Web sites that compare gas prices at different stations have been around for years, but the offerings are becoming more sophisticated. In addition to gas prices delivered to cellphones, some Web sites now offer fuel consumption calculators, scout out sources of alternative fuels and even explore mass-transit options.
For some, technology helps them get more mileage out of their money. Gasoline prices are up 16% so far this year, to $3.61 last week, or about 18% higher than this time last year. Analysts are suggesting the price could hit $4 before the summer driving season is over.
... ...The short answer is yes. But there are risky securities lurking in some portfolios.
Money market mutual funds are known for being both liquid and solid. Liquid because you can get your money out of them at any time; solid because they maintain a steady value of $1 per share. And they’re popular because they tend to pay slightly higher rates than Treasury bills or bank savings accounts. Individuals and institutions alike use them to park cash they are waiting to deploy and to ride out market storms. Amid the turmoil of the past year, assets have soared 45%, to $3.5 trillion. But with the credit crunch casting doubt on many formerly safe-seeming securities, the big question for many investors has become, Is my money fund safe?
The short answer is yes, with some caveats: Money market funds have been around since the mid-1970s, and …
... ...International business plans require additional study compared to domestic ones. These require additional expense and time to resolve. Here we will discuss four critical ones for a business plan.
First, we must decide on the business structure. Countries have favorite structures that evolve slowly. When considering international companies, different structures might be required. Typically,
... ...Section 1: The Current Landscape (Battlefield)
ˇ Out of control lawsuits
ˇ Bloated government with an ever-increasing appetite.
ˇ Advancing Socialism
ˇ Insane over-regulation
Section 2: Economic Slavery
ˇ The Middle Class Treadmill
ˇ Hidden inflation gua
The real estate market over the last several years has progressed through a number of phases. There is no doubt that a price adjustment has taken place in the real estate market in the last few years. Newspapers across the country have reported price adjustments in the residential market that seem to be affecting the entire nation but more heavily the east and west coasts.
During the years leading up to the recent correction,
... ...Piercing the corporate veil is a fancy phrase that means that somebody or something is attempting to hold the shareholders of a corporation personally liable for the corporation?s debts. Veil piercing is not an easy task and requires many factors to be proven. The main inquiry is, ?has the corporate form been misused?? If it is concluded that the corporate form is being misused, the court will disregard the corporate entity and hold the shareholders personally liable.
... ...The ads are on the radio, television, the Internet, even in the mail. They refer to payday loans, cash advance loans, check advance loans, post-dated check loans, or deferred deposit loans. The Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, says that regardless of their name, these small, short-term, high-rate loans by check cashers, finance companies and others all come at a very high price.
... ...The corporation is probably the mother of all limited liability entities. The case law is vast and the complexities are many. However, a corporation can be a great business form if you know the differences between the various types of corporations.
Corporations are subject to double taxation. A dollar earned by the corporation is taxed once as a corporate earning and then taxed again upon distribution to shareholders. However, this is not true for all types of corporations.
... ...The other type of business organization is the limited liability organization. These entities can take many forms. These forms are: (1) a limited liability partnership; (2) a limited liability company; (3) a limited liability limited partnership; and (4) a corporation. Note that there are various forms of corporations (such as an S-corporation, a close corporation, and a closely-held corporation), but these are conversations for another day.
Like the unlimited liability entities,
... ...Indian software professionals seem to have dominated the world in providing software development and support services. Bangalore became the highest employer of IT talent overtaking the Silicon Valley. Outsourcing has become a topic of hot debate in countries like US and therefore it should be wise to contemplate how it will fare as we move on in time. In this ... ...
