How Much is it Costing Your Business to Accept Paper Checks?

Mar 17, 2023 by Zazil Martinez

Paper checks are one of the most costly ways to collect payments. Still, many businesses think getting paid by check is the most affordable method. In 2021, 91% of organizations across the U.S. continued to receive checks, even though they understand the associated costs and risks.  Of course, there are also many indirect costs to check processing, such as labor and processing fees. The bill can quickly eat into your bottom line — and that's before potential errors.

It's no wonder businesses have been shifting from paper checks to digital alternatives that offer more convenience, data, control, and automation. The 2020 pandemic only accelerated the shift as consumers demanded contactless payments.

Bank Failures: How to Keep Your Money Safe

BY PRIYA KAPOOR • APR 6, 2023

SVB's collapse didn't just affect American depositors, but also many Indian start-ups. Hundreds of Indian startups with millions of dollars in their accounts found themselves stuck.

SVB's failure was the second largest in US history and the largest since the financial crisis of 2008

On March 11, 2023, the US President Joe Biden was seen reassuring Americans that their money in banks is safe and the American banking system is strong. This was following the news of the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature Bank. The banks were shut down by the US regulator. Before being closed, SVB Bank was the 16th largest lender. It had $209 billion in total assets, while Signature Bank had $110 billion as of December 2022.

7 Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires

By Grant Cardone

Learn how to generate multimillion-dollar wealth -- and enjoy the journey on your way to the top. First, understand that you no longer want to be just a millionaire. You want to become a multimillionaire. While you may think a million dollars will give you financial security, it will not. Given the volatility in economies, governments and financial markets around the world, it's no longer safe to assume a million dollars will provide you and your family with true security.

In fact, a Fidelity Investments' study of millionaires last year found that 42 percent of them don't feel wealthy and they would need $7.5 million of investable assets to start feeling rich.

The 7 Commandments of Common Sense in the Modern World

Hilary Tetenbaum   Mon, August 7, 2023

Common sense is a commodity. In some years, it seems to be in shorter supply than at other times. The current decade has already had its shortages and surpluses of it. Fortunately, there are several simple ways to maximize your personal account balance of the intangible asset.

Those who strive to become homeowners instead of lifelong renters already display a penchant for having a ready supply of common sense. Other examples appear among those who work to establish a solid credit score, protect personal information online, and get health advice from reliable sources. Review the following ways you can let commonsense actions and decisions make life much more rewarding and enjoyable.

The Five Biggest Things That Confuse Americans About Retirement

Retirement: What people say about their readiness

Kerry Hannon   Sun, August 6, 2023

Americans think they'll need to save $1.8 million for a comfortable retirement, according to a new survey. But for many of them, that’s just a shot-in-the-dark guess.  Many have no idea how much they should save or how to invest whatever money they sock away. They’re baffled by many other essential facets of retirement planning, the survey released this week from Charles Schwab showed.

That’s a real problem because what Americans save is supposed to become a major source of income in retirement, and, if they're clueless on the basics, many may under-save and face a shortfall in their old age.

Nobody Told Me

Jonathan Clements  |  February 8, 2020

I HAVE DEVOTED my entire adult life to learning about money. That might sound like cruel-and-unusual punishment, but I’ve mostly enjoyed it. For more than three decades, I’ve spent my days perusing the business pages, reading finance books, scanning academic studies and talking to countless folks about their finances. Yet, despite this intense financial education, it took me a decade or more to learn many of life’s most important money lessons and, indeed, some key insights have only come to me in recent years. Here are 10 things I wish I’d been told in my 20s—or told more loudly, so I actually listened:

15 Most Important Assets That Will Increase Your Net Worth

Jennifer Taylor  Fri, August 4, 2023

Your net worth is more than just the balance in your bank account. It's a measure of your financial health.  To get the answer to "What is my net worth?" subtract your total liabilities from your total assets. If you're trying to figure out which assets are the most valuable or will otherwise give your net worth a boost, here's a rundown of 15 critical assets. Learn how you can start making lucrative investments toward your future.

Coping With The Guilt Of Losing Money

By  THE INVESTOR 

I accept it’s normal to feel frustrated, angry, or even downright stupid when you lose money on your investments.

But what about guilt?   My portfolio’s fall from its peak value in summer 2007 to a low in October 2008 represents a big loss for a 30-something private investor like me: at least a couple of years of after-tax income in cash terms.  More importantly, the losses meant I had fewer options in October 2008 than the year before. I’d originally begun investing to build up a house-buying war chest for when the over-valued housing market corrected itself.

After several years waiting, house prices were finally falling, but my investments had fallen further.  It was my sister who put it simplest and best, when I explained to her my fate: