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☆ There’s more than one way to access this asset offering tax-free income. How to make the right choice
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Muni bonds are beloved by wealthy investors because they offer income that's free of federal taxes. Muni bond ETFs and mutual funds, meanwhile, don't have a definite maturity date and their price can fluctuate while the investor is holding them. Liquidity needs are also a major factor, with individual bonds potentially being hard to sell if an investor has a cash need. Since these funds offer a fixed number of shares, they trade at a discount or premium to their net asset value. Some of these funds hold municipal bonds and are trading at sharp discounts to their net asset value, potentially making them an attractive purchase.

Persons: Kathleen McNamara, there's, muni, he'll, Beth Foos, James Ritzema, Baird, Jon Browne Organizations: Federal Reserve, UBS, tradeoffs Investors, SEC, Investors, Morningstar, RiverNorth Locations: Americas, –

☆ Creating an income-producing portfolio
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

A lot goes into creating and managing an income-producing portfolio that works for you. Knowing your expenses will give you a good sense of the income you’ll need. Ways to generate incomeTake the income you think you’ll need and subtract from that the income you expect. For example, if you need $65,000 a year but will only bring in $40,000, you’ll need to generate the other $25,000. • For money you’ll need in three to five years, use short-term corporate bonds as well as longer-term CDs.

Persons: it’s, Will, David Seufer, you’ll, Marguerita Cheng, ”, David Edmisten, Edmisten, Cheng, ” Seufer, “, ” Edmisten, Seufer, they’re, ” Cheng Organizations: New, New York CNN, Gravitas, Social Security, Blue, ” Capital, Social Locations: New York

Some of the best CD rates that I've found this year include 4% to 5% APY. Since my CD ladder is set up with a mix of short-term and long-term CDs, once the short-term CDs mature, I replace them with long-term CDs instead of short-term ones. As the short-term CDs mature and are reinvested in long-term CDs, the original long-term CDs will become closer to maturing. That means I can potentially reinvest the cash from a short-term CD into a longer term one that offers a higher APY. Right now, I don't have the funds to invest all of my cash into long-term CDs.

Persons: —, I've, I'd, I'm Organizations: Service, Business

Social Security trust fund reserves are projected to be depleted by 2035. The 2023 Social Security and Medicare Trustees annual report projects that the program's trust fund reserves will be depleted by 2035. "It's not that Social Security will disappear completely, but rather, the surplus bucket we rely on is at risk." The average Social Security check for a retired worker is only $1,907 per month, according to the Social Security Administration. Without sufficient action, reduced Social Security benefits might not be able to keep pace with rising costs.

Persons: Emily Millsap, you've, Roth, HSAs Organizations: Social Security, Avantax Wealth Management, Social, Social Security Administration, Workers

☆ The US Air Force is teaching AI to navigate aircraft in case GPS gets taken out in a future fight
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

In a future war, electronic warfare and anti-satellite weapons could leave the US military without GPS, a critical tool for navigation and targeting. That challenge has prompted the US Air Force to experiment with using artificial intelligence as an alternative navigation method. Related storiesA potential solution being developed by the US Air Force instead relies on AI for navigating in GPS-denied environments. The potential for AI to be used as an alternative to GPS navigation speaks to the growing concern around GPS denial in a future fight. AdvertisementAI creates new opportunities, and the Air Force's navigation alternative isn't the only project looking into how to integrate AI into military systems.

Persons: Col, Garry Floyd, Floyd Organizations: Service, GPS, US Air Force, Business, Department of Air Force, MIT, Intelligence, Associated Press, Air Force, AP, Pentagon, Air Locations: China, Russia, Ukraine, Geneva

☆ Russia's jamming of American weapons in Ukraine is showing the US what it needs to be ready for in a future fight
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Chris Panella | Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Russia's electronic warfare has repeatedly foiled American precision weapons in Ukraine. Those could include different weapons, specific countermeasures, and the targeting of enemy jamming systems. Any fixes developed to effectively counter the challenge posed by electronic warfare won't just benefit Ukraine. Electronic warfare is a broad term that includes a variety of inexpensive options. Felicia JagdattEfforts to adapt precision weapons to the threat is just one facet of a multi-layered solution, Withington said.

Persons: —, Antonio Aguto, They'll, Mark Cancian, Denis Abramov, Thomas Withington, That's, JDAMs, Withington, Daniel Patt, Harry S, Cancian, it's, Doug Bush, that's, Bush, Felicia Jagdatt Organizations: Service, Systems, Attack Munitions, Security, Marine, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Business, DoD, Russian Defense Ministry, Royal United Services Institute, Getty, Hudson Institute, Truman, US, Intelligence, US Air Force, Army, US Army Locations: Ukraine, Moscow, Russian, Russia, China, Withington, Bliss, Texas

☆ The Perils of the Fed’s Vast Bond Holdings
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Jeff Sommer | More About Jeff Sommer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

But even after two years of quantitative tightening, the amount of bonds and securities that the Fed still retains is stupendous. Quantitative tightening is a perilous operation. Earlier attempts — notably, in 2019 — disrupted financial markets. The slow pace of quantitative tightening is partly responsible for the Fed’s inability to contribute to the national budget. That’s because the Fed has also raised interest rates, which move in the opposite direction of bond prices.

Persons: — Organizations: Fed, Treasury, Silicon Valley Bank Locations: United States

☆ Peloton is losing money because it keeps reinvesting in growth, says BMO's Simeon Siegel
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailPeloton is losing money because it keeps reinvesting in growth, says BMO's Simeon SiegelSimeon Siegel, BMO Capital Markets, joins 'Fast Money' to talk Peloton shares sinking after CEO departure and layoffs.

Persons: BMO's Simeon Siegel Simeon Siegel Organizations: BMO Capital Markets

☆ Fed keeps rates steady as it notes 'lack of further progress' on inflation
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

With its decision to hold the line on rates, the committee in its post-meeting statement noted a "lack of further progress" in getting inflation back down to its 2% target. The process has resulted in the central bank balance sheet to come down to about $7.4 trillion, or $1.5 trillion less than its peak around mid-2022. Under the new plan, the Fed will reduce the monthly cap on Treasurys to $25 billion from $60 billion. The reduction of the balance sheet roll-off, then, can be seen as a slight easing measure. The Fed uses interest rates to control the flow of money, with the intent that higher rates will dampen demand and thus help reduce prices.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Powell Organizations: WASHINGTON, Federal Reserve, Fed, Market, Dow Jones Industrial, Treasury Locations: U.S

☆ I left my VP role at 25 to build a startup. Leaving security and a steady paycheck behind was hard, but I have no regrets.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Perri Ormont Blumberg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Timothy Gamble left his VP role at Walker & Dunlop to cofound HelloData.ai in 2022. I gathered and normalized real-estate data, but my role quickly expanded, and I was soon in charge of the data infrastructure that processed billions of real-estate data points daily. Related storiesNico left W&D one year before me, but we kept in touch. When I left W&D, we decided it made sense to start a real-estate AI company since we both had an entrepreneurial spirit, strong engineering backgrounds, and real-estate domain expertise. Deciding to leave my VP role was scary but the fear of complacency and the prospect of looking back with regret for not pursuing my passions were far greater motivators.

Persons: Timothy Gamble, Dunlop, cofound, Gamble, —, It's, Enodo, might've, Nico Lassaux, Marc Rutzen, Nico, Marc, cofounding, you'll, we're, I've Organizations: Walker, Service Locations: Washington ,, HelloData.ai, Enodo

☆ PayPal lifts 2024 profit forecast as spending stays resilient, margins improve
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

PayPal raised its full-year adjusted profit forecast on Tuesday, as the payments giant benefited from robust consumer spending, while measures to cut costs improved operating margins in the first quarter. Consumer spending has shown remarkable resilience even as economic worries clouded the outlook for the payments sector for months. The company expects 2024 adjusted profit to increase by "mid-to-high single-digit percentage", compared with its earlier forecast of it remaining flat. PayPal's operating margins improved 84 basis points, on an adjusted basis, to 18.2% in the first quarter. The company's low-margin business products have risen strongly, while growth in its branded products slowed due to increased pressure from competitors such as Apple .

Persons: Alex Chriss Organizations: PayPal, Nasdaq, FX, Apple Locations: San Jose , California

☆ Jamie Dimon warns that inflation, wars and Fed policy pose major threats ahead
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

JPMorgan Chase CEO and Chairman Jamie Dimon gestures as he speaks during the U.S. Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee oversight hearing on Wall Street firms, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., December 6, 2023. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon warned Friday that multiple challenges, primarily inflation and war, threaten an otherwise positive economic backdrop. "Many economic indicators continue to be favorable," the head of the the largest U.S. bank by assets said in announcing first-quarter earnings results. An "unsettling" global landscape including "terrible wars and violence" is one such factor introducing uncertainty both into JPMorgan's business and the broader economy, Dimon said. However, the bank warned net interest income for this year could be slightly below what Wall Street is expecting and shares were off nearly 2% in premarket trading.

Persons: Jamie, JPMorgan Chase, Jamie Dimon, Dimon Organizations: JPMorgan Chase, U.S . Senate Banking, Housing, Urban Affairs, Wall, Capitol, JPMorgan Locations: Washington , U.S, U.S

☆ Tesla's reign as EV king is fizzling, so Elon Musk has his sights set on a new goal — turning X back into Twitter
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Tesla's stock is down over 10% in the last year, and Elon Musk's net worth has also fallen. Lately, social media platform X has begun to look more like regular old Twitter. With his social media venture, X, that seems to mean returning to the app to the pre-Musk days of plain old Twitter. Musk and representatives for Tesla and X did not respond to requests for comment from Business Insider. "Honestly, the best thing that Twitter can do to regain its position is to sideline Musk.

Persons: Tesla, Musk, —, Elon, Gabor Cselle, CNN's Oliver Darcy, David Camp, Metaforce, Camp, X, Cselle, Ed Zitron, Kim Kardashian, Jay, Zitron, Linda Yaccarino, Yaccarino, he's Organizations: Elon, Service, Twitter, NBC News, Variety, Business, Camp Locations: China, Texas

☆ These 7 portfolio stocks boosted their dividends this year, with more likely on the way
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The hikes also sweeten the potential total return for their stocks at a time when some Wall Street strategists are shining a light on that performance metric. That performance metric captures not just stock price moves but also gains from reinvested dividends. The difference between stock price performance and total return can be substantial, underscoring the benefits of reinvesting dividends. Consider that over the past 10 years, Linde's stock price has climbed 260%, according to FactSet. Eaton's stock price has climbed 321% over the past decade while its total return is 462%.

Persons: Savita Subramanian, Jim Cramer's, Eli Lilly, Linde, Stanley Black, Decker, Jim Cramer, Jim, Spencer Platt Organizations: Disney, TJX Companies, . Eaton Corp, Linde, DuPont de Nemours, Coterra, Procter, Gamble, Bank of America, Meta, Alto Networks, Bausch Health, Abbott Laboratories, Broadcom, Costco Wholesale, Ford Motor, Nvidia, Apple, Costco, Jim Cramer's Charitable, CNBC, New York Stock Exchange, Getty Locations: Cincinnati, New York City

☆ The US Army has its eyes on the Arctic and is readying soldiers for the cold, unforgiving wastes that could be their next battlefield
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

AdvertisementThe two-week JPMRC Alaska training exercise involved over 8,000 troops from the 11th Airborne Division, as well as international allies and partners. Brandon VasquezBack in 2021, the US Army released its new strategy on regaining Arctic dominance, leading to the reorganization of its Alaskan forces and priorities. AdvertisementAll Arctic nations are keeping an eye on what could be seen as increased access to energy, minerals, and resources in the Arctic. AdvertisementU.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the 11th Airborne Division patrol on snow machines during the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center 24-02 exercise at Donnelly Training Area, Alaska, Feb. 17, 2024. For that reason, the Army appears to be encouraging its Arctic soldiers to be creative and able to adapt to whatever conditions or situations they might encounter.

Persons: —, Col, Sean Lucas, JPMRC, Brandon Vasquez, Spc.Wyatt Moore, Abreanna Goodrich, China —, I've, Zachary Burns, Sammantha Ohm, Joseph Gaskin Organizations: US, Army, Service, US Army Pacific's, Pacific Multinational Readiness Center, Business, 11th Airborne Division, U.S ., 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Airborne Division, Pacific Multinational Readiness, U.S, US Army, U.S . Army, 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne, Donnelly Training, Public Affairs Detachment, National Intelligence, Spc, Department of Defense, Army Spc, 5th Squadron, 1st Calvary Regiment, Delta Co Locations: Russia, China, Fairbanks , Alaska, Alaska, Hawaii, U.S, Utqiagvik, Soviet Union, Canada, Denmark, Russian, JPMRC

☆ The dominance of the US economy and the stock market in 4 charts
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The US economy has grown dramatically and powered its stock market in recent decades. "The longer-term rise in the relative size of the US equity market has reflected the dominance of the US economy," strategists wrote. Similarly, the prolonged increase in the US markets' relative total size reflects the dominance of the US economy, according to Goldman Sachs. Goldman SachsThe growth factorThe strength of the American stock market can be traced largely to its high volume of growth names. AdvertisementThe US stock market has more exposure to fast-growing companies than other countries.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, —, it's, Peter Oppenheimer, Goldman Organizations: Service, Federal Reserve, Exxon, Mobil, Ford, General Electric, IBM, Novo Nordisk Locations: Switzerland, Denmark, Novo, Danish

☆ A financially independent real-estate investor explains the strategy she used to 'exchange' investment properties and sidestep capital gains taxes indefinitely
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( Kathleen Elkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The real-estate investor, consultant, and author of "30-Day Stay" explained how and why she did a 1031 exchange. How a 1031 exchange worksWith a 1031 exchange, you're essentially selling one property, purchasing another, and avoiding capital gains taxes in the process. There are ways to reduce your capital gains tax liability, like deducting your property's depreciation. But, with a 1031 exchange, you can sidestep your capital gains taxes indefinitely and continue reinvesting in more profitable properties and growing your wealth. However, real property in the United States is not like-kind to real property outside the United States."

Persons: —, Zeona McIntyre, McIntyre, St . Louis, Louis —, you'll, There's Organizations: Service, Business, IRS Locations: Boulder, St ., St, Florida, United States

☆ Opinion: Here’s what’s at risk if Big Tech doesn’t address deceptive AI content
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Opinion Timothy Karr | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

In response, the platforms have pledged to set high expectations in 2024 for how they “will manage the risks arising from deceptive AI election content,” according to the joint accord. This included rolling back election misinformation policies designed to limit “Big Lie” content about the 2020 vote. Their role as conduits of misinformation will likely increase as the sophisticated AI tools needed to create deepfakes of politicians become more widely available to users of social media. As we learned in the aftermath of the 2020 vote, there are dangerous, real-world consequences when platform companies retreat from commitments to root out disinformation. Unless the companies permanently restore election integrity teams and actually enforce rules against the rampant abuse of AI tools, democracy worldwide could well hang in the balance.

Persons: Timothy Karr, ” Timothy Karr, Joe Biden’s, they’ve, Paul Vallas, Vallas Organizations: Free Press, CNN, Google, Microsoft, Meta, Building, YouTube, Chicago mayoral, Federal Trade Commission Locations: United States

☆ Financial advisors say dividend stocks can be good for young investors, but they still require a deliberate strategy
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Kena Shah | Avril Ayers | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

"Dividend funds hope to offer dividend income. AdvertisementDue to their slower growth, dividend-paying stocks are often more reliable than growth stocks, making them a good addition to a young person's investment portfolio for diversification. For example, adding a few dividend-paying stocks to a portfolio of volatile growth stocks can offer diversification. Particularly for young people just getting started with investing, dividend stocks are a good way to learn, says Michael Dinich, a financial advisor. Dividend-paying stocks are also safe for the most part in comparison to growth stocks.

Persons: —, Casey Hayden, Alissa Musto, Julie George, George, Michael Dinich, Hayden Organizations: Service

☆ The Fed is getting closer to ending the second part of its policy tightening
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

While most of the market's attention has been on interest rates, the Federal Reserve is quietly getting ready to loosen policy in another respect as it prepares to slow down the shedding of assets on its balance sheet. Tapering down the roll-off could see the Fed reducing the caps in half, according to a projection from BNP Paribas. The QT program has resulted in a nearly $1.3 trillion reduction in total holdings, with the total balance sheet now standing at about $7.7 trillion. With confidence growing that inflation is easing, policymakers are looking to loosen up policy, albeit at a measured pace. So at this meeting, we did have some discussion of the balance sheet, and we're planning to begin in-depth discussions of balance sheet issues at our next meeting in March," Chair Jerome Powell said in his January post-meeting news conference .

Persons: Krishna Guha, Goldman Sachs, We're, Jerome Powell, we're Organizations: Federal Reserve, Evercore ISI, Fed, MBS, New York Fed, BNP Paribas, BNP

☆ High yields on savings are coming down. Here’s where you can still get 5% on cash
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Of the banks under Wells Fargo's coverage, Discover was the first to trim its online savings account rate for this rate cycle, according to analyst Michael Kaye. It's a marked turn from when online banks jockeyed for customers' deposits as the Fed began raising rates in March 2022. Too good to last See below for a table of online banks and the APY they're offering on savings accounts. The catch with savings accounts is that banks can opt to tweak their yields at any time. Investors hoping to play a lower rate environment with exchange-traded funds may want to consider buying intermediate-term bond funds .

Persons: Michael Kaye, Banks, Ally, Cowen, Moshe Orenbuch, Cash that's Organizations: Federal Reserve, Discover Financial, Financial, Fed, Investors Locations: Wells

☆ Early retiree who earned $380,000 in passive income last year: Your 'best option' for making money while you sleep
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Ryan Ermey | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Sam Dogen is the author of "Buy This, Not That"Sam Dogen knows a thing or two about passive income. By reinvesting his passive income along with money he made through his website and book sales, Dogen was able to boost the family's income over the years as well. In 2023, Dogen's passive income portfolio, which includes stock, bond and real estate investments, among others, generated about $380,000. According to Dogen, the best way to begin earning passive income is through your brokerage account. "If you want passive income right now, I think the best option is Treasury bonds at 5%," he says.

Persons: Sam Dogen, Dogen, Stocks Organizations: U.S ., Treasury Locations: San Francisco

☆ Tax season is underway. Here’s what investors should know to prepare
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Tax filing season officially started on Monday, and investors could pay the price following last year's stock market bonanza. Meanwhile, investors collected yields exceeding 5% in money market funds, certificates of deposit and high yield savings accounts. In New York, the top income tax rate is 10.9%, and it's 13.3% in California. Vanguard's New York Municipal Money Market Fund (VYFXX) has a 7-day SEC yield of 4.25% and an expense ratio of 0.16%. Fidelity offers the California Municipal Money Market Fund (FSPXX) , which has a 7-day yield of 3.54% and an expense ratio of 0.3%.

Persons: Tim Steffen, Brenna McLoughlin, you've, McLoughlin, Vanguard's, Sam Nofzinger, Steffen, it's, There's Organizations: Baird, Wealthstream Advisors, York Municipal Money Market Fund, SEC, Fidelity, Money Market Fund, Public Locations: Milwaukee, New York, California, York, –

☆ How to get the biggest bang for your buck while investing in dividend-paying stocks
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

As attractive as today's yields may look on certain dividend-paying stocks, they only tell part of the story when you're choosing names for income. Lower interest rates make other income-generating assets, including dividend-paying stocks, more attractive compared to the risk-free yields on Treasurys. Dividend stocks took their lumps during 2022 as the Fed embarked on its rate hikes – consider that the Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG) posted a total return of negative 9% in 2022 – and rate-sensitive income stocks in the utilities and real estate sector suffered. Check with your brokerage to make sure you have dividends reinvested as your preference for individual stocks and ETFs. Picking the right names Dividend investors are seeing 2024 as a potential rebound year for these stocks, anticipating a broadening rally.

Persons: Michael Arone, Dow, VIG, would've, Grace Lee, –, Dow Jones, Arone, Chris Hayes Organizations: SPDR, State, Federal, Dow Jones, Fed, Vanguard, CNBC Pro, IBM, Columbia, Opportunity, Walgreens, Alliance

☆ Fed's Christopher Waller advocates moving 'carefully' with rate cuts
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller acknowledged Tuesday that interest rate cuts are likely this year, but said the central bank can take its time relaxing monetary policy. "When the time is right to begin lowering rates, I believe it can and should be lowered methodically and carefully," he added. "In many previous cycles ... the FOMC cut rates reactively and did so quickly and often by large amounts. I see no reason to move as quickly or cut as rapidly as in the past." In fact, traders had further ramped up expectations for 2024 to seven cuts, but brought it back to six following Waller's remarks.

Persons: Christopher Waller, Waller Organizations: Federal, Washington , D.C, Brookings Institution Locations: Washington ,

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