eWallstreeter

Proxy advisory firm settles SEC charges over data breach

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:08:13 EDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Institutional Shareholder Services has settled civil charges by U.S. regulators that an employee of the prominent proxy advisory firm shared nonpublic voting data in exchange...

10 U.S. Cities with the Lowest Credit Scores

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:03:34 EDT

Here at Credit Karma we enjoy analyzing data every month. This allows us to get the pulse of how Americans are doing when it comes to their current debt and credit. Last month we took a look at which U.S. cities have the lowest mortgage debt. This month we decided to look at cities with the lowest average credit score. * Is your city on this list?

Q&A: What’s a Good Business Credit Card for International Travel?

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:51:44 EDT

I need some advice. I have a small, nonprofit organization and I travel both domestically and abroad. I have an American Express business card, but many of the international destinations I go to don’t [...]READ MORE

Boy Scouts vote to end ban on gay youth

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:14:38 EDT

The controversial move passed by more than 60% of the national council.

Bucks Blog: Paid Parental Leave Policies at Disney, Fitch and Others

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:12:13 EDT

An update on paid parental leave policies at American employers, including Disney, ExxonMobil, Fitch Ratings and others. ...

Thinking Of Becoming A Businessman?

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:45:32 EDT

Do you want to be your own boss? You will probably answer ‘Yes’ to this question, but if your sole reason for becoming an entrepreneur is to becomeThe post Thinking Of Becoming A Businessman? appeared first on Credit Season .

IRS ousts Lerner, who oversaw targeting

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:45:22 EDT

She was director of division that oversaw agents who targeted tea party groups.

U.S.-based Japanese stock funds up $1.5 billion in record inflow streak: Lipper

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:40:57 EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investors in funds based in the United States poured $1.51 billion into Japanese stock funds in the latest week, marking the longest streak of inflows into the funds on record,...

A Guide To Fixing The Housing Market

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:37:35 EDT

Step 1, the federal government has to stop implementing creative mortgage financing solutions to help consumers buy or refinance homes. Step 2, everybody, everywhere should channel all thoughts, conversation and energy towards creating jobs, political people, entrepreneurs, corporate soldiers, mom and pop, everybody. And Step 3, eliminate the insanity and chaos in the afraid-to-make-a-mistake mortgage industry....

The Online Coupon Strategy

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:31:52 EDT

It seems that the days of browsing through newspapers and magazines to clip out the coupons that most grab your attention are coming to an end. Today the Internet lets you know about virtual coupons and coupon codes from your favorite stores, through social networks like Facebook and Twitter, as well as mobile phone applications [...]The post The Online Coupon Strategy appeared first on Credit Season .

U.S. muni bond fund inflows shrink to $63.46 million: Lipper

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:26:03 EDT

(Reuters) - U.S. municipal bond funds posted net inflows of $63.46 million in the week ended May 22, down from the $306.31 million recorded in the previous week, according to data released by Lipper...

7 Ways to Make Money From Blogging

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:26:46 EDT

Since I’ve started blogging, I have had more than a few people ask me how they too can make money from blogging. It’s easy to look at people who have risen to fame and prominence by building a high-profile, money-making blog and think “Hey, I can do that, too.” You might not become the next Perez [...]

Money Making Mistakes You Should Avoid

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:26:07 EDT

Money making ideas are delicate and there is little room for miscalculations. One of the most common place mistakes in personal finance is budgeting for the short term. Research trends indicate that making an annual budget is a wise decision over a monthly one. One of the aspects behind this trend is that annual budgets [...]

Choose The Winners Of The 'Power of Age' Challenge

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:26:00 EDT

I don?t know about you, but I?m weary of reading articles about how retirement may be lousy in coming years for many Americans.

Overwhelmed

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:00:04 EDT

There have been many, many times over the past several years when I have felt completely overwhelmed by the huge gap between where I am right now and where I want to be. My big dream is to reach true financial independence. By that, I mean that I have enough money socked away in relatively The post Overwhelmed appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

Column: Revenge of the markets - James Saft

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:58:09 EDT

(Reuters) - For months, markets have been dancing to central bankers' tune, but that may now be changing.

Target and Macy’s Sue Visa, MasterCard over Interchange Fees

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:15:25 EDT

Target and Macy’s filed suit against credit card networks Visa and MasterCard, beginning yet another battle in the credit card swipe fee war. Though a previous settlement entitled retailers to $7.2 billion and temporary caps [...]READ MORE

Money Talks: What Your Kids Want to Know About Money

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:11:29 EDT

Did you know that 73% of parents discuss family finances with their children? While that’s an impressive number, many children still aren’t on the same page when it comes to conversations about money. From how banks and credit cards work, to what the stock market is, see the hot money topics kids have on their [...]

Look, Mom! I’m on TV!

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:00:20 EDT

This post is from staff writer Kristin Wong. “If they cleaned this place up, it could be pretty nice.” –My mom’s take on NYC. This week my mom was kind enough to take some time off work and accompany me to New York, where I was a guest on one of her favorite shows, “Fox [...] ...

Cleveland hero gets hamburgers for life reward

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:43:29 EDT

The man became famous for putting down his Big Mac to help free three women.

Breaking Down Annuities: What They Are and How They Work

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:35:00 EDT

With the baby boomers set to retire and Generation X quietly shoveling money aside in anticipation of retirement the market for annuities remains booming at $200 billion a year according to NPR. Before ponying up a lump sum of your savings in hopes of brighter golf greens see if an annuity is right for you with this crash course in annuity fundamentals. What is an annuity? In the simplest terms a policyholder invests in the annuity in exchange for expected periodic payouts from the day you retire until you pass away. If you stay alive longer than expected you yield ...

Goodbye Plastic Jungle

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:34:15 EDT

This article was originally published on Cash Money Life | Personal Finance, Investing, & Career at Goodbye Plastic Jungle.My inbox greeted me with some sad news this past week as I learned that Plastic Jungle was no longer buying and selling gift cards. I’ve been using Plastic Jungle for buying discounted gift cards for several years now, and it’s disappointing to learn they will no longer be offering this service. The site is [...] ~$~ All content copyright Cash Money Life | Personal Finance, Investing, & Career; if you are reading this on another website it has been illegally reproduced in violation of copyright laws. Related Articles: Gift Cards – The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Gift Card Scams and Frauds to Watch Out For Declare Financial Freedom on Financial Independence Day

One Clever Idea You’ve Never Thought of to Save Money on a Wedding

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:31:17 EDT

One of the most expensive financial decisions many of us make is having a wedding. While my wedding was pretty modest (coming in at right around $3,000), the average cost of a wedding as of this writing is a little more than $28,000! Who has $28,000 to spend on a wedding — especially if you [...]One Clever Idea You’ve Never Thought of to Save Money on a Wedding from personal finance blog Bargaineering.com. The post One Clever Idea You’ve Never Thought of to Save Money on a Wedding appeared first on Bargaineering.

Fidelity: 401(k) Balances Reach Record Highs

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:30:16 EDT

Have you checked your 401(k) balance lately? You might be in for a pleasant surprise.

More arrests after grisly terror attack

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:28:34 EDT

Counterterrorism officials detain two on suspicion of conspiracy to murder.

Average 401(k) Balance Grows 75 Percent Since 2009

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:21:00 EDT

The average 401(k) balance hit a record high of $80,900 in the first quarter, according to Fidelity Investments.

Hallelujahs ring after IRS reverses church pension rule

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:19:55 EDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Internal Revenue Service may be having a bad week, but Mary Rich isn't complaining about the taxman.

Is Life Insurance Through Your Employer Worth It?

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:11:03 EDT

Life insurance tends to be pretty low on the list of financial priorities for most people, but it really shouldn’t be. If you’re married or have young children, life insurance is one of the most important things to have if others depend on you. What kind of financial hardship would your family be in if [...]

A Primer on Buying Life and Disability Insurance

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:00:52 EDT

What sort of insurance you need in the event of untimely death or disability depends on what your objectives are. ...

U.S. prosecutors sought testimony from top SAC executives: WSJ

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:58:12 EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. prosecutors are seeking testimony from three senior executives of the $15 billion hedge fund SAC Capital Advisors, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

Lyft Off: Car Sharing Startup Raises $60 Million Led by Andreessen Horowitz

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:28:50 EDT

Popular car-sharing startup Lyft has raised $60 million in a major new round of funding led by Andreessen Horowitz, the influential Silicon Valley venture capital firm started by Netscape co-founder Marc Andreessen. The new funding comes as the ride-sharing market is exploding, with upstart firms like Lyft, Uber, and Sidecar leveraging smart phone technology to provide alternatives to traditional transportation options like taxi-cabs and rental cars. These services are examples of the emerging “peer-to-peer” economy — including Airbnb for lodging and TaskRabbit for everyday chores — in which people connect online to exchange services and get things done. Andreessen Horowitz’s investment in Lyft is a major boost for the fast-growing, San Francisco-based startup. “Andreessen Horowitz is ideal for us because they’ve built big businesses,” Lyft co-founder John Zimmer told TIME in an interview. “They’re very accomplished operators and they understand how to scale a business.” Founded in 2007, Andreessen Horowitz has quickly become a Silicon Valley powerhouse with $2.7 billion under management. The firm has invested in Facebook, Twitter, Groupon, and Instagram, among dozens of other startups. (MORE: Lyft: Ride Sharing Startup Zimride Hits the Gas Pedal in San Francisco) Since its launch last summer, Lyft has exploded in popularity. The company now facilitates over 30,000 rides per week in the four cities where it operates, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Chicago. The company has hundreds of drivers, and in San Francisco alone, the company has doubled the number of drivers over the last few months to keep up with demand. Lyft says that in each new city, the service has grown faster than the previous launch. In other words, Lyft is poised for lift-off. Lyft is a mobile phone application — available on Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android devices — that allows riders to “order” a driver to their location in minutes. Lyft makes money by taking a cut of the “fare.” Lyft’s drivers are regular people with cars who want to make a few bucks by giving someone a ride. All drivers are subjected to DMV and criminal background checks, and are required to

You Can’t Publish That! 3 Wiki War Stories and How They Can Help You

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:05:47 EDT

A funny thing happened about a year ago to the consumer advocacy wiki that I edit. It disappeared. I continued to publish the site, which lists the names, addresses and phone numbers of the executives for most major American companies. It was still visible if you knew where to look for it, on its slightly [...]

Retirement: You're On Your Own!

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:00:06 EDT

Not sure if your retirement is on track? You’re not alone.

Bucks Blog: Getting Change Fees Waived for a Canceled Flight

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:54:25 EDT

Being polite can help get some airline fees waived. ...

‘We aren’t daredevils’: Okla. storm chasers in the sky

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:52:27 EDT

Until Monday, one pilot was best known for chasing O.J.'s white Bronco.

Japan Market Crash: A Slow Leak in the “Central Bank Bubble”

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:51:23 EDT

There’s a truism in investing that the last one into a market is the first one out. And that certainly seems to be the case today, with Japan’s Nikkei index crashing off the back of two things: First, hints from the Federal Reserve that the U.S. economy is improving enough to justify a slow pull-back from the central bank’s market-goosing asset buying program known as “quantitative easing;” and second, that the Chinese economy is slowing down even more than we thought. For some time now, I’ve been writing that the global equity markets have been inflated by central banks — and that this was a bubble that would eventually pop once people realized that monetary policy, rather than the real economy, was behind the boom. (MORE: The Next Real Estate Bubble Has Already Begun (But It’s Not What You Think)) Well, folks, that time may be here. Behavioral economist Peter Atwater, whose firm Financial Insyghts focuses on the market implications of consumer sentiment, certainly thinks so. “I would offer that Abenomics” — i.e. Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe’s plan to goose his nation’s economy with a combination of monetary policy and fiscal and structural reforms — “was the ‘subprime’ of policy-making,” says Atwater. It’s a useful analogy: Subprime loans were the top of a real estate bubble that had been building for years in the U.S., and Japan’s version of quantitative easing is coming at the end of three years of money dumps by the U.S. Federal Reserve, each of which has had a smaller effect on the markets than those that came before. Sounds like a bubble to me. So, where do we go from here? Atwater and other folks like the smart guys at Capital Economics in London believe that the Nikkei will continue to be vulnerable and that Japan’s attempts to lower the value of it’s currency in order to boost exports and real economic activity may be at an end. In fact, you might even see the yen start to rise, especially if there’s another crisis in

Berlin hopes efforts on youth jobs will help its image in Europe

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:47:35 EDT

BERLIN (Reuters) - German alarm that their country is blamed for austerity measures compounding the problems in the euro zone helps explain Berlin's bilateral efforts to tackle youth unemployment in...

Mortgage Relief Offered to Oklahoma Tornado Victims

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:42:00 EDT

The Feds granted a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures of homes with FHA mortgages in tornado-affected areas of Oklahoma.

Do You Have ADHD?

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:37:58 EDT

By Tim Bilkey, Next Avenue Contributor...

Hackers Targeting New Businesses

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:35:17 EDT

Startups take note: Cybercriminals are onto you. Cyberattackers can sniff out new businesses to target as quickly as two months after they come intoThe post Hackers Targeting New Businesses appeared first on Credit Season .

4 Paths To A More Fulfilling Retirement

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:32:22 EDT

By Steve Vernon, Next Avenue Contributor

How To Get Americans To Save 10% For Retirement

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:25:09 EDT

By Stig Nybo, Next Avenue Contributor...

Could State Taxes Cause Dwight Howard To Flee L.A. For Houston?

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:23:04 EDT

Earlier this week, word began to spread in sports circles that NBA fans may be in for another summer of incessant speculation regarding the future of L.A. Lakers' free agent center and chronic malcontent Dwight Howard's, with rumors emerging that rather than resign with the Lakers as expected, Howard may well flee to another team, with the leading candidates cited as the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks....

The Art Of Dividends

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:19:54 EDT

My mentor Al Frank referred often to the Miracle of Compounding as one does not have to earn an exorbitant annual return for money to grow handsomely over the long-term.

Chase Slate Vs. Citi Simplicity

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:18:34 EDT

Choosing the right credit card can be a tricky game. Banks seem to enjoy highlighting their cards’ best features, and burying terms that penalize cardholders. But as consumers and regulators have caught on to this game, the banks have started to compete for new customers by offering simpler cards with fewer fees. The Chase Slate [...]The post Chase Slate Vs. Citi Simplicity appeared first on Money Smart Life.

Putting A Ceiling On Prom Expenses

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:16:10 EDT

A recent survey from Visa showed that prom spending hit an average of $1,139 per family this year, up 5 percent from last year. The good news -- sortThe post Putting A Ceiling On Prom Expenses appeared first on Credit Season .

How smart are you about mortgages?

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:01:38 EDT

How many times can you refinance? What are discount points? Test your real estate smarts in our mortgage quiz.

Don’t Like Your Company 401(k) Options? Open a Self-Directed Account

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:34:33 EDT

Take a look at the 401k your employer offers. Is it inadequate? If so, you may want to consider opening a self-directed retirement account.

Get a Job Offer from a Stranger

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:30:30 EDT

A good network is important when searching for a job. But if you don’t already know the right people, you need to expand your reach. People you don’t know yet can be just as helpful as those you do. Here’s how: Define your professional goals. Write down your objectives and make sure you can tell a cohesive story about yourself and where you’re headed. Cast a wide but focused net. Scour LinkedIn, company websites, and Twitter to identify people who may be able to offer you a job in your chosen field, or advice on how to get one. With this cold call approach, you’re not likely to get a high response rate so don’t be afraid to compile a long list. Tell a personal story. Write an email to each person making it clear who you are, what you’re interested in, and why he or she should respond and help you. Adapted from “Make a Stranger Believe in You” by Anne Kreamer. Visit Harvard Business Review’s Management Tip homepage Purchase the HBR Management Tips book

United Credit Card Now Has No Foreign Transaction Fee

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:53:51 EDT

Starting June 1st, the excellent United MileagePlus Explorer will add another benefit to its suite of perks: It will have no foreign transaction fee, making it appealing to international as well as domestic travelers. We’ve [...]READ MORE