Executive Summary Across industries and across countries, a small number of “superstar” firms are pulling away from the competition. But why are these companies doing so well? One answer shows up in study after study: superstar firms are succeeding in large part due to information technology. However, superstars aren’t succeeding because of IT per se, but because […]
Executive Summary It’s a strange world we live in when large companies such as Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion are able to store huge quantities of our personal data and profit from it in a way that doesn’t benefit us. And when those same companies lose our personal data and make us susceptible to identity theft, […]
Your first step to building a free, personalized, morning email brief covering pertinent authors and topics on JD Supra: Privacy Policy (Updated: October 8, 2015): hide JD Supra provides users with access to its legal industry publishing services (the “Service”) through its website (the “Website”) as well as through other sources. Our policies with regard […]
Helpful tips to take the hassle out of getting away. Holiday air travel is hectic. Between long lines, weather delays, harried passengers and employees, and the stress of wanting to make the season perfect, getting to your destination can feel like a long, difficult process. SEE ALSO: 31 Best Travel Sites to Save You Money […]
Quiz By Anne Kates Smith, Senior Editor | Kiplinger’s Personal FinanceOctober 2017 Getty Images There are few things scarier to an investor than bear markets. But they are a fact of life when it comes to both stocks and physics—what goes up must come down. The good news is that the long-term trend of stocks […]
While some kids have a unique bucket list of travel dreams and goals, nearly every child dreams of going to Disney World one day. For many kids — and many families — Disney is a box that must be checked off no matter the cost or the inconvenience involved. SEE ALSO: 31 Best Travel Sites […]
Look beyond the P/E. These five firms are inexpensive based on free cash flow. Anyone who dabbles in individual stocks is probably familiar with price-earnings ratios. The P/E—simply a stock’s share price divided by the underlying company’s earnings per share—is the simplest, most elegant way of assessing value. It essentially tells you how much investors […]
To help keep costs under control during the school year, here are 15 things that parents of college students can think about trying. It’s back-to-school time, and if you have a child starting or returning to college, no doubt tuition costs are on your mind. Hopefully you’ve been saving up for years, but even if […]
Gasoline is just gasoline — or is it? Also, we wade into the premium vs. regular debate. By David Muhlbaum, Online Editor From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, November 2017 My father was an all-gas-is-the-same guy who considered it a personal failure if he filled up at one station only to see gas sold for a few […]
Baron Real Estate has cashed in by owning everything from builders to cruise lines. By Daren Fonda, Senior Associate EditorFrom Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, November 2017 Mutual funds that focus on real estate investment trusts—owners of apartments, offices and other types of property—have, on average, lost money over the past year. But a few real estate […]
Wellington, a balanced fund, is almost 100 years old. Getty Images By Nellie S. Huang, Senior Associate Editor From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, November 2017 The world has changed considerably since Vanguard Wellington (VWELX) opened to investors in July 1929, months before the stock market crashed. But the fund’s objective, to provide growth and income with […]
Your best strategy is to carry on with what’s working, which is almost everything except the energy sector. By Jeffrey R. Kosnett, Senior Editor From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, November 2017 Financial markets have had their pick of several key ingredients for a full-on panic (or at least a U-turn to bearish sentiment). Start with the […]
From a misguided decision on when to retire to going too heavy in stocks, people make these same five mistakes every day. Don’t be one of them. It’s never too late to start getting smart about money. Maybe you’ve made it this far with few problems… you’ve done pretty well all alone just by winging […]
You can file your Free Application for Federal Student Aid as early as October 1 — and the sooner, the better. Getty Images By Kimberly Lankford, Contributing Editor October 5, 2017 QMy son is a senior in high school, and we’ll be applying to colleges this fall. When can I hand in my federal financial […]
Star fund managers are a vanishing breed, but I still think they offer value to the investor. By James K. Glassman, Contributing Columnist From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, November 2017 The era of the great mutual fund manager appears to be over. Investors are flocking to index funds, which essentially use computers to assemble portfolios that […]
“Which app works for you might depend on your phone’s operating system,” FTC consumer education specialist Alesha Hernandez advised in an article on the agency’s website. “Before you consider downloading any app, think about the call protection that you need and do your research.” She referred consumers to the CTIA, a trade association that has a comprehensive list […]
Oct 4, 2017 … Discover great deals and savings as an AARP member on financial services, healthcare, travel, shopping, dining, entertainment and more …
Jon Lovette/Getty Images A recent study ranked the South Carolina city tops among places in America where residents are best at living within their means. The residents of Greenville, S.C., are the best among America’s metro areas at keeping their spending within their means, according to a new study by online loan marketplace LendingTree. The […]
Oct 4, 2017 … Tips to stop unwanted calls · Explore the full list of benefits available to you as an AARP Member · 5…
In This Issue: – Social Security benefits When is the right time to begin receiving payments? – Planning ahead after a divorce – ABLE accounts benefit disabled family members – Estate planning pitfall: You chose your executor too hastily – Excerpt from Social Security benefits: When is the right time to begin receiving payments? Are […]
“Earworms” are unwanted catchy tunes that repeat in your head. These relentless tunes play in a loop in up to 98% of people in the western world. For two-thirds of people they are neutral to positive, but the remaining third find it disturbing or annoying when these songs wriggle their way into the brain’s memory […]
Executive Summary The employment shift from occupations in the middle of the skill distribution toward those at the high and low ends is one of the most important trends in the U.S. labor market over the past 30 years. Previous research has suggested that a primary driver of this job polarization is something called routine-biased technological […]
Executive Summary Why do we procrastinate, even though we know it’s against our best interests? And how can we overcome it? A careful look at the science behind procrastination reveals five tips. First, figure out which of seven triggers are set off by the task you want to avoid. Is it boring, frustrating, or difficult? […]
State income tax: 3% (on less than $5,000 of taxable income) — 5% (on more than $10,000 of taxable income). Beginning in 2018, income tax rates will be gradually reduced. By 2022, the first $5,000 of taxable income will be exempt.Effective income tax rate: 4.6%/individual, 4.9%/jointAverage state and local sales tax: 7.07%Gas taxes and fees: […]
State income tax: 1.4% (on income of up to $2,400/individual, $4,800/joint) – 8.25% (on income of more than $48,000/individual, $96,000/joint) Effective income tax rate: 6.5%/individual, 7.1%/joint Average state and local sales tax: 4.35% Gas taxes and fees: 44 cents per gallon (varies by county) Hawaii has the highest effective income tax rate of all 50 […]
State income tax: 3% (on less than $5,000 of taxable income) — 5% (on more than $10,000 of taxable income). Beginning in 2018, income tax rates will be gradually reduced. By 2022, the first $5,000 of taxable income will be exempt.Effective income tax rate: 4.6%/individual, 4.9%/jointAverage state and local sales tax: 7.07%Gas taxes and fees: […]
Netflix (NFLX) is another company I really hate to include on this list because I consider management to be visionary, and I love their product. Netflix has changed the way that all of us watch TV. You can have anything you want anytime you want, on demand. “Binging” a TV show is no longer the […]
Better-than-expected sales and profits after Thursday’s closing bell would help allay investors’ Amazon.com fears. Courtesy Thelmadatter via CC BY-SA 3.0 Don’t blame owners of Costco Wholesale (COST) stock if they’re a little on edge as Thursday’s earnings report nears. After a go-go half-decade that saw shares of this safe consumer staples play more than double […]
Even if you’ve been a diligent saver, any of these often-overlooked dangers might pose a threat to your future happiness. If you go to a retirement seminar looking only to score a free dinner, that might be all you’ll get. SEE ALSO: Top 10 Retirement Procrastination Problems Thank goodness, that’s not why a lot of […]
Symbol: T Share price: $39.48 Dividend yield: 5% Consecutive annual dividend increases: 33 Forward P/E: 13 Analysts’ opinion: 5 strong buy, 1 buy, 12 hold, 0 underperform, 0 sell The telecommunications services sector is well-known for dividends, and AT&T offers one of the best all-around yields in the space. The company has paid uninterrupted dividends […]
Compare state tax rates and rules — on income, ordinary purchases, gas, “sin” products, property, and more — across the U.S. Click on any state in the map below for a detailed summary of state taxes on income, property, and everything you buy. View additional maps below, including our picks for the 10 most tax-friendly […]
Before you get into the landlord biz (or if you’d like to get out of it), there could be an easier way to invest in real estate, a Delaware Statutory Trust. Many people like to round out their portfolios with real estate investments. SEE ALSO: I’m a Landlord: Can I Ever Truly Retire? Some start […]
Bankrate.com surveyed the 10 biggest banks in the top 25 metro areas in the U.S. The most expensive city in which to make an out-of-network withdrawal is Pittsburgh, where the average transaction will set you back $5.19. The cheapest place to withdraw cash among the 25 biggest metro areas? Dallas, where a transaction costs you […]
So where do you begin? There are several formulas. In a recent Yahoo Finance article, David Rae, a certified financial planner, suggested this: “Add up all of your life savings — your 401(k), your investments, the money under the mattress — and then divide that by 25. Could you live on that amount comfortably for […]
Often when a person is appointed to serve as the executor (if there was a will) or administrator (if there was not a will) of a family member or friend’s estate they have not had experience with the role or process. This post provides a basic primer on what to expect. An estate executor manages […]
Executive Summary AI is a prediction technology. Its improvement is akin to turning up the volume knob on a speaker dial. But rather than volume, you’re turning up the AI’s prediction accuracy. What happens to Amazon’s strategy as their data scientists, engineers, and machine learning experts work tirelessly to dial up the accuracy on the prediction […]
Executive Summary Scientific studies have long suggested that investing in the right people will maximize organizations’ returns. In a world of unlimited resources, organizations would surely invest in everyone.In the real world, however, limited budgets force organizations to be much more selective, which explains the growing interest in high potential (HiPo) identification. If we are […]
Follow me on Twitter @drClaire The habits we learn early can stay with us for a lifetime — which is why it’s better to learn good habits early, not bad ones. This is especially true with eating habits. More and more, research shows that overweight babies grow into overweight children, who grow into overweight adults. […]
At a time of profound volatility in the U.S. health system, change management is an essential skill for public and private leaders alike. For these leaders — and young people aspiring to careers as health care managers — one very practical question emerges. What are the critical skills for leading major change in our health system? As […]
By Glen Robinson, Emerging Technology Advisor, Leading Edge Forum, DXC Technology We have moved from the Internet era in the early 2000s to the cloud era today; however, we will soon transition into the Matrix era – the Matrix being the term the Leading Edge Forum (LEF) uses to describe the intersection of multiple game-changing […]
As digital technologies permeate all aspects of their operations, companies around the world anticipate the need for massive change over the next five years, according to a new global survey by Harvard Business Review Analytic Services. But can these organizations adapt fast enough? Almost all of the 376 business leaders in the survey said they […]
Yet another family-driven throwback ownership structure – and another one many investors don’t even realize is in place – is that of Ford (F, $12.09). As of the most recent look, Henry Ford’s family only owns about 6% of the company’s total equity – but claims about 40% of the car company’s voting rights thanks […]
Before you agree to work with a particular remodeling company, here’s what you need to know. Hiring a contractor is the most important step in any remodeling project, so carefully check out candidates, even those recommended by friends and neighbors. SEE ALSO: How to Remodel Your Home Our organization, Consumers’ Checkbook, can help with the […]
Is it suddenly quiet around the house? Knuckle down and get those retirement funds topped up. By Elizabeth Leary, Contributing Editor From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, November 2017 The birds have flown, and the tuition bills have been paid. Retirement may still be a decade away, giving you plenty of time to plan and fund catch-up […]
If you’re a frequent flier, this rewards card may be worth your while. Getty Images By Lisa Gerstner, Contributing Editor From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, November 2017 Pricey premium rewards cards, such as Chase Sapphire Reserve (annual fee: $450), promise cardholders luxury perks. The Bank of America Premium Rewards card, scheduled to debut in September, offers […]
I took control of my parents’ finances when Dad showed signs of dementia. We cite a statistic in this month’s article about helping aging parents with their finances that hit a little too close to home: Our ability to handle complex tasks diminishes as we age (okay, I knew that), and when it comes to […]
Transform your home the way you want, on time and on budget. By Pat Mertz Esswein, Associate Editor From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, November 2017 Jason and Carrie Kelroy of Wauwatosa, Wis., loved their 2,200-square-foot, 1930s-era colonial, and they loved their neighborhood, where they could walk to schools, their church and a coffee shop, or drive […]
Most large employers plan to boost salaries for 2018, but the average increase will be about 3%. If the low unemployment numbers make you think that you’ll finally get a bigger raise in January, think again. Most large employers plan to boost salaries for 2018, but the average increase will be about 3%—roughly the same […]
If converting from a traditional IRA to a Roth makes sense, do it. If tax rates drop, you can undo the conversion later. Getty Images By Kimberly Lankford, Contributing Editor From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, November 2017 QI’m thinking of converting money from a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA, but I’m hesitant to make the […]
Certified financial planners aim to put you first at all times. Getty Images By Eileen Ambrose, Senior EditorFrom Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, November 2017 Back in June, it appeared that the Department of Labor regulation that requires financial professionals to act in the best interests of clients when giving retirement account advice would be implemented on […]
Whether you’re starting out, have already retired or are somewhere in between, we show you how to make your money grow and last. Getty Images/Echo By Elizabeth Leary, Contributing Editor From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, November 2017 If you’re a typical investor, you’ll likely spend some 60 years of your life moonlighting as a money manager. […]
Women often face a savings shortfall as they approach retirement. The goal is to catch up as soon as possible. A number of years ago, I wrote a book about women and money called Think Single! The title wasn’t a reference to marital status. Rather, it counseled all women to think independently about their finances. […]
This what you’ve planned for. Now, to keep the income flowing. By Elizabeth Leary, Contributing Editor From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, November 2017 You can finally head off into the sunset, enjoying your hard-earned financial security without a care in the world. Alas, not quite. Now you shift your focus from helping your money grow to […]
It may seem like you’re facing the storm of the century every time you turn on the news, but the markets have survived far worse. By Kathy Kristof, Contributing Editor From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, November 2017 My husband, Sean, is a methodical guy who carefully weighs all possibilities before acting. So when he broached the […]
Tips on how to steer clear of fraud and late shipments when you’re doing your holiday shopping. Getty Images By Brendan Pedersen, Editorial Intern From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, November 2017 With the winter holidays approaching, there’s a good chance you’ll start chipping away at your gift list online. But the rise in e-commerce has also […]
To prevent ID theft, credit card issuers monitor the dark web for your personal information. Getty Images By Lisa Gerstner, Contributing Editor From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, November 2017 With identity theft on the rise, credit card issuers are introducing new benefits designed to make you feel more secure. Discover recently announced that cardholders can sign […]
Even do-it-yourselfers may want a pro’s help with an exotic vacation or a complicated itinerary. Before the internet put trip-planning tools at your fingertips, you might have popped into a travel agency to shop for airline tickets or flip through brochures. Now, online booking engines and review sites can spark vacation ideas and point you […]
The research behind our judgments. To create our rankings, we evaluated data and state tax-policy details from a wide range of sources. These include: Kiplinger Tax Map, 2017 Income tax We looked at each state’s tax agency, plus this helpful document from the Tax Foundation. To determine the effective tax rates in each state, we […]
A recent lawsuit against private student loan borrowers has been dismissed. Here’s what you need to know. Getty Images By Kaitlin Pitsker, Staff Writer From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, November 2017 Judges recently dismissed dozens of lawsuits against private student loan borrowers because of shoddy record keeping by companies claiming to own the debt. That could […]
It’s tough to get started saving when you have debt hanging over you. But once you get access to a retirement plan, make sure to fund it. By Elizabeth Leary, Contributing Editor From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, November 2017 If you’ve never invested before, you should start once you land your first job with access to […]
Crackdown aimed at protecting nest eggs of clients age 65 and older. Getty Images By Eileen Ambrose, Senior EditorFrom Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, November 2017 Regulators are adding new tools to help investment firms protect older clients against fraud. Starting in February 2018, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority will require brokerages to ask clients for the […]
They aren’t for everyone, but this donation could generate income. By Eileen Ambrose, Senior EditorFrom Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, November 2017 Q. My alma mater is offering a charitable gift annuity. Is that a good way to generate income? See Also: Are Annuities Right for You? If you want to give money to your school as […]
BJ’s, Costco and Sam’s Club Our pick: Costco All three warehouse clubs offer their members free buying services that hook you up with a vehicle at a predetermined price so you don’t have to haggle. We like Costco’s program for its focus on customer service and its competitive prices. In our own sampling of each […]
The way in which you tap your assets can have long-term tax consequences for you and for your heirs. It’s always nice to have options, and when retirees have $1 million or more in assets, they have a lot of options. But they also have a lot of decisions. SEE ALSO: How Do You Know […]
Don’t settle for the first one who asks for your number. Do some checking to know the type of person you’re dealing with. It seems to me that people too often take the path of least resistance in finding a financial professional. And that’s probably at least partially the industry’s fault. SEE ALSO: Bigger Isn’t […]
When it’s time to step in, avoid the stumbling blocks with these strategies. By Eileen Ambrose, Senior Editor and Sandra Block, Senior Editor From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, November 2017 Mark Kress, 59, of Sterling, Va., first realized his 88-year-old father, Willard, needed help after he saw some bills with past-due balances stacked on his father’s […]
Colleges have many potent options for getting students to square their accounts. Getty Images By Knight Kiplinger, Editor in Chief From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, November 2017 Q I hear that some public colleges turn over the overdue bursar accounts of current students to private collection agencies, which sometimes charge fees as high as 30% of […]
Don’t let family demands on your income stint your retirement savings. By Elizabeth Leary, Contributing Editor From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, November 2017 You probably have multiple goals for your money at this stage. The best way to plan, save and invest is to do so for each goal separately. Best Investing Moves at Every Age […]
You’ve accumulated money. Now, time to shuffle it around and get everything in order. iStockphoto By Elizabeth Leary, Contributing Editor From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, November 2017 Once you reach your final five years in the workforce, you should begin shifting your portfolio toward the types of investments you’ll hold in retirement. Best Investing Moves at […]
Amino, a health care start-up that gathers data from insurance claims, culled these and many other unusual happenings from the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revised Edition. Medical providers must determine a code for reimbursement purposes, and the publication lists every diagnosis for a medical condition and the corresponding code. It covers […]
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Your first step to building a free, personalized, morning email brief covering pertinent authors and topics on JD Supra: Privacy Policy (Updated: October 8, 2015): hide JD Supra provides users with access to its legal industry publishing services (the “Service”) through its website (the “Website”) as well as through other sources. Our policies with regard […]
Executive Summary Researchers have long studied how to make brainstorming sessions more effective — for example, by setting quantity goals, instead of quality ones. A recent study indicates that people can also be primed for more creative idea generation when they kick-off such sessions by sharing embarrassing stories, which lowers their inhibitions and, thus, improves […]
Follow me on Twitter @RobShmerling While there are more than 100 types of arthritis, osteoarthritis is by far the most common. Osteoarthritis is the form of joint disease that’s often called “wear-and-tear” or “age-related,” although it’s more complicated than that. While it tends to affect older adults, it is not a matter of “wearing out” […]
Jack is well-known in his company for delivering growth through high-performing, cross-functional teams. Where others get stuck in silos, he fosters innovation through collaboration. But these days, when you exit the elevator on his floor, you sense fear wafting through the halls. He’s nine months into a new role as Business Unit Leader, and a […]
Executive Summary For decades, we have heard that emerging markets are poised for huge growth that will yield even greater prosperity. But a long list of obstacles always seems to be getting in the way of realizing this potential. Startup accelerator programs have been touted as one path to faster progress. But is the boost that accelerators give in […]
Corporate leaders are increasingly concerned about energy, seeing it not just as a cost to be managed but as a key to the future sustainability of their companies. Climate change also is a major concern. How are leading organizations dealing with this challenge? In this edition of the Quick Take, insights from the latest Harvard […]
On September 25, Governor Brown signed into law Senate Bill No. 813, which updated the California Voluntary Disclosure Program (VDP) to include out-of-state trusts with California beneficiaries and non-resident partners of out-of-state partnerships, and to allow the Franchise Tax Board (FTB) to waive the S Corporation or partnership late-filing penalty for specified returns under the […]
The Tisch family are value investors. That’s all they know. Since the beginning of 1966 through the end of 2016, Loews Corporation (L) stock has delivered a compound annual return of 17%. However, the past decade has been a tough one, lowering the return considerably from what it might have been had L stock not […]
Solving the retirement puzzle can require using investments for liquidity and growth, insurance products for income and principal protection and possibly alternative investments for diversification. That requires a plan. Remember that famous line from the movie Jaws: “You’re gonna need a bigger boat”? SEE ALSO: Bigger Isn’t Always Better When It Comes to Financial Advice […]
Regularly updated insights on the economy’s next moves. Gross Domestic Product Gross domestic product is the broadest indicator of the economy, measuring the value of final goods and services produced in the U.S. in a given time period. It is perhaps the most closely watched indicator as well, serving as a guidepost for Federal Reserve […]
Global Entry speeds you through security wherever you go. iStockphotos By Miriam Cross, Staff Writer From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, October 2017 Your laptop is safe from the cargo hold, now that airline passengers no longer need to check their electronics if they’re en route to the U.S. But new security measures may mean longer wait […]
New high-tech hearing aids let you listen to what you want and tune out everything else. Chances are that if you grooved to Motown, the Beatles and Simon and Garfunkel in the 1960s and ’70s, the sounds of silence may mean something different to you now. Roughly one-third of seniors between the ages of 65 […]
Though debit and credit cards look virtually identical, they aren’t. A debit card is essentially a check. As soon as you use it at a retailer, the funds are gone from your checking account and you have spent your own money. When you buy something on a credit card, you are spending someone else’s money […]
“Sure, we could afford to spend more,” Bruce Ostyn told me as he rinsed the plates from dinner in a shallow plastic dishpan. “But why…
Among their savings secrets: Live cell-phone free (“It’s a quality-of-life issue, too”), wear your clothing until it’s truly worn (“It’s like losing a friend when we consign a shirt to the rag bin”), and save twice the amount needed for a major purchase before you buy it (“It lets you make sure you really want […]
Your first step to building a free, personalized, morning email brief covering pertinent authors and topics on JD Supra: Privacy Policy (Updated: October 8, 2015): hide JD Supra provides users with access to its legal industry publishing services (the “Service”) through its website (the “Website”) as well as through other sources. Our policies with regard […]
On September 20, Peterson Sullivan and Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt partnered to host a seminar titled Avoiding Tax and Legal Missteps for the Construction Industry. Below are some of the key takeaways to consider: #1: Claim Preservation and Accounting Backup—Justifying Quantum When claims arise on construction projects—for scope disputes, changed work, changed conditions, delay or […]
Your first step to building a free, personalized, morning email brief covering pertinent authors and topics on JD Supra: Privacy Policy (Updated: October 8, 2015): hide JD Supra provides users with access to its legal industry publishing services (the “Service”) through its website (the “Website”) as well as through other sources. Our policies with regard […]
Executive Summary Despite the billions of dollars companies spend on employee training, research shows that workers are unconsciously incompetent in 20% to 40% of areas critical to their performance. How can you teach people skills and knowledge they don’t know they lack? By redesigning corporate learning programs so they are adaptive and force users to […]
Executive Summary In late August, Lee Jae-yong, the heir apparent of Samsung, was sentenced to five years in prison. It was once unthinkable that the head of South Korea’s largest conglomerate could be sent to prison; Lee’s father, Lee Kun-hee, was twice pardoned by the government. But public sentiment, which used to hold that what […]
Executive Summary Want to be surrounded by some of the most competitive people on the planet? Work in sales, where paychecks, bonuses, promotions, and stature are usually tied directly to organizational quotas and individual results. A little competition can be a good thing. But often it goes too far — and ironically, performance can suffer […]
For most of us, whether to screen for cancer is a no-brainer. Who wouldn’t want a simple test to prevent cancer or identify it at an earlier, more treatable stage? However, as with many things, the screening decision is more complex than it may appear. For example, the test may not be particularly “simple,” such […]
Some of the money your child earned over the summer could grow tax-free into a nice nest egg in a Roth IRA. Here are some tips to get them started and ideas to offer incentives. As kids across the country head back to school, many are leaving behind their summer jobs. Whether it’s a teenager […]
Puerto Rico and other Caribbean islands will be recovering for years from Hurricane Maria’s destruction. If you want to help the islands and their residents, check out these charities. Irma Maldanado stands in what is left of her home in Corozal, Puerto Rico, that was destroyed by Hurricane Maria. Getty Images QAfter a month filled […]
For small business owners in need of a loan, getting an application approved can seem as mystifying as the illusions performed in a Las Vegas magic show. But the process gets a lot easier with the right preparation and an understanding of the importance of cash flow. SEE ALSO: 11 Sources of Funding for Your […]
Stocks continue setting new all-time highs, so it’s understandable if some investors are getting nervous about holding on to their gains. It doesn’t help that it’s almost October – a month that has hosted some of the worst market crashes in history. If it’s all too much for your nerves, there’s nothing wrong with adding […]
Welcome to what experts call the illusion of invulnerability — the belief that frauds happen to others but not you. Overconfidence in your ability to spot bad guys is a dangerous thing. Impostor fraud is among the fastest-growing scam types precisely because so many of us think we are immune to it. To help, here […]
If you travel much on your own — as Evelyn Hannon has since her divorce 30-some years ago — it’s crucial to find ways to save. The blogger, called by some the grandmother of women’s travel, is founder of Journeywoman.com, which seeks to inspire women to explore the world. Although she’s reached a point where […]
AARP Members Enjoy Exclusive Discounts on Travel, Dining and More. Join Today. Menu … Join or renew your AARP membership today — just $16 a…
Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s third CEO, opens up about his effort to refresh the culture of the company and renew its focus on the future. He reflects on important life lessons he learned growing up in India, immigrating to the U.S., and working for Microsoft for 25 years. Nadella thinks of the past, he says, for […]
Executive Summary When you’re working from home, you can easily be distracted by household chores, personal priorities, and even friends and family. To focus more effectively, you need to set boundaries. Here are some tips for how you can make remote work more productive and satisfying, whether it’s an everyday occurrence or an occasional day […]
Executive Summary It’s difficult enough to stay resilient in the face of high demands and changing circumstances. Imagine adding extreme physical conditions, threats to personal safety, natural disasters, armed conflict, large numbers of traumatized people, minimal infrastructure, and complex, multi-stakeholder relations to your list of challenges. While most of us do not face situations this […]
Plenty of research supports the common-sense notion that a healthy lifestyle can prevent or treat many diseases. A diet high in fruits, veggies, whole grains, and plant protein and low in processed carbs, added sugars, saturated fats; regular physical activity; and emotional well-being are the potent treatments that can prevent the need for or even […]
Although much wealth passes today through trusts and beneficiary designations, we occasionally handle California probate disputes that turn on the validity of wills, sometimes involving high value estates. The standard practice in California estate planning is for wills to be typewritten and prepared by attorneys, but those steps are not necessary. A holographic, i.e., handwritten, […]
Consider the following situations: A surgeon creates an online profile of her qualifications and experience for potential patients, but she does not include her patient mortality rates. After one of her patients dies on the operating table, a lawyer for the patient’s family discovers that the surgeon deliberately withheld the mortality data. You are eating […]
Executive Summary While mindfulness doesn’t necessarily work the way the hype proclaims, there are some things that a good mindfulness practice can really help with: focus, stress response, working memory, and corporate citizenship. By better understanding when mindfulness is the right approach — and how it works — HR and training programs can better enhance both leader performance and employee well-being. […]
Business leaders have significant concerns about energy. A Harvard Business Review Analytic Services report, sponsored by Siemens in conjunction with a national series of seminars focused on energy innovation, found that approximately 90 percent of executives feel significant pressure to reduce their energy spend, and more than 80 percent said fluctuating energy prices are a […]
Building a secure income plan — including an investing strategy and a withdrawal strategy — is easier if you identify your main objectives first. During your working years — the accumulation phase of your investing life — the path is pretty clear. SEE ALSO: Be More Like Warren Buffett, Less Like You, When Investing Your […]
Building a secure income plan — including an investing strategy and a withdrawal strategy — is easier if you identify your main objectives first. During your working years — the accumulation phase of your investing life — the path is pretty clear. SEE ALSO: Be More Like Warren Buffett, Less Like You, When Investing Your […]
USA International Trade Association Let’s cut to the chase when it comes to picking stocks for a retirement portfolio. There’s nothing wrong with sorting through individual names for desirable attributes such as reliable dividends, low volatility and secure business models. But it’s quicker, easier and perhaps wiser for retirees to first narrow down the field. […]
Strategies to respond, recover and move ahead. You did it: You applied for the position, went through rounds of interviews, and that all-important job offer landed in your lap. Then, for some reason, the employer changed their mind. SEE ALSO: 10 Best Jobs for the Future How did this happen? What did you do to […]
As the semiconductor sector as a whole moves toward its highest levels since the dot-com bubble, Intel Corporation (INTC) seems almost forgotten. And there are some reasons for concern. Competition is increasing. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD) has become a legitimate rival in desktop and laptop computers with its new Ryzen line. With PC sales […]
2. Split your paycheck If you direct deposit your paycheck into a checking account, change to a split deposit, which will send a small amount to a savings, vacation or emergency fund. It’s worth it: Research shows that people save an extra $1,080 a year when they use divided deposits. If your company doesn’t offer […]
Laura Plaze, 60, a regular visitor to St. John from Alexandria, Va., was stunned by post-Irma videos of her time-share unit. “You cannot believe it,” she says. “Every tree is broken, with leaves shorn off. The swimming pool is a mud bucket.” She is worried she may not be able to return even as late as […]
On August 25, 2017, Maryland’s highest court, the Court of Appeals (the “Court”), visited issues arising from the statute providing for the valid execution, particularly attestation, of a Maryland will based on a statute that had remained largely unchanged since 1798. In Sadie M. Castruccio v. The Estate of Peter A. Castruccio et al., No. […]
Tax law uncertainty, should not prevent farming business succession planning as part of overall estate planning. Relevant Tax Law Changes and Overview Federal gift, estate and generation-skipping transfer taxes may apply to farmers and others. (California has no such transfer taxes.) There is one unified exemption for gift and estate taxes, and an identical one […]
You’re working on a cross-functional initiative that’s critical to your company. Given your position, you’ve assumed you’re in charge, but it seems your counterpart from another team has made the same assumption. And now you’re in the middle of a turf war. How do you determine who has authority? How do you navigate the situation with […]
Is your head already spinning from all of the confusing information about the safety of routine vaccinations? Well, news of the latest findings regarding the flu vaccine during pregnancy certainly won’t help things. A group of researchers recently reported an association between a pregnant woman getting the flu vaccine and having a miscarriage. The authors […]
There is a special kind of boss. The one who fills up every room with their big ego and even bigger heart. Who voices the hard truths without making you lose hope, and makes you work harder and feel lighter for it. We often call such bosses “rock stars,” to underscore their popular appeal. Some […]
Executive Summary The consumer products landscape is in the midst of a significant digital shake up. Success of these new ideas and approaches depends on the abilities, skills, and mindset of the company’s workforce. Work with leading consumer products companies around the world shows that there are clear practices and investments that drive a greater […]
As a soon-to-be college freshman many years ago, I was preoccupied with selecting roommates, finding bacteria-resistant shower shoes, and dreaming about the incredible freedom my 18-year-old adult self would have. Of course, it never occurred to me that it would have been prudent to have certain legal documents in place to make sure my parents […]
Executive Summary The modern worker has very little time for learning, and yet continuous learning is vital for anyone who wants to maintain their edge. There’s a significant pressure on us all to learn the right stuff, but how do we identify what that is? A time-utility analysis can help you decide what to prioritize. By examining […]
Kiplinger’s latest forecast on retail sales and consumer spending iStockphoto By David Payne, Staff EconomistSeptember 27, 2017 Overall sales tumbled in August as sales of autos, building materials, clothing and electronics declined. Hurricane Harvey can partially be blamed, just as Irma is likely hitting September sales. But expect a rebound in the final quarter of […]
Symbol: TSLA Share price: $345.25 Market capitalization: $57.7 billion 52-week range: $178.19 – $389.61 Year-to-date return: 61.6% Estimated 2017 earnings: – $7.46 Estimated 2018 earnings: – $0.78 Price-earnings ratio: Not meaningful Tesla has had plenty to celebrate this year. In July, the company finally launched its first mass-market sedan, the Model 3, to rave reviews, […]
Gold is another popular flight-to-safety play, mostly based on worst-case-scenario fears. The broad idea is that if global economic structures come crashing down and paper money eventually means nothing, humans still will assign some worth to the shiny yellow element that once acted as a currency … even if it doesn’t have as much practical […]
Most of us buy life insurance to provide financial security for our loved ones after we’re gone, but a permanent life insurance policy could provide a valuable source of income while you’re still around to enjoy it. A permanent life insurance policy has two components: the death benefit, which is the amount that will be […]
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