These days, online shopping is easier than ever. But it’s also harder than ever to know if you’re actually getting the best bang for your buck (I’m officially coining this “savings FOMO”). You can’t even trust Amazon reviews anymore—lots of them are fake and paid for! I’m sorry if I just burst your gullible bubble (gullibubble!), but having a healthy dose of skepticism about the “deals” you find while you shop is actually a great thing. I use that skepticism to my advantage by using apps to make money while I shop. That’s right—you can actually make money (and of course, sa ..read more

Many U.S. Businesses claiming difficulty in finding help. KEY POINTS to consider about the labor shortage Baby Boomers retiring or were forced into early retirement 9.5 million Americans were unemployed Job openings in the country hit 9.2 million, a record high. Pandemic health concerns, childcare and government unemployment benefits are issues, and the labor skills gap that Covid made worse. Closures and layoffs sparked creativity, self-employment and new entrepreneurs. There are several reasons for the labor shortage, among them are retirees. Baby boomers are one of the largest birth ..read more

Fidelity® Q2 2021 Retirement Analysis: Key takeaways Account Balances Reach Record Levels for the Third Consecutive Quarter 401(k) Loans are Trending Down, More Workers are Increasing their Savings Rates Workers Indicate They Are Feeling Less Stressed, More Hopeful BOSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Fidelity Investments®, a market-leading workplace benefits company and America’s No. 1 IRA provider1, today released its quarterly analysis of more than 30 million IRA, 401(k), and 403(b) retirement accounts. Although many Americans are still addressing challenges posed by the pandemic, Fidelity’s ..read more

Ripple, the leading provider of enterprise blockchain and cryptocurrency solutions for global payments, announced two new appointments to its leadership team. Rosa “Rosie” Gumataotao Rios, 43rd Treasurer of the United States, joins the Ripple Board of Directors and Kristina Campbell joins as Chief Financial Officer. “These two exceptional leaders join Ripple at a pivotal time for the company,” said Brad Garlinghouse, CEO, Ripple. “Rosie’s experience in the public and private sectors provides an invaluable perspective to Ripple, especially during this time as the industry works to define crypto ..read more

Inflation – What is it, and how to hedge against it. In 1936 a silver dollar was worth $1. Today silver dollar values are on the move, with silver at $27.68 an ounce. All silver dollars minted prior to 1936 are worth a minimum of $25.26 each. This is an increase of over 2500%. When I was a child, my parents owned a lovely small house in a prestigious neighborhood. They sold the house in 1967 for $27,000.00 Today this small house is valued at over $600,000.00. Just like compound interest compound inflation grows faster and faster.  The average annual inflation since ..read more

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) announced it has finalized investments in two additional African AmericanMinority Depository Institutions (MDIs): The Harbor Bank of Maryland and Industrial Bank of Washington, D.C. By making these last two equity capital investments, the company has made investments in a total of 13 MDIs and has fulfilled the bank’s March 10, 2020, announcement to commit $50 million to Black-owned banks in communities across the country. “We are pleased to announce our investments in the Harbor Bank of Maryland and Industrial Bank, bringing the to ..read more

SOURCE: The Economist Intelligence Unit 27th May 2021 Consumers are increasingly adopting cashless payment methods while governments are stepping up planning or piloting of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and companies are experimenting with accepting open-source digital currencies, such as Bitcoin, for treasury or portfolio allocation. A cashless trend was already strong, according to the previous year’s research but in 2021, covid-19 prompted more movement away from physical cash. In 2020, only about 72% of respondents said that their country was likely to become a cashless s ..read more

Businesses can temporarily deduct 100% beginning January 1, 2021 The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service issued Notice 2021-25 PDF providing guidance under the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Relief Act of 2020. The Act added a temporary exception to the 50% limit on the amount that businesses may deduct for food or beverages. The temporary exception allows a 100% deduction for food or beverages from restaurants. Beginning January 1, 2021, through December 31, 2022, businesses can claim 100% of their food or beverage expenses paid to restaurants as long as the b ..read more

What Is a Trade Deficit? A trade deficit happens when a country’s imports exceed the exports during a given time period. The Advantage of a Trade Deficits A trade deficit allows a country to consume more than it produces. Trade deficits can help countries to avoid shortages of goods and other economic problems. Some countries a trade deficits will correct over time. A trade deficit creates downward pressure on a country’s currency. With a cheaper domestic currency, imports become more expensive in the country with the trade deficit. Consumers reduce their consumption of imports and shift t ..read more

The Internal Revenue Service reminds everyone that May includes National Hurricane Preparedness Week and is also National Wildfire Awareness Month. Now is a good time to create or review emergency preparedness plans for surviving natural disasters. In the last year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) declared major disasters following hurricanes, tropical storms, tornados, severe storms, flooding, wildfires, and an earthquake. Individuals, organizations, and businesses should take time now to make or update their emergency plans. Secure key documents and make cop ..read more