So, we’re in a crazy political period, and it’s hard to know just what is true in a political ad and what isn’t true. In the investment business, however, we have extensive rules on disclosure to investors, and those rules are in place to provide all stakeholders- including investors- enough to information to make informed […]
6 Ways To Reduce Your Home Mortgage Interest Costs
in Mortgages and Loans/by Kenneth W. BoydThe amount of interest you pay on your home mortgage may have the biggest impact on your personal finances over your lifetime. Not sure you believe me? Well, consider this example: I really like Bankrate’s website, and the site provides a simple home mortgage interest calculator. Let’s assume that you’re buying a $300,000 home loan, […]
How To Make Smart Decisions About Credit Card Car Rental Insurance
in Credit Cards/by Kenneth W. BoydThere’s nothing worse than getting off of an airplane. You’re tired, and probably in a bit of a mental fog. About a year ago, I got off of a plane, expecting to get on a connecting flight to my destination. I looked at my watch, which indicated that I had arrived at the final destination […]
The Charity Walk: A Personal Finance Story (Chap. 2)
in Stories: Accounting and Finance/by Kenneth W. BoydAuthors’ note: Explaining personal finance can be pretty dull. That’s a problem, if you need to learn about personal finance. On a plane from St. Louis to Seattle, I decided to try and fix the problem. What if I could wrap some finance concepts inside of a quirky (funny?) short story? My goal here is to present […]
Budgeting at the Coffee Shop: A Personal Finance Story (Chap. 1)
in Stories: Accounting and Finance/by Kenneth W. BoydAuthors’ note: Explaining accounting and finance can be pretty dull. That’s a problem, if you need to learn accounting or finance. On a plane from St. Louis to Seattle, I decided to try and fix the problem. What if I could wrap some accounting concepts inside of a quirky (funny?) short story? My goal here […]
The Rear View Mirror and the Tree: An Accounting Story
in Stories: Accounting and Finance/by Kenneth W. BoydAuthors’ note: Explaining accounting and finance can be pretty dull. That’s a problem, if you need to learn accounting or finance. On a plane from St. Louis to Seattle, I decided to try and fix the problem. What if I could wrap some accounting concepts inside of a quirky (funny?) short story? My […]
What The Rio Olympics Teaches Us About Personal Finance
in Personal Finance/by Kenneth W. BoydMy favorite Rio Olympics-related headline so far: “Olympic kayaker possibly capsized by couch in Rio de Janeiro” Priceless. Now, the story isn’t confirmed, but it illustrates all of the controversy related to Brazil’s preparation for the Olympic Games. This situation is a great analogy for personal finance, because it helps us think about the answer […]
What a 4 Year Old Teaches Us About Earnings Per Share
in Personal Finance/by Kenneth W. BoydSo, I overheard a Dad say something interesting to his 4-year old son (at least he looked to be about 4). His son asked him a question and he said: “I just answered that question, so I’m not going to answer it again”. That approach would have saved me a lot of time when my […]
What A Telsa Car Crash Teaches Us About Investor Disclosure
in Personal Finance/by Kenneth W. BoydSo, how much information do you need to make an informed decision? Unfortunately, Tesla’s Motors problems with autopilot cars provide a great discussion about required disclosure to investors. This CNBC video with a former SEC Chairmen discusses whether or not Telsa had a duty to disclose a car accident that occurred with an autopilot vehicle […]
Warning to Investors: Contribution Margin Is Not Company Profit
in Personal Finance/by Kenneth W. BoydSo, we’re in a crazy political period, and it’s hard to know just what is true in a political ad and what isn’t true. In the investment business, however, we have extensive rules on disclosure to investors, and those rules are in place to provide all stakeholders- including investors- enough to information to make informed […]
3 Little Known Factors That Can Affect Your Portfolio: Quandl’s Guide
in Personal Finance/by Kenneth W. BoydSo, I saw something the other day that I’ve never seen before. I was coming out of a grocery store that was up a hill from a major street, and a truck was approaching the intersection. The truck was hauling a bulldozer on a flatbed trailer and, as the truck approached the intersection, it […]