Making money from dividend-paying stocks is one of the basics of good investing. But you need to know what dividends are and how they work if you want to put them to good use. Learn how these kinds of stocks add a stream of income to your accounts. What Is a Dividend? A companies funds dividend payments when it earns a profit. It uses part of these profits to send money to the people who invested in them....
The alternative method is called historical cost accounting. It keeps the asset’s value on the books at its original level. It’s like insuring the depreciated value of your car. How It Works At the end of each fiscal year, a company must report how much each asset is worth in its financial statements. It’s easy for accountants to estimate the market value if traders buy and sell that type of asset often....
Trading futures can provide above-average profits but at the cost of taking above-average risk. This type of transaction also requires intermediate to advanced skills in researching the trades before entering and in determining exit points. Futures Brokers, Margin Accounts, and Leverage Different futures brokers have varying minimum deposits for the accounts of individuals trading futures. Traders will use leverage when they transact these contracts. Leverage means the trader does not need the full value of the trade as an account balance....
If these types of funds are new to you, learn about the many types, their pros and cons, and some historical context to decide whether you’re ready to invest in money market mutual funds. What Are Money Market Funds? Money market funds are mutual funds with low risk and low returns. They only invest in low-risk debt securities. These include short-term Treasury notes, municipal bonds, or high-grade corporate debt. Since they are low-risk, they pay low dividends that usually reflect short-term interest rates....
Discover some common ways interviewers ask job candidates about their motivations, and get advice on the best responses, along with answers to avoid. What Do Interviewers Want to Know? Any question in this category helps hiring managers understand what you feel enthusiastic about and what drives your success. Of course, interviewers are aware that earning money is a major reason for working. With this question, they’re trying to discover other factors that make you show up for work....
The cost to buy a house has ballooned because of rapidly rising prices and spiking mortgage rates, the latter a result of the Federal Reserve’s anti-inflation interest rate hikes. That’s priced many homebuyers out of the market. In April 2022, a family would have needed an annual income of $107,600 to afford the median mortgage payment on a newly-purchased home, up from $79,600 in April 2021, the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University estimated in a report this week....
Major changes to the SSA system were made by way of the Social Security Reform Act of 2016. They altered the way SSA benefits and the inflation adjustment are calculated. As a result, some high-income retirees started seeing smaller SSA checks. Learn more about the changes that came about from the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, and see the proposed changes introduced with the Social Security Reform Act of 2016....
Fintech company Upgrade’s new no-fee Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Card allows users to earn unlimited 1.5% bitcoin rewards on every purchase as they make payments. And starting Wednesday, anyone can apply for one, the company said. A cash-back rate of 1.5% is common among flat-rate rewards credit cards. Receiving those rewards in cryptocurrency is not. Upgrade isn’t the first to offer a bitcoin rewards card, but the company said its card is the first one to be generally available to everyone....
A non-solicitation agreement is an agreement not to solicit either (a) employees or (b) customers of a business, or both. Non-solicitation language can come in the form of an entire document or a clause within another document, like an employment agreement or independent contractor agreement. Consideration and Restrictive Covenants Restrictive covenants are contracts, and they must include all elements of a valid contract, including consideration. Consideration is the concept that each party to the contract must give something to the other....
How Online Bill Pay Works To set up online bill payments, you’ll need to create an online account with your bank or service provider and then set up your account for payments. Banks With the bank model, you give your financial institution information about recipients to whom you owe money, be they another bank or a business, and the bank sends money to them. Depending on the payee, the bank will issue an electronic payment or a paper check using funds drawn from your designated account within a few days after you schedule the bill pay....
Advantages and Disadvantages of a Traditional IRA A traditional IRA can be a good option if you are looking to lower your taxable income. The contributions are tax-free, but you will pay taxes on your withdrawals. The major disadvantage is that you will pay taxes on more money since your money will grow once you invest it. However, you may be paying at a lower tax rate since you will likely be earning less once you are retired....
Basically, anytime you are doing a search on a search engine or looking at the pages of another website you’ll see advertisements on those search results or web pages. In many cases the advertiser isn’t charged any fees unless the visitor actually clicks on the ad, hence the term “pay-per-click”. Google Adwords is the best known PPC program employing a “display” advertising formula today, but other search engine companies and affiliate networks also offer attractive PPC plans for merchants, entrepreneurs and start-ups looking to gain exposure or simply earn some money....
Monthly retail and food service sales rose 5.3% to $568.2 billion in January—the biggest percentage increase since June and the first month-over-month gain in four months, according to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau Wednesday. The jump was well over the 2.1% growth forecasted by economists at Moody’s Analytics. The unexpectedly strong numbers reflect the recent influx of government relief as well as fewer pandemic-related restrictions on activity, economists said....
Both people are also equally liable for credit card payments, no matter who made the purchases. When the payments become delinquent, the credit card issuer can go after either cardholder for payment. If you’re thinking about getting a joint credit card with a partner, spouse, or child, knowing the pros and cons will help you decide whether it’s a good idea. Advantages of Joint Credit Cards Having a joint credit card is beneficial for managing shared expenses, lowering the individual cost of credit, and maximizing rewards:...
How a QPRT Works The owner of a residence can transfer their ownership of the property into a QPRT for estate-planning purposes. They would receive a qualified term interest, sometimes called a “retained income period,” in exchange. This interest allows them to continue living in the home. They would begin paying fair market rent to your heirs at the end of this period if they continued using the residence. The residence isn’t included in the owner’s taxable estate should they die during the retained income period, but it passes to the trust’s beneficiaries at the end of the period if the owner is still living at that time....
Avoiding Wi-Fi altogether is not realistic. It’s probably not even practical to save banking sessions for when you’re at home or on a wired connection. But you should be aware of the risks you take when using free public Wi-Fi. Plus, there’s some risk when you bank with Wi-Fi at home or in a hotel room. Connecting Is Risky Simply connecting to a wireless network to find the nearest bakery can cause problems, although the risk may be small....
The International Energy Agency, a group representing 31 advanced economies, has made 10 suggestions for cutting back on oil use after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent oil and gas prices soaring. The suggestions—while not terribly new (a 55-mile-per-hour speed limit was mandated during the 1973-74 oil embargo, for instance)—could cut global oil consumption by 2.7 million barrels a day within four months, the agency estimated. That’s almost as much as it expects global oil supplies to shrink because of sanctions and other deterrents to buying Russian oil....
For example, just because a 401(k) plan allows for higher annual contribution rates doesn’t mean it’s the best retirement plan for your needs. Also, the popular Roth IRA is not always the best individual retirement account for everyone saving for retirement. Tax Benefits of Top Retirement Plans and How They Work There are many different types of retirement plans to choose from, but the primary retirement savings vehicles are the traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA, and 401(k) plan....
While a reverse mortgage feels like free money, it’s actually a loan. Interest, service fees, and mortgage insurance will all be assessed and added to the loan balance. Over time, those costs can add up significantly. Even if it sounds like a good deal for you, the reality is that reverse mortgages are controversial. Some hail the reverse mortgage as a sensible solution for retirees who need extra money, allowing them to tap into what is likely their most valuable asset....
There are some benefits to each choice, so consider all your options. Keeping track of your retirement accounts is important to understanding whether you are meeting your financial and retirement goals. Learn what rollovers are, why you may want to consider rolling over your old 401(k) account, and why it is a good idea to review your retirement contributions. Reviewing your 401(k) and IRA should not take much time....
