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Distribution rules LLC vs. S-Corp
LLC is not a federal tax designation. It's a state-level organization. Your LLC can elect to be treated as a partnership, a disregarded entity (i.e., just report the taxes in your individual income tax), or as an S-Corp for federal tax purposes. If you have elected S-Corp, I expect that all the S-Corp rules will apply...
Roth IRA all in one fund, or not? [duplicate]
In your case, you could very well leave it in something like FFFFX, which for readers is a self balancing fund with a target retirement date of 2040. These funds are a conglomeration of other funds that tend to move more conservatively as time passes. However, I like to put no more than 10% of my portfolio in one fund...
What exactly do fund managers of index trackers do?
From How are indexes weighted?: Market-capitalization weighted indexes (or market cap- or cap-weighted indexes) weight their securities by market value as measured by capitalization: that is, current security price * outstanding shares. The vast majority of equity indexes today are cap-weighted, including the S...
Evidence for Technical Analysis [duplicate]
To answer your original question: There is proof out there. Here is a paper from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis that might be worth a read. It has a lot of references to other publications that might help answer your question(s) about TA. You can probably read the whole article then research some of the other ...
Why do shareholders participate in shorting stocks?
Because they receive compensation (generally interest + dividends) for loaning out the shares. I own an asset X. Somebody else wants to borrow asset X for some time period. I agree to loan them asset X in return for some form of compensation (generally a rate of interest plus, in this specific case, any dividend pa...
What is the next step to collect money after a judgment has been ignored?
In general, if this is in the United States, call your local bar association. Tell them you need a lawyer to help you collect a judgment. They will make a referral. The lawyer should know who can buy the judgment in return for cash. You don't need to give details to the bar association, but you should plan on givi...
Will I, as a CS student, be allowed to take loans for paying the fees of Ivy Leagues?
I would be surprised if a bank cared about an undergraduate major. Usually, such things are only important if it is a professional degree, like a law degree or medical degree. The big issue is that if you are not a US citizen, a US bank would be unlikely to make an unsecured loan because you could just return to your c...
Historical stock prices: Where to find free / low cost data for offline analysis?
There are several Excel spreadsheets for downloading stock quotes (from Yahoo Finance), and historical exchange rates at http://investexcel.net/financial-web-services-kb
I'm an American in my mid 20's. Is there something I should be doing to secure myself financially?
Buy this book. It is a short, simple crash course on personal finance, geared at someone in their 20s just starting out their career. You can easily finish it in a weekend. The book is a little dated at this point (pre housing bubble), but it is still valid. I personally feel it is the best intro to personal financ...
Why deep in the money options have very low liquidity
There is less liquidity because they are less volatile. Option traders aren't exactly risk averse (read: are degenerate gamblers) and the other market participants that use options don't have much use for deep in the money options. Also, just trade more liquid assets and equities if you want liquid options. At-the-mone...
Does a bid and ask price exist for indices like the S&P500?
You can trade an index by using a Contract For Difference, or CFD. Various brokers offer this method and the spreads are quite low. They tend to widen outside of market hours, and not all brokers offer the same spreads. I would look for a broker that offers the lowest spread on the index you are interested in. You shou...
A calculator that takes into account portfolio rebalancing?
Quicken has tools for this, but they have some quirks so i hesitate to actually recommend it on that basis.
Making a big purchase over $2500. I have the money to cover it. Should I get a loan or just place it on credit?
I would recommend putting it on a credit card, just not your current credit card. Run a Google search for "credit cards with good signup bonuses" and you will potentially come across these links: http://www.cardrates.com/advice/11-best-signup-bonus-credit-cards/ https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/top-credit-cards/best-cre...
Borrowing 100k and paying it to someone then declaring bankruptcy
This sounds like a crazy idea, but in reality people don't make the wisest decisions when considering bankruptcy in Australia. My suggestion would be to get some advice from an insolvency specialist.
How safe is a checking account?
Money in a U.S. checking account is FDIC insured, so it's "safe" in the sense that you don't have to worry about a run on the bank or going out of business. Purchase fraud is something else entirely -- you need to check with your bank and see what their policy is for unauthorized charges made with your debit card. Fede...
Is there a free, online stock screener for UK stocks?
I'm actually building a UK stock screener right now. It's more of an exercise in finding out how to work out technical things like MACD and EMA calculations, but if those are the things you're interested in, it's at http://www.pifflevalve.co.uk/screen-builder/ As I say, it's more of a personal project than anything co...
How does a lender compute equity requirement for PMI?
Never ever use a giant monster mega bank for home loans. I am sure you probably didn't and they bought your loan from someone else. You have no legal options. What you should do Is look at getting a new loan maybe a 15 year loan. Your payment might be the same with no PMI. I would check with a relator to see what t...
Anyone please explain the meaning of turnover in this pic?
The Business Dictionary has three definitions of "turnover". When it comes to share dealing, the most likely one is the total value of shares traded on the stock exchange in a given period.
Is keeping track of your money and having a budget the same thing?
The two are closely related. A budget is a detailed plan for how to spend. Expense tracking is a tool to analyze your previous spending performance. Creating a plan for how to spend your money without any record of your previous spending--is an empty promise to yourself that you will never follow up on. Did I stay with...
Do I need another health insurance policy?
Most of the points by MrChrister are valid. I can't say much for Philippines, however there is a reason for one to go with individual insurance from my experience in India.
Is it possible to quantify the probability of sudden big movements for a high-volume stock?
Certainly no one knows in advance how much a stock is going to swing around. However, there are measures of how much it has swung around in the past, and there are people who will estimate the probability. First of all, there's a measure of an individual stock's volatility, commonly referred to as "beta". A stock with ...
How much of a down payment for a car should I save before purchasing it?
At minimum, put down the sale price less what insurance would pay if you got in an accident when driving home, OR purchase gap insurance. This auto loan calculator is fun to play around with. The larger the down payment, the smaller your monthly payments will be. Don't forget to budget insurance and gas! Insurance o...
What can I do with “stale” checks? Can I deposit/cash them?
Find smaller payments he can make. Maybe a % of each client he takes payment from. Consult with a lawyer or google buisness contract elements and find fill them out and see what he can do. If the checks are no good bouncing them isn't going to help anything. Nor is getting a judgment from a small claims court. He can ...
How can I get a mortgage I can't afford?
If you can't afford it don't buy it, the next perfect house is just around the corner. The more time you spend researching and looking at houses, the increased chance you will find the perfect house you can afford. Also, here in Australia, we (the banks as well) factor in an interest rate rise of 2% above current rates...
Does it make sense to buy an index ETF (e.g. S&P 500) when the index is at an all-time high?
Here is, from Yahoo Finance, the S&P 500 over the last ~60 years (logarithmic scale): The behavior since ~2000 has been weird, by historical standards. And it's very easy, looking at that graph, to say "yes! I would have made so much money had I invested in March '09!". Of course, back in March '09, it wasn't so clear...
How do I build wealth?
As others have stated, CEO's often make more than 200K, and when they do, they're compensated with stock options and other lucrative bonuses and deals that allow them to build wealth above and beyond the face value of their salary. However, remember that having wealth makes it easier to build further wealth. As Victor ...
Why is the price of my investment only updated once per day?
Mutual funds are collections of investments that other people pay to join. It would be simpler to calculate the value of all these investments at one time each day, and then to deem that any purchases or sales happen at that price. The fund diversifies rather than magnifies risk, looking to hold rather than enjoy a q...
May I claim money earned but not received in 2012
If you didn't receive the money in 2012 or have constructive receipt you really can't claim the income. If the company is going to give you a 1099 for the work they aren't going to give you one until next year and if you claim it this year you will have a hard time explaining the income difference. On the other hand if...
Large orders and market manipulation
If you own a stake large enough to do that, you became regulated - under Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act and Regulation (in case of US stock) and you became regulated. Restricting you from "shocking" market. Another thing is that your broker will probably not allow you to execute order like that - directed MKT order for ...
Reasons for a warrant's intrinsic value and price not adding up?
While on the surface it may seem that the warrant you described is trading below intrinsic value, there are many reasons why that might not be the case. It's more likely that you are lacking information, than having identified a derivative instrument that the market has failed to reasonably price. For instance, might t...
What are some valuable sources for investment experience, when there is very little to no money to start with?
One way to start with stocks is by playing the fake stock market. Investigate what trading fees would be with a broker, then "invest" a certain amount of money - note it on paper or in a spreadsheet. Follow your stocks, make decisions on selling and buying, and see where you would be after a year or so. That way you...
Basic index fund questions
There are no guarantees in the stock market. The index fund can send you a prospectus which shows what their results have been over the past decade or so, or you can find that info on line, but "past results are not a guarantee of future performance". Returns and risk generally trade off against each other; trying for ...
Should I invest in the pre-IPO company stock offered by my employer?
Whether it's wise or not depends on what you think and what you should consider are the risks both ways. What are the risks? For Let's say that the company produces great value and its current price and initial price are well below what it's worth. By investing some of your money in the company, you can take advantage...
Is short selling a good hedging strategy during overzealous market conditions?
I saw that an answer hasn't been accepted for this yet: Being bearish is a good hedging strategy. But being hedged is a better hedging strategy. The point being that not everything in investments is so binary (up, and down). A lot of effective hedges can have many more variables than simply "stock go up, stock go down"...
Next steps for (not me): a recently-divorced single mom, in California, with a 2yr-old
She should call 211. This is exactly how they help. The 2-1-1 service is run by the United Way, a nonprofit organization. The 2-1-1 service strives to be a clearinghouse for services within a local area.
How to report a personal expense for an LLC partnership paid in one year and reimbursed in another?
You report it when the expense was incurred/accrued. Which is, in your case, 2014. There's no such thing as "accounts payable" on tax forms, it is an account on balance sheet, but most likely it is irrelevant for you since your LLC is probably cash-based. The reimbursement is a red-herring, what matters is when you pai...
Should market based health insurance premiums be factored into 6 months emergency fund savings?
Yes, it should be. As, where one has insurance, its an expense one would expect one to continue to incur in a normal budgetary emergency, even drop in the extreme.
Putting borrowed money into an SIPP
You're creating more liabilities for yourself in the future, although yes this could definitely be a profitable move for you. However, some small mistakes you made, from what I can see using the tools at Hargreaves Lansdown. The first, is that the government relief would only be 20%, not 60%. The second is that the tax...
How to measure how the Australian dollar is faring independent of the US dollar
If you're interested in slower scale changes, one option is to use indexes that value a common commodity in different currencies such as the Big Mac Index. If a Big Mac costs more in AUD but stays the same in USD, then AUD have gone up.
What should I do with the 50k I have sitting in a European bank?
You might want to just keep it in cash. For one step further you could do an even split of USD, EUR and silver. USD hedges against loss of value in the euro, precious metal hedges against a global financial problem. Silver over gold because of high gold:silver ratio is high. You could lose money this way. There are som...
One company asks for picture of my debit card
Sounds questionable to me. If there is no way around this I would suggest opening a new account with only the minimum balance necessary and sending them the debit card associated with that account. If anything goes wrong then the amount of damage they can do will be limited. I would definitely be looking for other opti...
Long term investment for money
Say you have $15,000 of capital to invest. You want to put the majority of your capital into low risk investments that will yield positive gains over the course of your working career. $5,000: Government bonds and mutual funds, split how you want. $9,500: Low risk, trusted companies with positive historical growth. I...
How to work around the Owner Occupancy Affidavit to buy another home in less than a year?
Look into the definition of "primary residence" for your jurisdiction(s). In some states, living in the home for 183 days qualifies it as your primary residence for the entire year.
If you buy something and sell it later on the same day, how do you calculate 'investment'?
Not sure if your question is on topic, but the investment is only $9 because that is maximum amount of money the merchant ever needed to start up the business. He put in $9, started turning a profit, and never looked back.
Thinking of doing an MBA: Is an $80K top MBA school better than a $24K online MBA school?
If you can get into the top school, it's a no-brainer to go that route. An MBA at a top school will not only give you an education taught by world-renowned professors but also a large network of students and alumni.
Should I cash out my Roth IRA to pay my mother's property tax debt, to avoid foreclosure on her home?
You're crazy to cash out your Roth or take on 401k loan, as that is addressing a short-term problem without doing anything about the longer-term issue. Just don't do it. Through no fault of her own, your mom is insolvent. It happens to people all of the time, and the solution is chapter 7 bankruptcy. The only thing th...
How much percent of my salary should I use to invest in company stock?
I agree with the other comments that you should not buy/hold your company stock even if given at a discount. If equity is provided as part of the compensation package (Options/Restrictive Stock Units RSU)then this rule does not apply. As a matter of diversification, you should not have majority equity stake of other co...
Price of a call option
When I log in to Schwab to look at these options it tells me there's only Adjusted Options available on these terms: Adjusted Options: Multiplier: 100; Deliverable: 15 PTIE; Cash: ---- It does confirm your July Call quote price of $0.05 because the contract, though priced for 100 shares, will only deliver 15 shares. ...
Can I depreciate a car given to me?
That seems to indicate that you can in fact depreciate a vehicle given to you? Section 1015 discusses the calculation of basis for gifted property, it says nothing about depreciation. Personal property cannot be depreciated for tax purposes unless it is used for business purposes. So unless you drive your car as part...
Is the contribution towards Employment Insurance (EI) wasted if I never get fired, or are my premiums refunded?
Sorry, even if you never file a claim for Employment Insurance (EI), you don't get your premiums back. So, yes, if you paid into EI and never filed a claim, your contributions are, as you put it, "wasted" – insofar that your premiums provided no direct benefit to you. However, your premiums may have provided a benefit ...
Does the profit of a company directly affect its stock or indirectly by causing people to buy or sell?
Yes, the price of a stock is what investors think the value of a stock is, which is not tied to profits or dividends by any rigid formula. But to say that therefore the price could be high even though the company is doing very poorly is hypothetically true, but unlikely in practice. Consider any other product. There is...
Is Bitcoin a commodity or a currency [duplicate]
Its neither. Its a scam. there's no value underlying it, and it has proven to be the most speculative and untrustworthy investment there is. The scam works like a pyramid scam, so the more people come later on the more people who came in earlier on gain, so that is why you see so much hype around it encouraged and fuel...
Are there any caveats to withdrawing funds from brokerage?
nan
Simple and safe way to manage a lot of cash
As your question appears in the second half, so will my answer. Like you, I will provide some background. I remember buying gasoline for $1.759 per gallon. I am so old that I remember buying gasoline for $0.759 per gallon. I recently paid $2.759 per gallon. You claim that your relative is not getting a very good ...
Is IRS Form 8938 asking me to double-count foreign assets?
Yes, you effectively need to "double count" when shifting balances between foreign accounts.
What to do with a 50K inheritance [duplicate]
First, don't borrow any more money. You're probably bankrupt right now at that income level. 2k/month is poverty level income, especially in some of the higher cost of living areas of California. At $2k per month of income, and $1300 of rent and utilities, you've only got 700 a month for food. The student loans are...
Calculate Future Value with Recurring Deposits
Using the following values: The formula for the future value of an annuity due is d*(((1 + i)^t - 1)/i)*(1 + i) See Calculating The Present And Future Value Of Annuities In an annuity due, a deposit is made at the beginning of a period and the interest is received at the end of the period. This is in contrast to an or...
Why are big companies like Apple or Google not included in the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) index?
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is a Price-weighted index. That means that the index is calculated by adding up the prices of the constituent stocks and dividing by a constant, the "Dow divisor". (The value of the Dow divisor is adjusted from time to time to maintain continuity when there are splits or change...
Can I cash a cashier's check at any bank?
Cashiers check is as good as cash. I use them all the time as banks don't carry over 2-3k anymore. I can bring the cashiers check anywhere and thus cash it for u without an account. It's basically a piece of paper that says these funds are set aside from the issuers account just for and only for the check. That's why i...
Rollover 401k into Roth IRA?
There is some advantage to putting your house downpayment in the Roth to get tax-free growth. However this advantage is offset by the risk of the investment losing value in the short period before you take advantage of it. You might go this route if the timeline is greater than 5 years and you use a conservative invest...
What is the tax levied against stock portion cashed out of 401k?
Withdrawals from a traditional 401(k) plan are always treated as cash income and the taxable portion is taxed at ordinary income tax rates, even if the money was held in stocks within the 401(k) plan and the amount withdrawn is equal to whatever capital gains you made by selling the stock within the 401(k) plan. If you...
Is it possible to get life insurance as a beneficiary before the person insured dies?
If the insurance policy is a whole-life (or variable life) policy, it might have a surrender value that the owner of the policy might be able to get by surrendering the policy in whole; if it is a term life policy, it has no surrender value. In many cases, the owner of the policy is also the insured and so ask Uncle Jo...
Can mortgage insurance replace PMI?
PMI IS Mortgage insurance. It stands for "Private Mortgage Insurance". This guy is just trying to get you to buy it from him instead of whoever you have it with now. Your lender would always be on the policy since it is an insurance policy they hold (and you pay for) that protects them from you defaulting on the loan....
How do used vehicle exchange programs at car dealerships work?
You are correct to be wary. Car dealerships make money selling cars, and use many tactics and advertisements to entice you to come into their showroom. "We are in desperate need of [insert your make, model, year and color]! We have several people who want that exact car you have! Come in and sell it to us and buy a new...
Can I deduct my individual Health Insurance Premium in Tax
Yes, you can. See the instructions for line 29 of form 1040. Self employed health insurance premiums are an "above the line" deduction.
Reducing taxable income in US in December
Assuming that what you want to do is to counter the capital gains tax on the short term and long term gains, and that doing so will avoid any underpayment penalties, it is relatively simple to do so. Figure out the tax on the capital gains by determining your tax bracket. Lets say 25% short term and 15% long term or (0...
Typical discount for cash purchase on $1+ million homes?
First, I assume you understand that 'Cash Offer' doesn't mean you really show up with cash (in a duffel bag...), but is an expression that designates that you don't need a mortgage approval, but have the money in your accounts. The advantages for the seller are With both cases depending on the seller's situation, there...
If banks offer a fixed rate lower than the variable rate, is that an indication interest rates may head down?
This is known as an inverted yield curve. It is rare, and can be caused by a few things, as discussed at the link. It can be because the view is that the economy will slow and therefore interest rates will go down. It is not caused by "secret" preparation. It could also be that there is generally in the world a move to...
Should one only pursue a growth investing approach for Roth IRAs
If you are inside of a ROTH IRA you are not getting taxed on any gain. Dividends, distributions, interest payment, or capital gains are never taxed. This, of course, assumes you wait until age 59.5 to do ROTH withdrawals on your gains.
What is the correct answer for percent change when the start amount is zero dollars $0?
A value of zero or a negative value makes the percent change meaningless. Saying 100% when going from 0 to some other value is simply wrong. I have seen a similar situation several times when looking at a public company with a loss last quarter. On Google Finance or some other service, the PE ratio will be blank, N/A, ...
Are stock purchases on NASDAQ trackable to personal information?
The broker will probably submit records to the IRS, so there isn't anonymity at that level...
What kinds of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) should specifically be avoided?
Stay away from leveraged or synthetic ETFs. This answer talks about why leveraged ETFs are dangerous. There are numerous articles to be found by searching for "leveraged etf". My answer to this question links to one of the more accessible explanations I've read.
Why don't banks print their own paper money / bank notes?
There is absolutely no logical reason why each nation does not own and control banking and thus the supply of money. Any system including the financial system works exactly the same way, regardless of ownership. Banking depends solely on the confidence of the customers/investors. Therefore when a sovereign nation/sta...
How can I get the car refinanced under my name if my girlfriend signed for the loan?
You should have her sell it to you for the amount of the outstanding loan. You take out a loan in your name for the amount (or at least, the amount you have to come up with). You then transfer the title from her to you, just as you would if you were buying the car from someone else. While the title is in her name, she ...
Is investing in housing considered an adequate hedge against inflation?
Becoming a landlord is a pretty roundabout way to hedge against inflation. Why don't you research TIPs (Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (?)) Over the very long term, a house will just about match inflation, but no more. I observe that it (median home price) has remarkably tight correlation to the mortgage one c...
IRR vs. Interest Rates
IRR is not subjective, this is a response to @Laythesmack, to his remark that IRR is subjective. Not that I feel a need to defend my position, but rather, I'm going to explain his. My company offered stock at a 15% discount. We would have money withheld from pay, and twice per year buy at that discount. Coworkers said...
What is an ideal number of stock positions that I should have in my portfolio?
The two biggest issues that impact your question I would say are diversification and fees. If you have $10,000 to invest and only invest it in two securities, then a 20% drop in one security can have you lose 10% of your initial investment which I would consider a very high risk scenario. If you have $10,000 to invest ...
Does home equity grow with the investment put into the house?
In short, your scenario could work in theory, but is not realistic... Generally speaking, you can borrow up to some percentage of the value of the property, usually 80-90% though it can vary based on many factors. So if your property currently has a value of $100k, you could theoretically borrow a total of $80-90k aga...
What do people mean when they talk about the central bank providing “cheap money”? What are the implications for the stock market?
Newspapers write a lot about the central bank stopping "cheap money" in the US. What is that exactly and what are the implications for the stock market? An interest rate is simply defined as the price of money. So if money is cheap, it must mean there is a low interest rate compared to normal. If milk is cheap, we're...
What implications does having the highest household debt to disposable income ratio have on Australia?
Stock market Tends to follow the DJIA and FTSE, so unlikely to see an Australia-only crash, especially while resources are doing so well. If China's growth slows before other ailing sectors improve, a downturn becomes more likely and the potential severity of the downturn increases. Economy A huge question to which I w...
Is there an academic framework for deciding when to sell in-the-money call options?
If any academic framework worked, your teachers would be the richest people on the planet. However, you must read up on macro and micro economic factors and make an educated guess where the market(or stock) would be at the date of expiry. Subtract the Strike Price from your determined price and calculate your potential...
Am I understanding buying options on stock correctly
There is a reason why most professional option traders are sellers instead of buyers. Option sellers IMO are analogous to insurance companies that come out ahead in the long run. That is not to say if you are bullish about a stock then you should not buy it. I personally would never buy an option outright and look to r...
If the co-signer on my car loan dies, can the family take the car from me like they're threatening to?
My family members, particularly my aunt (his daughter), are telling me that when my grandpa dies they are taking my car. Bring this up with Grandpa. If this is what he wants to have happen, then help him make it happen before you finish paying $12,000 on a car worth only $6,000. Let the Aunt and other relatives deal ...
Looking for a stock market simulation that's as close to the real thing as possible
There is a site that treats you like a fund manager in the real market, Marketoracy, http://marketocracy.com/. Each user is given 1 million in cash. You can have multiple "mutual funds", and the site allows use to choose between two types of strategies, buy/sell, short/cover. Currently, options are not supported. The r...
Why would a company care about the price of its own shares in the stock market?
The main reason is that a public company is owned by its share holders, and share holders would care about the price of the stock they are owning, therefore the company would also care, because if the price go down too much, share holders become angry and may vote to oust the company's management.
What industries soar when oil prices go up?
You can look at it from a fundamental perspective to see who benefits from rising oil prices. That's a high level analysis and the devil is in the details - higher oil prices may favour electric car producers for example or discount clothes retailers vs. branded clothes manufacturers. Another approach it to use a stati...
Is being a landlord a good idea? Is there a lot of risk?
I have been a landlord in Texas for just over 3 years now. I still feel like a novice, but I will give you the benefit of my experience. If you are relying on rental properties for current income versus a long term return you are going to have to do a good job at shopping for bargains to get monthly cash flow versus eq...
Should I file a change of address with the IRS?
The most important thing to do when moving is to change your address with the post office. This will forward most mail for a year, and even automatically send change of address notices to many businesses that send mail to you. If you do this, and the IRS needs to send you something over the next year, you'll get it. T...
Why are U.S. credit unions not open to everyone?
It's required by law. 12 USC 1759 (b) requires that membership in a credit union be limited to one or more groups with a "common bond", or to people within a particular geographic area. For lots more gory details on how this is interpreted and enforced, you can read the manual given to credit unions by the National Cr...
Who owns historical valuations about equity such as stocks and index funds?
I expect that data may be copyright. Data that's published (e.g. on a newsfeed or web site) is subject to terms of use. Standard & Poor's web site says, about the Shiller indexes, Who do I contact at S&P to license my use of these indices? Questions regarding licensing the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices ...
How websites like Google have access to stock market data?
At the bottom of Yahoo! Finance's S & P 500 quote Quotes are real-time for NASDAQ, NYSE, and NYSE MKT. See also delay times for other exchanges. All information provided "as is" for informational purposes only, not intended for trading purposes or advice. Neither Yahoo! nor any of independent providers is liable ...
Pros/cons of drawing income in retirement from sole-owner corporation vs. sole-proprietorship?
Not really, no. The assumption you're making—withdrawals from a corporation are subject to "[ordinary] income tax"—is simplistic. "Income tax" encompasses many taxes, some more benign than others, owing to credits and exemptions based on the kind of income. Moreover, the choices you listed as benefits in the sole-propr...
Why is everyone saying how desperately we need to save money “in this economy”?
This was called Financial repression by Edward S. Shaw and Ronald I. McKinnon from Stanford (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_repression). Financial repression is the situation, when government is stealing from people, who rely heavily on saving, rather then on spending. Meaning that your saving rates will be a ...
Book or web site resources for an absolute beginner to learn about stocks and investing?
There is only one book worth reading in my opinion: One Up on Wall Street. It's short and no other book even comes close to it for honesty, correctness and good sense. Also, it is written by the second most successful investor of all time, Peter Lynch. The Intelligent Investor has some good technical content, but the b...
Why will the bank only loan us 80% of the value of our fully paid for home?
The banks figure that they'll get 80% of the value of the property at a sheriff's sale. So, they're lending you what they think they can recover if you default.
What options do I have at 26 years old, with 1.2 million USD?
Wow, everyone tells you different investment strategies. You have all your life ahead of you. Your main focus should not be getting the best return rate, but ensuring your existence. Who cares if you get 7% if you'll lose all in the next market crash and stand on the street with no education, no job and nothing to fall...
Why buy insurance?
Discussions around expected values and risk premiums are very useful, but there's another thing to consider: cash flow. Some individuals have high value assets that are vital to them, such as transportation or housing. The cost of replacing these assets is prohibitive to them: their cashflow means that their rate of ...
Strategies for saving and investing in multiple foreign currencies
The bad news is that foreign exchange is ultimately somewhat unpredictable, and analyzing the risk of these things is not particularly straightforward. I'm afraid I don't know what tools exist to analyze these, aside from suggesting you look at textbooks for financial analysis classes. The good news is that there are o...
Why are banks providing credit scores for free?
An alternative take on the "why" is that most people's credit is better than they think, and all of these banks offer credit products. Put a "good credit" badge next to an ad for a shiny new card or auto refi, and it's just good business.
Why do stock prices of retailers not surge during the holidays?
Systemic and well know patterns in sales are priced in to the security. Typically companies with very cyclical earnings like this will issue guidance of earnings per share within a range. These expected earnings are priced in before the earnings are actually booked. If a company meets these expectations the stock wi...