Social Investing: What Is It?

Social investing has received a lot of interest in recent years – especially following the financial crisis. Most people, however, are left wondering: What is social investing? Let’s answer this question.

To understand what social investing is, we must first consider how traditional investors look at the world. In traditional investing, investors weigh investment decisions by looking at two broad factors – risk and financial return.

Risk, Return – and Social Impact

Each investor has a certain comfort level across the risk-return spectrum, and he or she does their investing within that band of the spectrum. An investor might be comfortable giving up some of their return if an investment is safer. On the other hand, the same investor might be willing take a little more risk with an investment if it translates into a higher return.

In social investing, a third factor is thrown into consideration – social impact. Social impact means that the enterprise supported by the investment yields some benefit to society beyond the income it generates for investors. Conversely, an enterprise can also have some negative impact on society, and a social investor will also take this into consideration when making investments.

Just as traditional investors are willing to make a trade off between risk and return, social investors are willing to make a trade off between risk, return and social impact. If an enterprise is doing something that’s improving the environment, for example, a social investor may be willing to give up some financial return or assume greater risk on that investment depending on his or her individual comfort level.

In short, social investing can be defined as considering the social impact of an enterprise when making investment decisions. By this standard, a number of investment approaches fall under the umbrella of social investing: mission investing, responsible investing, double-bottom-line investing, triple-bottom-line investing, ethical investing, sustainable investing and green investing.

Social Screening

Within the universe of social investing, there are two broad categories: social screening and impact investing. In the social screening methodology, an investor comes up with a list of social standards that he or she wants his or her investments to meet.

The investor eliminates any company that does not meet these standards and then invests in the “socially responsible” companies that do meet the standards in a way that meets the investors risk and return objectives.

A number of socially responsible mutual funds have emerged that use such an approach. They adopt a social screening methodology, define a large basket of investments that adhere to those standards and then have their management company invest within that basket to meet the financial objectives of the mutual fund.

Impact Investing

The second broad category of social investing is known as impact investing or, sometimes, community investing. In impact investing, rather than investing in companies that do no harm, investments are made in companies that do social good.

Enterprises that fall under the impact investment heading perform services that have a charitable or social purpose but also have a business model that can generate income and support a financial investment. They straddle both the charity and business worlds.

Impact investment enterprises might be structured as non-profit or for-profit companies but rarely do they take the form of the large public companies listed in the capital markets. As a result, making an impact investment is more difficult and usually takes the form of a private investment in the form of a note or loan.

Impact Investment Sectors

So what exactly are these impact investment enterprises? To get a better sense, let’s look at some of the sectors that qualify as impact investments.

Affordable housing is one sector familiar to most people. Most people support an organization like Habitat for Humanity by making donations, but a foundation, for example, might support them by providing a low interest loan to fund the organization’s projects.

Microfinance is another impact investment sector. A microfinance institution makes small loans to entrepreneurial people in developing countries to give them the opportunity to start or grow their own business and lift themselves out of poverty. A microfinance institution works similar to a bank, so it is able to generate income and support investors.

There are many other similar sectors that generate income and have a social mission at their core: fair trade, community development organizations, social enterprises, etc. In each sector, companies can often find investors who are willing to give up some financial return or take on a bit more risk because of the social impact that these organizations have.

How Successful Investors Prepare Their Real Estate Analysis

Successful real estate investors never rely simply on what others tell them. Once a prospective real estate investment has been located, prudent investors conduct a close examination of the rental property’s income, expenses, cash flow, rates of return, and profitability. Regardless what overzealous agents or sellers say, vigilant real estate investing demands a validation of the numbers.

To achieve this, real estate investors rely on a variety of reports and rates of return to measure an income property’s financial performance. And in this article, we’ll consider a few of these reports and financial measures.

Reports

The most popular report used in real estate investing circles is perhaps the Annual Property Operating Data, or APOD. This is because an APOD gives the real estate analyst a quick evaluation or “snapshot” of property performance during the first year of ownership. It does not consider tax shelter, but an APOD created correctly can serve as the real estate equivalent of an annual income and expense statement.

A Proforma Income Statement is also popular amongst analysts. Although comprised of speculated numbers, a proforma provides a useful way for real estate investors and analysts to evaluate an investment property’s future, long-term cash flow, performance. Proformas regularly project numbers out over a period of ten to twenty years.

Certainly one of the most important documents for a real estate analysis is the Rent Roll. This is because a property’s sources of income and income stream are vital to making wise real estate investment decisions. A rent roll typically lists currently occupied units with current rents along with vacant units and market rents. During the due diligence, of course, rents shown in the rent roll should be confirmed by the tenants.

Rates of Return

Capitalization rate, or cap rate, is one of the more popular rates of return used by real estate analysts. This is because cap rate offers a quick first-glance look at a property’s ability to pay its own way by expressing the relationship between a property’s value and its net operating income. Cap rate also provides real estate investors with an easy method for comparing similar properties.

Cash-on-cash return measures the ratio between a property’s anticipated first-year cash flow to the amount of investment required to purchase the property. Though cash on cash return does not account for the time value of money or for cash flows beyond the first year, this shortcoming is often overlooked because it does provide an easy way for real estate investors to compare the profitability of similar income-producing properties and investment opportunities quickly.

Internal rate of return is more complex because it requires a computation for time value of money and therefore requires a financial calculator or good real estate investment software. Nonetheless, it is widely-used by analysts because internal rate of return reveals in mathematical terms what a real estate investor’s initial cash investment will yield based on an expected stream of future cash flows discounted to equal today’s dollars. In other words, internal rate of return converts tomorrow’s dollars to today’s dollars and then computes your return on investment.

Here’s the point.

Take the time to conduct a thorough real estate analysis. Create the reports and returns and hold the numbers up to the light. This is the only reasonably certain way of making the right investment decision on any prospective real estate investment. If you do your real estate analysis correctly you’ll know whether the investment makes good financial sense or not, and almost certainly guarantee your real estate investing success.

Small Business Tax Advice How to Save on Your Tax With a Home Based Business

Want some helpful small business tax advice? Did you know that your Uncle Sam will actually pay you to start a home based business? That’s right, Congress has approved over 100 tax benefits that are available ONLY to home based business owners. These deductions, found in the Federal Tax Code, are 100% legal and 100% audit proof.Before we look at a few of these deductions and how much money this small business tax advice can put in your pocket, let’s look at how much is actually left out of your paycheck. While you know it is not as much as you would like, do you realize how much of your income goes to taxes? When you add up federal, state, country, gas, property, social security, unemployment, etc. the total comes to about 45%. By the time you pay your monthly housing, healthcare, food and transportation costs, you are left with about 20% to pay all others expenses and to enjoy life.Not a pretty picture. Fortunately, you can change that picture with a home based business. I can hear you saying; “I don’t have time for a home business I barely have time for my family and friends now.” And besides, you’re thinking, I certainly don’t have the time or desire to go to meetings or presentations to learn how to start-up and run a home based business. Probably, at one time or another you and your friends have discussed small business ideas that you might pursue.Now’s the time to stop talking and to take action to change your future. Are you on Facebook? Do you have a Twitter account? Do you use Youtube? Ever considered starting a Blog? If you answered yes to one or more of those questions I can show you how to turn these tools into a home business.Aside from the money you will make with a home based business, here are 5 significant tax breaks that can put $300-$500/month in your pocket.1. Home Office Deduction (Renters too; includes a percentage for utilities, maintenance, ins.)2. Business Use of Personal Vehicle ($1 for every 2 miles plus more)3. Hire your children (even as young as 6; big tax savings)4. Healthcare Costs (100% of out-of-pocket costs)5. Business Travel & EntertainmentMore good small business tax advice, there are only two qualifiers to be able to take advantages of the above deductions as well as over 100 others. Here’s what they are:1. Operate your business on a regular and consistent basis (the tax courts have defined this as 3-4 hours a week)2. Have an intent to make a profit.More good news; you can start your home business part-time while you continue with your present position. The Internet has changed the way we communicate, buy things and it can change the way you make the money you need to live the lifestyle you want.To learn more about the tax savings available to home based business owners, click on Resources on the right hand side of the page and watch the 5 minute video by Dr. Ron Mueller, Home Business Tax Law Expert. And, of course, contact me so I can give you further details.By the way, does saving $5,000 a year or more on your taxes appeal to you?How to Save on your Tax with a Home Based Business