DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ How to Invest in Mutual Funds
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Mallika Mitra | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +20 min

Mutual funds are relatively cheap and simple to invest in, thanks to the many trading apps and online brokerages available nowadays. To get started, read on for our 10-step guide on how to invest in mutual funds. Once you open an account, you can invest in a wide range of securities, like stocks, bonds and mutual funds. Buy mutual fund sharesNow that you’ve solidified your strategy and done your research, you are almost ready to buy mutual funds. How to buy mutual fund sharesSome mutual funds require an investment minimum, often between $500 and $3,000, but not all do.

Persons: Mallika Mitra, Tricia Rosen, ”, Rosen, “, Ameritrade, Roth, Roth IRAs, Uncle Sam, you’ve, Randy Bruns, it’s, Morningstar, Russell, hasn’t, Amy Arnott, John Bogle, Morningstar’s Arnott, pitfall Arnott, You’ll, you’ll, Don’t, Sam, haven’t Organizations: Mutual, Fidelity, Vanguard, Morningstar, SEC, Apple, Fidelity Investments Fidelity, Target, Walmart, Funds, Capital Group, Capital Group’s, The Securities, Exchange Commission, Social, Consumer, Morgan, Capital Locations: Andover, Mass, Naperville , Illinois, U.S

A steepening yield curve is when the spread between long- and short-term bond yields widens. Either the long-term yield rises faster than the short-term yield - a bear steepener - or the short-term yield is falling more - a bull steepener. Bear steepenings of the benchmark two-year/10-year U.S. Treasury yield curve, when the curve is inverted, are rare. In some ways, a positive-sloping yield curve is the natural order of things. Graff reckons the bear steepening is almost over and the curve will struggle to get past -20 bps.

Persons: Warren Pies, Dario Perkins, Lombard's Perkins, Bond, Bill Gross, Goldman Sachs, Tom Graff, Graff, Jamie McGeever, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Treasury, 3Fourteen Research, TS Lombard, Federal Reserve, Reuters, Thomson Locations: ORLANDO, Florida, London reckons

Lifestyle creep can leave even extremely high earners struggling with debt, saving for retirement, or meeting other financial goals and obligations. HENRY stands for "high earner, not rich yet," a common description of those who have fallen victim to lifestyle creep. If you're expecting a raise, Castro says it's important to look at your budget and goals before it goes into effect. Create habits while you're youngAccording to Drucker, one of the best defenses against lifestyle creep is building strong saving and investing habits young. Go back to the basicsIf you've found yourself with a lifestyle creep problem, both financial planners advise going back to the basics of budgeting and planning.

Persons: Brittney Castro, Gideon Drucker, HENRY, Drucker, you'd, it's, Castro, what's, doesn't, Get, you've Organizations: Drucker Wealth Management

Now that I'm stepping away from an employer-sponsored retirement plan, I need to save for my future on my own. Anjali Jariwala, the founder of financial planning firm FIT Advisors, says the most important aspect of planning contributions is setting good financial habits. Consider an IRANow that I'll be saving for retirement without the help of my employer, I'll want to consider an IRA. Consider a solo 401(k)I can also consider a solo 401(k), which provides similar benefits to an employer 401(k). And you can open up multiple retirement accounts, but keep track of your contributions and limits.

Persons: I've, it's, —, Anna Sergunina, Sergunina, Anjali Jariwala, Jariwala, Roth, Tricia Rosen, Robinhood, Rosen, Wealthfront, Read Organizations: Roth IRA

☆ Best 5-Year CD Rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Martha C. White | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

Best 5-year CD ratesA five-year CD is one of the more common CD terms available. Our CD rate picks reflect the best available five-year CD rates we found on DepositAccounts, com, which tracks roughly 275,000 rates at more than 11,000 banks and credit unions. For instance, a five-year CD could represent your long-term horizon in a CD ladder also containing one, two, three and four-year CDs. You expect interest rates to fallThe current interest rate environment is great for savers, but if the U.S. economy slows, the Federal Reserve policy makers are likely to cut interest rates in order to stimulate the additional growth. These accounts’ interest rates are variable, so if prevailing interest rates decline, banks will cut their rates and you will earn less money.

Persons: Martha C, —, ”, Ken Tumin, Dillon Haviland Organizations: Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, Federal Reserve, Fed, TBH Advisors, FDIC, National Credit Union Administration Locations: U.S, Nashville, Tenn

There's nowhere completely safe from the climate crisis, and for many, it's raising housing costs. You can save money and combat the climate crisis with tax credits for clean-energy solutions. This article is part of "Your Wallet on the Climate Crisis," a series exploring the crisis' financial impact and how people can plan. You can save money by switching to a more energy-efficient lifestyle, and there's a good chance you'll also be financially rewarded for it. We're all under the threat of climate change now, and sleeping on it won't solve anything.

Persons: —, LaJan Collins, Fred, LaJan, Christopher Stroup, Stroup, you've Organizations: Service, San, Energy Credit, Financial Locations: Bell Canyon , California, Los Angeles, Santa Monica , California, California

The stock market can seem like a scary places. We reached out to financial advisors to find out their thoughts on storing cash in savings instead of investing, and here's what they said. Villar uses the example of CD rates from a year ago, which were around 3.5% for a 48-month CD. In the meantime, some investment gains in the stock market could have more favorable tax treatment. Further, consumers can use high-yield savings accounts and CDs as part of their investment strategy to hold their emergency funds, short-term savings and risk-free investments.

Persons: Jeff Rose, Mike Villar, Villar, John Grace, Walter Russell of Russell, Russell, Read Organizations: Investor's, Corporation, Walter Russell of Russell & Company

Here's everything you need to about the up-and-coming changes for 401(k) catch-up contributions. 401(k) catch-up contributions in 2026: 4 things you should know now1. But starting in 2026, older workers earning over $145,000 annually will no longer be able to deposit catch-up contributions into a traditional 401(k) plan. Rather than collecting the immediate tax benefit of a traditional 401(k) contribution, catch-up contributions will be taxed as Roth contributions. You have until 2026 to prepareThe new 401(k) catch-up rules were originally planned to be set into motion on January 1, 2024.

Persons: You'll, Roth, Roths, Eric Kirste, he's, you'll, It's, we've, Read, Kirste, Robinhood Organizations: Workers, IRS, Employers, Financial

☆ 'My wife and I have almost entirely separate finances,' says CFP—'it really helps us to have less conflict'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Ryan Ermey | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

That's why a recent tweet from Ian Weiner, a certified financial planner and owner of Bespoke Wealth Solutions, stands out. In response to another user who said, "Don't marry someone you wouldn't share a credit card with," Weiner posted, "My wife and I have almost entirely separate finances, AMA." CNBC Make It caught up with Weiner to ask about how he and his wife, Jes — a muralist based in Bentonville, Arkansas — divvy things up. CNBC Make It: You seem to be bucking the trend a little bit by keeping everything separate. She doesn't disregard the future, but I think she would say that, that's not that's not guaranteed, that's not promised.

Persons: Ian Weiner, Weiner, Jes, she's, We've, it's, It's, We're, we've, that's, She's Organizations: CNBC Locations: Bentonville , Arkansas

☆ The CNBC FA 100 ranking recognizes advisory firms that help clients navigate big financial decisions
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Our mission is the primary driver behind the CNBC FA 100 list, now in its fifth year, which ranks the nation's top financial advisor firms. The CNBC FA 100 highlights firms that help clients navigate decisions beyond their investment portfolio. However, "it's that volatility where I think the value of a CFP professional or a professional advisor really makes a difference," he added. It's that volatility where I think the value of a CFP professional or a professional advisor really makes a difference. 10 questions to ask your next financial advisor

Persons: we're, what's, Kevin Keller, Goldman Sachs, there's Organizations: CNBC, AccuPoint Solutions, SEC, CFP, Federal Reserve Locations: Northwestern, U.S

☆ Should I Ditch Bonds for Money-Market Funds or CDs?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Steve Garmhausen | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +5 min

By Steve GarmhausenIs it reasonable or even wise to shift some of your bond allocation to money-market funds paying over 5%? The broad bond market had its worst year ever in 2022, as reflected by the AGG—the iShares Core U.S. Bonds vs. money-market fundsSo should you really sell bonds and use the proceeds to buy these products? Bonds have also performed better historically than the “cash” category, which includes money-market funds. Money-market funds are considered a low-risk investment, and one that’s easy to sell if you need cash.

Persons: Steve Garmhausen, Bonds, Amita Desai, ”, Adrianne Yamaki, Brent Weiss, Aswath Damodaran, Weiss, you’ve, Yamaki Organizations: Aggregate, Federal Reserve, Money Market Fund, Treasury, New York University Locations: Demarest, N.J, San Francisco, Baltimore, “, New Jersey

☆ What Is the 50/30/20 Rule?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Kevin J. Ryan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

Perhaps the most popular method is the 50/30/20 rule, which is a simple and effective way to take control of your money. The 50/30/20 budget rule was popularized by Sen. Elizabeth Warren—then a Harvard Law professor—and her daughter, Amelia Warren Tyagi, in their 2006 book “All Your Worth: The Ultimate Lifetime Money Plan.” They called it a “good rule of thumb” for getting your budget in order. What is the 50/30/20 rule? Alternatives to the 50/30/20 budget methodOf course, no one budgeting method is for everyone. For example, like the 50/30/20 rule, the 70/20/10 rule also divides your after-tax income into three categories but differently: 70% for monthly spending (including necessities), 20% for savings and for 10% donations and debt repayment above the minimums.

Persons: Kevin J, Ryan, Sen, Elizabeth Warren —, —, Amelia Warren Tyagi, “ It’s, ”, Akeiva Ellis, Greg Giardino, “, “ You’ve, You’ve, Austin, Jordan Benold, that’s, it’s, There’s Organizations: Harvard Locations: Tarrytown, N.Y, San Francisco, New York, Frisco , Texas, you’ll

I've been worried about how inflation will affect my money, so I asked financial planners. I decided to find financial advisors who can give me their advice on what to do with my cash. "The combination of inflation and rising interest rates mean that debt will be taking a much bigger bite out of most people," says Zigmont. He says average credit card interest rates are expected to rise. "When interest rates rise, bond prices decline due to the fact that new bonds will be issued offering higher interest payments," says Tolitsky.

Persons: I've, they've, Eric Brotman, Marigny, Brotman, Cash, Jay Zigmont, doesn't, Get, deMauriac, Haley Tolitsky Organizations: Service, overspending Locations: Wall, Silicon

To retire at 35 and live on investment income of $100,000 a year, you need at least $5.22 million invested. With an annual spending target of $65,000, you'll need about $3.25 million invested. How much you need invested to retire at 35According to Fry's calculations, an investor who leaves work at age 35 would need at least $5,225,000 in a taxable investment account on the day they retire in order to have an annual post-tax income of $100,000. If the investor reduces their target annual income to $65,000, they would need about $2 million less — or $3,250,000 — invested on the day they retire. Fry's simulation also did not factor in potential Social Security income.

Persons: Brian Fry, Fry, Read, Alyssa Powell, — Organizations: Service, Safe, JPMorgan, Social Security, Security, Social, Monte, Capital Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ Credit Card Balances Hit New Peak
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Ann Carrns | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The average interest rate charged on cards that carry balances was about 22 percent in May, the New York Fed reported, while second-quarter data from the credit bureau TransUnion found the average card debt per borrower was almost $6,000. He recommended tallying up how many cards you have and noting both their balances and the interest rate you are paying. There are two popular strategies for paying down credit card debt. After you pay off a credit card, it can help your credit score to leave the account open while minimally using it. The more unused credit you have, the better the effect on your credit score.

Persons: TransUnion, Ted Rossman, Alvarado Organizations: New York Fed, Bankrate

While it's uncommon, it's possible to save too much for retirement, financial planners say. If you're saving too much, you might notice you're consistently going over contribution limits. However, if you're saving too much, there are two sure signs. You're not meeting your other money goalsIf you're over-saving for retirement, it might mean that you're having trouble keeping up with your other goals. "More commonly what we see come up is [people] ignoring all of their other saving goals and only saving for retirement," says Walsh.

Persons: you've, it's, Brian Walsh, Michaela McDonald, Walsh, doesn't, Get, that's, McDonald Organizations: Service Locations: Wall, Silicon, SoFi

☆ What Is a Roth IRA and How Does It Work?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Tanza Loudenback | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +13 min

How does a Roth IRA work? “A Roth IRA offers investors a lot of flexibility which, in my opinion, is its biggest benefit,” says Eric Presogna, a financial planner in Erie, Pa.How is a Roth IRA different from a traditional IRA and from a 401(k)? The annual limits apply to traditional and Roth IRAs, in aggregate—meaning you can’t add more than the allowed amount to your traditional and Roth IRAs combined. High-income workers can use the “backdoor Roth” strategy to get money into a Roth IRA. How to fund a Roth IRAA Roth IRA typically needs to be funded before you can start choosing investments.

Persons: Roth, “ Roth, ”, David Edmisten, Internal Revenue Service doesn’t, you’re, Roth IRAs, we’ll, “, Eric Presogna, Nick Cantrell, don’t, posttax Roth, Cantrell, Zach Teutsch, brokerages, IRA —, ” Teutsch Organizations: IRA, Internal Revenue Service, Roth IRA, Washington , D.C, Fidelity, Vanguard, IRS, Financial Locations: Prescott, Ariz, Erie, Pa, Massachusetts, Washington ,

If you're moving into a more expensive house, remember that utilities and other expenses may be higher. And how do you handle the transaction if you need to buy another home before you sell your current property? Financial planners have three tips for anyone thinking about buying a new house before selling their current house. That said, there are notable downsides that come with buying a home before you sell from a financial standpoint. A bridge loan is a short-term loan that helps "bridge the gap" when you're buying a new home before selling your old one, and it typically lasts for around one year.

Persons: Glen Hedrick, Brandon Juodikis, you'll, Hedrick, Juodikis, There's Organizations: Calque, Wealth Management, BRJ Wealth Management Locations: Old, Calque

☆ Powerball's jackpot prize is now $875 million—4 things you should do if you win
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Mike Winters | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Powerball's projected jackpot is $875 million — the third-highest ever – ahead of Saturday's draw. While most ticket holders daydream about defying the odds and winning the prize, many don't know what steps they should take immediately after winning all that money. Until you claim the prize, the ticket will be worth hundreds of millions of dollars, which will make you a target for scammers. "Not to mention the risk to your family's personal safety." Keep the ticket secureKeep your winning ticket in a secure location, preferably in a safety deposit box at your bank, or in a personal safe.

Persons: Amy Hubble, it's Locations: Oklahoma City

☆ Pay student loans or invest in your 401(k)? You may soon be able to do both at once
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Ryan Ermey | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Following the Supreme Court's ruling on President Joe Biden's student loan forgiveness plan, interest on student debt will begin to accrue in September, with payments due in October. Borrowers with federal student loan payments currently owe $37,338, on average, with a median monthly payment of $250, according to the Education Data Initiative. But for certain workers — especially those with piles of student debt — finding room in the budget to invest for retirement can be difficult. Under the new law, employers can make matching contributions to workplace plans — including 401(k)s, 403(b)s, 457(b)s and SIMPLE IRAs — based on an employee's qualified student loan payments. In order to qualify for the match, workers must simply certify that student loan payments have been made.

Persons: Joe Biden's Organizations: Education Data

☆ Federal court rules against Australia's AMP in class action proceedings, shares tank
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

July 5 (Reuters) - Australia's AMP Ltd (AMP.AX) tanked on Wednesday after the country's federal court ruled against the wealth manager in class action proceedings that challenged the validity of some of the changes to its 'buyer of last resort' policy. AMP was also the top loser on the benchmark index (.AXJO), which was last down 0.4%. The court, on Wednesday, determined amounts payable in the amount of A$813,560 and A$115,533 to the class action's lead applicant Equity Financial Planners and sample group member Wealthstone, respectively. AMP acknowledged the court's decision and noted a process will be required to determine the impact of the decision on other group members of the class action suit, subject to any appeal. "Noting the complexity of the matter, AMP is reviewing the judgment in detail to determine the full effect of the judgment and its next steps," AMP added.

Persons: tanked, Wealthstone, Himanshi, Krishna Chandra Organizations: Australia's AMP, AMP, Financial Planners, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ These 3 unique challenges have an 'overarching effect' on LGBTQ people's finances
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Ryan Ermey | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The challenges unique to the queer community are present year-round. "David and I like to say that 80% of personal finance is the same for everybody. That's the finance in personal finance," he says. "But the other 20%, which is the personal side of personal finance, is based on our backgrounds, our histories, our socioeconomic status, race, creed, segmentation, all of that." Here are three unique financial challenges queer people face, and how LGBTQ-focused financial planners say they can overcome them.

Persons: John Schneider, David Auten, David, Schneider, Laura LaTourette, Frank Summers, Summers, Catherine Valega Organizations: Human, D.C, Family Wealth Management, Cetera Advisors, CFP, Green Bee Locations: San Francisco , New York, Chicago, Dahlonega , Georgia, Charlotte , North Carolina, Winchester , Massachusetts

☆ Startup studio Fractal created 130 companies in 3 years. Founders say the deal structure has led VCs to 'blacklist' them.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Melia Russell | Stephanie Palazzolo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +19 min

www.fractalsoftware.comOf the dozens of Fractal startups that have raised a seed round of funding, about half had Bienville Capital lead the deal, according to people familiar with the matter. Others say they knew what they were getting into with a venture studio, where a large ownership position is standard. Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty ImagesThe biggest draw for some Fractal founders was its plug-and-play approach. The founder of one Fractal startup remembered a time when his company was struggling to grow its customer base. That firm is raising a new $325 million fund to provide additional funding to Fractal companies exclusively, according to a person familiar with the effort.

Persons: Fractal's, he'd, they'd, Andreessen Horowitz, Mike Furlong, Nate Baker, Bienville, —, Brendan Smialowski, Founders, Angela Lee, Furlong, Baker, Ezra Shaw, who'd, who's, It's, Lee, She's, 8VC, Bain, Jeff Greenberg, Omri Bloch, who've, didn't, Stephanie Palazzolo, Melia Russell Organizations: Flatiron Health, Bienville, Insight Partners, Bienville Capital, Getty, Columbia Business School, Alpha, Midwest, Science, Olympic Club, Tiger Global, Craft Ventures, Founders, Vertical Venture Partners, Zag, Crew Capital, Bain Capital, Universal, Foundation, Fifth Locations: Bienville Capital, New York, Bienville, Indio, AFP, Santa Monica , California, Miami, San Francisco, GreenSpark, Columbia, Barti, Aktos, Bessemer, 8VC

☆ Your 401(k) match is 'free money'—but you might not be able to take it with you when you leave
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Ryan Ermey | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Here's what she and other financial pros say you should know about your 401(k) match. How a 401(k) match worksFirst, a quick reminder of how 401(k) matches work and why financial planners love them so much. "I would invest enough to get the company match first, before paying off high interest rate loans," says Jeremy Finger, a CFP and founder of Riverbend Wealth Management. What is a 401(k) vesting schedule? Any 401(k) match you receive from your employer likely comes with some strings attached.

Persons: Kevin Brady, Catherine Valega, Jeremy Finger, they've, you'll Organizations: Wealthspire Advisors, CNBC, Green Bee, Riverbend Wealth Management, Employers Locations: New York City, Winchester , Massachusetts

☆ Average 401(k) account balance tops $112,000, new report shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —The average balance in employer-sponsored savings plans last year was $112,572, well below the $141,542 recorded in 2021. “Vanguard participants’ average account balances decreased by 20% since year-end 2021, driven primarily by the decrease in equity and bond markets over the year,” according to the report. “Among plans with a nonmatching employer contribution, the average contribution was equivalent to 5.1% of pay; the median contribution, 4.1% of pay,” Vanguard noted. The auto enrollment feature has helped boost overall participation in the plans Vanguard oversees. Including what employees kick in, the average total contribution rate was 11.3%.

Persons: ’, nonparticipants Organizations: New, New York CNN, Vanguard Locations: New York, nonparticipants

Search resuls for: "Financial Planners"

25 mentions found