What Should I Do With a Lump-Sum Distribution From My Cash-Balance Plan?
Lump Sum distributions can allow you to invest according to your preferences, but could also be used frivolously and spent down in a short time. The first thing to keep in mind is that it’s very easy to spend a lump sum right away without thinking about the consequences. While the monthly payment option protects your money from overspending, many people feel that they would derive a greater value from having access to more of their money. Continue reading...
What is Form 1099-MISC?
IRS Link to Form — Found Here The 1099-MISC form is filed by the payer, which is the business (whether for-profit or not-for-profit) making the distributions or payments to an individual who is operating in a non-employee capacity as independent contractor. This form is also used to report rental income, royalties, and Indian gaming profits. Independent contractors are often used by businesses for various kinds of labor. These arrangements might be temporary or long-standing, but the business and worker have agreed that the contractor is not an employee, and does not have employee benefits. Continue reading...
What is Publication 504, Divorced and Separated individuals?
IRS Link to Publication — Found Here Divorce can be a hard thing on a personal level, and the tax returns can become more difficult to sort through as well. Publication 504 walks through the various choices available to those who are divorced or separated and who may need to adjust how their dependents are claimed, how property is divided up or sold, and who pays the taxes due at the time of divorce. Publication 504 gives detailed instructions concerning how to correctly report and file the proceeds of divorce. Continue reading...
How Do You Sell Bitcoin?
There are several (and a growing number) of ways to sell your bitcoin and/or convert it to cash. While many people treat bitcoin as an investment tool rather than a currency, it arguably remains more liquid than some investments with similar volatility. Exiting your position in bitcoin when you desire, at least for now, can be a convenient and fairly easy process. Many exchanges exist online that can help you convert bitcoin into any currency you would like. These function much like other currency exchanges in the world, but you should be careful to use one you believe is trustworthy. Researching the topic on social platforms that demonstrate trust through upvoting, such as Reddit, may help you learn more about what other people believe to be good ideas. The landscape is frequently changing, so finding up-to-date information is key. Continue reading...
How Does Cloud Mining Bitcoin Work?
It is possible to participate in bitcoin mining indirectly, by partially funding a remote mining operation. Cloud mining is separate and distinct from pool mining, because instead of owning hardware and pooling resources with other miners to increase the likelihood of securing profits, cloud mining simply secures funding from investors, essentially, who have a contract to participate in profits of a mining pool in a remote locations based on the bandwidth of Gigahashes/s that they would like to fund (“buy”). Continue reading...
What is the Falling Wedge (Bullish) Pattern?
The Falling Wedge pattern forms when the price of a pair appears to be spiraling downward, and two down-sloping lines are created with the price hitting lower lows (1, 3, 5) and lower highs (2, 4). The two pattern lines intersect to form a narrow triangle. Unlike Descending Triangle patterns, however, both lines need to have a distinct downward slope, with the top line having a steeper decline. This pattern is commonly associated with directionless markets, since the contraction (narrowing) of the market range signals that neither bulls nor bears are in control. However, there is a distinct possibility that market participants will either pour in or sell out, and the price can move up or down with big volumes (leading up to the breakout). Continue reading...
What is an Account Number?
An account number is a serialized identifier which is ascribed to a particular account holder or account at a financial institution, retailer, or other entity. Account numbers may include letters or numbers and may be of various length, but they usually exceed 5 characters. An account number is a way for a company or organization to uniquely identify the accounts associated with each individual customer. Continue reading...
What is the VIX?
VIX is the ticker of the volatility index of the S&P 500. The Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) Volatility Index projects the volatility of the S&P 500 going forward by creating a composite of the volatility priced-in (implied) on various S&P 500 options. Since it is created using the prices of options, it serves as a gauge of market sentiment, and is often called the "fear gauge" since it will spike when the market plunges. Continue reading...
What are realistic expectations for my portfolio performance?
Realistically, you should not plan on getting more than about 10% average per year over the long term for a portfolio of diversified equity exposure and you should really plan on getting less than that to be on the safe side. Everybody wants to have a portfolio that outperforms the market when the markets are rising and does not lose money when the markets are falling. We have a secret for you – it’s not possible. Continue reading...
Channel Up (Bullish)
A Channel Up pattern shows a clearly defined uptrend and describes the behavior of the price contained between upward sloping parallel lines. Higher highs and higher lows characterize this price pattern. This pattern is created via a lower trendline connecting the swing lows (1, 3, 5), and an upper channel line that joins the swing highs (2, 4, 6). A breakout above a Channel Up’s resistance line points to a continuation of the growth momentum, while a breakdown below the pattern’s support line can demonstrate a possible trend change. Continue reading...