What Kinds of ETFs Exist?
There are many ETFs on the market and more popping up all the time. Currently, there are over 900 ETFs available on the market, covering basically every market sector, industry, commodity, asset class, country, style of investing on the stock market. The amount of money invested in ETFs has increased exponentially over the last decade and is likely to continue in that direction. Many more ETFs are introduced to the market every year, many with different and creative strategies that have never been available in a single investment product before. These might use Forex, rate swaps, CMOs, futures, options, short-selling, and other advanced or institutional trading strategies, to create a new kind of position in a sector, industry, or geography to which the investor wants to gain exposure. Continue reading...
What are option strategies?
Option strategies are implemented by investment professionals to profit from the price movement of an underlying strategy, and can also be used as a hedge against losses or to preserve profits. Various option strategies have been developed over the years to take advantage of the behavior of the underlying assets. Some of these are designed to be conservative, and others are intended to be aggressive. Sometimes these strategies are known by epic-sounding names such as Iron Butterfly and Iron Condor. Continue reading...
How Should I Invest Money in My IRA?
Generally, you should choose an allocation that makes sense for your situation. There are many ways you can choose to invest, but there is no definite answer. General rules focus on diversification of assets and strategies that change with age. Many brokerage companies will have questionnaires and model portfolios that can point you in the right direction. The principles you use to invest your IRA assets are no different from principles you use for any other investments: time horizon, risk tolerance, and your intentional use of the money will all help you arrive at strategies that will be appropriate for you. Continue reading...
What Part of the Contribution into My IRA is Tax-Deductible?
Traditional IRAs can get interesting if you or a spouse is covered by a qualified plan at work. You are able to deduct all of your contributions into a Traditional IRA as long as you (or your spouse) are not a participant in an employer-sponsored retirement program. If either of you are, there are certain regulations you should be aware of. The amount of your contribution that can be tax-deductible is determined by your (and your spouse’s) modified adjustable gross income (MAGI). Continue reading...
What’s So Special about an IRA?
When compared to other methods of investing, there are benefits to using an IRA. An IRA provides tax deferred growth of your assets, and the result of such growth, over the years, can be quite remarkable in comparison with a regular savings account. Using an advanced calculator online – or asking an advisor or a CPA to run some calculations for you – can be an eye-opening experience. For most investors, mutual funds will be their best option for cost-efficient diversification. Holding mutual funds outside of an IRA or 401(k) means that the investor will have some taxes, whether long term gains or short term gains, passed on to him or her from the mutual fund company every year that the fund experiences gains. Continue reading...
What is the Broadening Top (Bullish) Pattern?
The Broadening Top pattern forms when the price of a pair progressively makes higher highs (1, 3) and lower lows (2, 4) following two widening trend lines. The price is expected to move up or down past the pattern depending on which line is broken first. What distinguishes a Broadening Top from a Broadening Bottom is that the price of the pair is rising prior to entering the pattern formation. This type of formation happens when volatility is high or increasing, and when a pair’s price is moving with high volatility but little or no direction. It potentially indicates growing investor nervousness and indecisiveness. Continue reading...
What is Federal Reserve Credit?
The Federal Reserve extends credit in the form of short-term loans to member banks. Banks avoid taking loans from the Fed if they can, because it is viewed as a sign of instability. The Federal Discount Rate applies to loans taken from what is known as the discount window at the Fed, and it tends to be a higher rate than what is charged between two banks. The Federal Reserve will extend credit only to banking institutions that are members of the Federal Reserve system. Continue reading...
What is a commodity index?
Commodity indexes are also called commodity price indexes, and they are informational services which reflect the price action in a designated commodity or basket of commodities. Indexes are often tracked by mutual funds or ETFs, and these can be confused with the actual index. Indexes are computed and published by market research firms. They can serve as benchmarks against which the performance of a specific asset or an investment portfolio can be compared, or they can serve as the model that index funds seek to emulate. Continue reading...
Do I Need a Financial Advisor?
The answer to this question will depend on the preferences and circumstances of each individual. As your assets grow and your financial picture becomes more complex (with unclear tax implications, and interdependent asset classes), then the answer is more likely to be yes. For those investors with a more modest-size portfolio, it may not be necessary. Financial modeling tools and market research publications are widely available, and while they are not one-size-fits-all answers, they can serve investors quite well when used wisely. Investors who choose not to consult an advisor must be willing to educate themselves. Continue reading...
What should I look for in a good “Rent or Own a House” calculator?
The decision process to rent or own a home can be made a little easier with a good rent-or-own calculator. In the ideal “Rent or Own a House” comparison calculator, you should be able to input the following: an assumed appreciation rate for residential real estate in the area, the cost of maintaining an owned home, rent increases, and potential tax benefits of owning versus renting. Make sure to use realistic or even pessimistic assumptions on the inputs, because once time has passed there will be no way to fix overly optimistic assumptions. Continue reading...