How to Find Great Companies to Invest In

How to Find Great Companies to Invest In.

Smart investors put their money in reputable companies and investigate new companies thoroughly before committing their money. By carefully considering the qualities of the companies you invest in and incorporating your own knowledge of the market, you can make informed decisions in the hopes of choosing stocks of good quality and value. Be aware, however, this is no small task. Mutual fund companies and the like dedicate entire teams of experts whose full-time jobs are to research and understand how to invest in companies. Be sure you have the time and inclination to do this yourself, as well as the willingness to take the risks of doing so.

Method 1 Buying What You Know.
1. Stay within your circle of competence. If you have a field of expertise, you may be best able to identify quality within that area. Experience can provide you with the insights you need to make more informed choices. For example, if you work in retail, you may be better positioned to determine if you should invest in companies like Walmart, Target, or Best Buy, than you are in evaluating the latest bio-tech company.
Having competence in a certain area doesn't have to come from workplace experience. If you're a techie who spends his time buying and reading about the latest gadgets, you can draw on the information you obtain to help you make decisions on how to invest in the technology sector.
2. Focus on a few industries or markets. These can be either your direct area of competence or other areas that you are interested in investing in. The important thing is to realize that you can't keep track of everything going on in the global economy. Large financial institutions have whole departments for doing this so don't think you can do it on your own. Instead, narrow your focus to include only a few key industries or markets.
This doesn't mean you should avoid focusing on individual companies. You should always investigate every company you plan to invest in individually.
3. Stay up to date on news within that industry. Examples of quality sources for this are online finance websites like Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal. They'll give you up-to-date information on many of the goings-on in various sectors of the economy and the World. Again, focus your energy on a few key areas and become knowledgeable on the happenings in them. Look for things like trends, mergers, acquisitions, relevant legislation changes, and any global events that may affect your chosen market.
4. Plan ahead. Identify a company that you think stands to benefit from some change or trend in the market. Look ahead for when this change will take place and move around your money to prepare to invest in the company. For example, if you think that a new product being released by your favorite tech company is going to be a huge success, you may choose to invest in the company before the rest of the world realizes this and drives up the stock price.

Method 2 Investing in Companies with Competitive Advantages.
1. Understand competitive advantages. There are some companies that manage to be consistently profitable and successful in their industry over many years. These companies have succeeded in building a "moat" around them to keep their competitors away. This distance from their competitors is also known as a competitive advantage. Competitive advantages allow these companies to make money and retain customers more easily than others. In turn, these companies are able to provide greater value and return to their shareholders.
An investment in one of these companies allows you to participate in their competitive advantage. While they may not grow as quickly as smaller companies, they often can be less likely to fail in economic downturns and can provide consistent growth throughout the years to come.
Blue-chip stocks are examples of large, successful companies with competitive advantages. These companies have provided consistent growth or dividends over many years and are listed on large stock indexes.
2. Invest in trusted brands. Think Harley Davidson, Coke, BMW. These are brand names etched in the public mind as the best in their class. These companies can raise their prices on the strength of their brands, resulting in deeper profits.These companies are so well-known and essential that they are unlikely to lose a significant amount of customers to competitors.
3. Find companies with high switching costs. When was the last time you switched banks? Or cell phone providers? These services retain customers because switching between them is more time-consuming than it's worth. Companies that have high switching costs can be expected to hold on to their customers longer than companies that don't.
4. Search for economies of scale. Companies that are able to make products and sell them at much lower prices than their competition automatically attract customers -- lots of them -- as long as quality is not compromised. In a crowded market, this is generally the result of economies of scale, a phenomenon where a large company is able to experience lower production costs solely due to its size. Walmart and and Dell have perfected this concept to a science.
5. Invest in legal monopolies. Some companies are granted legal (if temporary) monopolies by the government. Large pharmaceutical companies and manufacturing companies with patents are able to bring a truly unique product to market. Companies that own copyrights, drilling rights, mining rights, and other forms of protected property are often the sole producer or service provider in their area. Thus, these companies can raise prices without fear of losing customers, resulting in higher profits.
Be sure to check how long the company's patent or usage rights are in effect. Some of these are temporary and when they go, there's a chance the company's profit will go with them.
6. Look for opportunities for easy growth. Some companies are easily scalable. That is, their products or services with the potential to network or add more users over time. Adobe has become the de facto standard in publishing; Microsoft's Excel has done the same in spreadsheets. eBay is a great example of a user network. Each additional user to the network costs the company virtually nothing. The additional revenues that come in as the network expands go straight to the bottom line.
For a more current example, consider Netflix. As a streaming service, they make more money for each subscriber, even as their costs remain virtually the same. That way, as they gain more users they will continue to grow in profitability, assuming they don't choose to increase costs significantly.

Method 3 Evaluating Company Performance and Valuation.
1. Check the quality of management. How competent is the management running the company? More importantly, how focused are they toward the company, customers, investors, and employees? In this age of rampant corporate greed, it's always a great idea to research the management of any company you're thinking of investing in. Newspaper and magazine articles are good places to get this information.
This doesn't just mean that management has provided good financial results recently. Rather, look for indications of other important qualities like responsiveness, adaptability, capacity for innovation, and organizational ability.
2. Watch for management changes. A good leader can successfully turn around a company that many consider to be a lost cause. Watch the news and financial reports for changes in management positions, especially CEOs. If you believe in the new CEO of a company, based on your research, you may choose to invest in that company. Here, you're essentially putting your faith in the person, not the company.
3. Avoid overvalued stocks. Even a great company can be overvalued. Learn to interpret financial statements and pick stocks with fundamental analysis to find companies the market has overvalued. Know that these companies may be some of the most buzzed-about and invested in companies around, but they are still overvalued and may experience drastic declines in price once their day in the spotlight is over.
One way to determine if a stock is overpriced is to examine its price-earnings-ratio. The price to earnings ratio can usually be found in the company's stock summary on financial websites. Generally, PE ratios are between 20-25, but this varies by industry.
To evaluate a company's PE ratio, search online for the average PE ratio in the company's industry. If the P/E ratio is over the industry average, the company could be overpriced in view of its earnings.
4. Buy undervalued stocks. Undervalued stocks are those that are trading at a lower value than their financial information would indicate. These may be companies that have only started to do well recently. In these cases, the market has not yet caught up with their newfound success. To identify stocks with room to grow in value, you can also use the price-earnings ratio mentioned above and look for companies with low PE ratios compared to the industry average.
You can also look for companies with a price-to-book-value of less than 2. The price-to-book ratio is the price of the company divided by the total value of its assets minus its liabilities and intangible assets. A low ratio may indicate that the company is relatively cheap.

FAQ.

Question : How can I know a company's management?
Answer : A company's stock prospectus will list its management personnel. For suggestions on researching company management, go here: Investopedia.com/articles/02/062602.asp.

Tips.
Start thinking about everyday companies in terms of this new framework.
Learn the basics of reading financial statements. Check the profitability of companies you're interested in. Check their debt position. See if they have been growing steadily.
Visit the company’s website and other financial websites that will give you insight into the stock.
While it may be advantageous to invest in companies you know, do not limit yourself to just one or two sectors of the economy. Try to research companies in a variety of sectors. Doing so further diversifies your portfolio to better insulate it from a downturn in a single sector or company.

Warnings.
Be aware of stock tips: Whether they come from someone you see on TV or someone you meet in person, these are more often not well-researched or are even based on someone's grandiose theory about getting rich quick. They may also be provided by salesmen paid to inflate a stock's price to allow a company to raise as much capital as possible.
Jumping into buying stocks in a company without doing thorough research can be a quick way to lose your money.
Investing always carries risk. Even if you do everything right, there's no guarantee that you'll make money.

April 07, 2020

How to Understand Business Finances

How to Understand Business Finances.

Business finances can seem overwhelming, especially if you’re a new business owner. Fortunately, things like accounts receivable, accounts payable, cash flow, and gross margin aren't actually as complicated as they might seem. Start by learning some basic terminology and how to calculate the revenue and profit for your business. Then, learn how to easily track your finances using things like balance sheets and income statements. Once you’ve got these basics down, you’ll be well on your way to successfully managing your business’ finances.



Method 1 Understanding Revenue and Profit.

1. Add up the total amount you’ve earned in a given period to find your revenue. Revenue is the total dollar amount that your business has earned in a given period of time, like one month. This isn’t how much money you’ll be pocketing as a business owner though. It’s just the total amount of money you’ve brought in, before subtracting expenses.

Imagine you own a lemonade stand. If you sell 100 glasses of lemonade for $1 per glass in a month, your revenue for that month would be $100.

2. Total how much you spent on materials and labor to calculate your COGS. COGS, short for cost of goods sold, is the total amount you spent on materials and labor to produce your goods or services. This is the money you’ve invested into creating the product or service you’re selling.

The COGS for your lemonade stand would include the cost of lemons, cups, and sugar.

Say you need 50 lemons, 100 cups, and 25 cups of sugar to make 100 glasses of lemonade. If lemons are $.25 each, cups are $.10 each, and cups of sugar are $.15 each, that means your COGS would be $26.25.

Only direct labor is included in COGS. Direct labor is labor that’s directly related to the production of your goods or services. Paying someone to advertise your lemonade stand on social media wouldn’t be considered direct labor (because it’s not directly tied to the production of your lemonade), so you wouldn’t include that in your COGS.

3. Subtract COGS from revenue to find your gross profit. Gross profit is equal to the revenue your business is bringing in minus the cost of your goods sold (COGS). Gross profit shows how much money your business is earning after subtracting direct labor and material costs, but it doesn’t factor in other expenses.

If the revenue for your lemonade stand is $100 and the COGS is $26.25, your gross profit would be $100 - $26.25, or $73.75.

Tracking gross profit over time can help you notice periods where your business is less profitable so you can make changes if necessary.

4. Subtract expenses from gross profit to calculate your net profit. Net profit, also known as your bottom line, is the total amount your business brings in over a given period (revenue), minus expenses and COGS. This is the amount of money you have leftover after factoring in all of your expenses. You can pocket this money or reinvest it in your business.

Expenses for your lemonade stand would include things like printing posters to advertise your stand, buying a wagon to carry your supplies, and paying a friend to help pass out your posters.

If your lemonade stand expenses add up to $30, you would subtract $30 from your gross profit, which is $73.75, and get $43.75. Therefore, your gross profit is $43.75.

5. Use revenue and COGS to calculate your gross margin. Gross margin is the percentage of every dollar you make that is profit. The higher your gross margin is, the more profit you make with each sale. To find your gross margin, subtract COGS from revenue, then divide that number by your revenue.

To calculate the gross margin for your lemonade stand, first you would subtract $26.25 (your COGS) from $100 (your revenue) to get $73.75. Then, you would divide $73.75 by $100 to get 0.73. Therefore, your gross margin is 73%, which means 73% of every dollar you make is profit.



Method 2 Tracking Your Business Finances,

1. Use an income statement to keep track of your profit. An income statement, also known as a profit and loss statement or “P&L,” shows the revenue, expenses, and net profit for your business in a given period. Income statements are usually prepared either monthly or quarterly.

The income statement for your lemonade stand would include how much you spent, how much you earned, and your net profit or loss for the month.

2. Keep a balance sheet that shows the financial status of your business. A balance sheet shows the financial status of your business at a given time. It should include your assets, or things your business owns that are of value, and your liabilities, which are your financial debts and obligations. You can use your balance sheet to determine how financially healthy your business is. Ideally, your business should have more assets than liabilities.

Your lemonade stand’s assets would include things like the wooden stand you own and how much cash is in your register. Your liabilities would include payments you’re making on the wagon you use for your business. All of these things would be included on your balance sheet.

3. Measure your cash flow each month. Cash flow is the movement of money in and out of your business within a given period, like one month. You can find your cash flow by comparing the amount of money your business has at the beginning of the month to the amount is has at the end of the month. Ideally you want a positive level of cash flow, which means that more cash is coming into your business than going out.

Use your cash flow to determine when you should spend more money on your business. If your lemonade stand has more money available at the beginning of the month, you might choose to buy more supplies at the beginning of the month instead of the end.

4. Track your accounts receivable and accounts payable. Accounts receivable is money that’s owed to your business, while accounts payable is money that your business owes to its creditors. Keep track of this information along with your income statement and balance sheet so you know exactly what you're owed and who you owe money to.

If your lemonade stand starts offering a promotion where customers can pay a monthly fee to get unlimited lemonade, you would include those monthly payments in your accounts receivable.

If you have fresh lemons delivered daily by a local farm, you would include your monthly lemon bill in your accounts payable.



Tips.

Tracking different financial metrics like revenue and net profit can give you a good sense of how your business is doing over time. If your revenue is continuing to grow, that's a good sign. However, if you notice your revenue dropping consistently, that's a sign that something could be wrong.

February 25, 2020

how to understand business finances

How to Understand Business Finances.

Business finances can seem overwhelming, especially if you’re a new business owner. Fortunately, things like accounts receivable, accounts payable, cash flow, and gross margin aren't actually as complicated as they might seem. Start by learning some basic terminology and how to calculate the revenue and profit for your business. Then, learn how to easily track your finances using things like balance sheets and income statements. Once you’ve got these basics down, you’ll be well on your way to successfully managing your business’ finances.



Method 1 Understanding Revenue and Profit.

1. Add up the total amount you’ve earned in a given period to find your revenue. Revenue is the total dollar amount that your business has earned in a given period of time, like one month. This isn’t how much money you’ll be pocketing as a business owner though. It’s just the total amount of money you’ve brought in, before subtracting expenses.

Imagine you own a lemonade stand. If you sell 100 glasses of lemonade for $1 per glass in a month, your revenue for that month would be $100.

2. Total how much you spent on materials and labor to calculate your COGS. COGS, short for cost of goods sold, is the total amount you spent on materials and labor to produce your goods or services. This is the money you’ve invested into creating the product or service you’re selling.

The COGS for your lemonade stand would include the cost of lemons, cups, and sugar.

Say you need 50 lemons, 100 cups, and 25 cups of sugar to make 100 glasses of lemonade. If lemons are $.25 each, cups are $.10 each, and cups of sugar are $.15 each, that means your COGS would be $26.25.

Only direct labor is included in COGS. Direct labor is labor that’s directly related to the production of your goods or services. Paying someone to advertise your lemonade stand on social media wouldn’t be considered direct labor (because it’s not directly tied to the production of your lemonade), so you wouldn’t include that in your COGS.

3. Subtract COGS from revenue to find your gross profit. Gross profit is equal to the revenue your business is bringing in minus the cost of your goods sold (COGS). Gross profit shows how much money your business is earning after subtracting direct labor and material costs, but it doesn’t factor in other expenses.

If the revenue for your lemonade stand is $100 and the COGS is $26.25, your gross profit would be $100 - $26.25, or $73.75.

Tracking gross profit over time can help you notice periods where your business is less profitable so you can make changes if necessary.

4. Subtract expenses from gross profit to calculate your net profit. Net profit, also known as your bottom line, is the total amount your business brings in over a given period (revenue), minus expenses and COGS. This is the amount of money you have leftover after factoring in all of your expenses. You can pocket this money or reinvest it in your business.

Expenses for your lemonade stand would include things like printing posters to advertise your stand, buying a wagon to carry your supplies, and paying a friend to help pass out your posters.

If your lemonade stand expenses add up to $30, you would subtract $30 from your gross profit, which is $73.75, and get $43.75. Therefore, your gross profit is $43.75.

5. Use revenue and COGS to calculate your gross margin. Gross margin is the percentage of every dollar you make that is profit. The higher your gross margin is, the more profit you make with each sale. To find your gross margin, subtract COGS from revenue, then divide that number by your revenue.

To calculate the gross margin for your lemonade stand, first you would subtract $26.25 (your COGS) from $100 (your revenue) to get $73.75. Then, you would divide $73.75 by $100 to get 0.73. Therefore, your gross margin is 73%, which means 73% of every dollar you make is profit.



Method 2 Tracking Your Business Finances,

1. Use an income statement to keep track of your profit. An income statement, also known as a profit and loss statement or “P&L,” shows the revenue, expenses, and net profit for your business in a given period. Income statements are usually prepared either monthly or quarterly.

The income statement for your lemonade stand would include how much you spent, how much you earned, and your net profit or loss for the month.

2. Keep a balance sheet that shows the financial status of your business. A balance sheet shows the financial status of your business at a given time. It should include your assets, or things your business owns that are of value, and your liabilities, which are your financial debts and obligations. You can use your balance sheet to determine how financially healthy your business is. Ideally, your business should have more assets than liabilities.

Your lemonade stand’s assets would include things like the wooden stand you own and how much cash is in your register. Your liabilities would include payments you’re making on the wagon you use for your business. All of these things would be included on your balance sheet.

3. Measure your cash flow each month. Cash flow is the movement of money in and out of your business within a given period, like one month. You can find your cash flow by comparing the amount of money your business has at the beginning of the month to the amount is has at the end of the month. Ideally you want a positive level of cash flow, which means that more cash is coming into your business than going out.

Use your cash flow to determine when you should spend more money on your business. If your lemonade stand has more money available at the beginning of the month, you might choose to buy more supplies at the beginning of the month instead of the end.

4. Track your accounts receivable and accounts payable. Accounts receivable is money that’s owed to your business, while accounts payable is money that your business owes to its creditors. Keep track of this information along with your income statement and balance sheet so you know exactly what you're owed and who you owe money to.

If your lemonade stand starts offering a promotion where customers can pay a monthly fee to get unlimited lemonade, you would include those monthly payments in your accounts receivable.

If you have fresh lemons delivered daily by a local farm, you would include your monthly lemon bill in your accounts payable.



Tips.

Tracking different financial metrics like revenue and net profit can give you a good sense of how your business is doing over time. If your revenue is continuing to grow, that's a good sign. However, if you notice your revenue dropping consistently, that's a sign that something could be wrong.

February 11, 2020

How to Discuss Finances Together in a Marriage

How to Discuss Finances Together in a Marriage.

Finances are a hot topic when it comes to all relationships, especially marriages. Saying “I do” means more than just sharing a life together, it also means sharing financial responsibility for that life. Whether good or bad, each spouse needs to be open and honest about his or her current financial standing. What’s more, the couple must work together to decide on important financial decisions for the future. Learn the basics for discussing money with your spouse.



Part 1 Communicating Effectively

1. Broach the subject casually with your spouse. The time to start talking about merging your finances is before the wedding, but at least 40% of couples avoid doing so.

Start the conversation with your action items first. This could mean starting off by talking to your spouse about your desire to look at your own credit score as you prepare to buy a house and suggest that he or she does the same. Say something like “Have you checked your credit report lately? I’ve been wanting to get a good picture of my financial standing. Maybe we can do it together?”

Things like credit scores for both of you may change how you approach buying a home, for example. You may find if one of you has a higher score than the other, it may be better to buy without both of you on the mortgage. However, things line up, remember you are on the same “team”.

2. Gather data to support your decisions. Print your credit reports and any supporting documentation, such as account balances and credit card debt. Financial choices need to be based on numbers not emotion. Make sure you both have a clear idea of what debts came into the union and how you can work to pay those down.

Early on you are doing this to get on the same page about your individual financial pictures. However, in the future, it may be nice to take time each month to sit down together and look over the numbers. Viewing credit card statements and account balances can be a way to keep you accountable as far as goals and also open the floor for an ongoing discussion with your spouse.

3. Be candid about any bad habits. Before you get started, you must be forthright with your spouse about any habits you happen to have that are not apparent on your credit reports.

An example of a bad habit would include not taking the time to write down purchases made on your debit card so you can balance your check book. When you were single, this may have not seemed like a huge deal, but with two people sharing accounts it can quickly become a problem.

Other bad habits you need to bring to your spouse would include past blemishes on your credit like having too many credit cards open, being in default on student loans or having bills in collection. All of these issues can impact credit, but they can also be addressed and resolved.

4. Refrain from pointing the finger. Placing blame and arguing over money will not make any issues better. If you ask your spouse to be honest about credit challenges and then start the blame game you will probably not get that same level of honesty in the future.

5. Listen to understand, not to reply. This means looking at your spouse as he or she is speaking, listening carefully to fully get his or her point of view, and then taking that one step further by confirming what you have heard.

When you sit down to have a tough conversation with your spouse, you will break the trust if you are not willing to listen. Don’t ask the tough questions unless you are ready to handle any answer.

The exchange of information should be fair and equal.



Part 2 Setting Ground Rules.

1. Decide if you will merge all the money or maintain separate accounts. Even after getting married there are no laws that say you have to merge all your accounts. Having separate accounts does not mean neither of you knows what the other is doing. Both partners should have access to the records of the other since you are sharing a household.

Depending on the credit scores for both spouses, it may make more sense to keep separate accounts especially if you want to buy a home soon. One spouse alone on a mortgage is going to have a higher chance of getting the loan than two people with mixed credit scores.

2. Determine who will be the primary overseer of your money. This will include how you make decisions about both small and large purchases. The person who is most organized and financially savvy may be the best choice for managing the finances. However, both partners should take on the responsibility in some way. So, choose duties according to your individual strengths.

For example, one of you may be better at saving, so you will be in charge of building an emergency fund and overseeing retirement savings. The other may be in charge of paying monthly bills and balancing the checkbook. Decide based on what’s best for you and your spouse.

3. Agree about which of you will handle certain expenses. You will need to know who is writing the check for rent, paying the electric bill and other household bills. You do not want to get into a situation where both of you thought the other paid the electric bill and you learn that it wasn’t paid when the lights are turned off. You also don’t want to pay bills twice and be short money.

Being upfront about how much both of you make and how you will divide the bills will make things much easier. Some families divide everything I half while others just pool their money regardless of who makes what.

The use of credit cards versus cash should also be explored as one partner may be used to always using a card and then paying it off once a month while the other only uses cash. This needs to be talked about.

4. Don’t make big purchases without your spouse’s blessing. Regardless of who makes more money, a big ticket item should be bought together. This is a good time to set boundaries about how much either of you can spend without talking to your spouse. This can be as simple as saying you have a spending limit of $100 without checking in since that is a low amount in your budget and won’t overdraw the account.



Part 3 Overcoming Money Troubles.

1. Build a household budget. This budget should include all the household bills, ongoing needs and bills that were outstanding from before you got married. The budget needs to be realistic and something you both commit to. Consider these tips:

Tally up every single monthly expense and plan for them in advance.

Include separate and joint goals.

Include long-term goals like saving for a down payment on a house.

Negotiate with ongoing bills to cut down interest rates or get rid of fees.

Automate whatever you can so that you don’t miss paying bills and acquire late fees.

Go back and revise your budget as needed.

2. Start building an emergency fund. If you didn’t already have an emergency fund before getting married, now is the time to build one. An emergency fund acts as a cushion in times when unexpected expenses pop up or one of you is out of work.

How big your emergency account is will depend on you and your spouse. Many families tuck away enough money for at least 3 to 6 months of expenses. This provides greater security over the long haul.

This savings account would be for true emergencies only, not impulse buys. Take the time to set boundaries as to what qualifies as an emergency.

Some households use a credit card for emergencies like car repairs. Make sure you both agree if this is a good use of your credit cards and leave the available balance for such an emergency. If either of you has problems with managing credit cards, this may not be the best option for your household.

3. Know your debt situation and decide on a strategy to pay it off.[13] Both of you should have a very clear idea of the other person’s debt as well as your own. Don’t fall prey to the idea that it’s your spouse’s problem—it’s not. Both of your debt is usually considered during major purchases, so working together to shrink each person’s debt is ideal.

It can also be helpful to get financial advising or attend a debt reduction course for couples. If you have a significant amount of debt—or have no idea where to start to pay it down—it may be practical to involve a professional who can assist you.

4. Plan for your retirements. Talk to your spouse and come up with a plan that suits both of you for retirement and start saving. Keep in mind, that men and women often have varying opinions when it comes to retirement, so be willing to compromise and consider your spouse’s perspective.

Include payments to 401K and other investments as a part of your budget. Part of this process also includes changing the beneficiaries for each account now that you are married.

If you don’t already, you also need to draw up life insurance policies to secure your spouse and your family in case of a tragedy.



Question : If we get a divorce, will my wife get 50% of my 401K too?

Answer : Honestly, this depends on the state and the county where you are getting divorced. Different locations have different rules of division in a divorce. Some states are equitable division, meaning you split 50/50 while others are not.



Warnings.

Money troubles have ended more than a few marriages. If you are both responsible, open and honest about money, it will make for a stronger marriage.

Be mindful that some people are sensitive about discussing money. To some, money means power and control and these are very volatile subjects. Handle with care.

It can be a difficult and uncomfortable transition going from being a single person in total control of your finances to being part of a couple. If your partner is resistant, give him or her time. If you can show them that you are interested in working as a team with no judgments, your spouse will eventually come around.

February 10, 2020

how to discuss finances together in a marriage

How to Discuss Finances Together in a Marriage.

Finances are a hot topic when it comes to all relationships, especially marriages. Saying “I do” means more than just sharing a life together, it also means sharing financial responsibility for that life. Whether good or bad, each spouse needs to be open and honest about his or her current financial standing. What’s more, the couple must work together to decide on important financial decisions for the future. Learn the basics for discussing money with your spouse.



Part 1 Communicating Effectively

1. Broach the subject casually with your spouse. The time to start talking about merging your finances is before the wedding, but at least 40% of couples avoid doing so.

Start the conversation with your action items first. This could mean starting off by talking to your spouse about your desire to look at your own credit score as you prepare to buy a house and suggest that he or she does the same. Say something like “Have you checked your credit report lately? I’ve been wanting to get a good picture of my financial standing. Maybe we can do it together?”

Things like credit scores for both of you may change how you approach buying a home, for example. You may find if one of you has a higher score than the other, it may be better to buy without both of you on the mortgage. However, things line up, remember you are on the same “team”.

2. Gather data to support your decisions. Print your credit reports and any supporting documentation, such as account balances and credit card debt. Financial choices need to be based on numbers not emotion. Make sure you both have a clear idea of what debts came into the union and how you can work to pay those down.

Early on you are doing this to get on the same page about your individual financial pictures. However, in the future, it may be nice to take time each month to sit down together and look over the numbers. Viewing credit card statements and account balances can be a way to keep you accountable as far as goals and also open the floor for an ongoing discussion with your spouse.

3. Be candid about any bad habits. Before you get started, you must be forthright with your spouse about any habits you happen to have that are not apparent on your credit reports.

An example of a bad habit would include not taking the time to write down purchases made on your debit card so you can balance your check book. When you were single, this may have not seemed like a huge deal, but with two people sharing accounts it can quickly become a problem.

Other bad habits you need to bring to your spouse would include past blemishes on your credit like having too many credit cards open, being in default on student loans or having bills in collection. All of these issues can impact credit, but they can also be addressed and resolved.

4. Refrain from pointing the finger. Placing blame and arguing over money will not make any issues better. If you ask your spouse to be honest about credit challenges and then start the blame game you will probably not get that same level of honesty in the future.

5. Listen to understand, not to reply. This means looking at your spouse as he or she is speaking, listening carefully to fully get his or her point of view, and then taking that one step further by confirming what you have heard.

When you sit down to have a tough conversation with your spouse, you will break the trust if you are not willing to listen. Don’t ask the tough questions unless you are ready to handle any answer.

The exchange of information should be fair and equal.



Part 2 Setting Ground Rules.

1. Decide if you will merge all the money or maintain separate accounts. Even after getting married there are no laws that say you have to merge all your accounts. Having separate accounts does not mean neither of you knows what the other is doing. Both partners should have access to the records of the other since you are sharing a household.

Depending on the credit scores for both spouses, it may make more sense to keep separate accounts especially if you want to buy a home soon. One spouse alone on a mortgage is going to have a higher chance of getting the loan than two people with mixed credit scores.

2. Determine who will be the primary overseer of your money. This will include how you make decisions about both small and large purchases. The person who is most organized and financially savvy may be the best choice for managing the finances. However, both partners should take on the responsibility in some way. So, choose duties according to your individual strengths.

For example, one of you may be better at saving, so you will be in charge of building an emergency fund and overseeing retirement savings. The other may be in charge of paying monthly bills and balancing the checkbook. Decide based on what’s best for you and your spouse.

3. Agree about which of you will handle certain expenses. You will need to know who is writing the check for rent, paying the electric bill and other household bills. You do not want to get into a situation where both of you thought the other paid the electric bill and you learn that it wasn’t paid when the lights are turned off. You also don’t want to pay bills twice and be short money.

Being upfront about how much both of you make and how you will divide the bills will make things much easier. Some families divide everything I half while others just pool their money regardless of who makes what.

The use of credit cards versus cash should also be explored as one partner may be used to always using a card and then paying it off once a month while the other only uses cash. This needs to be talked about.

4. Don’t make big purchases without your spouse’s blessing. Regardless of who makes more money, a big ticket item should be bought together. This is a good time to set boundaries about how much either of you can spend without talking to your spouse. This can be as simple as saying you have a spending limit of $100 without checking in since that is a low amount in your budget and won’t overdraw the account.



Part 3 Overcoming Money Troubles.

1. Build a household budget. This budget should include all the household bills, ongoing needs and bills that were outstanding from before you got married. The budget needs to be realistic and something you both commit to. Consider these tips:

Tally up every single monthly expense and plan for them in advance.

Include separate and joint goals.

Include long-term goals like saving for a down payment on a house.

Negotiate with ongoing bills to cut down interest rates or get rid of fees.

Automate whatever you can so that you don’t miss paying bills and acquire late fees.

Go back and revise your budget as needed.

2. Start building an emergency fund. If you didn’t already have an emergency fund before getting married, now is the time to build one. An emergency fund acts as a cushion in times when unexpected expenses pop up or one of you is out of work.

How big your emergency account is will depend on you and your spouse. Many families tuck away enough money for at least 3 to 6 months of expenses. This provides greater security over the long haul.

This savings account would be for true emergencies only, not impulse buys. Take the time to set boundaries as to what qualifies as an emergency.

Some households use a credit card for emergencies like car repairs. Make sure you both agree if this is a good use of your credit cards and leave the available balance for such an emergency. If either of you has problems with managing credit cards, this may not be the best option for your household.

3. Know your debt situation and decide on a strategy to pay it off.[13] Both of you should have a very clear idea of the other person’s debt as well as your own. Don’t fall prey to the idea that it’s your spouse’s problem—it’s not. Both of your debt is usually considered during major purchases, so working together to shrink each person’s debt is ideal.

It can also be helpful to get financial advising or attend a debt reduction course for couples. If you have a significant amount of debt—or have no idea where to start to pay it down—it may be practical to involve a professional who can assist you.

4. Plan for your retirements. Talk to your spouse and come up with a plan that suits both of you for retirement and start saving. Keep in mind, that men and women often have varying opinions when it comes to retirement, so be willing to compromise and consider your spouse’s perspective.

Include payments to 401K and other investments as a part of your budget. Part of this process also includes changing the beneficiaries for each account now that you are married.

If you don’t already, you also need to draw up life insurance policies to secure your spouse and your family in case of a tragedy.



Question : If we get a divorce, will my wife get 50% of my 401K too?

Answer : Honestly, this depends on the state and the county where you are getting divorced. Different locations have different rules of division in a divorce. Some states are equitable division, meaning you split 50/50 while others are not.



Warnings.

Money troubles have ended more than a few marriages. If you are both responsible, open and honest about money, it will make for a stronger marriage.

Be mindful that some people are sensitive about discussing money. To some, money means power and control and these are very volatile subjects. Handle with care.

It can be a difficult and uncomfortable transition going from being a single person in total control of your finances to being part of a couple. If your partner is resistant, give him or her time. If you can show them that you are interested in working as a team with no judgments, your spouse will eventually come around.

February 10, 2020

How to Finance Investment Property

How to Finance Investment Property.

You might find the perfect investment property, but before you can buy it you need to obtain financing. Many people will go to a bank and ask for a conventional loan with a repayment period of 25-30 years. Before doing so, however, you should analyze your credit history to check that you are a good credit risk. You have more options than simply relying on a conventional loan. For example, you could cash out the equity in your home or seek owner financing of the investment property.

Method 1 Obtaining a Conventional Loan.

1. Pull together a down payment. You can’t rely on mortgage insurance to cover your investment property. Accordingly, you will need a sizeable down payment, around 20-25%.

2. Consider a neighborhood bank. Smaller banks might be more flexible about lending to you if you don’t have a large down payment or if your credit score isn’t perfect. Local banks also may have a stronger interest in lending for local investment, so they are a good option.

You might not know anything about smaller lenders, so you should do as much research as possible. Ask people that you know whether they have ever done business with the bank.

You can also check online. Look for reviews.

3. Gather necessary paperwork. Before approaching a lender, you should pull together required paperwork. Doing so ahead of time will speed up the process. Get the following.

two months of bank statements, prior two months’ statements for investment accounts and retirement accounts, last two pay stubs.

information about self-employed income, such as last two year’s tax returns or business financial statements, driver’s license.

Social Security card, papers related to bankruptcy, divorce, or separation (if applicable).

4. Work with a mortgage broker. A mortgage broker will apply for loans on your behalf with many different lenders and will compare the rates. The broker can also try to negotiate better terms for you. Using a mortgage broker is a good idea if you are too busy to comparison shop by going to many different lenders.

Mortgage brokers don’t work for free. You typically will pay about 1% of the loan amount. For example, if you borrow $250,000, then you can expect to pay around $2,500 to the mortgage broker.

You can ask other investors or a real estate agent for a referral to a broker. Before hiring, make sure that you interview the person and ask how much experience they have and what services they offer.

5. Compare loans. If you don’t want to work with a mortgage broker, then you will need to educate yourself about the basics of home financing. You might be an experienced pro who has borrowed before. However, if you haven’t, then remember to consider the following when comparing loans.

Interest rates. An interest rate is a percent of the loan amount that you pay as a privilege for borrowing the money. Interest rates can be fixed for the entire length of the loan or fixed for only a portion of the loan term.

Discount points. For some loans, you can pay points, which will lower your interest rate.

Loan term. This is the length of the loan. A shorter loan will cost more each month, but you will pay it off sooner and with less interest.

Origination charge. This amount of money covers document preparation, fees, and the costs of underwriting the loan.

6. Seek pre-approval. You should try to get pre-approved for a loan before searching for properties. Make sure to request the pre-approval in writing because sellers might want to see that you are pre-approved.

7. Don’t forget other team members. Purchasing investment property requires the expertise of many different professionals. You should begin assembling your team early—even before you get financing. You will probably need the help of the following people.

An accountant who can help you understand investment tax strategies.

A realtor who can help you sign an appropriate real estate contract.

An attorney who can help you protect your assets, for example by forming a limited liability company to hold the property.

An insurance agent.

Method 2 Using Other Finance Options.

1. Use the equity in your home. You might be able to use the equity in your current home to purchase an investment property. Generally, you can borrow around 80% of your home’s value. There are different ways you can tap the equity in your home, such as the following.

You could get a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC). A lender will approve you for a specific amount of credit, and you use your current home as collateral for the loan. The credit is available for a certain amount of time. At the end of this draw period, you must have paid back the loan.

You might also get a cash-out refinance. The lender will pay you the difference between the mortgage and the home’s value, but is usually limited to 80-90% of the home’s value. For example, if you have $20,000 remaining on your mortgage, but your home is valued at $220,000, then $200,000 could be available. You could get 80-90% of $200,000 ($160,000-180,000). This option usually has a lower interest rate than a HELOC.

Both a HELOC and a cash-out refinance put your home at risk if you can’t make repayments. For this reason, you should think carefully before tapping the equity in your home to finance investments.

2. Obtain a fix-and-flip loan. You might be able to get this type of loan if you want to purchase a property in order to renovate and then quickly sell. The loan will be short-term and is secured by the property. Fix-and-flip loans have high interest rates, so you need to renovate and sell quickly.

You might find it easier to qualify for a fix-and-flip loan compared to a conventional loan. However, lenders will still look at your credit history and income.

The lender will also want to know the estimated value after repair, which can impact whether they extend you a loan and the terms.

3. Research peer-to-peer lending sites. Peer-to-peer lending connects investors with lenders who are willing to lend. Two of the more well-known peer-to-peer lending sites are Prosper and LendingClub.

Peer-to-peer lenders will require that you complete an application. They look at your credit score and credit history. They may also have minimum credit scores in order to qualify.

You might not be able to get a large personal loan through peer-to-peer lending. However, small businesses can typically borrow more, so if you create an LLC then you might be able to borrow up to $100,000.

4. Find a business partner. You might not be able to secure a loan on your own, in which case you will need to consider other options. One option is to find a business partner who you can invest with.

You will want to screen any potential business partner, just as a bank would screen you. If you are counting on the partner to help pay for the loan, then you will need to check their credit history and employment.

You also need to consider how you will hold the investment property. For example, it might be best to create an LLC and to both be owners of the LLC. The LLC will then hold title to the investment property.

5. Consider owner financing. With owner financing, the owner lends you the money that you use to buy the property. Sometimes the owner will lend only a portion of the price, which you then supplement with a conventional loan. You should analyze the pros and cons of owner financing.

A benefit of owner financing is that an owner might be willing to lend if you don’t have perfect credit or a huge down payment available. You and the owner can work out loan terms that are acceptable to both of you.

Typically, the seller’s loan will be for a short period of time (such as five years). At the end of the term, you are obligated to pay off the loan with a “balloon payment.” This usually means you need to get a conventional loan to make this balloon payment. You should analyze your credit to see if you can qualify for a conventional loan in the near future.

See Owner Finance a Home for more information.

Method 3 Analyzing Your Credit Score.

1. Obtain a free copy of your credit report. Your credit score will have the largest impact on your ability to get a loan, so you should obtain a copy of your credit report.[18] You are entitled to one free credit report each year from the three national Credit Reporting Agencies (CRAs). You shouldn’t contact the CRAs individually. Instead, you can get your free copy from all three using one of the following methods.

Complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form, which is available here: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/pdf-0093-annual-report-request-form.pdf. Once completed, submit the form to Annual Credit Report Request Service, PO Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.

2. Find errors on your credit report. You should closely look at you credit reports to find any errors that might lower your credit score. If your score is below 740, then you will probably have to pay more to borrow. For this reason, you should do whatever you can to increase the score. Look for the following errors.

credit information from an ex-spouse, credit information from someone with a similar name, address, Social Security Number, etc.

incorrect payment status (e.g., stating you are late when you aren’t), a delinquent account reported more than once.

old information that should have fallen off your credit report, an account inaccurately identified as closed by the lender.

failure to note when delinquencies have been remedied.

3. Consider whether you should fix certain problems. There may be negative information on your credit report that you want to fix. For example, you might want to pay an old collections account. However, you should think carefully before fixing certain problems.

Negative information must fall off your credit report after a certain amount of time. For example, an account in collections should fall off after seven years. If the account is six years old, you might want to wait and let it fall off rather than pay it off.

If you need help considering what to do, then you should consult with an attorney who can advise you.

4. Fix errors. You can correct errors by contacting each CRA online or by writing a letter. To protect yourself, you should probably do both. Mail your letter certified mail, return receipt requested.

The Federal Trade Commission has a sample letter you can use: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0384-sample-letter-disputing-errors-your-credit-report.

See Dispute Credit Report Errors for more information on how to fix errors.

December 15, 2019

how to finance investment property

How to Finance Investment Property.

You might find the perfect investment property, but before you can buy it you need to obtain financing. Many people will go to a bank and ask for a conventional loan with a repayment period of 25-30 years. Before doing so, however, you should analyze your credit history to check that you are a good credit risk. You have more options than simply relying on a conventional loan. For example, you could cash out the equity in your home or seek owner financing of the investment property.

Method 1 Obtaining a Conventional Loan.

1. Pull together a down payment. You can’t rely on mortgage insurance to cover your investment property. Accordingly, you will need a sizeable down payment, around 20-25%.

2. Consider a neighborhood bank. Smaller banks might be more flexible about lending to you if you don’t have a large down payment or if your credit score isn’t perfect. Local banks also may have a stronger interest in lending for local investment, so they are a good option.

You might not know anything about smaller lenders, so you should do as much research as possible. Ask people that you know whether they have ever done business with the bank.

You can also check online. Look for reviews.

3. Gather necessary paperwork. Before approaching a lender, you should pull together required paperwork. Doing so ahead of time will speed up the process. Get the following.

two months of bank statements, prior two months’ statements for investment accounts and retirement accounts, last two pay stubs.

information about self-employed income, such as last two year’s tax returns or business financial statements, driver’s license.

Social Security card, papers related to bankruptcy, divorce, or separation (if applicable).

4. Work with a mortgage broker. A mortgage broker will apply for loans on your behalf with many different lenders and will compare the rates. The broker can also try to negotiate better terms for you. Using a mortgage broker is a good idea if you are too busy to comparison shop by going to many different lenders.

Mortgage brokers don’t work for free. You typically will pay about 1% of the loan amount. For example, if you borrow $250,000, then you can expect to pay around $2,500 to the mortgage broker.

You can ask other investors or a real estate agent for a referral to a broker. Before hiring, make sure that you interview the person and ask how much experience they have and what services they offer.

5. Compare loans. If you don’t want to work with a mortgage broker, then you will need to educate yourself about the basics of home financing. You might be an experienced pro who has borrowed before. However, if you haven’t, then remember to consider the following when comparing loans.

Interest rates. An interest rate is a percent of the loan amount that you pay as a privilege for borrowing the money. Interest rates can be fixed for the entire length of the loan or fixed for only a portion of the loan term.

Discount points. For some loans, you can pay points, which will lower your interest rate.

Loan term. This is the length of the loan. A shorter loan will cost more each month, but you will pay it off sooner and with less interest.

Origination charge. This amount of money covers document preparation, fees, and the costs of underwriting the loan.

6. Seek pre-approval. You should try to get pre-approved for a loan before searching for properties. Make sure to request the pre-approval in writing because sellers might want to see that you are pre-approved.

7. Don’t forget other team members. Purchasing investment property requires the expertise of many different professionals. You should begin assembling your team early—even before you get financing. You will probably need the help of the following people.

An accountant who can help you understand investment tax strategies.

A realtor who can help you sign an appropriate real estate contract.

An attorney who can help you protect your assets, for example by forming a limited liability company to hold the property.

An insurance agent.

Method 2 Using Other Finance Options.

1. Use the equity in your home. You might be able to use the equity in your current home to purchase an investment property. Generally, you can borrow around 80% of your home’s value. There are different ways you can tap the equity in your home, such as the following.

You could get a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC). A lender will approve you for a specific amount of credit, and you use your current home as collateral for the loan. The credit is available for a certain amount of time. At the end of this draw period, you must have paid back the loan.

You might also get a cash-out refinance. The lender will pay you the difference between the mortgage and the home’s value, but is usually limited to 80-90% of the home’s value. For example, if you have $20,000 remaining on your mortgage, but your home is valued at $220,000, then $200,000 could be available. You could get 80-90% of $200,000 ($160,000-180,000). This option usually has a lower interest rate than a HELOC.

Both a HELOC and a cash-out refinance put your home at risk if you can’t make repayments. For this reason, you should think carefully before tapping the equity in your home to finance investments.

2. Obtain a fix-and-flip loan. You might be able to get this type of loan if you want to purchase a property in order to renovate and then quickly sell. The loan will be short-term and is secured by the property. Fix-and-flip loans have high interest rates, so you need to renovate and sell quickly.

You might find it easier to qualify for a fix-and-flip loan compared to a conventional loan. However, lenders will still look at your credit history and income.

The lender will also want to know the estimated value after repair, which can impact whether they extend you a loan and the terms.

3. Research peer-to-peer lending sites. Peer-to-peer lending connects investors with lenders who are willing to lend. Two of the more well-known peer-to-peer lending sites are Prosper and LendingClub.

Peer-to-peer lenders will require that you complete an application. They look at your credit score and credit history. They may also have minimum credit scores in order to qualify.

You might not be able to get a large personal loan through peer-to-peer lending. However, small businesses can typically borrow more, so if you create an LLC then you might be able to borrow up to $100,000.

4. Find a business partner. You might not be able to secure a loan on your own, in which case you will need to consider other options. One option is to find a business partner who you can invest with.

You will want to screen any potential business partner, just as a bank would screen you. If you are counting on the partner to help pay for the loan, then you will need to check their credit history and employment.

You also need to consider how you will hold the investment property. For example, it might be best to create an LLC and to both be owners of the LLC. The LLC will then hold title to the investment property.

5. Consider owner financing. With owner financing, the owner lends you the money that you use to buy the property. Sometimes the owner will lend only a portion of the price, which you then supplement with a conventional loan. You should analyze the pros and cons of owner financing.

A benefit of owner financing is that an owner might be willing to lend if you don’t have perfect credit or a huge down payment available. You and the owner can work out loan terms that are acceptable to both of you.

Typically, the seller’s loan will be for a short period of time (such as five years). At the end of the term, you are obligated to pay off the loan with a “balloon payment.” This usually means you need to get a conventional loan to make this balloon payment. You should analyze your credit to see if you can qualify for a conventional loan in the near future.

See Owner Finance a Home for more information.

Method 3 Analyzing Your Credit Score.

1. Obtain a free copy of your credit report. Your credit score will have the largest impact on your ability to get a loan, so you should obtain a copy of your credit report.[18] You are entitled to one free credit report each year from the three national Credit Reporting Agencies (CRAs). You shouldn’t contact the CRAs individually. Instead, you can get your free copy from all three using one of the following methods.

Complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form, which is available here: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/pdf-0093-annual-report-request-form.pdf. Once completed, submit the form to Annual Credit Report Request Service, PO Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.

2. Find errors on your credit report. You should closely look at you credit reports to find any errors that might lower your credit score. If your score is below 740, then you will probably have to pay more to borrow. For this reason, you should do whatever you can to increase the score. Look for the following errors.

credit information from an ex-spouse, credit information from someone with a similar name, address, Social Security Number, etc.

incorrect payment status (e.g., stating you are late when you aren’t), a delinquent account reported more than once.

old information that should have fallen off your credit report, an account inaccurately identified as closed by the lender.

failure to note when delinquencies have been remedied.

3. Consider whether you should fix certain problems. There may be negative information on your credit report that you want to fix. For example, you might want to pay an old collections account. However, you should think carefully before fixing certain problems.

Negative information must fall off your credit report after a certain amount of time. For example, an account in collections should fall off after seven years. If the account is six years old, you might want to wait and let it fall off rather than pay it off.

If you need help considering what to do, then you should consult with an attorney who can advise you.

4. Fix errors. You can correct errors by contacting each CRA online or by writing a letter. To protect yourself, you should probably do both. Mail your letter certified mail, return receipt requested.

The Federal Trade Commission has a sample letter you can use: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0384-sample-letter-disputing-errors-your-credit-report.

See Dispute Credit Report Errors for more information on how to fix errors.

December 15, 2019

How to Understand Personal Finance Basics

How to Understand Personal Finance Basics.

Understanding your personal finances can be very overwhelming, particularly if you’re just starting out. It is tough to know how best to handle your money, how to go about paying off debt, and where and when to invest. By following some basic steps for doing these things, as well as saving for emergencies and retirement and insuring the assets you’ve worked hard to obtain, you can begin to understand your personal finances and become more confident in your ability to make good decisions regarding them.





Learning How to Create a Budget.



Gather your financial statements and information. Creating a budget is one of the most important aspects of personal finance. A solid budget allows you to plan for how you’ll spend the money you bring in each month and illustrates your spending patterns. To begin, gather all the financial information you can, including bank statements, pay stubs, credit card bills, utility bills, investment account statements, and any other information you can think of.

Most people make monthly budgets so your goal is to figure out how much you make in a month and what your monthly expenses are. The more detail you can provide, the better your budget will be.



Record your monthly income. After gathering all of your financial data, separate out your sources of income. Record the amount of income you bring home in a month. Be sure to include any side jobs you have.

If your income varies from month to month, it may be helpful to figure out your average monthly income for the last six months or so.



List your fixed monthly expenses. Next, look over your financial documents and record any fixed expenses you have, or those that are essential and do not change much from month to month.

Fixed expenses can include things like mortgage payments or rent, credit card payments, car payments, and essential utilities like electric, water, and sewage.



List your variable monthly expenses. You also need to record your variable monthly expenses, which are items for which the amount of money you spend each month varies. These expenses are not necessarily essential and are likely where you will make adjustments to your spending in your budget.

Variable expenses can include things like groceries, gasoline, gym memberships, and eating out.



Total your monthly income and expenses. Once you have recorded all of your income and expenses, both fixed and variable, total each category. Ultimately, you want your income to be larger than your expenses. If it is, you can then decide where it is best for you to spend your excess income. If your expenses are more than your income, you will need to make adjustments to your budget to cut your spending or increase your income.



Adjust your variable expenses to hit your goal. If your budget shows you are spending more than you are earning in income, look at your variable expenses to find places you can cut back on spending, since these items are usually non-essential.

For example, if you are eating out four nights a week, you may have to cut this back to two nights a week. This will free up money you can put toward essential expenses like college loans or credit card debt.

In addition, you may be paying unnecessary monthly fees, like overdraft or late fees. If you are spending money on these types of fees, work on making your payments on time and keeping a bit of a cushion in your bank account.

Alternatively, you can work on earning more instead of spending less. Evaluate whether or not you can pick up a few extra hours of work a week, work overtime, or work any side jobs to increase the amount of money you’re bringing in each month.



Review your budget every month. At the end of each month, take some time and review your spending over the past month. Did you stick to your budget? If not, where did you veer off course? Pinpointing where you are exceeding your budget will help you figure out what kind of spending you need to pay attention to most. Reviewing your budget can also be encouraging if you find you are sticking to it. You may find that it’s extremely motivating seeing the amount of money you saved by cutting back the number of days you eat out a week, for example.













Strategizing to Pay Down Debt..



Pay more than the minimum amount due each month. Even following a strict budget doesn’t mean you can totally avoid debt. Large purchases, like cars, school, and houses often require you to take out a significant loan. In addition, it can be easy to rack up credit card debt quickly. One of the personal finance basics you must understand is how to take care of this debt as quickly as possible. The first step to doing this is to pay more than the minimum payment as often as you can.

For example, say the minimum payment on your car loan is $50 a month. Paying even $60 a month toward this loan can help you pay it off sooner and cut down on the amount you pay in finance charges over time. The more you can pay above the minimum, the better.



Transfer credit card balances with high annual percentage rates. If you have a credit card for which you are paying a high annual percentage rate (APR), it might be a good idea to look into transferring this balance to a credit card that offers a lower APR or no APR for a certain amount of time. This way, your entire payment will be applied to your balance, not interest.

Read the fine print before transferring a balance. Most cards charge a transfer fee (3% of the balance, for example) and only offer 0% APR for a limited amount of time (12 or 18 months, for example). Make sure you understand the terms of your new agreement and shop around for the best option before transferring your balance.



Calculate the amount of debt on each credit card. If you have multiple credit cards, compare the amount of debt you have on each one. You can use this information in two different ways:

Some people believe paying off the credit card with the smallest balance first is best. The idea here is that getting the smaller amount of debt paid off will motivate you and allow you to focus on your remaining debt.

Alternatively, some people believe you should focus on paying off the largest balance because you will be paying the most in interest on this balance. To do this, you would try to make more than the minimum payment on this balance, while paying only the minimum on your smaller balance.

If possible, the best solution is to pay more than the minimum simultaneously on each balance.



Dedicate excess funds toward paying off debt. Once you are able to follow your monthly budget, dedicate any extra funds you have at the end of the month toward paying down your debt. It can be tempting to use this money to treat yourself to a fancy dinner or a new TV, but remember your long-term goals before doing this. In the long run, paying down debt will serve you better than treating yourself to something unnecessary.



Consolidate your debt. If you have multiple credit card accounts, student loans, a mortgage, a car loan, or any combination of these debts, consolidating them into one payment may help you manage them more easily. Typically, when you consolidate debt, you’ll get a debt consolidation loan. These loans usually have a lower interest rate and require lower monthly payments.

While consolidating your debt can make it easier to manage, it may also increase the amount you’ll pay in the long run because it extends your payments over a longer period of time.

If your credit score is not good, you may need a co-signer to be able to get a debt consolidation loan.

You can also consolidate your credit card debt by transferring all of your balances to a 0% APR credit card. If you think you can pay off your debt within 12 to 18 months, this might be a good option. However, if you think it will take you significantly longer to pay it off, this might not be a good option because the 0% APR is usually only good for 12 to 18 months.



Refinance your loans. Refinancing is generally a good option if your financial situation has improved since taking out your loan. Similar to consolidating your debt, refinancing your loans also consolidates your debts and may allow you to make lower monthly payments on your loans. Refinancing might also allow you to shorten the term of your loan to pay off your debts more quickly. In addition, depending on your financial situation, you may also be eligible for a lower interest rate.





Choose a student loan repayment plan. If you can afford it, the standard repayment plan is your best option for repaying federal loans. A standard plan requires you to pay the same amount every month over a ten year period. If you can’t afford the payments on a standard plan, however, the government offers two alternative categories of plans—income-driven and basic.

Income-driven repayment plans extend the terms of your loan to 20 or 25 years and require you to pay a certain percentage of your income toward your loan each month, rather than a fixed monthly payment. In addition, any amount still owed at the end of your loan term is forgiven.

Basic plans include standard, graduated, and extended repayment options. Standard is the best option if you can afford it, but graduated or extended plans may be right in some situations. Graduated plans start you off with low payments and gradually increase them over time. This plan can be good if you expect to make more money over the years. Extended plans extend the terms of your loan to 25 years, allowing you to make smaller payments each month, but pay more in interest over time.











Saving for Emergencies and Retirement.



Set up automatic deposits. It can be tough to commit to putting money into your savings account every month, but it is important to do so to ensure you have enough money for emergencies and for your future. If possible, make automatic payments into a saving account each month.

For example, set your bank account so it automatically transfers $50 from your checking account to savings account at least once a month.

Or, if your paycheck gets deposited directly into your account, you can usually set it up so that a certain portion (either a dollar amount or a percentage) is deposited straight into your savings account. Most professionals recommend putting 10 to 20 percent of your income towards savings each month.



Contribute to a retirement savings plan. You should start saving for retirement as soon as possible to ensure you’ll have enough money to live comfortably when you are done working. The amount you need to contribute to this savings account monthly depends on a number of different factors, like when you start saving, how much you are starting with, and whether or not you’re going to receive any kind of employer contribution.

Many employers offer a 401k, or a retirement savings plan, of some kind to their employees. A lot of companies will also match a percentage of the employee’s contributions into this account over time. If your employer offers a plan of this sort, start contributing to it as soon as you can, even if it is just a small amount.

If you are self-employed or your employer does not offer any kind of retirement savings plan, you can set up your own plan through investment websites or many banks.

Consult a financial advisor to figure out how much you should be putting away for retirement to reach your goals.[19]



Build an emergency fund. In addition to saving for retirement, you also need to save for emergencies, like losing a job, costly car repairs, or unexpected medical expenses. You can use your bank’s savings account for this emergency fund.

Financial professionals recommend you have enough in your savings account to cover a month and a half of living expenses for each person you claim as a dependent. For example, if you are married with one child, you should have enough to cover four and a half months of living expenses.











Investing for Beginners.



Invest in a Target Date Fund (TDF). Figuring out where to invest your money is one of the hardest parts of personal finance basics. Essentially, you want to invest in a variety of stocks, bonds, and treasuries—but which ones? Target Date Funds make this a little easier for you. A TDF is basically a hands-off retirement account. You enter the age you want to retire and the TDF will automatically spread the money you put into this account across a wide variety of stocks, bonds, and treasuries.

Some of the recommended companies through which to do this are Vanguard, Fidelity, and T. Rowe Price.



Diversify your investments. If you choose a more hands-on approach to investing, it is important to diversify your portfolio to reduce risk. Diversifying means that you choose a variety of stocks, bonds, and treasuries in which to invest. You should make sure your investments are spread over a number of different companies and industries. This way, if one company or industry suffers a financial downturn, you will only lose a portion of your investment, not the whole thing.



Invest in your 401k. As mentioned above, investing in a 401k provided by your company is a good idea. There are a couple really good things about this option. First of all, most of the time, the money you put into a 401k is deferred on your taxes until you take it out of the account. Some 401ks are taxed before investing, however, so check with your employer to find out which one you have. Second, your employer will often match the amount of money in your 401k (up to a certain amount) so you are, essentially, getting free money just for investing.

You should invest in a company match 401k even if you are in debt. The return you receive on this type of investing is often more than what your debt is.

The amount of money your company will match often depends how much you invest in your 401k. Usually, you have to hit certain investment thresholds, which will then determine the percentage your company will match.



Invest in a Roth IRA. Another investment opportunity offered by many employers is a Roth IRA. In a Roth IRA, you pay taxes up front on your investment. Investing in a Roth IRA is an especially good idea for young people with low incomes, considering the tax rate will likely increase in their lifetime. This type of investment can be very helpful because it will provide you with a pot of money for your retirement that won’t shrink due to taxes.]















Understanding Why to Insure Your Investments.



Get property insurance. You should invest in property insurance to protect your home, which is often one of your biggest assets. Property insurance is actually required if you have a mortgage. This type of insurance will protect you from having to pay out-of-pocket for any major unforeseen home repairs.

If you rent, it is just as important to invest in renter’s insurance. Your belongings can add up to a significant investment and getting renter’s insurance will help protect you in the event of a burglary, fire, flood, or other disaster.



Buy life insurance. Getting life insurance is especially important if you have a family or are married. Life insurance makes sure your income (or at least part of it) is supplemented in the event that you pass away. This is important because your family could face very tough financial situations if they are unable to make up for the portion of income you brought to the table.



Get health insurance. Health insurance premiums can be a small price to pay if you find yourself sick or seriously injured. Medical bills alone can put you in serious debt if you don’t have some sort of insurance policy. In addition, you’ll likely miss a significant amount of work if you are seriously injured, leaving you no way to pay these bills.

Many employers offer health insurance to their employees at a discounted rate. Usually only full-time employees are eligible to receive health insurance through the company, but some companies may offer it to part-time employees as well.

Buying health insurance independently, without the help of an employer, can be expensive. However, it is worth investing in to make sure you are not crippled by debt in the event you become sick or injured.[28]



Buy automobile insurance. Finally, you should invest in automobile insurance. In fact, it is required of anyone who owns a car in the United States. Auto insurance helps cover the cost to repair your car after an accident and medical bills for you and others involved. A major car accident can put you in debt from car repairs and time off work if you’re injured. It is also possible your assets can be seized to help pay for the other driver’s medical bills if the accident is your fault. Having automobile insurance can help diffuse some of these costs and help keep you out of debt.















Working with a Financial Planner.



Start now. One of the most important things you can do for your personal finances is to start thinking about them and working on them early. It may seem like you have plenty of time to save for retirement, but you can actually lose a lot of money in interest if you wait too long. Make financial planning a regular part of your life—like going to the doctor—and get started as soon as possible.

Get your significant other involved. If you are planning a future together, make sure to include your significant other in your planning. Talking to your partner and including them in the process will ensure you are both on the same page with your spending and saving habits and allow you to develop a plan that meets both of your needs.



Be proactive. Some people assume that everything will work out in the long-run and ignore negative cues about their finances. If you do this, however, you could set yourself up for a major loss. Instead, think about how negative financial situations, like severe drops in the stock market, might affect your financial security and plan alternative options.



Plan out the details. Many people see saving for retirement as a race to reach a certain amount of savings before the date they retire. This approach can be misleading, however. Instead, think about the things you’ll need to pay for, like housing, healthcare, eldercare, hobbies, transportation, and so on. Do your best to figure out how much these products and services will cost you and how you’ll finance them.





Tips.

Figuring out how to handle your personal finances can be very confusing whether you’re a beginner or not. It is a good idea to consult a financial planner to help you decide how to best handle your money.

November 13, 2019

how to understand personal finance basics

How to Understand Personal Finance Basics.

Understanding your personal finances can be very overwhelming, particularly if you’re just starting out. It is tough to know how best to handle your money, how to go about paying off debt, and where and when to invest. By following some basic steps for doing these things, as well as saving for emergencies and retirement and insuring the assets you’ve worked hard to obtain, you can begin to understand your personal finances and become more confident in your ability to make good decisions regarding them.





Learning How to Create a Budget.



Gather your financial statements and information. Creating a budget is one of the most important aspects of personal finance. A solid budget allows you to plan for how you’ll spend the money you bring in each month and illustrates your spending patterns. To begin, gather all the financial information you can, including bank statements, pay stubs, credit card bills, utility bills, investment account statements, and any other information you can think of.

Most people make monthly budgets so your goal is to figure out how much you make in a month and what your monthly expenses are. The more detail you can provide, the better your budget will be.



Record your monthly income. After gathering all of your financial data, separate out your sources of income. Record the amount of income you bring home in a month. Be sure to include any side jobs you have.

If your income varies from month to month, it may be helpful to figure out your average monthly income for the last six months or so.



List your fixed monthly expenses. Next, look over your financial documents and record any fixed expenses you have, or those that are essential and do not change much from month to month.

Fixed expenses can include things like mortgage payments or rent, credit card payments, car payments, and essential utilities like electric, water, and sewage.



List your variable monthly expenses. You also need to record your variable monthly expenses, which are items for which the amount of money you spend each month varies. These expenses are not necessarily essential and are likely where you will make adjustments to your spending in your budget.

Variable expenses can include things like groceries, gasoline, gym memberships, and eating out.



Total your monthly income and expenses. Once you have recorded all of your income and expenses, both fixed and variable, total each category. Ultimately, you want your income to be larger than your expenses. If it is, you can then decide where it is best for you to spend your excess income. If your expenses are more than your income, you will need to make adjustments to your budget to cut your spending or increase your income.



Adjust your variable expenses to hit your goal. If your budget shows you are spending more than you are earning in income, look at your variable expenses to find places you can cut back on spending, since these items are usually non-essential.

For example, if you are eating out four nights a week, you may have to cut this back to two nights a week. This will free up money you can put toward essential expenses like college loans or credit card debt.

In addition, you may be paying unnecessary monthly fees, like overdraft or late fees. If you are spending money on these types of fees, work on making your payments on time and keeping a bit of a cushion in your bank account.

Alternatively, you can work on earning more instead of spending less. Evaluate whether or not you can pick up a few extra hours of work a week, work overtime, or work any side jobs to increase the amount of money you’re bringing in each month.



Review your budget every month. At the end of each month, take some time and review your spending over the past month. Did you stick to your budget? If not, where did you veer off course? Pinpointing where you are exceeding your budget will help you figure out what kind of spending you need to pay attention to most. Reviewing your budget can also be encouraging if you find you are sticking to it. You may find that it’s extremely motivating seeing the amount of money you saved by cutting back the number of days you eat out a week, for example.













Strategizing to Pay Down Debt..



Pay more than the minimum amount due each month. Even following a strict budget doesn’t mean you can totally avoid debt. Large purchases, like cars, school, and houses often require you to take out a significant loan. In addition, it can be easy to rack up credit card debt quickly. One of the personal finance basics you must understand is how to take care of this debt as quickly as possible. The first step to doing this is to pay more than the minimum payment as often as you can.

For example, say the minimum payment on your car loan is $50 a month. Paying even $60 a month toward this loan can help you pay it off sooner and cut down on the amount you pay in finance charges over time. The more you can pay above the minimum, the better.



Transfer credit card balances with high annual percentage rates. If you have a credit card for which you are paying a high annual percentage rate (APR), it might be a good idea to look into transferring this balance to a credit card that offers a lower APR or no APR for a certain amount of time. This way, your entire payment will be applied to your balance, not interest.

Read the fine print before transferring a balance. Most cards charge a transfer fee (3% of the balance, for example) and only offer 0% APR for a limited amount of time (12 or 18 months, for example). Make sure you understand the terms of your new agreement and shop around for the best option before transferring your balance.



Calculate the amount of debt on each credit card. If you have multiple credit cards, compare the amount of debt you have on each one. You can use this information in two different ways:

Some people believe paying off the credit card with the smallest balance first is best. The idea here is that getting the smaller amount of debt paid off will motivate you and allow you to focus on your remaining debt.

Alternatively, some people believe you should focus on paying off the largest balance because you will be paying the most in interest on this balance. To do this, you would try to make more than the minimum payment on this balance, while paying only the minimum on your smaller balance.

If possible, the best solution is to pay more than the minimum simultaneously on each balance.



Dedicate excess funds toward paying off debt. Once you are able to follow your monthly budget, dedicate any extra funds you have at the end of the month toward paying down your debt. It can be tempting to use this money to treat yourself to a fancy dinner or a new TV, but remember your long-term goals before doing this. In the long run, paying down debt will serve you better than treating yourself to something unnecessary.



Consolidate your debt. If you have multiple credit card accounts, student loans, a mortgage, a car loan, or any combination of these debts, consolidating them into one payment may help you manage them more easily. Typically, when you consolidate debt, you’ll get a debt consolidation loan. These loans usually have a lower interest rate and require lower monthly payments.

While consolidating your debt can make it easier to manage, it may also increase the amount you’ll pay in the long run because it extends your payments over a longer period of time.

If your credit score is not good, you may need a co-signer to be able to get a debt consolidation loan.

You can also consolidate your credit card debt by transferring all of your balances to a 0% APR credit card. If you think you can pay off your debt within 12 to 18 months, this might be a good option. However, if you think it will take you significantly longer to pay it off, this might not be a good option because the 0% APR is usually only good for 12 to 18 months.



Refinance your loans. Refinancing is generally a good option if your financial situation has improved since taking out your loan. Similar to consolidating your debt, refinancing your loans also consolidates your debts and may allow you to make lower monthly payments on your loans. Refinancing might also allow you to shorten the term of your loan to pay off your debts more quickly. In addition, depending on your financial situation, you may also be eligible for a lower interest rate.





Choose a student loan repayment plan. If you can afford it, the standard repayment plan is your best option for repaying federal loans. A standard plan requires you to pay the same amount every month over a ten year period. If you can’t afford the payments on a standard plan, however, the government offers two alternative categories of plans—income-driven and basic.

Income-driven repayment plans extend the terms of your loan to 20 or 25 years and require you to pay a certain percentage of your income toward your loan each month, rather than a fixed monthly payment. In addition, any amount still owed at the end of your loan term is forgiven.

Basic plans include standard, graduated, and extended repayment options. Standard is the best option if you can afford it, but graduated or extended plans may be right in some situations. Graduated plans start you off with low payments and gradually increase them over time. This plan can be good if you expect to make more money over the years. Extended plans extend the terms of your loan to 25 years, allowing you to make smaller payments each month, but pay more in interest over time.











Saving for Emergencies and Retirement.



Set up automatic deposits. It can be tough to commit to putting money into your savings account every month, but it is important to do so to ensure you have enough money for emergencies and for your future. If possible, make automatic payments into a saving account each month.

For example, set your bank account so it automatically transfers $50 from your checking account to savings account at least once a month.

Or, if your paycheck gets deposited directly into your account, you can usually set it up so that a certain portion (either a dollar amount or a percentage) is deposited straight into your savings account. Most professionals recommend putting 10 to 20 percent of your income towards savings each month.



Contribute to a retirement savings plan. You should start saving for retirement as soon as possible to ensure you’ll have enough money to live comfortably when you are done working. The amount you need to contribute to this savings account monthly depends on a number of different factors, like when you start saving, how much you are starting with, and whether or not you’re going to receive any kind of employer contribution.

Many employers offer a 401k, or a retirement savings plan, of some kind to their employees. A lot of companies will also match a percentage of the employee’s contributions into this account over time. If your employer offers a plan of this sort, start contributing to it as soon as you can, even if it is just a small amount.

If you are self-employed or your employer does not offer any kind of retirement savings plan, you can set up your own plan through investment websites or many banks.

Consult a financial advisor to figure out how much you should be putting away for retirement to reach your goals.[19]



Build an emergency fund. In addition to saving for retirement, you also need to save for emergencies, like losing a job, costly car repairs, or unexpected medical expenses. You can use your bank’s savings account for this emergency fund.

Financial professionals recommend you have enough in your savings account to cover a month and a half of living expenses for each person you claim as a dependent. For example, if you are married with one child, you should have enough to cover four and a half months of living expenses.











Investing for Beginners.



Invest in a Target Date Fund (TDF). Figuring out where to invest your money is one of the hardest parts of personal finance basics. Essentially, you want to invest in a variety of stocks, bonds, and treasuries—but which ones? Target Date Funds make this a little easier for you. A TDF is basically a hands-off retirement account. You enter the age you want to retire and the TDF will automatically spread the money you put into this account across a wide variety of stocks, bonds, and treasuries.

Some of the recommended companies through which to do this are Vanguard, Fidelity, and T. Rowe Price.



Diversify your investments. If you choose a more hands-on approach to investing, it is important to diversify your portfolio to reduce risk. Diversifying means that you choose a variety of stocks, bonds, and treasuries in which to invest. You should make sure your investments are spread over a number of different companies and industries. This way, if one company or industry suffers a financial downturn, you will only lose a portion of your investment, not the whole thing.



Invest in your 401k. As mentioned above, investing in a 401k provided by your company is a good idea. There are a couple really good things about this option. First of all, most of the time, the money you put into a 401k is deferred on your taxes until you take it out of the account. Some 401ks are taxed before investing, however, so check with your employer to find out which one you have. Second, your employer will often match the amount of money in your 401k (up to a certain amount) so you are, essentially, getting free money just for investing.

You should invest in a company match 401k even if you are in debt. The return you receive on this type of investing is often more than what your debt is.

The amount of money your company will match often depends how much you invest in your 401k. Usually, you have to hit certain investment thresholds, which will then determine the percentage your company will match.



Invest in a Roth IRA. Another investment opportunity offered by many employers is a Roth IRA. In a Roth IRA, you pay taxes up front on your investment. Investing in a Roth IRA is an especially good idea for young people with low incomes, considering the tax rate will likely increase in their lifetime. This type of investment can be very helpful because it will provide you with a pot of money for your retirement that won’t shrink due to taxes.]















Understanding Why to Insure Your Investments.



Get property insurance. You should invest in property insurance to protect your home, which is often one of your biggest assets. Property insurance is actually required if you have a mortgage. This type of insurance will protect you from having to pay out-of-pocket for any major unforeseen home repairs.

If you rent, it is just as important to invest in renter’s insurance. Your belongings can add up to a significant investment and getting renter’s insurance will help protect you in the event of a burglary, fire, flood, or other disaster.



Buy life insurance. Getting life insurance is especially important if you have a family or are married. Life insurance makes sure your income (or at least part of it) is supplemented in the event that you pass away. This is important because your family could face very tough financial situations if they are unable to make up for the portion of income you brought to the table.



Get health insurance. Health insurance premiums can be a small price to pay if you find yourself sick or seriously injured. Medical bills alone can put you in serious debt if you don’t have some sort of insurance policy. In addition, you’ll likely miss a significant amount of work if you are seriously injured, leaving you no way to pay these bills.

Many employers offer health insurance to their employees at a discounted rate. Usually only full-time employees are eligible to receive health insurance through the company, but some companies may offer it to part-time employees as well.

Buying health insurance independently, without the help of an employer, can be expensive. However, it is worth investing in to make sure you are not crippled by debt in the event you become sick or injured.[28]



Buy automobile insurance. Finally, you should invest in automobile insurance. In fact, it is required of anyone who owns a car in the United States. Auto insurance helps cover the cost to repair your car after an accident and medical bills for you and others involved. A major car accident can put you in debt from car repairs and time off work if you’re injured. It is also possible your assets can be seized to help pay for the other driver’s medical bills if the accident is your fault. Having automobile insurance can help diffuse some of these costs and help keep you out of debt.















Working with a Financial Planner.



Start now. One of the most important things you can do for your personal finances is to start thinking about them and working on them early. It may seem like you have plenty of time to save for retirement, but you can actually lose a lot of money in interest if you wait too long. Make financial planning a regular part of your life—like going to the doctor—and get started as soon as possible.

Get your significant other involved. If you are planning a future together, make sure to include your significant other in your planning. Talking to your partner and including them in the process will ensure you are both on the same page with your spending and saving habits and allow you to develop a plan that meets both of your needs.



Be proactive. Some people assume that everything will work out in the long-run and ignore negative cues about their finances. If you do this, however, you could set yourself up for a major loss. Instead, think about how negative financial situations, like severe drops in the stock market, might affect your financial security and plan alternative options.



Plan out the details. Many people see saving for retirement as a race to reach a certain amount of savings before the date they retire. This approach can be misleading, however. Instead, think about the things you’ll need to pay for, like housing, healthcare, eldercare, hobbies, transportation, and so on. Do your best to figure out how much these products and services will cost you and how you’ll finance them.





Tips.

Figuring out how to handle your personal finances can be very confusing whether you’re a beginner or not. It is a good idea to consult a financial planner to help you decide how to best handle your money.

November 10, 2019