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If you are investing for a retirement that is still many years away, CDs might not be the best choice, because you run the risk of losing money in the long run due to inflation and taxes. Learn more about when and why CDs are a good investment choice and when and why they are not. Risk of Loss With CDs It is possible to lose money even on a safe retirement investment like a CD, which, like other kinds of bank deposits, is guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)....

While Earth Week brought cool temperatures and surprise snow to parts of the U.S., credit card news continued to bloom. Apple, Capital One, and Discover all tended their card programs this week, which sprouted news of family-friendly features, more ways to use miles and cash back, and more. This weekly credit card news roundup contains what you should know about the cards in your wallet, other available offers, and new product releases or reports that helped us shake off vaccination fatigue....

The other main focus is on guiding your understanding of how options work. That knowledge allows you to use options effectively. It’s easy for someone who considers themself to be an options educator to tell people that they should buy call options when they expect the price of the underlying stock to rally and to buy puts when they anticipate a decline. However, that would be a huge disservice to those readers....

Find out more about base salaries, including who receives one and what is and isn’t included. What Is a Base Salary? A base salary is the initial, standard amount of money that you are offered by the employer to do a specific job. Base salary does not include additional compensation such as: Health insuranceBonusesCommissionsStock options An employee who is paid a base salary is expected to complete a whole job in return for the base salary....

1. Investing in Mutual Funds Is Easy Building a portfolio of stocks and bonds can be complex for novice investors. The time, effort, and knowledge you need to research and analyze a dozen or more stocks can be a huge challenge for most people. You also need to think about all the trades you’ll need to make to build your portfolio, plus the ongoing research and thought that are required to maintain it....

Finding a duplex for rent isn’t difficult, but figuring out how the pricing for those units stacks up to single-family homes is trickier. We’ve broken down the best (and worst) duplex markets below for when you want to rent instead of buy. Best Cities To Rent a Duplex When it comes to multi-family units, there are five cities that stood out from the pack in 2021—at least in terms of affordability....

Borrowers with federal student loans will have $10,000 of their debt canceled, President Joe Biden announced via Twitter Wednesday. Recipients of Pell Grants are eligible for $20,000 of relief. The debt forgiveness comes with some strings attached: To be eligible, individual borrowers must make less than $125,000 or $250,000 as a household. Biden also extended the pause on payments and interest on federal student loans for a seventh and final time to Dec....

Learn more about the features of bonds and how to find the yield to maturity. Key Features of Bonds Most bonds have five features when they are issued: issue size, issue date, maturity date, maturity value, and coupon. Once bonds are issued, the sixth feature appears, which is yield to maturity. This becomes the most important figure for estimating the total yield you will receive by the time the bond matures....

Schwab’s new program for teens, called MoneyWise America, includes a standards-based financial literacy curriculum aimed at 13- to 18-year-olds, adding to the traditional three R’s taught in schools: reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmetic. The program will be offered at schools and nonprofits by about 8,100 trained employee volunteers—or a quarter of Schwab’s workforce—by 2025. The brokerage aims to make financial education free to each community and school in the U.S. by then, with a goal of preparing “every teen in America to achieve financial freedom by helping fill the financial education gap most schools struggle to address,” Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, president of the Charles Schwab Foundation, said in a release....

There are agents whose sole purpose is to make as much money as they possibly can, as quickly as possible, with little regard for the buyers they stomp on along the way. The problem is some of these agents look and act just like the ethical agents, so it’s hard to tell them apart. This confusion can also make some first-time home buyers overly suspicious. They wonder whether they would be better off without an agent....

Interest Rates on Savings Bonds Interest rates depend on general economic conditions. As interest rates in the broad economy rise, so do the interest rates paid on savings bonds. The U.S. Treasury Department’s website lists current and historical rates. Rates on savings bonds are roughly in line with interest rates on other safe savings vehicles, such as FDIC-insured bank accounts. Savings bonds are backed by the full faith and credit of the U....

An Annuity Defined In the general sense, an annuity means a series of payments, either made by you or coming to you. These payments: have a fixed valuetake place on a regular schedule, such as monthly, quarterly, or annuallyare made for a fixed period of time, such as five or 10 years When people discuss annuities, they’re often referring to an investment product offered by insurance companies. These investment instruments involve fixed payments made into the annuity for a certain number of years, capital appreciation at a predefined interest rate, and then, upon retirement, fixed payouts as an income replacement....

That information is helpful, but it’s not sufficient to make the best choice. You need to include a thorough review of how interest costs change when you refinance. To see how refinancing truly affects your finances, follow the steps below. You’ll learn everything you need to know about your existing loan and the potential replacement. Calculate Your Original Loan You already know what your monthly payment is and how much you still owe....

Understanding Long-Term Debt and Total Capitalization Long-term debt is defined as an interest-bearing obligation owed for over 12 months from the date it was recorded on the balance sheet. This debt can be in the form of a banknote, a mortgage, debenture, or other financial obligation. The debt is recorded on the balance sheet along with its interest rate and date of maturity. Total capitalization is the sum of long-term debt and all other types of equity, such as common stock and preferred stock....

Beyond that, many job applicants are concerned that they might jeopardize an offer if they issue a counteroffer to an employer, who may just decide to withdraw the job offer. When a Company Can Rescind a Job Offer Does this sound like your situation? Take a deep breath. Learn more about the circumstances under which a company can—and can’t—withdraw a job offer and make a plan to increase your chances of submitting a successful counteroffer....

However, if home values and prices have dropped since you bought your home, or you have other liens to consider, you may think twice about selling with a home equity loan now versus waiting. How To Sell Your Home With a Home Equity Loan A home equity loan can allow you to borrow a one-time, large fixed amount of money you’ll repay over a fixed term. Alternately, a home equity line of credit (HELOC) is a line of credit, much like a credit card that allows you to “borrow” against the value of your home....

Hero Images/Hero Images/Getty Images The Waiting Period After Foreclosure or Bankruptcy Foreclosure and bankruptcy do have a long-term impact on your credit, but this doesn’t last forever. Bankruptcy stays on your credit report for seven to 10 years, depending on the type of bankruptcy. How this affects your ability to get certain loans will vary: For better rates with a conforming loan, the wait is between two and four years after filing bankruptcy or a short sale....

Cash and Accrual Accounting Systems A cash accounting system is based on cash flow. You record transactions when cash is actually exchanged. Income is recorded when you receive a cash, credit card, or check payment. Expenses are recorded when you pay them by cash, credit card, or check. Your particular business or industry may also have alternative methods of payment. Cash accounting systems are usually used by smaller, simpler businesses. An accrual accounting system is based on when the transaction happens rather than on when cash changes hands....

Travel fever is running high, and so is the new six-figure Chase Sapphire Preferred bonus offer announced Friday. This week, the credit card industry brought us reassurance that interest rates are stable, news of a cryptocurrency debit card that now works with mobile wallets, and more. This credit card news roundup contains what you should know about the cards in your wallet. You’ll also learn about notable new product releases, offers, and reports that won’t make your head spin like the AMC Entertainment meme stock ticker does....

It has received top ratings from these insurance rating organizations: AM Best: “A: Excellent”Moody’s Investor Service: “A2: Good”Standard & Poor’s (S&P): “A: Strong”Fitch: “A: Strong” The company has also received customer service awards and recognition from J.D. Power & Associates for four consecutive years. ConsumerReports.org rated Cigna with an 84 out of 100 overall consumer satisfaction ratings. Better Business Bureau Rating As of the time of this writing, Cigna has BBB accreditation pending....