Economy

Many small investors have learned that the recent downward trend in the economy has caused the value of their investment portfolios, including their retirement nest egg, to decrease in value. Unfortunately, this has led some to conclude that there’s simply no way to grow their investments when the economy is hurting, and that they shouldn’t be trying to invest. Nothing could be further from the truth. Every investment transaction has at least two parties, each of whom has a different opinion on the value and potential upside of whatever asset is changing hands. This means that there’s always money to...

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The government plan aims to stimulate employment, certain critical economic sectors, and U.S. consumer spending. It specifies $550 billion in spending on new projects and $275 billion in tax cuts. So what will you potentially get from the recent stimulus package? There are some income and other limits however most people could get a significant benefit. Here are three things you can expect:

A lower mortgage rate. It used to be very difficult to refinance your home if you had less than a 20 percent equity ownership in your house. You may now be eligible for refinancing even if you owe...

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If you ask five experts how long this financial crisis will last, you will receive five different answers. Every day, the volatility of the stock market makes it virtually impossible to ascertain the length of this economic downturn. There are no easy answers, just speculation. Economists give answers like these: 18 months at the most. This is dependent upon the stabilization of the credit market. 2 years at most. Given the infusing of capital into the banks, they will be able to lend to other banks and allow for businesses and individuals to apply for loans once again. 5 years....

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