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This question is a bit of a brain puzzler, and there does not seem to be a very clear answer to this Question Resources and Information. a quick glance, I would say investments would pay more money to the bank than fees would, however, let's examine the facts and that way, one would come to their own conclusion, as it is also very obvious that fees bringing tremendous amounts of money to the bank. So we will start by defining like the bank, fees, and investments, and glean as much information as we could as we navigate the question and answer. Let's do this:BankDescriptionA bank is a financial institution that accepts deposits from the public and creates credit. Lending activities can be performed either directly or indirectly through capital markets. Due to their importance in the financial stability of a country, banks are highly regulated in most countries.How Banks WorkBY LEE ANN OBRINGERAccording to Britannica.com, a bank is:an institution that deals in money and its substitutes and provides other financial services. Banks accept deposits and make loans and derive a profit from the difference in the interest rates paid and charged, respectively.Banks are critical to our economy. The primary function of banks is to put their account holders' money to use by lending it out to others who can then use it to buy homes, businesses, send kids to college...When you deposit your money in the bank, your money goes into a big pool of money along with everyone else's, and your account is credited with the amount of your deposit. When you write checks or make withdrawals, that amount is deducted from your account balance. The interest you earn on your balance is also added to your account.Banks create money in the economy by making loans. The amount of money that banks can lend is directly affected by the reserve requirement set by the Federal Reserve. The reserve requirement is currently 3 percent to 10 percent of a bank's total deposits. This amount can be held either in cash on hand or in the bank's reserve account with the Fed. To see how this affects the economy, think about it like this. When a bank gets a deposit of $100, assuming a reserve requirement of 10 percent, the bank can then lend out $90. That $90 goes back into the economy, purchasing goods or services, and usually ends up deposited in another bank. That bank can then lend out $81 of that $90 deposit, and that $81 goes into the economy to purchase goods or services and ultimately is deposited into another bank that proceeds to lend out a percentage of it.In this way, money grows and flows throughout the community in a much greater amount than physically exists. That $100 makes a much larger ripple in the economy than you may realize!What do banks charge fees for?To make a profit and pay operating expenses, banks typically charge for the services they provide. When a bank lends you money, it charges interest on the loan. When you open a deposit account (checking or savings) there are fees for that as well. Even fee-free checking and savings accounts have some fees.Bank FeesREVIEWED BY WILL KENTONDEFINITION of Bank FeesBank fees are nominal fees for a variety of account set-up and maintenance, and minor transactional services for retail and business customers. Fees can be one-time, ongoing or related to penalties.BREAKING DOWN Bank FeesBanks fees seemingly lurk everywhere. There is a comprehensive disclosure of the menu of fees on banks' websites and in pamphlets with fine print. Customers must carefully read the disclosures to avoid surprises. Certain fees apply to all customers across the board, while others may be waived under certain conditions. While competition is a natural regulator of where a bank may apply fees and how much it thinks it can get away with, government authorities such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) stand by to field complaints and concerns from the public about fee-charging practices by banks.Sample List of Bank FeesWells Fargo charges retail customers fees for ATM transactions (with some exceptions), cashier's checks, money orders, overdrafts, bounced checks, overdraft protection, stop payment requests, wire transfers, safety deposit boxes, minimum account balance requirements, and others. Fees for merchant, payroll, and bill payment services apply for small businesses, while treasury management and corporate trust services offered by a bank to larger businesses carry fees. Also, fees for establishing and maintaining loans or lines of credit, the bread-and-butter of all banks, apply to all.Importance of Bank Fees to ProfitabilityThe primary source of revenue for a bank is net interest income, but a material portion of total revenue comes from bank fees. In 2017, fee income (booked under "noninterest income") for Wells Fargo accounted for approximately 35% of aggregate revenue. An individual fee may be nominal but they add up nicely for a bank. When the net interest margin for a bank is squeezed in a low-interest rate environment, bank fees provide a measure of stability to bank earnings.Investments:According to Wikipedia, investments are:To invest is to allocate money in the expectation of some benefit in the future.In finance, the benefit of an investment is called a return. The return may consist of a gain (or loss) realized from the sale of property or an investment, unrealized capital appreciation (or depreciation), or investment income such as dividends, interest, rental income, etc., or a combination of capital gain and income. The return may also include currency gains or losses due to changes in foreign currency exchange rates.Investors generally expect higher returns from riskier investments. When we make a low-risk investment, the return is also generally low.Investors, particularly novices, are often advised to adopt a particular investment strategy and diversify their portfolio. Diversification has the statistical effect of reducing overall risk.An investor may bear a risk of loss of some or all of their capital invested. Investment differs from arbitrage, in which profit is generated without investing capital or bearing risk.Savings bear the (normally remote) risk that the financial provider may default.Foreign currency savings also bear foreign exchange risk: if the currency of a savings account differs from the account holder's home currency, then there is the risk that the exchange rate between the two currencies will move unfavorably, so that the value of the savings account decreases, measured in the account holder's home currency.In contrast with savings, investments tend to carry more risk, in the form of both a wider variety of risk factors and a greater level of uncertaintyBelow Finra describes the types of investments:Types of InvestmentsThink of the various types of investments as tools that can help you achieve your financial goals. Each broad investment type—from bank products to stocks and bonds—has its own general set of features, risk factors and ways in which they can be used by investors.Learn more about the various types of investments below.StocksWhen you buy shares of a company’s stock, you own a piece of that company. Stocks come in a wide variety, and they often are described based on the company’s size, type, performance during market cycles and potential for short- and long-term growth. Learn more about your choices—from penny-stocks to large caps and more.BondsA bond is a loan an investor makes to an organization in exchange for interest payments over a specified term plus repayment of principal at the bond’s maturity date. Learn how corporate, muni, agency, Treasury and other types of bonds work.Investment FundsFunds—such as mutual funds, closed-end funds and exchange-traded funds—pool money from many investors and invest it according to a specific investment strategy. Funds can offer the diversification, professional management and a wide variety of investment strategies and styles. But not all funds are the same. Understand how they work, and research fund fees and expenses.Bank ProductsBanks and credit unions can provide a safe and convenient way to accumulate savings—and some banks offer services that can help you manage your money. Checking and savings accounts offer liquidity and flexibility. Find out more about these and other Bank productsOptionsOptions are contracts that give the purchaser the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell a security, such as a stock or exchange-traded fund, at a fixed price within a specific period of time. It pays to learn about different types of options, trading strategies and the risks involved.AnnuitiesAn annuity is a contract between you and an insurance company, in which the company promises to make periodic payments, either starting immediately—called an immediate annuity—or at some future time—a deferred annuity. Learn about the different types of annuitiesRetirementNumerous types of investments come into play when saving for retirement and managing income once you retire. For saving, tax-advantaged retirement options such as a 401(k) or an IRA can be a smart choice. Managing retirement income may require moving out of certain investments and into ones that are better suited to a retirement lifestyle.Saving for EducationFunding education begins with savings. Learn smart ways to save, including 529 Education Savings Plans and Education Savings Accounts. We’ll help you navigate your savings options.Alternative and Complex ProductsThese products include notes with principal protection and high-yield bonds that have lower credit ratings and a higher risk of default than traditional investments but offer more attractive rates of return. Learn about their features, risks and potential advantages.Initial Coin Offerings and CryptocurrenciesThese are speculative investments that come with significant uncertainty and many risks. Before you consider an investment in ICOs or cryptocurrencies, learn more.Commodity FuturesCommodity futures contracts are agreements to buy or sell a specific quantity of a commodity at a specified price on a particular date in the future. Commodities include metals, oil, grains, and animal products, as well as financial instruments and currencies. With limited exceptions, trading in futures contracts must be executed on the floor of a commodity exchange.Security FuturesFederal regulations permit trading in futures contracts on single stocks, also known as single stock futures, and certain security indices. Learn more about security futures, how they differ from stock options and the risks they can pose.InsuranceLife insurance products come in various forms, including term life, whole life, and universal life policies. There also are variations on these—variable life insurance and variable universal life—which are considered securities. See how insurance products may fit into an overall financial plan.Ever wonder how banks make their money? They can't be offering to store your money for free? You're right; here's how banks earn money.How do banks make money?Yes, banks make a lot of money banks from charging borrowers interest, but the fees banks change are just as lucrative.Account fees. Some typical financial products that charge fees are checking accounts, investment accounts, and credit cards. These fees are said to be for “maintenances purposes” even though maintaining these accounts costs banks relatively little.ATM fees. There will be times when you can’t find your bank’s ATM and you must settle for another ATM just to get some cash. Well, that’s probably going to cost you $3. Such situations happen all the time and just mean more money for banks.Penalty charges. Banks love to slap on a penalty fee for something a customer’s mishaps. It could a credit card payment that you sent in at 5:05 PM. It could be a check written for an amount that was one penny over what you had in your checking account. Whatever it may be, expect to pay a late fee or a notorious overdraft fee or between $25 and $40. It sucks for customers, but the banks are having a blast.Commissions. Most banks will have investment divisions that often function as full-service brokerages. Of course, their commission fees for making trades are higher than most discount brokers.Application fees. Whenever a prospective borrower applies for a loan (especially a home loan) many banks charge a loan origination or application fee. And, they can take the liberty of including this fee amount into the principal of your loan—which means you’ll pay interest on it too! (So if your loan application fee is $100 and your bankrolls it into a 30-year mortgage at five percent APR, you’ll pay $94.40 in interest just on the $100 fee).Banks are just like other businesses. Their product just happens to be money. Other businesses sell widgets or services; banks sell money -- in the form of loans, certificates of deposit (CDs) and other financial products. They make money on the interest they charge on loans because that interest is higher than the interest they pay on depositors' accounts.The interest rate a bank charges its borrowers depends on both the number of people who want to borrow and the amount of money the bank has available to lend. As we mentioned in the previous section, the amount available to lend also depends upon the reserve requirement the Federal Reserve Board has set. At the same time, it may also be affected by the fund's rate, which is the interest rate that banks charge each other for short-term loans to meet their reserve requirements. Check out How the Fed Works for more on how the Fed influences the economy.Loaning money is also inherently risky. A bank never really knows if it'll get that money back. Therefore, the riskier the loan the higher the interest rate the bank charges. While paying interest may not seem to be a great financial move in some respects, it really is a small price to pay for using someone else's money. Imagine having to save all of the money you needed in order to buy a house. We wouldn't be able to buy houses until we retired!Banks also charge fees for services like checking, ATM access, and overdraft protection. Loans have their own set of fees that go along with them. Another source of income for banks is investments and securities.How investment banks make their money. ... They make most of their money by charging a higher rate of interest to borrowers than they pay to savers. Investment banks, on the other hand, make their money by selling services to customers such as companies, governments and investment funds (fund managers and hedge fundsHow Investment Banks Make Money (JPM, GS)BY SEAN ROSSUpdated Sep 22, 2016Investment banks are designed to finance or facilitate trade and investment on a large scale. But that's a simplistic view of how investment banks make money. There's a lot more to what they really do. When they work properly, these services make markets more liquid, reduce uncertainty and get rid of inefficiencies by smoothing out spreads.Brokerage and Underwriting ServicesLike traditional intermediaries, investment banks connect buyers and sellers in different markets. For this service, they charge a commission on successful trades. The trades range from megadeals to simple stock trades.Investment banks also perform underwriting services for capital raises. For example, a bank might buy stock in an initial public offering (IPO), market the shares to investors and then sell the shares for a profit. This works like an arbitrage opportunity. There is a risk that the bank will be unable to sell the shares for a higher price, so the investment bank might lose money on the trade. To combat this risk, some investment banks charge a flat fee for the underwriting process.Mergers and AcquisitionsInvestment banks charge fees to act as advisors for spinoffs and mergers and acquisitions (M&A). In a spinoff, the target company sells a piece of its operation to improve efficiency or inject cash flow. Acquisitions occur whenever one company buys another company. Mergers take place when two companies combine to form one entity. These are often extremely complicated deals and require a lot of legal and financial help, especially for companies unfamiliar with the process.Creating Collateralized ProductsInvestment banks might take lots of smaller loans, such as mortgages, and then package those into one tradeable security. The concept is somewhat similar to a bond mutual fund, except the instrument is a collection of smaller debt obligations rather than corporate and government bonds. Investment banks have to purchase the loans to package and sell them, so they profit by buying cheap and selling at higher prices on the market.Proprietary TradingIn the proprietary trading process, the investment bank deploys its own capital into the financial markets. Company traders look for arbitrage opportunities or other strong, shorter-term investments. Traders who guess correctly can make a lot of money very quickly. Alternatively, poor traders tend to lose money and risk losing their jobs. Proprietary trading has been much less prevalent since the financial crisis of 2008 and 2009.Dark PoolsSuppose an institutional investor wants to sell millions of shares, a value that's large enough to impact markets right away. However, the market might see a big order come through. This leaves an opportunity for an aggressive trader with high-speed technology to front-run the sale in an attempt to profit from the coming move.Investment banks established dark pools to attract institutional sellers to a secretive and anonymous market to prevent front-running. The bank charges a fee for the service. Dark pools are very controversial and came under added scrutiny after Michael Lewis authored "Flash Boys," which shed light on shady dark-pool activity.SwapsInvestment bankers sometimes make money through swaps. Swaps create profit opportunities through a complicated form of arbitrage, where the investment bank brokers a deal between two parties that are trading their respective cash flows. The most common swaps occur whenever two parties realize they might mutually benefit from a change in a benchmark, such as interest rates or exchange rates.Market MakingMarket making works best when the bank has a large inventory of stock with high trade frequency. The bank can quote a buy price and sell price and earn the small difference between the two prices, also known as the bid-ask spread.Investment ResearchMajor investment banks can also sell direct research to financial specialists. Money managers often purchase research from large institutions, such as JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE: GS), to make better investing decisions.Asset ManagementIn other cases, investment banks directly serve as asset managers to large clients. The bank might have internal fund departments, including internal hedge funds, which often come with attractive fee structures. Asset management can be quite lucrative because the client portfolios are large.Investment banks also partner with or create venture capital or private equity funds to raise money and invest in private assets. These are the fix-and-flip experts in the business governance world. The idea is to buy a promising target company, often with a lot of leverage, and then resell or take the company public after it becomes more valuable.As I said at the beginning, it is easy to look at the big investments that banks engage in and be tempted to say that investments would make much more money for banks, but also remember that investments are also very risky business, while fees are deducted from your account regardless to your say-so and at the banks convenience. So there you are, there’s a lot of information to absorb, hopes that it helps.

Leo Max Frank (1884 – 1915) in Atlanta, Georgia, USA in 1915 was convicted of the murder of Mary Phagan. Frank was Jewish. The verdict was mistaken. There were appeals. A sentence of execution was commuted to life imprisonment. A gang of armed men abducted Frank from prison and hanged him from a tree.See: Yair Davidiy's answer to Who was Leo Frank?The question Was Leo Frank evil? is in fact from an historical perspective not strictly relevant.It should preferably have been,Was Leo Frank guilty?Leo Frank lived in another age and a different place. Whether he was evil or not depends on what he did or did not do and also by what standards he is to be judged.Frank was born a Jew but he did not keep the Sabbath. The murder he was unjustly convicted of took place in the factory he supervised while he was working there. It was a Saturday! If he had have stayed home like a good Jew then he might not have gotten into trouble!Frank was besmirched at his trial for allegedly carrying on with Gentile women and propositioning others who were quite young as well as a young male. Whether true or not these allegations were probably the main factor that caused his death.According to the Bible Jews are forbidden to hold physical concourse with Gentiles.Deuteronomy (ESV) 7:3 You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, 4 for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the LORD would be kindled against you, and He would destroy you quickly.If Leo Frank had have behaved like a Religious Jew then the allegations may not have been made. On the other hand excuses to hate and persecute Jews do not really need a factual basis.After posting an answer to the question, Who was Leo Frank? See Yair Davidiy's answer to Who was Leo Frank?We received the following message:# Hi, Yair. There are four neo-Nazis on Quora that are spreading around Leo Frank propaganda and actually have created a Leo Frank space. You are not helping the situation by posting a link to “100 reasons why Leo Frank is guilty” in your answer.According to the Washington Post, Leo Frank stories on the internet generally have links to the recruitment into neo-Nazi organizations.One of the Leo Frank posts on Quora blaming a”kabal of Jews and Zionists” for protecting his reputation has more than a thousand upvotes. #The source in question, 100 Reasons Leo Frank Is Guilty, provides quite a bit of information about the trial and also reveals who those claiming his guilt really are:I listed the article in question as a source because I actually did use it when writing my post. Not only that but that article is blatantly prejudicial and mendacious. It shows by its own words that Leo Frank has been adversely treated and misrepresented by the “System” he was up against!The article apparently follows the case made by the Prosecution. It was claimed that: Mary Phagan came to the office of Frank on the second floor of his factory to pick up her pay. Frank tried to assault her. There was a struggle. She hit her head on a lathe outside the office. Frank called the janitor, Jim Conley, dictated two notes to him to be planted besides the body. He then had Conley help him take the body in the elevator to the basement. Conley had initially claimed that Frank dictated the notes to him the day before the murder. Altogether he was to give four different versions each times changing the previous one with police help.The Defense for its part was concerned to prove that Frank was innocent not to find alternative culprits. Nevertheless they tended to the view that the real culprit was Jim Conley the janitor. They also suspected that the night watchman, Newt Lee, who had discovered the body, may have assisted Conley. Two notes had been found by the body. They had been made to look as if Mary Phagan had written them.Jim ConleyConley admitted to writing the notes but claimed they had been dictated to him by Frank in his office. The police accepted the Conley explanation.One note was:"he said he wood love me land down play like the night witch did it but that long tall black negro did boy his slef."This note is saying that the Murderer had said that he would pretend that the night watchman [Lee] did it but the tall negro [?] did it alone.The other note said,"mam that negro hire down here did this i went to make water and he push me down that hole a long tall negro black that hoo it wase long sleam tall negro i write while play with me."This second note seems to imply, “The hired negro did this. I went to urinate, he pushed me down a hole...”If Frank dictated those notes why is the intention not much clearer? Frank was a mechanical engineer with a diploma, educated at tertiary level, a former President of the local Bnei Brith chapter, and so on. It was claimed that Frank had wanted to make it sound as if Conley was writing in his own dialect. Even if such was the case why make the intention so unclear?After the trail it was shown that the murder notes must have been written in the basement where Conley was, and not in the office of Frank: They had been written on dated order pads signed by a former employee that were only kept in the basement!After the trial, William M. Smith the attorney for Conley, admitted that ONLY Conley could have composed the notes since everything about them was in accordance with his style, vocabulary, and manner of expression.The Prosecuting Article to which offence was taken said:# 1. Only Leo Frank had the opportunity to be alone with Mary Phagan, and he admits he was alone with her in his office when she came to get her pay ­ and in fact he was completely alone with her on the second floor. Had Jim Conley been the killer, he would have had to attack her practically right at the entrance to the building where he sat almost all day, where people were constantly coming and going and where several witnesses noticed Conley, with no assurance of even a moment of privacy. 100 Reasons Leo Frank Is GuiltyIt was a Saturday and a holiday. People were coming and going but not that many. Jim Conley was not the only alternate suspect. The janitor, Newt Lee, was also suspected of being involved whether alone or together with Conley. Either Conley or Newt Lee could easily have lifted up the 13 year old petite Mary Phagan and carried her one flight of steps down to the basement where evidence indicates the murder actually took place. Lee says he arrived at 1600 and was told to come back at 1800. Mary Phagan had gone to collect her pay at about 1215. There was no-one in the basement and Conley had plenty of time and opportunity. Conley says that at one stage he went to the basement to defecate in the lift shaft. If he could take time off for that purpose he could so for other reasons. Lee found the body of Mary in the basement.Frank is described by Lee and by others as often appearing to have been "nervous." This is not incriminating. Not everyone has a physically dominant personality.Consider the following passage from The Prosecuting Article:# 5. When Leo Frank came out of the building around six, he met not only Lee but John Milton Gantt, a former employee who was a friend of Mary Phagan. Lee says that when Frank saw Gantt, he visibly “jumped back” and appeared very nervous when Gantt asked to go into the building to retrieve some shoes that he had left there. According to E.F. Holloway, J. M. Gantt had known Mary for a long time and was one of the only employees Mary Phagan spoke with at the factory. Gantt was the former paymaster of the firm. Frank had fired him three weeks earlier, allegedly because the payroll was short about $1. Was Gantt’s firing a case of the dragon getting rid of the prince to get the princess? Was Frank jealous of Gantt’s closeness with Mary Phagan? Unlike Frank, Gantt was tall with bright blue eyes and handsome features. # 100 Reasons Leo Frank Is GuiltyThis evidence is presented as prejudicial to Frank but it is actually either irrelevant or in his favor. Newt Lee was a suspect. He is giving evidence concerning the reaction of Frank to the appearance of Gantt. If it is relevant why was Gantt himself not questioned on this matter? Gantt is also described as taller and more imposing than Frank. Gantt had been fired by Frank for suspected theft. He had reason to resent what Frank had done to him. Gantt turned up at the factory at a time when there was almost nobody else there. Why should the smaller in stature book-keeping Frank not have been somewhat apprehensive of him, if indeed he was? How does this point really implicate Frank? On the contrary, Frank said that the meeting with Gantt was confrontational. Nervous people are prone to get nervous.J. M. GanttThe Prosecuting Article claims:# 7. When police finally reached Frank after the body of Mary Phagan had been found, Frank emphatically denied knowing the murdered girl by name, even though he had seen her probably hundreds of times... 100 Reasons Leo Frank Is GuiltySome people are good with names. Some are not. I personally have known certain people for years, been on friendly speaking terms with them, been told what their names are, but still forgotten how to call them. For certain things I actually have quite a good memory, but names... That is something else.If Frank actually really knew Mary Phagan by name why should he pretend not to have done so?The Prosecuting Article claims:#9. Early in the investigation, Leo Frank told police that he knew that J. M. Gantt had been “intimate” with Mary Phagan, immediately making Gantt a suspect. Gantt was arrested and interrogated. But how could Frank have known such a thing about a girl he didn’t even know by name? 100 Reasons Leo Frank Is GuiltyGood point. How did the police explain it? Either Frank said he did not remember her name or he did not say so. Men talk. It may not be a nice thing to do but this is the world we live in. Perhaps Gantt had boasted of his "conquest" to Frank?The Prosecuting Article claims:#10. Also early in the investigation, while both Leo Frank and Newt Lee were being held and some suspicion was still directed at Lee, a bloody shirt was “discovered” in a barrel at Lee’s home. Investigators became suspicious when it was proved that the blood marks on the shirt had been made by wiping it, unworn, in the liquid. The shirt had no trace of body odor and the blood had fully soaked even the armpit area, even though only a small quantity of blood was found at the crime scene. This was the first sign that money was being used to procure illegal acts and interfere in the case in such a way as to direct suspicion away from Leo M. Frank. This became a virtual certainty when Lee was definitely cleared. 100 Reasons Leo Frank Is GuiltyIf "the blood had fully soaked even the armpit area" why should there still be body odor? Why was Lee definitely cleared? This point was never accepted by the Defense.The body of Mary Phagan when discovered is described as:# Her dress was up around her waist and a strip from her petticoat had been torn off and wrapped around her neck. Her face was blackened and scratched, and her head was bruised and battered. A 7-foot (2.1 m) strip of 1 4-inch (6.4 mm) wrapping cord was tied into a loop around her neck, buried 1 4 in (6.4 mm) deep, showing that she had been strangled. Her underwear was still around her hips, but stained with blood and torn open. # Leo Frank - WikipediaThis would suggest that more blood than the "small quantity" found at the crime scene had once been there.The Prosecuting Article claims:#11. Leo Frank claimed that he was in his office continuously from noon to 12:35 on the day of the murder, but a witness friendly to Frank, 14-year-old Monteen Stover, said Frank’s office was totally empty from 12:05 to 12:10 while she waited for him there before giving up and leaving. This was approximately the same time as Mary Phagan’s visit to Frank’s office and the time she was murdered. On Sunday, April 27, 1913, Leo Frank told police that Mary Phagan came into his office at 12:03 PM. The next day, Frank made a deposition to the police, with his lawyers present, in which he said he was alone with Mary Phagan in his office between 12:05 and 12:10. Frank would later change his story again, stating on the stand that Mary Phagan came into his office a full five minutes later than that. 100 Reasons Leo Frank Is Guilty# 12. Leo Frank contradicted his own testimony when he finally admitted on the stand that he had possibly “unconsciously” gone to the Metal Room bathroom between 12:05 and 12:10 PM on the day of the murder. 100 Reasons Leo Frank Is GuiltyMary Phagan arrived at the factory by trolley (tram service) and could not have gotten there before 12:10 or later. The last version made by Frank is the only one that accords with the known time of arrival of Mary Phagan. This confusion in times actually indicates that Frank was bring harassed by questioning and when he made an error of 5 minutes was being treated as a suspect for murder.# Other testimony indicated that Phagan exited the trolley (or tram) between 12:07 and 12:10. From the stop it was a two- to four-minute walk, suggesting that Stover arrived first, making her testimony and its implications irrelevant: Frank could not be killing Phagan because at the time she had not yet arrived. # Leo Frank - WikipediaThe prosecution located the murder on the second floor opposite the office of Frank. Blond hair had been found in a lathe on this floor. A Government biological expert after microscopic examination of the hair on the lathe concluded that the hair was not that of May Phagan. Leo Frank - Wikipedia [This evidence however was not presented at the trial].The Prosecuting Article claims:#14. In his initial statement to authorities, Leo Frank stated that after Mary Phagan picked up her pay in his office, “She went out through the outer office and I heard her talking with another girl.” This “other girl” never existed. Every person known to be in the building was extensively investigated and interviewed, and no girl spoke to Mary Phagan nor met her at that time. Monteen Stover was the only other girl there, and she saw only an empty office. Stover was friendly with Leo Frank, and in fact was a positive character witness for him. She had no reason to lie. But Leo Frank evidently did. (Atlanta Georgian, April 28, 1913) 100 Reasons Leo Frank Is GuiltyOn the contrary. Why would Frank invent "another girl" if none existed?There are about 86 other points made in the article against Frank all of the same nature. Here are a few more:The Prosecuting Article claims:#18. One of the “clews” provided by Frank was his claim that Newt Lee had not punched the company’s time clock properly, evidently missing several of his rounds and giving him time to kill Mary Phagan and return home to hide the bloody shirt. But that directly contradicted Frank’s initial statement the morning after the murder that Lee’s time slip was complete and proper in every way. Why the change? The attempt to frame Lee would eventually crumble, especially after it was discovered that Mary Phagan died shortly after noon, four hours before Newt Lee’s first arrival at the factory. 100 Reasons Leo Frank Is GuiltyPeople get confused. They sometimes have mistaken impressions. Anyone who has been party to a police inquiry or had to give evidence knows that.If however, as the Prosecution claimed, Frank had tried to implicate Lee, the janitor, why did he do it for the wrong time? If Frank was guilty why did he try to set Lee up four hours too late?The factory Frank worked for hired the Pinkerton detective agency to investigate the crime. They hired two detectives but one of them had close ties with the police, particularly his best friend, detective John Black who believed in Frank's guilt from the beginning. The Pinkerton team are quoted as inclined to conclude that Frank was guilty though they admitted to having no firm evidence either way. They also had financial disagreement with the people who hired them.The Prosecuting Article claims:# 20. That is not to say that were not factions within the Pinkertons, though. One faction was not averse to planting false evidence. A Pinkerton agent named W. D. McWorth ­ three weeks after the entire factory had been meticulously examined by police and Pinkerton men ­ miraculously “discovered” a bloody club, a piece of cord like that used to strangle Mary Phagan, and an alleged piece of Mary Phagan’s pay envelope on the first floor of the factory, near where the factory’s Black sweeper, Jim Conley, had been sitting on the fatal day. This was the beginning of the attempt to place guilt for the killing on Conley, an effort which still continues 100 years later. The “discovery” was so obviously and patently false that it was greeted with disbelief by almost everyone, and McWorth was pulled off the investigation and eventually discharged by the Pinkerton agency. 100 Reasons Leo Frank Is GuiltyThe findings of McWorth were not accepted.Why not?M. D. McWorthThe Prosecuting Article claims:#39. Rogers also states that he personally inspected Newt Lee’s time slip ­ the one that Leo Frank at first said had no misses, but later claimed the reverse. The Atlanta Georgian on May 8 reported what Rogers saw: “Rogers said he looked at the slip and the first punch was at 6:30 and last at 2:30. There were no misses, he said.” Frank, unfortunately, was allowed to take the slip and put it in his desk. Later a slip with several punches missing would turn up. How can this be reconciled with the behavior of an innocent man? 100 Reasons Leo Frank Is Guilty#40. The curious series of events surrounding Lee’s time slip is totally inconsistent with theory of a police “frame-up” of Leo Frank. At the time these events occurred, suspicion was strongly directed at Lee, and not at Frank. 100 Reasons Leo Frank Is GuiltyThe claim is that Frank changed the original time slip of Newt Lee, the night watchman, with another one. The first slip is alleged to have shown that from 1830 in the evening to 0230 in the morning Lee had punched in the time every hour.The second slip indicated the same but had a few misses. This was done it was charged in order to make it appear that Lee had taken time off after 1830 to murder Mary. Frank had done this when the police suspected Lee of being involved in the crime. Later the police came to the conclusion that the murder had taken place between 1200 to 1230, or actually 1215 to 1230 since Mary could only have arrived at the factory after 1215.If Frank had committed the murder would he not have had some idea as to what approximate hour he did it in?The Prosecuting Article claims:#42. Factory Foreman Lemmie Quinn would eventually testify for the defense that Leo Frank was calmly sitting in his office at 12:20, a few minutes after the murder probably occurred. As to whether this visit really happened, there is some question. Quinn says he came to visit Schiff, Frank’s personal assistant, who wasn’t there ­ was he even expected to be there on a Saturday and holiday? ­ and stayed only two minutes or so talking to Frank in the office. Frank at first said there was no such visit, and only remembered it days later when Quinn “refreshed his memory.” 100 Reasons Leo Frank Is GuiltyIt is implied that because Frank when first questioned did not recall the visit of Quinn that the visit did not take place. How so? A 2-minute chat if someone who was not supposed to be there and was looking for someone else could easily slip one's mind especially under pressure and being grilled by antagonistic aggressive policemen. Why reject the evidence of Quinn and W. D. McWorth when it was in favor of Frank while accepting that of others when it was against him?The Prosecuting Article claims:# 43. As reported by the Atlanta Georgian, City detective John Black said even Quinn initially denied that there was such a visit! “Q: What did Mr. Quinn say to you about his trip to the factory Saturday? A: Mr. Quinn said he was not at the factory on the day of the murder. Q: How many times did he say it? A: Two or three times. I heard him tell Detective Starnes that he had not been there.” (Atlanta Georgian, May 8, 1913, “Black Testifies Quinn Denied Visiting Factory”) 100 Reasons Leo Frank Is GuiltyWhat did "Detective Starnes" have to say about that? Could John Black have misunderstood what was said. Why not ask the person spoken to?The Prosecuting Article claims:#55. Much is made by Frank partisans of Georgia Governor Slaton’s 1915 decision to commute Frank’s sentence from death by hanging to life imprisonment. But when Slaton issued his commutation order, he specifically stated that he was sustaining Frank’s conviction and the guilty verdict of the judge and jury…. He also added, of Jim Conley’s testimony that Frank had admitted to killing Mary Phagan and enlisted Conley’s help in moving the body: “It is hard to conceive that any man’s power of fabrication of minute details could reach that which Conley showed, unless it be the truth.” 100 Reasons Leo Frank Is GuiltyThis report is disconcerting. It contradicts other accounts quoted in the Wikipedia article.# The commutation was headline news. Atlanta Mayor Jimmy Woodward remarked that "The larger part of the population believes Frank guilty and that the commutation was a mistake."[176] In response, Slaton invited the press to his home that afternoon, telling them:All I ask is that the people of Georgia read my statement and consider calmly the reasons I have given for commuting Leo M. Frank's sentence. Feeling as I do about this case, I would be a murderer if I allowed that man to hang. I would rather be ploughing in a field than to feel for the rest of my life that I had that man's blood on my hands. [176] Oney Surce: Oney, Steve. And the Dead Shall Rise: The Murder of Mary Phagan and the Lynching of Leo Frank.” Leo Frank - WikipediaHe also told reporters that he was certain that Conley was the actual murderer.[176]Oney p. 503. Slaton privately told friends that he would have issued a full pardon, if not for his belief that Frank would soon be able to prove his own innocence.[n 22]# Leo Frank - Wikipedia"Privately, Slaton confided to friends that he believed Frank innocent and would have granted a full pardon if he were not convinced that in a short while the truth would come out and then 'the very men who were clamoring for Frank's life would be demanding a pardon for him.' The Governor knew certain 'facts' about the case, which he did not reveal at the time, corroborating the defense's theory of the way Conley had murdered Mary Phagan."[177] Dinnerstein 1987, pp. 129, 169–171. Dinnerstein, Leonard. “The Leo Frank Case,” 1987. Leo Frank - WikipediaWe see from the above that Judge Slaton expressly declared that he believed that Leo Frank was innocent.An appeal has been made to the superior civilized sensibilities of Conley as against those of Frank as if Conley would not be liable to make the mistake of thinking he could kill and get away with it whereas (it is implied) Frank would.The Prosecuting Article claims:#79. Does it really make sense that the somewhat literate and fairly intelligent Jim Conley, a black man in the extremely race-conscious and white-dominated Atlanta of 1913, where lynch law often reigned supreme, actually thought he could get away with attacking and killing a white girl just a few feet away from the unlocked front door of the factory where he worked, in the highest-traffic area of the building? And does it make sense that he would do so for $1.20 ­ Mary Phagan’s entire pay ­ as the defense alleged? If Conley was plotting to rob someone, does it make sense that he would choose such a place to do so ­ or choose from a pool of potential victims considerably poorer than he was? 100 Reasons Leo Frank Is GuiltyLogical or not, crimes such as that postulated do occur and are not infrequent.The trial was accompanied by the threats of a large crowd outside. They were threatening Frank and shouting anti-Jewish slogans. This has been denied.The Prosecuting Article claims:#87 “Dinnerstein makes his now-famous claim that mobs of anti-Semitic Southerners, outside the courtroom where Frank was on trial, were shouting into the open windows ‘Crack the Jew’s neck!’ and ‘Lynch him!’ and that members of the crowd were making open death threats against the jury, saying that the jurors would be lynched if they didn’t vote to hang ‘the damn sheeny.’100 Reasons Leo Frank Is Guilty“But not one of the three major Atlanta newspapers, who had teams of journalists documenting feint-by-feint all the events in the courtroom, large and small, and who also had teams of reporters with the crowds outside, ever reported these alleged vociferous death threats. And certainly such a newsworthy event could not be ignored by highly competitive newsmen eager to sell papers and advance their careers. ....100 Reasons Leo Frank Is Guilty“During the two years of Leo Frank’s appeals, none of these alleged anti-Semitic death threats were ever reported by Frank’s own defense team. There is not a word of them in the 3,000 pages of official Leo Frank trial and appeal records – and all this despite the fact that Reuben Arnold [Frank’s attorney] made the claim during his closing arguments that Leo Frank was tried only because he was a Jew… Yet, thanks to Leonard Dinnerstein, this fictional episode has entered the consciousness of Americans of all stations as ‘history’ – as one of the pivotal facts of the Frank case.”100 Reasons Leo Frank Is GuiltyThe Defense team repeatedly emphasized that prevailing threatening atmosphere against witnesses and jury precluded the ability of Frank to receive a fair trial. This was one of their main themes. it was repeated in the appeals made afterwards. it was also reported by the Press.Newspaper reports describe an atmosphere”of anger and intimidation. “Large and angry mobs inside the courtroom and standing outside chanted “Hang the Jew!” The Lynching of Leo FrankThe local press may not have reported mob agitation but other newspapers did. The local press itself became a party to the incitement:As one editorial put it: “When are the Northern Jews going to Let Up on Their Insane Attempt to Bulldoze the State of Georgia? WOMANHOOD MUST BE, AND SHALL BE PROTECTED; and we mean to have that understood by lascivious young Jews.” The Lynching of Leo FrankThe southern USA may not have been as anti-Jewish as is sometimes imagined but antisemitism existed. It was not that idyllic. In recent times due to the emergence of the State of Israel and an improved understanding of Biblical Prophecy many southerners now have positive feeling towards the Jews. This however does not mean it was always that wayThe Prosecuting Article claims:#89. Far from being a region rife with hatred for Jews, the South in general and Atlanta in particular were regarded by Jews as a haven and as a place nearly free from the Antisemitism they suffered in other parts of the nation and the world. Even today, and even after Jewish-gentile relations there were strained by the Frank case and by Jewish support for the civil rights revolution, the Christians who form most of the population of the South are stoutly pro-Jewish. The South is the center of Christian Zionism and American support for the Jewish state of Israel. ...100 Reasons Leo Frank Is Guilty“If there was prejudice against Leo Frank in 1913 Atlanta, it was almost certainly not because he was a Jew. He was, however, a capitalist, a business owner, a manager, an employer of child labor, and a Northerner with an Ivy League education. He also came to be known during the course of the trial as sexually profligate. These facts probably did count against him.” 100 Reasons Leo Frank Is GuiltyAfter his sentence and while incarcerated Frank had his throat slit by a fellow inmate. A day or two later while recovering he was taken by an armed mob from the jail and publicly hanged by that same crowd.No-one disputes this. No -one disputes it happened in the south.If they did it to Frank, they could do it to others.I would say that a certain degree of trepidation against that happening would have been justified.Frank is described in The Prosecuting Article as," a capitalist, a business owner, a manager, an employer of child labor, and a Northerner with an Ivy League education. He also came to be known during the course of the trial as sexually profligate. "Whether true or not these epithets do not make one a murderer.He may have been "an employer of child labor," but it was legal at the time and the children needed work. Being "sexually profligate" is to be denigrated and reprehensible but it is a common affliction.The Prosecuting Article claims:#93. Southern attitudes toward Jews can be further gauged by the fact that, during the Civil War, Southerners made a Jew their Secretary of the Treasury: Judah P. Benjamin was the first Jewish appointee to any Cabinet position in any North American government. Benjamin also served as Attorney General, Secretary of State, and Secretary of War for the Confederate States of America. He was so highly regarded that his portrait graced the paper money of the South. Meanwhile, around the same time, Northern general Ulysses S. Grant issued an order physically expelling all Jews from the parts of the South under his control, even demanding that they leave a huge multi-state area “within 24 hours.” 100 Reasons Leo Frank Is GuiltyPossibly true enough but does that mean Frank must have been guilty?If someone asserts that Frank was innocent and that an innocent man was lynched does that impugn Southern Honor?The Prosecuting Article claims:#98. Why did the Leo Frank defense team, consisting of some of the most skilled attorneys in the state, refuse to cross-examine 20 young women and girls who testified that Frank had a bad moral character? Under Georgia law, the prosecution was only allowed to use these witnesses’ testimony to enter the general fact that Frank’s character was bad. Under cross-examination, though, the defense could have forced the girls and women to give specific reasons and relate specific incidents that supported their opinion, and trip them up if they could. Why, then, did they not do so? The only reasonable answer: They knew Leo Frank’s character, and they did not dare allow any specifics to go before the jury.Was Frank being tried for murder or for fornication?Since the trial and lynching more and more evidence has come to light. It exonerates Leo Frank.For example,There is, however, one promising source: a study conducted by Conley’s lawyer, William M. Smith. The morning after Phagan’s murder, the police found two strange notes by her body. Conley swore that Frank dictated the notes to him in hopes of directing suspicion at another black factory worker. The story was improbable, but in the heat of the moment, the jury and most Georgians believed it. Following the trial, Smith examined the notes, comparing them to other written and spoken remarks by Conley. He determined that the notes, contrary to Conley’s testimony, were not dictated by Frank. They feature Conley’s syntax, misspellings, and slang. According to Smith, they are Conley’s compositions. Did Leo Frank kill Mary Phagan? 106 years later, we might finally find out for sure.

You can achieve wealth and financial freedom in your future, no matter what your situation looks like today. You just need some sound financial advice and that’s what I’m about to give you!Everything you do in life starts with steps. When you’re a baby, you need to take your first few steps to walk and then soon after you’re walking on your own, and eventually running wild.With your finances, you have to take that first step as well, and then the next, and eventually you keep growing financially.Start by reading this post and immediately after implement at least one point on this list.Also, new laws passed that will allow American’s a chance to save more for retirement. The details of these law changes will also get revealed.The author of this post, Paul J Paquin, is an entrepreneur and the CEO at Golden Financial Services.Mr. Paquin provides his best financial tips inside this post, to prepare consumers for a prosperous new year.Tip 1: New Law Change: IRA Contributions IncreaseAs of 2019, you can invest up to $6,000 per year into an IRA.Before 2019, you could only invest up to $5,500 per year into an IRA.Tip 2: Invest Weekly, Not Once Per YearDollar–cost averaging (DCA) is an investment strategy, where you buy a fixed dollar amount of a particular investment on a regular schedule (like weekly, or bi-weekly), regardless of the share price. By using dollar-cost averaging, you’ll end up buying more shares when prices are low and fewer shares when prices are high, minimizing your chances of losing money.Invest $125 per week, which will get you to the $6,000 limit for 2019Set up autopay so that automatically $125 per week goes into your Roth or Traditional IRATip 3: What’s better, a Roth or Traditional IRA?I prefer the Roth IRA because I would rather pay the taxes now, when the funds are at their smallest, and not have to worry about paying taxes later in life. However, you will also need a Traditional IRA set up through your employer, to benefit from a SEP or 401(k).Why open a Roth IRA?You pay the taxes when the funds are at their smallest, right when you initially invest the money, allowing you to pay the least amount of taxes.Watch your money grow, TAX-FREE, and withdraw it without having to pay taxes when you’re retired.FLEXIBILITY: “Roth contributions can be withdrawn penalty-free at any time”, according to Maria Bruno, CFP professional and senior investment analyst with Vanguard’s Investment Strategy Group. You can make withdrawals from your Roth IRA prior to retirement and without a penalty, if you are using the funds to pay for certain “emergency-related expenses”, like disability-related, or for a first time home purchase of up to $10,000, and postsecondary education, and there are a few other exceptions that you can read about here.Why open a Traditional IRA?Since you’re investing before the taxes come out, more of your money gets put to work. When you’re ready to use the funds during retirement, you will have to pay the taxes at that point.A business offers either a 401(k) or SEP-IRA to their employees. Both of these types of retirement accounts are connected to a Traditional IRA, allowing your employer to invest your money before the taxes come out.Most people are in a higher income-bracket when they are younger, so would rather pay the taxes later in life when they anticipate being in a lower tax bracket. In this case, the traditional IRA would benefit you more than the Roth.Tip 4: The Power of Compound InterestWhat is “compound interest”? Compound interest is when you earn interest on your total accumulated funds. (i.e., Regarding investing in a Roth IRA, your first year you are only receiving 10% on $6,000, which is $600, but the following year you’ll earn 10% off $12,600, giving you $1,260 in tax-free earnings. The third year you’ll make $1,860 off your investment, and so forth!According to Wikipedia: “Compound interest is the addition of interest to the principal sum of a loan or deposit, or in other words, interest on interest. It is the result of reinvesting interest, rather than paying it out, so that interest in the next period is then earned on the principal sum plus previously accumulated interest. Compound interest is standard in finance and economics.”Thanks to compounding interest, if you are 28-years-old and invest $6,000 per year into a mutual fund that earns 10% per year on average, you will be a millionaire by the time you reach 60 years of age.Tip 5: Credit Card Debt (3 Points You Need to Know)Never carry a balance on your credit cards.First of all, if your balance is over 35% of what your credit limit is, your credit score will be negatively affected. As your balance grows on a credit card, your credit score goes down.Second: when you carry a balance on a credit card, you pay interest every month.If you have $20,000 in credit card debt, with a 29% interest rate, when paying $500 per month towards this debt it would take you 11 years and 11 months to pay the debt in full. And, you’d end up paying $71,218 in total (including interest). Here is the debt calculator that we used for this calculation if you want to try it yourself.Wow, that’s well over double what your debt was worth in the first place!You would be just as well-off, by flushing your money down the toilet, as you are when carrying a balance on your credit cards and paying interest every month – it’s a complete waste of money.By paying your credit card balance in full every month, you avoid 100% of interest.Third: for the savvy financial wizards out there, by paying your balance in full every single month, you can increase your income by earning cash-back from your purchases that month.Make sure you have a card that pays you at least 2% cash-back on all purchases, especially including gas and groceries, and at all of your favorite stores that you shop at most often – it’s free money, why not take it!You may need to have 4-6 credit cards in total, to earn cash-back on all of your purchases. But that’s free money, so get it!Tip 6: Increase Your Credit Limits & ScoreIncrease your credit limit at least once per year on each of your credit cards.As your available credit increases, your credit score goes up.As you pay down your credit card balances, the reason that your credit score goes up is that your credit utilization ratio improves simultaneously.Your credit utilization ratio is “how much credit you have.”Tip 7: Hire a Competent AccountantHire a competent accountant who knows how to write off expenses to reduce a person’s tax liability. Having one child can offer lots of tax reductions. If you have two children, you have twice as many write-offs.So many people pay more in taxes than what they need to pay if they only hired an accountant who had a better understanding of the tax laws.Do you have any mutual funds that took a loss this year? If so, you can use what’s called “tax harvesting.” Tax harvesting is selling off your losing stocks and mutual funds that took a loss this year, and you can then use these losses to offset gains from the sale of winning investments.Tip 8: New Law Change: 401(k) Contributions IncreaseAsk your employer about how you can invest in a company 401(K). Most employers will match your investment.As of 2019, you will be able to invest up to $19,000 per year into a 401(K).Tip 9: New Law Change: For Seniors With an IRAIf you are older than fifty years of age, you can now invest an additional $6,000 per year into your IRA. The IRS lets you play catch-up for past years that you forgot to contribute.Tip 10: Own a Business?A lot of small business owners never open a 401(k) because it’s complicated and expensive. A SEP-IRA is an alternative to a 401(k) for a small business owner, and it’s easy to open, plus free!The limits are even higher than a 401(k), and a SEP is much easier and quicker to set up.With a SEP-IRA you can invest up to $54,000, or 25% of your qualifying income, per year.Tip 11: Max-Out a 529 Plan For RetirementWith a 529 plan, each parent and grandparent can contribute up to $14,000 per year. The funds invested in a 529 plan are tax-free if used for educational purposes.You can also make additional gifts for medical, dental, and tuition expenses that do not count toward the $14,000 limit as long as you make those payments directly to the provider.In addition to federal tax savings, 34 states offer state income tax deductions for 529 contributions. If you’ve had a bunch of money blown your way this year, you can also take advantage of up to five years of gift tax exclusions to set aside up to $70,000 in a 529 plan in a single year.It costs over $60,000 per year to send your child to college (on average).It’s never too early to start saving for college.Tip 12: Buying Delinquent Property Tax Liens (to Make $$$)Imagine being able to buy a $300K house, for $10,000.You can.Even if you can’t afford to buy a house, have you considered buying delinquent property tax liens? You will have to first read about your state’s laws before investing in delinquent property tax lien, but in many cases, you could pay $10,000 or less and walk away with a house. All you are paying for is the property taxes!In New Jersey, if you don’t pay your property taxes, they become a tax lien. The different counties in New Jersey then sell these tax liens at a county auction once per year.You can buy someone’s delinquent property taxes, and they will then have to pay you back, at up to 18% interest, plus attorney fees and any other related fees.What if a mortgage and credit card judgment is attached to the home and it’s not only property taxes that are owed?Will you get stuck having to pay all this debt?Nope, you are in the clear!A property tax lien is the senior debt with all priority. Any debt under this senior debt gets eliminated by the property tax lien, which is why this type of investment is an investor’s dream come true.Tip 13: Make a Budget and Pay Off DebtMake a budget analysis to get a clear visual of your expenses. There are many apps that you can use or even a Google Spreadsheet Template to make your budget for free.Once you make a budget, now start lowering your expenses. Your goal is to increase your available cash-flow (how much extra money you have each month). Scroll down through your budget and find ways to reduce your expenses, like by lowering your grocery bill. You can start using coupons and doing whatever it takes to achieve your cash flow goals.Once you find extra money, now use either the debt snowball or avalanche method and pay off all of your credit card debtsas a starting point.After paying off your debt, now start putting this extra money into an IRA or one of your retirement accounts.If you can’t afford to pay off your debt on your own, here you can explore debt relief programs.Tip 14: How to Setup & Manage All My Investment Accounts?Do I need to hire an expensive financial advisor to set up all of these retirement accounts and manage them?No, you can set up an account at Vanguard and invest on your own for free. It’s not that hard.Vanguard offers Target Retirement Mutual Funds, which are age specific.Vanguard manages what stocks these funds are made up of, so it’s kind of like having a financial advisor for free. Call Vanguard, and they will walk you through setting it up.The older you are, the more conservative the investments will be, primarily consisting of bonds, instead of stocks. If you are young, Vanguard will invest more aggressively in stocks because they know that you have a longer time to achieve your financial goals.The problem with having a financial advisor manage your funds is that they are usually very conservative in their investments, ensuring they play it safe to avoid losing money.Keep in mind; financial advisors usually get around 1% of the total amount that they are managing as “their fee.” Financial advisors don’t get paid based on how much money they make you. Therefore, their objective is to keep your money safe and bring you a positive return.In a firing market like today when interest rates are at a near all-time-high, you want to have your money in stocks. Stocks are where you can make the most money.It’s easy to find out which mutual funds are performing best. Simply click on Vanguard’s page that says “all mutual funds” and voila! From there, sort the list by Year to Date (YTD) and start investing in the funds that have been making the most money over the last year.Dive into what specific stocks make up each fund. You do this by clicking on any fund and then click on “portfolio and management.”Once you get the list of stocks (companies), you can research each company to ensure it’s a safe investment.Financial advisors will often allocate most of your budget into bonds, which are very safe, but you’ll be lucky to get a 5% return on your investment, which isn’t that great if you ask me.Tip 15: Open a Health Savings Account (HSA)A Health Savings Account (HSA) offers you a way to save for medical expenses and avoid paying federal income taxes on the money you invest.Unlike a flexible spending account (FSA), HSA funds roll over and accumulate year to year if they are not spent.Like the Roth IRA, after you receive your paycheck and the taxes are taken out, now you can invest this money into an HSA. But as the money grows with compound interest, you won’t have to pay a single cent in taxes on that growth; it’s tax-free.With most retirement accounts you will need to start taking distributions at around seventy-in-a-half years of age, but with HSA’s you don’t have to.If your contribution goes into an HSA (via payroll deduction), it is not subject to FICA rules and regulations. FICA, short for Federal Insurance Contributions Act, is the federal income tax that goes toward Social Security and Medicare.Why this is important is because you can save an additional 7.65% with an HSA, compared to what you can save through your 401(k) and IRA. Just invest the funds from your bank account, into an HSA, and let your accountant figure out the math and how to document the details!In 2018, the yearly limit that a person could invest into an HSA was $3,400, but for a family, that limit is $6,750. To qualify, you must be enrolled in a high-deductible health insurance plan (HDHP).The IRS defines an HDHP for an individual as a plan with an out-of-pocket maximum of $6,550 and a minimum deductible of $1,300. For a family plan in 2017, the out-of-pocket maximum is $13,100, and the minimum deductible is $2,600.You will receive a debit card or checks linked to your HSA balance, and you can use the funds on eligible medical expenses.HSA’s do come with some restrictions and not every related medical expense is covered. For example, over-the-counter medicine is not covered by an HSA.Also be aware that insurance premiums usually cannot be paid for with HSA funds.Taxes and penalties. If you withdraw funds for non-qualified expenses before you turn 65, you’ll owe taxes on the money plus a 20% penalty. After age 65, you’ll owe taxes but not the penalty.Most people have no idea about how to set up an HSA, but it’s relatively simple. All you need to do is ask your insurance company about it, and they will direct you on how to set it up, whether that be through them or if they use a third-party like a bank, credit union or financial advisor.One of the most significant downsides to an HSA is if you don’t save enough to cover your medical expenses.Tip 16: Start an LLC or Corporation if Running (ANY TYPE) of BusinessStart a corporation or a limited liability company so that you can write off items including depreciation on your car, miles to and from work, office lunch, office supplies and much more!If you are running any small business from your home, a limited liability company (LLC) protects you and your assets, just in case someone tries to sue you.Here’s some additional information on how to set up an LLC and some of its benefits, from an article in entrepreneur.com:Tip 17: Say Good-Bye to Student Loan DebtIf your income has been reduced this year, or even over the last few months, it’s time to consolidate your federal student loans and get on an affordable monthly payment. To consolidate your federal student loans, here are step by step instructions.Once you consolidate your federal student loans, you can then get on an income-driven repayment plan that offers loan forgiveness. You only want to consolidate student loan debt and get on an income-driven plan, If you have a reduced income and strategically can come up with a plan to use the loan forgiveness laws to cut your debt down significantly.When you get on a low payment through an income-driven student loan relief plan, the downside is that interest is still accumulating.However, if you know that more than half your balance is going to end up getting forgiven at some point, then strategically, income-driven repayment plans can be your best solution.Your monthly payment can be as low as zero dollars per month. And what’s best is that after 10-25 years, your remaining balance would get forgiven.There are many cases where consumers will end up getting more than half of their debt forgiven. Plus, by consolidating you stay current on your monthly payments, and this is good for your credit score.Teachers and police officers, and anyone working in a public service job can qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). On the PSLF program, your student loan balance gets forgiven after only ten years.If you have private student loans, refinance these with a low-interest loan. Or, you can contact a private student loan relief company to help you reduce your student loan debt.As of 2018, new rules are being enforced regarding student loan relief. If you attended a college that is now shut down, you could be eligible to have your student loan debt discharged.Where can I get financial advice?Golden Financial Services offers debt relief for credit cards and student loans. We can get you a credit report, and if you have debt, we can provide you with options to get out of debt.Call now for a free consultation at 866-376-9846.You can talk with an IAPDA certified debt expert and get free financial advice today.Keep in mind; Golden Financial Services is not a licensed financial advisor that charges a compensation. We can only help you with your unsecured debt, like with credit cards and student loans, but not with investing in the stock market. If you need a licensed financial advisor, contact one of the investment firms like Vanguard or Merrill Lynch, and many other reputable financial advisors can help you invest.If you’ve enjoyed this post, check out 31 ways to get rid of credit card debt next:Sources:Investopedia, Investopedia - Sharper Insight. Smarter Investing.The Balance, The 8 Best Budgeting Apps to Download in 2018Wikipedia, Compound interest - WikipediaGet more from your money, What is an HSA?Entrepreneur - Start, run and grow your business., The Many Benefits of Forming an LLCBankrate, Roth IRA - 6 Benefits You Should Know About | Bankrate.com