- What Is a Waiver of Premium Rider?
If you’ve ever wondered how you would make your life insurance premiums if you were unable to earn an income, then you need to know about the waiver of premium rider. When an insurance policy features a waiver of premium… read more…
- What Is Insurable Interest in Life Insurance?
In life insurance, insurable interest refers to what level of loss you’d experience should a specific person become incapacitated or die. It’s important because it helps prevent insurance fraud. If you aren’t sure whether you have insurable interest in someone,… read more…
- How to Achieve Financial Independence
The financial independence, retire early (FIRE) movement has grown in popularity as more people seek a way to escape the rate race well before normal retirement age. Financial independence can look different to everyone, depending on what it means to… read more…
- How to Choose a Filing Status on Your Tax Return
Filing taxes may not be your favorite chore, but it’s a necessary one to ensure that you stay in the good graces of the IRS. Deciding which tax filing status to choose matters for determining which tax breaks you might be eligible for and ensuring that you’re paying the right amount in taxes. There are… read more…
- The Qualified Business Income (QBI) Deduction
The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act introduced a deduction for qualified businss income (QBI) that provides a significant tax break to many business owners. The newly created Section 199A of the federal tax code lets certain owners of sole proprietorships, partnerships, LLCs, S corporations, trusts and estates – but not C corporations — deduct up… read more…
- What Is Operating Cash Flow and How Does It Work?
Operating cash flow, or OCF, refers to the amount of cash a company generates from normal business operations over a specific period of time. It’s widely used to evaluate a company’s performance and prospects. Lenders and investors often consider OCF a… read more…
- Best Cities for Young Financial Advisors to Start Their Careers – 2020 Study
Financial advisors in the U.S. tend to be on the older side. About 29% of financial advice professionals are between the ages 55 and 64, and another 12% are older than 65, according to market research firm Cerulli Associates. By contrast, only 16% of advisors are between the ages 35 and 44, and just 10%… read more…
- What Is a Tax Exemption?
Tax exemptions let individuals and organizations avoid paying taxes on some or all of their income. Exemptions were once available to almost all tax filers in the form of personal exemptions. However, in 2017 the personal tax exemption was eliminated… read more…
- The Most Valuable Tax Exemptions
The U.S. government offers American taxpayers hundreds of tax exemptions, credits, deductions and reduced rates. State and local governments also offer tax breaks. These tax breaks are available to people of all income levels, so it literally pays to understand… read more…
- What Is a Proportional Tax?
A proportional tax, also known as a flat tax, is a type of tax system that levies the same tax rate on everyone, no matter their income level. This system is in contrast to the progressive or marginal tax system… read more…
- Pre-IPO: Definition and How to Invest
Before a company has an initial public offering (IPO), it typically sets aside a handful of shares that are available for purchase. Since these shares tend to be offered in large quantities, pre-IPO investing is usually done by hedge funds,… read more…
- What Is a Jumbo CD?
A certificate of deposit, more commonly known as a CD, is a type of bank account that pays interest in exchange for the depositor leaving their funds in the account until it matures. A jumbo CD functions in the same way,… read more…
- What Is Accessible Income?
In general terms, your income is typically the money you earn from jobs that you work. But accessible income accounts for more than just your paycheck, as it includes most of the money you receive over a year. This definition… read more…
- What Is a Co-Applicant?
A co-applicant is an additional person involved in the application of a loan besides the original applicant. They are equally considered alongside the applicant throughout the whole application process, including during the approval and underwriting. A co-applicant’s credit history can… read more…
- What Is the Average Life Insurance Rate for 2025?
Life insurance rates are constantly changing, and each person’s life insurance policy is different. For instance, rates can vary by age, gender, health, employment, weight and family health history, as well as whether or not the insured smokes, does drugs… read more…
- Does Checking Your Credit Score Lower It?
It’s long been said that if you check your credit score, it may experience a drop. But in reality, if you yourself are checking your score through a free website or app, you can check as many times as you… read more…
- How to Dispute Errors on Your Credit Report
Errors on your credit report aren’t as uncommon as you might think. These issues, whether big or small, can negatively alter your credit score, making it harder to get approved for new lines of credit or loans. An error could… read more…
- Is 700 Considered a Good Credit Score?
A 700 credit score is often seen as the barometer for what constitutes a good credit score. But while each credit scoring agency has slightly different criteria for determining where scores rank, a 700 score typically resides in the “good” category. Other… read more…
- How Long Does Bankruptcy Stay on Your Credit Report?
A bankruptcy can seriously hurt your credit score, making it difficult to get approved for new lines of credit and lower loan interest rates. While bankruptcies are undoubtedly harmful, they won’t stay on your credit report forever. How long they… read more…
- How Does a Tender Offer Work?
A tender offer allows a company or entity to do a public takeover of a business by buying many of its shareholders’ stock shares. Tender offers are typically public, as they literally ask shareholders to sell their shares for a… read more…
- What Is the Rule of 70, and How Do You Use It?
The rule of 70 is used to determine about how long it will take an investment to double in size while growing at a consistent rate of return. The rule is far from exact, but it can nonetheless help you figure out the approximate future value of an investment or compare the potential value of… read more…
- Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Definition
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, otherwise known as the FDIC, is a federal regulatory body in the U.S. Its primary purpose is to insure deposits made at banks and other financial institutions in the event that they go under and are… read more…
- What Is the Highest Credit Score You Can Have?
Having a good credit score is beneficial, and an excellent score is even better. But what if you could achieve the perfect credit score? To attain the highest credit score there is, you’ll need to have outstanding credit practices, meet… read more…
- What Is a Good Credit Score?
Having good credit is an important factor in whether you’ll be approved for new lines of credit or lower interest rates on loans. Credit scoring agencies use many different factors from your credit history to determine your credit score. While having a good… read more…
- What Is Life Insurance, and How Does It Work?
Life insurance is a contract through which a policyholder pays an insurer in exchange for a payout when the insured dies. Most adults have heard of life insurance, and many have been told that they should have it. However, conversations… read more…