Reverse convertible bonds are short-term bonds that convert into stock if a company’s share price plummets. In effect, an investor who buys a reverse convertible is selling the equivalent of a put option—the right to sell a company’s stock at a certain price. Investors also take on credit risk because the notes are unsecured debt.

Banks market reverse convertibles, as the products are known, as short-term bonds that have a safety net because they convert into stock if a company’s share price drops. More…

Working to acquire or sustain wealth takes energy. But if you’re less than healthy, you’ll have less energy to devote to the pursuit. The fact is, living a life of true wealth means being healthy enough to enjoy it.

Medical studies say that the number one threat to our health is obesity. Those of us packing a few extra pounds are doing our bodies no favors. The risk of high blood pressure, adult-onset diabetes, even heart failure and stroke rise substantially as we gain weight.

And yet, fully two-thirds of Americans are overweight, and half of those folks — one out of every three American adults — is considered obese. So for many of us, it’s time to formulate a plan to combat the fat.

But how? More…

If you are looking for a way to make money without a lot of capital, man-hours, or a steep learning curve, consider owning billboards. Investors can get started with little money down, and can grow their outdoor-sign business as large as they choose, determining their level of income.

Billboards come in all shapes and sizes, residing in urban downtowns, small cities and along highways all across the nation. Outdoors signs have even gone global, and the earnings potential is great, says Frank Rolfe of OutdoorBillboard.com. More…

 When setting goals for most situations, such as your career, you first set short-term goals that support long-term goals. With personal finance, you want to look at your goals more or less in reverse order.

First, you need to determine where you want to be financially during your later years of life, such as when you reach retirement and are no longer earning money from your career or business. Then, you should allow these long-term goals to drive your goal setting for the near term. More…

Many people have accomplished personal financial goals that allow them to enjoy true personal wealth. All successful people followed some general financial principles that helped them accumulate money and build wealth instead of spending money frivolously.

Here are the first three principles for generating wealth (See Part Two for more wealth-generating principles): More…

In Part One of the “Principles of Wealth,” we learned that it’s important to Pay Yourself First, Pay Off Credit Debt, and Invest Money in Growth Opportunities. In Part Two, we’ll take a look at eight more Principles for Generating Wealth.

General Wealth Principle #4: Small Amounts Add Up to Big Returns

Perhaps you think you don’t have enough income to save sufficient funds to tie up any of your money in lucrative investments. This is completely untrue. Even if you have only a small amount of investment money with which to begin, you can make a start and keep adding to that initial investment. More…

While everyone should become educated about money, wealth generation, investing and the best ways to expand his or her life, not everyone has the education and experience of a financial planner.

A good financial planner can help you create a personal roadmap to achieve your wealth goals.

Here are some of the things a solid financial planner should be able to do for you:

1. Help you make a plan to get out of credit debt.
2. Assist you in setting up a working budget and establishing beginning financial goals for the short-term, such as establishing an emergency fund, college fund and short-term savings. More…

Once upon a time, the only type of savings account commonly offered was a passbook account. You were given a little book that you brought to the bank with your deposits, and each record was stamped into this passbook, both deposits and withdrawals, always including a total balance in the account.

Today, there are many different types of savings accounts that are offered to help you save. More…

In Part One of “Finding a Good Financial Planner,” WEALTH magazine explored some of the ways a financial planner could be of assistance in defining financial goals or making a plan to eliminate debt. In Part Two, WEALTH offers questions you should ask before hiring anyone to handle your money.

Once you have located financial planners in your area, consider your personal needs and do your homework. WEALTH magazine offers these tools and tips to get you started:

• Ask your potential planner about his own portfolio. More…

 Barry Farber is a jack-of-all-trades, a successful speaker, trainer, entrepreneur and author who says the two most important words for growing any business are simply these: Show up.

“When it was raining, when I didn’t feel like it, when other guys were taking a break, I showed up,” Farber told WEALTH magazine in an exclusive interview. “And I got the sale.” More…