Archive for October 2010
Jobs Act provides Roth 401(k) transfer option
Under a provision of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, employees can now convert retirement assets from their traditional 401(k) plans to their company’s Roth 401(k) plans. The conversion option may give employees access …
CMS curve is a pitch you shouldn’t swing at
Dear Mr. Berko:
I have $435,000 in cash and need more income. I want to be conservative but can handle moderate risks. I have two choices. A Morgan Stanley representative has aggressively suggested a complex …
Read MoreIowa college enrollment is up – for various reasons
Attendance at Iowa’s colleges and universities seems to be trending upward.
According to numbers released by the three state universities, Drake University, Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) and Grand View University, more students are …
Read MoreTweet now, tweet often
I asked an audience of 200 mature salespeople and sales managers, “How many of you have a Twitter account with more than 500 followers?”
Two people raised their hand.
One of them was me. Yikes.…
Read MorePersonal beats automated
I received a call from a blogger who had written a blog post that she was convinced I needed to read and would wholeheartedly agree with. I visited her site and read a compelling argument …
Monetary ship is ready to set sail
Until a short while ago, “QE2” commonly meant the venerable Queen Elizabeth 2, one of the truly great trans-Atlantic liners of all time. Today, however, QE2 is the buzzword for a new, ambitious monetary policy …
Small business tax breaks create incentives for capital investments
When the federal government extends a tax break known as the Section 179 deduction, it’s a signal to purchase needed equipment now rather than later, says Aaron Forrester.
Forrester’s employer,Insta-Pro International Ltd. in Urbandale, will …
Read MoreA land of opportunity in the middle of the Pacific
From what Glenn DeStigter understands, some of the most exciting vacation spots on the planet are within a four-hour puddle jump from Guam. He wouldn’t know about that. He does know it is an island …
Telephone associations raise concern with plan
Joe Hrdlicka knows the National Broadband Plan has good intentions.
It’s the unintended consequences he’s worried about.
Hrdlicka, an information specialist with the Iowa Telecommunications Association (ITA), recently filed a joint comment to the Iowa …
Read MoreIn the real world, it’s a recession
Dear Mr. Berko:
On Sept. 21, The Wall Street Journal said, “The recession ended in June of 2009.” So why do you still tell us that we’re in a recession? Economists at the National Bureau …
Read More