PFBlog Digest

Hyundai Lands in Top 3 for Quality

2006-06-11T18:41:51-08:00

With its much improved quality, 10-year warranty, and basement price, it is now time to consider Hyundai.

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Why You Should Buy (or Sell, or Sit Tight)

2006-06-11T17:07:30-08:00

A timely reminder from WSJ as to whether we should stay put in the market, or not.

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Vonage IPO Tumbles in Debut

2006-05-24T15:40:07-08:00

I'm so glad I didn't participate in the IPO when Vonage offered the IPO shares to its customers. Now with the first day tumbling, Vonage has a customer-shareholder crisis to deal with -- for those who joined in the program, the savings from all these monthly phone bills were wiped ...

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Income Limit for Roth IRA Conversion To Be Removed

2006-05-20T01:40:50-08:00

... Only by 2010. It might open a tax saving strategy for some people, but keep in mind: you will need to dip into your after-tax savings account to pay for the tax during the conversion. More discussion on this topic can be found in this CCH publication.

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

What? Tax Hike for Expatriates?

2006-05-20T01:30:11-08:00

Am I exposed to another five-figure tax bill? This is not good news.

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Inflation Rate Tops 1,000% For First Time in Zimbabwe

2006-05-13T11:39:05-08:00

1,000% annual inflation is about 20% monthly inflation. This is a living example of how bad economic policy can devastate a nation.

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Fed Raised Benchmark Rate to 5%

2006-05-10T14:25:57-08:00

Bernanke & Co. did it again and the new Fed rate is 5% now. However, the wording of the statement now leaves room for all possibilities of future interest rate actions. Anyway, the 5% Fed rate should push another round of increase in money market account yields. At 5%, it ...

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Timing Your Series I Bond Redemption

2006-05-07T02:47:06-08:00

The ultra-low inflation component in the latest semi-annual savings bond interest update is certainly disappointing, but it also created a good window to redeem your relatively new I-bonds without incurring a lot penalty. You don't want to redeem too early, though.

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Upcoming Bill to Allow Wealthier Taxpayers to Convert to Roth IRA

2006-05-06T15:10:28-08:00

I have always been plagued by the $100,000 income cap on tradional-IRA-to-Roth IRA conversion. However, although our 401(k) balance is much higher than Roth IRA balance in our last monthly tally ($84,000 vs $13,000), we will most likely choose not to convert, since our tax bracket will be inflated due ...

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Buffett's Batting Average Is Sinking

2006-05-06T06:26:15-08:00

By scholastic measures, Buffett is lagging the competition in the last decade. Should you continue to believe in the Oracle's premium? Disclosure: My Berkshire Hathaway purchase in last August and November only appreciated 1.1% so far. The stock is even more range-bound than MSFT. :-)

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Bill Gates Wishes He Wasn't Richest in World

2006-05-04T08:34:44-08:00

Bill Gates is taking on the responsibility of being the richest seriously, and I highly admire him for his achievements on changing the way we live, both inside and outside of Microsoft. I wish one day I can spend more time (and a part of my fortune) on making more ...

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Latest Advice On Wall Street: Buy Currencies

2006-05-03T13:33:56-08:00

Currency trading is a zero-sum game, and it is unrealistic to expect individual investors can beat the professional in this market. Maybe a wiser strategy is to buy foreign currency denominated equity, as recommended by the Oracle.

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

A Microsoft, Yahoo Tie-Up?

2006-05-03T01:21:34-08:00

Google is now public enemy No. 1, and a merge between Microsoft and Yahoo will be a good answer to that.

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

I-Bond Rate Drops, But There's Good News

2006-05-02T14:02:11-08:00

It is very interesting to observe how some claimed "experts" can have different views on obvious things. As reported in Bankrate, savings bond "expert" Dan Pederson believes that the new rates for both I-series and EE-series savings bond make them a good buy. I will seriously challenge the argument. On ...

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Do All Banks Have Moats?

2006-05-01T22:09:24-08:00

Morningstar neatly argues that banking industry players, by definition, have different levels of moat, which makes them attractive at reasonable prices. I agree with the thinking. Disclosure: Bank of America (BAC) and Citigroup (C) are among my biggest holdings.

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

New Savings Bond Rate: I = 2.41%, EE = 3.70%

2006-05-01T19:58:36-08:00

Is it Treasury's intent to kill the Savings Bond program by setting the new I-series and EE-series yield at 2.41% and 3.70% respectively? Now that dozens of online banks are offering juicy returns at 4.00% or above, why will people want to invest in savings bonds?

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Can Bloggers Make Money?

2006-05-01T08:17:13-08:00

Jason Calacanis, CEO of Weblogs Inc., firmly believes a committed blogger can make serious money out of a blog. I agree, and I will add that personal finance bloggers are the favored group since it is so easy to monetize personal finance content. I probably cannot retire on my blogging ...

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

When Mutual Funds Don't Want Your Cash

2006-05-01T07:41:23-08:00

A brief history of the respectable mutual fund firm of Dodge & Cox -- my investment in Dodge & Cox International has earned me more than $10,000 in the last six months. I love their long-term, fundamental research and its commitment to investors' interest.

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

50-Year Mortgage Debuts in California

2006-04-30T15:44:58-08:00

Does one really need a 50-year loan to avoid negative amortization? After all, if the current housing market cools down, the meager monthly payment toward principal in 50-year loans will be an unlikely safety net. By the way, will they allow anyone over 50 to acquire 50-year loans? I'm just ...

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Bill Miller's Case Against Commodities

2006-04-29T19:18:34-08:00

I for sure missed the recent commodity boom, but I totally agree that now is not the right time to jump in. In fact, I'm holding the capital C of Citigroup as Bill preferred, and am quite comfortable with the 4% yield and recent stock price appreciation.

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Ctrl-Alt-Delete Market Cap

2006-04-29T01:53:33-08:00

By the time market was closed for the trading day of April 28, 2006, 590 million Microsoft shares changed hands, making it the sixth most actively traded single stock in a day -- the top 5 are occupied by the bankrupted Worldcom in mid 2002. I'm a vicitm too ...

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Realestate.com Boosts Services

2006-04-29T01:46:53-08:00

Granted, it is natural to extend the online franchise of RealEstate.com to downstream services, but without offering discount on commissions, can this move really attract many buyers? After all, those RealEstate.com visitors are internet-savvy and know comparison shopping very well.

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

At H&R Block, "Simple Pay" Is Not Simple

2006-04-15T05:36:47-08:00

Now wonder why both online versions of H&R Block's TaxCut and Quicken's TurboTax do not want you to pay the tax preparation fee upfront. By deducting the fee from your tax refund, these shops are positioned to make $20 or $30 more. H&R Block is especially sneaky by putting this ...

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Phone Service Excise Tax May End Soon?

2006-04-14T12:25:34-08:00

Good news that at the very least, we have a bit more transparency of our phone bills. I'm also looking forward to my refund check now. By the way, did anyone know that this excise tax was enacted in the 19th century?

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

China Will Allow Its Investors To Head Abroad

2006-04-13T22:52:31-08:00

More specifics of the regulation change (via press release in Chinese): - Banks are allowed to pool Renminbi deposits from individuals and businesses to invest in fixed income products in foreign markets, up to certain limit. - Fund management firms are allowed to pool deposits in foreign currencies from individuals ...

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Fidelity: Closing Two More Funds

2006-04-13T22:46:16-08:00

Fidelity will close too more funds in an admissions that some funds are becoming too large to navigate. However, the mere fact that Fidelity leaves two weeks for people to come in indicates the reluctance of management to stop milking these cash cows.

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Dirty Little Deadline Secret

2006-04-13T13:28:26-08:00

For most people, missing the tax filing deadline is nothing to be worried about. After all, if IRS owes you, there is no penalty in filing late.

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Letting the IRS Do Your Taxes for You

2006-04-12T22:46:36-08:00

This kind of proposal will surely meet huge headwind from the commercial tax preparation business. A more plausible proposition is to provide a reliable feed of automatically collected information to these tax preparation firms to save time for tax filers and tax preparers.

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Click Here To See Your Home Depreciate

2006-04-12T11:29:44-08:00

More me-too online real estate appraisal sites: Zillow.com, RealEstateABC.com, Domania.com, etc.

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Avoiding a Hot Fund Before It Closes

2006-04-12T11:26:00-08:00

Should you get in before Fidelity Contrafund closes its door on April 28th? History says no.

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

IRS Wants PayPal Account Information

2006-04-12T11:03:21-08:00

If you are doing money laundary through PayPal, be careful! IRS is watching your back now. On the other hand, it does not mean PayPal will get access to all your domestic transactions, and IRS certainly does not have basis to classify all your PayPal cash inflows as income.

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

ING Direct Plans Checking Account With High Yield

2006-04-11T11:40:50-08:00

ING Direct is planning its entry to the checking account business, but at 3% APY and no reimbursement of ATM fees, its proposed product is hardly compelling. After all, it is hard to strike a balance between giving out attractive yield for new customers, and controlling the cost of capital ...

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Fidelity to Close Contrafund

2006-04-08T00:33:33-08:00

I have Contrafund in my 401(k) portfolio. Unfortunately, FNIAX is not available for retail trading. (According to Morningstar, FNIAX is the younger and better performing brother of Contrafund.)

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

PayPal Goes Mobile With Cell Phone Payment System

2006-03-26T08:44:39-08:00

PayPal Mobile is currently only available to eBay employees, but it can be the next good killer application. Imagine the convenience you can make a purchase from a mail order magazine by just sending a text message ... without all the hassle of filling and mailing a form. You don't ...

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Are You a Thrillionaire or a Realionaire?

2006-03-25T14:26:06-08:00

Slate is a unique source of unique personal finance news, like this one. Among the five archetypes, I'm probably a realionaire in the making.

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Triple Alert - Cheap Credit Monitoring Services

2006-03-21T23:05:34-08:00

We have a lot of competition in this niche now: credit monitoring service is almost commoditized with this new contribution from Experian. $4.95/month gets you alerts from all three credit reporting agencies. What a deal! (If you have Providian Real Rewards card, you get free credit score as the benefit.)

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Google Finance Beta

2006-03-21T00:58:38-08:00

WSJ released the news that Google Finance is about to launch. Actually, the site is available at finance.google.com. Take a quick look at its summary for Microsoft. The stock chart looks cool, but the entire site does not really set itself apart from Yahoo! Finance or MSN Money though. If ...

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Your Tax Information May Be (Legally) Sold

2006-03-17T20:03:09-08:00

Tax information is certainly more valuable than credit report. Try the SWIPE toolkit and see how pieces of your information are worth: Address: $0.50 Past Address: $9.95 Marriage/Divorce Record: $7.95 Bankruptcy Record: $26.50 Business Ownership: $9.95 Published Phone Nymber: $0.25 Unpublished Phone Number: $17.50 Cell Phone Number: $10.00 Social Security ...

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Residential Mortgage Delinquencies Increase

2006-03-17T19:46:17-08:00

It might not be surprising, but it surely is not good.

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Search Engines Start Rewards Programs

2006-03-17T16:15:02-08:00

All these incentives are aiming at fostering the right eco-system. However, it might run into potential conflict of interest with advertisers. Plus, have you heard of Google Atom Bomb described below? "Much blog buzz about Tom Foremski�s doomsday scenario for Google AdWords. A billionnaire (presumably Bill Gates in disguise) offers ...

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Tax Time at Cullen Inc.

2006-03-17T11:36:31-08:00

Terri Cullen at WSJ shared her tax preparation experience. Very informative! Especially for: 1. Sharing that TurboTax's cool feature of comparing income and itemized deductions against other U.S. households. 2. Terri finally revealed her income (although that of 11 years ago) and her tax due for the year. Not too ...

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Too Rich for a 401(k)?

2006-03-12T14:34:14-08:00

Fortunately we have too many "highly compensated employees" at Microsoft so I will only know of this on paper instead of reality. PFBlog readers, have you been penalized for being highly compensated?

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Some Finding Perils in Online Real Estate

2006-03-12T05:36:58-08:00

Online car shopping is already too much for me, not to mention online real estate flipping. How one dares to buy a house without looking at it in his own eyes is really beyond me.

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

The Cullens Are Millionaires!

2006-03-12T05:22:13-08:00

WSJ columnist Terri Cullen, who reported on personal finance blogs a year ago among the first in major financial media, achieved million-dollar-net-worth milestone lately. For those who is still working toward the millionaire status, Terri shares why a million dollars does not mean everything. To me, a million dollar is ...

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Microsoft's Tax Gambit

2006-03-12T05:16:19-08:00

WSJ shares some of Microsoft's tax tricks to keep earnings in low-corporate-tax counties like Ireland.

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

102 More Billionaires in 2005

2006-03-09T18:14:52-08:00

Forbes reported 793 billionaires in its annual richest people list -- it means more than 100 new billionaires were crowned in the last twelve months. The 793 individuals' collective wealth, $2.6 trillion, equals to 5% of total household wealth in U.S. ($52.1 trillion) -- of course, this is not apple-to-apple ...

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

How to Minimize Your Investment Returns

2006-03-09T14:44:44-08:00

Whoever is seeking someone else to manage their money should read Warren Buffett's fable first. According to the Oracle, the investors' community as a whole are paying 20% of potential returns as "frictional costs". This is not to say you shouldn't seek opinions. For example, Morningstar's Premium Membership can well ...

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

Mortgage Rate Trend Index - Week of 3/9

2006-03-09T14:19:03-08:00

Most of Bankrate.com panelists expect mortgage rate to keep going up. The best rate for no-point 5/1 ARM at Bankrate is 4.875% now, and this is way higher than the 3.50% I locked when I refinanced in 2004. (Nevertheless I sold my property in late 2005 so the ultra-favorable rate ...

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

2005's Top Fund Shop Revealed

2006-03-06T04:40:59-08:00

Dodge & Cox made to the top spot of Morningstar's top fund list for 2005. If I have any regret, it is that I didn't buy into its funds earlier. I'm currently having more than 15% of my portfolio invested in Dodge & Cox International Stock (DODFX). Unfortunately, its domestic ...

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..

What's Next for I Bonds?

2006-03-06T01:20:33-08:00

Back in November I bought $10,000 worth of I-series savings bonds at TreasuryDirect at the announcement of the dazzling 6.73% rate. I haven't made any follow-up purchase thereafter. According to Savings Bond Advisor, it is very likely that I-bond investors are heading toward a 6-month period of very low rate ...

Read more news like this from PFBlog Network, the personal finance bloggers' network..