Who Enforces GAAP? Responsibility for enforcement and shaping of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) falls to two organizations: The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC has the authority under securities law to both set and enforce accounting standards, while the FASB, an independent non-governmental body tasked by the

Earning a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) can help professionals enhance their career opportunities, increase compensation, and lead to job promotions. An MBA can provide the skills and knowledge necessary to start a new business, and many employers require an MBA for certain management or leadership positions. On the other hand, an MBA from a top

Nearly two-thirds of a typical American household’s wealth comes from homeownership, making it crucial for prosperity. Since most individuals can’t afford to purchase a home outright, they need to be approved for a loan. This approval process involves a series of steps that will help get them a mortgage. The lending industry is key for

Whether you’re buying a home using a mortgage, refinancing your existing mortgage, or selling your home to anyone other than an all-cash buyer, a home appraisal is a key component of the transaction. If you’re a buyer, owner, or seller, you’ll want to understand how the appraisal process works and how an appraiser determines a

Your 20s can be a time of great financial challenge: You’re not quite skilled enough to get the job of your dreams in the “real world,” yet you have bills and financial responsibilities that may demand a salary you can’t command. Worse yet, you may be contending with a mound of student loan debt, credit

Many American investors have been obsessed with initial public offerings (IPOs) since the dot-com boom of the late 1990s, and even that bubble’s burst didn’t curb their enthusiasm for long. Some investors are in it for a quick buck but others want to get in on Day 1 and stay in for a company’s earliest

Running a business is not for the faint of heart; entrepreneurship is inherently risky. Successful business owners must possess the ability to mitigate company-specific risks while simultaneously bringing a product or service to market at a price point that meets consumer demand levels. While there are a number of small businesses in a broad range

Biotech companies use or modify biological processes to create new pharmaceuticals or therapies. Some of the most prominent biotech companies include Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (VRTX) and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (REGN). Investing in the biotech sector can be risky. The scientific and regulatory issues involved with gaining approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

The homebuilding industry consists of companies involved in the construction and improvement of residential homes. It features homebuilder stocks like D.R. Horton Inc. (DHI), Lennar Corp. (LEN), and NVR Inc. (NVR), as well as well-known home improvement retailers Home Depot Inc. (HD) and Lowe’s Companies Inc. (LOW). Investors closely watch the homebuilding industry as a barometer

A company’s dividend payout ratio gives investors an idea of how much money it returns to its shareholders compared to how much it keeps on hand to reinvest in growth, pay off debt, or add to cash reserves. This ratio is easily calculated using the figures found at the bottom of a company’s income statement. It differs from the

If you’ve recently inherited retirement plan assets, you may be confused about your options. Can you distribute the funds? What about rolling them over to your own individual retirement account (IRA)? In fact, the situation is complicated, because the distribution options available to a retirement plan beneficiary are determined by several factors. These include whether

In this article BBBY Activist investor Ryan Cohen has exited his position in retailer Bed Bath & Beyond, according to a securities filing released Thursday afternoon. The filing shows that Cohen’s RC Ventures dumped its stock on Tuesday and Wednesday at a range of prices between $18.68 per share and $29.22 per share. The firm