Perhaps the biggest difference between brokerage accounts and mutual funds is their structure. While brokerage accounts allow you to buy investments, mutual funds are investments themselves. Each has its pros and cons. Find out which one is best for you or if you may need both. What Is a Brokerage Account? A brokerage account is an account that is used by investors to buy, sell, and hold securities, such as stocks and bonds....
You can make shopping for gifts much easier by developing a solid strategy. But the most important thing you can do is to develop a gift-giving budget and set money aside each month for that fund. Learn our tips on how to set a budget for gift-giving. Planning Your Gift Giving Budget It’s important not to just pick an arbitrary number when you’re planning your gift budget. You should take into account birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays such as Christmas....
There may be some options for you to get your student loans forgiven as a first-time homebuyer. It all depends on factors such as where you live or work, how much you earn, and the types of loans you have. Can First-Time Homebuyers Get Student Loans Forgiven? Currently, student loan forgiveness programs for first-time homebuyers exist at the state level. While there aren’t any federal options available, as of 2022, the Biden Administration and the U....
Sincerely, Becca Dear Becca, Building a financial partnership with someone is hard, especially when the other person earns a considerable amount more, and the best way to approach this is to first figure out what you want your relationship to look like when it comes to finances. The reality is, it’s unlikely two people will ever be 100% financially equal. So don’t strive for this. An equal partnership doesn’t have to mean “exactly the same....
If you considered only the financial implications of becoming a parent, you might end up childless. Fortunately, most people don’t base this important decision on financial issues alone. As with any other decision that will impact your financial situation, it’s smart to go into it with your eyes wide open and being prepared. The changes that accompany adding a new little member to your family can be stressful, but you can greatly reduce the stress by minimizing the financial factor....
Average rates on 30-year fixed-rate loans fell to 2.96% from 2.98% the week before, Freddie Mac said Thursday. That’s about three-tenths of a percentage point above the all-time low rate of 2.65% reached this January and two-tenths of a percentage point below the 3.18% average rate on April 1, the high for the year so far. Meanwhile, rates for the same type of mortgage rose slightly, from 3.17% to 3....
The losing party will likely be reluctant to pay, but you do have some options for collecting the money awarded to you. It surprises many people to learn that winning a case doesn’t mean that you automatically get paid. Many debtors don’t pay because they can’t, and some are difficult to locate to get payment. How a Judgment Is Issued If the judge in small claims court rules in your favor, or if a default judgment is issued because the defendant fails to appear or defend the case, the court will issue a judgment for a specific amount of money....
Not Understanding the Different Types Not all IRAs are the same. From a tax perspective, they’re wildly different. A traditional IRA taxes you when you withdraw the funds and may come with a tax deduction at the time when you contribute the funds. A Roth IRA has no tax deduction when you contribute. You pay normal taxes on the funds before depositing into the IRA, but there’s no tax when you take it out at retirement....
What Is Company Culture? Company culture refers to the attitudes and behaviors of a company and its employees. It is evident in the way an organization’s people interact with each other, the values they hold, and the decisions they make. Company culture encompasses a variety of elements, including work environment, company mission, leadership style, values, ethics, expectations, and goals. Alternate names: Organizational culture, corporate culture, workplace culture How Does Company Culture Work?...
Below, we’ll dive deeper into why money goals are important for teens as well as how to help your teen save and plan for unexpected expenses. We’ll also discuss how to ensure money conversations are a regular part of your teen’s life. The Importance of Setting Money Goals Financial goals are milestones you set for your money over specified periods of time. They’re just as important for your teen as they are for you....
Shortages or cost increases in labor, raw materials, and capital goods create cost-push inflation. These components of supply are also part of the four factors of production. Five Causes of Cost-Push Inflation With Examples Cost-push inflation is rare. It only occurs under five special circumstances. In all of these circumstances, demand is inelastic. 1. Monopoly Companies that achieve a monopoly in an industry can create cost-push inflation. A monopoly reduces supply to meet its profit goal....
That’s not always the case, however. Find out more about when applying for multiple jobs at a company is a good idea. Also, see a cover letter example for applying for multiple jobs within the same company. Should You Apply for Multiple Jobs at a Company? Applying for different positions in a company is effective if you are truly qualified for the positions you’re applying to. If you are a strong candidate for all the positions, it makes sense to apply to them....
Think of the letter as making the case for your candidacy. And, while resumes tend to be a bit dry, listing information in bullet points, a cover letter has room to be more engaging. What Hiring Managers Look For Just like a resume, though, cover letters have a distinct format and style. If you do not adhere to the standard format of a cover letter, you will appear unprofessional and it could torpedo your application....
May has been filled with fickle news so far, such as the Gates’ divorce and cryptocurrency value swings, but credit card interest rates are a quiet constant in our lives. This week, the credit card industry also brought us news of a dog-friendly rewards card and several beefed-up welcome bonuses. This credit card news roundup contains what you should know about the cards in your wallet and new product releases, offers, or reports that might not be as trendy as Dogecoin, but won’t give you stock market whiplash....
Day traders should be assessing the quality of their wins and losses. Quality in day trading means that a trader’s win/loss ratio, risk/reward ratio, acceptable losses, and acceptable risks are all taken into account when creating a bid or ask. By addressing all of these elements, you create a balance between your win rate and risk/reward ratios, which is crucial to success as a day trader. You should be striving for a win rate of between 50% and 70%, and try to trade at risk/reward ratios of 1....
Day trading takes skill if you want to make rather than lose money. There’s a lot to learn when you’re a day trading beginner. Not only will you need to decide what to trade and how much capital you’ll need, but you’ll have to get the proper equipment and software, determine when to trade, and of course, how to manage your risk. Here are some tips to steer you in the right direction as you start your journey....
What exactly is the debt ceiling? Politicians and economists throw around a lot of confounding jargon about the topic that’s rarely heard in day-to-day life—terminology that can camouflage the gist of the debate, which centers on how much the government should be spending, and in turn, borrowing. Here’s the meaning of some key terms used in this critical discussion. Debt Ceiling The debt ceiling, or debt limit, is the amount of money the Treasury is allowed to borrow (per Congress) to pay for spending the government has already committed to—including Social Security and Medicare payments, military salaries, interest on the national debt, and a multitude of other expenses....
While the law prevents you from being sued for expired debts, the law doesn’t prevent collectors from continuing to contact you to collect the debt. Debt collectors are within their rights to continue calling you, even though debt is no longer legally enforceable. Fortunately, you can stop these calls. Use this letter to let collectors know the statute of limitations has passed and you no longer wish to be contacted regarding the debt....
A CD Doesn’t Build Credit on Its Own A CD is an asset. The account holds money you’ve deposited and pays a fixed interest rate when you leave your money invested for a specific amount of time. Since it’s not a credit product like a credit card or loan, the bank or credit union holding your CD won’t report your account to the credit bureaus. A CD-Secured Loan Can Help You Build Credit While CDs aren’t included in your credit history and don’t directly help you build credit, you can use one as collateral for a loan that does report to the credit bureaus....
Let’s learn more about Medicare’s role in paying for colonoscopies and other colorectal screenings. What Is a Colonoscopy? A colonoscopy is a common way to screen for colorectal cancers. It’s a medical procedure used to identify abnormalities or changes in a patient’s large intestine or rectum. Colonoscopies involve the use of a colonoscope, a flexible tube with a very small video camera that can navigate the rectum and colon. The colonoscope can also take tissue samples or remove abnormal tissue, such as a polyp....
