- How a 1031 Exchange Works
Investing in real estate can offer a hedge against inflation while helping you create a diversified portfolio. If at some point you decide you want to shift your real estate investment dollars, you may consider a 1031 exchange. This type… read more…
- How Does a 1035 Exchange Work?
A 1035 exchange can be a complex process, but it essentially involves transferring the cash value of one insurance policy to another policy without incurring tax consequences. This can be particularly useful for those looking to upgrade their insurance coverage… read more…
- What Is the 2025 Federal Poverty Level (FPL)?
The federal poverty level is a key consideration in assessing anyone’s eligibility to receive government benefits. Your access to many state and federal safety net programs is often based on where you or your household falls on the federal poverty… read more…
- CEO vs. President: What’s the Difference?
The chief executive officer (CEO) and the president of a corporation are normally the two highest-level leadership roles in a business. Sometimes the same person fills both roles, but there are often significant differences in responsibilities, powers and objectives. The… read more…
- What Is Fair Market Value (FMV) and How Is It Calculated?
Fair market value is the price a business, property or other asset would sell for in an open and competitive market where the buyer and seller have adequate information of relevant facts, a reasonable time to complete a deal, are… read more…
- A Guide to Business Credit Scores
A business credit score, which is distinct from a personal credit score, is a number that lenders and suppliers use to determine the availability and pricing of loans and other forms of credit for a firm. It’s based on a… read more…
- What Is Asset Location and Why Does It Matter?
As you build an investment portfolio, you probably make a point of considering your asset allocation and how that squares with your risk tolerance. But don’t confuse asset allocation with asset location, which is a distinct part of your investment… read more…
- Trustee Fees: What Are They and Who Pays?
When creating an estate plan, it may be necessary to name a trustee to handle your assets. For example, if you’re establishing a revocable living trust to pass on wealth to your spouse or children, a trustee would be responsible… read more…
- What Is a Stock Exchange?
Stocks can be an important part of a diversified investment portfolio. Individual stock shares are bought and sold on a stock exchange. There are multiple exchanges where stocks and other securities can be traded. If you’re new to investing, you… read more…
- Cash Flow Statement: What Is It and How to Read It
In business, maintaining positive cash flow is vitally important. Cash flow refers to the movement of cash in and out of a business as it generates revenue while also covering its operating expenses. A cash flow statement is a way… read more…
- Does Private Equity Belong in Your 401(k)?
In 2020, the Trump administration announced that 401(k)s and other defined contribution retirement plans were not explicitly barred from offering private equity investments to participants. These alternative investments, which historically have been limited to wealthy and institutional investors, aren’t available as standalone options, but they could potentially be bundled with other investments in, for example,… read more…
- What Adjusted Earnings Tells Investors
When deciding whether to invest in a company, there are a variety of different metrics you can use. Those can include net income, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) or adjusted earnings. All of these are used to gauge… read more…
- How to Create a Personal Financial Statement
Assessing your financial situation can help you understand your options for creating a steadfast financial future. One tool that can assist in this assessment is a personal financial statement, which provides an overview of your financial circumstances. The process for how to create a personal financial statement first involves understanding the different components of one,… read more…
- How “Geographic Arbitrage” Can Make You Money
Geographic arbitrage is a term coined by the FIRE movement (Financial Independence, Retire Early). FIRE advocates combine investments and a typically high-paying job to achieve the dream of retiring by the time they hit their early 40s or even late… read more…
- Using a Tax Deed to Invest in Real Estate
A tax deed is a legal document that gives a government body the right to sell a piece of real estate for non-payment of taxes. When a real estate owner gets behind on property taxes, the city or county may place… read more…
- What Is a Non-Disclosure Agreement?
Businesses use non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to protect company secrets. These are legal contracts in which one or more persons agree to keep certain information secret. The agreements may also be referred to as confidentiality agreements or confidential disclosure agreements. Here’s… read more…
- What Is Real Estate Wholesaling?
Real estate wholesaling is a kind of arbitrage in which a party known as a wholesaler negotiates a contract for the right, but not the obligation, to purchase a property for a particular price. Rather than completing the purchase, however,… read more…
- What Is a Minimum Viable Product?
A minimum viable product (MVP) is an early version of a product with only basic features. The purpose of an MVP is to help a company or development team learn what will work without investing too much money or time… read more…
- Understanding Crummey Trusts and How to Use Them
Establishing a trust may be on your estate planning to-do list if you want to preserve your wealth for future generations while potentially enjoying some tax advantages. A Crummey trust is a specific type of trust that can be used… read more…
- What Is an In Kind Transfer?
Opening an investment account can help you grow wealth for retirement or other financial goals. Brokerage accounts can offer flexibility when it comes to choosing where to invest, and many online brokerages now offer low fees, a fact that can… read more…
- Guide to Microcap Stocks
There are different ways to classify stocks but one of the simplest is by market capitalization. Market capitalization means the total dollar market value of a company’s outstanding shares. For example, companies can be categorized as large-cap, mid-cap or small-cap.… read more…
- How Does an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) Work?
As part of your company’s benefits package, you may have access to an Employee Stock Purchase Plan, or ESPP. These plans allow you to purchase shares in the company you work for, typically at a discount. An ESPP is separate from a 401(k) or similar workplace retirement plan, but both can be useful to growing… read more…
- How an Accelerated Death Benefit Works
When buying life insurance, you may be asked whether you’d like to add on various riders. Riders enhance the policy’s benefits and there are a number you can choose from, including an accelerated death benefit. Adding on this benefit may… read more…
- Self-Dealing: Definition and Examples
When choosing a financial professional to work with, it’s important to find someone who’s reputable and trustworthy. One thing to consider when vetting financial advisors or other professionals is whether they’ve ever been engaged in self-dealing. Self-dealing is a term… read more…
- How to Calculate Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)
Cost of goods sold (COGS) is the determination of how much it costs retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers to produce the goods they sell. For makers and resellers of products, COGS, sometimes also referred to as “cost of sales,” appears on an… read more…