Posts in Financial Articles

THE FACEBOOK IPO

The frenzy is building. Should you care? Presented by Marc Aarons @ Money Managers Inc. Anticipation is high. Facebook filed an S-1 form with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 1, taking its first big step toward going public. It aims to raise $5 billion through its upcoming IPO. Some of the details from […]

OBAMA’S PROPOSED 2013 BUDGET & THE TAXPAYER

How does the President want to modify tax rates? The wealthiest taxpayers could be hit hard if the tax hikes in President Obama’s 2013 federal budget proposal become law. The good news is that the tax changes outlined by the President in mid-February may be softened by eventual bipartisan compromise. As currently proposed, they would impact the wealthiest Americans on several fronts. The Bush-era tax cuts could expire for the rich.

IS NOW THE TIME TO REFINANCE?

Interest rates on 30-year fixed mortgages hit a record low. Presented by Money Managers Inc. Mortgages are cheaper than ever. Economists and real estate analysts who predicted lower interest rates were not disappointed; the earliest numbers from 2012 have reached an all-time low, leading a number of homeowners to consider their options. On January 12, interest rates on 30-year FRMs dropped to 3.89%.

HEALTH CARE REFORM – THE NEXT 3 YEARS

Companies sponsoring group health plans should be aware of the changes coming to the health insurance industry as part of the “second stage” of health care reform. An ongoing relationship with a licensed insurance and financial consultant can help you keep these major and minor adjustments on your radar.

THE 2% OPPORTUNITY

What would you do with an extra $1,000 or $2,000? The Tax Relief Act of 2010 will give many of us the equivalent of a 2% raise in 2011. Employee payroll taxes have been cut from 6.2% to 4.2% this year.1 So if you pay into Social Security, you are looking at a rise in your take-home pay. What are your plans for that extra money?

UNREST IN EGYPT – JANUARY 28, 2011

Will the Mubarak government be toppled? Egyptians took to the streets in Cairo and other major cities Friday, facing riot squads and armored personnel carriers as they demanded political reforms and an end to the 30-year rule of the country’s president, Hosni Mubarak. The Mubarak government shut down the nation’s internet providers and mobile phone network and imposed a nationwide nightly curfew within a 36-hour period Thursday and Friday. In response, a huge crowd surrounded[…]

WHEN WILL JOBS AND HOUSING IMPROVE?

What factors need to be in place for this to happen? Presented by Money Managers, Inc. What will it take for the housing market and employment to really improve? It really boils down to the two greatest economic factors of all: supply and demand. What needs to happen in the labor market? Ideally

THE BUSH-ERA TAX CUTS LIVE ON

THE BUSH-ERA TAX CUTS LIVE ON With the President’s signature, most of them will remain in place through 2012. Presented by Marc Aarons A holiday gift for taxpayers? After a 277-148 passage in the House and an 81-19 approval in the Senate, President Obama signed the 2010 Tax Relief Act into law on December 17, extending the Bush-era tax cuts.1 Here is the impact of the new legislation: Current federal income tax rates are preserved for everyone

A Compromise

Many expected a deal – but not necessarily this one. Political and economic analysts widely believed that President Obama and Republican leaders would .....