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Happy Hour: Happy Holidays

December 21, 2012

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Jon

Welcome to the end of the week and another edition of Happy Hour! Just sit back, relax, and enjoy your end of the week roundup of all things interesting in the land of money.

Happy Holidays

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, and Festivus. I think that’s all of em? Happy Holidays!

End Of The World

Touted as the most brilliant marketing campaign ever concocted, today the Mexico Tourism Board wrapped up its 5,125 year-long “Mayan Calendar event”. So far it’s been a huge success. Continue Reading…
2012 Best (And Worst) Market Awards

December 19, 2012

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Jon

It’s safe to say the stock market has been kind to investors this year. The S&P 500 is up about 17% with a handful of trading days left. A great year for any investor. Still, the S&P is just an average with many outliers. Which brings us to the 2012 Best and Worst Market Awards. A collection of outliers that helped form the S&P 500 performance for the year.

But first a rehash of the rules and a quick disclaimer. Just like last year’s awards, I eliminated all penny stocks and kept the list to well-known companies. Fund categories make up a range of possibilities from asset specific to sector specific and leveraged funds weren’t considered for obvious reasons.

Here’s the disclaimer. One, a good or bad investment doesn’t end because a new year begins. Two, research and valuation dictates a good or bad investment not past performance. Like every year, there are greater rewards and risks to investing outside of a total market fund. Even when the focus is on sector specific funds. With that, on to the awards. Continue Reading…
Happy Hour: Google Fiber And Redesign

December 14, 2012

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Jon

Welcome to the end of the week and another edition of Happy Hour! Just sit back, relax, and enjoy your end of the week roundup of all things interesting in the land of money.

Google Fiber

There is a disruptive experiment happening in Kansas City. It attacks the very nature of cable/internet providers. Yet, those companies don’t seem too worried about the results. Or aren’t showing their true feelings about it. But they should be.

Kansas City is the test site for Google Fiber. You see, Google has a theory that internet speeds are woefully slow for the current needs of customers. It’s not only about speed, though. Google thinks they can offer a much faster internet service (we’re talking 700Mbps or more). One that includes all your cable TV channels. And do it for less than what your cable provider is charging you now.

We haven’t seen a potential speed increase like this since we went from dialup to cable internet. Only this time, it will affect how we watch TV. Companies like Amazon, Netflix and Disney have already made moves to adapt. It will be interesting to see what new businesses pop up as this becomes widely available. Continue Reading…
Tax Day 2014: Tax Deadlines For The 2013 Tax Year

December 11, 2012

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Jon

With tax time right around the corner, it’s always good to have the important tax deadlines marked on your calendar before you plan your next tax return. Soon those W-2s and 1099s from your employer, bank, and broker will start arriving. You’ll have a better idea if you are getting a refund or owe taxes. Then, you can file your tax return based on the date that works best for you.

Official eFile Date

Expecting a refund this year? The IRS has already announced a late start to the 2013 tax season. That could mean a delay of a week or two beyond the normal January 21 start date. Once the IRS releases an official date, I’ll update this information. That doesn’t mean you should put your tax return on hold until then. You might as well get that tax refund back as soon as possible, unless you like lending money to the government for free.

If you don’t eFile your taxes, this is the year to start. It’s a fast, convenient, and easy way to file your tax return online and you have several choices (I recommend Turbotax). This limits the possibility for errors. Plus you get that refund back much quicker with the option to directly deposit funds right into your savings account.

Now, if you owe taxes you might want to wait till the tax deadline to pay. Just keep the money owed in an interest bearing account until the due date and squeeze every last penny out of it before you send it off to the IRS. Continue Reading…
Happy Hour: Honest Jobs And Index Extravaganza

December 7, 2012

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Jon

Welcome to the end of the week and another edition of Happy Hour! Just sit back, relax, and enjoy your end of the week roundup of all things interesting in the land of money.

Honest Jobs

Congratulations nurses! A recent Gallup poll had participants rate the honest and ethical standards in different professions. Nurses were viewed as the most honest and ethic people.

What’s surprising is college teachers and clergy falling to seventh and eighth. Even more surprising, car salespeople beat out Members of Congress for dead last.

Index Extravaganza

If indexers are annoyed by the lack of choices they have, things are looking up. The Nasdaq announced the possible creation of 24,000 new indexes, with 4,000 being introduces this week. As if the ETF and index fund space wasn’t crowded enough. The idea is to get as specific as possible with the indexes. Basically breaking things down to the most minute detail. Continue Reading…
Gifting The 21st Century Savings Bond

December 3, 2012

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Jon

For decades the savings bond was the gift you knew would last past the year. That was the idea. It was the easiest way to gift money that would grow over time.

A Little History

The bulk of the savings bonds I got as a kid happened before I was teenager. I may have received some for eighth grade graduation, since all those bonds were earmarked for college. A savings bond gift with 4 years to go was a wise and safe investment. In the end, I had enough to buy a semester of books and a few late night pizzas – which was the point. Looking back, you have to wonder what that money would have grown to under a solid investment plan. And how many more pizzas I could have purchased as I studied for exams.

I can’t complain too much. The rates on those savings bonds were great compared to the interest rates we have today. Back then, there really wasn’t any other option either. You couldn’t open a brokerage account with $25, $50 or $100. That would barely cover the brokerage fees. The internet didn’t even exist yet. Discount brokers hadn’t been invented. Those two missing pieces would eventually bring investing to the masses. The low-cost transaction fees and easy account access of today almost makes the savings bond a thing of the past. Continue Reading…

Happy Hour: Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays

End Of The World

2012 Best (And Worst) Market Awards

Happy Hour: Google Fiber And Redesign

Google Fiber

Tax Day 2014: Tax Deadlines For The 2013 Tax Year

Official eFile Date

Happy Hour: Honest Jobs And Index Extravaganza

Honest Jobs

Index Extravaganza

Gifting The 21st Century Savings Bond

A Little History