Friday Financial Five – March 11, 2016
Friday, March 11, 2016
Dan Forbes, GoLocalProv Contributor
More stimulus from the ECB
The European Central Bank initiated more measures in hopes of stimulating growth, delving deeper into negative interest rates. The ECB will also continue its bond buying program. However, president Mario Draghi definitely stated they wouldn’t drive rates down any lower while lowering growth forecasts. This was a clear indication that the ECB is concerned about the ability of Eurozone banks to thrive in the current interest rate environment. While markets initially cheered the prospect of more stimulus, the ECB president’s cautious statements led to largely flat domestic markets for the day.
Study focuses on driver of increased wealth inequality
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Central bank influence may be linked to the increase in wealth inequality across the globe, according to a report by the Bank for International Settlements. The thesis is that the ultra-low interest environment since the financial crisis created a situation where those who were already wealthy benefitted from a zero interest rate environment and inflated stock prices. Those with lower wealth, mostly tied to their homes, saw a significant decrease in home related equity followed by a recovery. The difference in growth between the wealthy’s stock and the less wealthy homeowner’s real estate equity resulted in an increasing gap in the wealth equation between haves and have-nots.
Reviewing credit card rewards programs
Credit cards make spending easy but to really maximize their use, consumers should capture spending data to track monthly expenses and pre-screen a card that will allow maximum cash back privileges. Nextadvisor provides one such comparative chart of cards that offer rewards, including providers such as American Express, Chase, and Discover. American Express tops the chart with the recently launch Blue Case Preferred®, where users can earn 6% cash back up to a cap at US supermarkets and unlimited 3% at select gas stations and department stores. Chase’s Freedom® and the Citi® Double Cash cards are also highly ranked.
401(k) plans are in favor
The number of people with a favorable opinion of the 401(k) plan increased again in 2015, according to the Investment Company Institute’s latest review. Almost three quarters of the households responding feel positively about the defined contribution plan. While that’s good news for the employers that offer the plans, it may also mean workers still aren’t entirely comfortable with the difference between defined contribution and defined benefit plans. That’s made it easier for companies to transition from one type of plan to the other, while substituting a less expensive match of employee contributions for the lifetime of income owed in the traditional pension structure.
Own a piece of the Yankees
A 1% ownership in the Yankees may be available, complete with limited input in any of the team’s operations. The asking price is based on a roughly $3 billion valuation, meaning a purchase price of roughly $24 million. The team is widely considered to be the most valuable sports team in the country, despite currently having a more closers than openers. Any transaction would have to be approved by the MLB and the Yankees.
Dan Forbes, a CFP Board Ambassador, is a regular contributor on financial issues. He leads the firm Forbes Financial Planning, Inc in East Greenwich, RI and can be reached at [email protected].
Related Slideshow: RI Business Rankings in US
See how Rhode Island stacked up.
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WalletHub
Rhode Island has 2015's eighth highest insurance premium penalties for high risk drivers, according to a WalletHub report.
Rhode Island ranks fifth overall in the category of speeding over 20 mph annual premium increase at $482. While ranking third overall in the category of 2 accidents annual premium increase at $2,721.
Rhode Island ranks ninth overall under the reckless driving annual premium increase at $749.
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WalletHub
Rhode Island has been ranked as the 8th most eco-friendly state in the country, according to a recent study by WalletHub.
Rhode Island ranks third in environmental quality and 16th in Eco-Friendly Behaviors Ran landing them in 8th overall.
RI is behind Washington and New Hampshire who are in the six and seven spots respectively, and in front of Connecticut and Hawaii who come in at the nine and ten spot.
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WalletHub
Rhode Island is 2015's 4th Worst State to be a taxpayer, according to a recent WalletHub report.
Rhode Island ranks 48th of 51 with an average state and local tax price of $7,159 which is good for a 27% difference from the national average.
The states that are directly behind Rhode Island are Wisconsin at $7,159, Nebraska at $7,298 and Illinois at $7,719 for a 37% difference from the national average.
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WalletHub
Rhode Island has the highest vehicle property taxes in the country, paying an average of $1,133 according to a report from WalletHub.
Virginia and Kansas are the two states just ahead of Rhode Island in the 49 and 50 spots, paying $962 and $905 respectively.
RI also ranks 42nd in average real estate tax, paying an average of $2,779, according to the WalletHub report.
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Gallup
Providence-metro ranks at the bottom for job creation in 2014
Rhode Island has been ranked amongst the worst in job creation, according to a recent survey done by Gallup.
Gallup gives the Prov-metro area an index score of 23, the lowest score is the New York- New Jersey area with 20.
Salt Lake City, Utah and Austin-round Rock, Texas rank the highest with a score of 37.
See the rest of the rankings here.
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Forbes
The 2014 state rankings by Forbes has just been released and Rhode Island moved up two spots from #48 in 2013 to #46 in 2014.
What does Forbes say about RI's business environment"
After Michigan and Illinois, Rhode Island has experienced the third worst net migration out of its state in the country over the past five years. With a recent unemployment rate of 7.6%—lower than only Georgia and Mississippi—residents are leaving the state in search of jobs. Rhode Island has been stuck in the bottom five overall for six straight years. One plus: labor costs are 5% below the national average, which stands out in the expensive Northeast.
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Tax Foundation
Findings from The State Business Tax Climate Index were released this morning by Tax Foundation which found Rhode Island to have the 45th best tax climate for businesses for 2015. The state's rank has not changed since last year after The Index analyzed 100 different tax variables in multiple categories.
Read more about the report here
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Thumbtack/Kauffman
Providence is the second worst city in America for small business, according to a new survey conducted by Thumbtack.com and the Kauffman Foundation.
More than 12,000 small businesses in 82 cities across the country participate in the survey. Providence received an overall "F" grade for small business friendliness.
Full Survey Results Here.
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The Economist
Small Business Friendliness Grade: F
The Economist grades states on an A+ to F grading scale for its small business climate. Rhode Island is one of just 6 states to earn an "F" grade.
Overbearing bureaucracy and excessive licensing is stifling small business in America.
Read More About The Economist Grade Here
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Forbes
Forbes ranks each state in business costs, economic climate, and growth prospects. RI is third worst in 2013.
The most damning in the commentary:
After Michigan, Rhode Island has experienced the second worst net migration in the country over the past five years.
Read More About Forbes Ranking Here
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Tax Foundation
#46 Tax Foundation
Tax Foundation ranks each state in corporate tax rank, sales tax rank, and unemployment insurance tax rank.
Rhode Island and the other states in the bottom ten suffer from the same afflictions: complex, non-neutral taxes with comparatively high rates.
Read More About Tax Foundation Ranking Here
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ALEC
#47 ALEC
ALEC ranks each state in economic performance and outlook.
Although Rhode Island ranked low in economic performance, a forward-looking forecast is based on the state’s standing in 15 important state policy variables. Some of these variables include top marginal personal income tax rate and sales tax burden.
Read More About ALEC Ranking Here
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Kauffman Foundation
#50 Kauffman Foundation
Kauffman Foundation ranks each state in entrepreneurship.
Entrepreneurial activity generally is highest in Western and Southern states
and lowest in Midwestern and Northeastern states.
Read More About Kauffman Ranking Here
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Free Enterprise
#47 Free Enterprise
Free Enterprise ranks each state in performance, exports, innovation + entrepreneurship, business climate, talent pipeline, infrastructure.
Rhode Island has continued to feel the direct impact and ripples from the recent recession—it ranks 47th overall in economic performance. However, positive rankings of 15th in talent pipeline and 16th in innovation and entrepreneurship suggest the existence of a foundation on which to build the future.
Read More About Free Enterprise Ranking Here
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Gallup
10th Worst in Gallup's Annual Ranking of State Job Markets 2014
Rhode Island has been ranked 10th worst for job creation in Gallup's annual ranking of state job markets in 2014 with a job creation index number of 21
Rhode Island is one of two (Connecticut) states to rank in the bottom ten each year since 2008.
The 2014 State level findings have were drawn from 201,254 interviews with employed adults across the nation.
See the full list of rankings here.
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