach you how to recognize bad advice and when it's better to just walk away. Investors are rightly suspicious that many products are sold more because of the fees they generate than their appropriateness to the client's situation, and that's only the beginning. This book lays it all bare so you can walk into your next deal with your eyes wide open. You'll learn just how big the profit margin is on different products, and why Wall Street intentionally makes things as complicated as possible. You'll learn expert tactics for combatting these practices, so you can avoid buying overpriced products and confidently discriminate against advisors who put their own interests first. For all the volumes of investment advice on the market, dissatisfaction with the financial services industry has never been higher. This book describes the reason for that disconnect, and tells you how to see through the smoke and mirrors to make the best decisions for your money. * Discover the profit margin built into some popular products * Learn the reason behind bundling and why Wall Street fears comparison shopping * Consider the importance of benchmarking, and why so many firms avoid it * Become better informed so you can easily recognize poor investment advice If asking questions of your financial advisor only nets more confusion, if you want to have more control over your money, you need a firm grasp of how these firms manipulate your trust. Wall Street Potholes tells you what you need to know to become a smarter investor.

An up-close look at the fixed income market and what lies ahead

Interweaving compelling, and often amusing, anecdotes from author Simon Lack's distinguished thirty-year career as a professional investor with hard economic data, this engaging book skillfully reveals why "Bonds Are Not Forever." Along the way, it provides investors with a coherent framework for understanding the future of the fixed income markets and, more importantly, answering the question, "Where should I invest tomorrow?"

"Bonds Are Not Forever" chronicles the steady decline in interest rates from their peak in the 1980s and the concurrent drop in inflation during that period. Lack explains how those two factors spurred a dramatic growth in borrowing among both governments and individuals. Along the way, Lack describes how a financial industry meant to provide capital needed to drive productivity and economic growth became disconnected from Main Street and explores the grave economic, social, and political consequences of that disconnect.Provides practical solutions for avoiding the risk of falling bond markets and guaranteed negative real returns on savingsExplains how the bursting of the real estate bubble in 2007-2008 led to massive borrowing by governments as they attempted to offset a sharp fall in economic activityDetails how the trends of exploding debt and a financial sector that has grown much bigger than it needs to be have dramatically changed the game for savers

Offering a uniquely intimate, yet analytically thorough look at the coming fixed income crisis, "Bonds Are Not Forever" is must reading for investment professionals, as well as retail investors and their advisors.