Dec
26
2009
26
2009
Colorado, jobs, sales, construction and the economy
Colorado’s economy is better than many other states’, but the recovery will be steady, if not painfully slow.
The general view of economists is that significant job losses in Colorado will continue through the first quarter of 2010, before a “turnaround” during the second quarter. By the third and fourth quarters, some jobs will be generated, ...
Dec
23
2009
23
2009
Rewind 2009 No Great Depression II, but a tough year
Turns out that pundits in the alarmist camp — who whined at the beginning of the year about this recession being the next Great Depression — clamored and threatened for ...
Dec
18
2009
18
2009
Bank branch bubble may be about to burst
Fewer, smaller branches will have to serve skittish small-biz customers
By Claude Solnik
Dolan Media Newswires
Financial industry experts expect to see more bank branches — during the short term.
Nationwide, there were 99,456 bank branches as of June, 10,000 more than during 2004, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
In Colorado Springs, in-store branches have flourished.
“People still want ...
Dec
18
2009
18
2009
Time to bid adieu to the Roth IRA conversion cap
Changes during 2010 will allow more people than ever to convert from a traditional Individual Retirement Account to a Roth IRA.
The beauties of Roth IRAs are multiple: After-tax dollars are contributed, growth is tax-free, they don’t have required minimum distributions and, because distributions are not taxable, they don’t affect taxation of Social Security benefits.
There are ...
Dec
11
2009
11
2009
Strong stomachs needed for latest economic news
Economic forecasts should be viewed with a bit of healthy skepticism.
That’s the view of Stephen Barrows, associate professor of economics at the U.S. Air Force Academy, who along with Fred Crowley, professor of economics at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, were keynote speakers at a Middle Market Entrepreneurs economic forum at The Antlers ...
Dec
04
2009
04
2009
Bankers try to explain apparent extreme reduction of loan activity
Small business owners want to know why banks aren’t lending or won’t renew their loans.
The era of fast, loose and easy loans seems to have evaporated for the foreseeable future.
During a recent Entrepreneurial Corner at BiggsKofford P.C., several bankers talked about why loans cannot always be renewed and what the industry is battling as it ...
Nov
20
2009
20
2009
Rise and fall of a startup
Impressive titles, degrees and prior success as an entrepreneur are not enough to guarantee future success.
Alan M. Davis, a professor in the College of Business at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, has held academic positions across the nation and in Spain, Indonesia, Australia and South Africa. He’s also founded several successful multi-million dollar ...