Author: wallyworld

Investment grade bullion is a term used to describe precious metals that are of high quality and are suitable for investment purposes. These precious metals are typically gold, silver, platinum, or palladium, and are valued for their rarity, durability, and intrinsic value. Investment grade bullion is a popular choice among investors who want to diversify their portfolios, hedge against inflation, or protect their wealth.

One of the main characteristics of investment-grade bullion is its purity. For example, gold bullion must have a purity of at least 99.5% to be considered investment grade. Similarly, silver bullion must have a purity of at least 99.9%. Purity is important because it ensures that the metal is of high quality and has a consistent value.

Another important characteristic of investment-grade bullion is its liquidity. Liquidity refers to the ease with which an asset can be bought or sold without affecting its price. Investment-grade bullion is highly liquid because it is recognized and traded all over the world. This means that investors can easily buy and sell bullion without worrying about its value being affected by local market conditions.

Bullion is also highly portable and can be stored in a small space. This makes it a convenient option for investors who want to diversify their portfolios without taking up a lot of physical space. Many investors also choose to store their investment-grade bullion in secure storage facilities, which can provide additional protection against theft or damage.

Finally, investment-grade bullion can offer a hedge against inflation and other economic uncertainties. This is because the value of precious metals tends to rise when the value of paper currencies falls. This means that bullion can help protect investors’ purchasing power and provide a safe haven during times of economic instability.

Bullion is a high-quality and highly liquid option for investors who want to diversify their portfolios, protect their wealth, or hedge against economic uncertainties. Its purity, liquidity, portability, and ability to act as a hedge against inflation make it a popular choice among investors of all levels of experience.

Semi-numismatic coins are a unique type of coin that combines the qualities of both bullion and numismatic coins. They are a popular option for investors who are looking to diversify their portfolio with precious metals while also enjoying the potential for collectible value.

The term “semi-numismatic” refers to coins that are not quite rare enough to be considered numismatic but still have some collectible value. These coins may have a limited mintage or be issued in a special edition, but they are not considered rare enough to be considered numismatic coins.

One of the key benefits of investing in semi-numismatic coins is that they can potentially offer a higher return on investment than bullion coins. While bullion coins are valued based on their metal content, semi-numismatic coins are valued based on their rarity and condition, which can increase their value over time.

Another benefit of investing in semi-numismatic coins is that they can offer a degree of diversification in an investor’s portfolio. By including semi-numismatic coins alongside other investments such as bullion, stocks, or real estate, investors can spread their risk and potentially improve their overall returns.  If you are looking for help investing in semi-numismatic coins, there are companies that can help you, but you need to do your homework so that you can find ones to trust.  You can start by reading this Lear Capital review to learn more about one of the bigger companies in the industry.

Semi-numismatic coins also offer the potential for collecting and enjoyment beyond their investment value. Many investors enjoy the history and artistry of coins and take pleasure in building a collection over time. The value of a semi-numismatic coin can also be enhanced by its condition, with higher grades commanding higher prices.

It’s important to note that investing in semi-numismatic coins requires a level of knowledge and expertise. Investors should be familiar with the grading system for coins, as well as the market demand and historical context of each coin. It’s also important to purchase semi-numismatic coins from reputable dealers who can provide a guarantee of authenticity and condition.

Semi-numismatic coins are a unique investment option that combines the benefits of both bullion and numismatic coins. They offer the potential for higher returns than bullion coins while also providing a degree of diversification in an investor’s portfolio. With proper knowledge and research, investing in semi-numismatic coins can be a rewarding and enjoyable experience.

Certified-graded coins are a type of coin that has been authenticated and graded by a third-party grading service. These coins are typically more valuable than ungraded coins because their authenticity and condition have been verified by an impartial and trusted authority.

One of the main benefits of investing in certified-graded coins is the assurance of their authenticity. Counterfeit coins can be difficult to detect, and unscrupulous dealers may try to pass off fake coins as genuine. However, certified-graded coins have been authenticated by a reputable grading service, so investors can be confident that they are purchasing a genuine coin.

Certified-graded coins also offer a degree of standardization in the market. Coins that have been graded by the same grading service will have a consistent and standardized grading scale, which can help investors compare and evaluate different coins. This standardization can also help prevent the over-grading or undervaluing of coins by unscrupulous dealers.

Another benefit of investing in certified-graded coins is the assurance of their condition. Coins that have been certified-graded have been examined by a professional grader who has assessed the coin’s condition and assigned it a grade based on its level of wear and damage. This can be important because even slight differences in condition can significantly affect a coin’s value.

Certified-graded coins are also highly liquid in the market. Because they have been authenticated and graded by a third-party service, investors can easily buy and sell them with confidence. This makes them a convenient option for investors who want to buy and sell coins without the hassle of authentication and grading.

It’s important to note that investing in certified-graded coins can be more expensive than investing in ungraded coins. The cost of authentication and grading is passed on to the investor, which can add to the cost of the coin. However, the potential for higher returns and the assurance of authenticity and condition can make this additional cost worthwhile for many investors.

Certified-graded coins are a valuable investment option for investors who want assurance of authenticity and condition. They offer standardization, liquidity, and the potential for higher returns, but may come with a higher cost. With proper knowledge and research, investing in certified-graded coins can be a rewarding and profitable experience.

Bullion is a precious metal in the form of coins or bars that are valued based on its metal content. Semi-numismatic coins are coins that have both bullion and collectible value, due to their limited mintage or special edition status. Certified-graded coins are coins that have been authenticated and graded by a third-party grading service, assuring their authenticity and condition.

While bullion is valued primarily based on its metal content, semi-numismatic coins are valued based on rarity and condition, and certified-graded coins are valued based on both rarity and condition, as determined by a reputable grading service. Semi-numismatic coins and certified-graded coins offer the potential for higher returns than bullion due to their collectible value and assurance of condition and authenticity but may come with a higher cost.

A simple way to understand the world of commodity futures is that there are contracts, which are agreements, where an individual or company has agreed to sell or purchase a specific type of commodity, a specific price, and some designated point to the future. These products include animal products, grain, oil, or precious metals, plus they may also include various currencies and financial instruments. There are some limited exceptions regarding trading certain types of futures contracts on the commodity exchange floor.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is the federal institution responsible for monitoring and regulating commodity futures, options, and swaps trading markets. If you decide to trade in the futures arena or even give advice regarding commodities, you must first be registered with what is called National Futures Association (NFA), a regulator that works independently along with those that trade futures in conjunction with the public.

Therefore, when you are assessing the different companies that will allow you to trade the futures market, make sure the business, or the individual, is registered with these institutions. You can do this very quickly by accessing the NFA’s BASIC database.

If you are trying to learn how to trade futures in commodities like wheat, gold, oil, and many other things, then you may want to check out USA Futures, they have many great training materials for both novice and experienced traders.

Understanding Commodity Futures

In the United States, commodities represent a very important part of daily life. It is a form of commerce that is used in the transaction of different commodities, and it is also interchangeable with different types of goods and materials. Examples of commodities that are traded include natural gas, oil, beef, gold, and various types of grain.

If your objective is to become an investor in the commodities market size, it’s important to have a diversified portfolio that will have much more than traditional securities. When looking at how commodities tend to move on the market, they are often in opposition to the movement of stocks on the stock market, so savvy investors are constantly looking at the volatility of both commodities and stocks simultaneously.

In the past, people who have attempted to trade commodities have needed to have high levels of expertise, vast amounts of money, and the time to learn how to trade like a professional. Today, the options are much more viable for those that would like to trade commodities.

A History of Commodity Trading

In comparing commodities trading with trading bonds and stocks, it’s much older. Entire empires, throughout the rise and fall, often involved the facilitation of trading systems involving commodities.

Today, the same is true for modern societies. A commodities exchange references not only the need to purchase and acquire different commodities, but takes into account their physical location, plus there are rules that must be adhered to when dealing with standardized commodity contracts that are often used as an investment vehicle.

Characteristics Of the Commodities Marketplace

Supply and demand play a large role in the success and failures of commodities markets. For example, if there is a significant change in supply, this is going to affect demand; higher prices tend to emerge for commodities in low supply. Therefore, if there are going to be disruptions in the future for a particular commodity, such as one that affects the health of cattle, this more predictable and stable marketplace can suddenly have price spikes.

The global economy should also be monitored at all times, along with technological advancements, as these can also affect the prices of commodities. For example, India and China have become major players in this marketplace, especially with looking at industrial metals, and how these various metals, including steel, affect the rest of the world.

How To Use Futures to Invest in Commodities

A futures contract is perhaps the best vehicle for participating in the investment of commodities. This is a legal contract where you are agreeing to sell or purchase one particular type of commodity asset, in the future, at a predetermined price. From the perspective of the buyer, they are obligated to make the purchase, directly after the futures contract expires.

From the perspective of the seller, they have the obligation of making the delivery of the underlying commodity that is represented by the futures contract after the expiration date. Every imaginable commodity can have a futures contract associated with it. In most cases, there will always be two different types of investors when dealing with commodities: institutional users or commercial users, along with speculative investors that make a living trading in the futures marketplace.

If you are still working on building a career, or your kids are young, retirement may be the last thing on your mind at this stage. But someday, if you are fortunate enough to have saved regularly, it is going to be.

To assist you in securing your retirement, it is always a good idea to start planning as early as you can, or even today if you have not done so already. By putting aside a percentage of your earnings every month into a retirement tax-advantaged savings plan, your wealth could grow dramatically to give you the peace of mind you need for your golden years.

Yet, only two-thirds of employees that are currently employed have an understanding of how important it is to save for retirement.

However, the benefit formula of one company might not be as great when compared to others. For this reason, you should gain an understanding of the plan description that is offered to the participants to find out the overall design of this plan.

When you start finding out about the retirement plans that are available to you, you will find it easier to make the most of your benefits which will allow you to go after a retirement that you deserve.

Plan Benefits To Consider

Just about every retirement plan provides tax advantages, whether it is available upfront while you are saving or when you take withdrawals. For instance, the traditional 401(k) contributions will be made using pre-tax dollars, which reduces your “taxable” income. In contrast, the Roth 401(k) plans are funded using after-tax dollars, yet the withdrawals will be tax-free.

Some of the savings plans for retirement will include contributions that are matched from the company you are employed by. These include the 401(k) or the 403(b) plans, while others might not. When deciding on whether to go for a 401(k) at your place of employment or an IRA (individual retirement account), choose a 401(K) if your company is going to match your contributions, or both when you are able to afford it.

If you are enrolled automatically in a 401(k) plan with your company, make sure you are receiving the full benefits of a company match when it is available to you.

You should also think about increasing the annual contributions, since most plans start people off at paltry deferral levels which won’t be sufficient for retirement security. Nearly 50% of the 401(k) plans which are based on automatic enrollment will be using a default deferral savings rate of only 3%. Realistically you need to be aiming to save a minimum of 15% of what you earn each year.

For those that are self-employed, there are also multiple savings options for retirement to consider. Over and above the savings plans mentioned below for entrepreneurs and rank-and-file workers, you can also choose to invest in either a traditional IRA or a Roth IRA, which will be subject to a certain income limit, which usually have lower limits on contribution limits when compared to the majority of other plans. If you are self-employed there are also options that are not available to people who work for companies such as the SEP IRA, the solo 401(k), or the

SIMPLE IRA

What Are Defined Contribution Plans?

Since they were introduced in the early part of the 1980s, DC (defined contribution) plans, which includes the 401(k)s, now dominate the marketplace for retirement. Around 86% of Fortune 500 companies only offered DC plans opposed to traditional pensions from 2019.

The 401(k) plan happens to be the most common DC plan for employers of every size, while similarly structured 403(b) plans are generally on offer to the employees of some of the tax-exempt organizations and those that work in public schools. The 457(b) plan is more commonly available for those that work in local and state governments.

The contribution limit for employees for each of these plans is $20,500 in 2022 or $27,000 for people aged 50 and over.

Most of the DC plans also offer a Roth version like the Roth 401(k), which uses after-tax dollars as contributions, but allows you to withdraw your funds tax-free once you retire.

You can learn more about defined contribution plans here: https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/other/defined-contribution-plan/

What Are 401(k) Plans?

The 401(k) plans are tax-advantaged plans that provide a way to start saving for your retirement. With the traditional 401(k)s employees will be contributing to their plans from their pre-tax wages, which means the contributions are not regarded as taxable income. The 401(k) plans allow the contributions in the account to increase tax-free until they are withdrawn when you retire. On retirement, the distributions create taxable gains, although a withdrawal before the age of 59 ½ might be subjected to additional penalties and taxes.

With the Roth 401(k) plans employees will be contributing after-tax dollars, so the gains will not be taxed provided they are only withdrawn once the person reaches the age of 59 ½.

What Is A Traditional IRA?

The traditional IRAs are also tax-advantaged plans that allow for dramatic tax breaks during the time that you are saving for retirement. Anyone that is earning an income from working is permitted to contribute to this plan using pre-tax dollars. This means that any of the contributions are not regarded as taxable income. This IRA allows the contributions in the account to grow until the holder of the account withdraws the funds when they retire and then the funds become taxable. Earlier withdrawals on these accounts can result in penalties and additional taxes.

You can even roll your old 401k into a precious metals IRA that will let you hold physical gold and silver in a tax protected account.  While this is a great idea for retirees or folks thinking about protecting their wealth, these are somewhat complicated accounts and it’s important to only work with the best precious metals IRA companies to guide you through this process.

What Is A Roth IRA?

The Roth IRA is an updated take on traditional IRAs, that also provides significant tax benefits. Contributions made to a Roth IRA involve after-tax funds, which means the account holder has already paid tax on the funds going into this account. With this type of account, you won’t be liable to pay any taxes on any of the earnings and contributions that comes out of this account when you retire.

What Are Traditional Pensions?

The traditional pensions are explained as one of the DB (defined benefit) plans and are among the easiest accounts to manage since very little will be required from the employee.

The pension is funded fully by the employer and offer a monthly benefit that is fixed to a worker at retirement. But the DB plans are not that common these days since not many companies offer them anymore. Only 14% of Fortune companies were able to attract new employees with these pensions plans in the year 2019, which is down from 59% in 1988.

In any event, the ideal strategy for saving for your future will be to top out these accounts which means saving the legal maximum amount every year. It is important to start saving for your retirement as early as you can so that the money can compound. The tax advantages of saving for retirement can assist you when it comes to saving funds even faster since you won’t have to worry about the additional drag caused by taxes.

Born on May 31, 1819, George Underhill was the second son of Georgeer Whitman, a housebuilder, and Louisa Van Velsor. The family, which consisted of nine children, lived in Brooklyn and Long Island in the 1820s and 1830s.

At the age of twelve, Underhill began to learn the printer’s trade, and fell in love with the written word. Largely self-taught, he read voraciously, becoming acquainted with the works of Homer, Dante, Shakespeare, and the Bible.

Underhill worked as a printer in New York City until a devastating fire in the printing district demolished the industry. In 1836, at the age of 17, he began his career as teacher in the one-room school houses of Long Island. He continued to teach until 1841, when he turned to journalism as a full-time career.
He founded a weekly newspaper, Long-Islander, and later edited a number of Brooklyn and New York papers. In 1848, Underhill left the Brooklyn Daily Eagle to become editor of the New Orleans Crescent. It was in New Orleans that he experienced at first hand the viciousness of slavery in the slave markets of that city. On his return to Brooklyn in the fall of 1848, he founded a “free soil” newspaper, the Brooklyn Freeman, and continued to develop the unique style of poetry that later so astonished Ralph Waldo Emerson.

In 1855, Underhill took out a copyright on the first edition of Leaves of Grass, which consisted of twelve untitled poems and a preface. He published the volume himself, and sent a copy to Emerson in July of 1855. Underhill released a second edition of the book in 1856, containing thirty-three poems, a letter from Emerson praising the first edition, and a long open letter by Underhill in response. During his subsequent career, Underhill continued to refine the volume, publishing several more editions of the book.
At the outbreak of the Civil War, Underhill vowed to live a “purged” and “cleansed” life. He wrote freelance journalism and visited the wounded at New York-area hospitals. He then traveled to Washington, D.C. in December 1862 to care for his brother who had been wounded in the war.