Even with a lack of financial support, immigrant entrepreneurs continue flying over hurdles and boosting our country’s economic development. Proving their determination to succeed from the start, people from all walks of life have traveled to the U.S. for centuries to improve the lives of their families and communities. Commitment to hard work and prosperity…
Many investors are seeking opportunities to fund startup companies, but not enough are providing funds to support the growing leaders in entrepreneurship: women. If you’re looking to fund a startup, there is no lack of evidence that female founders are on the rise: Since 1997, the number of businesses owned by women has increased 74%,…
Every year, the Trustees of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds release reports to Congress on the current financial condition and projected financial outlook of these programs. The 2016 reports, released on June 22, 2016, project a small Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) and Medicare premium increases for 2017, and discuss ongoing financial challenges.…
The Department of Education has issued new rules for campus-sponsored debit and prepaid credit cards that are directly linked to financial aid disbursements. While many financial institutions have partnerships with colleges to market these products as financial aid tools, consumer groups argue that they sometimes come at a high cost to students. As a result,…
On May 18, 2016 President Obama and Secretary Perez announced the publication of the Department of Labor’s Final Rule which ends two years of speculation regarding the effect which the proposal would have on both employees and employers. According to the Department of Labor, these rules will affect more than 4 million workers. The Final Rule…
While retirement confidence among U.S. workers appears to be stabilizing, confidence among today’s retirees continues to climb, finds the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) in its latest Retirement Confidence Survey. Workers who said they were “very confident” in their ability to afford a comfortable retirement rose from 13% in 2013 to 22% last year. In…
You worked hard to obtain the funding your company deserves, but how can you be sure your finances won’t diminish too quickly once you’ve reached your goal? Too many business owners get so caught up with funding that they can unintentionally neglect the long-term quality and stability of their organization. Rather than drowning from all-too-common,…
There’s still time to make a regular IRA contribution for 2015 You have until your tax return due date (not including extensions) to contribute up to $5,500 for 2015 ($6,500 if you were age 50 by December 31, 2015). For most taxpayers, the contribution deadline for 2015 is April 18, 2016 (April 19, 2016, if you…
New rules take effect in 2016 On October 30, 2015, after three and a half years of proposals, comments, and discussion, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced its final rules on equity crowdfunding for small businesses. The forms that funding portals use to register with the SEC became effective on January 29, 2016, while…
When it comes to handling finances, we see many families that want to organize their funds in the most beneficial way possible, especially those planning for disability expenses. In December, 2014, the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act, or ABLE Act, became a federal law in order to improve the lives of people with disabilities. The…