An annuity can be an important and productive part of your investment portfolio. It is an insurance product that is part of a retirement strategy to augment other sources of retirement income. On the other hand, an annuity is an investment that requires a large upfront payment and often a willingness to cloister the funds … Continue reading “What to Do with Annuities: Pros, Cons, and Conventional Wisdom”

Before we know it, we’ll be celebrating Christmas and then ringing in 2018 as the calendar year comes to an end. And early on in 2018, Americans can expect to be receiving W-2s from their employers, and other important tax documents from their banks, mortgage lenders and more. Yes, with the holidays fast approaching, we’re … Continue reading “End of Year Tips to Boost Your Tax Return”

After a 36-year career in the food industry with companies like Kraft Foods, Mondelez, and PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay division, Irene Rosenfeld is retiring. A CEO for the company for 11 years, first of Kraft Foods and then Mondelez after Kraft Foods was split into two, Rosenfeld created what is arguably one of the world’s greatest snack … Continue reading “Irene Rosenfeld Retires from Mondelez”

The second major Bitcoin hard fork, a fork that was supposed to take place in November, was a complete flop. Creators of the Segwit2X fork abandoned the idea at the last minute due to “lack of support,” according to multiple Bitcoin news outlets. Seeing as the first hard fork which created the much maligned Bitcoin … Continue reading “Bitcoin Cash Makes a Comeback as Bitcoin Falters”

Oil and automobile companies are now racing to “solve” the problem of electric cars — an issue made even more urgent now that companies such as Tesla are advancing so quickly. Electric cars may still consume energy, but they do so at a far more efficient rate, and consequently may be able to reduce global … Continue reading “How Electric Cars Are Changing the Oil and Auto Industries”

If you invested in a National Football League (NFL) franchise ten, five, or even two years ago and decided to sell your share tomorrow, you would probably make a huge profit. Whether an investment today would yield a similar profit two, five, or 10 years from now, though, is a big question mark because the … Continue reading “Why the NFL’s Financial Future is Uncertain at Best”

Jeff Bezos is on track to become the world’s first “12-digit man”; that is, the first man to ever live who will be worth more than $100 billion. Oxfam is predicting that in another quarter-century, he will be the world’s first trillionaire. Following is some insight from Bezos’ life that provides a glimpse into how … Continue reading “How Did Jeff Bezos Become the Richest Man in the World?”

General Electric sent some ripples through the market when it announced a 50% dividend cut on November 13. After the official release, their shares took a 7% dive as CEO John Flannery struggled to reassure his investors. GE’s stock was not exactly doing well prior to this announcement, but this is the biggest reduction the … Continue reading “The Real Story Behind General Electric’s Dividend Cut”

Since being founded in 1886, Coca-Cola has always been known for one thing: its brand of soft drinks. For more than 130 years, John Pemberton’s famous beverage has evolved, first making use of coca leaves and kola nuts as part of its ingredients list. While its exact ingredients will not be revealed today (a decision … Continue reading “Will Coca-Cola Step into the Alcohol Market?”

Tesla has had a rough month. Opening at $350.60 on October 16th and closing at $308.70 On November 14th, the recent performance of the electric vehicle giant has a lot of analysts scrambling. The past few months have been nothing but bad news from the tech company, from industry-related skepticism to — most damaging — … Continue reading “Tesla’s Lawsuit: What Will the Consequences be for the Electric Vehicle Giant?”

Tis’ the season for store credit card applications. Yes, with Christmas right around the corner, the shopping malls, outlets and department stores are set to be packed with shoppers finishing up their lists. And whenever there’s an expected uptick in shopping – and sales – volume, it’s common for these stores to roll out enticing … Continue reading “Should You Apply for That Store Credit Card?”

Bitcoin’s value has skyrocketed to a new plateau, leading many financial analysts to once again raise serious questions about its volatility. Reuters reports the new development follows a series of boosts in value for the flagship cryptocurrency. Just a few months ago, it was valued at just over $2,500, before once again breaking new ground … Continue reading “Bitcoin Surges to New All-Time High at Over $7,000”

Retailers have already released their Black Friday ads kicking preparations for the holidays into high gear well ahead of Thanksgiving. Amidst all the hustle and bustle of this season, it’s not too early to start thinking about 2018. Whether you have a good handle on your finances and want to solidify the solid foundation you’ve … Continue reading “3 Financial Habits to Adopt in 2018”

If you have followed baseball closely for many years, you probably remember the term “contraction” — and the debate about whether Major League Baseball needed to “contract” or eliminate some of its 30 teams because the sport was in financial trouble. In 2001, contraction seemed highly likely after the MLB approved a contraction plan to … Continue reading “How Baseball Became a Field of Dreams — for Investors”

The latest proposal for sweeping tax changes just arrived, and while many important details are still in up to individual committees, there are already at least five significant changes heading our way. The latest proposal comes from the Republicans in Congress and impacts most Americans, though some tax brackets will see more changes than others; … Continue reading “Tax plan from Republicans Outlines 5 Sweeping Changes for Individuals”

With stock values soaring for the first time in a long time, the United States is most definitely witnessing a “bull market” — that is, a period of visibly rapid jumps in stock value across the board. The so-called “Great Recession” is now decidedly behind us. In fact, since 2009, the S&P’s 500 stock index … Continue reading “How Trump’s Bull Market Should Change How You Invest”

Disney has been in talks with Fox regarding a potential and extremely large network purchase, rumored to include the FX cable network and Twentieth Century Fox studio. Entertainment media has radically changed in the past decade, with many consumers tilting towards streaming media and independent networks such as Netflix. Disney’s discussions with Fox may indicate … Continue reading “Disney and Fox: The Merger of the Century?”