Some investors have knowingly or unknowingly purchased and sold company stocks on the stock exchanges using insider trading tips. If Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) discovers unethical practices within an organization involving traders, the consequences can result in federal prison time and/or hefty fines and penalties.

Phil Mickelson, a professional golfer, is an example of a trader who had involvement in an SEC case that federal prosecutors had under investigation in a trading scheme in 2011. Phil Mickelson insider trading was illegal that resulted in him paying over $1 million in fines plus a $105,000 penalty in interest.

It is the primary reason investors must perform due diligence on all securities before investing their capital in stocks, indexes, bonds, and annuities. Billy Waters, a friend of Mickelson, provided the insider trading tip after he received confidential information from his friend Tom Davis, who served as a board member at Dean Foods. Phil purchased over $2 million in the company’s stock and made a whopping profit of $931,000. The FBI and SEC became involved and investigated the trading transactions, but never charged him with any crime.

What saved Phil Mickelson in court was the Newman rule because the charges against him were difficult to prove in court. His defense team used the rule to reduce the charge to a citing for benefiting from wrongdoing. Whether he knew about the insider trade, he probably learned a valuable lesson as an investor. Investors should investigate a security to determine if the company is legitimate and honest in their business affairs. If the investment will expose you to fraud and legal prosecution, it is best to avoid investing your capital into a stock.

How to Research if a Company Is Legitimate and Has Integrity

The only way to know if a security is legitimate is to do your research on the broker or brokerage firm and the securities. You, as an investor, must investigate a business before making an investment in public security or into a private company as an angel investor. To offer securities on US stock exchanges, companies must register with SEC, pay annual federal income taxes, and file the forms with SEC. If a business owes back taxes and has a lien against the company, investors should seek other investment opportunities.

Angel investors should be knowledgeable of companies not listed on stock exchanges and do thorough research on whether the company has integrity. Those entities should be in good standing with IRS and have a professional tax preparer or a tax attorney.

You can find out information on a company not listed on a stock exchange and its legitimacy by hiring a business lawyer specializing in taxes and business law. Legal representation will ensure you have information about the financial conditions of a company and its registration with the state or city.

Ways You Can Check if a Security Is Legitimate

• If you are using a broker or brokerage firm to make investments in securities, research the companies on the SEC site first. You want to make sure brokerages are legit and not running a scam to take your capital. To purchase or sell securities, they must have a license to conduct business in their country or state. You can find this information on the FINRA website to evaluate the background of a firm or broker
• Visit the SEC website to search for the registration of companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ, and other stock exchanges. SEC does not offer advice on whether a security is a wonderful investment, but reviews registration statements for securities. The federal agency requires businesses to abide by its disclosure rules.
• Check Edgar database to research the financial information and operations of a publicly-traded company. The service is free to the public for all investors to review filings of companies on its website. SEC has a link to the Edgar database to research information about variable annuities, mutual funds, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

Investors can perform their own due diligence about the integrity and legitimacy of securities and companies, or rely on the expertise of an attorney. Phil Mickelson is an example of an investor who had to pay over a million dollars in fines and penalties for his role in insider trading. Whether he knowingly or unknowingly secured the investment, there were legal repercussions for his actions and involvement.

 

Importantly, no one was born knowing the way they should handle their finances. It is just a skill that you should learn from time to time, expecting mistakes that you should not take them as a barrier but as a factor to strengthen you and teach you how you are supposed to handle your finances.

But then there is no need for you to face it rough while learning the tips to consider to maintain your finances. Here are some of the seven tips that will help you understand the right way to handle your funds.

1. Simple Budgeting

Maintaining a simple budget is the main jet to financial maintenance, and this applies to every age, both the adults and the young adults. Notably, a budget means a way to understand the amount of money you are bringing in, taking it to put, and how you are spending it. I learn and know how to do this simple budgeting; then, you should be assured of financial handling.

2. Maintain your expenses and income reports

If you have anything that you have to spend by the end of the day, you can track it every day. Importantly, organizing your financial needs is the critical difference between a successful financial plan and a financial plan that is not successful at all. Maintaining your expenses as well as the income reports that belong to you helps you as an individual to be able to have a better financial plan.

3. Save up for the dry season

Generally, everyone experiences a hard time. This challenging time is the one that is referred to as the dry season. It is a period whereby there is no enough financial provision almost for everyone, and most people tend to experience a lot of hardships during this period. Therefore, for you to succeed well in terms of finance, you are supposed to save upon for this particular season known as the dry season.

Dry seasons may also mean the emergencies that anyone may need, for the young adults, you may not have learned well about financial planning. By saving upon the dry season, you will help you if there is an emergency that requires immediate action.

4. Consider finding alternative options for insurance

Notably, for any young adults with a bright future in terms of savings and investments, it is automatic that you will have something that will require you to get insurance for them. Importantly, suppose you are getting total car insurance cover; In that case, you should consider using one specific company since by doing this, you will be able to be given a discount that will have favoured you due to your great trust for the company.

5. Learn to keep Emergency funds.

Keeping emergency funds is not always easy, especially for young adults who ate beginning their working lives. Therefore, you need to avoid hardships during the time that you will require emergency funds. Therefore, you need to keep these emergency funds since it is normal to have emergencies from one time to another. It is also essential to note that if your emergency funds can make some good money for you, it would be an excellent use of the money you gave spared while saving.

6. Meet with a planner for finance

It will be useless for you to consider your earnings or investments to bring a profit every month if you misspend it. Generally, many individuals have a lot of money, but it is never seen where it goes; the funds are not well spent. Therefore, for you to spend your funds well and have a better plan for them, meeting a financial planner would be of great benefit.

This is because they will help you understand the different ways you are supposed to plan for the money you get after every month or even whenever you get the full amount. These financial planners are well known to bring some techniques that were not known to you and only happen when you meet two for further advice.

7. Economize your funds

When many individuals are told to economize their money, they tend to think that they are limited to using their own money. Therefore, you should learn that economizing your own money would enable you to save enough and teach you to spend on what you are supposed to spend on, not just everything you wish to spend on. Notably, the critical way to maintain your funds well is also knowing how to economize it.

As seen earlier, the maintenance of funds is an essential aspect of life-to-life challenges that occur unknowingly. It is also essential, especially when you want to start up either a business or something else.

The essential finance tips will enable young adults to spend their funds well and have a better plan, and that will still influence their future well and how they will survive.

If you need a new car, chances are that you’re starting to look at getting financed and researching the latest models. While buying a new car can be a fantastic investment, so can buying a used car. Buying a used car over a new one can be especially advantageous for people who are on a tight budget.

Besides just the price, there are many other advantages to buying a used car. For starters, you’re doing the earth favor by reducing waste and purchasing something that’s already been used.

However, if you don’t know the right tips, you may find yourself with a purchase that you seriously regret. To help you through the process, take a look at some of the best tips for buying a used car.

Do Your Research

One of the best perks of living in this digital era is that you can do all of your research from the comfort of your home. Take time to go on to the internet and study up on everything from the kind of car that would be suitable for you to getting to know local dealerships.

In order to make sure that you get a good deal, you should be clear on what the going price is for the kind of car you’d like to buy. You should also make sure that you choose a reputable dealer who is known for making their customers happy. Otherwise, you could find yourself with a car that is far from being worth what you paid for.

Know Your Way Around a Car

In order to get the best value for a car, you should know basic terminology and how a car works. Before you go out to view potential cars to purchase, you should know your way around the inside of a car.

It’s advantageous if you don’t look like you’re a naive buyer. If you hope to be well respected by the salesperson, do a little homework on cars first.

Check Vehicle History

Even if a car salesperson or a previous car owner tells you that a car hasn’t been in any prior accidents, you should not take their word for it. As much as you might like to believe that people are honest, the sad truth is that they are often not.

It’s important that you check any pre-owned vehicle’s history through Carfax. You’ll see all kinds of critical information from who has owned the car to how many accidents it’s been in. This information will help you determine whether the car is worth the price they’re asking for or not.

Take It For a Test Drive

If there’s one thing you should do before handing over your money, it’s taking the car for a test drive. Note any strange sounds or behavior that the car makes and make sure that you look out for any red flags.

A test drive is important because often people think a certain car is right for them, then once they get behind the wheel, they realize it’s not as comfortable as they might have hoped for.

 

No one is perfect in this world, everyone does mistake now and then. Doing a mistake is not a bad thing but it can harm you badly when you do that in your professional career. In the forex trading market, a mistake can lead u to a devastating outcome. If you thinking about purchasing a trading robot for error-free trading trust me you will regret it for sure. Though staying away from human errors is impossible, but understanding the reasons behind those mistakes can help a trader to avoid those mistakes. We will talk about a few common reasons behind mistakes and how to avoid those mistakes.

Not having proper knowledge of the sector

Most of the forex trading advertisements that will pop up in front of you when you are surfing the internet tell you that you can be bilinear in no time. As a result, people become too much interested in this market. Often they leave there 9 to 5 job and wants to become a trader. It’s not a bad decision but without proper knowledge, you can’t make single money from this market, rather than losing all the money you have. Forex is a risky profession, so if you don’t have proper knowledge about this industry then you should join this market.

Not following any trading plan

When you are a trader you have to be always ready for all changes in the market. You have to follow a proper plan when you are in this industry. You may earn a lot without having a trading plan, but trust me in the long run you may end up with a blow-up bank account. To avoid this type of scenario the first thing you have to do when you are thinking about joining the trading industry is making a trading plan which will help you to achieve your required goal. Consider all types of situations when you are making a trading plan.

Having a wrong goal

Setting a meaning full goal is an important task when you trading in forex. If you set a goal of earning $1,000 with an account with a balance of $5,000, it’s nearly impossible and if you try to achieve it, you will face a devastating outcome. So always set an achievable goal and act accordingly. In case, you want to trade in mutual fund, visit https://www.home.saxo/en-sg/products/mutual-funds. Study the trading environment to take better trades.

Impatience and indiscipline

Forex has become the most profitable business these days. If you are smart enough to identify potential market move and you can earn a lot of money. But finding the potential move of the market is not an easy task and it doesn’t come overnight. You need lots of practice and experience to identify certain moves of the market. When you going through the forex market for finding a good signal, you will find lots of signals. But you shouldn’t rush into opening a position whenever you see one, you always have to wait for the perfect price for opening a position. You should not go for all the signals you see but you have to analyze the signal if that goes with the strategy.

Poor money management

No one likes to lose money, because earning money is not an easy task. Every business is risky you don’t have proper money management rules. The same goes for the forex market, when you building a trading strategy you have to consider money management rules. Many trader take too much risk for earning more as a result some of them blown their account in a few trades. So always keep your risk exposer very low.

Low capitalization

This is a big problem when you are trading in forex. Without sufficient funds, you ant get the most from this market. Due to margin and leverage, a trader can open a position of any size but the outcome will not be much satisfying. In the forex market, you can lose money anytime for your own mistake, so if you don’t have enough money which you can risk then you should avoid trading in this market.

Mistakes can happen anytime, but you have to try not to make it happen. You have discussed some key mistakes that traders often do. So follow them and if a mistake is made then try to learn from it so that it doesn’t happen again.

 

If you’re concerned that your gambling hobby may have developed into an unhealthy addiction, you’ve come to the right place. As listed below are a few questions to ask yourself to figure out if you have a gambling problem.

Do you think about gambling numerous times per day?

If you find yourself obsessing about gambling, multiple times throughout each day, there’s a high likelihood that you have developed a serious gambling addiction. Especially if you think about gambling, more often than you think about your friends, family members, career and hobbies. If you find yourself thinking about making a bet, when you’re loading your dishwasher or commuting to work, it’s well worth seeking help for your gaming addiction.

Do you spend money which you’ve set aside for necessities on gambling?

If you start spending money which you’ve put aside for rent, groceries or your mortgage on gambling, it’s a sign that your brain has started to prioritize gambling over your life. Especially if you borrow money to gamble or use your credit cards in order to place bets. If you have spent money which is set aside for your necessities to gamble, it’s well worth seeking professional help as a problem gambler.

Are you honest about your gambling habits?

If you try to cover up the frequency of your gambling or the amount of money which you spend on gambling with your partner, friends or family members, there’s also a high chance that you’ve grown addicted to gambling.

Have you increased the amount of money which you spend gambling?

Many individuals who develop a gambling addiction, first started off betting small amounts and over time grew addicted to spending larger amounts. As most gamblers, keep seeking to experience the thrill which they first experienced the first time that they won a jackpot or a bet. Unfortunately it’s too uncommon for gamblers to grow tired of placing small bets and to gravitate to making larger and larger bets. Which will ultimately cause them to lose larger and larger sums of money.

Have you ever gambled in order to win enough money to clear your outstanding debt?

If you’ve gotten into serious debt as a result of your gambling addiction, you may have started to gamble larger amounts in the hopes of winning enough money to clear all of your outstanding debts. The issue with this strategy is that you’re highly unlikely to win the amount of money which you require to clear your debts. As the house always wins. Worse yet, if you do manage to win a large sum of money, you’ll be highly tempted to spend it on a large bet in order to multiply your winnings. Which could cause you to lose all the money which you had won in an instant.

So if you answered yes to any of the questions which were listed above, it’s highly likely that you have developed a serious gambling problem, which can adversely affect every area of your life. The good news is that no matter how addicted to gambling you are, it’s possible to recover from your addiction and to rebuild your life again.

 

Today, you can find many different kinds of websites offering people to play online casino games. With all the offers, it’s no wonder that people have become so attracted to online casino games. These days, with the availability of an ever-increasing number of online casinos, people are spending a lot of time and money at these websites in order to enjoy their online gaming experience.

The best thing about online casinos is that they allow players to bet on an assortment of games from sports betting to online slots. The top online casino sites that offer exciting games include; Poker Stars, Spin Bonus, Network Gaming, True Bet, Aristocrat Casinos, Infinity, IGT Casinos, Ultimate Bet, Caesars Palace, Bovada Casino, Dragon’s Den, and many more. These casinos have gamblers from different countries playing with the same tools. For instance, American players can play against people from any country.

Win Unique Jackpots

Online casinos offer unique ways for people to win jackpots and rake in the big bucks. Poker is perhaps the most popular game that is played at an online casino. Betting is permitted on many of the games that are available.

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced gambler, online slots can be fun and exciting as well. Like slots online at casinos, online slots are also great options for people to try out their luck. There are a number of online casinos that offer people to play and win at online slots, including Dragon’s Den, IGT Casinos, Caesars Palace, and Infinity Casinos.

Playing games like blackjack is another popular game offered at casinos.

It can be quite easy to win huge amounts of money, depending on the way that the cards are shuffled. Unlike other games, online casinos usually do not impose a ban on kids playing online blackjack. However, since there are many kinds of games available, online casino players should be careful in how they use their chips and coins.

Online Slots

Online slots are the simplest of all games that have been invented. The casinos provide a simple interface where the players can bet in the virtual game. This is very common in most of the countries across the world, especially the United States. The minimum deposits required to start betting in online slots are high, thus it becomes quite easier for the player to participate in online slots.

There are many features available in online slots, which is why there are some players who are just not satisfied with the game. The player can experience the thrill of a big win through playing online slot machines. If you play these slots at online casinos, then you are at liberty to be more creative and test the skills of the brain.

Slot machines give the player the chance to win big in every game. The number of winning chances available with online slots vary from one slot machine to another. You can choose a simple machine that gives minimum payout to ensure that you do not lose more than what you have invested. However, you can always consider playing slots at online casinos for a less exciting gaming experience.

As the winner of a slot game, you do not get any real money. However, you can use your winnings to play other online games. Online slots can be played in an account that is linked to your identity. It is possible to make your own money when you play online slots, if you spend some time to learn about the mechanics of the game.

When you play online slots, you can also test your knowledge of the software that is used by online casinos. Learning how to operate the various features in the game will surely help you win when you play slots. By learning the functions of the software used by online casinos, you will be able to get good results. In fact, most of the online casinos offer money betting bonus as a reward for all the players who perform well in the game.

In order to enter the virtual world of slots and win big, you need to work on your skills so that you can get a favorable response from the online casino. While most of the players are intimidated when they hear the word “slot”, most of them underestimate the complexity of the game. These players often lack the necessary skills to win the jackpot and have the chance to win big money.

The best way to play slots at an online casino is to learn the basics. Make sure that you fully understand the instructions given by the online casino, before you go for playing the slots. When you are aware of the game mechanics, then you will be able to figure out the trickiest parts of the game. It is important to remember that players are constantly offering their own strategies on the internet so that the casinos will be able to introduce more enticing options for the players. By keeping an eye on the various online casinos online, you will be able to make the right decisions and learn the tricks of the trade.

With the help of slots online, you can win some big cash using slot machines at online casinos. If you are good at playing the slots, then you will never be disappointed. No matter how much money you will win from online casinos, it will always be satisfying when you win. Do not let a lack of knowledge keep you from being a successful online gambler!

 

As there are a wide array of investment accounts which are now available, simply continue reading to discover a handy guide to opening investment accounts.

If you like the idea of being able to purchase property shares, in a wide variety of properties, it’s a great idea to sign up for your very first property investing account. Especially as some property crowdfunding sites offer affordable minimum investment amounts of $100 or $500. Which will allow you to test out a platform, to see if you receive monthly rent, before topping up your account further.

Once you’ve started to earn monthly passive income from the first property investing site which you’ve joined, it’s a great idea to start investing in a few more property investment platforms. In order to diversify your portfolio.

Learn about the benefits of opening a managed fund:

If you’re not the type of individual who forces themselves checking the progress of their investments on a weekly basis, you may want to consider opening a managed fund. As managed funds are run by experienced investment gurus. One of the advantages of investing heavily into a managed fund, which is made up of shares in various investments, is that if the manager of your fund, for-sees that a particular investment is about to drop in price, they’ll be able to sell it while it’s still priced highly. So that your returns won’t drop dramatically.

Investment fund managers check up on the investments in each of their funds each day and will be able to make quick, confident decisions, on behalf of the individuals who have chosen to invest in their managed fund.

Open a live account South Africa:

If you live in South Africa it’s also a great idea to open your own live share trading account. So that you’ll be able to buy and sell shares on the open market. If you’re interested in becoming a day trader, you’ll even be able to buy shares when they are priced low and sell them a few hours later, when their share price recovers, in order to earn a quick, lucrative profit.

Check the fees of each account which you’re interested in signing up for, before you make a commitment:

While it’s understandable that you may be excited to start opening up investment accounts, in order to start building your investment portfolio, you should never rush into opening a new investment account. Instead make sure to read through all of the fine print and to double check all of the fees which are associated with each particular account.

As example, most accounts will offer management fees as well as transaction fees. So it’s a wise idea to sign up for investment accounts which offer low, competitive fees that won’t eat into your future profits. Also beware that some accounts may charge a premium if you choose to sell some of your shares.

So if you’re interested in opening investment accounts, make sure to keep all of the tips which have been listed above in mind. Before you start the sign up process for your next online investment account!

 

The real estate market is complex and intimidating at the best of times. When selling property, it helps to have an experienced agent at your side.

Doesn’t it?

Not everyone thinks so. In fact, FSBO (“for sale by owner”) transactions are fairly common as many sellers prefer to forgo the cost of hiring an agent in favor of braving the market on their own. The question is, do these people have the right idea or are they putting themselves at a disadvantage?

The truth is that there is no easy answer. Whether or not working with an agent is right for you is affected by a number of factors, not the least of which is your own knowledge of and experience within real estate, as well as your financial situation and how much time and effort you’re willing to expend on learning in the ins and outs of the market.

Some will say that a real estate agent can help you sell your home for a higher price, while others will say that going it alone allows you to make more money by cutting out the middleman. A study by researchers at Northwestern University, however, suggests that both FSBO and agent-facilitated transactions produce roughly equivalent profits. In other words, neither seems to really have an edge in terms of netting you more money.

The real cost of either approach, then, is found not in the bottom line but in the fine print.

Hiring a real estate agent costs money. That much is obvious. Most commonly, an agent makes 6% of the sale price for whatever property they helped you sell. That may seem like a lot, but that 6% is not set in stone. Different agents take different percentages, some more and some less, so it pays to shop around when looking for an agent.

What’s more, negotiation is always an option. An agent might be willing to lower their percentage considerably depending on the sale price of your property, or if you can guarantee them repeat business, either by having them represent you as a buyer or as a seller of another property.

The benefits of having an agent are, of course, the experience and resources that they bring to the table. Some of the services which agents provide, and which are covered by the percentage they make off the sale of your property, would cost you considerable amounts of money to undertake yourself. Listing a piece of real estate and advertising it in the relevant markets is not cheap and might not be something every seller has the knowledge, or the time, to do on their own.

Calculating the cost of selling a house can be surprisingly easy, but there are other obstacles that can trip up an inexperienced seller making a go at doing it themselves. From being familiar with the legal intricacies of real estate to keeping track of fluctuations in property values to setting up open houses to wading through piles of paperwork, there’s more to being an agent than putting a “for sale” sign out on the front lawn.

That’s not to say that any of these things are beyond the capabilities of the average seller. Rather, it’s to say that these are some of the things that selling any property requires. Determining whether or not you need an agent mainly comes down to determining whether you prefer a more hands-on role or a more hands-off one.

In other words, the only person who can truthfully answer the question “Is a real estate agent worth the cost?” is you.

A natural disaster can strike at any time and even if you do get a little bit of fair warning, it is still vital that you have done all that you can in advance to keep your home protected. We have seen the devastation which has been caused in California because of the wildfires and in Florida following a hurricane and if you live in a zone which is prone to natural disasters you have to do all that you can to maximize your protection, and here is how.

Home Warranty

Home warranty will protect the large items in your home such as your HVAC system, cars, electronics and the plumbing system in your home, all of which could be at risk after a natural disaster. When searching for the best home warranty you need to check out reviews, it was the First American Home Warranty reviews that helped to choose those guys. Compare pricing and different plans for buyers of home warranties to get the best cover and the lowest premiums.

Home Insurance

Home insurance will protect the structural integrity of your home, as well as the damage which is caused by a disaster such as water and fire damage, as well as theft. Look for a home insurance company with great reviews, solid customer service, and experts who can help you to get the right deal based on the value of your home, and the risk of an ‘act of God’.

Earthquakes – If you live in an earthquake zone then you should ensure that your building is structurally sound and solid enough to withstand an earthquake up to 9.0. Also ensure that your TV, cabinets and items in the home are well secured so that they don’t fall when an earthquake hits.

Hurricanes and Tropical Storms – Hurricane shutters are a must buy item if you live in a zone prone t hurricanes and storms, so too is a solid garage door and hurricane straps which will support the structural integrity of the property.

Wildfires – You can’t fire-proof your home and so the obvious solution here is to make sure that the fire cannot get to it. If you are able to then you should clear an exclusion zone around the property. This zone should be clear from anything like foliage that can catch fire, which in turn could set fire to the property.

Another option which you could consider that will protect you and your family from the effects of a natural disaster is to build a safe room outside the home. This room should be like a concrete shelter which will protect everyone inside it. The room can be multi-functional and you could use it for storage or as a utility-style room.

The key here is in the preparation, do that well and you can ensure that your home is protected.

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