Investments That Guarantee A Return

By Henry Kendall

Many people today are applying for another credit card or loan to survive the unfortunate economic situation we are in today, however there are others who do not need credit - instead, they are looking for good investments. If you have money to spare you might be one of these people, yet putting your extra cash in a savings account does not usually make the most financial sense. However, today, many of the investment options available can be risky; and, because of this, it is no wonder that people are skeptical about where to invest their money. Despite the skepticism in the air, there are actually options available for investing your money that are practically risk free.

When we talk about a good investment that does not necessarily mean it is going to be risk free, however all risk free investments are relatively good investments on some level because you do not incur a risk of monetary loss with the investment. When you are looking into to various securities, anything that has the potential to cause you to lose money cannot be classified as risk free. However, securities that are free of this risk are often more popular and usually found in government bonds, treasury bills, and certificates of deposits (CD).

These types of investments are not only risk free, but they can also be a smarter investment for many people who are working to save money for the future. If you are looking to invest in new securities, keep in mind that investments are not as liquid as your regular bank accounts (checking and savings). Basically, when you invest money, you cannot necessarily get it back tomorrow if you need to. Although investments are not as liquid, it is nice to know that when you invest in a risk free investment, you can know for sure that the money you invested today will be there tomorrow along with some sort of return.

One of the most popular risk free investments in the ones you get from the government - savings bonds. When you invest in a savings bond, you are basically giving money to the government and accruing interest on it overtime; and, although the bank may not be there in 20 years to give you the return on your investment, the government will be. Although bonds do not promise a high rate of return, there is no risk to losing money when you invest in a bond; therefore, in the long run, it is a wise decision to invest in them.

Another option for risk free investing is treasury bills or T-Bills, which are also offered from the government. The great thing about T-Bills is that they function a lot like bonds, given that they are offered from the government, however they have a much shorter term life than bonds. A typical T-Bill reaches maturity in a year or less and at the same time there is not risk of losing money. When it reaches maturity, you can expect to receive the principle back plus any interest you made on your investment.

In addition to the government securities available, certificates of deposits (CDs) are also great risk free investment options for today's economic climate. CDs usually have a time period that ranges from anywhere between one quarter and 5 years before it reaches maturity. After maturity is reached, you receive payment of the principle and interest like you do with T-Bills and bonds. Also, one thing to consider regarding CDs is that sometimes they do not have the same tax benefits as other investments.

Obviously, not all investments are created alike and this is why many people seek the advice of a financial planner to help them with their investment needs. You might be interested in talking with a finance professional as well, so that you can be best advised on what to do when it comes to investing for the future. Whatever you do decide to do, be careful and cautious and make sure that you do not invest before you are sure - especially when it comes to riskier investments.

In the investment industry, a higher rate of return usually involves more risk, and therefore it is important to be cautious. Many people do reap the rewards of the higher return, yet there are others who end up losing money - that is the risk. And, for this reason that is why caution is important, especially in real estate and stock market investments. Don't Lose Money On Your Investments

For this reason, you might be better off sticking with the risk free alternatives. Savings Bonds, T-Bills, and CDs are always great investment options. And, when you invest, you can be sure that at least you will not lose any money! - 23199

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When The Out Of The Money Covered Call Writing Strategy Fails Miserably

By Marc Abrams

Incredible things have been promised by many websites and e-books regarding investment training strategies. One of the more common stock market trading strategies taught is to sell covered call options on stocks. These websites promise that you can earn up to 10% monthly returns using that very strategy. Sound good? Read on.

I will be the first to admit that selling out-of-the-money covered calls can bring lucrative monthly returns under the right circumstances. This strategy has been successfully used by me. However, this strategy is not without its disadvantages. The public has not been properly educated by the website and e-book marketers. They market this strategy as conservative with little risk. They leave you holding the bag when it all goes wrong.

Selling out-of-the-money covered calls works when the stock market is going up in value. They also work when the stock market is neutral, meaning the market trades sideways with little swing up or down. I don't know about you, but when was the last time the stock market traded sideways for any length of time?

We are currently in the midst of an extremely volatile market. We have recently seen swings in the Dow as much as 200 points in either direction on any given day. Hardly a profitable market for an out-of-the-money covered call writer. Once that stock you are holding starts to decline, so do your profits. I can assure you that profits can evaporate very quickly. I have seen stocks fall from $10 per share to $1 per share over night! There is never enough premium on an option sale to cover that kind of decline.

The key to out-of-the-money covered call writing is to select stocks that will get called. Too many advocates of this strategy do not want the stock to get called. They want you to keep the stock so you can sell a covered call option on it the next month. This is a flawed strategy. You need to select stocks that are trending up in value, hence, a rising market. Those are the stocks that will maximize your profit. If the stock gets called, I know I ended up making my maximum anticipated return.

What happens if the stock goes way up in value? The stock simply gets called away if it rises up past the strike price and stays there through expiration. Isn't that what you wanted in the first place? Because you did not participate in those gains you may feel like you left money on the table. If you feel that way just buy the stock outright and don't sell covered call options on it. Why not just let the stock get called away, take your profit and move on? Then look for stocks to buy and sell calls on for the next month.

Remember, you can create an excellent source of income selling out of the money covered calls in a rising stock market. However, the stock market we find ourselves in today is less than ideal for this strategy. There are other strategies, however, that offer significant protection in a declining or volatile stock market. - 23199

About the Author:

Marc Abrams Is A Certified Public Accountant With Over 15 Years of Financial And Investing Experience. Visit Marc's Website at http://www.rebuildingmyfuture.com To Learn More About Writing Covered Calls In Today's Stock Market

A Brief Overview of Tax Lien Investing

By Steve Jonas

The tax portion of the term typically refers to unpaid property taxes. The dictionary definition of lien is:

"The legal claim of one person upon the property of another person to secure the payment of a debt or the satisfaction of an obligation."

Tax lien is like a form of security wherein the individual's property is used as collateral to make sure that tax-related debt to another person is settled. Initially, the person with the property owes a debt to the government who imposed the taxes. However, after a certain period of time, the government agency will then take the property into auction to be able to compensate their expenses and open a new opportunity for savvy investors.

Investing in tax liens is not just 100% legal but you are also protected too. This is because tax lien is a product made by the federal government and therefore you are safe as you would be protected from the state that you bought the tax lien from. Also, for your convenience, they would be the one to handle the whole tax lien process for you.

Tax lien certificates are usually sold at tax sales organized by a county or municipal official. It is ultimately open and safe due to the fact that tax lien investors actually pay the officials the required taxes.

If everything else has been settled, the lien will then be handed to the investor from the government. If this is already complete, the investor will now have the right to collect all of the stated interest that has been made by the government. The usual interest stated in the lien is between 8% and 25% per year.

The property owner will have a set period of time to pay the new total (taxes, interest, and other related fees). If the property owner fails to pay within the arranged time frame, the lien now gives the investor the right to foreclose on the property.

Tax lien investing is a high yielding investment. Tax lien certificates are an attractive investment because you don't need thousands of dollars to start and you don't have to pay any brokerage fees.

Tax lien certificate is an investment that requires your attention and time. If it happens that you have made good purchases and have research the properties that are attached to the tax liens, then you would most likely be happier to acquire a property through foreclosure. However, the list of properties that you will usually have before the sale from the tax office is minimal only, in which it would only tell less about the property. Most often than not, you'll only acquire the tax ID, amount owed and owner of record.

The first thing that you have to do is look up the assessment information on the property and find the address. Physically looking at the property is best so youll be sure that the assessment information is up to date. Make sure that the property is worth considerably more than the amount thats owed for back taxes. Keep in mind that you may have to pay the taxes on this property throughout the redemption period (if it doesnt redeem) before you can foreclose on it or apply for a deed.

Foreclosing on tax lien properties will really certify you a profit that is usually several times your initial investment. - 23199

About the Author:

Steve Jonas is an expert in tax liens. For more information on tax liens visit theNational Association of Tax Lien Investors

How to Qualify for an Investor Visa

By Sam McDougall Turner

Relocation to the United States of America can be a very difficult process. However there are several ways that you can vastly improve your chances of being granted a visa. One of the most common of these is to opt for an investor visa. There are two basis types, temporary and permanent.

A temporary investor visa is called an E-2.

The E-2 visa is commonly referred to as the temporary green card. This is because there is no top-end limit to the visa term and so extensions and renewals can be applied any number of times providing the conditions of your visa are still met.

The purpose of this visa is to allow foreign people who have invested considerable amounts in the US to relocate there to further develop and run the business or businesses that they have invested in.

You may fit the criteria for this visa if you are the investor in a foreign business, or are a vital employee such as a manager or executive, and if you and the large shareholders in the business are nationals of countries that have a long standing Treaty of Trade, Friendship and Commerce with the United States of America.

If you are an executive or a member of corporate personnel, then you must be a national of the same country as the corporation to qualify. An investment in the USA must have either already been made or that the investment is in progress. So if you posses substantial financial assets, then you could be entitled to the E-2 visa.

In short, the E-2 visa is most suited to those who are looking to invest a considerable sum of money in order to purchase all or part of an existing company, or to set up a new company. As the investor is expected to take an active role in the direction and management of the business, the E-2 visa is not suitable for silent investors.

Because of the unique complexities of investing in a U.S. business, it is highly advisable to seek competent legal advice on the types of investment that may qualify for an E2. After receiving such advice, the next step is likely to be to contact a reputable business broker that has an awareness of the requisite criteria for making a qualifying E-2 investment. - 23199

About the Author:

When you have decided to invest in a US business, our law firm will be able to assist you in the legal process of applying for the E-2 investor visa. Please visit www.visas4america.com for advice on applying for an investor visa.

Secret Artificial Intelligence Trading Algorithm Discovered

By Tim Stevens

I don't just use stock charts for my analysis. I'm going to spill those proverbial beans and show you how I find the incredible stocks for a very popular stock blog.

This secret algorithm I'm about to reveal beats the pants off just using technical analysis to read stock charts.

I'm part of an exclusive stock club that gave me this algorithm. Make no mistake, this algorithm is very powerful and can produce annual returns in excess of 1,000%!

This ground breaking algorithm gives any computer an almost spooky ability to analyze a stock better than a technical analyst reading a stock chart! Many years ago, software programs used statistics and models for returning buy and sell signals. But this secret algorithm is way more advanced. It's like have 50 analysts inside your computer giving you their opinions on any stock you want!

I have used this to make a lot of money and now I'm going to tell you exactly what the algorithm is.

I'm giving you this for free because I'm hoping you make a lot of money from this and become a regular reader of my articles. I think that's fair.

We need to examine the trend. Get the 10 day MA, the 20 day MA, and the 50 day MA. The formula is: 10 day MA greater than 20 day MA greater than 50 day MA. So the 10 day MA should be above the 20 day MA. The 20 day MA should be above the 50 day MA. If this criteria is met, move on to the next step. If not, toss out the stock and start over.

The next step in this secret formula is to examine the last hour of trading on the previous day. If it has closed above the 5 hour MA, move to the next step. It is hasn't toss the stock out and pick a better one.

Now in this next step, we need to see if the stock is trading at its 3 day high. If it is, read the next step below. If not, you know how this goes, get rid of the stock and find another one and start all over again.

The next step is to determine of the last price of the stock was above its 20 day MA. If it is, move on.

In this step, we need to look at the previous week of trading and then 2 weeks before that. If the stock hit a 3 week high in the last week of trading, that is excellent, keep reading. If not, say goodbye to the stock and start over again with another stock.

In this step we need to determine if the stock traded at a 3 month high during the previous month of trading. If it has, fantastic! If not, lose the stock and start over again with a new stock. - 23199

About the Author:

Don't spend the time doing this manually, there is an Artificial Intelligence stock screener that will scan more than 25,000 stocks in 5 seconds. For more information go to Lance Jepsen's blog at stock chart