The College Investor Audio Show

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How To Find College Scholarships Jul 06, 2020

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Looking for free college funding is no easy task. However, it's something you should definitely do. Here's how to find college scholarships and grants.

Futures Trading: What It Is And How It Works Jul 03, 2020

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Futures trading is an investing activity typically reserved for speculators or companies that are looking to hedge against the future price of their products. However, any individual investor with a margin account can participate in futures trading.

When you buy a futures contract, you are essentially locking in the price of the underlying asset or commodity. As a seller of a futures contract, that means you have a guaranteed selling price for your goods. And, as the buyer, you have protection against price increases.

Those who trade futures can also take big advantage of small price movements in the underlying commodity or financial product by using leverage. But, like other types of investing that involve speculation and leverage, individual investors should approach futures trading with extreme caution. Here's what you need to know.

Effective Tax Rates: How Much You Really Pay In Taxes Jul 01, 2020

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If you make $60,000 per year, what do you actually take home? You know it isn’t the full $60,000. But, if you are in the 22% tax bracket, does that mean you’ll pay $13,200 in taxes? That would seem to be the intuitive answer since $60,000 multiplied by 0.22 equals $13,200.

But, in fact, what you will pay in income taxes will probably be much lower than that. To understand why, you need to understand the difference between marginal tax rates and effective tax rates which we will explain in this article.

However, calculating your income tax payments alone doesn't give you a true picture of how much you'll really pay in taxes this year. There are several other things to consider if you want to what you effectively pay in taxes as a percentage of your take-home pay. In this article, we’ll explain how to find out what you’re really taking home in income.

Rental Car Insurance: Do You Need It Or Should You Waive It? Jun 26, 2020

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Learn whether or not rental car insurance is worth having and where you can get the coverage that you need.

The 6 Best Credit Monitoring Services Of 2020 Jun 24, 2020

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Credit monitoring isn’t just about watching your credit score — it’s about protecting your financial identity in a world where data breaches and fraud are rising every year.

The best services in 2026 go beyond simple alerts: they monitor all three major credit bureaus for suspicious activity, scan the dark web for leaked personal data, and often include identity theft insurance and fraud recovery support.

By the time you turn 18 in America, you know that a lot can hang on the balance of your credit score from loan eligibility, to insurance rates, to even your ability to open a phone service account. Unfortunately, over 16 million American have been victims of identity theft or credit card fraud, which can wreak havoc on a credit score.

If you have a goal to buy a house or take out some other type of loan in the near future, monitoring your credit can help you improve your score so you can qualify for better interest rates. And if you'd like to refinance your student loans down the road, strong credit will, again, be important.

Thankfully, there are several strong credit monitoring services that can help you stay on top of your credit. The best credit monitoring services will notify you whenever they notice anything suspicious on your reports and may even offer advice on how to improve your score. Keep reading to see which credit monitoring services we like the most.

How To Invest In Oil: A Guide For Beginners Jun 22, 2020

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If you're wanting to learn how to invest in oil, it's important to point out right off the bat that oil investing isn't for everyone. To give you an example of how wild of a ride oil can be, consider the fact that West Texas Intermediate was trading in the mid-50s in February. Then it fell to negative $37.63 on April 20.

The plunge was due to the reduced travel caused by the Covid lockdowns. As demand for oil dried up, storage swelled. Negative prices reflected the fact that futures traders were willing to pay someone to take delivery of their oil.

Oil has been a source of speculation and investment for several years, with the bulk being done by traders. But, as a beginner, how do you invest in such a volatile commodity? There are a few ways to invest in oil - some more volatile and risky than others.

Before rushing to buy a futures contract or calling your broker about spot prices, first consult the following beginner’s guide to investing in oil. You'll learn everything you need to know about how to invest in oil including how much of your portfolio oil should comprise and your best oil investment options.

Paperstac Review - Invest In Mortgage Notes Jun 18, 2020

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Paperstac is a digital platform that links mortgage note buyers and sellers and facilitates the transactions of this investment asset. Although it is a relatively new technology, it is bringing a much needed marketplace to an investment class that has historically happened through handshake deals or among a few knowledgeable investors.

With Paperstac, nearly the entire mortgage note shopping and purchasing process can be handled online. Investors can filter available mortgage notes by property value, type, state, interest rate, loan-to-value ratio, and more. Paperstac also offers eNotarization and eSignature services and can even handle the escrow for the transaction.

While the democratization of mortgage note investing will be a boon for some investors, it isn’t ideal for everyone. In this review we explain what Paperstac does and how you can invest in mortgage notes through the platform.

How To Use A 529 Plan If Your Child Doesn't Go To College Jun 17, 2020

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Your child decided to skip college? Here's how you can use your 529 funds including several options to avoid the 529 plan withdrawal penalty.

8 Payday Loan Alternatives When You Need Fast Cash Jun 15, 2020

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Payday loans often come with hefty fees and interest rates. If you need quick cash, these 8 payday loan alternatives could save you money.

SSA vs. SSI vs. SSDI: Key Differences And FAFSA Impact Jun 12, 2020

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Social Security (SS), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Social Security Disability Benefits (SSDI) are three federal benefit programs that can provide income to Americans who aren't able to work. SS, SSI, and SDI are all are managed by the Social Security Administration.

Each of these programs, however, have different purposes and eligibility requirements. However, when it comes to taxes and financial aid, it can be confusing to understand how each work. For example, do you need to include SSDI benefits received on the FAFSA?

But how exactly do these programs work? And how do they play into your tax bill? In this article, we’ll look at each one and their impact on your paycheck, taxes, and FAFSA.

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