Socially Responsible Retirement Plans

The Business Ethics magazine has published an article on setting up a balanced retirement plan using all socially responsible investing (SRI) options. It is quite common to have a small portion of our life saving tucked away in good karma funds, but putting all our retirement dollars into SRI vehicles is a new, and viable way of saving for our future.
They got together five investment advisors and five different families to create retirement plans that suited everyone.. without taking anymore risks than the normal retirement plan.
Guide to SRI Retirement Planning
Sharing the wisdom of five financial advisers in socially responsible investing (SRI).
"In drafting their plans, the advisers drew from the many SRI mutual funds, which now number over 200 and cover virtually every asset class, from small-cap equity and income funds to hedge funds and exchange traded funds (ETFs). October saw the launch of the Domini European Social Equity Fund. Calvert added Asset Allocation Funds to its family of 30 mutual funds in May. And a new ETF by Barclays Global Investors tracks KLD's Social Select Index. There are even new SRI options for 529 College Savings Plans." Business Ethics Magazine
# Socially Responsible Investing, Retirement Planning News

Education Tax Deductions

Parents with kids attending college will find this article interesting because it could save you money come tax time. "A 2005 study by the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, found that 27% of taxpayers who were eligible for a tax deduction or credit for their college expenses didn't claim the tax break." from reading this quote it seems a lot of people arn't aware of the educational tax deductions their missing out on, probably due to lack of tax understanding. Understanding tax can be complicated and boring, but with a bit of effort you might have the tax man giving something back for a change, and that's something we all want to see. So read on and make the man pay!
Learning about education deductions can pay off
"Families make a lot of sacrifices to send their children to college. They drive old cars, give up premium cable and skip their annual Las Vegas vacation. Yet, millions of families leave money on the table every year by overlooking valuable education tax breaks. "It's a fairly confusing system," says Mark Brenner, vice chairman for College Loan Corp. "The reality for most American families paying for college is that they're more focused on paying tuition than they are about the tax savings." Still, diving into the education tax maze pays off." USATODAY
# Tax News

Want Your Own Business?

Well have a read of this article and get some idea's on how to make a start. There's not to much to the story but it contains a lot of valuable links to put you on a start to becoming an entrepreneur. Included is a small bit on eBay, which has become a great business opportunity for many new entrepreneurs, allowing you to start from a small weekend business.
Don't leave it till it's to late, if your looking to become your own boss check this article out and make a start!
Finding the Perfect Business Idea
"You may have heard that if you can just find something you love, the money will come. Well, that's kind of true. You definitely want to pick something you enjoy, but you also have to find something that has a market of paying customers. " Entrepreneur
# Wealth and Money

Designs by Google

Looking to create your own webpage but wouldn't know where to start, well Google may have the answer for you? Google is releasing it's newest tool called Page Creator to allow people to easily make their own websites with a minimum of knowledge using premade template's and design's. If Google can pull it off and make this program effective and easy to use it just might give competitors like Myspace.com a run for their money. This program adds to Google's ever expanding list of Tools which now includes Blogger, Base, Picasa, Gmail, Google Talk, Google Earth and Google Desktop.
Google Takes On Web-Design Market
"Individual pages will be hosted at username.googlepages.com” and each user will be able to store up to 100 megabytes of information, including images. Pages created with Page Creator will be crawled by Google within a few hours, making the content immediately searchable. This is an advantage over other web-site hosts, which can take days to be included in Google's search results." Forbes
# Internet Companies

Ethanol Fuel

The environmentally friendly Grist magazine has published an interesting post about the ethanol mania happening lately. Bill Gates is investing in ethanol, George Bush has been talking about ethanol, and car manufacturers like Ford and General Motors are turning towards Ethanol enabled vehicles.
Everyone is talking about the economic and environmental benefits of investing in ethanol fuels, but is ethanol really the answer to an addiction to oil?
Corn at the Right Time
"ethanol is often touted as a boon for the environment, the scientific and green communities have long been divided over its eco-benefits. Most ethanol is made from corn, and industrial corn production utilizes significant inputs of fossil-fuel-based products, from fertilizers to the gasoline used to run farm equipment. A number of scientists -- most prominent among them David Pimentel, a professor of agricultural sciences and insect ecology at Cornell University -- have argued that the fossil-fuel inputs required to grow corn actually exceed the amount of energy yielded by the resulting ethanol, a discrepancy known as a "negative energy balance." Grist
# Ethical Investing

Richard Branson Quotes

A new profile has been added of the famous British entrepreneur and founder of the worldwide Virgin brand, Richard Branson. As anyone with a television or newspaper in their hands would know, the man is a master at getting free publicity for his many businesses. His witty antics may seem silly to some, but they give companies worldwide media coverage for very little money.
Anyway, you can read the Sir Richard Branson biography on Investing Value, see more details on Branson and his Virgin brand at Virgin.com, or be sift through our little collection of Richard Branson quotes bellow..

* I never get the accountants in before I start up a business. It's done on gut feeling, especially if I can see that they are taking the mickey out of the consumer.
Richard Branson
* I hear somebody saying Sir Richard and I sort of turn around thinking there must be a Shakespearean play going on in the background or something.. and then suddenly realize I'm on the stage. No, I spent all my life trying to topple knights and lords and always find that they're the worst rogues, and therefore it's slightly strange to suddenly be one oneself.
Richard Branson
* I'm inquisitive.. and I love a new challenge.. and if I feel that we can do it better than it's been done by other people, we'll have a go. Some people call that 'brand stretching' and say that this is not the way business should be done, and in the Western world generally it's not the way business is done.
Richard Branson
* Business is giving people in their lifetime what they need and what they want. And you know, I've had great fun turning quite a lot of different industries on their head and making sure those industries will never be the same again, because Virgin went in and took them on. Occasionally we'll come unstuck and you know, we'll learn from our mistakes but so far I think we've managed to get it right more often than we've got it wrong.
Richard Branson
# Business Leaders

Kerry Packer Remembered

The recent publicly funded memorial service of the late Kerry Packer attracted an impressive list of celebrities and people of power at the Sydney Opera House.
It's a service that is usually reserved for prominent political figures, but Australia's richest man was an exception.
Alan Jones said that Kerry Packer was a "remarkable Australian who lived an extraordinary life and who has left a giant shadow over us and Australia".
Ray Martin thought that Packer would "hate the idea of a big ceremony like this, but I think one expects that quietly he'd be flattered by it".
Kerry Packer remembered at state memorial service
"Whether he should have a state funeral or not I guess is debatable, but it seems odd to me that taxpayers foot the bill to farewell a man who hated paying tax and who spent a huge amount of his time making sure he didn't pay any tax, or as little as possible, and who got into trouble really with the Costigan Commission because of the things he was doing to try and avoid paying tax, and whose father was the same, who also hated paying tax." Paul Barry
>> Business Leaders

Does Money Make you Happy

Does money make you happy is the question? Many people say no and many say money is happiness! This article says "the research we most liked showed that happy people do better than unhappy people in most realms of life; they have better social relationships, do more volunteer work, have better health and make more money. money may not make you happier, but being happy may make you more money"

New "happiness investigators" have been studying just what does make us happy and have concluded that average levels of happiness change little as you get richer. They also concluded that happiness varies depending on how you fare with your neighbour's saying "even a millionaire will feel miserable in the company of billionaires". I personally still think all most people want to say is "show me the money"
The Happiness Business
"Happiness researchers--yes, there is such a calling--have latched on to theoretical developments made in the 1990s about how to quantify utility. (For those of you who were snoozing during Econ 201, utility is the measure of satisfaction one gets from consuming a good or service." Forbes
# Wealth and Money

Consumer Borrowing Slows

According to the federal reserve, consumer borrowing slowed for the first time in 13 years taking debt to an annual level of $2.161 trillion, down from an all-time high of $2.164 trillion.
Apparently Americans personal savings rate also dived into the negative at -0.5% for the first time since 1933. Analysts are saying that consumers are feeling the heavy weight of record debt combined with higher interest rates from the federal reserve which are contributing to the slowdown.
Borrowing grows at slowest pace in 13 years
"The government said that borrowing on credit cards, auto loans and other forms of consumer debt rose by 3 percent in 2005, down from rates above 4 percent in the previous three years and a 7.7 percent surge in 2001. It was the smallest increase since a 1 percent rise in 1992." MSNBC
# Finance News

Saving for Retirement

Today people are faced with working jobs that no longer come with a retirement plan, unlike years gone by where most companies included a 401k plan of some description for their employee's. If you don't have a savings plan for your retirement it's time to look into one before your retirement years arrive.
This news article explains how it all works and how you should be saving for your retirement before it's to late!. It's main message is simple start saving now!
Life Without a 401(k)
"As companies cut costs, many twentysomethings now hold freelance, temporary, or contract positions that don't come with a 401(k) or another retirement plan. According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute, less than two-thirds of employees between 21 and 30 have access to an employer-sponsored retirement plan in 2003, vs. roughly three-quarters of workers their parents age." Businessweek
# Finance News

Reverse Mortgages

If your nearing retirement or already there and looking for more income to fund your holidays, maybe a reverse mortgage on your home is the way to go? Using the value in your home, a lender can make regular payments or lump sum payments to you to help fund your retirement. Think of it as selling shares in your home while still owning it. Sound interesting? well read on and realize the full potential of your home!
Are reverse mortgages a good deal?
"The number of seniors who are tapping the equity in their homes through reverse mortgages has been soaring in recent years. In some cases, retirees may be doing this because their retirement nest egg alone isn't large enough to support them comfortably in their post-career life." CNNMoney
# Real Estate

Blog Boom

New York magazine has published a feature on blogging and how people are getting rich from blogs. They talk about how popular gossip blogs like Gawker could be earning more than $4000 per day from selling advertisements.
Blogs to Riches
"By all appearances, the blog boom is the most democratized revolution in media ever. Starting a blog is ridiculously cheap; indeed, blogging software and hosting can be had for free online. There are also easy-to-use ad services that, for a small fee, will place advertisements from major corporations on blogs, then mail the blogger his profits. Blogging, therefore, should be the purest meritocracy there is. It doesn’t matter if you’re a nobody from the sticks or a well-connected Harvard grad. If you launch a witty blog in a sexy niche, if you’re good at scrounging for news nuggets, and if you’re dedicated enough to post around the clock—well, there’s nothing separating you from the big successful bloggers, right? I can do that." NY Mag

They also talk about the mostly incestuous linking habits of the major, heavy weight bloggers, making smaller bloggers feel a bit left out. I think it's more about age, respect, good ideas, and quality though. See their analysis of some of the more popular blogs online here.
# Blog News

Oprah Winfrey Radio Deal

The queen of television talk shows and billionaire African American female billionaire Oprah Winfrey is spreading her media reach just a little bit further. She has recently signed a 3 year $55 Million radio deal. XM Satellite Radio is a premium radio service that charges listeners a fee to listen to their content. It's a medium that's catching on fast, with XM's competitor Sirius signing up the shock jock Howard Stern for 5 years and a $500 million deal.
"Together with my friends, we look forward to creating programming that will entertain, inform and inspire our listening audience on XM." Oprah Winfrey
# Business Leader News

5 big stock's for 06

Figuring out which shares to buy can be a very tricky exercise to carry out, but getting the right information on what to buy and when can make the decision so much easier. Getting this information and making sure it's leading you in the right direction can also be difficult. CNN Money have been running stock screens since 2002 and releasing the 5 top stock's each valentine's day which have performed very well. So in 2006 they have released their latest round of tips with some info about the companies they have picked, which include Apple, Abercrombie, Smith International, Hansen's and WellPoint
Stocks we love
"So far our picks have delivered more than a dozen red roses. The five stocks cupid's arrow pierced in 2002 are up 93 percent, on average, since we chose them. Our sweethearts from 2003 have gained an average of 29 percent. The ones that made us swoon in 2004 are up 32 percent And the average increase for last year's stock darlings is 14 percent." CNNMoney
# Stock Market News

Google Stocks Drop

It seemed that Google could not make a wrong move with Wall Street, with its stock price moving higher week after week. Investors that got in on the ground floor were happy to see GOOG reach a high of $475 per share in just a couple short years, but more recently the stock has taken a pounding.
It is currently trading at around $345 (on Valentines day 06), and is still heading south. Financial analysts that previously seen no limit to the heights that Google could reach are now reconsidering their recommendations, and some are even putting out SELL recommendations!
The Google 3 are still optimistic about the future of the company, judging by the upbeat and playful interview that Time magazine had with Larry Page, Sergey Brin, and Eric Schmidt. But financial experts are now doubting the irrational exuberance that the share price has been going through lately. The Barron's business magazine recently published a critical article that predicts the company still has a lot further to fall than the 25% it has fell to in recent weeks. It mentions increased competition from cashed up competitors like Microsoft search and Yahoo, pricing pressures with online advertising, and the concerning problem of "click fraud" that is still yet to be solved..
In the Drink (Barron's article on Google)
"Fans insist that Google (ticker: GOOG) is headed to $500, maybe even $2,000. But the list of challenges the company faces is nothing short of mind-googling. As if Microsoft weren't enough, the search concern is headed for brawls with content providers like newspaper and book publishers. Phone and cable firms may also join the fray. Google's cost structure, meanwhile, is ballooning, with the company hiring thousands of new workers and mulling projects as far afield as space travel. If Google trips on even a few of the challenges, its earnings could easily disappoint." Barrons
# Internet Companies, Stock Market, Business Leaders

Warren Buffet stock screen

Warren Buffet is one of the world's best investors, so logically it would make sense to use his investment techniques while investing in stock's. Well this is exactly what the S&P stock screen is. Based on a bestselling book about Buffet's investments and his own investing style the screen picks stocks meeting certain criteria. The S&P stock screen has performed well since it's creation in 1995 returning an average of 15.91%.
What Would Warren Do?
"we at S&P have put together a stock screen that picks companies using criteria similar to those that fit the legendary investor's growth-oriented style. S&P updates this screen on a semiannual basis, during February and again in August." Businessweek
# Business Leaders, Stock Market News

Ben Graham Quotes and Bio

A new Benjamin Graham biography has been added to Investing Value. Graham is one of the most well known stock market investors of all time, sometimes referred to as the "father of investing", which is a pretty impressive label to have.

Here's some of the man's wisdom in quote format..

Benjamin Graham Quotes about Investing
"Wall Street people learn nothing and forget everything."
Ben Graham

"The individual investor should act consistently as an investor and not as a speculator. This means.. that he should be able to justify every purchase he makes and each price he pays by impersonal, objective reasoning that satisfies him that he is getting more than his money's worth for his purchase."
Ben Graham

"Individuals who cannot master their emotions are ill-suited to profit from the investment process."
Ben Graham

To learn more about the famous stock market investor, read his book "The Intelligent Investor".
# Investing Blog News, Famous Business Leaders

Housing slump in America

After news of homebuilder Toll Brothers orders slumping by 21%, many are claiming that the bubble is about to burst within the housing market as prices drop. Real estate brokers have dismissed these claims saying that the slow down will be gradual and not a sudden drop in pricing, and considering last years business boom for Toll Brothers this year has still been a good year. The market hasn't been all bad for this year with some states showing increasing growth.
Is the Bell Tolling for Housing?
"Rosenberg says that housing, unlike stocks, is a slow-moving asset. Bull and bear markets in real estate tend to last years, not months. He figures that housing hit its peak sometime last summer. If that's the case, then today's caution from Toll Brothers is just one of many likely to come in the months and years ahead. A slowing market? Yes. A bursting bubble? No." Businessweek
# Finance News

Ethanol Investing

Investing in ethanol fuels has been compared to investing in technology companies in the early 90s when the industry was still in it's early stages of evolution. The alternative fuel industry is still an unproven industry, making it risky to invest in ethanol fuels. One of the pure ethanol fuel companies, Pacific Ethanol received a boost in confidence when the richest man in the world invested $84 million into the Californian based company. But it can be a challenge for the average investor to decide where to put their money if they want to invest in the alternative fuel industry.
Fortune magazine has suggested investing in businesses that have interests in not just ethanol fuel, decreasing the risk of having all their eggs in the one unproven basket.
Investing in ethanol is risky, but here are a few ways that small investors can get a piece of the action
"So there are going to be many, many more pets.coms than eBays in agrifuels. More Time Warners than Microsofts. Indeed, many of the venture capitalists bankrolling tomorrow's ethanol IPOs are the same folks who funded the '90s dot com debacle." Fortune
# Socially Responsible Investing

Danish cartoons incite violent protests

Despite world leaders calling for calm, violent protests have occurred all across Asian and middle eastern countries over cartoons published in Danish newspapers depicting the prophet Mohammed wearing a turban shaped like a bomb. Iranian commerce minister massoud mirkazemi has said all trading with Denmark will be cut.
Protestors clashed with authorities as Danish embassies were attacked and petrol bombed, with arrests already being made and further violence looks set to continue.
New protests erupt in cartoon row, restraint urged
Chanting "God is Greatest" and "Death to America" some 1,000 people rammed the metal gate to the embassy, which sits behind a high wall in northern Tehran. Police drove them back with teargas and arrested some, a Reuters correspondent said. Reuters
# World News

Rupert Murdoch's new Business Channel

News Corp Chairman Rupert Murdoch is planning to create some competition for the business news channel CNBC this year. Murdoch has said that they are in intense discussions and should have a new business channel in operation before the end of the year.
Murdoch also talked about the problems that his recently acquired MySpace.com website has been having with sexual predators trolling it for information.
Murdoch plans challenge to CNBC by year end
In response to reports that sexual predators are trolling on News Corp.'s MySpace.com Web site, Murdoch said, "We're being very proactive. We plan to reach out further to school principals, church groups and community organizations to educate them on the safety measures we've developed. CNN Money
# Business Leaders, Finance News

Amazon.com Shares Plunge

Investors have been voting with their feet and jumping out of the online retailing giant Amazon.com recently. Even though fourth quarter sales rose 17%, they were still below analysts' estimates. Jeff Bezos stated that Amazon deliberately increased spending to win more customers.
Amazon.com Shares Plunge After Sales Miss Estimates
"The company forecast full-year 2006 operating income of $370 million to $510 million, below the $636 million average estimate of 13 analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial. The company defines operating income as profit excluding expenses for marketing and overhead." Bloomberg
# Internet Company News

Investing Value News Blog

The Investing value news blog is a regularly updated investment and finance weblog of new, reviews, and information online. It includes current finance news, guides for investing, business tips, and personal finance articles for those looking to take control of their own finances.