Posts by Ari Page
Bitcoin to be Taxed as Property, not Currency
Just in case you missed this in the news this week, the Internal Revenue Service made a ruling that will have an effect on the future of Bitcoin (and all virtual currency). They ruled Bitcoin to be “property, not currency,” which thereby makes it subject to regulation in the United States. In case you’re not…
See Full Article Here ->Zero Interest Credit: Too good to be true?
The old adage is that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Browsing through your mail, you’ve likely come across no interest credit solicitations from various institutions and wondered how they can do that. In the case of zero interest credit, the adage actually doesn’t apply. To understand how they can…
See Full Article Here ->PNC Survey: Brighter Days Ahead for Business Owners
The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. conducts a semi-annual survey of businesses. Since the studies began in 2003, they have gauged the thinking among business owners pertaining to their overall expectations and the way they intend to conduct their business over the next half-year. The April 2014 survey paints a somewhat rosier picture than ones…
See Full Article Here ->Big Bank Stress Tests Provide Positive Results
Each year, the Federal Reserve conducts “stress tests” on banks to gauge their overall health. They want to see if a bank would be able to endure a lengthy, adverse economic scenario while still being able to lend to individuals and businesses. These tests were brought about by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer…
See Full Article Here ->Is the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank an Anti-US Dollar Alliance?
What is common between the U.K., France, Germany, Italy and now South Korea? Can’t think of an answer? Well, they are all U.S. allies who are accepting China’s invitation to become members of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). And they are doing this against the advice of the United States. Initiated last October by…
See Full Article Here ->How do credit bureaus make money?
How do credit bureaus make money? Numerous theories exist. I decided it might be a good idea to take a closer look at some of these theories. One such idea is that the credit bureaus get paid by banks to return data as negative as possible, so banks can have the upper hand with their…
See Full Article Here ->Subprime housing market not what it used to be
Not so long ago, lenders gave out mortgages to potential homeowners without doing their due diligence. Often, no down payments or documentation were needed. As a result, the global economy suffered and the housing market crashed. There was the Adjustable Rate mortgage (ARM) with a low interest rate for a couple of years – then…
See Full Article Here ->Keeping Startup Spending in Check
Those who are beginning a new business generally don’t have an unlimited supply of funds. So especially at first, there are some difficult decisions that need to be made with respect to keeping startup spending in check. Where is it essential to spend? Where can you save a few dollars here and there? There are…
See Full Article Here ->You’re Getting Sued. Now What?
In 2012, there were more than 278,000 civil lawsuits filed (source). While many people will manage to escape being sued, you never know when it could happen to you. Unfortunately, those being sued – especially for the first time – are never quite sure how to react. The first thing most think of is the…
See Full Article Here ->Dun & Bradstreet’s Credibility Issues
Credibility Corp is owned by Dun & Bradstreet (D&B), a New Jersey-based credit reporting giant whose annual revenue is more than $1 billion. About four years ago, Credibility was spun off from the parent company. Today, Credibility finds itself in a bit of hot water as a federal court upheld a motion to hear a…
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