Taking out a loan for a new car requires the same homework as purchasing a house
February 25, 2012 by Hudson Watts · Leave a Comment
In New York Daily News Jean Chatzky discusses the lack of research done on behalf of the consumer on finding the best financing for their new car, in comparison to the research done on the car itself.
“We look at miles per gallon, safety ratings and interior space. We take it for a test drive. And then when it comes time to sign on the dotted line, we do it, sometimes without a thought to whether the interest rate is the best we can get.”
Chatzky continues to explain that simple research on the value of their credit score can save consumers a lot of money over the life of their new purchase. She references MoneyAisle as a resource to see what your own credit score is worth without and personal information or cost:
“For guidance, type some details into MoneyAisle.com and allow lenders to bid on you. You don’t have to include any personal info, and you’re under no obligation to accept a loan, so it’s like window shopping. Complete Article…
Would you let your kid buy stock in Disney?
February 25, 2012 by Charlie Stedman · Leave a Comment
I’m not such a big fan of everything Disney that I’ll ever win a trivia game about the Magic Kingdom. Like many parents, I like to go to Disneyland as often as I can afford it and watch my daughter light up when she sees Mickey.
Buying stock in Disney isn’t as fun as using a Park Hopper pass to tour your favorite amusement parks, but it can be educational. What kid doesn’t want to make money?
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As an investment and educational tool, buying stock in Disney or any other company that caters to children can be a way to show them how to invest and hopefully make some money while learning about the stock market. There’s plenty of math involved. They can learn about the power of reinvesting dividends, dollar cost averaging and how news events can move a stock price.
Direct stock purchase plans through Disney require a minimum investment of $250 to start and additional investments of $50 or more if you want to buy more shares.
Mineseeker Operations signs Memorandum of Understanding
February 23, 2012 by Hudson Watts · Leave a Comment
The company NHS Health Solutions, Inc. announced that its wholly-owned British Virgin Islands-registered subsidiary Mineseeker Operations Overseas Limited has formally engaged with a South African company to deploy Mineseeker technology, MIR, across the Southern African Development Community.
The first project discussed will use the MIR technology for the aerial survey of large tracts of land affected by unexploded ordnance. BVI company received a Letter of Intent from the South African company, and has now signed the Memorandum of Understanding which will further entrench the relationship, paving the way for a Joint Venture company, Mineseeker Operations Southern Africa Ltd, which will undertake the contract to survey and clear significant areas of land currently unusable for economic development.
Meetings with the JV partners will take place in Johannesburg, South Africa. Further details of the timing and project value will be released after successful conclusion of the contract negotiations.
Inside the RWA mines
February 17, 2012 by Laura Reveley · Leave a Comment
Were shocked that Commerzbank has rolled out a €1bn capital increase now that European bank equity isnt a total disaster area. Having not done it when it was.
By executing this transaction Commerzbank intends to take advantage of a favourable market opportunity to further improve its capital structure
The cash call is wrapped inside in a hybrid debt buyback. But whatever this was needed, and inevitable at some point.
In the meantime though the German bank still sticks out among its European peers for the sheer scale of its efforts to cut risk-weighted assets . Commerzbank says itll either outright sell or more likely tweak the risk on these RWAs to the tune of €15bn in the first half. Big number.
So, some interesting colour from Nomuras analysts Chintan Joshi and Omar Keenan who were following the banks earnings call on Thursday :
RWA mitigations – in MSB there was a lot of progress made on RWAs. The effects of adding collateral into systems was EUR 5bn alone and CBK staff are getting better at this. There i
Groundhog Day: A Good Reminder to Make Gifts Before the Sun Shines
February 13, 2012 by Hudson Watts · Leave a Comment
Yesterday was a beautiful day in Nashville. Supposedly, that means we’re in for six weeks of miserable weather. Whether or not we receive all of this dreary weather, we expect the sun to be shining bright in spring and summer.
Like the groundhog, a lot of our clients are able to forecast future conditions for their businesses. We encourage our clients to consider their estate planning when conditions are still cloudy, but the future looks bright.
Yesterday, I met with a business owner whose business struggled during the Great Recession. The tide is beginning to turn, and my client believes the business will become very profitable in the next three to five years. Now is a great time for him to make gifts of company stock to a trust for his children. Due to poor earnings for the last three years, an appraiser will put a very low value on the stock. If the stock performs well in the future, the value of the stock will belong to the trust and not to my client. If the stock does not perform well, then my client will only have a modest estate tax problem. His real vulnerability to estate taxes is the possibility that the business will become very valuable while he still owns it.
Prior to making the gift, we will recapitalize the company stock so that 99% of the stock is non-voting and 1% is voting. My client will transfer all of his non-voting stock to a trust for his son and daughter, and he will retain all of the voting stock. This will enable him to control corporate policy, including the salary that he pays to himself.
Gifts should be made when the future is uncertain, but there remains a possibility of sunny weather ahead. Apparently this is the technique that Mitt Romney used to establish a trust fund for his children that is now worth $100 million without paying any gift taxes. Mr. Romney must hav