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What is Inflation?
Inflation is the increase in the cost of goods and the decrease in the buying power of a denomination of currency. Inflation is measured in a few ways, and one is by the cost of a broad basket of consumer goods.
Increases year to year are reflected as the rate of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), but be mindful that there are other indexes. Inflation is not only the effect of the cost of goods rising, but of the actual buying power of a currency decreasing.
There are natural, normal, healthy levels of inflation, and there can also be runaway hyperinflation where a currency effectively ceases to have value. Two specific kinds of inflation are demand-pull and cost-push inflation.
Demand-pull is when an increased demand, perhaps due to increasing employment levels, causes prices to rise. Cost-push inflation occurs when the cost of producing goods rises in a market and the supply is decreased, causing the price of goods produced to rise.
What are the Tax Implications for Making a Profit (or Loss) On a Stock?
Gains on stock investments will be taxable in the current year unless they can be offset with losses
What are Tax Benefits of Annuities?
Annuities are unique products in that they provide the owner with tax-deferred growth, much like an IRA or a Roth IRA
If I Want to Establish a SIMPLE IRA, Do I Have to Establish One For All Owners of My Business?
Only employees must be included in SIMPLE IRAs
What is the Homeowners Protection Act (HPA)?
The HPA was enacted to protect consumers from the unscrupulous practices of some private mortgage insurance companies...
What is Investment Property?
The purpose of investment property is to provide income through rental or lease, or to be sold at a later time
What are Bank Deposits?
Deposits are cash, checks, and electronic transfers that banking customers put into their personal or corporate banks
What are Federal Reserve Regulations?
In its role upholding the Federal Reserve Act, the Fed oversees the operations and practices of member banks
What are foreign exchange reserves?
Central banks and sometimes other banks and large corporations, hold reserves in foreign currencies as a hedge
What is Dividend Capture?
Dividend capture is a strategy similar to dividend arbitrage that seeks to reap incremental gains somewhat reliably...
What is a call time spread?
A time spread using call options is a strategy that buys and sells the same number of options with the same strike price