Personal finance: How to manage money during the pandemic | Managing Your Finances During a Pandemic

Personal finance: How to manage money during the pandemic | Managing Your Finances During a Pandemic.

Times of crisis can bring uncertainty for many reasons, and the current coronavirus pandemic is no exception.

Whether you have experienced a change in your financial situation because of layoffs, reduced hours or wages or through increased medical expenses, it is important to take stock of where you are and make a plan to ensure financial success now and in the future.

Many organizations are offering support to those impacted by the coronavirus. Knowing where to go for help, what to ask, and how to document your situation is key to successfully managing your finances and recovering once the crisis is over.

Steps to help you manage your money during and after a pandemic.

1. Analyze Available Resources.

If there is one upside to the current situation, it’s that many programs are being offered to help consumers stay healthy, both physically and financially. Identify all available resources and take advantage of those that fit your needs. Beyond any savings you may have put aside for emergencies, community resources, like the ones below, could help you bridge a temporary income gap:

Military relief societies are offering grants or zero-interest loans for service members affected by coronavirus. Contact Army Emergency Relief, Air Force Aid Society, Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, or Coast Guard Mutual Assistance for more information.
Depending on your situation, you may qualify for unemployment benefits. Check with the Department of Labor in your state for eligibility criteria.
Many banks and financial institutions are offering to help consumers impacted by the coronavirus. Contact your individual lenders to find out what is available to you.
Many school districts are providing free meals for children at school pick-up locations or bus stops. Contact your local school to find out whether this is an option where you live.
National and local service providers have a variety of assistance options, from payment plans to free services. Visit 211 from United Way and scroll down for available resources.

2. Create a Priority-Based Spending Plan.

Once you’ve identified resources you qualify for, evaluate your budget and create a priority-based spending plan. Consider all sources of available income and make a realistic list of your expected monthly expenses, prioritizing the "must-haves."

These are things like rent or mortgage, food, utilities, insurance, transportation and medication. Then, do the math. If your adjusted income adds up to less than your total monthly expenses, anything that is not a priority item will need to be deferred as much as possible until the crisis is over and your financial situation changes.

3. Contact Your Creditors.

If you cannot meet all of your financial obligations, contact your creditors to ask for assistance. Some programs are already in place to help stop evictions and foreclosures, so whether you are a renter or homeowner, contact your landlord or mortgage servicer right away to ask for help.

The same goes for providers of automobile, student and personal loans, including credit cards. Creditors might offer reduced payments and fees, deferred payments through forbearance, or other hardship plans.

When you talk with your creditors, be sure to take notes. Write down.

The date and time of your call.
The name of the representative you spoke with.
What you were offered.
How information will be reported to the credit bureaus.
The plan you ultimately agreed on.

Once you agree on a plan, put together a letter summarizing your discussion and mail it to the creditor. Then, monitor your monthly statements to be sure you are receiving the assistance you discussed.

4. Recover Strong.

Although it is difficult to think about future emergencies when you are in the middle of a crisis, consider making a financial recovery plan for once things get back to normal so that you are prepared to handle the next emergency that may arise.

Once you are back on your feet, revisit your monthly budget and commit to regular savings to build or rebuild your emergency fund. Start gradually and set a goal to save $1,000, then keep saving until you have three months of your living expenses put away to handle future emergencies.

If you have debt, consider implementing a rapid repayment plan to pay it down or consider talking with a credit counselor to see if a debt management plan is right for you.

And please remember, these are unprecedented times, and although you may feel alone, everyone is affected by the current pandemic. Take steps to safeguard your physical, emotional, and financial health, and reach out if you need assistance.



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July 16, 2020

Highest paying majors not engineering

Below Highest paying majors not engineering

Try this list of the ten highest paying non-STEM majors. Salaries are estimates made with data from Payscale. Majors are ranked by early-career salary which covers the first 5 years in the workforce.

Note that this is a ranking of bachelor-degrees only. Students who pursue a higher degree typically will have better earning potential.

We define STEM as those majors that fall into the categories of Agriculture, Architecture, Biological & Biomedical Services, Communications Technology, Computer & Information Science, Engineering, Mathematics & Statistics, Natural Resources & Conservation, Physical Sciences, Science Technologies.

Some sources consider majors in the medical fields and social sciences as STEM, but for the purposes of this article, we did not.

1. Nursing
Nursing is one of the best college majors for students who want to graduate immediately into a well-paying career. It is also one of the most popular majors students choose to study with over 154,000 graduates yearly.

The average early-career salary of a nurse is $53,300 while the average mid-career salary is just over $70,000. Nurses can specialize in a number of areas giving you the opportunity to become a nurse midwife, nurse anesthetist, nurse practitioner or registered nurse.

If you enjoy working one on one with people and want to help them prevent and fight illness while working on the front-lines of healthcare, a career in nursing may be for you. Top-ranked schools for nursing include Molloy College, New York University and Drexel University.

2. Construction Management
Although construction management isn’t a popular major choice with only 1,736 yearly graduations, it is a highly paid non-STEM major. Students graduating with a degree in construction management can expect an average starting salary of $49,200 and an average mid-career salary of $83,300.

Top-ranked colleges include Wentworth Institute of Technology, Arizona State University, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute. If you have a love of building and a knack of managing complex projects, problem-solving and expecting the unexpected, a degree in construction management may be for you.

3. Economics
Do you love working with money and mathematics? Like to track trends in spending and how governments spend money? You may want to consider majoring in economics. With an average early career salary of nearly $46,000 and average mid-career salary of $88,000 – economists can earn a great wage. Top schools include the University of Chicago, Columbia University, and Harvard University. US colleges graduate about 37,000 students with degrees in economics per year.

4. Finance
A degree in finance will let you work within a company’s financial team helping manage business assets and capital for long-term investments. You’ll need to have a good background in mathematics and enjoy problem-solving. Similar to economics majors, there are about 38,000 graduates in finance each year. Salaries are also similar to economists as well with an early career salary of $45,000 and average mid-career salary of just over $81,000. Top schools include the University of Pennsylvania, Boston College, and Bentley University.

5. Real Estate
If you are a people person and like working on a bit of everything from law to finances, and you love seeing houses, you may want to consider a major in real estate. Although the real estate agent might be the first thing you think of, real estate is a broad industry with many different career opportunities from financial services, insurance sales, and appraisals. Salaries will vary depending on the market you are in. However, an average early career salary for students graduating with a real estate degree is $44,500 with a mid-career salary of $76,500.

6. Accounting
Attention to detail is the name of the game when considering a career in accounting. Whereas finance deals mostly with investments and transitory numbers, accountants deal with fact-based numbers. Accountants work with budgets, accounts payable and accounts receivable to ensure the flow of money within a business is tracked. About 60,000 students graduate with a degree in accounting each year. The average starting salary is $44,500 with an average mid-career salary of just over $75,000. Top schools include Bentley University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Bryant University.

7. Public Policy
Working in the field of public policy requires a natural inquisitiveness and desire to dig in and get to the bottom of your topic of study. A degree in public policy will help prepare you to work in the political arena as an analyst or scientist. Careers in the in the social sciences are also available to public policy graduates. Top colleges for public policy include Princeton University, Duke University, and Brandeis University. Graduates can expect an early career salary of $43,400 and an average mid-career salary of $73,700.

8. Business/Managerial Economics
A degree in business and managerial economics applies the principles of economics to businesses. Business economists may help the business by analyzing certain external factors to determine how they may impact the business’s bottom line. The average early career salary is about $43,000 with an average mid-career salary of $78,000. Top schools include Bentley University, Lehigh University and the University of California – Los Angeles.

9. Dietetics & Clinical Nutrition Services
Students graduating with majors in dietetics and clinical nutrition services can find careers helping both individuals and groups of people plan for and evaluate their nutritional needs. Dieticians can work in large-scale settings such as schools or business cafeterias or in a one on one clinical setting. Graduates earn an average early career salary of $42,500 and an average mid-career salary of just under $54,900. Top dietetics schools include the University of Delaware, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, and California State University – Long Beach.

10. International Business
Students graduating will be prepared to travel internationally and conduct business. You’ll have to have a love of travel and willingness to learn other cultures and customs – doing so can be very rewarding. International business students can attend a number of top-ranked schools including Georgetown University, Villanova University, and Bryant University. Graduates can expect an average early career salary of $42,000 with an average mid-career salary of $79,000.

11. Public Health
Until recently Public Health was typically offered as a Master's Degree, but the popularity of it as a bachelor's degree has grown significantly. Students who achieve an undergraduate degree in public health are well prepared for an advanced degree in the same subject or may enter the workforce as a healthcare administrator, social worker, or health educator. The average graduate earns $41,400 in their early career and $77,200 in their mid-career.

12. Business Administration & Management
Business Administration and Management has been the most popular college major for years. This is the standard major most students take who are interested in running a business or working their way up the corporate ladder. The average early-career salary for graduates of this major is $41,200 and the mid-career salary is $70,700. Some students choose to pursue an MBA which can raise salary prospects.

13. Marketing
Marketing is a popular major within the business field that lets students focus on advertising and promotional aspects of a business. This can lead to prosperous careers in public or private organizations as marketing creatives, directors or advertising agents. Early career salaries average $39,600, and mid-career salaries average $75,300.

14. Geography & Cartography
A major in Geography & Cartography can lead to careers in security, government, business, and education. This is the perfect subject for students who loved geography classes in high school, who can pay close attention to detail, and are good with technology. Average early career salaries in this field are $39,400 and mid-career salaries are $67,800.

15. East Asian Languages
Students who major in East Asian language usually pick a concentration to focus on such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean or Tibetan. Classes will include writing, grammar, and literature, and will touch on East Asian philosophy, religions, politics, business, and technology. This could be excellent preparation for a student who whishes to launch a career in international relations specializing in East Asia, or who may be considering moving to the region to work as an educator, translator, business-person, or government representative. The average graduate earns $39,400 in their early career.

16. Entrepreneurial Studies
Students who have an interest in starting and running their own business can major in Entrepreneurial Studies. The more creative and diverse the program, the better. The average graduate earns $39,100 soon after graduation and $85,300 in their mid-career.

17. Public Administration
This major is for students who love the idea of making a difference in public life with their administrative and organizational skills! Classes will be a mix of political science, government, policy, and sociology. Graduates earn an average of $38,900 in early career and $64,000 in mid-career.

18. Political Science & Government
Political Science & Government is an ideal major for students interested in getting into politics, and can also pave the way for further education in law, education, or public policy. For students who stick with just a bachelor's degree, their average expected earnings are $38,700 in their early career and $74,200 in the mid-career.

19. Area Studies
A student who majors in Area Studies usually picks a specific geographic location, culture or group to focus on such as the U.S., Africa, Russia, China, Native Americans, African Americans, etc. This major is excellent preparation for careers in education, politics, social work, or even business. Graduates earn $38,700 in their early career and $64,800 in their mid-career.

20. International Relations & National Security
Students who study this major may be interested in diplomacy, trade, travel, culture, international business, politics and national security, and their classes may cover all of those subjects. After college, graduates may find themselves working for public or private organizations, in the military, or as a teacher. The average graduate earns $38,400 in their early career and $82,900 in mid-career.

21. Gerontology
Gerontology majors focus on the medical issues associated with aging. This important degree prepares students for a variety of careers in the healthcare field. Some students go on to earn an MD or another advanced degree, while some go into careers as a nurse-aid, occupational therapist, social worker, or healthcare administration. Early career salaries average $38,300.

22. Philosophy
Despite being the butt of many jokes, philosophy majors do pretty well for themselves after graduation. A philosophy degree will empower you with sharp critical thinking skills, the ability to write and reason well, and a broad skill-set that can translate to many different career fields. The average graduate earns $38,200 in their early career and $69,600 mid-career.

23. Business/Corporate Communications
Want to specialize in business communications? This is the major for you. Understand how large and small businesses operate, and how effective methods of communication can improve relations and better your bottom-line. Less than a thousand students a year graduate with this major that can be fairly profitable. In their early career graduates earn $38,000, and in their mid-career $64,100.

24. Music
Music is a fairly popular major that can prepare students for a wide number of fields. Some students become teachers working in public or private schools or run their own home studio giving music lessons. Students with a music background can also find work as a singer or songwriter, in music production, music leaders or directors, and creative professionals in many industries. Graduates with bachelor's in music often earn $36,900 in their early career and $57,900 in their mid-career.

25. Urban Studies
Urban Studies is an interdisciplinary major that can include classes from many different subjects such as history, economics, sociology, public policy, and law. Most students who pursue this degree are interested in getting into government or law, but it can also be excellent preparation for teachers or lawyers. Graduates with a degree in Urban Studies average $35,500 as a starting salary with a mid-career salary of $64,100.

Find More Highest paying majors not engineering

May 25, 2019

Best college degrees for employment

FAQ Best college degrees for employment

Following are the top majors for finding a job after graduation:
Nursing. ...
Electrical Engineering. ...
Accounting. ...
Chemical Engineering. ...
Finance. ...
Biomedical Engineering. ...
Human Resources. ...
Actuarial Science.

What college degree has the most job opportunities?
Here is NACE's list of academic majors, showing the percentage of student applicants who had at least one job offer by the time they graduated:
Computer Science: 68.7%
Economics: 61.5%
Accounting: 61.2%
Engineering: 59%
Business Administration: 54.3%
Sociology/Social Work: 42.5%
Mathematics/Statistics: 40.3%

What majors are most in demand?
The Most In-Demand Degrees in 2019
Computer science—61 percent.
Engineering—58 percent.
Business—57 percent.
Communications (including public relations and advertising)—52 percent.
Arts, humanities, and liberal arts—47 percent.
Science—45 percent.
Data analytics—45 percent.
Education—39 percent.

What are the best majors for the future?
These best 10 college majors for the future hold promising career paths for students of today.
Physical Therapy.
Nursing. ...
Construction Management. ...
Electrical Engineering. ...
Medical Technology. ...
Medical Assistance. ...
Chemical Engineering. ...
Computer Information Systems. ...

What are good jobs to major in?
Top Ten Best College Majors for Jobs
Computer Science.
Marketing.
Nursing.
Electrical Engineering.
Accounting.
Chemical Engineering.
Finance.
Biomedical Engineering.

What jobs will be in demand in 2020?

The following examples represent several existing jobs that may be top careers for the future.
Solar Energy Technician. ...
Wind Energy Technician. ...
Nurse Practitioner. ...
Software Developer. ...
Physical Therapist. ...
Registered Nurse (RN) ...
Health Services Manager. ...
Data Analyst.

What jobs will be in demand in 2022?
These 12 Jobs Will Grow 30% by 2024
Home Health Aide.
Nurse Practitioner.
Occupational Therapy Aide.
Occupational Therapy Assistant.
Operations Research Analyst.
Personal Financial Advisor.
Physical Therapy Aide.
Physical Therapy Assistant.

What's the easiest degree that makes the most money?
…make sure to learn it our next FREE live webinar by clicking here!
Medical/Health Majors. PayScale estimates the average salary of a Radiologist to be around $290K a year. ...
Engineering. ...
Computers, Statistics, and Mathematics Majors. ...
Architecture. ...
Business. ...
Social Sciences.

What majors are worth it?
With those factors in mind, here are five degrees that are generally worth the money spent earning them.
Engineering. Engineering is one of the top-paying careers available today. ...
Computer Science. ...
Math & Sciences. ...
Economics. ...
Communications.

Find More Best college degrees for employment

May 25, 2019

College degrees awarded by gender

FAQ College degrees awarded by gender

A few observations:

1. Overall, women earned 57.34% of all bachelor’s degrees in 2016, which means there were 134 women graduating from college that year for every 100 men. It also reflects a whopping 25.6% gender college degree gap for men, who earned only 816,912 bachelor’s degrees in 2016 compared to 1,098,173 degrees earned by women (816,912 / 1,098,173 = 0.744, or 74.4 degrees for men per every 100 for women = gender college degree gap of 25.6% for men).

2. Although data are not yet available for bachelor’s degrees by field and gender in 2017, the Department of Education reported last month that women earned 57.3% of all bachelor’s degrees last year, so women now have an uninterrupted 35-year record of earning the majority of bachelor’s degrees in the US that started back in 1982. The Class of 2017 was also noteworthy for being the 18th straight college class that had more than 57% female representation for earning bachelor’s degrees – a milestone first reached by the Class of 2000.

3. Women earned nearly 60% of degrees in biology in 2016, which is one of the fields in the STEM area that we hear so much about in terms of female under-representation. And actually, if you include health professions as a STEM field, women earned more STEM degrees in 2016 (318,714) than men (265,000) for degrees in the seven STEM fields above marked with an asterisk (*). Or if you count just biology, mathematics, and physical sciences (e.g., chemistry, physics, etc.) women earn a majority (53%) of those of those STEM degrees. It’s really only when you include engineering and computer science that men have an overall majority of STEM degrees.

4. Now that Google has been in the media spotlight since former Google engineer James Damore’s July 2017 diversity memo, it’s interesting to note that the female share of computer science degrees (nearly 19%) in 2016 was about the same as the female share of Google’s tech jobs  in that year (20.6%). And the female share of Google’s not-tech jobs (54%) is just slightly higher than the female share of business bachelor’s degrees (47%), assuming that a business degree might be the most common college degree required for those positions (marketing, sales, accounting, human resources, finance, etc.).

5. Note the wide variation in degrees by gender shares. Women earn the large majority of degrees in health professions, psychology, education, English and communication, and men earn the large majority of degrees in engineering, computer science, and theology.

What is the percentage of degrees conferred by race and sex?

Between academic years 2003–04 and 2013–14, the total number of postsecondary degrees awarded increased at all degree levels: certificates by 41 percent (from 688,000 to 969,000), associate's degrees by 51 percent (from 665,000 to 1.0 million), bachelor's degrees by 34 percent (from 1.4 million to 1.9 million), master's degrees by 34 percent (from 564,000 to 754,000), and doctor's degrees by 41 percent (from 126,000 to 178,000). Reflecting the overall increase in the number of postsecondary degrees awarded at each level, the number of postsecondary degrees awarded generally increased for racial/ethnic groups at each level between 2003–04 and 2013–14.

The number of postsecondary certificates below the baccalaureate level awarded to Hispanic students increased by 73 percent (from 107,200 to 185,600) between academic years 2003–04 and 2013–14. During this period, the number of certificates awarded increased by 37 percent for Black students (from 129,900 to 177,900), by 33 percent for Asian/Pacific Islander students (from 32,800 to 43,800), by 30 percent for White students (from 403,000 to 523,200), and by 29 percent for American Indian/Alaska Native students (from 8,400 to 10,800). As a result of these changes, the share of all certificates awarded to Hispanic students increased from 16 percent in 2003–04 to 19 percent in 2013–14. In contrast, the share of certificates earned by White students decreased from 59 to 54 percent during this period. The shares of certificates earned were similar in 2003–04 and 2013–14 for Black students (19 percent), Asian/Pacific Islander students (5 percent), and American Indian/Alaska Native students (1 percent).

At the associate's degree level, the number of degrees awarded to Hispanic students more than doubled between academic years 2003–04 and 2013–14 (a 131 percent increase, from 72,300 to 167,100), and the number of degrees earned by Black students increased by 66 percent (from 81,200 to 134,500). During this period, the number of associate's degrees awarded increased by 52 percent for Asian/Pacific Islander students (from 33,100 to 50,300), by 32 percent for White students (from 456,000 to 601,400), and by 27 percent by American Indian/Alaska Native students (from 8,100 to 10,300). As a result of the changes over this period, the share of all associate's degrees awarded to Hispanic students increased from 11 to 17 percent, and the share earned by Black students increased from 12 to 14 percent. In contrast, the share of associate's degrees earned by White students over the same period decreased from 70 to 61 percent. In both 2003–04 and 2013–14, the share of associate's degrees earned by Asian/Pacific Islander students was 5 percent, and the share earned by American Indian/Alaska Native was 1 percent.

Across racial/ethnic groups, larger shares of undergraduate degrees and certificates were awarded to female students than to male students in academic year 2013–14. For example, the shares of bachelor's degrees earned by female students were 64 percent for Black students, 61 percent for American Indian/Alaska Native students, 60 percent for Hispanic students and students of Two or more races,1 56 percent for White students, and 55 percent for Asian/Pacific Islander students.

Find More College degrees awarded by gender

May 25, 2019

Best colleges in the us

FAQ Best colleges in the us

Below 25 Best College in the US

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
#1 Best Colleges in America
Graduate Student: Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a fantastic school that offers students an opportunity to explore anything. The staff is second to none and always encourage students to challenge themselves in whatever it is they are passionate about. Walking down the halls, you feel the energy and passion from students. The students at Massachusetts Institute of Technology live and breathe Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Everyone on campus is there to make the world a better place and that is what makes MIT so special. Everyone is highly intelligent and capable, but it’s the common desire to give back that makes the campus.

Stanford University
#2 Best Colleges in America
Alum: The campus is beautiful to start and provides many beautiful areas for studying or hanging out with friends. The campus is full of amazing resources including the libraries and professors. The academics are definitely challenging, but worth it. Go Card!

Harvard University
#3 Best Colleges in America
Freshman: I just finished my first year at Harvard. I had a rocky transition at first, but I am really loving it! The professors and TFs I have had are all really friendly and accessible, and there is an endless list of classes that I want to take. Conversations with peers are really thought-provoking and deep. You can find so many great communities through different activities, and there are so many great people on campus. Even as a freshman, I have been offered so many unique opportunities that I know come from Harvard's resources. I never thought it could, but Harvard has really become my home this year.

Yale University
#4 Best Colleges in America
Niche User: I really like the online courses from Yale University, you can choose btw a lot of different subjects and get smarter.
And the proffessors are amazing!
This university changed me a lot. Not only do I feel like an expert in my area of study, but I have been taught to write and speak in a much more compelling way than ever before. The university is very conducive to fostering strong friendships among undergrads. I have close networks of friends that I could not have formed elsewhere

Princeton University
#5 Best Colleges in America
Junior: There are great courses offered, and the people coming together here bring a variety of fresh ideas. There are many opportunities to learn valuable and world-changing skills and knowledge. Although there are also mechanisms at play that pull students into archaic ways of thinking, unfulfilling lifestyles, and professions that have a net neutral or negative impact on society. I'd also like to see greater diversity among the faculty and greater embodiment of diversity among the students. It's time for pluralism! Active expression and communal valuing of diversity - not diversity that is only quietly present and not honored for its value.

University of Pennsylvania
#6 Best Colleges in America
Senior: I truly love the University of Pennsylvania. I had an amazing time here and look forward to getting my graduate degree here next year. The highly professional environment and competitive atmosphere pushes students to reach their highest potential and grow beyond it. Penn also encourages students to have balanced social lives, and provides the students with the necessary resources to have their interests be represented within campus and in student groups. However, I must admit that Penn's hyper-competitive environment does have drawbacks, especially on students' mental health. I think Penn could tackle this by changing their grading scheme, especially for underclassmen.

Columbia University
#7 Best Colleges in America
Niche User: I visited Columbia at the end of March with a group and loved the vibe of the campus. Although I want to be as close as I can to or in the city, my ideal college campus needs look like a university setting. NYU, on the other hand, is right in the middle of the city and sometimes you can't tell where the buildings are without the NYU flags. I liked Columbia much better in that sense and I personally do not need to vouch for the education standard because we all know an ideal place to go for an intelligent, hard working student. Walking around the main area made me feel like I belonged there!

Duke University
#8 Best Colleges in America
Freshman: Choosing to go to Duke has been one of the best decisions I've ever made. Its campus is BEAUTIFUL; we have lush gardens and there are so many birds here, from towhees to even the occasional hawk. The opportunities here to get involved are almost overwhelming. We have this program called DukeEngage where students go to all parts of the world to work with communities through research and volunteer work. I will actually be going to Costa Rica this summer to help in rainforest restoratuon and conservation through this program!But what I truly love most about this school is its students. The atmosphere here is not competitive but collaborative. I came to Duke feeling insecure about my qualifications compared to those of the other incoming freshman. But never once did I feel belittled or patronized. Students here want each other to succeed, we want to see each other grow and challenge ourselves to improve. Here at Duke, 'Southern Hospitality' is the real deal!

Brown University
#9 Best Colleges in America
Junior: Brown University has been an incredible experience and has allowed me to pursue passions that I wasn't even aware I was interested in! The unique open curriculum allows students to take courses from a broad range of subjects and helps to ensure they find the right area of study. I personally believed I wanted to go into biomedical engineering, however, after taking a variety of classes at Brown in environmental studies, I have switched my major. Every teacher, student, and dean is so incredibly passionate about the work and everyone is constantly striving to be better which makes the University an amazing place and experience!

California Institute of Technology
#10 Best Colleges in America
Alum: Caltech is a very work hard play hard mentality. Academically, it has the most rigorous and intense coursework I've ever experienced. Alumni agree that any job after graduation pales in comparison to the Caltech workload. The professors are amazingly competent, and it's treated as no big deal to take a course taught by a Nobel-prize winner. I would say the classes are very theoretical with an emphasis on proofs, so it's not very industry-oriented (unless you study computer programming). Socially, although there's no Greek life, all students are sorted into one of eight dorm houses, which are essentially fraternities. There are parties, you just need to know where to look for them. The food is terrible, eating out or cooking your own is both cheaper and tastier. The dorms are old, but no major issues. Caltech isn't perfect, but it'll challenge you academically and get you a good job after graduation.

Washington University in St. Louis
#11 Best Colleges in America
Niche User: This school defines that you can not put a price on the education you receive. Every student is driven, focused, and goal oriented, so the competitive environment pushes you just as hard as the professors! The campus is extremely safe and beautiful and the research opportunities you receive are unlike any other!

Rice University
#12 Best Colleges in America
Niche User: I love the community atmosphere. Everyone works together to expand on similar desires. Rice as a whole is a college that fuels specific passions! As a person living with a low-income, Rice is determined to help give me FULL FREE tuition to attend their campus because they see my potential. Rice is very specific in it's majors, and the one thing that may be open for improvement is the expansion of their courses to incorporate and be strong in all degree fields.

University of Notre Dame
#13 Best Colleges in America
Freshman: I love Notre Dame! It's a beautiful place, inside and out. We've got all sorts of clubs, students and academic interests. Personally, I am very pleased with the Mass and Sacrament availability as well as all the Catholic-related activities. Of course, not everybody is Christian; Notre Dame is a home for all. I've already found some solid friends with whom I enjoy spending these cold (and warm) Indiana days. ND meets 100% of financial need; this assistance extends beyond tuition and has allowed me to get the full Notre Dame Experience. Everyone here is passionate about something, and one passion we all share is a love for Notre Dame, Our Mother. Go Irish!

Northwestern University
#14 Best Colleges in America
Alum: Northwestern is a well-balanced school--top notch academics, great arts programs, amazing engineering and science facilities, in a minor city (Evanston) and very close to a major one (Chicago), and even a bit of sports culture. NU students tend to be fun-loving, driven and ambitious, both in their academic and extra-curricular pursuits. It's definitely a work-hard-play-hard atmosphere when you're on campus, and while there is danger in this as you can easily over-extend yourself (and many students do at some point), it makes for a fulfilling four years.

University of Chicago
#15 Best Colleges in America
Alum: It's nice to see that the University has increased campus diversity of financial aid resources for families that will make the campus more diverse in terms of student backgrounds. I enjoyed my time in college housing a lot! Get involved with your house - go on house trips, play intramural sports, take on a leadership position. If you need something - speak up and ask for it! You really can have a say in your university. Don't be shy to speak up and ask questions. The University can only continue to improve with that kind of input.

Pomona College
#16 Best Colleges in America
Sophomore: I'm only a sophomore, but I've gotten involved with research for all four semesters, received internship funding, had expenses for two conferences paid for, was actively involved in an award winning Mock Trial without any experience, and learned how to play the violin through free private music lessons. I've also been able to go to Los Angeles often for endless entertainment, natural beauty, and incredible eats. This place may be tiny, but it is bustling with opportunity. The academic experience is robust, with professors who love to teach and peers who love to learn. The Claremont Colleges add so much depth, and each is distinctive enough to venture out to and seek out new perspective. I had my choice of attending a world-renowned university over here, but I could see the difference in how the undergraduates were valued. The only thing I wish were different was the lack of name brand- Pomona is so unknown by most! Still, if you are willing to work hard, you can go anywhere from here.

Bowdoin College
#17 Best Colleges in America
Freshman: So glad I chose to come to Bowdoin! A very close community where people treat each other with kindness and are excited to learn from their peers. Quality of life is great, with great dorms, food and surrounding area. Classes are challenging but there is very little competitiveness and lots of support for students academically. For a small liberal arts school, there is a very healthy and fun social life.

Vanderbilt University
#18 Best Colleges in America
Sophomore: What I love about Vanderbilt is the commitment to creating a meaningful & memorable experience. Ever since stepping foot on campus - when I was met by my freshman Head of House and the Move Crew - I've been supported and welcomed. I've been encouraged to pursue my interests in and outside of the classroom and attended countless events.

Sometimes it feels like there are too many things to get involved in, especially with the weight of academics on our shoulders, but not everyone experiences this the same way. One of my favorite things is the identity centers like the Women's Center, Black Cultural Center and KC Potter (LGBTQ) Center who provide students with fun and informative programming and the comforts of home. Plus, can you ever go wrong living at an arboretum?
I mean this honestly (but always a little ironically), Anchor Down!

Dartmouth College
#19 Best Colleges in America
Freshman: Dartmouth is simply wonderful. It has such a wonderfully cozy and collaborative atmosphere, which combined with the unparalleled focus on undergraduate students makes it the best college there is. The only thing people should be aware of is that there will be a large number of wealthy students, so be prepared to face some new socioeconomic diversity. Overall, it is such a safe and fun college set in a beautiful part of the country!

University of Southern California
#20 Best Colleges in America
Freshman: Coming to USC was one of the greatest decisions of my life! I'm a first-gen, low income minority coming from Texas who had never visited California before, so you can guess just how big of a difference California was from Texas. I thought I was going to feel overwhelmed and flunk out, but I didn't! In fact, I'm thriving here. The university is very beautiful, the brick and gothic sorta architecture is very pretty and really relaxing. There are so many opportunities and a lot of different majors, so I'm sure you will find what you are looking for. There are a lot of different activities to join, so you will definitely find your group of friends as long you get involved!

Cornell University
#21 Best Colleges in America
Freshman: Prepare to work hard - especially if you're in STEM. As an engineering major my life here is a never ending cycle of attending classes, working in lab, engineering project team related work, doing homework and crashing/going to bed at 1-2AM. It may seem rough to the outsider but if you're coming from a challenging high school (as I did) its a relatively seamless transition and I am infinitely happier here at Cornell! There is constantly something new happening from the range of amazing speakers visiting, cool things your classmates are creating/doing, Ithaca's quirky charm, your eccentric professors , etc... I came here expecting the competition to be intense and thank goodness its not ; there's a sense of general comradery amongst engineers. The motto 'any person, any study' is really true. They have just about every major allowing allotting the opportunity to study a great variety of fields. Fair warning about Ithaca; it gets REALLY cold! Invest in a warm coat!

Georgetown University
#22 Best Colleges in America
Junior: Georgetown University is an incredible university with top-notch professors and academic programs. Professors DO seem preoccupied with their research, but most genuinely care about students. Perhaps the most difficult aspect of the university is connected to how pre-professional it is. This can translated to club culture. People are more focused on getting jobs after graduation than most other schools. This is connected to Georgetown's return on investment, however. Well worth coming!

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
#23 Best Colleges in America
Freshman: From amazing academics to contagious school spirit, I have loved my first year at Michigan. The universe exceeded all of my expectations. Everyone student is motivated to do their best. This is not only in a classroom setting, but it is in every aspect of their lives. I am pushed by all my peers to try my hardest. Although a large school, the administration truly cares about every student, and there are countless numbers of resources available to help with anything one may need. The social aspect of school is amazing. There are so many different types of people, clubs, and parties, so everyone can find something they like. GO BLUE!

Amherst College
#24 Best Colleges in America
Sophomore: Amherst is simply an amazing institution. The student body here is top notch academically, yet friendly, not cutthroat. The professors are genuinely available, almost 24/7, and have an interest in seeing their students succeed. Make no mistake, the academic environment is rigorous - for the most part the student body is made of of academic "1%-ers," and the pace and expectation is what you'd expect from that.
The town of Amherst is a quintessential beautiful Northeastern college town.
People are super successful coming out of Amherst. The acceptances to top medical, law and other graduate schools each year is mind-blowing. Same with people going into finance/Wall Street.
All in all, Amherst is a magical place to spend 4 years!

Tufts University
#25 Best Colleges in America
Freshman: As a freshman at Tufts, I am constantly blown alway by endless opportunities available to undergraduate students at various academic departments, student-run organizations, and Tisch College of Civic Engagement. Students are here to learn from a wide range of perspectives and always listen carefully to one another to reexamine their thoughts. Even in today's political divisiveness, I find Tufts students relatively open-minded and tolerant to perspectives and thoughts that might be contrary to their own. Furthermore, as a student who plans on majoring in International Relations, I am always struck by how organized the program is here at Tufts. Professors and students are experts in their field, and I can easily see future diplomats and leading scholars in my classroom. There are conferences at the Fletcher school almost every week where leading scholars and researchers come and speak. I love Tufts!

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May 26, 2019

How to Create a Profitable Property Portfolio

How to Build a Diversified Portfolio.

“Don’t put all your eggs in one basket” is sound advice in life as well as in finance. Diversifying an investment portfolio can help cushion the ups and downs of the market and the broader economy. You can diversify by investing simultaneously in different asset classes. These classes include stocks (or "equities”), bonds, the money market, commodities, precious metals, real estate, gemstones, fine art and any of several other valuable assets. Because most growth in wealth comes from owning stock, equities also represent the most risk in a portfolio, so you will want to diversify your stock holdings. The following article presents a number of commonly acknowledged steps in building wealth through a diversified investment portfolio.

Method 1 Diversifying in Stocks.
1. Invest in many different companies. When you buy stock, you buy a share of the ownership of a company. You can buy stock in individual companies by using an online broker, such as E-Trade, Charles Schwab or TD Ameritrade (among many others). Do not, however, commit a large portion of your money to any single company. If such a company were to get in trouble, you could lose most of your money.
For example, Snap Inc. received a lot of press when it went public in March 2017 with shares priced at $27. However, by the following August the stock price had fallen to $11 per share. That's a drop of about 60%, which would have really hurt someone who had invested a large amount of money at the opening price.
To avoid such a disaster, limit your investment in any one stock to 5% or (preferably) less of your total portfolio.
2. Invest in different sectors. Entire industries often rise and fall as a unit. If the price of oil surges, most oil-related stocks will rise as a group. When the price of oil dips, oil-company stocks tend to fall together. You can protect yourself against this risk by investing in several different industries or sectors of the economy.
Major sectors include technology, health care, financial services, energy, communication services, utilities and agriculture.
The industries or sectors you choose should have a low correlation to each other. That is, invest in various sectors whose stock prices tend to fall at different times.  For example, technology and communication services might be too closely related. On the other hand, energy and health care are not closely related and might be expected to rise or fall separately.
3. Look at foreign stocks. As the economy in one country falters, the economy in other countries might be doing well. For this reason some experts recommend that you diversify by buying foreign stocks in addition to the domestic stocks you own.
Buying stock in multinational corporations automatically exposes you to international markets. For example, if you buy McDonald’s stock, you are already investing in foreign markets, since McDonald’s has expanded into more than 100 countries.

Method 2 Investing in Other Assets.
1. Diversify with bonds. When a company or government need to raise money, they may borrow it by issuing bonds to the public. A bond is a promise to repay borrowed money, accompanied by a certain amount of interest. Owning bonds is a good way to hedge against equity risks, because bond values tend to move in a direction opposite to stock values in general.
You can buy individual bonds or invest in a bond mutual fund. A bond fund holds a portfolio of many different corporate or government bonds. Research a fund to see how diversified its holdings are before buying shares. As with equities, bond diversification is very desirable.
Bonds are rated based on the issuer’s creditworthiness. Find bond ratings at Moody’s or Standard & Poor’s credit-rating services. A highly-rated bond will offer a lower interest rate but a higher likelihood of repayment. Choose bonds or bond funds that reflect your tolerance for risk. An aggressive investor (whose risk tolerance is high) might choose bonds with a higher interest rate but a lower safety rating.
2. Invest in U.S. Treasury bonds or bills for increased safety. U.S. Treasuries are the safest securities you can own. You lend money to the U.S. government and receive a promise for repayment. Treasury bonds often rise when the stock market falls, so they are a good way to diversify your portfolio.
3. Consider money market funds. Such a fund is similar to a savings account. The fund invests money in low-risk vehicles such as certificates of deposit and government securities. You can buy CDs and government bonds yourself, but a money market account can be more convenient, because it will do the investing for you at a nominal fee.
As an added benefit, some money market accounts let you write checks (or use a debit card) on the account. However, you will be limited in the number of withdrawals you can make per year.
4. Forget commodities. Some experts recommend diversifying by buying commodities such as oil, wheat, gold, and livestock. These commodities have no correlation to the stock market, so the value of these commodities should be unaffected if the stock market collapses. However, commodities are a poor bet if you are looking to buy and hold investments. Commodities are meant to be traded regularly and are therefore considered speculation (gambling) rather than investment.
5. Invest in real estate. One way to do this is to buy an apartment building and rent it to tenants. However, you may not have the time or energy to involve yourself in what can be a complicated endeavor. Instead you might invest in REITs, real estate investment trusts. With this option you invest in companies that own real estate. In exchange for your investment, you receive a share of the companies' income.
Many REITs charge very high fees, so they might not be the best way to diversify your portfolio.
Another option is to invest in a mutual fund that invests in REITs. This can save you a lot of research time by letting the fund managers do the research for you. You do pay for that service, of course, but it may be worth it to you if you value your time.

Method 3 Investing in Mutual and Other Funds for Diversity.
1. Diversify easily with mutual funds. A mutual fund is a portfolio operated by a fund manager. Buying into a mutual fund is a great way to diversify because each portfolio can hold multiple equities and other assets. For example, a mutual fund might hold stocks and/or bonds from 40 companies in various sectors. By buying into a fund, you can get instant diversification.
However, mutual funds are not automatically diversified. Everything depends on the assets held in the portfolio. Carefully analyze the individual holdings in the portfolio. Some mutual funds will be better diversified than others.
If you invest through an employer-sponsored plan (such as a 401k or an IRA), chances are you are investing in mutual funds.
2. Invest in an exchange traded fund (ETF). An ETF is like a mutual fund, except you buy it on a stock exchange, not from a fund. ETFs generally have lower fees than mutual funds, so they are a good option for investors.
As with mutual funds, an ETF is not automatically diversified. For example, you might buy an oil ETF, which is concentrated in one industry. Carefully analyze the underlying investments to make sure the ETF has the necessary diversity.
3. Consider an index fund. An index fund is a mutual fund designed to track an index, such as the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index or the DJ Wilshire 5000, which tracks the entire U.S. stock market. It is an easy way to get broad market exposure and thus diversify.
Remember that you want to diversify across asset classes. Don't forget bonds, Treasuries and the money market. Some funds do invest in these other assets.
Remember, too, that all mutual funds and ETFs charge fees for their service. Investigate the size of those fees before committing money. There are many good funds that charge total fees of less than 1% of your account balance, so there is no valid reason to pay more than that.  If you do your research, you should be able to find funds that are properly diversified.
With respect to equities, aim to hold at least 20 stocks spread across various sectors. You can invest by picking individual stocks, or you can more easily diversify by investing in a fund that contains hundreds of stocks and/or bonds.
4. Get expert advice. Every person’s situation is different, and there’s no one right diversification approach for everyone. Instead, you should meet with a "fee-only" financial advisor who can help you analyze your situation. Look for an advisor who is a certified financial planner (CFP). To earn this designation, candidates must meet certain experience, education, and ethics standards. The advisor should also be a fiduciary, someone legally bound to work primarily in your best interests. (Just ask, "Are you a fiduciary?" If you don't get an immediate "yes" for an answer, find another advisor.)
You can find a fee-only financial advisor through the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors. A fee-only advisor is one who does not earn a commission by recommending the purchase of specific financial products.
Discuss your investment goals with your advisor. Many people invest for retirement, and what qualifies as a well constructed portfolio will change over time. As an investor gets older, they will want to increase the ratio of bonds to stocks in their portfolio in order to diminish risk. (Some mutual funds can do that for you automatically.)

Method 4 Buying and Selling Intelligently.
1. Analyze your risk tolerance. How comfortable are you in taking financial risks? The more aggressive an investor is (the larger the rewards they hope to achieve), the larger the stock portion of their portfolio -- and the greater their risk tolerance -- will have to be.
A conservative portfolio might have only 20% in equities, 70% in bonds and 10% in cash and cash equivalents (including certificates of deposit, banker's acceptances, treasury bills and other money-market instruments).
A person more tolerant of risk might invest 70% in equities, 20% in bonds, and 10% in cash or cash equivalents.
2. Invest on a periodic basis. Let’s say you have $6,000 to invest in a year. If you invest all of that money at once, you might inadvertently buy into the market at a moment when equities are priced relatively high. A better option is to invest $500 a month. You would invest the same amount of money in a year's time, but as prices rise and fall, it's likely you would acquire a larger number of shares by year's end.
This type of investing is called “dollar-cost averaging,” and it allows you to take advantage of the inevitable price dips that regularly occur in the market.
3. Avoid market timing. You might dream of getting into the stock market at a price bottom and then selling at a peak. Many people who try to "time" the market in this way end up losing money, because recognizing a market peak or bottom isn't possible until after the fact.
4. Choose appropriate assets based on when you plan to withdraw investment income. For example, if you have 40 years before you plan on retiring, you can ride out peaks and valleys in the stock market. There’s less reason to worry if the market falls when you are in your 30s, because you have plenty of time to recoup your losses. A younger person can afford to be more aggressive in their investing than an older person.
5. Rebalance your portfolio when necessary. Building a diverse portfolio is not a one-time event. Instead, you may need to rebalance your portfolio periodically. Review your investments once a year, and see if they still align with your investment goals.
You might need to rebalance if some assets outperform others. For example, your equities might be on a hot streak for six years. Although they were 50% of your portfolio when you started investing, they now make up 70% through price appreciation. Assuming you still want stocks to form 50% of your portfolio, you’ll need to sell some stocks and replace them with bonds or other assets in order to maintain your preferred ratio.
Rebalancing might trigger tax consequences or transaction fees. Carefully analyze the process with your financial advisor before going ahead.
If you invest through a "balanced" mutual fund, they will typically do this rebalancing for you automatically. (A "balanced" fund invests in both stocks and bonds.)

Warnings.

Diversification can manage risk, but it cannot completely eliminate it. Diversification won’t save you if the entire market goes into a tailspin, as it did in 2008 and 2009. Nonetheless, diversifying is a critically important tool for all investors

April 01, 2020