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Categories for Blog

  • A Final Budget Bill, Military Support in the Middle East and Campaign Finance Reform

    Posted Date March 1, 2019 Posted Time 12:00 pm Published in

    Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (H.J.Res. 31) – This is the budget appropriations bill that was finally agreed upon in order to avoid a second government shutdown in February. The bill authorizes funding for government agencies through the end of the fiscal year (Sept. 30, 2019). Among its hundreds of provisions, the bill appropriates the following: $1.375 billion to build a physical barrier along 55 miles of the southern border in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas $415 million for humanitarian relief for medical care, transportation, food and clothing at the southern border $12 billion for federal disaster relief $3.16 billion... View Article

  • New Electronic Business Tools For 2019

    Posted Date March 1, 2019 Posted Time 12:00 pm Published in

    The 2019 Consumer Electronics annual tech convention in Las Vegas showcased popular new options for business owners looking to boost employee productivity. Check out some of this year’s favorites. Laptops Dell Latitude 7400 2-in-1 The new Dell Latitude includes two innovative security features – a fingerprint reader and a contactless smart card reader. The 14-inch laptop combines an infrared camera with Windows Hello facial recognition software to unlock the device as a familiar user approaches. The new feature, called ExpressSign-In, also automatically locks the laptop when the user steps away. However, users might be even more impressed by its new... View Article

  • 8 Good Things to do with Your Tax Refund

    Posted Date March 1, 2019 Posted Time 12:00 pm Published in

    Getting a tax refund is always a great feeling. But what should you do with it? While the first thing you might be tempted to do is spend it on a splurge for yourself, here are a few other things you might want to consider. Start an Emergency Fund. If you don’t have one, this kind of account is critical. If you already have one, add to it. Online savings accounts that are interest bearing or money market accounts are your best bets. You can’t control the future, which is why being prepared is your best defense. Pay Off Debt.... View Article

  • 8 Strategies To Reduce Market Exposure

    Posted Date March 1, 2019 Posted Time 12:00 pm Published in

    Over a 10-day period in December 2018, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) dropped by more than 350 points six different times. It then experienced its largest increase on record – a 1,000-point gain in one day. This dramatic volatility fueled speculation that we are on track for a long overdue market correction in the near future. Most investment advisors discourage long-term investors from engaging in market timing, which is the strategy of buying and selling based on market movement. The general consensus is that no one can accurately predict upswings and downturns, and history shows that staying invested over... View Article

  • Understanding Targeted Longer-Term Refinancing Operations

    Posted Date March 1, 2019 Posted Time 12:00 pm Published in

    With speculation of a third round of Targeted Longer-Term Refinancing Operations (TLTROs), understanding how they’ve been implemented and how they’ve performed is essential to see just how this program might be extended. According to the European Central Bank, TLTROs “are Euro system operations that provide financing to credit institutions for periods of up to four years.” Their purpose, according to the ECB, is to help European countries’ banks provide more lending to all segments of the economy. TLTRO Origins As a reaction to the sovereign debt crisis, the ECB created the TLTRO program to help increase liquidity and reduce the... View Article

  • How to Create Cash Flow Projections and Profit & Loss Statements

    Posted Date March 1, 2019 Posted Time 12:00 pm Published in

    When it comes to making cash flow projections, we’re all aware that it’s not an exact science. One of the main difficulties about accurately projecting cash flow has to do with timing. Examples include factoring in overhead such as payroll; lease or tax payments on the building; using credit to make purchases or for future investment to grow the business; and when payment is collected from clients. Understanding Cash Flow Projection One important reason that many business owners create a cash flow projection is to include it in their business plan when they approach an investor or bank for a... View Article

  • Winners and Losers of the Tax Bill

    Posted Date March 1, 2019 Posted Time 12:00 pm Published in

    In 2018 when President Trump and the Republican Congress rewrote the tax code, everyone knew there would be winners and losers. Exactly how this will play out is just starting to be seen – it closes loopholes while opening others and takes away some perks while creating new ones. Let’s see who the winners and losers really are by looking at the results of the tax law now and over time. Winners and Losers Will Change Over Time Almost all taxpayers get some type of tax cut; for example, the Tax Policy Center estimates that only about five percent of... View Article

Copyrights @ 2019. James O. Taylor