- How to Invest in Sector Funds
Mutual funds can offer a simplified approach to portfolio diversification. When you buy a mutual fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF), you can own a collection of investments rather than having to purchase individual stocks. Sector funds are a type of… read more…
- How the CARES Act Affects Current College Students
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act includes over $2 trillion in federal funds to help address the economic fallout from the coronavirus global pandemic. The bill includes several provisions that affect college students, including deferred student loan payments and money for carryover funding of colleges and universities around the U.S. At the… read more…
- Working With a Financial Advisor Online
A financial advisor can help you create a plan for managing your money, including saving and investing for retirement. Traditionally, you’d need to meet with a financial advisor in person to get advice, but these days many financial advisor firms allow you to connect with a professional online. Working with a financial advisor online has… read more…
- Are You in the Top 1%?
The term “top 1%” typically refers to people among the top 1% wealthiest Americans, as measured by either annual income or net worth. The income of those in the top 1% is many multiples above that of the average American: According to… read more…
- What Is a Constructive Trust?
Trusts can be helpful in estate planning if you want to avoid probate or minimize estate taxes. A revocable living trust, for example, might be useful if you have assets you want to pass on to your beneficiaries that aren’t… read more…
- Mortgage Forbearance vs. Mortgage Forgiveness: What’s the Difference?
When you’re struggling to make mortgage payments, you may be wondering what options you have. Mortgage forbearance programs can help provide temporary relief from payments, while mortgage forgiveness can reduce the amount you have to pay back to your mortgage lender. While they may sound similar, they work very differently. If you’re wondering how the… read more…
- Intentionally Defective Grantor Trust (IDGT)
Establishing a trust as part of your financial plan can yield certain benefits, including the potential to minimize estate taxes. An intentionally defective grantor trust (IDGT) is a type of irrevocable trust that can be used to limit tax liability… read more…
- How to Retire in Cambodia: Costs, Visas and More
Cambodia is known for its stunning landscapes, vast temples, and low cost of living. Cambodian people are often noted as being some of the friendliest people in the world. From its rich culture to unique ecosystem, there are plenty of… read more…
- How to Start a Business in Indiana
Thinking of starting a business in Indiana? The Hoosier State’s low costs for doing business and low costs of living combined with a business-friendly regulatory environment and well-built infrastructure can attract people planning to start businesses. On the other hand,… read more…
- How to Start a Business in Maryland
If you’re considering starting a business in Maryland, you’ll likely be impressed with the state’s well-educated populace, one of the country’s lowest poverty rates and the strong economic presence of defense contracting and medical research. Tax planning is a key… read more…
- States Where Residents Are Financially Hurting the Most During COVID-19 – 2020 Study
Despite various government relief programs, the coronavirus crisis has already affected the finances of many Americans. Over the past eight weeks, more than one in four individuals filed for unemployment. Though unemployment benefits are expanded under the CARES Act, enhanced benefits are scheduled to end on July 31, 2020. Additionally, though many businesses say they… read more…
- What Is a Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)?
A partnership is a business structure with more than one owner, where each partner shares in the responsibilities, profits and liabilities of the business. Among partnership options, a limited liability partnership (LLP) stands out by blending features of both traditional partnerships and corporations. An LLP provides enhanced liability protection for its partners, shielding personal assets… read more…
- What is a Limited Partnership (LP)?
A limited partnership (LP) has two kinds of partners: One who does not get involved in daily management and another who is involved in daily management and bears more personal liability. It’s similar to a general partnership but with some… read more…
- How to Disinherit an Heir
So you’ve decided that a family member won’t be getting an inheritance, after all. Maybe you have an ungrateful or irresponsible family member you want to cut out of the will. Or maybe there’s someone you’ve decided to favor at… read more…
- Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE)
Certified Fraud Examiners are trained in fraud examination activities like forensic accounting. Certified Fraud Examiners (CFEs) have a variety of job options, such as forensic accountants, compliance officers, internal or external auditors, state or private investigators and law enforcement. CFEs… read more…
- How to Retire in France: Costs, Visas and More
Do you dream of spending your retirement drinking Bordeaux and champagne in Paris? Perhaps you want to spend it in a beautiful seaside villa in Biarritz or the ski the Alpine slopes of Chamonix at the base of Mont Blanc? If France… read more…
- Guide to Financial Planning for Retirement
When it comes to retirement, you can’t afford to be unprepared. Having a clear idea of how you want to spend your later years, and how you’ll pay for it, are key to ensuring that you can retire comfortably and… read more…
- What Suspended Dividends Mean for Investors
Despite a recent bounce-back, stock prices have fallen sharply since the coronavirus first emerged. For some investors this may not prove much of a problem. Historically stocks have rebounded strongly in the wake of serious recessions and, as of mid-May, the market seemed to be on track to continue that pattern. However, long- and short-term… read more…
- What’s In an Investment Advisory Agreement?
Working with a financial professional can offer numerous benefits when you need clarity or guidance on managing your money and investments. Once you have decided to engage the services of a financial advisor rather than a financial planner or another type of… read more…
- Why Is the Stock Market Up?
By some estimates, nearly one in four Americans is out of work. A steady stream of bankruptcies has begun, both out loud and quietly, and many businesses have shuttered for good. The full extent of the damage wrought by the coronavirus recession will not become apparent until local economies begin to reopen. But there’s one… read more…
- CARES Act Loans for Mid-Sized and Big Businesses
One of the federal government’s main economic responses to the coronavirus pandemic is the $2.2 trillion CARES Act, which provides assistance for both small businesses and larger ones. For businesses with fewer than 500 employees the act offers forgivable loans, administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA), like the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic… read more…
- Why Retiring Early Is a Bad Idea Now
If you are near retirement and recently unemployed, you may have more company than you think. The tech sector has seen major layoffs over the past several months and many fear a recession is coming. While retiring early by itself… read more…
- How Is the US Going to Pay for All This Stimulus Spending?
At time of writing the United States owed $19.3 trillion in public debt. It owed another $5.9 trillion in debt held by its own agencies. Together, these figures come to a national debt of $25.2 trillion. With substantially more coronavirus spending almost certainly still to come, 2020 will be one of the most expensive years in U.S.… read more…
- Cities Where Seniors Are Increasingly Staying in the Workforce – 2020 Edition
Having sufficient savings is imperative as a person enters retirement and leaves the workforce behind. But several factors – including a delayed start to saving, the increasing cost of living, a decrease in the number of people with traditional pensions and now the economic downturn precipitated by the coronavirus pandemic – may make seniors consider… read more…
- A Small Business Owner’s Guide to Bankruptcy
If your small business is struggling to pay its debts and your creditors are threatening to take your assets, bankruptcy is an option. Although bankruptcy sounds like the end, it actually can be a way for a business in dire straits to find a new beginning. With the right understanding of bankruptcy, a small business… read more…