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We will send the script to your PayPal email within few hours,Please add FullContentRSS@gmail.com to your email contact.Suffice it to say 2015 was a big year for money — not just in terms of how we spend it, but how it's managed by other entities, namely online dating services, healthcare providers and Uncle Sam. Here's a look at the year that was in America's finances.
1. Ashley Madison Gets HackedWhen millions of cheaters were exposed online, infidelity dating site Ashley Madison found itself in hot water. Most users weren't worried about their credit cards being stolen, but their fidelity was broken and so was their reputation. Many couples wound up filing for divorce and other users even committed suicide. High-profile celebrities like Josh Duggar were also caught in the scandal. Said Lisa Sotta, a cyberlaw expert at Hunton & Williams: Extortion demands, which forced victims to pay for their valuable data, became noticeable during this hack and things will only get worse.
2. Gay Marriage Is LegalizedIt was history in the making when the Supreme Court declared same-sex marriage was constitutional in June 2015. But as LGBT couples rushed to their local courthouse to file marriage certificates, they began to ask themselves the same questions straight couples have been asking for years: Can we afford to get married? Many in the LGBT community had never believed they'd ever get married, so the idea of planning a wedding took a major mind-shift — and a budget adjustment.
3. Anthem & Premera Are HackedComputer criminals stole a treasure trove from health insurer Anthem in February, putting consumers on edge. Not only did the info include names, birth dates and medical IDs/Social Security numbers, street addresses, email addresses and employment info were also taken. It was a recipe for serious identity crimes, wrote consumer advocate Bob Sullivan, including creating new accounts in a victim's name, bypassing security measures, or in a worst-case scenario, resetting passwords. Not more than three months later, Premera Blue Cross suffered a similar cyberattack.
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4. Startup Bros Post Ad for $500-a-Month CrawlspaceThe world's creepiest crawlspace hit the Internet by way of Craigslist on Dec. 15, marking a new low in San Francisco rental prices. For $500 a month, an eager startup employee could live with two 20-somethings — so long as he was willing to sleep an uneven dirt floor and keep his dresser "in the garage." With median rent in San Francisco topping $4,354, per Zillow, it's no wonder Craigslist took the post down.
5. Card Issuers Switch to EMV ChipsOkay, so this may have not been a money moment, but card issuers' decision to eliminate cards with magnetic stripes for cards with fraud-fighting computer chips was still a pretty big deal. On Oct. 1, new rules went in effect making merchants not equipped to accept chip cards responsible for fraud. Of course, not everyone fell head over heels for the new cards. Some consumers were so annoyed, they began avoiding stores that require them.
More Money-Saving Reads:Image: iStock
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I asked out every girl on my paper route. All three of them. I liked having a captive audience. I'd hand them the paper and say, "Want to go to a movie?"
They all said "No."
Well, one girl said, "Yes" but then the next day her brother told me she really meant "No."
I made about $2 an hour on my paper route. It took me about four hours a day and then another five or six hours on the weekends collecting money.
One time, delivering papers, a guy drove by and yelled, "one day you're going to rule the world!"
I guess because delivering papers somehow showed work ethic. I worked hard but hated it. I had no life but delivering papers.
So I will tell you another story. Don't tell anyone please. It's our secret. The local video store once gave me pamphlets to put at every house on my route. He gave me a $20 bill. I took it.
Within 15 minutes, I threw all the pamphlets in the sewer and never went back to that store.
All of this is to say:
My daughter is considering taking an $8 an hour job.
I said to her, instead of that: why don't you go to Lynda.com or CodeAcademy.com and learn basic WordPress skills. You can make blogs for stores.
It would take you ONE DAY to learn the basics.
Then go from door to door to every store in town.
Say for $1000, plus $50 / month maintenance, you'll make their blog or basic website for them and help them upkeep it. If they require a "shopping cart" then charge them $2500.
She frowned a little and said, "They will say No. They don't need it."
She doesn't want anyone to say No to her. I can relate to that. I don't like it when people say No to me either.
I said, "Ok, we have about 40 stores on this street. Let's say only 2 say yes. That's $2000. It will take you ten hours to do the work.
"That's $200 an hour instead of $8 an hour.
"And then the $100 a month you make in maintenance will take you about two hours a month.
"Here's another idea," I said."To be on Wikipedia you need about 10 media references."
We were in a restaurant. I pointed at the wall. "How many reviews does this restaurant have."
She was digging in. "I don't know." She looked away.
"More than ten," I said. "So you can make a Wikipedia page for them. Charge $200. Maintain it for $10 a month."
Or maybe every store needs a Facebook page. 1 in 7 Americans are on Facebook RIGHT NOW THIS SECOND.
Restaurants can use their Page to get local customers to "Like" them in exchange for coupons and future messages.
Again: $500 for setup and $20 per store per month to maintain.
She didn't want to do it. It's not a skills issue. ANYONE can get the skills by studying one or two online courses for about a day or two.
She does have skills at drawing logos, editing short videos, and some basic design skills she can improve with a course or two.
On fiverr or freelancer.com she can do an infographic for $20-50 and it would take her thirty minutes.
Flickr / justine-reyes
Why work for a boss?
Here's my guess. She wants to work at a hang out place. So she can work while seeing her friends.
Ok, I get that. I would love to work at the same time that I hang out with my friends.
But if she started doing what I suggest here's what she would learn:
– SHE WOULD CREATE SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING
Most jobs don't let you create something out of nothing.
You just move some shit over to some other shit and get paid shit.
The best things in the world are when you create something out of nothing. Like: I created her (in part) out of nothing.
I admit I had help with that.
– BASIC COMPUTER SKILLS
Seriously: if you think you don't have computer skills, take three online courses.
Now you are in the top 1% of the world in computer skills and can charge for those skills.
– REJECTION
The most AMAZING skill to learn. I've put in my 10,000 hours of being rejected. I am a MASTER of rejection.
Every time you get rejected you learn a little more about yourself, about how to approach people, about building strength, about getting out your comfort zone.
– SALES
She'll learn to look at a situation and find what the urgent problem is, what a useful solution can be, and how can she uniquely solve it.
– YOUR NEW BEST CUSTOMERS ARE YOUR OLD CUSTOMERS
Once she starts making money she'll do what most people do – she'll want to make more money. There's only two ways people who make money make more money.
1. Get new customers.
2. Offer your old customers new services.
"2" is the most reliable technique people have used since 3000 BC. Which would force her to learn even newer skills and solve bigger problems for her customers.
– OUTSOURCING
Maybe someone wants a shopping cart integrated with a database of products.
That's too much for my little girl to handle.
She can outsource that to India for $100 and pocket $900. Not so bad.
– FRIENDSHIPS
Ultimately, customers become friends. How come? Because in a good business you don't want to do business with people you don't like.
People think business is "Shark Tank". Real business is more like "Tuna Tank".
Customers become friends, they become testimonials, they pay your bills, they refer other customers to you.
Some customers even want to smoke crack with you but I'd advise her against that.
Customers are a good, fun thing and some of them end up changing your life (don't smoke crack with them, honey).
Flickr / Wendy Cope
– YOU DON'T NEED A BOSS TO MAKE MONEY
Remember: every time you have a boss – he's taking some of your money. And his boss is taking some of your money.
I hope my daughter will do one of these things but I don't think she will.
I hope my daughter realizes that the average multimillionaire has seven different sources of income. A job is only one source.
Guess what?
Being an Entrepreneur is also ONLY ONE SOURCE.
I don't recommend being an entrepreneur (i.e. starting a company, hiring employees, having an 85% chance of failure and depression) unless you are a masochist.
Some people say to me, "how can I convince so-and-so to "choose themselves" or "not go to college" or "be more creative" or "quit their job" or …" .
You can't. Nobody can. And I guess that's the whole point.
I couldn't convince Beth Mosesman on my paper route to date me. Even though my braces were glistening with passion. My greasy hair was reflecting the sun. My paper route was reeking of luxury.
I can't convince my daughter to make money the way I want her to.
The best I can be is a good example. Sometimes I've been a bad example but all I have to work with is "now".
Right now she's a teenager so doesn't really listen to me. Teenagers have to bond with their peers and reject their parents because 200,000 years ago it was their peers that would save them from lions. Not old people like me.
I don't know if I could save my daughter from a lion but I would try.
But she still watches what I do.
The greatest miracle on this planet is that a small cloud can block the sun.
But only for a little while. The sun will come up again tomorrow. It will power the entire planet. Nothing can stop it.
What does this have to do with my daughter rejecting my advice? I don't know.
Maybe everything.
Read the original article on The Altucher Confidential. Copyright 2015.
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We will send the script to your PayPal email within few hours,Please add FullContentRSS@gmail.com to your email contact.Usually, people who want to bolster their finances trim their expenses.
But cutting costs only goes so far. Unless you already make a lot of money and spend like a bon vivant, most people can't eke out that much more from their budget by decreasing expenses.
Plus, the more you retrench, the more your quality of life suffers. (It's all relative, though — certainly some overspenders could actually improve their lives by tempering their expenditures.)
If you're looking to increase your revenue streams, take heart: Opportunities to earn extra money abound for people at all levels of experience.
While the gigs requiring more experience will pay more money, for those starting out, even the earnings of lower-paying jobs will add up over time.
Also read: 55 businesses you can start for less than $5,000
That extra money can be put toward helping you pay down debt, boost your net worth or save for big goals, such as making the leap to freelance.
These ways of making extra money cover a wide range in terms of compensation and prestige.
Check out the options to see what could work for you, keeping tabs on a projected per-hour rate so you can see what would be worth your time.
The list is loosely arranged by 1. jobs requiring more skill or expertise, 2. gigs needing less and 3. things you can sell.
1. Change jobs.
This is the best way to boost your earnings, as you have the most leverage at the moment that a company wants you but isn't sure whether it can get you. Use that to your advantage in negotiations. Another benefit of getting a bump up when you switch jobs is that the percentage boost will be baked into all your future raises, elevating your lifetime earnings.
2. Request a raise.
Getting a raise is an excellent move because it doesn't require you to trade more time for more money. You are putting in the same amount of time, but pulling a bigger paycheck. But, it's always a bit tricky to ask for a raise when your company already has you at your current salary. You've got to make a strong argument you deserve the increase.
3. Freelance.
Freelancing is the next best thing to being paid more for your full-time work, because professional work always pays more than unskilled. To find opportunities, let former colleagues or other personal connections that you're available for freelance gigs.
Or, post on marketplaces particular to your field. For instance, Mediabistro, a journalism site, allows freelancers to post profiles of their experience and services. Though these are more up to chance, designers can bid on jobs at 99Designs.com or submit a design at Threadless, to see if it will be crowdfunded.
4. Blog.
If you have an area of expertise, you can create a website with ads and affiliate links, like blogger J. Money did (boosting his net worth $400,000 in 7 years) in and as Smart Passive Income guru Pat Flynn, who has so far earned $3 million blogging, does.
5. Coach.
If you have enough experience in your field to coach others with their careers, then create a website — or, if you have one, add a section describing what you'd offer as a coach. Advertise your services in industry forums and give new clients a discount or other incentives to refer you.
Also read: 27 ways you waste your money
6. Tutor.
Whether for high school students or adults, you can monetise your expertise by teaching people with less experience or knowledge than you in that subject area. You can work with an established group like Kaplan or you could try hanging out your own shingle and making your services known either to students, parents and schools in your community. If you are targeting adults, you can create your own website or list your services with adult tutoring companies.
7. Teach an online course.
If you have an area of expertise, instruct a course through a site like Udemy or Skillshare.
8. Temp.
Many offices need temporary workers, so old-school companies like Kelly Services do still exist and list such opportunities. Indeed.com aggregates listings by location. Do an Internet search to find local listings.
9. Cash in on your craftsy side.
Do you knit or make jewelry or create letterpress items? Sell your wares on Etsy, Cargoh, Craft Foxes and other such sites.
10. Give tours of your city.
Vayable allows you to guide tours centered around a particular cultural experience. Some members' offerings include a Paris photography tour and a Queens tastes of the world tour.
11. Capitalise on your inner chef.
If your cooking skills regularly impress family and friends, get paid to create memorable meals for clients with KitchenSurfing.
12. Get paid to run errands.
If you're handy and generally available to run errands, sign up with TaskRabbit or Zaarly, or just put a notice up on Craigslist to get groceries for time-crunched people or do general handy person tasks for the useless-with-a-hammer set.
13. Become a driver.
If you've got wheels, you can earn extra money shuttling around those without through Uber and Lyft.
14. Wash cars.
Even if you don't have wheels yourself, you can spiff up those of your family, friends and neighbors.
15. Walk dogs.
If you have a flexible schedule and a passion for pets, ask friends, family or neighbors if they might need a dog walker. You can also post your services on dog walking sites.
16. Wait tables or bartend.
Almost anyone can wait tables, and if you know how to mix drinks, bartending can be a quick way to make extra cash. Both can be lucrative in tips. Read here to find out how to earn more in tips.
Also read: A key financial habit that can make you rich
17. Cater waiter.
Try Waiters to Cater or find a local company offering cater waiters, and sign up for opportunities.
18. Clean homes.
Use a service like HomeJoy to find housecleaning opportunities.
19. Mow lawns, rake leaves or shovel snow.
Again, ask friends, family and neighbors if they'd like to hire you for these services.
20. Babysit.
Ask family, friends and neighbours if they could use a sitter or know of other families looking for one.
21. Photograph or play music at weddings.
If you're a musician or photographer, advertise your skills for weddings or other commercial events on your own portfolio site or with a service like Thumbtack, Gigmasters, Gigsalad, WeddingWire, and Snapknot.
22. Busk.
If you play an instrument and/or sing, take your music to the public squares or popular transit stops, keeping mind of local laws. Hey — even world-famous violinist Joshua Bell does it.
23. Be a delivery person.
You can apply at local restaurants, or try a service like Postmates.
24. Be a mystery shopper.
Get hired to shop and then report back on your experience. Find out how it works and then, to avoid mystery shopping scams, find legitimate opportunities at the Mystery Shopping Providers Association.
Recommended by Forbes25. Promote products and events on the street.
Try Street Team Promotion for opportunities.
26. Rent your car out.
Try GetAround and RelayRides.
27. Host guests or rent out your place.
If you either have an extra room or can crash elsewhere to rent out your whole place, you can also make extra money by renting out your home to visitors to your city with Airbnb or VRBO.
28. Participate in focus groups.
Give your opinions on products and more. Try companies like Focus Pointe Global, Inspired Opinions, Harris Poll Online, Toluna, SwagBucks, MySurvey.com, Opinion Outpost, iPoll and Hiving.
29. Be a test subject.
When researchers run clinical trials, they need healthy subjects to use as a control group against the patients with illnesses. Find out more details from the National Institutes of Health, and search for clinical studies at ClinicalTrials.gov. For psychology experiments, contact your local university.
Also read: Three ways to become a superannuation millionaire
30. Participate in an online jury.
Help attorneys determine case value or public attitudes at eJury.
31. Write software reviews.
SoftwareJudge.com pays anywhere from $1 to $50 for original reviews.
32. Sell your castoffs on eBay.
Make sure it's a valuable item and not just your old junk. Take good photos, write a compelling description and price accordingly. For more tips, find out how to declutter and profit from it.
33. Sell on consignment.
For items that you feel are better tried on or viewed in person, whether it's clothing, shoes or vintage furniture, try a local consignment shop. You can also send items to ThredUp or The RealReal.
34. Sell old electronics.
Instead of recycling these items, see if they can fetch a price. Try stores like Gazelle, Next Worth and USell.
35. Have a yard sale.
For items that won't sell on eBay, or aren't worth the hassle of posting, host a yard, garage or stoop sale. Price items low. Think $10 or lower for clothing (except coats can go as high as $15). Antiques and furniture can go as high as $75. Books should be $1, other entertainment items $3-$5.
36. Sell your hair.
Find out what requirements your tresses need to meet before they're worth money at HairSellon.
37. Sell your photos online.
If you've got some eye-catching snaps, post them on Shutterstock, Photoshelter, Fotolia, DreamsTime and/or iStock.
38. If you're planning to shop, earn cash back.
Ebates offers cash back if you begin your online shopping there. But remember that if you spend a lot of money to get the cash back, you're defeating your ultimate purpose to earn more. So only use this when you were intending to shop anyway.
39. Sell your gold and silver.
Find out the weight of any gold or silver jewelry you'd like to sell with a kitchen scale or at a jeweler's. Find out the purity, i.e. 12K, and use Dendritics.com to calculate the potential value. Search for a reputable vendor at Jewelers Vigilance Committee, and also consult the Better Business Bureau. Then shop around for the best offer.
40. Sell bottled water at events.
Buy bottled water in bulk and sell it at festivals or other large events for $1 per bottle.
41. Collect bottles and cans for deposit.
If you live in an Aussie state that offer a deposit for cans and bottles, you can collect them and obtain cash.
42. Put ads on your car.
Check out AutoWrapped and FreeCarMedia.
43. Get paid for online searches.
Add Qmee to your browser, and if you click on a search result it offers, you'll earn some change.
44. Look for unclaimed money.
Yes, sometimes you can have money that you don't know about. Check in occasionally to see if you are owed any.
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If you're like most Americans, chances are you already have a blog. But you probably haven't uploaded anything since you posted that scathing review of Zombieland back in 2009. Your mother didn't even comment on that one, so you gave up. I know all about it—I've been there.For most people, blogging is an exciting but self-indulgent exercise. Our anemic WordPress sites only see a few dozen hits and eventually we stop being able to justify the time commitment. One can only live on ramen noodles for so long. We have to make money somehow, so we go back to our day jobs and our blogs sit untended, gathering digital rust.
This story is typical—but it isn't inevitable. What if you could actually make money from your blog? Like, enough money to rival your day job? You'd probably invest the time to create and post regular, quality content, which would attract more readers, which in turn would generate even more income. It's possible. You just need to find the right monetization tool.
And I think I just did.
The most reliable way to make money with a blog is through advertising, and the best way to sell ad space is through Infolinks.
An Advertising Marketplace
Infolinks is a digital advertising marketplace, like Adsense or Chitika. Advertisers bid for space on your blog and they pay you a certain amount for every person that clicks through to their site. It's a convenient and easy way to earn money doing the thing you love. Some high-profile bloggers are able to support entire families using advertising they arranged through Infolinks.
The platform is remarkably simple. Bloggers sign up for free, using whichever publishing platform they like. Infolinks uses an algorithm to gather data about the content of your site, and the preferences of your readers. It then places targeted ads on your page in attractive, unobtrusive ways. You get a cut of everything.
Native Advertising
Most digital advertisers use pop-ups or garish banner ads to attract viewer's attention. However, these don't really work anymore. Consumers either erase them with ad blockers or simply ignore them. Infolinks sidesteps this problem by using clever and innovative advertising methods.
Infolinks places "native ads" on your page—ads that are topically relevant and blend seamlessly into your content. I think this is my favorite feature of the service. After decades of invasive digital ads slowing down my Internet experience, Infolinks feels like a breath of fresh air. To create an effective but non-irritating advertising experience, Infolinks uses several ad formats.
InText Link Ads
These are the flagship style on the platform. Once Infolinks' algorithm has scanned and analyzed your content, the service finds which keywords on your page are most relevant to the interests of specific viewers. It then takes those keywords and turns them into expandable text ads that look like hyperlinks. Infolinks is familiar with the habits of your readers. Every one of them will see different, targeted ads that are relevant to them personally.
The fantastic thing here is that InText ads are driven by intent—no one sees them except people who are already interested in the product. You have to be interested enough to hover in order to see the promotion. No distractions. No irritations. Just sales for advertisers and money for you.
InTag Ads
These are quite similar to InText, but the keywords are set in a separate box rather than being interwoven with the text of your posts. Visitors seeking certain products of services will see a set of clickable words that relate very closely to what they're looking for, all without becoming distracted from the content you've uploaded to your blog.
Like InText, these ads expand and become more interactive when visitors hover over them. The text boxes are extremely customizable and can be made to fit flawlessly with the overall design and look of your blog.
InFold Sliders
This option is a bit more traditional. An InFold ad consists of a slider bar running across the bottom of your page. Fortunately, they're tastefully done, and minimally intrusive. They also benefit from being perfectly targeted in real time, meaning that they provide useful information and options to your readers, no matter who they are or when they view your page. They'll find a different set of helpful ads every time.
InScreen Interstitials
Probably the most dramatic option available to you, InScreen ads are interstitials between pages on your website. Some bloggers call them an "advertising intermission." Basically, when a user clicks through to view another post or see another part of your blog, they'll be briefly redirected to a targeted ad before seeing your content.
This method is a bit more intrusive, but it does generate a lot of impressions for advertisers and a lot of money for you. Again, the secret is the powerful real-time targeting capability of the algorithm. A visitor who has been searching for garden tools will see an ad for rakes or shovels. It's a very efficient way to wring more cash out of your website.
InFrame Ads
These are a clever way to use the otherwise wasted space at the edges of your page. Almost all websites have these empty bars that run along the sides of their content, especially on wider screens. InFrame ads neatly fill the blank space with attractive, targeted advertisements.
These can actually help your blog feel more fleshed out and spatially satisfying. They enjoy a high click-through rate because they're obvious without being distracting.
Sponsored Content
Finally, Infolinks offers a sponsored content option, which is perhaps the least intrusive and most effective advertising method of the lot. By choosing it, you agree to publish promoted content pieces. Basically, you get a sponsored guest blogger every now and then who posts content that's relevant and interesting to your audience. And they pay you for the privilege.
Referral Program
With all these customizable options, there are dozens of ways to make money with Infolinks. If you want to flex your earning muscles even further, the service offers a fantastic referral program. It's been very popular with users and attracted a lot of favorable media attention. For every blogger or online publisher you bring on board, Infolinks will pay you 10 percent of their total earnings for 12 months. If you bring in a few quality publishers, the money begins to add up fast.
The referral program means that Infolinks offers long-term passive income. You can earn money from other people's blogs in addition to your own. Infolinks also offers all sorts of drawings, giveaways and other incentives for their publishers. You'll be well taken care of.
The service is completely free to publishers. If you're already using Google Adsense for your blog, you can use Infolinks in tandem to generate even more revenue. You don't need to have a very big blog to get started. In fact, because payment is based on commission, Infolinks usually approves blogs with very low traffic. There's nothing to lose.
The innovative advertisements mean that Infolinks is also significantly more effective than other ad platforms. Some of their ad designs generate 30 times more impressions than traditional banners and pop ups.
2009 was a long time ago. If you're ready to start blogging again seriously, but want to have food in your refrigerator, consider using Infolinks. I believe it's the best way to monetize your work.
Photo Credit: Ryan McGuire
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We will send the script to your PayPal email within few hours,Please add FullContentRSS@gmail.com to your email contact.Enthusiasm about India and Modi has given way to pessimism and frustration. December 2015, most people are worrying if India will become a basket case – no green shoots, infra in a mess and banking sector will collapse leading to a macro economic disaster. If you just jiggle your memory cells a bit, the exact opposite was being talked about in December 2014 – how India is on the cusp of an economic revolution. 2014 was a hope trade with a reality check in 2015. This brings me to the topic I wish to discuss– cycles. In spite of experts talking about the death of the economic cycle, I believe the cycle is very much alive and kicking. If you had invested in January 2002 and exited in December 2007, you would have had 6 years of consecutive positive Sensex returns. That was possible because of a commodity super cycle combined with domestic recovery. On top, we had global and domestic liquidity deluge. The party ended and Indian economy is still suffering from a hangover. Hangovers take time to go irrespective of any concoctions that Jeeves might conjure. Currently, Indian economy is slowly but steadily finding its feet. Rural India was hit by bad monsoons and that has clearly affected rural demand. Urban consumption is picking up. Inflation is under control. Domestic liquidity is good. We will see more rate cuts over next 12 months. What will drive up the economy? I reckon it would be consumption and whatever little government can do and spend on infrastructure, railways and defence. Benign interest rates will help. If rain gods smile, then you have an additional kicker. Private sector capex will take at least another 18 months. My sincere advice to Investors – buy Indian equities with a long term perspective. Definition of long term differs from investor to investor but I guess anything over five years should suffice. And if you are someone who is data driven, from 1995, we have only two instances where Sensex or Nifty delivered two consecutive years of negative returns. My forecasts for 2016 – Sensex 20% higher, Interest rates 50 bps lower and India Rupee depreciating by 5%. Happy Investing and wish you a happy and Money Making 2016
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You can also take a look through our most recent posts. Perhaps you'll find what you're looking for there.
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Learn more about Kathleen on NerdWallet's Ask an Advisor
It's the giving season again, a time when many investors explore whether their investments can also grow for the greater good. If you're thinking about how to nurture your nest egg and further your desire to do good, you may want to consider certain types of investments and strategies.
Here are two basic methods for putting your money to work in ways that benefit the world: tailoring your investments to match your beliefs and using tax-friendly charitable giving strategies.
Socially responsible investingInvesting that takes into account both financial returns and social impact is known as socially responsible investing. Other monikers might also be used, such as sustainable and responsible investing, green investing or socially conscious investing. Generally speaking, the idea is to make a positive difference in the world by directing capital into socially beneficial areas of the economy. Depending on your own beliefs and values, you may favor investments that focus on protecting the environment, for example, or that consider fair-trade practices a requirement for investing. Still other investments may be guided by religious values.
Applying criteria based on such social goals, investors can put their money to work in a variety of ways. Some may prefer to buy individual stocks and bonds for these types of investments. For example, they may choose to invest in companies that donate a large amount of cash or a percentage of their profits to the community or to charities. Or investors may prefer to buy municipal bonds to build or maintain schools, thus supporting educational goals. Other investors may want more diversification, focusing on the dozens of publicly traded mutual funds that ascribe to various principles to filter investments, rather than looking exclusively at performance.
Whatever the criteria, the performance of the underlying investments can and should still be considered. Socially responsible mutual funds have largely performed well this year, according to Bloomberg's ranking of sustainable and responsible funds. But beyond performance and social impact, you must also consider the tax consequences and how these investments fit into your overall portfolio and strategy. For instance, holding a mutual fund may mean you will experience taxable distributions of capital gains when positions are traded within the fund, so keep this in mind when choosing a fund over an individual stock or exchange-traded fund.
Tax-friendly tools for giving Donor-advised fundsInvestors in higher tax brackets may wish to mix their objectives of lowering their tax bills and investing for good through the use of a donor-advised fund. When you donate to such funds, you receive a tax deduction, your investment grows tax-free and the investment income can be distributed to nonprofit organizations or charities per your recommendations. These funds can also be set up with screening criteria for the investments used in the portfolio.
Community foundations, which are larger nonprofits that manage endowment accounts for multiple charities in their region, offer a turn-key way to do this type of giving, usually with low or no minimums for the initial gifts. Donors direct their investments to specific types of funds offered by the foundation (for example, scholarship funds). These investments cannot benefit the donor or any private interest, and periodic distributions must benefit 501 (c)(3) nonprofit entities only.
TrustsIf the donor wants to choose other investments, another option to explore is the creation of a trust. Depending on what type of trust is created, the principal would remain under control of the donors or be released under the terms of the trust. If the legacy or income stream planned is substantial, then it may make sense to work with an estate-planning attorney to set up a charitable lead or remainder trust. Both are irrevocable trusts, meaning the grantor cannot change the provisions once the trust is created.
With a charitable lead trust, the income from the invested capital is earmarked to go to a nonprofit in exchange for a tax write-off. This arrangement expires after a period of time when the control of assets reverts back to the donor or the donor's estate. With a charitable remainder trust, the principal may be invested for the benefit of a living person or persons, but upon the death of the donor or after a defined period of time, the invested principal passes as a gift to a designated charity. Gifting monies to such trusts results in a tax break, subject to specific Internal Revenue Service formulas. A qualified tax expert and an attorney should be consulted in setting up these types of accounts.
Family foundationFinally, donors wishing to have substantial control over investments and gifts may consider a family foundation. However, this form of giving may also be the most expensive, as private foundations necessitate the creation of a nonprofit entity, which must follow complex rules, pay excise taxes on investment income and provide yearly tax reporting to the IRS. Donors opting for this form usually prefer to set up a private, nonoperating foundation that makes gifts to other 501 (c)(3) charities rather than providing actual services. Qualified attorneys or tax experts can help navigate tax rules dictating how these foundations are to be created and managed. They can also advise donors on the resulting tax breaks available for the initial and ongoing contributions to fund the private foundation's gifts and activities.
Givers gainWhether it's through socially responsible investments or tax-friendly donation vehicles, there are several ways to put your capital to work for the social and charitable causes you seek to support. As you get into the giving spirit this year, make sure you take a deeper look at the ways your money can make a difference in the world, while facilitating smart financial moves that support your personal goals. Talk to an advisor to help make the most of your contributions.
Kathleen Nemetz is a certified financial planner in San Rafael, California.
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