- Bonds vs. Loans to Finance Your Operations
Companies need capital to fund their operations. Bonds and loans are two financing options available to them that work similarly. Both avenues let corporations borrow money that they will eventually have to repay. But certain differences come into play with either choice, such as where the money comes from. Each one has its benefits and… read more…
- Custodial Account Options for Your Child
Custodial accounts allow you to manage finances for a child or other minor. Usually, these types of accounts are set up by a parent, relative or guardian on behalf of a family member, although this isn’t necessary. Any adult can… read more…
- Biden’s Student Loan Forgiveness Plan
The U.S. Department of Education has canceled almost $3 billion in student loans since President Joe Biden entered office in January 2021. The department forgave another $55.6 million in July for 1,800 borrowers who attended Westwood College, Marinello Schools of Beauty… read more…
- One-Time Checkup With a Financial Advisor
Hiring a financial advisor can make sense when you need or want professional guidance with managing money or building wealth. While advisors often prefer to build ongoing relationships with clients, there are finance professionals who offer one-time consultations. Meeting with… read more…
- How Biden’s 2022 Tax Plan Could Affect Your Retirement
President Joe Biden’s 2022 budget proposal raises the top income tax rate up to 39.6%. Taxpayers with an adjusted gross income over $1 million will also have to pay this rate on long-term capital gains and qualified dividends. But while… read more…
- Dovish vs. Hawkish: Key Monetary Policy Differences
In monetary policy, the terms “dovish” and “hawkish” describe two contrasting approaches central banks use to influence economic growth and control inflation. A dovish stance generally favors lower interest rates and increased economic stimulation, often prioritizing job growth and investment, particularly in times of economic slowdown. In contrast, a hawkish policy focuses on raising interest… read more…
- What Is DeFi (Decentralized Finance)?
DeFi, short for decentralized finance, is a global, peer-to-peer system of storing and transferring assets without the structure, restriction and costs of a traditional centralized banking system. Advocates assert that DeFi can do everything a bank – whether brick-and-mortar or… read more…
- Understanding the Financial Planning Process
Understanding the financial planning process can empower individuals to make informed decisions about their financial future. This process involves evaluating one’s current financial situation, setting achievable goals, and developing a strategy to reach those objectives. By analyzing income, expenses and investments, individuals can create a comprehensive plan that aligns with their long-term aspirations. Whether it’s… read more…
- What Does the Producer Price Index Tell You?
The producer price index (PPI) is an essential government economic report published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). It tracks changes in the prices sellers receive for thousands of goods and services across various industries. The primary purpose of the PPI is to provide investors, businesses, policymakers and academics with insights into the trajectory… read more…
- Iowa Divorce Laws: What You Need to Know
Divorce is an uncomfortable subject for most people – after all, no one likes to imagine there is any chance that their marriage will end up not lasting forever. The end of a marriage, though, doesn’t need to mean the… read more…
- Biden Tax Plan Pushes Investors to Tax-Efficient Investments
President Joe Biden’s capital gains tax plan could compel high-income investors to move money into tax-efficient investments. These include exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and other structured investments that trigger fewer capital gains, as well as setting up Roth conversions (commonly known as backdoor Roth IRAs). Financial experts say that investors are looking for greater flexibility to sell assets and… read more…
- How Dovish Monetary Policy Affects Interest Rates
The U.S. central bank, known as the Federal Reserve, has a dual mandate of managing inflation and promoting full employment. When Fed officials are said to be “dovish,” it means they are more interested in promoting job creation than in… read more…
- What Is a See-Through Trust? Definition and Requirements
A see-through trust is a legal arrangement that enables a person to pass retirement assets from an individual retirement account to beneficiaries after his or her death. A properly-constructed trust protects assets from creditors and can parcel out money to… read more…
- How Hawkish Monetary Policy Affects Interest Rates
U.S. interest rates are controlled by the nation’s central bank, the Federal Reserve. The bank has Congressionally mandated tasks to pursue a monetary policy that encourages employment, keeps prices relatively stable and moderates long-term interest rates. Keeping interest rates low… read more…
- What Is Net Worth and How to Calculate It?
Net worth is one way to measure your financial health and stability, in relation to how much debt you have versus what you’ve accumulated in assets. Similar to credit scores, the higher your net worth number is the better, especially… read more…
- What Is the Financial Definition of Wealth?
Everyone has a different idea of what wealth is. You could ask 20-somethings what they think wealth is, and they might describe extravagant houses or a private jet. Someone older might mention lucrative investments. Everyone seems to have a different… read more…
- Inflation vs. Deflation: How It Affects Your Finances
Inflation occurs when prices for goods and services increase, while deflation happens when prices decrease. Sustained periods of sizable inflation or deflation can have significant effects on the economy and on the behavior of investors, businesses and consumers. Government policymakers… read more…
- Where Asian Americans Fare Best Economically – 2021 Study
Asian American households saw the greatest increase in income over the past decade out of any other racial group in the U.S. From 2010 to 2019, the median household income across all households grew by 31.3%, from $50,046 to $65,712. Meanwhile, the median Asian American household income increased by almost 40%, from roughly $67,000 to more than… read more…
- How to Use Cold Storage for Bitcoin
Cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin relies on the use of both public and private keys, the first of which allows the receipt of cryptocurrency transactions and the second of which allows the owner to prove and unlock the cryptocurrency received through… read more…
- How to Trade Bitcoin Futures
If you’re an investor who is otherwise familiar with trading strategies involving futures and options, you may have wondered whether futures trading applies to cryptocurrency too. The good news is that Bitcoin futures contracts are indeed available for investors, allowing… read more…
- How to Hire a Financial Advisor
There are lots of facets of your money management that you can take care of personally, using your own research and skill and with the help of comprehensive online tools and calculators. Hiring a financial advisor, however, can help take… read more…
- Where Seniors Are Increasingly Staying in the Workforce – 2021 Edition
The traditional retirement age of 65 is not a universal benchmark, especially for many older workers who are staying in the workforce beyond this age. The Social Security Administration has set the full retirement age for workers born in 1960 or later at 67. Furthermore, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that 33.2% of workers… read more…
- Best-Paying Places for Financial Advisors – 2021 Study
Financial advisors offer varying fee structures with different types of compensation. In general, there are three primary ways advisors make money. They include client fees (usually charged either on an hourly basis or as a percentage of client assets under management), commissions for certain financial transactions and salaries earned by on-staff advisors. Fee-only advisors typically… read more…
- Best Cities for New College Grads – 2021 Edition
College graduation is a significant milestone in a young person’s financial life. At this juncture, millions of young adults a year in the U.S. are entering the workforce, living in their own apartments for the first time and managing their money while trying to enjoy themselves with folks their own age. Of course, with student… read more…
- How Biden’s American Families Plan Will Impact You
President Joe Biden officially unveiled the American Families Plan before a joint-session of Congress on April 28. This is the second part of his Build Back Better initiative, which aims to boost the U.S. economy by investing trillions of dollars in infrastructure, jobs, education, healthcare and other programs for millions of Americans. The American Families Plan would… read more…