Learning and Getting Started Investing

By Scarlett Embs

If you are anxious to get your investments rolling towards the future, you'll be able to start immediately without having a lot of knowledge regarding the stock market. Start by being a conservative investor with a lower risk tolerance. This can offer you a way to make your money grow, whilst you gain knowledge about investing.

Start with an interest bearing savings account. You may already have one. If you don't, you should. A savings account may be opened at the identical bank that you are doing your checking at - or at any other bank. A savings account should pay two - 4% on the money that you have on deposit in the account.

It's not a large sum of money - unless you have 1,000,000 dollars in that account - however it is a start, and it is money creating money.

Next, invest in money market funds. This can typically be done through your bank. These funds have higher interest payouts than typical savings accounts, but they work much the same way. These are short term investments, so your money won't be out of reach for an extended amount of your time - but once more, it's cash creating money.

Certificates of Deposit also are sound investments with no risk. The interest rates on CD's are usually higher than those of savings accounts or Money Market Funds.

You'll choose the period of your investment, and interest is paid often until the CD reaches maturity. CD's will be purchased at your bank, and your bank will insure them against loss. When the CD reaches maturity, you receive your original investment, plus the interest that the CD has earned.

If you're just beginning out, one or all of those 3 sorts of investments is the simplest beginning point. Again, this can permit your cash to begin creating cash for you while you learn a lot about investing in other places. - 23212

About the Author:

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Leverage - Is This A Strategy For You?

By Gnifrus Urquart

Have you heard the term "leverage" when people are discussing their investments? This can be quite a confusing and daunting concept for many people. But all leverage really means, is borrowing to invest. The reason people call it "leverage" is because typically existing assets are used as the security or basis of the borrowing. That is, you leverage off the value of a current investment or asset, to borrow more money to invest.

This article is all about the risks and rewards of borrowing to invest, or leveraging investment strategies. The information is general in nature and not intended as specific advice. As always, if you intend borrowing to invest, seek licensed financial advice before you do.

When I started investing, my borrowing habits where the same as most peoples. I had a floating credit card debt which varied to my whims. I had a small personal loan for some household items and a bigger one which enabled me to buy my car.

There are 2 problems with this type of borrowing. Firstly, all the assets I bought with the borrowed money were depreciating assets. This means that as I paid off the debt, the value of the things I bought decreased. Secondly, as I purchased "consumables", the interest I paid on these loans was not tax deductible. This makes for a very expensive borrowing.

My debt profile today is very different to the one I had when I started learning about money. Today I use my credit card merely as a float which I pay off each month and all my personal loans are paid off. Despite this I carry much more debt than I did back then. I have a massive debt on a rental property I purchased. I have a reasonable sized margin loan for stock trading and I have an ever growing FOREX trading account. Most of my debt now funds investments, practically no debt funds consumables.

So what are the benefits of borrowing to invest?

When you borrow to invest, you increase your investment earnings potential. As you borrow money, you have more to invest. Therefore, the returns on your investments increase by the net returns on the borrowed money. Obviously the basic key here is to ensure your investment return rate is higher than the interest rates on the loan. If this is the case, you will always make money with the money you have borrowed.

The second benefit you can get from borrowing to invest is a possible tax benefit. In my situation where I have borrowed to purchase an investment property in Victoria, as I rent out that property and earn an income from it, the interest payments on that mortgage become a cost associated with that income. As such, in my circumstance, I can claim those interest payments as a tax deduction. This means that while my asset is making me money, the tax office is actually giving me a discount on my borrowing by making it tax deductible

This works exactly the same in the margin loan I am using to help with my stock market investments. I have borrowed some money in a margin loan (I usuall try and keep the leverage here at about 1:1, so every dollar of my own I invest gives me another to invest) and pay interest every month on that loan. My stock market strategy pays me my consistent income every month, which is more than the interest on the margin loan. And then, at the end of the tax year, I deduct the interest payments from the money I earned, gaining a tax advantage.

So there is definitely an argument for borrowing to invest where you can, instead of borrowing to fund personal purchases. There are risks associated with leverage too though you need to be aware of.

So what are the risks associated with borrowing for investment purposes? One of the obvious risks relates to your financial capacity. There is the risk you over-extend yourself and cannot meet the repayment obligations on your loans. When taking out a loan, you need to be sure you can pay the loan repayments.

A margin loan is treated a little bit differently. If you borrow too much or the value of your investments drops suddenly, you will be at risk of paying margin calls. This means your lender will ask you to pay off a portion of the loan, so that the outstanding loan is in a reasonable level when compared to the reduced level of collateral. This can be quite a large issue if your investments drop by a long way. If you cannot meet the margin call obligations, your lender has the right to sell your investments.

There is alway also the possibility that your trading strategy loses money. If this happens, because you borrowed so you could invest more, you lose more money.

All risks with investing can be mitigated with strategy. That is why it is so important to speak to a licensed financial adviser before you invest and especially before you borrow to invest. So if you are considering leverage, speak to an adviser about risk mitigation. Leveraging your investments can definitely be financially rewarding, but only when you properly understand and manage your risk and when it is backed up by a consistently high performing investment strategy. - 23212

About the Author:

Gnifrus Urquart has enjoyed impressive success investing over the years. As such, he likes reviewing investment strategies and offering trading tips to others interested in investing

Tips On How Write The Best Retirement Speech

By Lawole Johnny

Retirement is a big event in one's professional and personal life, as it represents the end of an existential stage and the beginning of another. The moment when you say farewell to co-workers can be indeed emotional and special, and it is usually marked by a retirement speech as part of the retirement party. Very similar to a wedding speech, the retirement speech is suggestive for the professional experience people have had together with the retiree.

If you have to deliver a retirement speech it is important to identify one or several specific but relevant incidents that best characterize the professional experience of the employee in the organization. Nobody will feel awkward if you give a humorous and relaxed speech. The problem is that when not organized properly, a retirement speech can become boring or too emotional. Remember that the whole point for the event is to have fun, celebrate and make memories.

With any retirement speech you will be looking back on the years spent with colleagues and you'll remember so many events that have kept you together. It is a long-term collaborator and friend who usually delivers the retirement speech. As you get ready for the event and you prepare the retirement speech, talk to other colleagues, take notes and even use a camera to record nice messages and goodbyes.

You'll most certainly feel tensed when delivering the retirement speech. You'll feel so much more comfortable once you break this tension. Tell a funny incident, make a joke and say some heart-felt words so as to lighten up the atmosphere. Check the Internet for retirement speech ideas, as one can often lack inspiration, or you can turn to a professional for help.

It sounds far-fetched but there are actually professional writers who can save you the trouble of not knowing how to write the retirement speech. $25 can save you from embarrassment and work just fine in context. Whichever solution you may come up with, make sure to first think about the person you dedicate the speech to. - 23212

About the Author:

To learn more on financial retirement planning, Retirement Planning Advice, or Investing For Retirement tips, go over to my blog for more great tip about Retirement Income Planning, to discover how to start saving and investing for your retirement today.

Finding Correct Format With Your Sample Business Plans

By Sebastian Taylor

First impressions are very important when it comes to business proposals. One way to get started properly is to use a sample business proposal, but what if your results are not as easy on the eyes as you'd like? Your proposal is your one shot at a professional appearance with the reader, so keeping standard formatting guidelines in mind as you write is a must.

One simple step that is forgotten all too often is simple formatting. The following tips are suggested for good reasons. Your proposal is your gateway into the client's wallet, so make sure it's readable and that it communicates as well as you can positively make it using as few words as possible. Clarity is vital here, as is presenting that ever elusive professional image.

More White Space, Easier To Read

Different ideas should be separated with bold headers that emphasize the key points from each few paragraphs. Always use margins from the beginning of your proposal all the way to the end. A margin of .5" to 1" should be fine. Only use fonts that do not distract from the text itself. For this reason, I use a 12 point Times New Roman or Courier New. Doing this will create plenty of white space in your proposal.

And what's so great about white space? Well, it will improve your proposal for two big reasons. First, the text will breathe a bit more and won't be as stuffy, or look as complicated to read. Second, your client might want to leave comments or make notes as he or she reads, the results of which will give you plenty of great feedback to take into consideration when you make a second offer. Change your future proposals if need be.

Colors And Graphics Enhance Your Message

The idea behind your proposal is to communicate as effectively and attractively as possible. Pitch your products and services in a way that makes their decision a no brainer and you'll score contracts more often than not. Emphasize your proposal text with attention getting color schemes and relevant graphics such as charts and graphs.

You have to stand out from other companies or your proposal won't even be read. Most proposals are dry writing at best, so anything you can do to brighten yours and space out the text in an aesthetically pleasing way will be much appreciated.

Take Care Of Your Front Matter

Any text at the beginning of your sample business proposal that organizes your materials is called "front matter." Whether it's a table of contents, a list, price sheets, diagrams - whatever it is, be sure to make it look good and easy to read. If it's helpful for the customer to have on hand to cross reference during their reading, put it into your proposal.

Put it all in a professional three ring binder. Throw in some appendices covering any supplemental knowledge that would help your customer make his or her decision.

Final Thoughts: Business Proposal Formatting A Must

Sample business proposals are helpful, but at the end of the day your results will be determined by how hard you're willing to work to get the accounts you want.

Use white space to your advantage and spice up dull patches of text with attractive colors and relevant graphics. By following these hints, you can make your sample business proposal far easier to read. The better it looks, the easier it will be for your document to be read, as well. - 23212

About the Author:

If you want to sign a large client, you have to be proactive right? Don't be scared and look for them, and make it right by using a business proposal outline or sample business proposals. Buy all the tools you need to create stunning business proposals today! Only buy from reliable sellers that can assure quality and a fair price.

How An Online Annuity Quote Can Help You Make Your Decision

By David S. Foreman

The online acquisition of annuity quotes is considered to be an easier option when compared to the traditional method of acquiring quotes directly through the company by paying them a visit. While the physical search entails the utilization of time, energy and resources the only requisites for an online search are a computer with an internet connection through which one can receive as much information and as many quotes as one desires.

One of the best ways to conduct an online search for annuity quotes is to log into some reliable informational websites which not only educate the consumer about the topics but also entail the submission of information only once even for the purpose of receiving multiple quotes. This saves the consumer the effort of submitting information repeatedly in different websites.

Much of the information provided in these informational websites pertains to the different features which are offered so that it is easier for the consumer to shortlist the annuities and then make a perfect selection.

Annuity quotes aren't just for people taking an immediate payment from an annuity, they also include those that want to park their money in an annuity and take either a payment later or a lump sum. The annuity quotes not only show you the product that gives the highest payout, it also shows those, which give the highest return during the deferred period.

If you have an older annuity that's beyond the surrender period, you might find that getting annuity quotes will help you get a higher rate of return on your money and still maintain access to a portion of the funds even if you have a new surrender period.

Since the informational websites are frequently utilized by consumers for seeking information, they are handled by professionals who are aware of each and every detail and are therefore in a position to provide appropriate guidance to consumers even in the absence of annuity quotes.

Most people like the idea that they have access to an annuity specialist in their area, one they can talk face-to-face with and ask questions. Often annuity sites have access to lists of professionals in your area that offer the products that interest you.

Getting an annuity quote is much like shopping for a car. If you want a large blue car with four doors and a V-8 engine, no matter how much you like the salesman, if all he can offer is a small, two-door, four cylinder, red car you won't do business with him. The same is true of annuities. If your favorite insurance rep only doesn't have the annuity you want, if he's any good at all, he'd recommend you look elsewhere. Some agents can only sell the products of one company and that company may not have everything you want.

The online search for annuity quotes not only proves to be a revelation as regards the range of products which are offered but also with regards to the latest benefits and schemes pertaining to the field. Since the related companies always try to improve and innovate their products in order enhance their appeal and safety features, the consumer can utilize the internet facility to make a suitable and smart choice. - 23212

About the Author:

David S. Foreman writes articles on the subject of annuity insurance through his website and online. In this article he discusses the merits of annuity quotes and how they can help an investor come to a decision. For your free annuity quote visit us at the above links.