Shirley M. Mueller, M.D.

Personal reflections from my recent government-sponsored visit to China on the country's current Communist regime.

Now there is scientific evidence to back up the concept that stock market predictors for the future year are virtually worthless. The person who makes them is wasting his breath and, worse, the person who believes them is naïve.

High earners aren't the only ones who will be affected by the tax increases of the fiscal cliff; unemployment benefits will suffer as well, and children living in poverty are the ones who will be affected.

Most parents want to give as much as possible to their children and to transfer money and assets to their offspring. However, sometimes children or others might take advantage of parents in poor mental or physical health, wiping out their financial resources.

No one likes more taxes. On Jan. 1 there will be 3.8% tax on investment income for high earners; however, there is a way to possibly circumvent that surcharge.

Post-election people are trying to figure out what will happen going forward and how it will affect them. In this uncertainty, there's a strategy gutsy investors can take advantage of to make some money. Be forewarned - disaster investing is not for the faint hearted.

Debt isn't necessarily toxic because there are two kinds: bad and good. A good deficit pays for itself while bad does not. Guess which one the U.S. has been investing in.

The Anne Frank House is probably the most popular house museum in Amsterdam, but there a number of old, opulent homes that are famous in their own rights in Amsterdam.

Doctors can often be the victims of financial advisors looking to make some money off wealthy targets. Take control of your own financial destiny by hiring a financial coach who will discuss goals and eventually cede control as time progresses.

Coming to election season is a good time to visit a historical landmark that hosted George Washington during the Revolutionary War. In addition to history, this easy day trip from New York City has a wide stretch of park space.

Retirement is on everyone's mind these days; not so much about how pleasant it could be, but instead how to pay for it. Today's average salaries are lower than in 1995 and yet the average age of death is increasing.

Small cities Amsterdam and Basel are full of culture and history with dozens of museums and plenty of public transportation to make getting around easy.

A Rhine River cruise from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Basil, Switzerland immerses travelers in history with five UNESCO Heritage Sites in three countries.

Though it goes without saying that people shouldn't invest in entities they don't understand, it happens all the time. When it does, the investor is often sadly the loser. Right now, one investment firm is taking advantage of those less knowledgeable investors.

We can't control our government, which may make laws that don't benefit us directly. But, we can manage our response to these laws. Here are two options for dealing with tax increases coming Jan. 1.

For investors who want to do something to make money but don't have the confidence to throw more cash into the market, one option is to simply rebalance their portfolio.

The bad news is that mental facility declines after age 50. The good news is that it doesn't happen to everyone equally.

In spite of ongoing crises and other overwhelming bad news, our stock market thrives and there are several reasons this optimistic behavior should continue in the face of reality.

It's more likely that people will end up dealing with brokers who are eroding accounts in small but accumulative ways that get overlooked than obviously bad ones like who make the newspapers.

A study with money shows how the brain reacts to unfairness and reveals that males are more sensitive to unfair monetary offers than females.

When paying for a big ticket item (could even be a large hotel bill) while traveling abroad, paying with an international wire transfer instead of most credit cards could be cost effective.

ETFs, the new and trendy way to invest, are backfiring as a road to riches because some investors are overtrading the funds.

The sights and experience in Southern India and Sri Lanka were interesting and worthwhile, even if choosing a cruise was a poor decision. Rough seas and gastrointestinal illness do not make for a fun vacation.

Human beings will, on average, do what is easiest for them, and they don't like to delay gratification. Knowing this has helped Congress make some changes to make a better pension law.

Old Galle is the best preserved colonial town in Sri Lanka and its history is complex; however, few Americans get to it because Sri Lanka is so far.

Warren Buffett invests in a way that he can sleep easy at night. Here are some options that are on the safer side, but still have an opportunity for yield and in some cases growth.

Seller beware: In China, if someone successfully bids for art at auction there is an almost 50/50 chance of non-payment.

The New York City Frieze Art Fair has everything from the quirky to the usual, the traditional to the experimental, including work by Chinese dissident Ai Weiwei.

Young women, be aware when you choose your financial advisor. A study shows that the mere anticipation of an interaction with a woman can impair a young man's cognitive performance.

The Amalfi Coast in Southern Italy combines pleasant relaxation with important historical sights.