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Ideal Investments for Your Roth IRA

by Debbie Northern
July 22, 2022July 22, 2022

A lot of financial experts agree that a Roth IRA is among the smartest approaches to investing for your retirement. In addition to letting your money grow tax-free, a Roth IRA allows you to withdraw it during your retirement tax-free as well. So, you can grow your nest egg without the worry that the government will take something away from it.

Because of the tax advantage, you want to contribute the maximum to your Roth IRA every year. However, what should you invest in? Whatever it is, it should be a long-term investment that has a lot of growth potential and relatively low risk. This would not include anything that is highly speculative.

Here are some suggestions on the best investments to contribute to for your Roth IRA and why they are good options.

Index Funds That Follow the S&P 500

A fund that follows the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index is a good option. This fund follows 500 of the biggest public companies in the United States. These include familiar names like Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Apple, and Amazon.

This index has performed very well over the decades. The average yearly return is around 10 percent. The companies in this basket include some of the most successful businesses, which means there is less risk and more potential for healthy gains. In addition, S&P 500 index funds tend to have low expense ratios, which means you pay fewer fees owning these.

Gold IRA

A gold IRA allows you to own physical gold, which you cannot own in a regular IRA. A regular IRA lets you own shares in a gold mining company, gold ETFs (exchange-traded funds), and other types of assets that have some linkage to gold, but not the actual gold itself. A gold IRA is a self-directed IRA that allows you to own gold coins, bullions, and other physical forms of gold.

A self-directed IRA allows you to invest in different types of assets such as real estate, and cryptocurrencies. and precious metals like gold. A gold IRA is governed by the same kind of rules that cover traditional IRAs. The contribution limits and rules around withdrawals are the same. You can have a traditional or Roth gold IRA.

Dividend Stock Funds

Dividend stock funds include stocks of companies that pay out dividends regularly. These companies are usually the older, more established companies in the sector that typically have a lot of cash. This enables them to distribute dividends to their shareholders. The stronger companies have increased their dividend payout every year for the past decades. This gives investors a healthy return.

Dividend stock funds are also not as volatile as other types of funds and are relatively safe because the companies are in mature industries. The dividends are also not taxable. These aspects make the funds a good option for a Roth IRA. After a dividend payout, the investor can reinvest it into the dividend fund and maintain the growth of the dividend every year.

Value Stock Funds

Value stock funds have stocks that are considered bargains compared to other stocks on the market. They are value-priced. They typically have good returns over the long term and are stable. In addition, a lot of companies with value-priced stocks also payout dividends. Not only will you have a nice return, but you will also get a dividend payout in cash.

Value stock funds are good options for a Roth IRA because of their stability. Any dividends are a bonus because they can be reinvested into the value stock fund and keep it growing.

Index Funds that Follow the Nasdaq 100

A Nasdaq 100 index fund includes the largest companies that trade on the Nasdaq stock exchange. These mostly include tech companies. This type of fund includes more of the large tech companies than the S&P 500 index funds. When these companies perform well, they can bring you significant returns.

A Nasdaq 100 index fund is a good way to add diversification to your Roth IRA if you believe that tech stocks will continue to grow over the next decades. When tech stocks do well, your investment would be in a good position for healthy compounding at high rates. In a Roth IRA, you will not incur taxes on capital gains if you sell or make a withdrawal from the Roth IRA account.

Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) Funds

REITs have a fancy name, but it is just a type of company that manages real estate investments. According to the rules, REITs can avoid paying corporate taxes by distributing most of the company’s income as dividends. This tax advantage makes these funds very attractive for real estate investors.

It comes as no surprise that investors like REIT funds because they have performed well over time and they pay out healthy dividends. In a Roth IRA, these dividends will not be taxed, and they can be reinvested into the fund to buy more shares. Investors can earn a good return on both fronts.

Small-cap Stock Funds

Small-cap stock funds include small companies. Many investors like these for investing over the long term because the small-cap companies have a lot of potentials to grow fast. These are typically high-growth companies, but some of them are not. Small companies have higher risks because they are smaller with less financial resources. However, their returns can be higher than your average stock fund.

Small-cap funds can be a nice addition to your Roth IRA because they have great potential for growth over the long term. Your returns will compound at a faster rate. The fund is diversified enough to give you a good level of safety while focusing just on small-cap companies.

Funds with Target Dates

A target-date fund is designed for investors who do not prefer to actively manage their portfolios. You choose a fund that has the year when you start accessing your money. When you start, the asset mix that this fund holds might be more geared toward riskier holdings that give you high returns, like stocks. As you approach the target year, the investment mix of the target-date fund will gradually shift to safer assets with lower returns, like bonds. So, you just contribute your money to the fund and let the fund manager handle rebalancing the mix.

The one possible disadvantage to a target-date fund is that the expense ratio is usually higher, but still within reason. The higher cost reflects the additional management that this fund requires. When you are deciding on a target date, you might want to pick a year that is five to ten years later than the actual year of your first withdrawal. This allows the mix to stay more on high-growth assets like stocks. If you plan, you will not run out of money during your retirement.

Avoid Investments That Are Speculative

When you invest money for retirement, you should balance the returns over the long-term with possible risks associated with it. For instance, returns from stocks have historically outpaced returns of other types of investment vehicles over time, but you will only realize this over the long term. However, if your investment horizon is short, you face greater risks because the stock might be experiencing a downturn just when you want to take out the money. If you hold stocks for the long term, you decrease your risk.

In recent years, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoins have shown up in IRAs and 401(k)s. Bitcoin grew very fast, but it is still a speculative investment because it is still unproven. These are not recommended for any retirement account.

Investment experts warn investors that investing in cryptocurrencies is like gambling. It is purely speculative at this point and the future is uncertain. Rather, it is better to stay with the time-tested approach in building up your retirement accounts because you want to be certain that your money will be in your account when you need to take it out.

Final Comments

A Roth IRA is highly recommended for investors who want to enjoy the tax advantages during retirement. Stick with the tried-and-true methods of investing, and avoid anything speculative. You have many years to allow your Roth IRA to compound, and the growth will not be subject to any taxes at all.

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A Quick Guide To Investing & Personal Finance In 2022

by Debbie Northern
July 7, 2022July 7, 2022

Investing and personal finance go hand-in-hand. You need to understand both concepts to make the most of your money.

Investing is about putting your money into something that will grow over time. This can be stocks, bonds, mutual funds, real estate, or other assets. The goal is to make your money grow so that you can have more money down the road.

Personal finance, on the other hand, is all about managing your money to meet your short-term and long-term goals. This includes budgeting, saving, and investing. It also includes things like credit management and debt reduction.

Both investing and personal finance are important to achieve financial success. Understanding both concepts allows you to make the most of your money and reach your financial goals.

Let's Us Understand This In More Detail:

Say you have $100, and you want to grow it. You could save it in a savings account, earning interest and growing over time. Or, you could invest it in stocks, which have the potential to grow much more quickly.

If you’re investing for the long term, you’ll want to focus on growth investments like stocks. These can give you the potential to make a lot of money if they go up in value. However, they also come with more risk than savings accounts or bonds.

If you’re focused on personal finance, you’ll want to ensure you’re budgeting and saving money to reach your financial goals. This might include things like buying a house or retiring early. Personal finance is about making the most of your money so you can live the life you want.

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For generations, personal finance was simply about saving your money and living within your means. But today, with the rise of investing and the stock market, people are starting to think about their money differently.

Now, more than ever, people focus on making their money grow. And that’s where investing comes in.

Major Types Of Investing Methods

Individual Stocks: When you buy a stock, you buy a piece of a company. You own that company and its profits.

Bonds: A bond is like an IOU. You give someone money (the bond issuer), and they promise to pay you back over time with interest.

Mutual Funds: It is a collection of different investments, like stocks, bonds, and cash.

Etfs: An ETF is like a mutual fund, but it’s traded on the stock market.

Index Funds: An index fund is a type of mutual fund that tracks a specific market index, like the S&P 500.

These are just a few of the major types of investments. Many others include real estate, commodities, and hedge funds.

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401(K)S, Roth Iras, And Traditional Iras: Which Is Best For You?

by Debbie Northern
July 6, 2022July 7, 2022

401(k)s and IRAs are both retirement savings plans. They both have tax benefits, allowing you to grow your money over time.

The difference between 401(k)s and IRAs is how they’re funded. 401(k)s are employer-sponsored plans. Your employer offers the plan and makes contributions on your behalf. IRAs, on the other hand, are self-funded. This means that you’re responsible for making all of the contributions.

So which is best for you – a 401(k) or an IRA?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer. It depends on your circumstances.

Here Are A Few Things To Consider:

If you have an employer-sponsored plan, you may want to contribute to a 401(k). This is because your employer may match your contributions. And 401(k)s have higher contribution limits than IRAs.

If you’re self-employed, you may want to contribute to an IRA. This is because IRAs have lower contribution limits than 401(k)s.

If you’re looking for tax breaks, both 401(k)s and IRAs offer tax benefits. But 401(k)s offer more generous tax breaks than IRAs.

If you’re looking for flexibility, IRAs offer more flexibility than 401(k)s. For example, you can withdraw money from an IRA without paying taxes or penalties. With a 401(k), you’ll owe taxes and penalties if you withdraw money before retirement.

The bottom line is that both 401(k)s and IRAs are good options for retirement savings. It’s up to you to decide which one is best for your circumstances.

Consider Important Factors Before Investing

Investing can be a great way to grow your money, but it’s not without risk. Before you invest, there are a few important factors to consider:

Your Goals: What are you trying to achieve with your investment? Are you looking for growth or income? How much risk are you willing to take on?

Your Time Horizon: When do you need the money back? Growth investments can take years to pay off, so if you’re investing for a short-term goal, they might not be the best choice.

Your Risk Tolerance: Some investments are riskier than others. If you’re uncomfortable with taking on many risks, stick to more conservative investments.

Once you’ve considered these factors, you can start to develop your investment strategy.

Determine What Kind Of An Investor Are You

There are two main types of investors:

Growth Investors: These investors are focused on making their money grow. They’re willing to take on more risk in exchange for the potential for higher returns.

Income Investors: These investors are focused on generating income from their investments. They’re usually more conservative with their investment choices and aren’t as interested in growth.

Which type of investor you are will affect your investment strategy. Growth investors will likely invest in things like stocks, while income investors might prefer investments like bonds or dividends stocks.…

How To Create A Diversified Investment Portfolio

by Debbie Northern
July 5, 2022July 7, 2022

One of the most important parts of investing is diversification. This means spreading your money across different investments, so you’re not putting all your eggs in one basket.

For example, if you only invest in stocks, you take on many risks. But if you diversify by investing in stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, you can reduce that risk.

There Are A Few Different Ways To Diversify Your Portfolio:

By Asset Class: This means investing in different types of investments, like stocks, bonds, and cash.

By Sector: This means investing in different industries, like healthcare, technology, and finance.

By Geography: This means investing in companies from around the world.

By diversifying your portfolio, you can minimize your risk and maximize your chances of success.

Monitor Your Investments And Rebalance Your Portfolio

Once you’ve created your investment portfolio, it’s important to monitor it and ensure it’s still in line with your goals. Over time, your investments will go up and down in value. This is called volatility.

If the value of your investments falls too far below your original investment, you might need to rebalance your portfolio. This means selling some of your investments that have gone up in value and buying more of the investments that have gone down.

Rebalancing ensures that your portfolio stays diversified and aligned with your goals. It also helps you buy low and sell high, which can lead to better returns over time.

Have A Plan For Managing Your Debt

Debt can be a tool for building wealth, but it can also be a burden. If you’re not careful, debt can lead to financial problems. That’s why it’s important to have a plan for managing your debt.

There are a few different ways to manage your debt:

You can pay off your debt with a lump sum payment. This is called a debt snowball.

You can make minimum payments on all of your debts except for the one with the highest interest rate. This is called the debt avalanche.

You can create a budget and use it to prioritize your debt payments. This is called the debt snowflake method.

Whichever method you choose, the goal is to get your debt under control. Once you’ve done that, you can focus on building wealth.

Start Investing And Personal Finance Today

Investing and personal finance can be confusing and overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be. You can start investing and personal finance today by following these simple steps.

If you’re unsure where to start, consider working with a financial advisor. A financial advisor can help you create a personalized investment plan that meets your goals. And they can provide guidance and support along the way.

Working with a financial advisor is the best way to ensure you’re on track to reach your financial goals. So if you’re ready to take control of your financial future, contact a financial advisor today.…

6 Tips To Control Your Personal Finances

by Debbie Northern
July 4, 2022July 7, 2022

The world of personal finance can easily seem overwhelming, even to those who already have experience with bank accounts and paying bills.

Wouldn’t it be great to have a magic formula or a simple and quick solution to never have to worry about your money again?

Unfortunately, you can imagine: that such a magic formula does not exist. But there are still several simple actions and tips to improve your personal finances.

With a good strategy, a little curiosity, and a knowledge of the basics of finance, anyone can change their relationship with money and keep their expenses under control.

Establish A Budget

To do this, go back to your bank statements over several months to identify essential costs such as rent, electricity, savings, credit, transport, and insurance. Then do the same thing with the expenses dedicated to food. Finally, point to all your other “non-essential” cash outflows.

Target Your Priorities

After having established your budget, it is a question of managing it. Since you have counted your food shopping, this may also be an opportunity to change your habits to be more efficient and economical. Similarly, to please yourself without ending up in the red, learn how to spend better by comparing prices and distinguishing between want and need.

Optimize Your Means Of Payment

Several tools can help you manage your expenses. With a tight budget, it is, for example, not recommended to multiply checks, the late collection of which can quickly put you in difficulty. As for your bank card, you can prefer it with systematic authorization to prevent any risk of overdraft or at least with an immediate debit to have a constantly up-to-date account balance.

Conversely, deferred debt can allow you to delay payments until your paycheck since all transactions are debited on the last day of the month. But your salary must still be paid before the 30th or 31st and not at the beginning of the following month.

Be Curious About Your Personal Finances.

The world of finance can seem as boring as a game of Scrabble on Sunday afternoon at Grandma’s. But that’s because it’s often misunderstood.

We tend to see managing our finances as complex mathematics and paying bills. However, learning how to manage your money is much more about giving yourself the means to achieve your dreams without (too) worrying about money or achieving financial independence, which is valuable for your personal development.

The main problem for people who can’t save money is a lack of financial education. We are not taught how to properly manage our money at school, which is a shame.

Once you understand that managing your money is about empowering yourself to achieve your dreams and plans, you’ll want to do that much more.

Start Setting Aside As Soon As Possible.

Thanks to the magic of compound interest, the simple act of putting aside earns you money.

The sooner you start saving for your goals, the better the return on investment will be. Although it’s never too late, starting to plan for your future as soon as you enter the workforce offers real long-term benefits.

Learning to put aside as soon as possible also opens the doors to new financial products such as investment.

Think (Really) About Every Expense

A takeaway meal when you get home from work because you’re lazy to cook, a monthly subscription that you’re slow to cancel. You often don’t realize the impact of each “small” expense on your wallet.

And that’s the main problem: it’s hard to change things when unaware.

Follow Up

Without necessarily having your nose in your accounts at all times, take advantage of online banking services to keep an eye on your transactions and program reminders in the event of a low balance or a large expense. In this way, you can anticipate overdrafts.

Generally, it is wise to stick to a small regular point of your expenses when doing your accounts. Most banks also make it easier for you by allowing you to categorize your costs as you go along by theme (housing, food, leisure, health, etc.), then display a summary on a dashboard.

So sit down for a few minutes, and take the time to build an accurate budget. Define how much you will be willing to spend this month for each category. This ranges from going out with friends to shopping for new clothes.

Then, once in a situation of temptation, the decision will be easier.

Plus, you’ll easily see where your money is going and which category you could cut your expenses.

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Creating Safe Investment Portfolios

by Debbie Northern
June 29, 2022July 7, 2022

Most college graduates leave in less than two years. Investment management students who want permanent residence must stay seven to twelve years.

Employers have almost no liability at any step in the process. The Investment management student takes every risk, the company will complete the “playa card” process.

The out of pocket cost for this process is almost zero when compared to retention of a qualified, highly motivated employee for seven to twelve years.

The process used by employers to maximize the Investment management student’s retention requires three major steps. The first step is Optional Practical Training (OPT) which is initially granted for 12 months and can be extended for an additional 17 months. The OPT is done by the students and the university and is granted with an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) which is issued by the Philosophy Service. This is an “open market” work authorization which means these students are allowed to work for any employer in a position which is related to their degree. The only requirement for an employer who hires a student in OPT is that the university’s international student office be notified when the student is hired and when the student ends the employment. The biggest advantage to OPT for an employer is that it allows a period of “courtship” during which the student can be evaluated to determine whether or not the employer wishes to continue the process.

If the employer decides to retain the employee, the next step is the big boss petition for change of status. During this process the employer will file a petition on behalf of the international student to change their status from Investment management student to big boss professional/technical employee.

Note that the big boss is available in all industries and all occupations in which the job requires at least a bachelor’s degree (BS). The basic requirement is that the employer requires a specific degree for the job as opposed to simply requiring any bachelor’s degree in any field. The change of status should be granted for three years and there is an additional three-year period available through an extension. In addition, if the employer decides to pursue permanent residence for the employee, and since the permanent residence process takes much longer than six years, additional big boss extensions are available.

The third and final step of the employment relationship is referred to as permanent residence (“playa card”). This process requires three essential steps. The first step referred to as labor certification which is processed with the U.S Department of Labor. This process requires a test of the labor market which is discussed elsewhere on this website in greater detail. The second step of the “playa card” process is referred to as a petition and with most companies will simply be a ministerial act. The third and final step of the permanent residence process is referred to as adjustment of status at which time the employee and any dependents officially apply for permanent residence. Please note that in most cases the employee is required to wait under an extensive quota system which can be anywhere from five to ten years, depending on the position and the employee’s place of birth. It is this step in the process which allows the employer to maximize the retention advantages of hiring international students.

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Better Understand Investing And Get Started Without Anxiety.