With so many companies involved in e-commerce, investing in an e-commerce exchange-traded fund (ETF) may give you exposure to tech-savvy businesses in a variety of industries. After researching e-commerce ETFs, we’ve narrowed down the list of the ETFs that may be best for your portfolio. Presented in no particular order and based on each fund’s costs, historical performance, and diversification between different types of businesses, these are the best e-commerce ETFs for investors to consider....

Definition of a Bond Bonds are debt obligations issued by entities, such as corporations or governments. When you buy an individual bond, you essentially lend your money to the entity for a stated period of time. In exchange for your loan, the entity will pay you interest until the end of the period (the maturity date) when you will receive the original investment or loan amount (the principal). Types of bonds are classified by the entity issuing them....

On Monday, spot (or current) lumber prices dropped below $1,000 per thousand board feet for the first time since the end of March, and were last at about $996. The record high was $1,686 on May 7, pushed up by a construction boom that increased demand for lumber at the same time mills were operating below capacity. With the reopening of the economy, lumber producers are ratcheting up their output and investing in new production....

If you prefer to explore funding opportunities that do not require a credit check, there are still plenty of options. Each type of funding, though, can have different requirements, terms, and rates, so it’s important to evaluate each on what the repayment burden means for your business before making your decision. How Business Loans Work Business loans are a crucial element to both large and small businesses. At different points in the life of your company, you may need some extra working capital....

A Common Scenario Suppose you’re thinking about buying a home with a sunroom addition at the back. The sellers disclose that the work was done without a permit. The sellers might have also replaced the kitchen cabinets and counters and might have completed various other projects over time that they have failed to mention. As a buyer, you likely don’t know what needs a permit and what doesn’t, but you love the house and want to buy it....

While banking requirements to get a mortgage today are tighter than they were before the 2007 housing crisis, homebuyers can still easily find themselves biting off more than they can chew—and may not realize it until after the purchase is complete. Here are five signs that you might be buying a home you cannot afford. Creative Mortgage Terms If the conditions of your financing look like a trail mix of mortgages (e....

A pair of papers released last week attempted to answer that question—and reached opposite conclusions. A team of researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) conducted an experiment on whether sweeteners of up to $50 would convince unvaccinated Medicaid recipients to get the shot. The team also studied the effect of public health messages, and found neither cash nor messaging worked. Another study, by researchers at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and other institutions, found that clinics that offered $25 rewards for getting vaccinated—or for driving someone to get the vaccine—had better vaccination rates than clinics elsewhere....

In all of these cases, you may be wondering: Can someone take over my car loan? The Short and Sad of It The short answer, which you are not going to like: No. “In most cases, car loans are not assumable,” Edmunds.com Senior Consumer Advice Editor Philip Reed told Credit.com. “When the registration and title are transferred to a new owner, the lender needs to be notified. The lender will then step in and require a credit check to make sure the new owner can make the payments....

What Is a Co-Signer? A co-signer is somebody who guarantees a loan for somebody else. The co-signer agrees to repay the loan if the primary borrower fails to do so. As a result, lenders are more confident about receiving payments, so they may be more willing to approve the loan application. Co-signers help you get approved for a loan, but they typically do not have an ownership interest in whatever you’re borrowing the money for....

Include your academic concentration, especially if it’s relevant to the position you’re applying for, along with your personal experience. If you have held leadership roles in college, volunteer, or community organizations, these should also be mentioned since they will help to demonstrate your self-motivation, work ethic, team-building talents, and organizational skills. Cover Letter Challenges for College Seniors How do you build a convincing cover letter when you have little or no work experience?...

Is Colonial Penn Right for You? Colonial Penn may be a good fit if you’re looking for $50,000 or less in life insurance to cover final expenses like funeral costs, or if you are between the ages of 50 and 85 and won’t need to access full death benefits for at least two years (in most states). It may also be a good fit if you’re looking for a life insurance policy that doesn’t require a medical exam....

Regardless of the role you’re applying for, employers seek employees who can get along with others and who can communicate well both verbally and non-verbally. Read below for suggestions on how to respond to interview questions about communication, and review examples of the best answers. What the Interviewer Wants to Know When you interview for a job, the hiring manager will ask about communication skills, including how you address issues, how you handle challenging situations, the style of communication you expect from management, and other questions related to your ability to communicate....

Splitting Tax Deductions A distinction is made between assets that are considered legally owned by both spouses as their marital community, referred to as “community property,” and those that are legally considered to be owned only by one spouse. These are referred to as “separate property.” Rules for deductions and reporting income are classified by whether the underlying asset is community property or separate property in the nine community property states, and whether the income is community income or separate income....

The CBO Director reports to the leaders of the House and Senate. He or she serves for four-year terms. The agency employs about 265 people, primarily economists, and public policy analysts. What the CBO Does Each year, the CBO produces 18 major recurring economic analyses. Most of them are related to the annual budget. In late January of each year, the CBO reports on the economic and budget outlook. That includes estimates of spending and revenue levels for a decade....

The three major credit bureaus announced a series of policy changes Friday impacting the credit scores of those who have struggled to pay what are often unexpected medical bills: Starting this July, TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax will remove from their credit reports any mention of medical debt that went to a debt collector but was subsequently paid—a big change from the status quo, where those debts can haunt you for up to seven years....

Learn the ways statutes of limitations can be restarted, and how to avoid triggering these situations. How Long Is the Statute of Limitations? The specific statute of limitations will depend on the state in which you live, as well as the state in which you incurred the debt. It’s best to consult an attorney who specializes in debt law in your area, but most states impose a statute of limitations of between three and six years....

Financial Advisors Can Help Everyone People tend to conceptualize financial advisors as people who only help mega-wealthy individuals and families, but this isn’t accurate. Financial advisors, believe it or not, commonly assist middle-class families who need help with planning for retirement, saving for their children’s college, buying a home, and taking care of other major financial goals. To decide if you need to hire a financial advisor or what type of advisor to hire, you need to first ask yourself some questions and assess your comfort level with making financial decisions, then do your research....

Sometimes it makes sense to cancel some or all car insurance coverages. However, state laws require all drivers to carry minimum levels of coverage. And if you get into an accident and don’t have the coverages you need, it might have a serious impact on your finances. Here’s what you need to know about having car insurance in different extenuating circumstances. When You Get Your Permit and Driver’s License First-time drivers often get a learner’s permit before their driver’s license....

Many states require that agents give buyers and sellers an agency disclosure form to sign, which clears up these questions. The form used in California, for example, is not a contract between two parties but rather a disclosure from one to the other. It clarifies the many types of agency functions that may come up when buying or selling a home and specifies the rules agents must adhere to. All parties must read it so they know what to expect from each other; the form also allows them to select the type of agency relationship they prefer....

E-filing is generally considered safe. Filing your taxes electronically is actually more secure than snail-mailing your filing to the IRS. There is less chance that the data contained within your tax documents will be compromised, as it’s encrypted when sent electronically. How To Use E-Filing To e-file, taxpayers or preparers enter tax information into the tax software program. The software checks for completeness and math errors then transmits the return electronically to the IRS via internet connection....