Is it good idea to buy Gold

Gold has great role to play in the economies of many nations. However it is no longer a primary form of currency, gold is still a solid, long-term investment and may be a valuable part of portfolio, particularly in a bear market.

Gold was considered a universal currency for hundreds of years. Gold standard was used as far back as the Byzantine Empire over 1,500 years ago because of its recognized value worldwide. Until recently, in fact, gold was used as the world reserve currency.

In 1944, upon the signing of the Bretton Woods Agreement, the dollar replaced gold as the world reserve currency. But even after this agreement, gold continued to be used to back up various countries’ domestic currencies. However, in 1971, Richard Nixon removed the gold standard in the U.S. and other countries soon followed.

Why we should buy gold

1. Gold is highly liquid Investment. It can be converted in cash anywhere in the world.

2. Gold preserves its value over the period of time. Intrinsic value of gold does not change during great economic recession.

3. Gold has shown positive results even during the economic downturn and market volatility. It serves as the best hedge against inflation. Gold has seen strong asset appreciation in long-term and emerged as best investment option in economic recession.

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Top Tourist Destination in USA

10. White House in Washington D.C.

wikipedia/Wikipedia

The White House in Washington DC is the official residence and office of the President of the United States. It was built between 1792 and 1800 and first used by President John Adams. After the 9/11 attacks it has become more difficult to visit the White House and today tours are available only for groups of 10 or more and must be requested up to six months in advance through your member of Congress or your country’s US Ambassador.

9. Denali National Park 

flickr/Denali NPS

The Denali National Park and Preserve is located in Interior Alaska and contains Mount McKinley, the highest mountain in North America. The word “Denali” means “the high one” in the native Athabaskan language and refers to Mount McKinley. In addition, the park protects an incredible wilderness area that contains grizzly bears, caribou, moose, wolves, and numerous other creatures.

8. Las Vegas Strip

flickr/Thomas Hawk

The gambling mecca of the world, Las Vegas is situated in the midst of the southern Nevada desert landscape. Casinos can be found throughout Las Vegas, but the strip, a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard South, contains the most of them. It features giant mega-casino hotels, decorated with lavish care and attention to detail to create a fantasy-like atmosphere. The casinos often have names and themes that evoke romance, mystery, and far-away destination.

7. Florida Keys

flickr/Wonderful_World

The Florida Keys are a 120 mile long chain of tropical islands curving around the base of the Florida peninsula, connected to the mainland by a series of bridges. The most spectacular bridge, the Seven Mile Bridge in the Lower Keys, has been frequently used as a location for films including True Lies and Fast 2 Furious. US Highway 1, the “Overseas Highway” runs from Key Largo, Islamadora, Marathon, Lower Keys and finally to Key West, the most distant and most famous island.

6. Kilauea

flickr/Birchster

Kilauea is the most recent of a series of volcanoes that have created the Hawaiian Archipelago. It is a very low, flat shield volcano, vastly different in profile from the high, sharply sloping peaks of stratovolcanoes. Kilauea is one of the most active volcano on the Earth, an invaluable resource for volcanologists. Thirty-three eruptions have taken place since 1952, not including the current eruption which started on January 3, 1983 and is still ongoing.

5. Niagara Falls

Situated between the state of New York and the province of Ontario, Niagara Falls is one of the most spectacular natural wonders on the North American continent. Niagara Falls is actually three different falls, the American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls and Horseshoe Falls. Horseshoe Falls is located on the Canadian side while the other are located in New York. With more than 14 million visitors each year it is one of the most visited tourist attraction in the world.

4. Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco

The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the strait between San Francisco and Marin County to the north. The Golden Gate Bridge was the longest suspension bridge span in the world when it was completed in 1937, and has become an internationally recognized symbol of San Francisco and California. The famous red-orange color of the bridge was specifically chosen to make the bridge more easily visible through the thick fog that frequently shrouds the bridge.

3. Yellowstone

flickr/Jim Trodel

Yellowstone National Park was the world’s first national park, set aside in 1872 to preserve the vast number of geysers, hot springs, and other thermal areas, as well as to protect the incredible wildlife and rugged beauty of the area. Yellowstone lies on top of a gigantic hotspot where light, hot, molten mantle rock rises towards the surface. Subsequently, the park contains half of all the world’s known geothermal features, with more than 10,000 examples of geysers and hot springs. In addition, black bears, grizzly bears, deer, elk, bison and wolves can all be found within the park borders.

Read More: Top Attractions in Yellowstone

2. Manhattan

flickr/nosha

Manhattan is one of New York’s five boroughs and is what people most often think of when they picture New York City. It’s familiar skyline and sights have been featured a thousand times on screen. Walk in the shadow of the skyscrapers, picture the Statue of Liberty, see a Broadway show , climb the Empire State building, stroll Central Park, window shop on 5th Avenue or stagger around a museum.

1. Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon is 

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1. How to make money in Stock Market

2. How to invest through Mutual Fund

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Eligibility requirement for international student to be CPA in USA

The CPA exam application process for non-citizens or people who live outside the United States is complicated

Education Requirements
The minimum educational requirement to sit for the CPA exam is generally a four-year degree (120 credit hours) from an accredited University. In addition to the 120 credit hour minimum, candidates must take a required amount of accounting, business law, finance, taxation, and auditing classes for most jurisdictions.

Some states require 150 University semester hours before you can sit for the CPA exam. Most states also require 150 credit hours to obtain a license after the exam has been successfully completed.

If you attended a college or University outside of the United States, you will have to check to see if your educational institute is accredited and recognized by the AICPA. If it isn’t, you will not be able to take the CPA exam. NASBA has created a resource to help identify approved educational institutes.

No Residency or Citizenship Requirements

Some states do not require that you be a resident of the state or a U.S. citizen to earn a CPA certificate in that state. The following states do not have residency requirements.

• Alaska
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Illinois
• Kentucky
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Montana
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• Oregon
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Texas
• Utah
• Virginia
• Washington
• Wisconsin

No Experience Requirements

Most states require some type of experience before you are issued a license. There are some states, however, that will grant a CPA certificate with no experience. These states often require evidence of experience before a permit to practice is issued, however. If you just want a U.S. CPA certificate for your resume, you might investigate the current requirements of these states:

• Alabama
• District of Columbia
• Florida
• Guam
• Illinois
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• North Dakota
• Oklahoma
• Puerto Rico
• South Dakota
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wyoming

Less Than 150 Credit Hour States

Most states have adopted a 150 University credit hour educational requirement to obtain a CPA license. A few states, however, only require a four-year university degree. Here’s a list of states that don’t currently require 150 credit hours to be issued a license:

• California
• Colorado
• Delaware
• New Hampshire
• Vermont
• Virgin Islands

The International Application Process for the Uniform CPA Exam

The application for international candidates is very similar to domestic candidates. The only real difference is in the educational requirements. Most US Colleges and Universities are accredited and approved by NASBA and the AICPA. Thus, US candidates don’t tend to have problems with their education requirements. Before you apply, check the NASBA site to make sure you institution is recognized. After that is out of the way, your application process should be pretty easy.

1) Contact the appropriate board of accountancy to obtain an application.

2) Send in your application including the required recommendation letters, transcripts, photographs, and other documents. You should request your application several months in advance. Keep a copy of your completed application, and send your application by certified mail (return receipt requested).

3) Use your ATT to obtain a NTS

4) Use your NTS to schedule your exam.

State boards are constantly changing their CPA exam requirements, so make sure to contact the state you plan to sit in before sending in your application.

Once you have passed the exam in one state you can transfer to another state if need be. You will have to meet the education and experience requirements of the new state, but normally you are given credit for having already passed the CPA exam.

Once you’ve decided where you want to take the exam, don’t sit around. Start studying right away! The last thing you want to happen is to re-take one of these exams after this lengthy application process.

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How Investors can gain from Stock Split

What is Stock Split?

A stock split is a corporate action in which a company divides its existing shares into multiple shares to boost the liquidity of the shares.

What are objectives behind stock split?

Stock split is undertaken to infuse liquidity and to make shares affordable for small investors who could not buy the shares of that company earlier due to high prices of share.

Does it dilute Value?

No. The underlying value of each share and the total market capitalization remain the same in spite of the number of shares increases. Unlike an issuance of new shares where the total number of shares and the total market capitalization also increase, thereby reducing an existing shareholder's value, a stock split does not dilute existing shareholders value. The ownership of existing shareholder does not get affected due to stock split.

Why do Companies opt for Stock Split?

Sometimes the price of a company's shares rise so much that it may discourage investors from buying them. So, the company decides to reduce the cost per share by way of a stock split. This also helps in increasing its overall liquidity as new investors may show interest in buying shares. 

How does it benefit investors? 

A stockholder will get two or three shares for one share without any additional cost, making it easier to carry out trades. Also, stock splits can be a best way for retail investors to accumulate a higher number of shares of blue-chip companies which are more expensive. 

Waht is effect of stock split on Share price?

When a stock split takes place, the share price of the stock is adjusted by the inverse of the split ratio. If the share price was $80 before the 2 for 1 split, the stock will start trading at $40 per share after the completion of stock split. The purpose behind a stock split is to bring the share price down to a range where the board of directors believes it will be more attractive to investors.Stock splits are viewed as a positive event and an investor who buys before the split may see a stock price increase after the split due to more investors buying the stock.

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Why would company buyback its own share

Buyback of Shares happens when a company purchases and retires some of its existing shares. Buy Shares can not be reissued in the market. This can be a great thing for shareholders because after the share buyback, they will own a bigger portion of the company, and therefore a bigger portion of its cash flow and earnings.

What happens to share price after buyback?

A buyback  is mean to reduces the number of shares in a company held by the public. In the short term, the stock price may rise by reason of shareholders who know that a buyback will immediately boost earnings per share. Over the long term, a buyback may or may not be beneficial to shareholders.

How will a share repurchase affect the value of the company?

On the balance sheet, a share repurchase will reduce the company's cash holdings, and consequently its total assets base, by the amount of the cash expended in the buyback. The buyback will simultaneously also shrink shareholders' equity on the liabilities side by the same amount. Therefore underlying value of share does not get affected.

Is buyback of shares good?

The theory behind share buybacks is that they reduce the number of shares available in the market and – all things being equal – thus increase EPS on the remaining shares, benefiting shareholders. ... The shareholder believes that stock is undervalued and a good buy at the current market price.

How will shareholders benefit from buyback of shares?

Stock repurchasing can allows companies to reinvest in themselves by reducing the number of existing shares in the market. ... From a financial perspective, buybacks benefit investors by improving shareholder value, increasing share prices, and creating tax beneficial opportunities.

What is objective behind buyback of shares?

1. Through buyback, company increase promoters holdings, as a percentage of total outstanding shares, without additional investment.
2. Company wants to change the capital structure.
3. Management thinks that Company’s stock are available at bargain rate.
4. Company have huge cash reserve and wants to return the excess cash to the share holders, in the absence of appropriate investment opportunities.

What are method of buyback of shares? 

Companies generally buy back share by the tender method or open market purchase method. Under tender method, the companies offer to buy back shares at a specific price during a species period. Under the open market purchase method, a company buys shares from the secondary market over a period of one year subject to maximum price fixed by the management.

Be the early bird to embrace opportunities available in buyback offer

Conclusion

Share repurchases are a great way for a company to create value for its shareholders, especially if the company has excess cash and little growth prospects, but only if they purchase their shares at a price below intrinsic value.

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Work Permit while you study in Canada

If you’d like to get a part-time job to help support yourself while studying in Canada, you can now qualify to work on or off-campus for up to 20 hours during university semesters and full-time during breaks such as the winter or summer holidays, without the need for a work permit.

To qualify, you must:

• Have a valid study permit
• Be a full-time student
• Be enrolled at a designated learning institution at post-secondary level or, in Quebec, a vocational program at secondary level
• Be studying in an academic, vocational or professional training program that leads to a degree, diploma or certificate that is at least six months in duration.

You will also need a Social Insurance Number (SIN) from Service Canada to work in Canada or to receive benefits and services from government programs.

Your study permit will become invalid 90 days after you have completed your study program, so you’ll need to acquire a post-graduation work permit if you want to stay in Canada after your studies and seek work. This is valid for three years. 

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How to get education visa for Canada

How much time will it take to get my visa?

Be sure to allow extra time for your visa application. Immediately after you've been accepted to and enrolled in the university of your choice, you can already start your application for the Canadian Study permit. You should apply at least 4-6 months before your university degree programme starts.

After you've applied, you can expect that you'll wait about 35 days for the decision.

Main steps to take for the Canadian student visa

Here is what Indian students have to do to get a student visa that will allow them to study in Canada:

You can apply for visa online or on paper. If you apply on paper you will have to visit a visa application centre in India to submit your documents. Depending on your situation, after your application is analysed, it is possible you will be called for a visa interview.

Indian students maybe have to provide biometrics during the visa application process. Your biometrics are, basically, extra identification (e.g. fingerprinting and pictures) that countries use for security purposes.

You will have to attend a visa interview during the application process.

The Study permit from Canada is valid for up to course duration + 3 months. So that you can stay during your entire degree programme, you may need to renew your visa every year. If you want to stay in Canada after your degree is over, you will have to apply for a different visa, or a visa renewal through the immigration office.

How much will I have to pay for the student visa?

To apply for the Canadian Study permit, you will also have to pay a fee of 150 CAD. Depending on your situation, Canadian authorities will allow you to pay this fee online, on location at a visa application centre in India, or through a bank transfer.

Indian students won't need to get health insurance for the Canadian visa.

If you apply for a visa at an application centre, you'll have to pay a medical exam fee and a visa application service fee of 15 CAD. Unknown CAD.

What documents will I need to get for my student visa?

When you apply for your visa, one of the most important things you need to prove is that you can support yourself during your study programme. For Canada, they require you to prove that if you are going to study in any province except Quebec you can pay 833 CAD/month, or if you are going to study in Quebec you can pay 917 CAD/ either from an external source, or already in your bank account.

Indian students won't have to prove they speak English well enough to study in an international university in Canada. These language skills ensure that you can succeed in your classes and manage your way around Canada.

Indian students will need to take a medical test before arriving in Canada.

Indian students won't need to set up a Restricted Bank Account. This type of bank account restricts the amount of money you can withdraw every month, and only allows you to access it when you arrive in Canada.

Look at the Canada immigration website for more detailed visa information.

Questions that would be ask

• nationality
• age
• language ability
• family members
• education
• work experience
• income and/or net worth
• details on any job offer

The process for obtaining a Canadian student visa is as follows

You must first obtain a standardized letter of acceptance from a recognized higher education provider. Students studying in Quebec must also apply for a certificate of acceptance, known as a CAQ, from the government of Quebec. You must acquire this before you are permitted to apply for a study permit. You can get this online, by printing out a form, or by requesting a paper form from your university, which will also provide advice on this subject.

The next stage is to get a Canadian student visa application package, either from the CIC website or by contacting your local visa office, or the Canadian embassy or consulate in your home country. You may also need to obtain a temporary residence permit if you are from a designated country (find out if you need to get one here), but this will not complicate matters too much as it’ll be processed at the same time as your study permit application.

In order to get your application package you’ll need to answer a few questions about yourself on the CIC website. These questions will determine whether you are eligible to apply online for a Canadian student permit, and what documents you’ll need to provide.

If you are found eligible, you will receive a personal checklist code, valid for 60 days, which you will need in order to submit your application online. Make sure to print out the page containing your code for future reference. The page will also include an application guide, an estimated tuition fees amount, a list of documents you will need to submit with your application, and guidelines for your next steps

When you are ready to apply, create a MyCIC account, where you will enter your personal checklist code. You will then receive your personal document checklist which allows you to upload and send your documents to CIC. You’ll need a printer or a scanner to do this.

Once you have your documents and application form ready and have paid your fees, you can submit your completed application to CIC.

Some applicants may have to attend an interview at their local visa office.

Additional Canadian student visa requirements 

Some or all of the following additional Canadian student visa requirements may also apply:

• Applicants from Europe, the Middle East or Africa may need to provide biometrics (photograph and fingerprints).

• Some applicants may also need to get a medical exam and/or police check before submitting their application. You will not be able to get a study permit if you have a criminal record – you may be asked to provide a Police Clearance Certificate as proof.
• Unless you’re from the US or St. Pierre and Miquelon, you will need to prove you have a valid passport which allows you to return to your country of origin after your course is complete. Two passport-sized pictures are also required, with your name and date of birth written on the back.

• Canadian student visa requirements also include proof of funds to support yourself. At present this is deemed to be CA$10,000 (~US$7,650) for every year of your stay (CA$11,000/~US$8,400 if you’re applying to study in Quebec) on top of your tuition fees. You will also need to make sure you have enough money to pay for transportation to return home.

To prove you have this money, you can provide any of the following documents: bank statements, evidence of a Canadian account in your name if the money’s been transferred, a bank draft in a convertible currency, proof of payment of tuition and accommodation fees, a letter from a person or institution providing you with money, or proof of funding paid from within Canada if you have a scholarship or are undertaking a Canadian-funded program.

Applying through the Student Direct Stream

Canada recently introduced the Student Direct Stream, which students from China, India, the Philippines or Vietnam can apply for in order to get their study permit faster. The requirements are similar to the regular study permit, although there are stricter language requirements – you need to have an IELTS score of at least 6, or a 7 in the Niveaux the Compétence Linguistique Canadiens for French, or have graduated from a Canadian-curriculum high school. If you don’t meet the requirements for the Student Direct Stream but do meet them for the regular study permit, your application will be reviewed for the regular study permit option and you won’t get faster processing.

Next steps after applying

If and when your Canadian student visa application is approved, you’ll receive a Port of Entry (POE) Letter of Introduction, while students from countries which require an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) and/or a temporary residence visa will be issued these if required. The eTA will be linked to your passport. It is important that you travel with the passport you used when you applied for your study permit. The eTA will be valid for five years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.

Present these along with your passport, proof of your finances and your letter of acceptance (and any other documents that you’ve been advised to take) to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) in Canada, who will then issue your Canadian study permit and allow you access into Canada.

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