What Was Brexit? Brexit was the nickname for “British exit” from the EU, the economic and policy union of which the U.K. had been a member since 1973. That changed on June 23, 2016, when the U.K. voted to leave the EU. The residents decided that the benefits of free trade weren’t enough to offset the costs of free movement of immigration. The vote was 17.4 million in favor of leaving vs....
Business is booming, too. Revenue was up by 55% in Q2 2021 compared to Q2 2020. Affirm is meant to be quick and easy, which means it’s a good idea to ensure you’re not paying for convenience in the form of higher costs. How Does Affirm Work? Affirm offers several services, such as a savings account and a debit card launching sometime in the future. However, its bread and butter is buy-now-pay-later loans you apply for when you make an online purchase....
Investors often use derivatives to hedge their risks, maximize their returns, or limit losses. While available directly in the form of options or futures, the average investor can also access derivatives through funds that invest in them. However, they can be risky investments and are not appropriate for everyone. Take the time to understand what they are, how to use them, and the risks involved before trading derivatives. What Is the Derivatives Market?...
Your contributions in a Roth IRA can be accessed at any time, for any reason. However, if you withdraw your earnings before you reach the age of 59½, you may have to pay a tax penalty unless you meet certain conditions. Let’s learn how the Roth IRA withdrawal process works, when you can access your earnings, and how to avoid paying penalties. You Can Access Contributions Anytime Your Roth IRA account holds both your contributions and earnings on them....
The more pertinent question then becomes: Does it make sense? You’ll likely have to pay a hefty fee—maybe 2.5% or 3%—so the benefits must be worth the cost. Often they’re not, but here’s what you need to know to figure out what’s best for your particular situation. Is Paying Your Rent With a Credit Card Worth It? It all depends on your goal. If you’re dreaming about all the cash back or frequent flyer miles you could get from your credit card issuer, you may be sorely disappointed....
All states have succession laws in their books. Many are similar, but each can vary in subtle ways. The intestate succession in Colorado depends on who is still living when a person passes away. When the Deceased Is Survived by a Spouse When the deceased is survived by only a spouse (no children or parents), the surviving spouse inherits the entire probate estate (in this case, probate is the legal process of dividing up an estate)....
Well, it’s complicated. The price of gas is based on a number of things, some of which vary according to where you live. Most people know that the price of crude oil affects how expensive gasoline is. That doesn’t fluctuate by state, but taxes, fees, and environmental regulations do. Location matters, too. Is your state near a refinery, for example, or does gasoline have to be transported long distances to get to your local gas station?...
It makes you wonder: Why? What went wrong? Purchase offers are usually rejected for these common reasons, and they often have dollar signs attached. 1. Your Price Was Too Low Sellers aren’t required to respond to offers that are less than the list price in most states, but agents are required to deliver them anyway. The seller might believe that the buyer isn’t serious about purchasing the property if the offer is too lowball....
A true mentor relationship is a two way street–your mentor gets to learn about new strategies from you, while you gain wisdom from them. On top of that, it’s a (usually) free resource to help you start and grow your small business. To make it work, however, you need to find and maintain a relationship with a business mentor, and a few tactics are key to that success. ....
Index funds, meanwhile, tend to have higher returns over longer periods of time. This is because an index fund, which is a type of mutual fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF), tracks a specific set of investments and strives to gain the same returns as them, which makes an index fund passively managed. With index funds, there is no need for the intense research and analysis needed to find stocks that may do better than others during a given time frame....
According to the International Monetary Fund, the U.S. dollar is the most popular. As of the fourth quarter of 2019, it makes up over 60% of all known central bank foreign exchange reserves. That makes it the de facto global currency, even though it doesn’t hold an official title. The next closest reserve currency is the euro. It makes up 20% of known central bank foreign currency reserves. The chance of the euro becoming a world currency was damaged by the eurozone crisis....
How do I know if I overpaid taxes on unemployment? The IRS should have already checked on that for you, but if you’re not sure, you can always ask a tax professional. An unusual last-minute change to last year’s tax law meant that millions of people did overpay the taxes on their unemployment benefits, forcing the IRS to go back and recalculate their tax returns in recent months. Of the estimated more than one in four American workers who collected jobless benefits due to the coronavirus pandemic—that’s according to a March analysis by the Century Foundation think tank—many were surprised to learn that such payments count as income in the eyes of the IRS....
Let’s take a look at some of the major reasons that investors should rethink investing in commodities, and then look at when it might make sense. Commodities Are More Difficult to Understand Most investors are familiar with how the stock market works, but investing in commodities is significantly more complicated. Commodities are primarily traded using derivatives known as “futures contracts,” where a seller agrees to deliver a commodity to a buyer at a set time and price in the future in exchange for a premium....
While your beneficiary designations need not be reviewed every year, they should be reviewed as often as you review or update your last will and testament—which is a process that should be done at least every few years. At a minimum, review and update beneficiaries following life-changing events, such as a marriage, divorce, birth, or death. Avoid Probate Unlike other property and assets, funds held in a 401(k) or another employer-sponsored retirement plan with a beneficiary designation are treated similarly to transfer-upon-death (TOD) assets, such as securities held in non-retirement accounts that allow for TOD registration....
Writing a business plan is time-consuming, but it’s essential if you want to have a successful business that’s going to survive the startup phase. To Test the Feasibility of Your Business Idea Writing a business plan is the best way—other than going out and doing it—to test whether an idea for starting a business is feasible. In this sense, the business plan is your safety net. If working through a business plan reveals that your business idea is untenable, it will save you a great deal of time and money....
The Juggling Glass and Rubber Balls Speech Dyson discussed the juggling-glass-and-rubber-balls illustration in the final moments of his 1991 commencement speech at Georgia Tech, which he named the “Five Balls of Life.” Here’s what he said: “Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them—work, family, health, friends, and spirit—and you’re keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball....
The financial section of your business plan should include a sales forecast, expenses budget, cash flow statement, balance sheet, and a profit and loss statement. Be sure to follow the generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) set forth by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, a private-sector organization responsible for setting financial accounting and reporting standards in the U.S. If financial reporting is new territory for you, have an accountant review your projections....
Before you buy that airplane or boat, think carefully about how you want to use it for business purposes. If you’re going to use the boat or airplane for entertaining customers, vendors, or business associates, you need to know about whether expenses associated with it are deductible. The same tax regulations apply to motor homes, and other similar vehicles and facilities. Entertainment Expenses No Longer Deductible The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act tax made all entertainment costs non-deductible for businesses....
Do Something That You Love Every Day Nothing overcomes weariness and increases job satisfaction like doing something that you love to do every day. Discover small things about your job that make you happy. Make sure that these activities or tasks are on your agenda every day. Hard pressed to find something that you love to do at work? Make sure you combat that weary feeling with an external activity to balance this lack....
This definition is more relevant today than ever before, when consumers encounter ads at every turn, and businesses are expected to be engaged and responsive. One of the smartest things a small business owner can do is take the time to develop a marketing plan. A marketing plan clearly outlines how you will reach your ideal customers by effectively implementing your marketing strategy. There are countless ways to promote your small business, so it’s important to identify and focus on the most effective tactics....
