5 Tips for Pitching Investors Remotely in the Time of Coronavirus

The following is a guest post by Rizwan Virk, the author of Startup Myths & Models: What You Won’t Learn in Business School. If you’d like to submit a guest post to Money Q&A, be sure to check out the site’s Guest Posting Guidelines. Now that almost everyone is working from home, startup founders looking to raise money from investors will need to do so remotely. In fact, in-person pitches may now be a thing of the past.   As both an individual investor and venture capitalist, I’ve taken a lot of remote pitches since the shelter-in-place order started. My impression is that most entrepreneurs aren’t always putting their best foot forward.  Here are five seemingly contradictory tips to keep in mind … Read more

Review of Zirtue – How to Lend and Borrow Money With Friends and Family

Understanding the purpose of life insurance

In the past, sending money between family and friends could pose a challenge for many people. You either had to mail a check, complete a wire transfer, or wait to see them in person before delivering cash. Borrowing and lending would take at least a couple days, if not weeks to complete the transaction, assuming no issues arose along the way (e.g., check lost in the mail). Nowadays, money transfers are more cost-effective, secure and instantaneous than ever. While some payment apps may require you to wait a day or two for transferred funds to reach your bank account, the convenience of digital money transfers arguably outweighs any downsides. Of course, money transfer apps like Venmo or Google Pay aren’t … Read more

4 Ways to Live Out a Long-Term Financial Strategy

Save money on monthly expenses

Have you heard the expression, “You spend money as if it’s burning a hole in your pocket?” If so, that probably means there’s room for improvement when thinking about long term financial strategy and plans. If you’re able to make enough money to put food on the table and keep a roof over your head, you should still think seriously about things you can do now so you’ll have more money in the future. 4 Ways to Live Out a Long Term Financial Strategy Set Realistic Money-Saving Goals When people mull over money and the future, their minds often go straight to retirement. Actually though, the future is any time beyond the current moment, so when you consider saving money … Read more

Go to Community College First Before Earning a Bachelor’s Degree

College 529 Savings Plan

Nowadays it’s almost mandatory to have a Bachelor’s degree to qualify for a decent job. It’s like a Bachelor’s degree is the new high school diploma. But, taking on tens of thousands of dollars just to get a piece of paper that will qualify for your dream job isn’t always ideal or financially sustainable. Fortunately, community college is becoming an increasingly popular option for people who want to save money on the way to getting his or her degree. You may want to consider going to a community college first before earning your Bachelor’s degree.  Why You Should Go to Community College First Here are four things to consider when choosing between community college first and university classes: More Time to Decide … Read more

5 Reasons to Keep Your Life Insurance After Retirement

Life insurance is often touted as your trump card should you die during the prime of your life. Nevertheless, when the kids have flown the nest and you have little to no responsibilities left, it can seem silly to keep paying for life insurance after retirement. Here are five reasons why keeping your life insurance after retirement going is crucial. Why Keep Life Insurance After Retirement Final Expenses It’s expensive to die these days. Sadly, you can’t just bury yourself in the yard any longer. According to Seniors Life Insurance Finder, it can cost around $10,000 when all final expenses are taken into account. Don’t burden your family with these extra costs. You can cover these final expenses through even a small … Read more

How Can You Qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness?

Should You Take Out Private Student Loans for College?

The government-funded Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program launched in 2007, but despite high hopes for this program – which was designed to bring financial relief to thousands of Americans struggling with student loan debt – the results have been abysmal so far, with only 1,216 applicants achieving loan forgiveness as of September 2019. Compare that to the 100,000+ applicants who have been rejected by the program, whether due to ineligible employers (“public service” isn’t as clear-cut as you might expect), missed payments (or applying for forgiveness before the minimum payments threshold is met), ineligible loans (not all student loans qualify) or simply filling out the request form incorrectly. If you think you may qualify for the Public Service Loan … Read more