Steadfast Finances
A Personal Finance & Investing 101 blog that delves into current events, consumer education, and techniques to improve your bottom line.
Investing in a Timeshare – Is It Worth It?
Exclusive membership, unique settings, beautiful resorts, fabulous locations, great marketing pitch, and access to above ordinary amenities. These are just some of the things that may encourage an individual to invest in a timeshare. You may already know the wonderful perks included in timeshare offers, and since it’s been made obvious from day one by agents with great marketing schemes, there is one question you need to consider before putting your hard earned money in this arrangement. With all the wonderful amenities that you will receive, is it all worth it? Will you get your money’s worth? Timeshares are not cheap because you have to pay for exclusivity, but is it a good investment in the long run.
4 Corporate Finance Ways to View Spending Your Personal Tax Return
Now that tax day is upon us, it’s time to figure out what to do with our tax return. The average American is getting back $2,700 this year and that’s a large chunk of cash. Filling out all the tax forms to get your refund is difficult, but sometimes finding the best use of your refund is just as challenging. My personal finance point of view is tied to my corporate finance point of view. Not because I happen to work in corporate finance, but because decades of brilliant people have studied the best way for companies to make and spend money. Odds are, if I have a personal finance problem, I’m likely to find a corporate finance solution that I can apply.
Common but Avoidable IRA Tax Mistakes
Everyone who has a retirement account or 401(k) has one goal on his or her mind, and it is SAVING. However, it is not easy to handle IRAs and 401(k)s, especially if you are poorly informed when it comes to the ins and outs of investing in them. With these retirement plans, certain circumstances and conditions are taxable, and they can change the course of your savings. Not knowing about these tax mistakes can be disastrous, but these mistakes are not unavoidable, and you can even fix some of them after the fact.
Real Estate Investing for Beginners
Investing in real estate for the first time can be a difficult thing. The person who has yet to invest in rental properties, may have lots of questions about the process, benefits, etc. The popular phrase, ‘You don’t know what you don’t know,” rings true in this situation. It is hard to jump into the realm of real estate investing without asking for some form of help. Here’s what every beginner investor should do.
Losing Interest in Buying Gold?
If you have been paying attention to the market lately, months ago there was a flood of interest in buying gold. Investors were seeking to diversify their portfolios in something that was showing a promising growth while the rest of the market struggled. With interest rates at an all time low and the price of [...]
Congressional Insider Trading Activity Finally Goes Mainstream
Someone in mainstream media, and it’s not all that surprising it’s 60 Minutes, finally got around to covering one of Congress’ most astonishing ethical, moral, and soon to be illegal, violations of holding public office… politicians trading on insider information. Brief clip: Insider trading on the stock market: if you are a member of Congress, [...]
Fake Prosperity: U.S. National Debt Growth vs. GDP Growth
If you’re a member of Gen X and Gen Y, this is probably the scariest chart you will see in 2011, and possibly, right up to the time you’re old and gray. As you can clearly see, the crony capitalism, fake prosperity, recycled Keynesianism memes et al., have been a great benefit to the U.S. economy… right [...]
S&P 500 Support Trendline in Question
Predictably, a vast majority of people thought the markets would soar after a verbal agreement had been reached on the debt ceiling fiasco. Err, wrong. The bigger problems, at least in my opinion, is a potential breakdown of a 2 and 1/2 year support trendline in the S&P 500 index and a potential close under [...]
The Hypocrisy of the Republican Debt Ceiling Debate
US Government Spending: Why the Republican Argument of “Obama is a Keynesian” Doesn’t Hold Water. ~ ~ ~ Being an idealist, I’m easily repulsed from any person/organization that I lose respect for. Case in point, the reason why I said goodbye to the Grand Old Party was because they’ve completely gone off the deep end [...]
Beware Those Who Say ‘This Market is Cheap’
Image Source: Chart of the Day If you’re an avid follower of the financial markets, no doubt you’ve heard a money manager make the claim that “this market is cheap” as a reason to get you, or keep you, invested in the stock market after it’s doubled from March 2009 to present. Truth is, that [...]
S&P 500 Earnings Back to Credit Bubble Highs
Two years after making the observation that terrible earnings news was the time to buy (see first chart), it looks as if the billions of taxpayer dollars (via future earnings) have gotten corporate earnings back to credit bubble highs (see second chart). From May 18, 2009: An Index Fund Investor’s Dream: S&P 500 Earnings Nearing [...]
Lobbyist Dollars: The #1 Problem in Contemporary American Politics
If you want a simple explanation of the root cause of America’s political and economic woes, this chart represents it. As Teddy Roosevelt so famously said: There can be no effective control of corporations while their political activity remains. To put an end to it will be neither a short nor an easy task, but [...]
