Benjamin Locke
articles from Benjamin
637 posts
How to Open a Bank Account That No Creditor Can Touch
Published 08/02/2023 by Benjamin Locke
Creditors can go after your bank accounts via wage garnishment or a bank levy. Hopefully, it never comes to that, but there are steps you can take to protect your account from creditors. You will need to consider where the account is domiciled (U.S. or offshore), who owns the account, and what the account is used for.

Investing $10,000 in a CD: How Much You Could Earn in a Year
Published 08/02/2023 by Benjamin Locke
By investing $10,000 in a CD, you could earn different amounts of interest depending on the type of CD you buy and which bank or financial institution you buy it from. Currently, CD yields span from around 1% to 5%, which could earn you up to $500 in a year. Remember, banks charge early withdrawal penalties on CDs, so you need to make sure you can have your money locked up for a set period of time.

Are Mobile Homes A Good Investment? Everything You Need To Know
Published 08/02/2023 by Benjamin Locke
When looking at mobile homes as an investment, you must first consider if you want to live in the home or if you view it solely as an investment. Furthermore, you’ll have to decide between a mobile home and a manufactured home. Exposure to mobile-home-related investment isn’t limited to buying mobile homes, though. You can buy mobile home parks and collect money by renting space to existing mobile home owners or investing in related third parties.

Pre IPO Investing: Here’s How It Works
Published 08/02/2023 by Benjamin Locke
Pre-IPO investing is the opportunity to invest in private companies before they go through their initial public offerings. Although usually only available for institutional and accredited private investors, pre-IPO investments are becoming more accessible to the common person. However, you must carefully consider various factors to make sure you know the timeline for a company going public and what happens if they do not.

What Is the EB-5 Investment Visa Program?
Published 08/02/2023 by Benjamin Locke
The EB-5 program is a United States investment visa program. The program’s goal is to gather foreign investments to inject into targeted employment areas that correlate directly to job creation in said areas. The EB-5 industry is huge in Asia, with massive investment visa backlogs in places like China and Vietnam. Furthermore, as the EB-5 industry has been lightly regulated in the U.S. and abroad, quite a few fraudulent EB-5 projects have been covered in the media, but the program is booming.

Where Do Banks Get Money To Lend To Borrowers?
Published 08/02/2023 by Benjamin Locke
Banks get money to lend to borrowers from two primary sources — deposits by bank customers that they lend to other customers and from the Federal Reserve through its discount window to cover short-term liquidity issues. The interest rates that banks charge on debt will typically correspond to the Federal Reserve’s base rate. Banks cannot lend unlimited amounts, however, and are constricted by the Federal Reserve’s capital requirements.

How to Buy a House With Low Income: Tips To Help You Become a Homeowner
Published 07/05/2023 by Benjamin Locke
Usually, there isn’t a hard minimum income requirement to qualify for a mortgage. However, the debt-to-income requirement makes it difficult for low-income buyers to obtain a mortgage. That said, several specialized loan programs, including FHA and USDA loans, can help low-income earners. And there are many home-buying programs specially designed for people with low incomes. Here’s how to buy a house with low income.

Fourplex Properties: What to Know Before Investing
Published 07/05/2023 by Benjamin Locke
A fourplex is a multifamily property that has four individual units available for tenants. There are three ways to invest in a fourplex: either buy an existing fourplex outright, build one, or attempt to convert a single-family home or a duplex into a fourplex. Regardless of the investment method, you need to consider the costs, including potential repairs, your tax obligations, and any management concerns before you invest.

Crowdfunding for Business: How It Works
Published 07/05/2023 by Benjamin Locke
Crowdfunding for a business has always existed in theory but wasn’t applicable to most businesses until technology made crowdfunding platforms possible. These days, businesses can conduct crowdfunding campaigns by offering equity stakes in the company, gifts, and rewards or by accepting donations. However, once businesses grow, owners might opt to raise money through other means. This can be difficult for businesses and investors who initially crowdfunded the platform, as they may be unsure of where everything fits in the capital stack.

Are Real Estate Taxes the Same as Property Taxes?
Published 06/30/2023 by Benjamin Locke
Although they are sometimes used interchangeably, the terms “real estate taxes” and “property taxes” have different meanings. Real estate taxes are applied to real property that you own, such as land or a house. Property taxes are applied to your personal property or business property, which are items that you own but are moveable, such as a car or a solar-powered energy generation system.
