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.
Apple Tax Hearing
Misdirection is used to deceive an audience by focusing their attention on one thing in order to distract it from something else. Magicians use it all the time. So do politicians.
Apple’s tax practices were dragged through the mud this week in a lame attempt to shift blame for the abysmal tax code our elected officials voted into law. The idea that Apple or any company is somehow skirting their duty by not paying taxes is ridiculous. It’s still in the best interest of shareholders to maximize profits, right? That still includes using legal means to lower the tax bill. If you’re an Apple shareholder you should be applauding all the way to the bank. Continue Reading…
Whether a stock pays dividends may play a big role in your investment strategy. A dividend provides a source of income. It offsets losses. When reinvested, it compounds growth. But this isn’t an argument that dividend paying stocks are better. It’s an introduction to dividends, giving you an idea of what to expect and what to watch out for when owning dividend stocks.
A common way for companies to return money to shareholders is through stock buybacks. When done right, it’s the easiest way a company can increase shareholder value outside of growing the company’s earnings.
There was time when families would hunker down around the TV to watch the big show of the night. It was a bit more black and white back then, literally, and the only competition was radio.
a short-term goal, taking extra risk is like playing with fire. Since you don’t know what might happen in the markets in the next few years, it’s best to keep things in perspective. The best short-term investments don’t lose you money when you need it most.