This line of work isn’t just for the entrepreneurial spirit, either. Running a business can prove exciting for many people and for many different reasons. Whether you are looking for a flexible lifestyle, are eager to innovate, or simply want more control over your work and earning potential, there are many benefits to running your own business. Here are just a few of the biggest. Independence and Control Have you ever worked a job in which you felt you could do better if you had control over how the work was done?...

With higher activity, trading spreads, or the differences between bid prices and ask prices, tend to narrow. At these times, less money goes to the market makers facilitating currency trades, which means traders can pocket more. The 4 Major Forex Markets Within the global market, the four major forex exchange markets are in London, New York, Sydney, and Tokyo. Forex traders often commit their hours to memory, paying particular attention to the hours when two exchanges overlap....

Mobile banking apps (part of fintech, or financial tech) are no longer just a convenient way to check your balances, they are an integral part of the banking experience and something that consumers evaluate when choosing a bank. Because of the competitiveness of the banking industry, this consumer focus on the mobile experience is creating new and unique features as banks seek to gain an edge in the mobile banking space....

Price-to-Cash-Flow Ratio Some investors prefer to focus on the price-to-cash-flow ratio instead of the better-known price-to-earnings ratio. It’s figured bydividing a company’s market capitalization by its cash flow or by dividing its share price by its cash flow from operations per share. Price-to-Earnings Ratio The price-to-earnings ratio, or P/E, is likely the most famous ratio in the world. It’s a quick and easy way to see how cheap or costly a stock is, compared to its peers....

The payments of up to $600, part of a new pandemic relief package approved by Congress Monday night, could reach people as early as the beginning of next week, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin told CNBC on Monday. The last step is for President Donald Trump to sign the bill into law. “This is a very, very fast way of getting money into the economy,” Mnuchin said in that interview. The latest stimulus payments—up to $600 for individuals and $1,200 for married couples that file their taxes jointly—are half the size of the ones authorized by the CARES Act in the spring, when the COVID-19 pandemic first rocked the economy....

Nearly everything you can do with an account at a traditional bank is possible through online banking. Online banking is also available from brick-and-mortar banks, which provide access to your accounts in person or online. Typical functions include online bill paying, mobile check deposits, checking bank balances, transferring money between accounts, setting up automatic payments, and sending money to another person. What Is Online-Only Banking? While traditional brick-and-mortar banks allow you to complete some banking transactions online, some banks offer an exclusively online experience, with no physical branches to visit....

Retail is how producers of goods and services get their products to the consumer. Retailers often get their goods directly from the manufacturer. That is when a commodity becomes a finished product. Retailers can also buy products from a middleman, known as a wholesaler or distributor. The wholesaling company consolidates the products from around the world. It repackages them for easier marketing and distribution. Retailers are the last stop in the supply chain before the products end up in your shopping cart....

Can You Delay Social Security? Many people say that they fear running out of money after they retire. Protect your future income by making a smart choice about when to begin taking Social Security. The program provides inflation-adjusted income for as long as you live, but all future increases are based on your starting benefit. If you wait until your full retirement age (FRA) or later, you stand to be paid more....

Perhaps you’ve recently been furloughed or laid off, and are considering going in a totally new direction. The Best Way to Pivot Your Career If you’re a mid-career worker considering switching careers for whatever reason, here’s good news: Transitioning to a new career and industry doesn’t mean that you will need to begin from the bottom of the career ladder. If you’re considering making a change to your career path, start by evaluating what you want to be doing, and what job would make you happy....

Tips for Getting a Job When You’re Pregnant Still, while it may require adjustments, being pregnant should not stand in the way of your job search. If you’re expecting, and either want or need a new job, here’s what you need to know about successfully job searching while you’re pregnant. Your Rights as a Pregnant Job Seeker Can companies choose to avoid hiring pregnant people? Put simply: no. They aren’t supposed to....

Here are some tips to help you reach those retirement goals one step at a time. Tip 1: Focus on What You Can Do Right Now If feeling at ease about the days when you no longer work seems fleeting, you’re not alone. Only 23% of workers feel very confident that they’re putting away enough money to live securely during retirement, according to a survey by the Employment Benefit Research Institute....

The average on a conventional 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 5.69% from 5.75% the previous business day. Earlier this month it vaulted to 6.19%, its highest point since at least 2019, and likely much farther back. (Our daily mortgage rate data only goes back to April 2021, but our data on yearly highs and lows date back to 2020, so we know rates weren’t higher in 2020, and if other measures are any indicator, may have hit their highest point in over a decade....

The average rate offered for a 30-year conventional fixed mortgage moved up to 6.20% from 6.13% the previous business day. Meanwhile, the 15-year rate ticked up to 5.31% from 5.30% the previous business day. Our mortgage rate data dates back to 2020, but if other measures are any indication, both rates are near their highest levels in over a decade. Fixed mortgage rates tend to track the direction of 10-year Treasury yields, which usually rise with heightened inflation fears (and fall when those fears subside)....

The average rate offered for a conventional 30-year fixed mortgage rose to 5.97% from 5.92% the previous business day. Last month it reached 6.19%, its highest point since at least 2019, and likely much farther back. (Our daily mortgage rate data only goes back to April 2021, but our data on yearly highs and lows dates back to 2020, so we know rates weren’t higher in 2020, and if other measures are any indicator, may have hit their highest point in over a decade....

Differences Between a Roth IRA and a Traditional IRA Anyone over age 18 can contribute to an IRA, but tax deductions for contributions to a traditional IRA can be limited or not even allowed for high earners. You might not be eligible if you or your spouse have a retirement plan at work and your modified adjusted gross income (AGI) exceeds a certain limit. Contributions to a Roth IRA are made with after-tax dollars....

Economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York predicted that many borrowers with federal student loans would fall behind not only on those loans but on other debt when pandemic-era forbearance policies come to an end in May. The pandemic relief forbearance, which was meant to be temporary, eliminated interest on federal student loans and allowed people to skip their payments altogether. Some 37 million borrowers with so-called direct federal loans received the forbearance....

In a series of posts on Twitter Tuesday afternoon and evening, Trump sent conflicting signals over a potential deal, sending benchmark stock indexes on a rollercoaster ride. The S&P 500 Index, which dropped as much as 1.9% on his Tuesday afternoon tweet killing negotiation hopes, ended Wednesday up 1.7%. “The House & Senate should IMMEDIATELY Approve 25 Billion Dollars for Airline Payroll Support, & 135 Billion Dollars for Paycheck Protection Program for Small Business....

While the federal government is the largest provider of student financial aid, helping 10 million students afford college each year, you can also access aid from state governments and other private organizations. Understanding all of your financial aid options can help you cover your college expenses while minimizing your student loan debt. Learn more about the various types of financial aid, how they work, and how to apply. Grants Grants are a form of financial aid you don’t need to repay as long as all conditions of the grant program are met....

The U.S. trade deficit with China for 2020 was $310.8 billion—9% less than 2019’s $345.2 billion deficit. The trade deficit exists because U.S. exports to China were only $124 billion, while imports from China were $435.5 billion. Learn why the U.S.—China trade deficit sits at its current level and what’s being done about it. Annual Trade Deficit The U.S. trade deficit with China was $315.1 billion in 2012 and rose to $367....

What Is a Medicare Advantage MSA? A Medicare Medical Savings Account (MSA) Plan is a plan available to most people eligible for Medicare who live where these plans are offered. An MSA has two separate components: a medical savings account and a high-deductible Medicare Advantage plan (“Part C”). This type of plan usually doesn’t have a network of providers, which allows you the flexibility to select the healthcare providers and services you prefer....