The governing body for 401(k) plans was established by the Revenue Act of 1978 and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) of 1974. These plans, along with their corollary 403(b) non-profit and 457 government employee plans*, have become the major method for funding employee retirement plans. As of December 31, 2024, these plans hold a total of $8.9 trillion. The Roth IRA was made possible by the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, and its provisions made it possible to increase tax-advantaged retirement savings. With the introduction of Roth 401(k) plans in 2006, the Roth legislation received an additional wrinkle.…
Author: admin
Rules made up, smarter school mapping, and rewriting the script on AI readiness are this week’s signals. Each week, we spotlight signals of change in AI and education – and consider what they might mean for the future of learning in low- and middle-income countries. We use the Three Horizons framework to keep track of what is already improving existing systems, what might soon change the status quo, and what might change learning in the AI age. Upgrade: Systemic change in small steps Chilean teacher’s stamp sparks debate A Chilean teacher’s custom stamp – reading “I suspect use of AI.…
Governments can no longer afford to ignore digital transformation, particularly when it comes to social programs. The numbers tell a compelling story: worldwide investment in digital transformation is expected to reach nearly $4 trillion by 2027, with spending reaching $1.85 trillion in 2023. However, despite this unprecedented investment, 1.4 billion adults worldwide do not have access to formal financial services, and 75% of the poor do not have access to a bank account. 35% of adults in low-income nations opened their first bank account in order to qualify for government assistance. By digitizing these payments, governments could save up to…
The discounted cash flow (DCF) model is one of the most comprehensive valuation methods for estimating a company’s worth. Valuation determines a company’s current value by analyzing financial forecasts of its profits, typically through dividends or cash flows. Another useful valuation method is the discounted dividend model (DDM). Both DCF and DDM focus on understanding present value by projecting future earnings. “Within a company, well-informed valuation enables managers to make wiser decisions regarding capital budgeting and strategic planning,” says Harvard Business School Professor Suraj Srinivasan in the online course Strategic Financial Analysis. “Outside the company, investors need to measure value…
Over $4.3 billion in fines were imposed by financial regulators worldwide in 2024, with 95% of these actions taken by US regulators alone. Several significant fines have been imposed as a result of the increasing focus on anti-money laundering (AML) compliance, including a staggering $3.1 billion fine against TD Bank for AML violations. For financial institutions, this harsh regulatory landscape demonstrates a crucial truth: compliance is no longer optional; it is essential. The Transaction Processing System, or TPS, is an essential but frequently overlooked component of financial compliance. A strong TPS is the foundation for regulatory compliance, audit readiness, and…
If you’ve been around here a while, you’ll know that crunching the numbers to figure out the best time to post on all major social media platforms is basically our love language. And now we have enough data to add Threads to our roster, too! Because even though Threads uses an algorithm to decide what you (and your target audience) sees in the feed, when you post still has an impact. And now we have the data to prove it. We analyzed hundreds of thousands of Threads posts sent through Buffer — 730K posts, to be precise — to figure…
As businesses grow and evolve, they collect reams of data, and over time, that information can become siloed and difficult to use. Recent research suggests that knowledge workers spend more than eight hours per week simply finding and interpreting the information they need to do their jobs. But generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) can help. Over the last 10 years, I have consulted on digital transformation and AI adoption at large enterprises and have seen firsthand the pivotal role that Gen AI can play in streamlining knowledge management and boosting productivity. One of the most promising ways to deploy AI…
Micro influencer marketing is great for businesses who don’t have the budget to work with Macro influencers, and want to reach a more niche audience. But who are Micro influencers, how much do they charge, and why should Micro influencer marketing be part of your social media strategy? We’re breaking it all down, below. What Is a Micro Influencer? A Micro influencer is a creator who has between 10K and 100K followers on a given social platform. And while their audience may be smaller than Macro influencers, their engagement sure is mighty. Why? Because Micro influencers often come across as…
Home loans are often the most significant financial commitments individuals make, stretching across decades. Early repayment can offer substantial financial freedom, reduce stress, and save on interest, allowing homeowners to allocate resources to other investments or savings. However, it’s essential to weigh the benefits of early repayment against the potential returns from investing in avenues that might offer higher yields than the interest rate of the home loan. Given that home loans generally have lower interest rates compared to other types of loans, it might sometimes make sense to invest surplus funds rather than accelerate loan repayment. If early repayment…
GAMErs, look! The PS5 Pro is almost here! Pre-orders are now live for the PS5 Pro which is set to release on the 7th of November in the UK. You might be wondering, “Why on God’s green earth would I get a PS5 Pro,” and I can understand your concern. The answer is simple: Performance. Graphics. AI. And no, I’m not talking about the kind of performance of reporting your KPIs to your boss, I’m talking console performance. Frames. GPU Power. Ray tracing. You get the picture. Let’s not forget AI – it just about comes with every product nowadays…