What Is an Alternative Investment? To appreciate how alternative assets are defined, you need to understand two related concepts: “asset classes” and “asset allocation.” An asset class is a type of asset that has a certain set of characteristics. There are a handful of what can be considered “core” asset classes that someone might consider adding to their investment portfolio. They include: Cash and cash equivalentsStocksBonds In its broadest sense, an alternative investment, or alternative asset, is any type of asset that does not fall into one of these three categories....

In addition to career planning and assistance for the higher education population, Amy spent fourteen years in a boutique staffing firm working with administrative professionals. Conducting workshops and seminars on all aspects of the job search is another area of expertise that Amy has acquired. She believes that the isolation of the job seeker adds to the frustration of an already broken process and encourages “group advocacy” (through break-out rooms and “buddy systems”) whenever possible....

Learning the rules can help you determine whether your Roth IRA distributions will be tax-free or not. When Are Roth IRA Distributions Tax-Free? Your withdrawal from a Roth IRA isn’t taxable under three circumstances: You withdraw no more than the amount of your original contributions, regardless of your age. You’re 59 1/2 or older and you’ve had your Roth for five years or longer, measured from the first day of the year in which you established and contributed to it....

Meanwhile, in a letter publicly released Thursday, Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Tina Smith of Minnesota asked Fidelity Investments CEO Abigail Johnson to explain why the company “ignored” the Department of Labor’s warning when it announced in late April it would soon include a Bitcoin option in 401(k) offerings and already had one employer signed up. “Investing in cryptocurrencies is a risky and speculative gamble, and we are concerned that Fidelity would take these risks with millions of Americans’ retirement savings,” the senators wrote in the letter to Johnson, questioning whether there are conflicts of interest related to Fidelity’s past Bitcoin and Ethereum mining activities, among other things....

The first climate change-focused rewards credit card was announced Wednesday by online financial firm Aspiration, which promises users a planted tree for each swipe and cash-back rewards for those who attain carbon-neutral status each month. Every time the new card—Aspiration Zero—is used, Aspiration will plant a tree to help offset the cardholder’s carbon footprint. That’s a measure of the amount of greenhouse gases—including carbon monoxide and methane—created by human (and industrial) activity....

The choice of investment placement can have a major impact on an investor’s taxes and net return after taxes. How Asset Location Works There are three basic types of investment accounts: Brokerage Accounts Investments held in a brokerage account are taxed on capital gains and on interest income, or money you earn from dividends. For example, if you sell a mutual fund at a price higher than what you paid for it, you will have a capital gain for which you will owe a tax....

If you are thinking about making a claim for water damage not covered by insurance, or damage caused by a disaster like a hurricane, flood after a wildfire, or flood-related water damage, FEMA has a claims handbook that may be a good resource for you. Here we will explain FEMA payments and walk you through how to make a claim. Average Claim Payments Through FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program Below is an overview of the most recent available data for the average claim payments made by FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program....

Successful investors have strategies and carefully build portfolios based on them. You should have an investing strategy, goals and know your risk tolerance. Once you decide upon these elements, you can begin searching for and choosing the best Schwab mutual funds to include in your portfolio. The Best Schwab Mutual Funds To rate any funds as best, it’s important to understand what would make them qualify as top-performing funds. A fund must meet an investor’s strategic criteria, acceptable risk, and rate of return; past performance, fees, and overall costs are also important....

The amount of capital you require to day trade will depend on the futures contract you trade. Futures contracts have different “day trading margin” requirements, meaning you need to have varying amounts of money in your account to trade various contracts. If you have a small account, you’re limited to futures contracts that have low day trading margins. A large account gives you more flexibility in what to day trade, and the guide below will help you decide....

The first type of inventory transaction you’d make would involve buying raw materials inventory, or the materials you use to make your products. You’ll have to have a basic understanding of the inventory cycle and double-entry accounting methods to make the proper entries. Double-Entry Accounting Double-entry accounting is the process of recording transactions twice when they occur. A debit entry is made to one account, and a credit entry is made to another....

Here’s a full definition of what makes a business, along with some of the common types you’ll encounter. What Is a Business? A business is any entity that seeks to profit from an activity. Business is a broad term, but these profit-seeking activities generally include providing some kind of good or service that people want or need. Businesses may experience a loss, but that doesn’t stop them from being a business....

Product Demand and Business Risk Another way to think about business risk is the demand for a company’s product. Using the example of the automobile manufacturer again, in an economic downturn, consumers do not have as much demand for the companies’ products. When product demand is low, that causes income to decline, and the business risk increases. Business risk is tied to a company’s fixed costs. Fixed costs always have to be paid, no matter what the company’s income....

In California, there are two sets of exemptions available for use in bankruptcy to California residents (if you have been domiciled there for 546 days). The set that is the subject of this article is commonly known as the “703 exemptions.” The number 703 refers to the code section of the California Code of Civil Procedure. Specifically, these exemptions can be found within section 703.140 if you would like to review them yourself....

The Legality of Wage Garnishment Can credit card companies actually follow through on their threat? Yes, but not until they sue you, win, and have a judge decide to garnish your wages as the method of payment. It’s illegal for debt collectors to threaten you with a lawsuit if they don’t intend to do so or if they can’t legally do it. Even if your credit card company is unlikely to sue you for wage garnishment, they can still hurt you in other ways, including damaging your credit report and hiring a debt collection agency....

We’ll explain what you need to get approved for a mortgage while unemployed, and also what you’ll need to show when you become gainfully employed again. Buying a Home While Unemployed Although you can’t purchase a home using unemployment income, it is possible to get a mortgage while you’re unemployed. According to Jason Gelios, a Realtor at Community Choice Realty in the Detroit area, there are other types of income that could be considered....

How Much Money Can You Come Up With Without Using Credit? A quick test to see how you are doing is to look at how much money you could come up without using a credit card in the next week. You can look at your savings account and consider the amount that you have available to you. You may also look at how much you can cut back in incidental spending in a week to see how quickly you can raise additional money to handle unexpected expenses....

An Agreement to Vacate on Good Terms At the heart of “cash for keys” is a written agreement between the occupants of the house and the lender stating that they will move out by a certain date and leave the house in good condition. The agreement includes a promise from the occupants that they won’t vandalize the property or strip the home of light fixtures, appliances, or copper. They also must promise not to leave any pets or personal belongings behind and to clean the house thoroughly—what’s often called “broom clean” or “broom swept” condition....

A hold is a temporary delay in making funds available. The bank makes it so that you cannot withdraw the money or use it for payments, even though those funds appear in your account. Your account history shows all your transactions, and the bank adds deposits to your account balance, but the money is not part of your available balance. “Available” is the key word because you have several different account balances, including your total account balance and your funds available for immediate use....

Cavan Images / Getty Images The chief people officer (CPO) is the head of this more multifaceted HR department. Their job is to create the strategy and vision that help the company achieve long-term success. Reporting to the CEO, the CPO acts as the architect for the company’s talent strategy and corporate-culture initiatives. Chief People Officer Duties and Responsibilities A CPO is generally required to perform the following duties:...

Board Considerations for Dividend Payout Policy Here are some factors a board will consider when determining its payout policy for dividends: Opportunities to Reinvest Surplus Free Cash Flow A company in the process of expanding probably will not pay out a dividend if it can create more value by putting that capital to work through reinvestment. Many companies, such as Microsoft, wait decades before issuing their first dividend, as they invest their earnings back into their asset base to expand at high returns on capital....