Finance
Sponsored: Six Ways to Use Robinhood for Investing, Retirement Planning and More
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In an ever-evolving financial landscape, investment options are getting more and more complicated. Managing personal finances can seem even more and more daunting. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Robinhood makes it easier than ever to navigate the brave new world of everyday investing. Robinhood continues to redefine the investment experience, offering a user-friendly mobile app and website that streamline the complexities of personal finance.
The innovative, commission-free platform offers a plethora of products and resources to help individuals manage their money with ease. As Robinhood continues to disrupt the investment space, the company is democratizing finance for a new generation of investors. Keep reading below for more on Robinhood’s offerings, from commission-free trades and retirement planning to educational resources and more.
1. Commission-Free Trades – 24/5
Robinhood simplifies the process of buying and selling stocks, ETFs, options and cryptocurrencies, making it more accessible than ever. Renowned for its intuitive interface and straightforward approach, Robinhood provides users with a user-friendly platform to manage their portfolios, track market trends, and execute trades from either their mobile devices or desktop computers. The app offers real-time market data, customizable watchlists, and easy-to-use trading tools, ensuring users can stay informed and execute trades from anywhere with ease.
As the only US retail brokerage to offer 24/5 trading of single-name stocks, Robinhood’s 24-Hour Market enables traders to respond to market-moving news in real-time. This feature allows traders to adapt their portfolios based on up-to-the-minute information, thereby leveling the playing field and ensuring extended trading is no longer exclusive.
2. Educational Resources and Timely News & Information
Understanding and keeping track of the latest information and news related to investments can be challenging. Robinhood offers educational resources, including articles, tutorials, and investment guides, covering topics such as stock market 101, investing strategies and financial planning. Additional resources include timely news updates, market data, research reports, earnings calendars and analyst ratings, providing everything users need to stay informed.
3. Advanced Trading Options
For experienced users, Robinhood Gold offers a premium membership with exclusive benefits. With features like 5.0 percent interest on uninvested brokerage cash and access to powerful investment tools, Robinhood Gold provides added value for investors seeking more from their trading experience. For a low monthly subscription fee, users can unlock benefits to manage returns and optimize their investment strategy.
4. Retirement Planning
Planning for retirement is one of the key tenets of investment planning, and Robinhood Retirement makes it easy. This innovative feature offers the first IRA with a 1 percent match, making it accessible to gig economy workers and others without employer-sponsored plans. With Robinhood Retirement, our users not only easily invest in their future, they also get free money through the matching program.
5. Fractional Shares
Investing in fractional shares of stocks and ETFs allows users to diversify their portfolios and invest in high-priced assets with smaller amounts of money. Robinhood makes diversification more accessible with Fractional Shares, enabling users to invest in fractions for as little as $1. This helps to manage risk, making it possible to build a diversified portfolio on any budget.
Diversification is key to building a resilient investment portfolio, and Robinhood makes it easy with Fractional Shares. Instead of buying whole shares of expensive stocks or ETFs, you can invest in fractions for as little as $1. This allows you to spread your investments across a variety of assets, helps to manage risk. Whether you’re interested in tech giants like Amazon or blue-chip stocks like Apple, Fractional Shares make it possible to build a diversified portfolio on any budget.
6. Robust Security Measures
Robinhood prioritizes the security of its users’ accounts and personal information. The platform employs industry-standard security protocols, such as encryption and two-factor authentication, to safeguard user data and prevent unauthorized access.
Disclosures
*As of Nov. 2nd, 2023 via Bankrate.
All investments involve risk and loss of principal is possible. Robinhood Gold is offered through Robinhood Financial LLC and is a subscription offering premium services for a fee. The Brokerage Cash Sweep Program is an added feature to your Robinhood Financial LLC brokerage account. Interest is earned on uninvested cash swept from your brokerage account to program banks. Program banks pay interest on your swept cash, minus any fees paid to Robinhood. As of March 15, 2024, the Annual Percentage Yield (APY) that you will receive is 5.00% for Robinhood Gold members. The APY might change at any time at the program banks’ discretion. Additionally, any fees Robinhood receives may vary and is subject to change. Neither Robinhood Financial LLC nor any of its affiliates are banks.
Terms apply to the boosted rate promotion. For more information, view our terms and conditions.
You must have compensation (wage income) in order to contribute to an IRA. The funds that earned the match must be kept in the account for at least 5 Contributions are limited and withdrawals before age 59 1/2 may be subject to a penalty tax years to avoid a potential Early IRA Match Removal Fee. For more information refer to the IRA Match FAQ.
Funds being contributed into or distributed from retirement accounts may entail tax consequences. Contributions are limited and withdrawals before age 59 1/2 may be subject to a penalty tax. Robinhood does not provide tax advice; please consult with a tax adviser if you have questions.
Trades of stocks, ETFs and options are commission-free at Robinhood Financial LLC. Other fees may apply. Please see Robinhood Financial’s Fee Schedule to learn more. Fractional shares are illiquid outside of Robinhood and are not transferable. Not all securities available through Robinhood are eligible for fractional share orders. Diversification does not ensure a profit or guarantee against loss Trading during extended hours involves additional risks. For more information, view our Extended Hours Trading Disclosure
Robinhood Financial LLC (member SIPC), is a registered broker dealer. Robinhood Securities, LLC (member SIPC), is a registered broker dealer and provides brokerage clearing services. All are subsidiaries of Robinhood Markets, Inc. (‘Robinhood’).
Finance
Crunch Fitness, Petland could get a new neighbor at Pensacola Square
The Pensacola Square shopping plaza, which includes businesses such as Hobby Lobby, Books-A-Million and Crunch Fitness, may be getting a new tenant.
Alabama-based loan agency Regional Finance is looking to open its first Florida branch at unit 117 of Pensacola Square.
Regional Finance has over 350 branch locations across 19 U.S. states at this time, including Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and North Carolina, and they provide a range of services to their clients, ranging from personal and auto repair loans to furniture, appliance and travel loans.
They submitted an application to the city in order to conduct alterations on the space, which is located next to Petland inside the plaza, and the plans are still under review by city officials at the time of writing.
moved onto a new chapter with the addition of national gym franchise Crunch Fitness, which is bringing flocks of people into the southern half of the plaza since it opened off North Davis Highway.
Plans submitted to the city of Pensacola show it could get a new tenant soon. However, this addition may not appeal to as many potential customers as its neighbors.
Regional Finance has over 350 branch locations across 19 U.S. states at this time, including Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and North Carolina, and they provide a range of services to their clients, ranging from personal and auto repair loans to furniture, appliance and travel loans.
If the plans for their first Florida branch are approved, the loan agency will join a plaza with multiple popular businesses, including Hobby Lobby, Beall’s and Petland, that still has room to grow.
Trader Joe’s even showed interest in leasing a space inside the plaza at one point, according to a showcase of the property by Cushman & Wakefield.
Crunch Fitness, a gym that signed a 15-year lease for its space, is has help revitalizing interest in Pensacola Square, along with recent additions like Fuji Sushi & Grill & Hotspot as well as incoming tenants like Concentra.
Concentra, one of the top occupational health services providers in the U.S., will open inside the former home of Rainbow clothing.
While the address for the project is 6235 N. Davis Hwy, the alterations won’t be carried out on the Hobby Lobby and Books-A-Million chunk of the plaza.
That section was purchased last year for $7 million by Destiny Worship Center, a not-for-profit corporation based in Destin with locations in Crestview, Freeport, Fort Walton Beach and Panama City Beach but none in Pensacola, sparking concern that the businesses would be replaced by a new church.
Rob Bell, senior advisor and asset manager for Bellcore Commercial, who represented Destiny Worship Center in the sale, emphasized this week that it’s still unlikely Hobby Lobby will leave the plaza anytime soon because they still hold a long-term lease inside the building.
Finance
State aims to reclaim $850K from campaign finance vendor
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — The state is now looking to recoup around $850,000 from a company they said didn’t meet deadlines to create a campaign finance website.
It’s The Guardian and was supposed to be up and running in October, but that didn’t happen. The Guardian is the name of the state’s online campaign finance reporting system.
“They were unable to deliver a compliant system,” said Ethics Commission Executive Director Leeanne Bruce Boone during their meeting on Friday.
The company at the center of it all is RFD and Associates, based in Austin, Texas. They were hired in December 2024 to begin the project of creating The Guardian 2.0.
The previous company, according to the commission, was with Civix. However, problems arose between the state and that company, so they had to shift and find a new vendor.
The commission appropriated around $2.2 million for the endeavor.
Months went by, and according to the commission’s timeline, deadlines were missed altogether.
Dates in June were missed, and in August, the company received a warning from the Ethics Commission. The Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) had to get involved in October and conduct an independent technical assessment.
The October date was proposed by the company, but it wasn’t met. In November, a formal notice of system failures and vendor non-compliance was noted.
“None of the milestones were met,” said Bruce Boone during the meeting. “Extensive corrective steps over many months. Written warnings were sent.”
At the Friday meeting, the commission voted to cut the contract with the company, and a contract with the previous one was then sent out.
“Terminate the contract and proceed with legal action,” said Bruce Boone.
Bruce Boone said that in total $850,000 was actually spent throughout this process on RFD. The new contract with Civix, she said, is estimated to cost over $230,000 and should last for three years. The effort is needed ahead of the 2026 election.
Now the commission has decided to bring in the Attorney General’s Office to see if they can get the money back.
“I take very seriously my role to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent fairly and appropriately,” AG Drummond said in a statement. “My office stands ready to take legal action to recover damages, hold those responsible accountable, and work with the Ethics Commission to ensure the public has a reliable means to access campaign finance reports.”
News 4 attempted to get a statement out of the Chief Operating Officer of RFD and Associates, who had been in the meeting but quickly left after the commission voted.
“No comment,” said COO Scott Glover.
What would you say to taxpayers about that?
In response, he said, “I don’t agree with the ethics commission’s decision. That’s all I have to say.”
The Guardian had been delayed by several months, but the commission did respond appropriately and timely manner to requests made for documents.
The Guardian was back online Friday afternoon.
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Finance
One.funding and MV Commercial launch MV Asset Finance
One.funding has partnered with UK-based MV Commercial to introduce MV Asset Finance, which offers an alternative method for MV Commercial’s customers to secure finance, according to a LinkedIn post.
In developing MV Asset Finance, representatives from One.funding worked closely with MV Commercial’s team to better understand business priorities and the requirements of their customer base.
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According to the post, the service aims to remove friction, ensure complete transparency, and enable a seamless process from initial engagement to completion by integrating support within MV Commercial’s operations and presenting it under their brand.
MV Commercial supplies fleet solutions for vehicles within the UK.
The company’s offerings include trucks, trailers, and light commercial vehicles that are available for sale, rental, or contract hire.
Its current rental and Ready to Go fleets consist of 2,000 specialist trucks, vans, and trailers across various depots in Airdrie, Grantham, Livingston, Oxford, Haydock, and London Luton.
One.funding CEO Lee Schofield said: “At One.funding, we’ve 20 years of experience in building point-of-sale finance that fits naturally into how businesses sell. MV Asset Finance shows what’s possible when that experience is embedded into the MV Commercial journey, making it easier for their customers to keep moving and keep growing.”
A recent example involved AMK Plant & Tipper Hire, which added a DAF FAD XD450 Construction eight-by-four tipper truck to its fleet, the company’s first DAF tipper purchase.
The transaction was finalised in three weeks; MV Commercial supplied the vehicle while financing was arranged through the newly launched MV Asset Finance framework.
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