I am a non citizen and have invested in US markets & 401k. will i be able to access investments once i leave?
Question by Amit P: I am a non citizen and have invested in US markets & 401k. will i be able to access investments once i leave?
I have been working in US for last 4 years on H1-B visa and my employment based greencard is in process. I am anticipating a greencard within next 2 years. I have invested in mutual funds and employer 401(k). If I decide to return to my home country in coming years (after my greencard is processed), will I be able to withdraw funds from my US 401(k) and other investments (for example – annuities) when they mature? I understand that to return to my home country, I will have to give up my green card. However, will I still have access to my investments in US? are they any legal/tax issues involved? Or is it benefitial/advisable to just liquidate my investments, take penalty hit and take the money home?
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Green Investments, the Way of the Future Or Not?
Article by Chance Bell
Green Mutual Funds are the funds invested in companies or organizations that have a high level of activity of projects that are beneficial to the environment. Basically, there are two models of such companies – one that is actively involved in helping the environment, and the other which follows certain guidelines that are environmentally friendly.Exchange traded funds, commonly abbreviated to ETFs, are bought and sold in much of a similar manner as any other stock is. However, there are certain criteria to consider while choosing a green ETF. These may include: turnover, expense ratio, and index weighing and composition. Several green ETFs are available, most preferred being renewable energy ETFs and water sector ETFs. Lately, the green stock market has been flourishing. With the shocking increase in oil consumption, natural disasters as well as the perilous effects of global warming on our planet, more and more people are opting for green investment. It’s not only a means of investing wisely, but also a means of ensuring the safety of our planet. Recycling, reforestation, renewable energy, organic food, agriculture, green cars, energy efficiency, waste water treatment, etc., all are areas of green investment. Money may be invested in any of the above green industries. However, investing in green funds is a no child’s play. The trick is to invest, in what one would call, “safe green funds”. Take Allianz, for example. It is not the only green mutual, but it is one of the few that offers a wide diversity of green investment in eco-friendly companies, such as hybrid vehicles, water filtration systems, desalination plants, and pollution solutions. Going green has never been this easy before. Start with baby steps. Switch from fossil fuels (i.e. diesel and petrol) to alternative energy. True, alternative energies like biomass, solar energy, wave power are unconventional, but they are known to have a minimal effect on the environment. Green investment can also be made in alternative energy mutual funds, which are like any other green mutual fund company.The difference is that these funds extract money solely from investors looking for capital returns in alternative energy sector companies. The funds are then invested in companies that deal with this particular area of green investing. However, as with every ethical and moral issue, controversies also run amok in the field of green investment. What one individual may consider a green investment, another may not. And since there is no particular definition of a green investment, green investors are making sure that they do a bit of research to ascertain whether the company they are investing in fits the bill of what they would consider “green”. The future of green funds as well as its corresponding stock market seems to have more potential than earlier assumed. The green stock market has never bloomed so much as it has the past couple of years. People are now realizing the importance of protecting our planet and no longer care much about profits or returns. Switch from fossil fuels (i.e. diesel and petrol) to alternative energy. True, alternative energies like biomass, solar energy, wave power are unconventional, but they are known to have a minimal effect on the environment. Green investment can also be made in alternative energy mutual funds, which are like any other green mutual fund company.
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Equity Investments in the Perspective of Shar’iah
Article by Asim Hameed Khan
In this article we will not be talking about how much the equity market has grown but we aim to share the fundamental knowledge & awareness of equity investments in context of Shar’iah. Stock market is considered to be as most intricate cinema, a deep enigma of trading moves put investors on rest, and hence due to having lack of understanding of what Shar’iah complaint procedures are which should be followed sometimes investor do trading with his modest understanding which has many down sides for investor & economy as well or sometimes investor puts every thing on broker.
Firstly we look what drive the equity market. It is generally accepted that share price demonstrates a semi-strong form of market efficiency which means share price respond immediately to all publicly available information but not to information available only to insider. Response of Stock Market to the information released by a company can be understood with the reference to the Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH). An alternative view to the EMH is Behavioural Finance. Speculation by investors and market sentiments is a major factor in the behaviour of share price. It attempts to explain the market implication of the psychological factor behind investor decisions and suggests that irrational investor behaviour may significantly affect share price movements hence share price appear sometimes to over-react to past price changes. The equity market takes great impact of economic, political, and societal issues that may cause the market to change direction from bullish to bearish or vise versa. Many other factors as well have serious long term implications like: Inflation, Interest rates, Earnings, Oil/Energy Prices, War/terrorism, Crime/fraud and serious domestic political unrest.
Reasons Investors Might Consider Green Mutual Funds For Future Investments
Green mutual funds are quickly becoming more and more popular. Since a large sector of the population is more interested in green products and services than ever before, this only makes sense. What’s even better is that a massive percent of this population slice are upper class, highly educated citizens with substantial incomes. Living green is not just about saving the Earth anymore, it is about making money.
When you get ready to invest in green mutual funds there are certain things that you ought to take into consideration. Clearly you will want to look into all the same things you would before embarking on any mutual fund investment. If you have never made this sort of investment previously you need to do research to help clarify exactly what you want and what you are looking for.
Alternative Energy ? Investments For The Future
Over the last few years there has been increasing concern about the rapidly depleting natural, non-renewable energy resources of coal, oil and natural gas. Human nature always seeks opportunity in adversity, and for the savvy there is the chance to capitalise. Governments and private companies have been investigating the renewable energy technology needed to harness these resources and the application of naturally replenished resources. These technologies include solar, wind, rain, geothermal, fuel cells, biomass, biogass and microturbuines.
There are several reasons why one might consider investing in renewable energy: to help fight global warming, to prepare for peak oil, to improve energy security and local economies, or to cash in on these trends. If you buy shares in a alternative energy company you can benefit forthese non-mutually exclusive goals. In fact, with one investment you can help the planet, feel good about your contribution and benefit from the spectacular growth story which is likely to lead to big profits in the future.
Tap Into Ecologically Sound Green Investments For A Brighter Future
The financial community has woken up to green investments, now perhaps the fastest-growing sector of the market. Clean, environmentally sound products and processes are, self-evidently, preferable to those that go on sapping the earth of its resources.
With Green Investments you achieve the aspiring investor’s goal of getting good returns while firmly believing in the company, its ethics and its products. With ‘carbon footprint’ being this century’s buzz expression and climate change causing us all to re-think, investors are now more driven to put their money where the earth is being protected. Corporations waking up to their responsibility towards our future world are researching and developing ethically sound initiatives. Smart energy storage is one representative of a field you may not have thought of.
Stocks & Mutual Fund Investments : How to Invest in Stocks During a Recession
To invest in stocks during a recession, researching investments carefully, choose stocks that deal with regular usage items, and hold on to risky investments for the long-term. Be aware that speculative investments may not see any growth during a recession with information from an investment manager in this free video on investing. Expert: Gregory Bramwell-Smith Bio: Gregory Bramwell-Smith is the relationship and portfolio manager at Bramwell-Smith Associates. Filmmaker: David Pakman
