Analysis Topic: Personal Finance
The analysis published under this topic are as follows.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
ReGive 5% 1 Year Fixed Rate Savings Bonds Too Good to be True? / Personal_Finance / Savings Accounts
By: Nadeem_Walayat
Whilst trawling through the internet, seeking a home for part of my dwindling cash mountain, I happened on what sounds like a too good to be true 1 year fixed rate savings bond paying 5% offered by ReGive, Who's ReGive ? I and probably most of you reading this will have never heard of this investment firm before that is seeking to hook interest starved savers with a high interest rate of 5% when the competition can barely muster 3.5%.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Moves to Make Right Now to Protect Your Financial Future / Personal_Finance / Credit Crisis 2012
By: Money_Morning
Keith Fitz-Gerald writes:
I hear from countless investors around the world every week. Many of them want to know what "else" they can do to protect their financial future, especially now that the markets could get ugly (again).
Thursday, July 12, 2012
The Pitfalls Prepaid Credit Cards / Personal_Finance / Credit Cards & Scoring
By: MoneyFacts
Prepaid cards are a useful cash management tool which is growing in popularity.
However, it would be easy to pick the wrong card if you have not first been honest about your spending habits.
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Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Compound Interest and the Debt Bubble / Personal_Finance / Debt & Loans
By: BATR
"Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it ... he who doesn't ... pays it." Albert Einstein
Without a comprehensive understanding in this axiom of the financial universe, much of public policy and finance is incomprehensible. The different positions of the borrower and the lender is obvious, but the notion that one can earn enough interest on savings to maintain the purchasing power of the principle is a bygone fantasy in the era of low interest rates.
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Tuesday, June 19, 2012
UK June CPI Inflation Shows Savers’ Hardship Continues Unabated / Personal_Finance / Inflation
By: MoneyFacts
Inflation figures released today show the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) fell during May, from 3.00% to 2.8%.
To beat inflation, a basic rate taxpayer at 20% needs to find a savings account paying 3.50% per annum, while a higher rate taxpayer at 40% needs to find an account paying at least 4.70%.
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Monday, June 18, 2012
The American Debt Crisis, How to Save Your Money And Your Life / Personal_Finance / US Debt
By: Casey_Research
Doug Casey, Casey Research writes: I think there are really only two good reasons for having a significant amount of money: To maintain a high standard of living and to ensure your personal freedom. There are other, lesser reasons, of course, including: to prove you can do it, to compensate for failings in other things, to impress others, to leave a legacy, to help perpetuate your genes, or maybe because you just can't think of something better to do with your time.
Friday, June 08, 2012
Financial Ignorance Is A Temporary Condition / Personal_Finance / Education
By: Richard_Mills
George Mitchell, as a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve in 1966, began urging bankers to consider how "the computer can drastically change money and its use."
In the early 1970s a nationwide electronic funds transfer system was envisioned. The system would use individualized electronic identification cards and digitized bank accounts with merchants connected to them by telecommunication links.
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Tuesday, June 05, 2012
How the Banks Use Government To Make Us Suffer / Personal_Finance / US Politics
By: Michael_S_Rozeff
There are many ways in which human beings have created means of exchange (currency, means of payment, money) that have worked successfully over long periods of time. There is the way that Menger explained, through discovery of a highly marketable commodity. This is the way in which precious metals gained ascendancy. Another way is through banks that have intermediated short-term (90-day) bills of exchange and provided bank notes. This was common for many centuries. Another way is through the deposits of goldsmiths at a bank in exchange for certificates that circulate. Fourth, governments have created tax certificates good for paying taxes, and these have functioned as means of exchange. We should not forget also that there have been many commodities that have been used as means of exchange.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
UK Fixed Rate Bond Interest Rates Starting to Fall / Personal_Finance / Savings Accounts
By: MoneyFacts
The average rate for a one year bond has dropped to 2.63%, its lowest point since March 2011. The availability of these accounts has continued to rise, however, from 101 last month to 139 today.
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Sunday, May 06, 2012
Get Rid of Your IRA, Don't put Gold or anything else in it / Personal_Finance / Pensions & Retirement
By: Gary_North
One of the categories is "retirement." There is a lot of interest in retirement issues. One of them is what assets should go into an IRA.
I say "None." This is not a popular answer. I add, "especially gold." This is also unpopular.
Over the years, I have published articles on my site explaining these answers. But some subscribers do not use the search engine to locate these articles. Others do not believe me. Still others talk it over with their accountants. Their accountants offer rival views. Then they post a question that reflects their accountants' views.
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Sunday, May 06, 2012
Student Debt Bubble, Europe Crisis and More Q&A / Personal_Finance / Student Finances
By: Money_Morning
It seems my Subprime Student Slaves article really struck a nerve! Nearly 250 of you subscribers wrote in to me in response to that one. Thank you.
As I said, I'm going to compile your comments, stories, and ideas in my letter to Congress and the President.
Wednesday, May 02, 2012
Forget Retirement... and Retirement Savings / Personal_Finance / Pensions & Retirement
By: Jeff_Berwick
You've been sold a bill of goods for the last four to six decades. You've been told that nation-states, democracy and socialism is good. You've been told our monetary system prevents instability. And, while the government and central banks put your unborn children or grandchildren into debt for life they've been telling you that there will be a socialist safety net to protect you and that the "American dream" includes retiring in your 50s or 60s to a wonderful life of golf and lying on the beach.
Tuesday, May 01, 2012
The Great Cash ISA Market Split, Current Top Accounts / Personal_Finance / ISA's
By: MoneyFacts
There was a time when you didn’t have to struggle with the concept of cash ISAs. They are tax-free and all you need to look for is the best rate. However, new parameters are being quietly set which mean that in future we will all need to delve deeper than just rate alone.
Sylvia Waycot, spokesperson for Moneyfacts.co.uk, said:
“This ISA season Moneyfacts has seen a growing trend of ISAs launched which refuse to accept transfers in.
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Monday, April 30, 2012
UK Savings Notice Account Interest Rates Climb to Three Year High / Personal_Finance / Savings Accounts
By: MoneyFacts
The average rate of a notice savings account currently stands at 1.57%, its highest level since early 2009.
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Thursday, April 26, 2012
Revisiting the Physical Risks of Debt / Personal_Finance / Debt & Loans
By: Ashvin_Pandurangi
One foundational piece of advice here at TAE as been to get out of debt and stay of debt - not only because the monetary costs of such debt will grow, but also because debt can be used as a means of physical repression and enslavement. It gives public (government) and private institutions the sufficient amount of leverage they need to take control of both your possessions and your body, with the latter being a much more pronounced risk during a period of credit contraction. Here are a few snippets about this issue from Our Depraved Future of Debt Slavery (Part II):
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
UK Fixed Rate Bonds Rising Interest Rates / Personal_Finance / Savings Accounts
By: MoneyFacts
Cahoot has just launched a new issue of its popular Fixed Rate Bond, Issue 3, paying 3.60% yearly to the 2 July 2013. This internet/phone operated account runs for just over a year and is an alternative to the straightforward one-year bond market. The minimum investment is £25,000, up to £2million but be aware, once deposited there is no access to funds and no top-ups can be made either.
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Wednesday, April 18, 2012
UK Fixed Rate 1 Year Savings Bonds Rising Interest Rates / Personal_Finance / Savings Accounts
By: MoneyFacts
The average one year fixed rate bond has reached 2.85%, its highest level since August 2011. The number of one year bonds has also grown from 80 six months ago to 101 today.
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Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Hidden Pitfalls of No Notice Savings Accounts / Personal_Finance / Savings Accounts
By: MoneyFacts
When most people think of no notice accounts they think of instant access and no limitations on how they use the account. Research from Moneyfacts.co.uk has revealed that many accounts marketed as no notice or instant access, do, in fact, limit withdrawals - some quite severely.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Doing the Roth IRA Conversion Arithmetic / Personal_Finance / Pensions & Retirement
By: Terry_Coxon
Terry Coxon, Casey Research writes: It's clear to me, even though it may not be clear to you, that unless there is something very unusual about your situation, if you have a traditional IRA, you should pay the tax now and convert it to a Roth IRA. Not just maybe, but definitely. Not just for a small advantage but for a big one. If you don't convert today, you'll ultimately surrender much more to the tax collector. You'll be throwing money away. And you'll keep throwing it away. It's a result neither of us wants.
Friday, April 06, 2012
Public Pension Funds: Tens of Billions at Significant Risk / Personal_Finance / Pensions & Retirement
By: EWI
To meet ambitious investment return targets, some public pension funds must now swing for the fences.
But many are down two strikes already, due to their previous big bets with hedge funds.
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