For the three months between March and May 2016, the United Kingdom recorded a record low unemployment rate of 4.9%; which is 10 basis points […]
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Q1 Annuity Sales Reports Indicate Positive Growth
Market research shows last year’s annuity sales broke records. An analysis of first financial reports from top-tier annuity sellers indicates an upward trajectory for 2015. […]
QLACs: New Tool for Preserving Retirement Income
Last summer, the Treasury Department introduced tax rules for a special financial tool known as a Qualified Longevity Annuity Contract (QLAC). QLAC refers to annuities […]
Master Limited Partnerships
A Master limited partnership (MLP) is a publicly traded entity that combines the tax benefits of a limited partnership with the liquidity of a publicly traded company. MLPs are listed on the major U.S. stock exchanges, but because they are partnerships, MLPs do not have to pay corporate taxes at the state or federal level. […]
Portfolio Diversification
Diversification tries to smooth out unsystematic risk events in a portfolio, and moderate the short-term effects of individual investments, so that the positive performance of some assets will neutralize the negative performance of others. […]
Utility Bonds
A utility bond is a type of municipal bond that is issued to finance the construction of public utility projects, such as water systems, sewer systems, electrical plants and various public projects. […]
Auction Rate Securities – Meaning and Risks
Auction rate securities help issuers diversify their funding structure by allowing them to pay at variable, short-term rates, compared to traditional bonds that pay a fixed, long-term rate. […]
Debentures – Features, Types and Benefits
Debentures are a type of debt instrument that are not secured by specific property or collateral, but are backed by the full faith and credit […]
Utility Bonds – Meaning, Merits and Risks
Utility bonds are municipal bonds that are issued to finance the construction of public utility projects, such as water systems, sewer systems, electrical plants and […]
Don’t Be Afraid of Rising Interest Rates
I, for one, am not afraid of rising interest rates and in fact, I’m looking forward to them and here’s why. […]