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Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Tax Deferral as an Investment Strategy

By Don Burnham

Deferring taxes on your income is an investment strategy in which income taxes are paid at a later date for money invested now. The benefit of tax deferral is that it provides more money for you to invest now.

For example, you are able to deduct $1000 from your taxable income this year and invest it into an interest bearing account, and in return, this deduction allows you to pay approximately $200 less in income taxes for the current year. You now have $200 more than if you had not invested the $1000. If you add the $200 you deferred in taxes to the $1000 you have already invested, you now have $1200 growing in your investment.

Another type of tax deferral used by investors is the deferment of taxes paid on interest earned. The dollars invested have already been taxed, but any interest earned is tax free.

The accounts for the tax deferred amount that you create will be safe from being taxed till a later stage in your life when you start withdrawing money from that account, at a time when you fall under a lower tax bracket. The Investment Vehicle or plan that you select must be chosen with care and depends on your unique situation.

One available plan is the 401 (k). This vehicle is available only through employers who offer the plan. It allows you to make tax-deductible contributions that grow tax deferred until you withdraw them. Depending on your particular plan, your 401(k) plan may come with a bonus. Some employers match your contributions. You could make 25%-100% on your money instantly if your employer offers matching funds.

This plan helps you to contribute a larger amount to your retirement plan than any other such plan. You can contribute up to $9,500 and your employer can match that with up to $30,000 annually. You can also arrange for the bonuses that you receive to be directly added to this plan to help grow your investment money faster. If you wish to retire from the job or plan on acquiring more freedom with the kind of investment you make, you could easily roll over your assets into an IRA. The 401(K) plan is the best suited for the newbie at investing and those who do not know where and when to invest their money in.

The 401(k) is the best suited plan for somebody who is new at investing or does not know what kind of stocks to invest in.

Another type of plan offered by an employer is the 403 (b). This plan is for public school and non-profit organization employees and it is tax deductible and tax deferred. You can contribute up to $9,500 of your annual gross income each year to this plan.

However, with the 403(b) plan, you need to beware of some risks. The money you contribute is usually invested in an annuity that is sheltered from tax, but this will have high sale charges and their rates will not have much guarantee.

Anybody who earns an income or the spouse of somebody who earns any kind of income can have their own IRA and contribute to that yearly to a maximum of $2000. The earnings that you make are not subjected to tax till you start withdrawing from it, however a penalty will be charged if you are less than 59 and a half years of age. Even though the money might not be tax deductible, the investment will be tax deferred.

There are different kinds of investment that you could make with your IRA, but that depends on the custodian. However it is with the IRA that you will have most options compared to the other employer sponsored schemes.

The Keough Plan is another such plan that is available for people who are self employed or who work for businesses that are unincorporated. Under this plan, you get to contribute up to 25% of your income every year with a maximum of up to $30,000. You can contribute most with this plan than any other IRA plan, and all your earnings become tax deductible and tax deferred. There are options to choose from in this plan, that is, you could choose to pay according to a fixed percentage every year or a variable percentage or a fixed amount. A lawyer should be best able to guide you in what suits you the best.

The Simplified Employee Plan or the SEP is the other type of investment vehicle available. However, this scheme is open only to those business companies that employ les than twenty five people and at least half of them have to be a part of this plan. Under this plan, you can contribute up to $7,000 and the employee ca pay the rest with a maximum of $30,000.

All the above described investment vehicles fall under one of these two categories: Qualified or Non - Qualified plans.

The 401 (k) and 403 (b) plans are qualified plans. Qualified plans are employer-sponsored plans that provide good benefits but that are restricted to the types of investment options offered by the employer. As we already mentioned, 403 (b) plans often require you to invest your money in tax sheltered annuities. 401 (k) plans generally offer a broader range of conventional investment options, but still seem very limited when compared to non-qualified plans. You usually get to select from a preset choice of investment options such as fixed interest annuities, money market funds, stock in your company, and other traditional investments.

The second category of retirement plans is nonqualified plans. Nonqualified plans generally allow more freedom as to when, or if, a contribution has to be made, and they also offer more latitude in the type of investments that can be made. All IRAs fall into this category. Generally, investors have more control over their investments in a nonqualified plan than with a qualified one. Usually they are easier to work with, have less regulation, and require less reporting. Often, contributions to these plans can be deducted as a business expense.

Most investments made with the vehicles we have been discussing fall into one of two asset categories: The first is debt and the second is equity. As an investor, you are either an owner or a creditor. Equity owners are entitled to all free cash flows that exceed the debt payment obligations of the underlying economic entity. Creditors receive priority in agreed-upon future interest and principal payments.

When choosing a retirement plan, you want to be certain of the types of investments permitted with your plan. Do not open an account that does not give you the freedom to choose your own investment options, whether they are debt or equity investments. - 23208

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Store Credit Cards

By Samatha Ferguson

If you can comfortably clear the outstanding amount on your store card when the bill arrives and are a regular customer of that particular retailer, it may be worth using a store card, as there could be plenty of benefits in doing so. Not only do you get a discount on your first purchase, there are usually other perks, such as bonus reward schemes, free catalogs or magazines, and special shopping days, where you can avoid the crowds and shop in peace. Jim Black gives customers 1% of what they spend in store back in the form of vouchers, for example, so if you are a regular customer this could be worth having.

Some retailers have launched credit cards alongside their store cards so you get the usual rewards of a store card for spending on the retailer-branded credit card. The danger is that while the APR tends to be lower than on a store card, it isnt as cheap as some of the best credit cards. And as you arent restricted to one store but can use it in whatever outlets you like, you could run up more debt on it than you were able to before. Check the APR before spending " and if it isnt that competitive (and you dont clear your balance every month) dont use it at all.

Set up a direct debit to pay the full amount due on your store card each month. Then, if you forget to pay one month " perhaps because youre on holiday " it will be paid regardless so you wont run up any interest.

As well as persuading you to take out a store card, many retailers will try to force you to buy card protection and, just for good measure, card payment protection as well:

Card protection: Covers you if your card is lost or stolen. A single call from you can cancel all your plastic and usually costs around $7 a month.

Card payment protection covers your store card repayments if you lose your job or become ill and cant work.

You would want to avoid both types of cover, as they are expensive and usually a waste of money. Dont be talked into signing up, no matter how persuasive the salesperson is. If you really want some card or payment protection, shop around for a good deal rather than automatically taking out the policy the store card provider offers: There is no obligation to do so and you will find a better deal elsewhere. Make sure you read the small print before signing anything. - 23208

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Technical Analysis is a Must For Investors Who Want to Learn Stock Market Investing Techniques

By Chris Blanchet

People who want to learn stock market investing techniques are best served by getting as much knowledge of the available technical analysis tools. As a stand-alone investment strategy, technical analysis will never be sufficient. However, it can provided enough statistical data to allow the investor to determine whether to enter or exit a position.

In terms of the strongest and most popular technical analysis measurements, the following are three of the greatest technical formations that you will want to understand as you learn stock market investing techniques. While these three are not comprehensive by any stretch of the imagination, they provide a solid starting point:

Head and Shoulders. Considered one of the most reliable technical indicators, this type of formation gives investors an extremely reliable indication as to where the stock is headed -- up or down -- over a specified period -- short, medium, and long-term. A head-and-shoulders formation has three sharp points. In a bottom formation, there are three low points with the second point (the head) being lower than the first and third points. This pattern gives a strong and reliable indication to buy the stock. As well, it is easy to spot, particularly for investors who are just starting to learn stock market investing techniques. In terms of volume, the first point (the left shoulder) will come with higher volume than the last point (the right shoulder).

Gaps. Perhaps the easiest technical indicator to identify, a gap happens when a stock's low for one day is higher than the high of the previous. People who are starting to learn stock market investing techniques will be automatically drawn to these patterns, although trading on such gaps can pose substantial risk, particularly when beginning to learn stock market investing techniques. It should be noted that gaps usually provide resistance or support levels, so when a stock trend crosses through a previously formed gap, it signal a strong price movement to come.

Bollinger Bands. Used as a tool, Bollinger Bands are not stock price patterns. Instead, they are an oscillator, which tells investors about the probability of a stock trend. For people who want to learn stock market investing techniques, Bollinger Bands are a must. They give a buy or sell signal based on a stock's volatility as it moves two or three standard deviations from its mean. When the stock price closes at or above the upper band, it triggers a sell signal (vice versa for the lower band).

For investors looking to learn about stock market investing techniques, much of the information on the topic of technical analysis can be found on-line. Likewise, theoretical textbooks can become costly. As an alternative, investors can purchase trading software that makes recommendations based on the very same data that technical analysts use when making their recommendations. - 23208

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Using Fx Market to Build Wealth

By Fred Todle

Forex trading has become one of the most popular ways to make money. The recent turmoil in the world economy has shaken the confidence of many workers who daily face the concept of layoffs. No company has been left unscathed by the crisis and even the most stable companies have announced restructuring plans. Because of this many are wondering how long they will keep their jobs and are looking for ways to supplement their income.

There are many ways to supplement one's income. The Internet offers a myriad of ways to do so while keeping one's current day job. These programs have become immensely popular because of the financial freedom that they promise.

One of the new ways of making money for many individuals is forex. Forex wealth building has quickly moved from being a past-time to a full-time vocation for many. Strictly speaking, forex trading is not a new phenomenon. Banks and other large multinational corporations have been trading in forex, which is essentially the trade in forex currency.

Only major banks and large multinational corporations used to trade in foreign currency. This is because they had the resources and knowledge of the markets. But now ordinary people are trading in forex via specialized software that has emerged. That means other than the large companies and banks, ordinary people have now jumped into the forex wealth bandwagon.

Over $4 trillion dollars is traded in forex daily. This is a very lucrative industry and those that have insider knowledge as to its workings have become fabulously wealthy. Many think that forex trading is similar in many ways to stock trading. While the fundamentals somewhat similar, there are major differences. These differences accrue from the fact that forex prices fluctuate more than stock prices and those that deal with forex have a say to the prices that are set. For instance, those large banks which deal in forex to the tune of millions of dollars have a say in price-setting. When it comes to a convenient way to build wealth, forex is a great way of doing it. Ordinary people are diving into the business in droves and are realizing substantial profits. One thing that helps tremendously is software. With special forex trading software, it is now possible for amateurs to trade like pros. The insider workings of the markets is no longer the sole preserve of wealthy multinationals.

The best software is the Forex Wealth builder. This is also an extremely convenient way to build wealth in an easy-understand flow. Even an amateur with little or no knowledge of forex can now get their skills polished in forex trading. The system even allows for someone to place a test trade to test how everything worked. For people who are just starting out and want to test the system. It also allows one to easily work at their own pace and can even keep their current day job. This is all while watching the profits steadily grow. - 23208

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Get Rolling in Forex Trading

By John Eather

The foreign exchange market allows a lot of advantages to investors who recognise how to utilise the system. This article's intention is to get you set forth on your way with Forex fundamentals so that you'll be able to capitalize on this astounding market.

In the past, foreign exchange trading was limited to national banks and large corporations. All of this changed in the 1980s when the rules were modified to allow investors of modest means to join in by using margin accounts. Margin accounts are what have made Forex trading so popular. With a 200:1 margin account, you are able to control $200,000 with an investment of only $1,000.

Forex can be challenging, so it's important to gain the knowledge you need in order to make good investment decisions. While it's easy to get started in Forex trading, it does carry some risks. As a beginner, you need to learn as much as possible about the Forex market before beginning to trade.

Forex traders typically require a broker to manage transactions. Almost all brokers are respectable members of large financial institutions. A reputable broker will be registered as a Futures Commission Merchant (FCM) with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) for protection against fraud and predatory trading practices.

Starting a Forex account is as uncomplicated as filling out a form and supplying the mandatory ID. This form should include a margin agreement that says that the broker has the right to iclose any trade that looks too high-risk. This is intentional to protect the broker's interests, as most trades are opened utilising the broker's finances. When your account has been recognised, you're ready to put money into it and get cracking with your trading.

Numerous brokers supply various kinds of accounts to suit the demands of respective investors. Mini accounts allow you to get rolling in Forex trading with as much as a $50 investment. Standard accounts accept minimum deposits ranging from $1,000 to $2,500, depending upon the broker. The amount of leverage useable differs from one account to another. High leverage accounts allow you to command larger amounts of money.

Trades aren't charged a commission, allowing you to trade as often as you like each day without having to pay up expensive brokerage fees. Brokers make their profit by way of the "spread" which is price difference of the bid and ask.

Virgin traders are strongly advised to get some experience in Forex by executing "paper trades" for a time. Paper trades are fundamentally practice transactions that don't require real money. They allow for a way for you to determine how the Forex system acts whilst you discover how to use the large range of software tools at the service of virtually all Forex brokers. - 23208

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