Hillary Clinton pledges to rewrite tax code if elected U.S. President

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton delivers her "official launch speech" …

(Reuters) - Appealing to working families in her first major campaign speech, U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said on Saturday she would rewrite the U.S. tax code if she is elected so that it rewards hard work, and not quick equities trades or money stashed away overseas.
She also pledged to establish a national infrastructure bank financed by bonds, an idea championed by President Barack Obama, a fellow Democrat.

In her speech at Roosevelt Island in New York, the first major address in her run for the White House in 2016, Clinton appealed to the liberal wing of her party. She said she would support a constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court decision lifting on caps on campaign funding known as Citizens United.

(Reporting by Lisa Lambert and Alistair Bell; Editing by Frances Kerry)

Culled from Reuters

How much of an institutional pension fund's portfolio is typically investing in real estate?

It is estimated that institutional pension funds in the United States typically have about 5% to 10% of their assets allocated to real estate investments, primarily commercial real estate. That estimate may be somewhat low, however, for two reasons. First, some calculations of pension fund investments only include direct investments in real estate; they do not include equity shares of real estate companies' stocks. Second, pension fund managers have indicated an increased desire for real estate investments in the low-interest-rate environment following the 2008 financial crisis. This desire is further fueled by indications that prices in the residential sector and commercial real estate sector have bottomed out and are beginning to rise.
Investments in real estate by pension funds might well be substantially larger if the majority of pension funds were not too small to have sufficient investment capital for direct investment in large commercial real estate projects. Nonetheless, pension fund investments continue to grow, as real estate is increasingly viewed by fund managers as representing a very favorable risk-adjusted return on investment. Additionally, real estate is seen as an inflation hedge. The current low yields available on bonds are another factor driving fund managers toward increased asset allocation to real estate investments.

Pension funds are a very important factor in the overall investment market, as they make up the largest part of institutional investments. As of 2014, they are estimated to account for nearly 40% of professionally managed assets, and their combined holdings add up to over $10 trillion in total investment capital. Pension funds in the United States are governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, or ERISA, of 1974. In the past, pension fund managers have often seen real estate as mainly a high-potential, capital-appreciation investment. That view has recently become augmented with a perspective on real estate as a steady income-producing asset.

Culled from Investopedia

Where should you keep your emergency fund? Credit.com -By AJ Smith

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We have all heard and (hopefully) heeded the advice to keep between three and six months' worth of expenses aside as an emergency fund. Even if you feel like you have a handle on budgeting for your day-to-day expenses, what happens when the unpredictable hits with the potential to set your finances back? This stash is not meant for buying a home or going on a trip, it is for real emergencies. It's a good idea to make growing an emergency fund a priority and where we keep this money can make a big difference. It's important for the money to be accessible, but it can also be earning interest while waiting to be tapped. If you are building up your emergency fund and looking for a better place to keep it than under the mattress, check out these options of places to park your emergency fund.

Online Savings Account
Traditional savings accounts can be great for those of us who like to play it safe, but interest rates will not do much for you. Online banks do tend to offer slightly higher rates and lower fees so you could see a little more growth. Furthermore, it's important to keep your emergency savings fund away from your normal checking account so you have some separation between your spending cash, cash for other savings goals and your emergency cash.
Money Market Account
This is a common place for emergency funds for those looking to get better interest rates. They are similar to regular savings accounts in terms of FDIC insurance and limits on the number of withdrawals you can make each month, but typically require a higher minimum deposit and they sometimes carry higher fees. It's a good idea to read the fine print before choosing which account to keep your emergency fund in.
Penalty-Free CD
Since you need the money to be accessible, regular certificates of deposit with established time limits are not always going to work, but there are some no-penalty options. These typically have lower rates than traditional CDs, but offer higher yields than traditional savings accounts. You just need to look for banks that offer these and, again, read the fine print carefully.
Savings Bond
These are also typically seen as a long-term investment, but I-bonds can offer more flexibility. You can own some for as little as one year and do not need much capital to get started. The interest rate is better than other, more liquid vehicles but the interest is taxable and if you need to cash them in before five years, you will forfeit some of the interest you have earned.
Retirement Fund
Most experts will tell you to avoid touching your retirement savings until actual retirement. This is generally good advice as you want to make sure you have enough money left to fund your golden years. But if you have to tap your retirement funds for emergencies, it's good to understand the different tax implications and penalty fees associated with each type of account. 401(k) accounts generally (there are exceptions like the Roth 401(k) option) hold funds that you contributed before paying taxes. So if you take out money before you are 59½ (besides for a few particular exceptions) you will have to pay an early withdrawal penalty and taxes. Since you contribute to a Roth IRA account with after-tax money, you may still pay a penalty but can withdraw the original contributions (not the interest earned) without paying additional taxes.
Where you keep your emergency fund is up to you, and you may even choose to use a combination of locations to ensure your stash is safe, liquid and reliable. Do your research before carefully considering the best location for your money — there is no one right answer, just as long as you have a place for it.

Culled from Credit.com