Note: This promotion has expired! Good news for anybody who wants to get in the stock market now. Online broker TradeKing has extended its $50 new account bonus through November. Here are the details:
If you’ve been thinking about starting to invest in stocks on your own, now’s looking like a good time to “buy low”. Online broker TradeKing is offering new traders a $50 bonus after your first trade…but it’ll end on November 30, 2008! Featuring $4.95 trades, TradeKing is consistently given high marks in SmartMoney magazine’s annual broker survey, including a win this year for best customer service.
I’m curious to hear your arguments for contributing to either a Roth IRA, traditional IRA, or both. What do you do? Unless I’m missing something, the scales tilt heavily on the side of Roth IRAs for us twentysomethings. [...]
A quick clarification for a couple readers asking whether you can cash out your 401(k) and take a cash dispersal. The quick answer is no, not anytime. [...]
Did you know that 45% of Americans cash out their 401(k) retirement accounts when they leave their employers? Do you know that when you cash out your account before the age of 59 ½ that your withdrawal is not only taxed like regular income but also subject to a 10% early withdrawal penalty?
The decision to cash out your 401(k) when you leave a job should not be made lightly. Are there any times you should cash out you 401(k) early? Perhaps. Here’s when cashing out might be okay, and what to do when you shouldn’t. [...]
IndyMac Bancorp—once the nation’s 10th largest mortgage lender—has gone belly-up, leaving approximately 10,000 uninsured depositors high and dry. These guys will be lucky to recover 50% of their uninsured money. What can we learn about managing your money from the IndyMac failure? [...]
Stephanie asks: I recently started a new job that will not match 401(k) contributions until I complete one year of service. Should I still contribute prior to being eligible for matching? [...]
As the economy hiccups, more workers are turning to 401(k) loans for emergency cash. According to a recent study by the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, 18% of U.S. workers took a 401(k) loan last year. That’s an increase from 11% in 2006. Taking a loan from your 401(k) account is not difficult, but it’s not a good idea. [...]
“Trader” by killthebird.
You don’t have to be a math whiz – or a millionaire – to invest in the stock market.
In fact, the sooner you get comfortable buying and selling stock (and start investing in some solid companies), the better you can leverage stocks in your portfolio as your net worth grows.
Here’s an explanation of the three most common trading methods new investors should understand. [...]
I have written a lot about the importance of contributing to a 401(k) or IRA on this site, but rarely about how you should invest that money. Truth is, getting money out of your paycheck and into investments is only half the fight. Now it’s time for the second round: As a twenty something investor, how should you allocate your funds? [...]
You might wonder what Starbucks closing 7,100 stores tonight has to do with personal finance, other than the fact it might save you $4 if you happen to crave a latte this evening. Well, if you own Starbucks stock, you might be optimistic CEO Howard Schultz’s plan to reeducate 135,000 Starbucks employees on “espresso excellence,” among other topics, might reverse the stock’s recent downward spiral.
As a former Starbucks employee, however, I am personally interested in how the company is trying to return to its roots. For the uninitiated, those roots are more than just selling premium coffee and espresso. What made Starbucks so great was the focus the corporation put on being a great place to work. [...]
