Posts by Eric Reed:
The Volcker Rule was established following the Great Recession of the late 2000s and early 2010s. Essentially, the law stops depository banks from making risky and speculative investments with customer deposits. Furthermore, it prohibits banks from owning and investing in private equity funds, hedge funds and some other specific investments. This is meant to protect customers’ funds from losses on the open market. Read more
Medicare is one of the most popular health care programs in America. Part of what sells the program is its simplicity: You turn 65, you get healthcare. But in reality, Medicare is a patchwork of several different programs, and figuring out what is and isn’t covered at any given time can be a challenge. For current and future enrollees looking to understand their health insurance, we go over what the various sections of Medicare cover. Read more
Medicare coverage, specifically Part D, is rather complex. For years, the potential benefits of this program were overshadowed by the “donut hole.” This refers to a large gap in Medicare drug coverage that would force enrollees to pay out-of-pocket for prescription drugs for some time. In 2019, federal law removed the donut hole. Read more
Individual retirement account (IRA) contributions are not unlimited. The IRS puts a cap on both how much you can contribute to your account each year and when that annual cutoff ends. For everyone… Read more
Limit orders are increasingly important as the pace of the market quickens. According to CNN, computer algorithms execute more than half of all stock market trades each day. Limit orders that… Read more
Structured notes were beloved by Wells Fargo bankers. The SEC warns that they are incredibly risky for the average investor. Structured notes offer investors options that are otherwise unavailable,… Read more
Want to invest your individual retirement account (IRA) in private placement securities, real estate or even Bitcoins? You can, but you’ll need to find a custodian for what would be a self-directed… Read more
Commodity futures are contracts to buy or sell a specific amount of a commodity at a certain price on a designated date. If the price of a commodity goes up before that date, a commodity futures… Read more
Transfer on death (TOD) accounts can keep your estate planning intact while keeping your beneficiaries out of court. If you’re among the 57% of adults who don’t currently have a will or trust, your… Read more
A 401(k) plan is one of the most flexible workplace retirement plan options available, while a SIMPLE IRA plan is less flexible but also less complex to use and administer. Each of these have their… Read more
Series A funding is the first round of capital after a seed round that a startup company raises from professional investors in order to grow the business. Starting a company takes money — sometimes a… Read more
For members of the U.S. military, housing assistance is one of the most significant benefits they can receive. Life on a base might not be for everyone. For servicemen and women who prefer it, though… Read more
For the most part, the money you place in your retirement accounts is untouchable during your working years. If you follow these rules, the IRS affords you various tax benefits for saving for… Read more
Deferred retirement option plans (DROPs) are of benefit to both employees and employers. In exchange for continuing to work past your eligible retirement age, an employer will set aside annual lump… Read more
From a retiree’s perspective, the biggest risk with defined benefit retirement is that you are at the mercy of your former employer. That could put your retirement at risk if the employer or its… Read more
Medicare and Medicaid are two health insurance programs run by the government. Despite their similar names, they differ in some key respects. Medicare is available to most Americans over the age of… Read more
So you own a business and you’re looking to incorporate. Two of the most popular business structure are the S Corp and the LLC. Which is best for your business can depend on many factors, such as… Read more
Not to be confused with a divorce decree or property settlement, a qualified domestic relations order (QDRO) specifically recognizes an ex-spouse’s or soon-to-be-ex-spouse’s interest in the other… Read more
An annuity is a contract to guarantee a series of structured payments over time. It starts at a predetermined date and lasts for a predetermined time. There are two main forms of annuity: the… Read more
Life is expensive in San Francisco. Arguably the current hub of innovation in America, some of the richest companies in the world call San Francisco home. These companies have brought high-paid… Read more
If you’re seriously thinking about New York City as a place to live, you’ll want to be sure that you can do so within your means. A wide range of salaries exists in the Big Apple, so it’s important… Read more
If you have looked into products like annuities, you’ve probably seen the term “exclusion ratio” floating around. It’s one of the most important factors you need to consider when planning your… Read more
Teslas are hot right now, and not just because they’re named after a man who once tried to invent the death ray. Elon Musk’s brainchild has cultural cachet, doesn’t need gas and might just help keep… Read more
A franchise can be the best of both worlds. When you become a franchisee, you get to launch and own your small business without having to create one from the ground up. A franchise means buying into… Read more
Whether you’re a financial professional or just an interested stockholder, you’ve probably run into the acronyms “EBIT” and “EBITDA” before. Both of these analytical metrics are a way of measuring a… Read more
