Where Can I Get Help With My IRA Investments?
There are several sources of information and help that you can tap into for your IRA. Your IRA is a vital component of your future retirement assets. The decision on how to invest is entirely yours: you might want to manage the assets on your own, or look for professional help. The choice of Financial Advisor who would help manage your IRA is similar to the choice of any other professional. For more, see “How Can I Get Help With My IRA Investments?” Continue reading...
If I Want to Establish a Money Purchase/Profit Sharing Plan, Do I Have to Establish One for All Employees of My Business?
Eligible employees have to be included in money-purchase and profit-sharing arrangements. If an employer established a Money Purchase/Profit Sharing Plan, all eligible employees must have employer contributions deposited into an account for them. Normally an employee will agree to open an account to hold his or her employer contributions, but in some cases an employee will not want it. An employer must follow specific IRS instructions to open an account for such employees, to keep the plan compliant with ERISA and other regulations. Continue reading...
How Do I Allocate My Assets in Retirement?
How you allocate your assets in retirement depends on your goals and objectives for the assets, and the amount of growth you need to reach them. Your asset allocation also depends on your age and risk tolerance, all of which need to be factored-in each year when allocating your portfolio. The very first step in deciding an asset allocation is to determine your total level of liquid assets, what your desired level of growth and/or income is over long stretches of time, and your tolerance for risk/volatility. Most investors need more growth over time than they think, and often times it results in investors under-allocating to stocks or other risk assets. Continue reading...
What is the Herrick Payoff Index in Trading
The Herrick Payoff Index is one of the only technical indicators to combine price, volume, and open interest data for the analysis of futures, commodities, and derivatives. The Herrick Payoff’s main function is to elucidate whether money is flowing into – or out of – the derivative instrument in question. It can be useful for spotting divergences that may occur before prices change direction, or for confirming price trends. Continue reading...
What is an Asset-Backed Security?
Asset-backed securities are bonds or notes that come in several forms, but they typically use the cash flows from debt repayment as the asset that backs them. The assets that back the bonds called asset-backed securities (ABS) can be basically anything with a fairly predictable cash flow, but debt repayment cash flows tend to be used the most. These include credit card debt, home equity loans, auto loans, student loans, and so forth. Continue reading...
What is an Accountant’s Opinion?
An Accountant’s Opinion, also called an Auditor’s Opinion, is a formal document signed by a certified accountant after a review of a company’s books. Companies may be required to have an audit from an independent and unbiased third-party accountant, perhaps annually before a report to shareholders or the submission of financial documents to regulatory bodies or lending institutions. At the conclusion of a review or audit, the auditor issues an Accountant’s Opinion (or Auditor’s Opinion) letter. The two outcomes that are most common: Qualified or Unqualified. Continue reading...
What are Bank Fees?
Bank fees are penalties or maintenance requirements that may apply to checking, savings, or money market accounts. Banks may charge fees for specific types of transactions, if a check bounces, or just a monthly checking account fee. There are many other types of fees and reasons for them. They may be penalties, such as an overdraft fee, or they may be customary for the kind of transaction or account being used. Continue reading...
What is Dividend Enhanced Convertible Stock (DECS)?
This is a type of automatically convertible security that comes in the form of preferred stock shares, which function basically like bonds, that experience a mandatory conversion to common stock at some point. The dividend enhancement is a higher yield payout than other share classes are offered, to compensate the investor for the lack of control he or she has, since the shares will be converted at a predetermined time by the company. Mandatory convertible shares will offer a higher yield than their counterparts, but it will only last as long as the issuing company has determined. Continue reading...
What are Marketable Securities?
Marketable securities is a term referring to assets / securities that can be converted to cash easily, at least within a year. Examples of marketable securities are stocks, bonds, or CDs you might buy at the bank. What makes an asset a marketable security is its ability to be redeemed for cash quickly at a known market price. What is a Broker-Dealer? What is an Illiquid Security? Continue reading...
How to Use Free Portfolio Wizards for Short-Term and Long-Term Investment
The easiest way to start investing is with Tickeron's Portfolio Wizards. There are several ways of using this tool. Firstly, if you know how much money you have, our Wizard can build a diversified portfolio just in a few clicks. Secondly, if you already have a portfolio, our Wizard can verify if your portfolio is well diversified. Finally, if you have a portfolio in a 401(k) plan, we can provide you with the full diversification analysis of your company's plan menu. All you need to do is to follow the prompts, and within seconds, you will get all the answers. Continue reading...