- Where Small Business Sentiment Is More Positive for 2021
The Census Bureau’s Small Business Pulse Survey shows that during the first week of December 2020, business expectations were depressed nationwide. While less than 2% of small businesses have closed during COVID-19, 52.9% of small businesses nationally expect they won’t return to normal levels of operation for at least six months or ever. Though that… read more…
- Fiduciary Deed: Definition, Examples and More
Fiduciary deeds are just one of several types of deeds used in property transfers. This type is used to transfer property such as real estate when the owner can’t sign a deed for legal or other reasons. Fiduciary deeds are… read more…
- What Holiday Gifts Do Financial Advisors Send to Clients? – 2020 Study
The holiday season is a time when many professionals send gifts and cards to their clients to thank them for their business and support. Within the financial advisory and planning industry, these gifts often foster stronger advisor-client relationships. They serve as tokens of appreciation for clients’ continued trust and confidence in their investment strategies and… read more…
- What Does a Financial Aid Advisor Do?
Requesting financial aid often feels like it requires a mile-high stack of paperwork and just getting the right type of aid can be confusing. A financial aid advisor can help students and their families navigate the complicated financial aid process… read more…
- Guide to the Proposed DOL Fiduciary Rule
Retirement savers and participants in 401(k) plans may soon face a new Department of Labor (DOL) policy, presenting them with either more investment options or just unnecessary costs, depending on one’s perspective. In December 2020 the DOL issued its final rule… read more…
- Understanding FINRA Rule 2111: Suitability
Financial professionals who recommend clients buy a security or financial product are held to ethical standards that can be enforced by law. One such standard is known as the suitability rule, which is described in Rule 2111 of the Financial… read more…
- Is the Santa Claus Rally Real? – 2020 Study
The U.S. stock market hit record highs leading up to Thanksgiving in 2020. Two days before the holiday this year, the Dow Jones and S&P 500 indexes broke 30,000 and 3,600 points, respectively. While some stock analysts and investors are concerned that these prices belie a frothy market soon set to pop, others speculate that… read more…
- Fiduciary Duty vs. Suitability Standards
Two key terms that retail investors are likely to run across when looking for an investment expert are “fiduciary” and “suitability.” The terms describe the standard of care and behavior that investment professionals are expected to follow when dealing with investors. Investment experts who follow the fiduciary standard are required to put their clients’ interests ahead… read more…
- How to Minimize Your Self-Employment Taxes
The self-employment (SE) tax is the equivalent of the tax regular employees and their employers pay. It’s the way self-employed people, freelancers and independent contractors contribute to the Social Security and Medicare funds. With a tax rate of 15.3% applying to… read more…
- A Guide to Prenuptial Agreements in California
As you prepare for marriage, you’re probably thinking about everything but a prenuptial agreement, otherwise known as a prenup. However, even people in rock-solid relationships sometimes choose to sign a prenup. Every state, including California, has laws that pertain to… read more…
- How to Write Your Financial Aid Appeal Letter
When you fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you should receive written notification from your school of choice explaining how much aid you qualify for and what type. A financial aid appeal letter is a written… read more…
- Understanding Form CRS
When working with a financial advisor, it’s important to understand what services they provide and how they’re compensated. Reviewing your advisor’s Form CRS, also known as a client or customer relationship summary, is a good place to start. This form… read more…
- Does a Prenup Protect My Future Assets?
A prenuptial agreement is a legal document that couples contemplating marriage use to lay out financial and other obligations that would come into play in the event of divorce or the death of one of the partners. Prenups are primarily… read more…
- What Is Purchase APR?
Credit card issuers can charge you additional interest for making purchases while carrying balances on your credit card. This fee is known as purchase annual percentage rate, and it varies depending on your provider. In this guide, we tell you everything you need to know about purchase APRs. A financial advisor can help you manage… read more…
- What Is an Independent Contractor?
Independent contractors are professionals hired by individuals (or companies) to perform a service. Each one has different classifications under the IRS, which also means different tax obligations. However, it can sometimes be difficult to make the distinction between an independent contractor… read more…
- How to Establish and Build Business Credit
Access to credit lets small business owners acquire inventory and equipment, hire new employees, weather seasonal fluctuations and expand. Establishing and building business credit is an important task for any business that isn’t prepared to pay cash for anything it… read more…
- How Much Does a Prenup Cost?
When planning for a marriage, couples may not consider the possibility of divorce. However, many financial experts recommend that everyone get a prenup in case a divorce occurs. The marriage rate is 5.1 per 1,000 people while the divorce rate… read more…
- 4 Expense Report Apps to Consider
Controlling costs is a central task for all businesses, and the job starts with tracking and reporting expenses. A plethora of well-designed expense report apps can help with this essential task. The best simplify collecting data is by scanning receipts… read more…
- How to Pay for College: Strategies and Tips
Figuring out how to pay for college can be one of your biggest financial challenges, whether you’re a student or a parent who’s preparing to send one of your kids to school. According to CollegeBoard, the average cost of tuition… read more…
- Places Where Americans Give the Most to Charity – 2020 Edition
About three in four American adults (73%) said they donated money to a charitable organization in the past year, according to an April 2020 Gallup poll. That’s a new record low, beneath even the charitable giving rate of the Great Recession era. Though the coronavirus pandemic, with its elevated unemployment, may have made Americans less… read more…
- What Are Trailing Returns and How Do They Work?
Mutual funds can offer a streamlined way to build an investment portfolio. Rather than purchasing individual stocks or bonds, you can buy mutual fund shares to gain exposure to multiple investments in a single basket. Evaluating the quality of mutual… read more…
- What Are the Stock Market Holidays?
Several reasons play a role in when and why the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) might temporarily close its markets, but the primary “culprit” behind the closings is national holidays. There are 10 main holidays on which NYSE closes its… read more…
- 5 States With No Sales Tax
Just as there are several states with no income taxes, there are also multiple states forgoing sales taxes. These states don’t impose state-level sales taxes, meaning you won’t be assessed an additional fee when purchasing a retail good or service.… read more…
- What Are the Different Types of Business Structures?
One of the most important decisions when starting a business is the business structure. The choice of business entity significantly affects matters like liability, taxes, control, financing and regulation, according to the Small Business Administration. While it’s possible to change… read more…
- Do Small Business Owners Need a Financial Advisor?
Running a small business can take up a significant amount of time and energy. You may be wondering if you should hire a business financial advisor to help stay on top of your business and personal finances. A financial advisor… read more…