Along with the valuable financial information and analytics, however, you also need to keep the company’s general business and strategic plans in mind in order to build your budget. What Is a Business Budget? A business budget is a dynamic, financial plan used to estimate a company’s anticipated revenue and expenses for an upcoming time period. It is essentially a financial plan a business makes for a month, quarter, or year....

In other words, an upward change in the 10-year Treasury bond’s yield from 2.2% to 2.6% is a negative condition for the bond market, because the bond’s interest rate moves up when the bond market trends down. This happens largely because the bond market is driven by the supply and demand for investment money. Meaning, when there is more demand for bonds, the treasury won’t have to raise yields to attract investors....

Credit Card Debt Is a National Problem You’re not alone in dealing with credit card debt. With the total outstanding revolving debt over $1 trillion according to the Federal Reserve, credit card debt is a problem for millions of Americans. Credit monitoring firm Experian noted in its 2021 annual State of Credit Cards report that consumer credit card debt stood at $784.5 billion in 2021, down from $875.6 billion in 2020....

Why You Shouldn’t Interview Agents From the Same Company Many home sellers and buyers choose their agents based on personality. If they like one of the agents they interview, but something about another agent bothers them, the choice is easy. Sometimes, though, the decision may be based on an agent’s performance, reputation, and ​experience levels. Here are the reasons to not interview agents from the same brokerage: The agents are more likely to know each other and may compare notes about you....

What Is the Organization and Management Section in a Business Plan? The organization and management section of your business plan should summarize information about your business structure and team. It usually comes after the market analysis section in a business plan. It’s especially important to include this section if you have a partnership or a multi-member limited liability company (LLC). However, if you’re starting a home business or are writing a business plan for one that’s already operating, and you’re the only person involved, then you don’t need to include this section....

Shoppers—even online shoppers expecting a better selection on the Internet—are finding more items aren’t available this year amid massive supply chain disruptions. In August, the volume of out-of-stock messages on e-commerce sites was triple what it was in February 2020, before the pandemic started, according to Adobe Analytics data recently released in a report on holiday shopping and shown below. “As consumer demand and shipping networks get into the holiday, this problem is only going to get worse,” Adobe said in its report, noting the hardest-to-find items so far include apparel, sporting goods, products for babies and toddlers, and electronics....

“New-collar jobs,” also known as “middle-skill jobs,” are those that require certain hard skills, but do not necessarily require a four-year college degree (or an extensive work history). Often, employees can get the skills they need for the job through vocational training, a certificate program, an apprenticeship, or a two-year degree program. Hospitals, state governments, schools, manufacturers, IT companies, and other organizations have begun to search for employees with the right skills, rather than the right degree....

Specific financial clerk jobs range from bank tellers to bookkeepers to payroll clerks. Most clerks require a high school diploma and on-the-job training, although some specialized clerks require a college degree in business or economics. Median Pay: $21.52 per hour Pay depends on the industry and the complexity of the secretary’s tasks. For example, executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants, who work for top executives, can earn up to $62,060 a year....

These loans come with risks, however, that can make your financial situation worse. Before you take out a title loan, explore other options for managing your finances and paying off debt. What Is a Car Title Loan? A title loan is an expensive short-term loan that’s available when you pledge your vehicle as collateral. If you have a paid-off car that’s still worth money, you can keep driving it and get cash quickly based on the vehicle’s value....

Learn more about the differences between the two types of plans, such as how much you can save and where you can spend the money. What’s the Difference Between a 529 Plan and a Coverdell Account? The Coverdell is also designed for education expenses and offers tax advantages. The amount you can save each year is limited though, and this plan may not be flexible enough to meet your needs....

If you plan on freelancing at some point in your career or you’re already doing it, one of the first things you’ll need to figure out is how to accept payments from clients. As with anything else, some options are better than others. 6 Forms of Payment for Freelancers Checks Accepting checks is one of the easiest ways to receive payment as a freelancer. The biggest advantage is that you pay no fees for depositing a check into your bank account....

Once you’re registered, you may even be able to download your credit card’s app to manage your account on your smartphone or tablet. If you’ve haven’t signed up for an online account with any of your credit cards, you’re missing out on a bunch of great benefits and conveniences. Check out these seven benefits of creating an online credit card account. View Current and Previous Billing Statements If you’ve misplaced your current billing statement or you want to go back and look at a previous billing statement, you can log on to your credit card’s online account and pull up the statement....

One of the best things you can do for yourself is find an employer who is accommodating and understands that not everyone—especially a single parent—is able to be available during regular business hours every day. If you’re on the hunt for a job, consider seeking roles that are inherently more single-parent-friendly than others. Of course, even more important is making sure you choose a family-friendly employer to work for, as a company’s culture is what will most impact your single-parent work experience....

Homeowners policies require you to pay deductibles for certain types of claims. Deductible levels play a role in how much you’ll have to pay when filing a claim and your annual insurance rate. Choosing the right deductible levels is straightforward, and insurers allow you to choose deductibles that fit your finances. However, choosing the right deductible levels requires balancing what you can afford to pay with the costs of recovering from a major disaster....

For Marguerita Cheng, the foundation for becoming a renowned certified financial planner (CFP) and co-founder/CEO of financial advisory firm Blue Ocean Global Wealth was laid early. As the daughter of a Chinese immigrant father, Cheng grew up in a household where education was imperative. However, just as important to her financial sensibilities was living in what she calls a “collectivist” environment in which she was always surrounded by extended family....

This coverage may be included in health insurance or travel insurance. Look at your travel or healthcare plan in advance to choose the one that offers it with the lowest out-of-pocket costs and deductibles, as well as the co-insurance terms that work best for you. What Is an Air Ambulance? An air ambulance is also known as a “medical air transport.” It’s any form of aircraft equipped with supplies, equipment, and qualified medical professionals that will provide mobile care during transport....

Learn how to gain exposure to crypto, and how institutions are trying to mesh alternative investments and cryptocurrencies. What Is an Alternative Investment? If you’re not familiar with alternative investments (also called alternatives), they are “non-correlated assets.” They don’t fall into one of the traditional methods of investing like stocks, bonds, cash, or cash equivalents. This means that their performance doesn’t follow that of the other asset classes. Because the price of these assets moves in different directions than other investments, they may be a way to hedge against market downturns....

Misconceptions about what forbearance is, however, can make it hard to figure out whether it’s the right step for you. Here’s what you need to know to make an informed decision about student loan forbearance. What Is Student Loan Forbearance? Student loan forbearance is a temporary pause in monthly payments toward a student loan. During student loan forbearance, payments are postponed, but you won’t make progress toward paying back your loan....

Real estate agents will ask you to sign several disclosures, advisories, and contracts during the process. When you sign a disclosure, you’re simply agreeing that you’ve received a copy. Contracts, on the other hand, are legally binding agreements. A buyer-broker agreement is a contract. It sets up the relationship between the buyer and the broker. If you’re buying a home, should you sign one? Here are the key parts of this contract....

Here’s what to consider as you compare banks: Convenience Choose a bank that’s easy to work with on your terms. If you prefer to bank in person, some institutions might have a better presence than others in your area. Cost Fees are often lower at small institutions, but that’s not always the case. For example, overdraft and non-sufficient funds fees were 13% to 19% lower at small banks and credit unions than at large banks, according to research by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released in December 2021....