Benjamin Locke
articles from Benjamin
637 posts
How to Become a Hedge Fund Manager
Published 06/30/2023 by Benjamin Locke
Becoming a hedge fund manager is extremely difficult to do, as you will need to navigate office politics, consistently turn a profit, and raise money. Most of the time, a background in finance, economics, mathematics, science, computer programming, or physics is required, but it’s not set in stone. The traditional path to becoming a hedge fund manager usually starts with you as an analyst at an investment bank and/or fund who works your way up.

Life Insurance For Business Owners: A Quick Guide
Published 06/21/2023 by Benjamin Locke
Life insurance for business owners allows business owners to protect their family, assets, and business should something happen. Certain types of business owner life insurance can also ease the succession of leaders and managers in the company should a principal or major shareholder die. Depending on the size of your company and what your priorities are, there are probably life insurance-related arrangements you should make soon.

First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit: What You Need to Know
Published 06/06/2023 by Benjamin Locke
Although there is not currently a federal first-time homebuyer tax credit, a bill is making its way through Congress that would revive the tax credit implemented after the 2008 financial crisis. If made into law, the new First-Time Homebuyer Act would grant a $15,000 tax credit to those who qualify. There are also state tax credits and other benefits you should look into if you are a first-time homebuyer.

The BRRRR Method: Building Wealth Through Real Estate Investment
Published 06/06/2023 by Benjamin Locke
The BRRRR method is a strategy of constructing an investment property portfolio by buying distressed assets, rehabbing them, renting them out, and then refinancing them to pull out the equity. The cash from the refinance is then used to purchase another property with the same idea in mind. However, be mindful that a large property portfolio built on the BRRRR strategy might be sensitive to changes in interest rates and/or drops in price value.

How To Find Out Who Owns a Property
Published 06/02/2023 by Benjamin Locke
The easiest way to find out who owns a property is to obtain the exact address and then search online or inquire at your local tax office or title registry. It may be more difficult to track down the person or people behind a property owned by a shell company or a trust. But there are ways, beyond old-fashioned door knocking, that you can research that information.

Income Investing Guide: Strategies, Risks, and Benefits
Published 06/02/2023 by Benjamin Locke
Income investing is a strategy that enables you to produce positive, stable, recurring cash flow and generate income. You can typically do this by creating an investment portfolio with a mix of income-producing assets, such as dividend-paying stocks, bonds, and real estate. If you use this strategy, it’s important to ascertain how much income you want to produce and choose a portfolio to help you reach your goals.

Buying Raw Land: How to Make a Profit
Published 05/31/2023 by Benjamin Locke
Buying raw land can be complicated and risky, but if done properly, you can make a pretty decent ROI and sometimes an incredible one. Some of the ways to get exposure to raw land include buying raw land before planning permission, buying land that yields a crop or a product, or investing in a fund related to raw land. However, when considering whether or not to invest in land, know that you will have to take big risks for those big rewards.

Is Crypto Dead or Just in Hibernation?
Published 05/30/2023 by Benjamin Locke
Although cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum can be volatile, the underlying blockchain technology is probably here to stay. As cryptocurrency is a new technology, government regulation and wider acceptance across the financial sector will help the market mature. This means that some of the cryptocurrencies we see today might not be the cryptocurrencies of the future.

Tax Lien Investing: A Beginner’s Guide to Profiting from Property Tax Liens
Published 05/24/2023 by Benjamin Locke
Investing in tax liens is an opportunity for retail investors to buy debt from someone else (in the form of a tax lien certificate) and make a return. Tax lien certificates can return money in the form of interest and can also be monetized by foreclosing on the underlying property. Tax lien investing does come with risks, however, so it’s important to understand the basics of how they work and how to invest in them.

Venture Capital vs. Private Equity: Which Investment Strategy is Right for You?
Published 05/23/2023 by Benjamin Locke
Private equity and venture capital are fundamentally the same in that a group of investors or intuitional investors buy shares directly in a company. However, venture capitalists tend to invest at an earlier stage, whereas private equity firms tend to invest in more mature companies. Furthermore, VC investment usually relies on the growth of the company to make a profit, whereas private equity companies can make a profit via financial engineering, in which the intrinsic value of the company never actually increases.
