All Questions
1
vote
1answer
12 views
Can a trade happen “in between” the bid and ask price?
According to Investopedia:
By looking for trades that take place in between the bid and ask, you
can tell when a strong trend is about to come to an end. This is
because these trades are often ...
-1
votes
1answer
15 views
Are there any regulations on the maximum allowed spread on a stock?
In this article here, the bid ask spread is explained as:
Let\'s assume that Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) wants
to purchase 1,000 shares of XYZ stock at $10, and Merrill Lynch ...
0
votes
1answer
32 views
What is a weak long in the stock market?
What is a weak long? I often hear the term 'shaking out the weak longs' which I believe refers to the temporary drop of a stock that forces novice traders (like me) to sell in panic, driving prices ...
-2
votes
0answers
18 views
Does “gross (private) saving” in national account include money that will be drawn out due to debt interest? [closed]
So national accounting identity basically says total expenditure = total income. I get this, but then confusion arises: so we can write C+I+G+(X-M) = C+S+T where C is consumption, I is investment, G ...
4
votes
1answer
36 views
Does total US public debt include state debt?
When I see total US public debt, I wonder whether state debt is included. If "total US public debt" used differently for different cases, I will restrict my case to the usage in national ...
0
votes
0answers
23 views
Prepaid card and swift code
Does anyone know if pre-paid cards such as Visa prepaid cards have Swift or Bic or Iban code, Because they are not really concurrent account?
Thanks in advance for the answer.
-4
votes
1answer
33 views
Does market maker buy when nobody else is buying and sell when nobody else is selling?
In this investopedia article , they say:
Market Makers (MM) - These are the players who provide liquidity in
the marketplace. This means that they are required to buy when nobody
else is ...
3
votes
1answer
21 views
How is the dividend payment calculated when an asset is disposed on the ex date?
Example:
XYZ Corp pays a $0.25/share dividend - Ex date=1/15/13, Pay date 1/31/2013
I own 100 total shares of XYZ on 1/1/2013
I buy 50 shares of XYZ on 1/15/2013 at 12 PM (increasing shares to 150)
I ...
8
votes
2answers
64 views
Is there a term that better describes a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) when it is negative?
When calculating rates of return for an investment or portfolio over time, whether to report or compare performance, one frequently calculates the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR).
I've got a ...
-2
votes
1answer
28 views
What extra information might be obtained from the next highest bids in an order book?
In this article here, Level 2 explains its components. One component is:
Highest bid prices: The highest 5 or 10 prices (depending upon the
market) that traders are willing to pay to buy a ...
2
votes
1answer
36 views
Transfer large amount of money from one Wells Fargo account to another
I'm helping my fiance pay off her student loans. We both have Wells Fargo accounts. What is the quickest and cheapest way to transfer a large amount, say $20K or more, to her account? I'd prefer to ...
0
votes
1answer
35 views
What rules must your broker follow when buying/selling shares for you at the market price?
When you buy/sell shares at market price (not using limits), what rules must your broker follow?
Two scenarios:
You tell your broker to sell shares at market price. The broker buys the shares ...
5
votes
5answers
254 views
why do banks want you to pay off interest before principal?
When you take out a traditional mortgage the first payments you make to a bank pay off mostly interest and then later payments start paying off principal. What is the reason for this? Is it just a ...
4
votes
1answer
41 views
Am I exposed to currency risk when I invest in shares of a foreign company that are listed domestically?
If a multinational firm based in country A is listed in both country A and country B, and I invest in this firm as a resident of country B through country B's stock exchange, either through something ...
-2
votes
2answers
47 views
Why are call options necessary?
My question is actually less ambitious and more specific then the title may have lead you to believe.
Suppose the interest rate is $25\%$ you have a stock at time zero price of $S_0=50$ and at time 1 ...
2
votes
1answer
40 views
Is there a difference between managerial accounting and financial accounting?
In many universities and school, there is both a Managerial Accounting and a Financial Accounting course. From what I can gather, Financial Accounting covers accounting from an perspective of an ...
7
votes
1answer
118 views
How should I move out of my own house?
About a year ago, my mom and I purchased a house. It was something she really wanted and I was pretty much guilt tripped into moving in. After moving into the home and seeing our relationship go ...
3
votes
1answer
84 views
Does buying/selling a stock for a loss count as income?
In 2011 I accidentally bought $1000 worth of stock in a brokerage account and immediately sold it the same day for $985 (a $15 loss). The IRS is now claiming I owe $280 in taxes on $985 of income. Is ...
1
vote
3answers
45 views
Why does the principal/interest applied to my balance fluctuate in spite of making payments on-time?
In my first payment on 6/03/2011, the principal applied to my balance was $261.11 and the interest was $221.64. As I kept making the payment on-time, the principal applied to my balance kept ...
2
votes
3answers
60 views
Long term saving: Shares, Savings Account or Fund
I'm reasonably disciplined with regard to saving but am unsure as to how exactly I should go about it on a long term bases. Should I favour shares, funds or long term saving accounts? What are the ...
1
vote
2answers
26 views
Paying taxes on income earned in the US, but from a company based in Norway
I've recently begun work for a company based in Norway. Right now, I'm an "independent contractor" but in a few months I'll be made full time. I invoice them my hours on the 1st of each month, and I ...
4
votes
1answer
54 views
Can the IRS freeze a business Bank account?
My credit score is really bad, it used to be in the high 700s but is now about as bad as you can imagine. I owe a lot of debt including IRS, credit cards, banks, loans, etc.
I now need to start a ...
6
votes
1answer
57 views
Do I need to keep paper records for my business?
Do I need to keep paper records of invoices, receipts and anything else required for running a business?
Ideally I am hoping that scanned copies are sufficient when running a business.
3
votes
1answer
127 views
How to start a business when you owe the IRS and Everyone else?
My history:
In 2006 I was doing pretty well, my online ventures were doing around $30k profit a month however I am a programmer and did not run the business side of it well at all. (taxes, forming a ...
6
votes
3answers
59 views
Is there anything I can do to prepare myself for the tax consequences of selling investments to buy a house?
I have about $500k in Vanguard funds, in a regular (i.e. taxable, non-retirement) account. I've been building these positions over the past 12 years or so.
There's a chance that I'll want to buy an ...
1
vote
2answers
38 views
Which expenses eat up investments the most: sales charge (front / back-end load), foreign exchange spread, or expense ratio?
I am a bit confused as to which expenses eat up most of the investment.
Some brokers have low sales commission but the foreign exchange spread is high. Some have higher sales commission but lower ...
3
votes
2answers
55 views
How to account for Capital Gains (Losses) in double-entry accounting?
After taking an introductory financial accounting class, I decided to use GnuCash to keep track of my personal finances. I have 5 major accounts in my general ledger:
Equity
Currently only used to ...
7
votes
1answer
106 views
Why did one-year notes pay more than 10-year notes during the 1980's crisis?
Why did one-year notes pay more than 10-year notes during the 1980's crisis? During the early 1980's, one-year T notes paid more than the 10-year T note, which implies that nobody wanted to buy the ...
-4
votes
1answer
50 views
How does the market maker decide the final trading price of a stock? [closed]
I read that a market maker is a brokerage firm that sets bid and ask price. So on NYSE trading floor, I guess there are traders as representatives of each major brokerage firm. A trader from brokerage ...
0
votes
1answer
60 views
Does post-IPO stock investing inhibit GDP growth? [closed]
The money that a company raises during an IPO funding round goes directly to the company, and that money is used to fund the business, which definitely contributes to GDP growth. Following the IPO, ...
0
votes
1answer
48 views
How do I calculate two standard deviations away from the stock price?
How would I figure out how many basis points "two standard deviations" is based on the current spot price?
For example, the S&P 500 is trading at about $1671.20. What is two standard deviations ...
3
votes
1answer
42 views
Is there a non-US app (Chrome/iPhone/Cloud) where one can set financial goals and keep track of progress?
I'm looking for an applications where I can set individual financial goals such as a house, a car, vacations, etc, set how much money I need for said goal, and log progress towards it. Ideally this ...
1
vote
1answer
37 views
What do I need to know before opening a line of credit?
I'm considering opening a line of credit. The main purpose of this LOC would be to cover myself if I overdraw my checking account (I do this occasionally, and pay pretty steep fees every time). With a ...
0
votes
1answer
38 views
Why are fund managers' average/minimum purchase price from form 13F the same?
Using the fund managers 13F form filings you can calculate the average, minimum, and number of shares of a stock they listed for each quarter.
Looking at the data to see who buy/add/reduce/sold out ...
1
vote
1answer
29 views
Economics: negative consumer sentiment following failure to upsell
I was recently at a bricks-and-mortar shop selling some equipment.
I knew exactly what need I had and had a mental picture of the product I expected to purchase.
The store offered two different ...
1
vote
1answer
51 views
Where to find ideas for non-traditional investments for under $100K (USD)? [closed]
Where to find ideas for non-traditional investments for under $100K (USD)?
In the US, I am looking to go into rental property or looking for other options. Where can I find these other options.
3
votes
2answers
62 views
Benjamin Graham: Minimum Size of the company
In the book "Intelligent Investor", Graham recommends a minimum annual sales figure of 100 Million $ as one of the criteria.
How do we adjust this figure for Inflation and a country other than the ...
3
votes
2answers
43 views
How should I specify income that was saved abroad on my children's FAFSA?
I lived and worked in London (even though I'm an American) for the last 5 years, and now I'll be heading back to the states.
My children are about to start college and I have money saved in an ...
4
votes
2answers
64 views
For which alterations on a personal check in the US does one need to initial?
For which alterations on a personal check in the US does one need to initial?
Crossing out one's old address on a personal check is possible. Crossing out an outdated address is not necessary in the ...
1
vote
1answer
29 views
How can one fill in the cent portion of the numeric amount on a personal check in the US?
On personal checks in the US, one fills in the numeric version of the dollar amount towards the left of the respective rectangular field.
Say the check is for $36.25. I have seen different ways of ...
7
votes
1answer
118 views
Which colors can one use to fill out a check in the US?
With which colors can one fill out and sign and personal check in the US?
Black is of course okay; I have heard that blue is also allowed. An ideal answer will give references.
Is there anything ...
3
votes
1answer
28 views
U.S. Bonds Taxed Interest and Current Value
Series EE Bond just matured and I cashed it in.
The current value that I received in cash was only a little more than the original face value.
However, the interest I am paying taxes on is half the ...
1
vote
2answers
28 views
Tax withholding on ESPP discount
I recently enrolled in my company's employee stock purchase plan (ESPP) with the maximum-allowed 10% of my salary. I get the stock at a 15% discount relative to the purchase date (no look-back ...
2
votes
3answers
82 views
betterment vs vanguard life strategy vs vanguard target retirement
I'm a 20 something grad student and would like to open a hands off retirement account with beta exposure to the market and would make monthly contributions. I'm fairly illiterate wen it comes to ...
7
votes
1answer
83 views
How to fill the IRS Offer In Compromise with an underwater asset?
I owe about $6k in back taxes, and simply don't have the money--it's hard for me to find even minimum wage jobs in the current economy, and I am burdened with consumer debt. After speaking with the ...
4
votes
2answers
73 views
Will I have to pay taxes in India when I transfer money from a US bank to an Indian savings account?
I am currently in US, and would like to transfer some amount from my US Bank account to a savings account based in India on a monthly basis through a third party like Xoom or Transfast.
If I'm going ...
0
votes
0answers
29 views
How do I set up a budget in Quickbooks 2010?
I am treasurer for our school's PTO, and I use QuickBooks Premier Nonprofit Edition 2010.
I am trying to track budgets of two different types, and I can't figure out how to do it properly in ...
0
votes
0answers
59 views
Best way to keep smartphone contract in the US while mostly away from country
I have a smartphone contract (T-Mobile) in the US and I'll start living in another country (Japan), while I plan to come back for every few months and stay for awhile. Let's say I'll stay in the US ...
0
votes
1answer
37 views
Low cost real estate appraisal options
So I am buying a rental property as an investment and expect to do the purchase as a cash deal. So technically there is no lender to force me to get an appraisal on the property.
Of course, I still ...
1
vote
1answer
98 views
Can I form a company to rent a car or apartment to my wife's employer for her to use?
My wife's job places her on long-term contracts (> 6 months) in different parts of the US. The employer currently pays for a permanent car through a popular car rental agency and a permanent room ...
