Home Blog Page 683

What is Level 2 and Level 3 Data for Credit Card Processing?

0

Visa and MasterCard use different terms as “data level” and “data rate,” both refer to the quantity of useful data a business provides at the time of transaction.

The level your business uses at which a customer’s card is processed is related to how much information you can collect about a customer when he purchases from you. The default is that companies use Level 1 processing, which means that you will get the card number, billing address, card expiration, and zip code in every transaction. Businesses need to collect more information in order to process at Level 2 or Level 3. These levels of processing are only available to the government or B2B businesses.

You could access equity with favourable interest rates and no monthly repayments if you own your property and you’re over 55. With equity release interest rates lower than ever and plans becoming more and more flexible, your financial adviser will very possibly suggest equity release over credit card debt.

Which Cards Provide Level 2 Or Level 3

MasterCard, Visa, and American Express have programs that process at Level 2 enhanced data, while only MasterCard and Visa offer Level 3. While using American Express, you need first to contact them for approval for Level 2 transactions. On Visa and MasterCard cards, Level 2 and Level 3 data are available through interchange without notifying the card brands.

Discover credit cards do not offer any enhanced data processing for Level 2 and Level 3, which means it processes the transaction on level 1 only. Processing the card requires an interchange cost on every transaction that you have to pay, but there is a way to lower it down, the greater the data level of a transaction, the lower the fee. These programs are beneficial for companies and businesses that get most of their payments with MasterCard and Visa cards.

Effects of Level 2 and Level 3 on Interchange fees:

Interchange constitutes the largest part of the transaction processing cost. It is the cost that card issuing bank charges to process a transaction. On Level 1, businesses provide limited information. Thus more interchange fee is charged. However, as you progress on the data level 2 or level 3, the interchange fee lowers. The reason is that the bank does not have to put much effort into gathering the information. It aids the transaction, which helps in reducing the cost. If you use an accurate pass-through pricing method, it will lower the cost of the interchange fees.

Interchange fees are determined by using a set of rules, i.e., interchange qualification. It has categories that represent specific requirements for the classification of the transaction. The system checks the eligibility of the transaction for each particular category. If it matches the minimum requirements of specific criteria, it is classified into it. Now, the system determines the best pricing for the transaction. This criterion depends on the type of card, how it is used, type of transaction, transaction size, card brand, and much more.

Type of transaction, i.e., card-present transaction and card not present transaction, plays a vital role in determining the cost of the interchange fees. Card present transactions are more cost-effective in contrast to card not present in.

Downgrade and Enhanced Level:

If your transaction meets the criteria for level 2 credit card processing, then BINGO! You can enjoy a lower transaction fee. If it doesn’t qualify for level 2 or level 3, it will charge the default transaction fee, i.e., level 1 interchange fee. Suppose if your transaction doesn’t meet the requirements for level 3, it will revert to level 2 or level 1. This is called a downgrade. However, level 2 and level 3 are called enhanced levels.

Level 2 Credit Card Processing Requirements:

For level 2 credit card processing, the transaction should be taxable. The tax rate should’ve between 0.1% and 30%. The requirements are as follows:

  • Information required in Level 1, including card number, billing address, card expiration, and zip code.
  • Specific requirements for MasterCard include:
    • Customer code (purchasing cards)
    • Tax amount
    • Card acceptor tax ID
    • Tax indicator
  • For Visa card, the required details include:
    • Tax amount

Level 3 Credit Card Processing Requirements:

Level 3 processing requires more payment details than level 2. Level 3 requirements comprise of the following:

  • Payment details for Level 1 and Level 2, besides that it includes:
  • For Visa card:
    • Discount Fee
    • Shipping Fee
    • Duty amount
    • Item Sequence Number
    • Item commodity code
    • Item product code
    • Item quantity
    • Unit of measure
    • Unit cost
    • Discount per line item
    • Line-item total
  • MasterCard Level 3 data requirements:
  • Product code
  • Product description
  • Extended item amount
  • Debit or credit indicator

Comparison in Interchange Fee Rates:

We have been telling you that you can enjoy lower transaction rates or interchange fees if you opt for level 2 or 3 credit card processing. As you know that the concept of Level 2 and 3 credit card processing applies to commercial credit cards. Let’s take a look at some examples to estimate the savings:

Note: The percentage will vary for each category (controllable variable). However, there is a fixed amount listed beside the percentage, which remains the same for every transaction.

Commercial level 3 will cost you around 1.90% + $0.10 if you qualify for level 3. If not, you will downgrade to level 2, about 2.50% + $0.10. Level 1 transaction fee will be around 2.95% + $0.10. It is evident that as you progress on the levels, the cost lessens.

As we discussed earlier, card-present transactions are less expensive than card not present transactions. CP transaction will cost up to 2.50% + $0.10. Whereas, CNP transaction will be somewhere around 2.70% + $0.10.

Benefits of Level 2 and Level 3 Transactions:

 You have to pay a lesser transaction fee if you progress towards Level 2 and Level 3 credit card processing. This may seem small, but this could make a huge difference if the transaction size is large (for a business that accepts cards). If your company uses the cards, level 2 or 3 can provide many details that help in active management. Level 2 and Level 3 credit card processing is more secure than level 1 transactions because there’s no chance for fraud or cybercrime.

Build Up To The 2021 Grand National Horse Racing Event!

0

The Grand National is a racing event that is a firm fixture in most people’s diaries, whether they decide to travel to Aintree, watch it on TV, or stream the event. It was also one of the first races in the world to offer a 7-figure prize pot for runners and owners.

That said, the Grand National is not the biggest competition in the world for prize-money. That claim to fame goes to Saudi Arabia for their Saudi Cup boasting a $10 million dollar prize for the winning horse and a further $10 million for the other runners!

For a list of the top 5 richest races in the world, take a look at this CNN feature.

Aintree’s Grand National is still just about as famous as they come. It is well-known for its terrifying jumps that can stop a horse in its track or plunge the horse to what often results in the horse’s last race. One that has had animal cruelty activists campaigning against this even year after year!

A Guide to the Grand National & Its Betting Frenzy

Whether you are a gambler or not, if you are a citizen of the UK, the chances are you will have bet on the Grand National whether at a high street bookies, online bookmakers, or through a sweepstakes group betting activity amongst friends, family, and/or work colleagues. As the event is just around the corner, that means you could probably do with a decent Grand National betting guide so you can choose a winner!

If you decide to place a bet at the bookies, then a decent Grand National betting guide will help you make the right decision when choosing which bets to take. Because the Grand National 2021 betting market is wide open, your Grand National betting guide for 2021 should guide you to making the correct each way bets with a healthy return. You will also find betting guides on online sports books where you will get enhanced odds on your bets, free bet offers, and the betting guide should also teach you about ant bets, Non-Runner No-Bet (NRNB), and guaranteed odds.

Danger Equals Excitement.

Since the race began in 1839 there have been a staggering 83 equine deaths from injuries sustained in the race. It’s run over 4 miles or 2 ½ furlongs and has 16 steeples that the horses have to navigate. The 1st fence has put paid to many riders. It’s not tall at 4 ft 6 inches but is jumped at speed by horses charging out of the gates and vying for position, so has led to many falls, the most being 12 in 1951.

The 6th Fence is “Bechers Brook”, one of the most famous because of the steep drop on the other side, and named after Captain Martin Becher who after falling from his horse crouched in the brook whilst all the other horses jumped over him.

Amazingly, he managed to mount his horse again but to be thrown off for a 2nd time at the 2nd brook. The most difficult is probably “The Chair” and well known because a jockey died there in 1862, the only jockey death in the history of the Grand National.

And if the horses can overcome these fences, they merge on the final stretch which is one of the longest run-ins of any steeplechase, at 494 yards (452 m) and makes for a wonderfully exciting climax to the race as the horses charge to the finish line.

The first race dates back to 1839 and some of the most famous and iconic horses have been winners at the 30-60 horse finale to the event, like Abd-El-Kader, The Colonel and Red Rum who won at Aintree a record 3 times. Red Rum showed his longevity by coming back in 1976 to win after losing out to L’Escargot the previous year. This gave him his 3rd win at the Grand National

Famous Winners At The Grand National With Long Odds

In 1947, the National by a 100/1 outsider Caughoo, in a 56-horse field and that’s been one of the draws of the race that any horse can win and any favourite can fall at one of the many fences. Some other notable 100/1 winners have been Foinavon in 1967, Tipperary Tim in 1928 and Mon Mome the last long odds winner in 2009.

For a look at the darker side of horse-racing have a read of this article by Sam Allcock. There are some light-hearted horse puns in there too.

When Will the Festival Take Place?

This year’s race will hopefully take place from April 8th to the 10th.

Last year’s Grand National had to be held behind closed doors but we are betting on it being open to the public this year.

Elon Musk Revolutionized The Market Again Taking BTC Above $ 44K

0

Bitcoin Price: Elon Musk Revolutionized the Market Again, Taking BTC Above $ 44K.Tesla announced that it will invest $ 1.5 billion in the market.

Bitcoin (BTC) reached a new ATH above $ 44,000 this morning , but corrected minutes later. However, the cryptocurrency appears to have found its place above 42K (which also marks uncharted territory) and will seek to maintain it. At the close of this note, the price of BTC is $ 42,661.

This morning, Tesla made its $ 1.5 billion investment in BTC official , which sent the price of the asset skyrocketing and once again exposed Elon Musk’s global influence. The crypto market as a whole showed green numbers and its total market capitalization exceeded $ 1.27 trillion .

A few weeks ago, the CEO of Testa and SpaceX changed his Twitter bio to the word “#Bitcoin.” At that point, the price of BTC skyrocketed by $ 5,000 and hit 38K. However, after a few hours he retraced his steps.

This time it is different . Musk did not make an insignificant gesture through social networks, but rather materialized his words of support for BTC with a multi-million dollar investment that moved the foundations of the ecosystem.

BTC will seek to exceed 43K, although according to specialists maintaining the level of 42K would be enough to amortize the jump . The movement ended up erasing the January 8 correction, and took with it the fears that it produced.

Unlike the first week of the year, now BTC has a 40% gain so far this year, but with a 30% correction in between. That suggests more security , and at the same time more expectations for the future .

The altcoin market also had a great day. Talking about Musk is already talking about Dogecoin (DOGE) , the cryptocurrency meme that the tycoon seems to have sponsored on social networks. DOGE grew 10% and climbed to eighth place among the top 10 cryptocurrencies, although at the end of this note it is ranked tenth, trading at $ 0.07.

Ethereum (ETH) , the benchmark altcoin, grew hours after BTC, but at a significant rate. The asset also climbed 10%, trading just below $ 1,700 .

Litecoin (LTC) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH) are up 8% and 7%, respectively, and are priced at $ 161 and $ 470 . XRP also grew 7% in the last 24 hours, reaching $ 0.43 .

Digital Currency Market Launches a Proprietary Trading Platform

0

Digital Currency Market (DCM) has launched a new website and trading brand: digitalcurrencymarket.io. The company has been offering hedging services for 27 years to corporate clients in over 160 countries. Its success has created an increasing demand from retail traders as well, and this demand is finally answered.

According to the company’s spokesperson, Harry Serenovich, the company is “excited” about this new opportunity. “We’re certain that we are bringing to the table something that digital traders won’t find anywhere else. With a track record of excelling at all financial fields we’ve entered, this new venture is bound to help online traders unleash the full potential in them”, said Serenovich.

One of the attractive features this broker offers clients is social trading, a successful trading technique not commonly provided by brokers, which helps achieve higher profits. This tool enables traders to follow their peers, exchange information, and adopt any trading method they find favorable. 

With more than 200 assets to choose from and a bonus for new traders, Digital Currency Market now offers trading on cryptocurrencies, forex, indices, stocks, and commodities. Virtual money has been growing in popularity since Bitcoin’s creation. Over the past year, various factors have caused these coins’ value to rise and fall, including voiced concerns from the United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority and Elon Musk’s comments on social media.

DMC’s homepage with all its features

Crypto Market in the UK

Recently, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has warned citizens about cryptocurrencies and the high risk involved in trading them. The FCA has commented that “as with all high-risk, speculative investments, consumers should make sure they understand what they’re investing in, the risks associated with investing, and any regulatory protections that apply.”

Despite that, many traders view virtual assets rather as a safe haven and believe that these crypto tokens are going to continue maintaining purchasing power. Also, many believe that even if crypto value does not rise in the future, it will not drop either, but rather stay the same.

Because of this, DCM, which is both regulated and transparent, has included cryptos in its trading asset list. Moreover, with almost 30 years of experience, the broker offers risk management for any trade, leveraged or not.

Elon Musk’s opinion on cryptocurrency

All the while, Elon Musk, one of the world’s richest people, has consistently expressed positive reactions to Bitcoin, claiming it is only a matter of time till the coin breaks traditional finance. During a chatroom event held last Monday, Musk, the CEO of Tesla, said that he thinks “Bitcoin is really on the verge of getting broad acceptance by conventional finance people.”

A few days prior to that, Musk had changed his Twitter bio to #bitcoin. This caused a great reaction and BTC jumped over 14% in only 30 minutes. Nevertheless, Musk insisted that he himself “is late to the party” and that he should have started using Bitcoin years ago.

Elon Musk’s Twitter bio

Digital Currency Market and cryptocurrency

Back to the platform launching, DCM offers the most popular cryptos on the market to traders. With seven different accounts to choose from, anyone can trade on Bitcoin, XRP, Binance Coin, Litecoin, and others. The broker offers skills and techniques to those looking to maximize trading profits, such as leverage and social trading.

“We’re just getting started here, so there are plenty more benefits to come for those choosing to work with us. We’ll have more news on that in the near future, but I can already say there’s definitely something worth waiting for,” commented DCM’s spokesperson, Serenovich.

Cryptocurrencies on DMC’s website

6 Rules to Trade Penny Stocks Successfully

0

Penny stocks can be a great way to make money, but if you want to trade successfully, then there are some really important rules that you need to know about.

These aren’t legal rules, these are the sort of rules that come from hard-won experience and can make a real difference to your success rate.

So if you want to make money consistently, these are the things that you absolutely need to keep in mind.

Do your research

The first rule is that you 100% need to do your research.

Trading penny stocks isn’t a matter of going in big with your hunches. In fact, it is a much more considered process of selecting stock based on your pre-set trading plan.

This means that as a percentage, you’ll spend much more time researching than actually trading.

The more information you are able to bring into your research the better so looking at news services like the Motley Fool Newsletter will help you find possible target stocks.

Once you have a stock in mind then it is worth researching the general sector using resources like the Financial Times site and looking a bit deeper into the specific claims made about the company in question.

For example, if you have a company that claims to have the next big thing in asthma medication, go and check out specific high-quality sources of information such as the NICE site.

The simple rule of thumb is that when you think you have done enough research, do some more.

Remember you will lose money

This is really important because it goes to the whole mentality of a successful trader.

If you are the sort of person who can never lose on a trade then oddly you’ll find that you are increasing your chances of failure.

Successful penny stock traders understand that sometimes, despite all of your best efforts you are going to lose on a trade and you are better to get out quickly than hang on in there and see if you can win your position back.

Losing is all part of the game. What makes you a winner is having a healthy attitude towards it.

Winners can be winners again

Penny stocks traders often have an aversion to buying stocks a second time.

However one of the most successful ways of setting a trading plan is to use patterns.

For example, if you find that a certain stock always has a spike on the 5th day of every month, or every day at 11 am then why wouldn’t you buy again?

In the same way as it is a bad idea to get nostalgic about stocks and buy them because you once ate their food or used their app, it is a mistake to simply discount a good prospect because you bought it once and already made money.

Winners really can be winners again so don’t discount a stock that you have already taken a profit from.

You’re not here for the long term

Traders aren’t investors.

Remember that a trader isn’t buying into the long term success of a business and that goes even more so for a penny stock day trader.

Investors buy into the ethos, aims and ambitions of a company because they think that it will do well over the medium to long-term.

Day traders buy because they see value. They buy, they sell, often in the same day.

It’s not exciting

Forget images of stripey coated traders shouting orders at each other across a crowded trading floor.

That went out with the old century.

Instead, a successful penny stock trader is likely to lead a pretty solitary life and have an unbelievable work ethic.

They’ll spend hours doing their research, setting up their stock scanner and making sure that they have done everything they can to reduce their risk.

They’ll develop a series of trading strategies that they will test over and over again in dummy accounts, refining them until they are sure that they have found a winning formula.

Finally, they will make their trades.

Admittedly, there are a few little buzzes when the trades finally go in and there’s nothing like closing a position with a healthy profit but don’t imagine a high-octane life of shouting ‘buy’ down the phone.

Just get used to the fact that a laptop is your new best friend.

You’ll need to go back to school

If you want to learn how to trade penny stocks then you’ll need to go back to school.

Trading penny stocks isn’t something that you can just have a natural gift for.

Take the example of a football player. We see them once or maybe twice a week plying their trade on the pitch. Making brilliant passes or scoring unbelievable goals.

What we don’t see is the years of work they have put in to get to that position. We don’t see the hours of training each week or the sessions they spend with analysts understanding their next opponents.

We just see the good stuff.

Penny trading is exactly the same. If you want to get good then you need to get educated.

Learn your craft, perfect your trade, become a professional.

Put in the hard yards and you’ll find that you make more successful trades, earn more money and reduce your risk.

Treat trading penny stocks like a profession

The most often quoted stat for penny stocks is that 75% of people lose money.

So what do the other 25% do that is so different?

The truth is that they treat it like a profession rather than a game.

Successful traders understand risk and so they set about forming a strategy that reduces their chances of a failed trade.

Good traders keep learning and know that there is no shortcut to making good money on the markets.

If you follow our tips then you are reducing your risk and taking the first steps towards building a successful career as a penny stocks trader.

3 Popular Day Trading Strategies For Traders

0

The stock markets maintained their growth momentum over the past year, despite major economies around the world plunging into recession. While unemployment rates have reached multi-year highs in the United States and United Kingdom over the past year, benchmark indices such as the S&P 500 and FTSE 100 reported impressive gains.

In light of these developments, many people have taken up trading as means to amp up their income, with day-trading becoming one of the most popular trading strategies among the younger generation.

The remote lifestyle freeing up spare time of individuals across the world has contributed to the growing popularity of the stock markets. According to a Bloomberg report, millennials in South Korea began borrowing heavily for day trading over the past year, as unemployment hit its 11- year high.

Day Trading for A Living – Is It Worth It?

Day traders are known to rack up immense wealth by capitalizing on the market discrepancies, as well as predicting future drivers of the market. However, this money-making strategy is highly risk oriented, as investors have to assume a substantial amount of risk to generate decent profits. As such, brokers often ask retail day traders to maintain a substantial amount as margin requirements.

In addition to this, an exhaustive knowledge of the current events of the global economy is one of the main factors determining the success of day traders, as even a small international affair can offset the markets on any given day.

Since it is virtually impossible to keep track of worldly affairs daily, people who engage in day trading stocks for a living often use state-of-the-art analytical software and technical analysis indicators to isolate the optimum investment periods. This, along with proper brokerage ties and sufficient capital balance can help investors churn out sizable profits with ease.

Popular Day Trading Strategies

Successful day trading involves significant capital balance and access to highly efficient analytical software, among other things. Moreover, having a direct access broker is vital for profitable day trading, as it ensures timely execution of trades as when required. This is possibly the key factor determining the profitability of trades, as intraday trading aims to exploit market fluctuations over a short span of time.

Some of the most methodical day trading strategies are –

1. Scalping

This trading strategy focuses on making multiple small profits through arbitrage throughout the trading window, thereby culminating into substantial returns when the market closes. Since smaller fluctuations occur in virtually all stocks every day, scalping allows investors to make modest returns on virtually all trades placed.

One of the key aspects of scalping trading is a solid exit strategy. This can be placed through limit orders or stop loss orders on a particular stock, allowing investors to close their position upon hitting a definitive price mark. However, in order to make sizable profits through scalping, investors require a significant capital investment, as multiple high volume trades need to be placed.

One of the major benefits of this trading strategy is the lower risk exposure, as it bets on small fluctuations across multiple stocks, rather than massive deviations on a select number of stocks. Moreover, with execution orders placed with brokers, scalping does not require constant monitoring of the stock markets, making it a convenient option for most traders.

2. Momentum Trading

Momentum trading strategy aims to profit off of market volatility. Investors often utilize technical indicators along with a working knowledge of the current events and macroeconomic factors to identify strategic entry and exit points of investment in a particular stock.

Receptive stocks heavily responding to market movements tend to be some of the best picks for momentum trading, typically having beta values of more than one. Additionally, investors can look into the average volume of shares traded to determine the profitable investments.

Given the time sensitive nature of momentum trading, investors aiming to maximize profits need to spot ideal entry and exit points on their investments. A rough idea regarding this can be obtained from the moving averages as well as support- resistance levels. Also, trend reversal signals identifiable through trend lines and candlestick patterns can be used for momentum trading.

3. Whipsaw Patterns

Whipsaw patterns occur when an external, often unrelated factor causes massive fluctuations in share prices, triggering breakout-pullbacks. Such patterns are generally triggered by broader macroeconomic factors, affecting the highly volatile stocks, and hence, are used by contrarian investors betting against the broader market movements.

However, it is extremely difficult to spot a whipsaw pattern as it occurs based on sudden market announcements. A broader knowledge of the socioeconomic and political event occurrence around the globe can help investors develop a basic sense of understanding, thereby giving them a quaint idea regarding upcoming events.

These strategies are from the basics of day trading strategies. A comprehensive understanding of the broader markets with knowledge of technical analysis are some of the key factors determining the success of day traders.

4 Money Management Ways for Almost Broke Students

0

The financial question has always been acute for students. The loans have a tendency to add up, while the rent only gets more expensive. Unfortunately, most of the things in this world require money.

And since college is about becoming an adult, you can only ask for advice, not expect your parents to take care of everything. Luckily, there’s the internet and every single question one might ask has probably already been answered.

So, we are going to answer the question ‘how do I manage my budget,’ in the following article.

Make a Budget

To manage a budget, you have to create it first. To start, you’ll need to determine your income sources. The most common ones for students are as follow:

  • Students loan;
  • Scholarships or grants;
  • Help from parents;
  • Part-time job.

Then, you’ll need to write down your expenses. Things like rent, bills (insurance, electricity, water, internet, etc.), transport, books, and grocery shopping should go first. After that, you can include less vital spendings, like write paper, new clothes, eating out and entertainment.

Calculate everything, see if your income matches your spending habits. If not, reconsider the less-essential spendings and try to cut them down.

The next step is dividing your monthly budget into a few weekly ones. This way, you’ll see how much money you have per week. A weekly budget will be easier to follow as you’ll feel the consequences of overspending almost immediately.

You don’t have to go through all this struggle alone and turn your brain into a calculus machine. There are loads of helpful apps, platforms, and resources that can help you. Try downloading Mint or PocketGuard to always keep track of your spending habits.

Planning your income is a habit that will prove important throughout your life, so the earlier you master it, the better. Whenever you get some extra money, don’t go spending it immediately – save it.

Your future self will be grateful. It’s important to have a financial cushion. This way, if you face some unexpected spendings, you won’t have to borrow money or get in an unpleasant situation with your landlord.

Separate Needs from Wants

A big part of becoming an adult is being able to determine if you truly need something, or it’s a whim. If you’ve just received your paycheck, you’re likely to want to spend some money immediately like get a fancier coffee than usual, eat out, or buy a concert ticket.

Still, it’s important to remember that every penny is a part of your monthly budget. That means that if you overspend on one day, you’ll probably struggle by the end of the month.

It’s a good idea to cut on the unnecessary purchases altogether. For example, smoking is terrible for you and it can drain your pockets. Takeout food is usually quite expensive, too, but you can cook the same stuff at home. The same goes for coffee. Get a reusable cup to carry around with you and make your coffee at home. You can save about $1,500 a year by not buying your coffee on the go.

Get a Job

If you want to survive this time on your own, you’re going to have to assume the role of an adult and get a job eventually. It doesn’t have to be a full-time lawyer position at a respectable firm.

Go for something simple that will barely require any input from you and will not take much of your time. You have to study after all. One positive thing that the pandemic has taught us is that there’s a lot of jobs that can be done online and do not require personal contact neither with clients nor with employers.

This is a perfect opportunity for students. Just think about it: you don’t have to commute, which leaves you more time for studying, and some jobs can be done any time of day or night. The latter is perfect for those who can never get that sleep pattern in order.

If you’re good at writing or any other particular subject, you can try tutoring or academic paper writing. A lot of students are in desperate need of help and would rather pay a person they know than some service online. If you’d rather not communicate, you could try transcribing or any other work with text.

Babysitting, dog walking, or cleaning are a bit more demanding, yet, they will get you money anyways. Opportunities are endless, you just have to look for them.

Use the Student Discounts

With student discounts, you can cut on transportation costs, digital subscriptions, your school library, insurance, movie tickets, and many others. You just have to be prepared to show your student ID, so do carry it with you.

Keep in mind, though, that, normally, companies don’t advertise their student discounts. Yet, if you look for them, you can find a whole lot of opportunities to save on basic goods and services. Just don’t be shy to ask or do some extensive research online.

Wrapping Up

Students don’t have it easy. And for most of us, a family cannot offer as much support as they would like. Becoming an adult means getting used to counting on yourself only and budgeting is a big part of that process.

If your parents have taught you financial literacy, it’s amazing. But it’s not the case for the majority. It’s a rocky road but you’ll get better at it eventually.

Just take one step at a time. Start with writing down your income and spendings. Then, look for ways to enlarge the income and cut down on spendings. Who knows, you might even be able to save some by the end of college!

Don’t forget about the perks you can use, like discounts or freebies, and try to cut down on some habits that ruin your budget and your health.

While budgeting tips are useful, relying on resources like Microsoft AZ-400 exam dumps is risky, as using such materials can lead to certification disqualification and lacks long-term value for genuine skill development.

Shareholder protection and tax: What you need to know.

0

Shareholder protection insurance can help steer your company through the volatility of losing a shareholder through death or critical illness.

Having shareholder protection insurance you’ll be guaranteed to have the funds in place to quickly buy back any outstanding shares in your company so you stay in control and keep the business operating.

It can also provide peace of mind to a deceased or ill shareholder’s family that they’ll receive fair value for the shares going back to the business, and is one less thing to worry about during a tragic event.

But.

Shareholder protection is like any other business expense, and you should be aware of any tax implications that you or the business might face by taking out a policy, or in the event it pays out.

Keep reading to find out the main tax considerations that come with shareholder protection insurance.

Shareholder protection as a benefit in kind

A ‘benefit in kind’ is any benefit you get from the business which isn’t included in your wages – including financial benefits.

Depending on the type of business protection you take out, it’s possible the policy could be classed as a benefit in kind.

You’d need to fill out a p11d form for this.

Classing shareholder protection as a benefit in kind is more likely if the policy premiums are paid for through the company on the shareholder’s behalf.

You need to seriously consider this if you do decide to purchase any policies through the company and register them as a business expense.

On the other hand, if the policy is taken out and paid for individually it’s not considered a benefit in kind.

Income tax liabilities and shareholder protection

There aren’t any income tax liabilities with any policy proceeds from shareholder protection insurance, and if you’re paying the premiums yourself – rather than having them paid through the business – you won’t personally benefit from any tax relief.

You will however be liable for income tax and national insurance on the value of the policy premiums.

What about capital gains tax?

Generally speaking there are no capital gains liabilities on shareholder protection insurance.

That’s because shareholder agreements state the valuation of the shares held by shareholders in the company, which is then used to work out the premium costs when a shareholder protection insurance policy is taken out.

This valuation is then used to determine the cost of buying the outgoing shares so there is technically no gains to tax.

Shareholder protection could become liable for capital gains tax if the share value increases in the time from the policy being taken out, to a claim being made and the shares sold to the remaining shareholders.

Because the shares have increased in value, they’ll then be liable for capital gains.

How about corporation tax

Shareholder protection insurance might not be liable for corporation tax if it’s taken out and paid for through the business, claimed as a business expense and then paid as a lump sum to remaining shareholders in the event of a death or critical illness.

The reason we say ‘might not’ is because individual cases need to be clarified with a local inspector of taxes prior to taking out a policy or policies.

It’s possible that the individual shareholder could become liable for income tax and national insurance payments if it’s paid for through the business.

What about inheritance tax liabilities?

This depends on how you structure your shareholder protection.

It’s possible family or a designated beneficiary of the policy could be subject to some inheritance tax liability.

But, arranging a shareholder protection policy in a trust, in the name of the surviving shareholders is a potential solution to this.

The claim proceeds to the trust would then be used by the shareholders to purchase the remaining shares, which is usually viewed as a commercial arrangement, and not liable for inheritance tax.

If you’re concerned about this particular issue you can get in touch with an expert at Rigby Financial who can guide you through the process in more detail.

Shareholder protection is a safety net for your company and family

Ultimately, taking out a shareholder protection policy provides you, your other shareholders and your family some financial peace of mind for what will already be a difficult time.

From a business standpoint, you will know your business can continue to operate without taking on debt or losing savings to purchase outgoing shares.

You can also rest assured that shares will remain within the company and not be sold to a third party.

From a personal point, your and your shareholders’ families know that they’ll receive fair market for the shares they sell back to the company.

Shareholder protection in a trust

A simple way of limiting tax liabilities on a shareholder protection policy is to set it up in trust, with remaining shareholders as the beneficiaries.

In the event a claim is made against the policy, the trust would pay out to the remaining shareholders who could then use those funds to purchase remaining shares.

Knowing where you stand with tax and shareholder protection

Ultimately, the tax liabilities you might face from shareholder protection depends on your individual circumstances and how the policy is written.

It’s important to take some professional advice to set up your policy in a way the benefits all parties in the best, fairest way possible.

5 Ways to Improve your presence on TikTok

0

TikTok is a famous video-sharing app that is present in every 3 out of 5 people’s cell phones. An application so widely used and insanely famous, that growing popular on this platform is the easiest way to create a social media presence. However, to buy TikTok followers or gain TikTok likes, you need to go the extra mile. As this platform is populated by all kinds of content, it sometimes becomes tough to make people resonate with yours. To leave an impression and to create a rather significant presence on TikTok, one must be able to touch the viewers or be entertaining to them.

Good for you, there are certain ways through which you can improve your presence on TikTok. These five tips are what will help you create a buzz on this trendy platform by organically understanding the algorithm and playing by it.

Use trendy music and audios

It is easy to grasp how TikTok users are more inclined towards music and trendy audios than talking. We have to keep in mind that TikTok merged with musical.ly back in 2018. Thus, the fan base for lip-syncing videos is the most here. Therefore, to improve your TikTok presence you should target this type of content. TikTok’s algorithm works in favour of viral sounds.

 It can be a musical sound or challenge audio. You have to focus on creating content based on popular sounds and catch the viral air. However, make sure you use the audio when it is trending and not after that. In case you use an out-of-fashion, your content’s value drops because viewers are rather fickle with the shifting trends.

Your best shot in creating content should revolve around knowing what is in-trend and using it in your favour to give your account a boost.

Create high-quality videos

TikTok being a video sharing app prioritizes videos with high quality and resolution more than the ones that are poorly shot. Videos that are well-edited and have to go through transition effects naturally catch everyone’s eye.

Yes, this step is indeed difficult. A lot of people do not shoot their content on a good resolution camera. However, to not fall back in the game you can always find your rescue in video editing apps. There are various free video editing applications like Wondershare Filmora (desktop) and VN Video Editor Maker VlogNow (mobile) that one can use to create professional videos free of cost. With a little practice, video editing apps are simple to use. And, once you get a hang of it not only becomes addictive, you can also produce engaging content for your viewers with flair.

Focus on your hashtags

Like every other social media platform, hashtags on TikTok are also important. We should be grateful for hashtags which is an omnipresent source for creators to improve their engagement on every social media platform.

You can find hashtags that TikTok is promoting in the “Discover” section and based on that create your content. It increases the probability of your video being featured in the “For You” section of various other TikTok users. It helps your content to reach a wide number of people and makes it more discoverable. 

You can also monitor the popular hashtags and add them relevantly to your posts. Do remember it is important that the hashtag you are using is relevant to the post. In case, it isn’t, TikTok can even flag your post for it. Fitting hashtags are not difficult to find, so you need to keep your eyes open and detect the trend and go along with it.

Giveaways

Does it sound unreal on TikTok? It just might. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram are famous for giveaways. Giveaways help create a remarkable presence on the platform because honestly, who doesn’t like free or discounted goodies? However, it is foolish to think the same strategy won’t work for TikTok. The fact that giveaways are so rare on TikTok makes it special and one tool that creates an instant buzz.

However, while hosting a giveaway on TikTok, you need to be a little creative and think out of the box. Take inspiration from top brands and businesses that use this trick. Make your giveaway engaging and interactive. For instance, you can host a giveaway and the rules can include the participants creating a video about what they love best about your account. 

In this way, you are strategically promoting your content’s specialty on other people’s profiles. You can even create a special hashtag for your giveaway. The possible ideas of a giveaway on TikTok are endless because it’s not fully explored yet. Hence, take your chance with the rarity of the option and go ahead.

Catchy Captions

Videos are the prime part of your TikTok success story. However, that does not mean that you overlook the caption. So, it is beneficial if you keep your captions crisp and catchy. Make sure your caption is clever and funny to quip your viewers’ interest but not long enough to lose them midway. It is a common trend on TikTok that posts that have precise captions and relevant hashtags always do well.

Apart from the above tips, it is important to monitor the consistency of your content. Posting regularly and being interactive on the platform are key features to a successful social media presence. Furthermore, you must never stop experimenting. Always keep your content fresh and unique and your presence will be valued on TikTok sooner or later.

Ways To Make Daily Transactions With Bitcoin

0

Gone are the days when making a transfer was nothing more than a banking entity. Since the advent of cryptocurrencies, the term has been coined for these digital assets as well.

The procedure is equally simple, but it can also be complicated for newbies and not very assiduous to this type of business model. However, with this article we propose in a practical and simple way, the exact way and the steps to be taken to achieve transfer of Bitcoin (BTC) price from account to account on a common day.

Steps to make daily Bitcoin transfers
Cryptocurrencies are not a traditional form of payment and were created not to be anchored to any type of bank or traditional model.

Bitcoin changing hands
Consequently, sending Bitcoin price from wallets to wallets on a normal day differs from normal transactions.

Here are the exact steps to be able to perform operations of this type successfully:

Calculate value
Cryptocurrencies have changing values ​​that depend on the market capitalization, that is, the volume of purchase and sale of assets.

Before this, it is important to use a Bitcoin calculator to know the price, especially if the transaction requires an exchange of fiat currency to BTC as the value of the bitcoin in dollars

It should be noted that the price of the cryptoactive can change in a matter of seconds.

Enter the amount
After verifying the current price, you can place the pile you want to transfer.

We remind you that the previous step is almost mandatory, since it depends on whether what is stored in your wallet is sufficient; Because the fees for exchanging and sending money in BTC vary. However, the latter will depend on the company.

Scan the QR code or wallet address
Following to know the amount , the platform from which you will be making the transfer will ask you for the address of the wallet that will receive the money.

The address or key is characterized by having a series of numbers, letters and special characters without any meaning. You can also scan the QR code of the beneficiary wallet.

It should be noted that the scanning system is very common in businesses and businesses when payments are made in crypto assets.

Send
Finally you must give the option to send. Of course, you must make sure that you have entered all the requested data correctly, since any error is solely the responsibility of the client.

Tips and information of interest
Beware of commissions
Transfers of Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency such as Ether, Tether and other assets are not exempt from commissions.

checking bitcoin prices on a tablet
Therefore, when making the transfer, we recommend that you pay close attention to which wallet or exchange to choose; because not all have the same commissions.

It should be noted that Remitano is one of the exchanges that charges the least commissions in the market and that offers greater security.

Exchanges
Currently it is very common for those who are dedicated to making money online to receive fiat money through platforms such as PayPal and decide to save in BTC.

The latter is very useful, however, it is advised that before making such an exchange, you determine how much you lose to execute the order. For example, there are companies that for passing a certain amount of dollars to BTC , charge up to 15% commission.

Conclusion? Consider if such a sacrifice is really worth it, although saving in Bitcoin will always be the best investment of your life.

Everything will depend on the country
Buying Bitcoin is a more than popular activity around the world. We all know the asset game: Buy low, sell high, and of course backing your earnings in fiat money or stablecoins like Tether.

However, when making transfers within a country or sending it abroad, it is a good idea to consider the national currency.

The reason? Not always merchants around the world buy Bitcoin with dollars and instead use their country’s currency.

For this reason, it is a good idea to check the amount to transfer based on the asset of the country to which you will send the money. You may think this is difficult, but don’t worry, there are calculators that will easily show you the specific equivalency in real time.

They are irreversible
Transactions are irreversible, so it is more than important to check that the data and everything related to the operation are correct.

Remember that in this market there are no refunds, much less claims. Any failure is your full responsibility.

What are the advantages of transferring Bitcoin?
Speed
The blockchain network that BTC uses allows transactions to be carried out practically at the speed of light.

Price variations graph
Likewise, the nodes interconnected with each other are more efficient when compared to banking entities; that can even take days to process operations or leave them in limbo within the system.

Security
Everything related to money can cause concern, which is why security is one of the most important aspects.

As we already said, Remitano has really strong security protocols.

Remember that Bitcoin transfers use a public address and a private key. In relation to keys, they are a kind of pin code that guarantees control over the owners’ assets; while public addresses serve to send and receive Bitcoin without risk of theft.

Economic commissions
We previously spoke that transfers can be somewhat expensive if they require a prior exchange, but that this will depend on the platform. However, they are still much cheaper than the fees charged by banks and even by other payment platforms such as PayPal or Uphold.

When Bitcoin is sent, the amount to be charged is almost always very small. These values ​​are not charged for the amount to be sent, but for the size of the operation on the blockchain.

Counterfeits are impossible
Do not be fooled, because there are those who seek to make you believe that transfers in Bitcoin can be forged, which is totally false.

It is impossible to fraud the bitcoin network
The BTC protocol makes it impossible for operations to be modified once they have been sent to the network.

Likewise, you cannot lie and say that they have never been initiated, since the blockchain keeps a record from the beginning of time of all the movements made. Therefore, if someone tries to scam it, it will be impossible. We recommend that at the time of trading the asset you verify the reputation of the trader.

Disclaimer: The content and links provided in this article are for informational purposes only. CriptoNoticias does not offer legal, financial or investment recommendations or advice, nor does it replace the due diligence of each interested party. CriptoNoticias does not endorse any investment or similar offer promoted here. For more information click here .

The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), one of the most important derivatives exchanges in the world, began this Monday, February 8, the commercialization of future contracts for ethers (ETH), the native cryptocurrency of the Ethereum network. It is a new product that seeks to replicate the one already offered with bitcoin (BTC) since 2017.

Each monthly contract is made up of 50 ETH which, according to the current price of the cryptocurrency ($ 1,705), would be more than $ 85,000. Accredited traders can block trading with a minimum of five contracts , as reported by the CME group through its website.

Grayscale is bullish on the price of ether due to the development of Ethereum

“The addition of ether, together with our liquid futures and options Bitcoin will create new opportunities for a wide range of customers , ” noted Tim McCourt, global head of equity indices and alternative investment products CME Group. The executive added that institutional demand for these types of products continues to increase.

The group indicated that, among its liquidity providers for its new product, will be: Akuna Capital, BlockFi, Cumberland, Galaxy Digital Trading, Flow Traders BV, Genesis Global Capital, CoinShares, LedgerPrime and NYDIG. Some of these also work for bitcoin futures and options .

CME highlighted that the settlement of ethers futures contracts is carried out in cash, in accordance with its ether-dollar index. It should be mentioned that in these cases the operators who participate in the negotiations do not have direct control over the cryptocurrencies . Traders acquire representative contracts for an estimated value according to the market price.

The commercialization of the future contracts of ethers was announced in December 2020 by CME, according to a report released by CriptoNoticias. This type of product allows the parties involved, buyers and sellers, to establish the representation of an asset with a specific quantity and price on a date established in the future.

The new contracts based on the cryptocurrency of the Ethereum network come amid an uptrend in the market . Ether reached an unprecedented price of $ 1,752 per unit on February 5, according to CoinGecko records .

In December 2017, CME Group captured media attention after confirming its bitcoin futures contracts . At that time it was a milestone for both institutional investments and cryptocurrencies since it was the first financial product based on BTC by an institution with a long history and reputation.

This type of operation has resulted in positive numbers for CME. In May of last year, open interest in bitcoin futures reached an all- time high of $ 400 million at the time .

Now, with the commercialization of ether futures, it is evident that the institutional demand for products related to cryptocurrencies continues to increase . Dozens of funds and companies such as Tesla , MicroStrategy , Square and Stone Ridge maintain multi-million dollar direct investments in BTC, for example.

  • bitcoinBitcoin (BTC) $ 94,614.00 1.62%
  • ethereumEthereum (ETH) $ 1,793.26 1.52%
  • tetherTether (USDT) $ 1.00 0.01%
  • xrpXRP (XRP) $ 2.19 0.22%
  • bnbBNB (BNB) $ 600.81 0.54%
  • solanaSolana (SOL) $ 150.68 0.24%
  • usd-coinUSDC (USDC) $ 0.999941 0%
  • cardanoCardano (ADA) $ 0.715169 0.74%
  • tronTRON (TRX) $ 0.243830 0.04%
  • staked-etherLido Staked Ether (STETH) $ 1,790.53 1.5%
  • avalanche-2Avalanche (AVAX) $ 22.44 1.86%
  • the-open-networkToncoin (TON) $ 3.23 0.44%