You never know what life will bring. You can unexpectedly lose your job. A medical emergency can present itself, or you may have unexpected home repairs. So, as financial advisors would say, having an emergency fund to cover these ’emergencies’ makes good financial sense.
An emergency fund then is a stash a money you save somewhere, usually in a savings account, to cover some of those unexpected surprises. These ’emergencies’ or unexpected events can be costly and they can threaten your financial well being when presented with them. It is therefore important to create one, know what a good emergency fund amount is, where you should keep your emergency savings, and how much you should save in your emergency fund.
Ready to get started? Start your emergency fund today with CIT Bank.
1. Where to put your emergency fund?
High yield savings accounts or money market accounts are a great choice to put your emergency fund for two main reasons. First, they are safe. The point of having an emergency fund is to have that money available to you when an emergency arises. In other words, you want to make sure that your money is there when you need it.
The worst thing you can do to your emergency fund is to expose it in the stock market. The stock market is so volatile that you can lose all of your money in a matter of minutes.
So money placed in high yield savings accounts are safe because they’re not exposed to the stock market and they are insured by up to $250,000, making them some of the best places to stash your emergency fund.
Second, they are accessible. They are liquid, and can easily get your cash within 24 hours, if not sooner.
Related: The Best 5 Places to Keep Your Savings
2. Emergency fund amount.
How much should you have in your emergency fund?
Your emergency fund amount depends largely on your unique circumstances. But financial experts recommend to have at least 3 to 6 months’ worth of living expenses. So if your monthly expenses is $2000, your emergency fund amount should be at least $6,000.
3. Your emergency savings choice.
CIT Bank 2.4% APY Savings Builder High Yield Savings Account is a great option for your emergency fund. It offers a very high APY 2.45%, multiple times better than what a typical traditional savings account is offering.
Learn more about CIT Bank here.
4. How to Start an emergency savings fund
Starting an emergency fund is easy. Open a savings account to use strictly for unexpected expenses and start stashing money away every week, every month, or every paycheck. Even if you think you don’t have enough money to save, save smaller amounts in the beginning and increase it whenever possible.
5. Reasons why you should have an emergency fund.
If you don’t have an emergency fund, you may find yourself in hot water when an emergency arises.
Apply for a loan. If you don’t have a safety net, you may be forced to apply for a personal loan. And a personal loan can put you into more debt. You will have to work hard to repay the principal, plus interest. And if you can’t pay your loan, a judgment can be entered against you.
Take out a 401k loan. You’re allowed to borrow against your retirement account such as a 401k plan. However, just as any other loan, you have to repay it back according to the rules set by your account, or else you will get hit with a penalty. Also, taking money out of your retirement account prevents potential growth of your account.
Selling stocks, rental properties. You may have to sell your stocks or real estate investments in case of emergency. However, that will cost you a lot of money like transaction cost, taxes, etc.
Learn more:
The 5 Best Places to Keep Your Savings
Top 5 Reasons Your’re Not Saving Money
Money Saving Tips: 6 Secrets to Saving Money
4 Reasons CIT Bank Can Maximize Your Savings
Working With The Right Financial Advisors.
You can talk to a financial advisor who can review your finances and help you reach your goals (whether it is paying off debt, investing, buying a house, planning for retirement, saving, etc). Find one who meets your needs with SmartAssetâs free financial advisor matching service. You answer a few questions and they match you with up to three financial advisors in your area. So, if you want help developing a plan to reach your financial goals, get started now.
The post How to Build an Emergency Fund appeared first on GrowthRapidly.
While women have certainly made strides in many areas of the business world, when it comes to entrepreneurship, a significant gender gap remains. Around 10.2% of women between ages 18 and 64 are new entrepreneurs, a rate around three-quarters that of men, according to the 2018-2019 Womenâs Report from The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor. Though thereâs clearly still room for growth, women who are starting their own businesses have the opportunity to take ownership of their long-term financial goals, including how much they sock away in a savings account. But not all locales are equally conducive to their success. As such, SmartAsset sought to uncover which metro areas are best for women entrepreneurs.
To do this, we compared 50 of the largest metro areas across the following metrics: number of female-owned businesses, percentage of businesses owned by women, women-owned businesses as a percentage of businesses with greater than 500 employees, new businesses as a percentage of total businesses, new business applications in 2020 relative to previous years, percentage of businesses that had profits or broke even, startup survival rate, women-to-men pay ratio, 2019 female unemployment rate and September 2020 unemployment rate. For details on our data sources and how we put all the information together to create our final rankings, check out the Data and Methodology section below.
This is SmartAssetâs second study on the best places for women entrepreneurs. Read the 2019 version here.
Key Findings
The percentage of women-owned businesses is paltry, but especially so for large companies. Five metros in our top 10 â Los Angeles, Atlanta, Denver, Seattle and Miami â rank in the top 10 for our metric tracking the percentage of businesses owned by women, with Atlanta leading that pack at 21.92%. Though women-owned businesses only constitute about a fifth of all business at the top, the numbers are even more meager for women-owned businesses with greater than 500 employees: in New York, which ranks first for this metric, women own only 3.56% of all businesses of this size.
Despite the pandemic, new businesses are still being formed. While the COVID-19 pandemic has had major impacts on the fortunes of many businesses, entrepreneurs in the U.S. are still founding new companies. Data from the Census Bureau shows that the number of new business applications in 2020 thus far is up 5% compared to the average over the past few years, indicating that amid this crisis, increasingly more entrepreneurs still want to form new firms.
1. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
For the second consecutive year, the Twin Cities metro area of Minnesota-Wisconsin is the best place in the country for women entrepreneurs. The unemployment rate for women in this area was 1.8% in 2019, the lowest rate for this metric in the study. Furthermore, 84.49% of businesses in the Minneapolis area had a profit or broke even in 2017, the second-highest percentage across all metro areas we analyzed. Women-owned businesses make up a little less than 3% of all businesses with greater than 500 employees in this metro area. While relatively low, that figure is actually the eighth-highest percentage for this metric in the study.
2. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, California metro area, which includes parts of Orange County, is the No. 2 place in the nation for women entrepreneurs. Due in part to its large population, Los Angeles area has 64,632 women-owned businesses overall, the second-highest number for this metric in the study (behind only the New York City metro area). Los Angeles also ranks ninth out of 50 in terms of the percentage of businesses that are owned by women, at 20.99%, and third out of 50 in terms of women-owned businesses as a percentage of businesses with greater than 500 employees, at 3.20%.
3. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA
There are also a substantial number of women-owned businesses in the Atlanta metro area. The raw total is 24,130, sixth-highest in the study, and that represents 21.92% of all businesses, the fourth-highest in the study. Women in the Atlanta area earn 76.79% as much as men, the 12th-best rate for this metric across all 50 metro areas we analyzed. The metro area also benefits from the fact that Georgia ranks first for the number of new state-wide business applications in 2020 relative to the previous five years, at 142.77%.
4. Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO
New businesses represent 10.22% of all establishments in the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, Colorado metro area, the third-highest percentage for this metric in our study. A lot of the establishments in the area at least break even, too â 83.90% to be specific, the seventh-highest percentage we observed for this metric in the study. The Denver area also ranks seventh-best for the percentage of businesses that are owned by women, 21.78%.
5. Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
Sacramento is the capital of California, and the metro area around the city takes the No. 5 spot in terms of the best places to be a woman entrepreneur. The Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom metropolitan area saw 84.70% of businesses either turn a profit or break even in 2017, the highest percentage we observed. The startup survival rate in California is 81.33%, placing the Sacramento area fifth in that metric. New businesses in the area represent 9.10% of all businesses, good for 12th overall.
6. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
Women in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida metro area earn 79.68% as much as men, the sixth-best ratio of the metro areas included in this study. Tampa also benefits from the fact that Florida fares well in terms of new businesses created in 2020 (a state-wide metric): The total new business applications filed this year is 113.42% of the average filed over the past five years, the ninth-highest rate. Tampa also finishes in 11th place out of 50 for both unemployment metrics we measured. The unemployment rate for women in 2019 was 2.4%, and the overall unemployment rate in September 2020 was 6.1%.
7. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
There are 17,724 businesses owned by women in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Washington metro area, ranking 10th of 50. That figure represents 21.25% of all businesses in the Seattle metro area, the eighth-highest percentage in the study. The pay gap in Seattle, though, remains large. Women earn just 68.21% as much as men there, placing the area 46th out of 50 for this metric.
8. Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
The Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, North Carolina-South Carolina metro area comes in at No. 8. Women-owned businesses make up 3.26% of all businesses with greater than 500 employees. The only other metric for which the Charlotte area finishes in the top 10 is the percentage of businesses that broke even or turned a profit, coming in ninth at 83.14%. The area has just 8,581 female-owned businesses, putting it near the middle of this list at 24th out of 50.
9. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL
In the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, Florida metro area, there are 36,496 businesses owned by women, representing 21.88% of all the businesses in the metro area. That places Miami in fourth and fifth in those two metrics, respectively. The Miami area hasnât been doing well in terms of employment lately, though. The unemployment rate in September 2020 was 10.1%, in the bottom five of this study. That said, the metro area ranks fifth out of 50 for women-owned businesses as a percentage of businesses with greater than 500 employees (3.17%). Furthermore, it ranks ninth overall for the statewide metric of new business applications in 2020 relative to previous years (113.42%) and third overall for women-to-men pay ratio (81.19%).
10. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
The final area in the top 10 of this study is Dallas-Fort-Worth-Arlington, Texas. There are 24,383 businesses in the area owned by women, the fifth-highest rate for this metric in the study. Of the businesses in the metro area with more than 500 employees, 3.19% of them are owned by women, which is the fourth-highest percentage for this metric across the 50 areas we analyzed. A lot of businesses in the area donât fare as well as they would probably like, though: Only 79.42% break even or turn a profit, 44th out of 50 in the study. However, the metro area ranks sixth overall for the statewide metric of new businesses as a percentage of total businesses, at 9.54%.
Data and Methodology
To find the best metro areas for women to be entrepreneurs we compared 50 of the largest metropolitan areas in the country across a number of metrics. Though weâve done this study in previous years, we added two metrics this year to give more timeliness to our results: new business applications in 2020 compared with the average of the previous five years, and the unemployment rate in September 2020. Here are all the metrics we used:
Number of women-owned businesses. Data is for businesses with paid employees and comes from the Census Bureauâs 2018 Annual Business Survey.
Percentage of women-owned businesses. Data is for businesses with paid employees and comes from the Census Bureauâs 2018 Annual Business Survey.
Percentage of businesses with at least 500 paid employees that are women owned. Data comes from the Census Bureauâs 2018 Annual Business Survey.
New businesses as a percentage of total businesses. This includes businesses established in 2015, 2016 and 2017 as a percentage of all businesses. Data is for businesses with paid employees and comes from the Census Bureauâs 2018 Annual Business Survey.
New business applications in 2020 relative to the 2015-2019 average by state. Figures for new business applications are not seasonally adjusted and include only those with planned wages for workers. We compared the number of new business applications from Week 1 of 2020 through Week 42 of 2020 (i.e. December 30, 2019 through October 24, 2020) to the average number of applications filed during those first 43 weeks of the year for the five-year period spanning from 2015 through 2019. Data comes from the Census Bureauâs Business Formation Statistics.
Percentage of all businesses that had profits or broke even. Data is for businesses with paid employees and comes from the Census Bureauâs 2017 Annual Business Survey.
Startup early survival rate (by state). This is the percentage of startups that are still active after one year. Data comes from the Kauffman Indicators of Entrepreneurship report and is for 2019.
Women-to-men pay ratio. Data comes from the Census Bureauâs 1-year American Community Survey and is for 2019. It accounts for both part-time and full-time workers.
Unemployment rate for women. Data comes from the Census Bureauâs 1-year American Community Survey and is for 2019.
Overall unemployment rate for September 2020. Data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
First, we ranked each metro area in every metric. We then found the average ranking for each metro area, giving a full weight to all metrics except for the two new business metrics and the two unemployment metrics, all of which received a half-weight. We then came to a final ranking based on these averages, with the top metro area receiving an index score of 100 and the bottom metro area receiving an index score of 0.
Tips for Entrepreneurs
Invest in professional advice. If you are looking for help with your money or your business, consider finding a financial advisor to help you. Finding a financial advisor doesnât have to be hard. SmartAssetâs free tool connects you with financial advisors in your area in five minutes. If youâre ready to be matched with local advisors, get started now.
Taxes donât always have to be taxing. Knowing your tax burden is key to a successful financial life and running your business efficiently. Use SmartAssetâs free tax calculator to see what you might owe.
Nail down your elevator pitch. Want to make sure you are a successful entrepreneur? Make sure you know what your product is and what your audience is before you even actually start the business.
Questions about our study? Contact press@smartasset.com.
Money market accounts and savings accounts have a lot of similarities than you may think. Among other things, both allow you to achieve your saving goals risk-free or very low risk.
However, the choice between money market vs savings accounts often boils down to interest rates and fees. So, before you decide on which account to open, it’s important to compare many of their features.
Money Market vs Savings: Overview
Money market accounts and savings accounts have a lot in common.
Both types of accounts allow you to deposit a certain amount of money with a bank and you get some type of interest on your money in return.
Your money in a savings account and a money market account are FDIC insured. There are some key differences, though. Money market accounts offer a higher interest rate than savings accounts.
CIT Bank Member FDIC
Savings Builder that fits your lifestyle. Earn up to 0.95%APY.
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Minimum monthly deposit of $100 OR minimum balance of $25k.
LEARN MORE
Most savings accounts require no minimum balance, while money market accounts usually require a high minimum balance–around $1,000.
Savings accounts are very liquid, meaning that you can easily transfer money between checking and savings accounts.
On the other hand, money market accounts, while also liquid, will penalize you if you fall below the minimum required deposit.
Money market accounts have check writing privileges, while savings account have none.
Click here to open a money market account today.
*TOP CIT BANK PROMOTIONS*
PROMOTIONAL LINK
OFFER
REVIEW
CIT Bank Money Market
1.00% APY
Review
CIT Bank Savings Builder
0.95% APY
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CIT Bank CDs
0.75% APY 1 Year CD Term
Review
CIT Bank No Penalty CD
0.75% APY
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Money Market vs Savings: Table
This table below compares some of the features found in savings and money market accounts.
Money Market Accounts
Savings Accounts
FDIC-insured
Yes–up to $250,000
Yes–up to $250,000
Checks
6 check per month
No
Minimum balance
Yes –usually $1,000
None
Transactions
6 per month
6 per month
Interest rate
Yes
Yes
Best Account
CIT Bank Money Market Account
CIT Savings Builder
Money market vs savings
What Is A Money Market Account?
A money market account or MMA is a type of bank savings account, but with some additional and different features than a regular savings account.
The interest rate on money market accounts are better than that of savings accounts. Moreover, they offer check-writing privileges.
That means you can write checks to 3rd parties, typically up to 3 per month, against your balance. They even offer debit card privileges as well.
Lastly, the FDIC insures MMA up to $250,000, just like a savings account.
One thing to note is that you should not confused MMAs with money market funds.
While they are great place to park your money as they invest in short-term investments such as certificate of deposit, treasury bills, and other government securities, they are not the same thing.
Pros & Cons of Money Market Accounts
Pros
1) Interest rates
One of the reasons most people prefer an MMA is the fact they offer a much higher interest rate than savings accounts.
2) Check writing and debit card privileges
MMAs offer check writing and debit card privileges. But there is a limit. You can only write six checks per month against your balance.
So, MMAs are best for those who do not need to write more than six checks. Also, there is no penalty when withdrawing your money.
3) FDIC insured
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC),an independent federal agency, insures money market accounts, just like savings accounts, up to $250,000.
Cons
1) Account minimums
MMAs generally require a deposit minimum amount to open the account and requires you to maintain a minimum balance to receive the best interest rate.
So MMAs are a good choice for those investors and savers who can maintain a high daily balance in the account.
2) Account fees
Another drawback of MMAs is the fee. If you don’t maintain the required minimum balance, a fee will apply.
So, maintaining the minimum balance is important because any fee will eat out your interest or earnings.
What is a savings account
A savings account is a deposit account that you can open at a bank or other financial institution. This account pays very little interest.
However, it is very safe and it is a good option to save your money.
Savings accounts are generally good for students or those with very little money and those who want easy access to their funds without penalty.
They are a good place to save money for short-term goals such as saving money to buy a house, or building an emergency fund.
You have unlimited money withdrawals. However, you can only make six withdrawal transactions.
Click here to open a savings account now.
Pros and Cons of Savings Accounts
Pros
1) FDIC insured
Savings accounts are FDIC insured-or NCUA insured (if offered by a credit union)
2) Liquidity
Savings accounts are very liquid. That means you get quick access to your funds at any time without any penalty.
3) Minimum balance
Unlike money market accounts, savings accounts typically have no initial deposit or minimum balance requirement.
However, a high-yield savings account may require a minimum balance. And a maintenance fee or a penalty may apply if your balance falls below the required minimum.
Cons
1) Interest
A regular savings account pays interest just like a money market account, though the interest paid by a savings account is very, very low.
Money Market vs Savings: which one should you choose?
Best Money Market Accounts
CIT Bank Money Market Account
The CIT Bank money market account is one of the best ones out there. Currently, the money market account offers a 1.0% APY.
This is very competitive comparing to other MMAs. Moreover, CIT Bank’s MMA has a required account minimum of only $100.
Open a CIT Bank Money Market Account.
Best Savings Accounts
CIT bank Savings Builder
The CIT Bank Savings Builder is among the best savings accounts where you can a very competitive interest rate.
In fact, you can earn a better rate with CIT bank Savings Builder than most money market accounts. The Savings Builder is currently offering a 0.95% APY.
To get this competitive rate, you can 1) open the account with a minimum of $100 and deposit at least $100 per month afterwards.
Or, (2) open an account with a minimum of $25,000.
Open a CIT Bank Savings Builder today.
What should you use a money market account and savings account for?
Both MMAs and savings accounts are great places to park you hard earned cash safely. Indeed, they are great places for short term goals like:
Emergency fund: If you’re saving money for a rainy day such as a loss of job, paying medical bills, major car repairs, an MMA or savings account is a good place to do it. The reason is because the money is safe there and you have quick and easy access to it. According to experts, you should have at least 3 to 6 months of living expenses in that fund.
Down payment: Savings accounts and money market accounts are great places for a down payment on a house.
Other popular reasons for saving money in a savings accounts and MMAs are for large purchases such as a car or vacation.
Money Market vs Savings: the bottom line
Deciding on a money market account and a savings account depends largely on what is important to you. For example, are you looking for a better interest rate? If so, an MMA is a better choice.
However, if one of your concern about whether you choose an MMA or a savings account is liquidity, then a savings accounts may be appropriate.
Another factor to consider is how frequently you will need to access your funds. Both accounts however are safe. They are both insured by the federal government up to $250,000.
One thing to keep in mind, however, these accounts generally offer interest rates that are inferior to other investments such as mutual funds or stocks are offering.
For that reason, use these accounts for short-term solutions.
Related:
CIT Bank Savings: How Much Can You Earn
7 Short Term Bonds to Buy in 2020
Speak with the Right Financial Advisor
If you have questions about your finances, you can talk to a financial advisor who can review your finances and help you reach your goals (whether it is making more money, paying off debt, investing, buying a house, planning for retirement, saving, etc).
Find one who meets your needs with SmartAssetâs free financial advisor matching service. You answer a few questions and they match you with up to three financial advisors in your area. So, if you want help developing a plan to reach your financial goals, get started now.
*TOP CIT BANK PROMOTIONS*
PROMOTIONAL LINK
OFFER
REVIEW
CIT Bank Money Market
1.00% APY
Review
CIT Bank Savings Builder
0.95% APY
Review
CIT Bank CDs
0.75% APY 1 Year CD Term
Review
CIT Bank No Penalty CD
0.75% APY
Review
The post Money Market Vs Savings: What’s The Difference? appeared first on GrowthRapidly.
