In this article, we provide an overview of how day traders can avoid the common pitfalls of most traders. Lack of Risk Management The biggest danger new day traders face is not having risk management protocols in place, or having an incomplete risk management strategy. New traders are usually optimistic about their trading skill (why start trading if you aren’t optimistic about its potential), which can lead them to overlook important risk management steps....

What Is an HMO? An HMO is a type of health insurance plan that’s designed to lower your medical costs. You select a primary care doctor from a network of providers who helps coordinate your health care needs, referring you to specialists if necessary. What Is a PPO? A PPO is a type of health insurance plan you can use to seek care from different doctors without a referral. But you may have to pay more if you seek care out of your network....

Here’s what the differences between these plans are and how to choose between them. What Are the Differences Between HMO, PPO, and FFS Health Insurance? PPO policies also will carry deductibles and require co-payments. Cost-wise, a PPO plan will typically have a higher deductible than an HMO plan. The cost of out-of-network treatment might not count toward fulfilling your annual deductible, so if you’re considering this type of policy, read over your coverage terms carefully....

Appraisers noted a city’s racial composition, the ethnic backgrounds of people in the neighborhood, and, in one instance, even the race of the area’s mayor when evaluating the price of homes, according to a report from the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) released Tuesday. The agency, which regulates mortgage lending, surveyed a database of millions of home appraisals to see if appraisers were complying with federal civil rights laws, such as fair lending laws like the Fair Housing Act, which forbid them from considering race when setting home values....

The wild price growth of late is likely to be reined in by a rise in the rock-bottom mortgage interest rates that have propped up demand, according to a report by real estate data analytics firm CoreLogic on its Home Price Index released Tuesday. Those low rates, combined with ravenous demand for a nearly exhausted housing stock sent prices into the stratosphere as the pandemic sent families on a mission for space....

Federal Consumer Protection Laws Many federal consumer protection laws were created to promote fair trade or product safety. Federal fair trade laws are enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) while federal product safety laws are administered by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Fair Trade Laws The Federal Trade Commission was created to promote competition and to protect consumers from unfair, deceptive or fraudulent practices in the marketplace. The FTC develops policy, conducts investigations, and sues companies that violate the law....

That’s not necessarily the case in international markets. To understand why, let’s take a look at a hypothetical example. To keep things simple, we will also ignore dividends, brokerage commissions, or other transaction costs. Example of Currency Risks Suppose you’re interested in investing in a (fictitious) Japanese company called Tokyo Toys. According to your research, the company has a new electronic gizmo coming out that will likely be a must-have toy in the coming holiday season....

Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) are a little-known asset available to entrepreneurs, start-ups, and established small businesses. They’re designed specifically to help small businesses with all kinds of business-related activities, including providing guidance with marketing and financing. This resource can be a huge help to people who are just starting out, or to small business owners looking to expand. These centers are run by the U.S. Small Business Administration in partnership with local communities, state and local governments, and the private sector....

A shareholder receives a capital account in their name in exchange for donating time, money and property. The account shows their share of the capital assets in the new business. A shareholder can sell their share of an S-Corp so any gain or loss on small business stock is calculated like capital gains on stocks or mutual funds. The shareholder has to know their tax basis in the investment in order to calculate the gain or loss....

Learn how FLPs work, why many families prefer them, and how the tax savings might look. What Are the Tax Benefits of Family Limited Partnerships? It’s not just about how much money you make: It’s also about how much you keep in your pocket. In addition to watching out for frictional expenses, such as brokerage commissions, you’ll want to learn how to reduce your tax burden. Many new investors know about capital gains taxes....

For starters, don’t assume you’re free of risk, even if the money is available. Learn how long it takes for a check to clear or bounce, and what this might mean for you. When Deposited Funds Are Available By law, your bank makes a certain amount of funds available for withdrawal shortly after you deposit most checks. Unless there are clear signs of fraud or other problems, banks follow a funds availability policy, which details how soon you can use your money....

The truth, though, is that it could take as little as a few days or, unfortunately, quite a bit longer. It depends on numerous factors, including the economy, the job market, whether you’re in a field in which there is high demand for workers, where you live, your qualifications, and the quality of your application. Here’s information on how long it typically takes to get hired, factors that impact the process, and tips for speeding up a job search....

How Long Does It Take To Get a Good Credit Score? To build a credit score from scratch, you first need to use credit, such as by opening and using a credit card or paying back a loan. It will take about six months of credit activity to establish enough history for a FICO credit score, which is used in 90% of lending decisions. FICO credit scores range from 300 to 850, and a score of over 700 is considered a good credit score....

Learn more about how this rule works, and the best way to use it. How the Rule of 72 Works To use the rule, divide 72 by the investment return (the interest rate your money will earn). The answer will tell you the number of years it will take to double your money. For example: If your money is in a savings account earning 3% a year, it will take 24 years to double your money (72 / 3 = 24)....

This question is uppermost in the minds of many parents now as they complete the FAFSA and await the receipt of financial aid award letters to their college-bound students. In some cases, they will be saddened to see that the amount of aid awarded is not sufficient to fully cover the costs of attending a coveted college. They then wrangle with the internal struggle of what to do next. Should they take on PLUS loans from the federal government, refinance the house, or borrow against a retirement account to come up with the extra money?...

What Is a Mutual Fund Expense Ratio? An expense ratio measures the operational costs of a mutual fund, relative to the fund’s average net assets. You will often see it stated in terms of the percentage of the fund’s assets that is taken out of the fund each year to cover its costs. You will also see expense ratios expressed in units known as “basis points.” One basis point is equal to ....

Government Influence The U.S. government has various tools to influence the U.S. dollar exchange rate against foreign currencies. The nation’s central bank—known as the Federal Reserve (Fed)—is an independent arm of the government. It indirectly changes exchange rates when it raises or lowers the fed funds rate—the rate banks charge to lend to each other. For example, if the Fed lowers the rate, this drives down interest rates throughout the U....

A share of stock is a tiny ownership stake in a public corporation. The stock’s price primarily reflects the expectations of stock investors and market analysts on the company’s future earnings. Traders who think a company will do well bid the price up, while those who believe it will do poorly bid the price down. Sellers try to get as much as possible for each share, hopefully making much more than what they paid for it....

Being right on occasion is not a winning stock investment strategy. The steps to successful investing in the stock market are simple—it’s the execution that is not so easy. Just as a football team would not take the field without a game strategy, an investor should not enter the market without a strategy. Set Some Financial Goals and Choose a Strategy It’s a cliché, but it is true—you must know where you are going so you will know you are there when you arrive....

You are required as an employer to report on and deposit payroll taxes to the IRS and state tax authorities on your employees’ behalf. Employers also pay their share of payroll taxes to the IRS or state tax authorities. This article will help you understand the process of calculating, withholding, paying, and filing payroll taxes. Learn about payroll tax deposits and how much it can cost you to file payroll tax returns....