Certificates of deposit (CDs) are an attractive saving instrument for individuals seeking a low-risk investment that can be converted into cash fairly readily. CDs require an investment for a fixed period of time such as six months, one year, five …
Glossary of 401(k) and Pension Terms
Here is a brief explanation of commonly used pension and savings terms: Annuity: Regular payments of income (usually monthly) over a specified period of time (often for life). The purpose is to provide a steady stream of income. Beneficiary: The …
Spousal Protections in Pensions and Other Retirement Plans
Defined Benefit and Money Purchase Pension Plans: Defined benefit and money purchase plans must provide two types of protections for the spouses of plan participants who have earned a legal right to a benefit. Pre-retirement: If the participant dies before …
Dollar-Cost Averaging
Dollar-cost averaging is a big term for a fairly simple concept. If you buy a set dollar amount of stocks or stock mutual funds at regular intervals (e.g., every month or every quarter), you’re using the dollar-cost averaging technique. For …
Making Investment Choices – Risk and Return
Risk and return are part of the same equation when you are investing. RISK: When you invest in a stock, bond or mutual fund, you are taking a risk that those investments might decline in value. In other words, you …
Asset Allocation: Don’t Put All of Your Eggs in One Basket
There are three basic places where you can invest your money: Cash: includes certificates of deposit and money market funds; cash does not earn enough interest to keep its value due to inflation Bonds: a certificate of debt from a company …
Debt Collection: Know What Collectors Can and Can’t Do
Debt Collectors – Who They Are and What They Do: Debt collectors are people who collect debts owed to others. Lawyers and collection agencies are common examples of debt collectors. A debt collector can contact you if you, or a …
Debt Warning Signs
If any of the following describe you, you may have too much debt or be heading down a dangerous road to high debts: I’m not sure how much I owe. I can only pay the minimum amounts due on my …
Debit Cards
What are Debit Cards? Debit cards look a lot like credit cards. You can use them to purchase items at most of the same places as credit cards, as well as get cash from ATMs. Unlike credit cards, they withdraw …
Prepaid Debit Cards: Read the Fine Print!
Prepaid cards are reloadable cards that can be used for making payments, and they may seem like a good alternative to bank debit cards for the “unbanked” population. In 2015, 7% of the U.S. population was not connected to a …