Aug
01
2023
Guide to Reading an S-1 Statement

Guide to Reading an S-1 Statement

By | Growing Wealth, invest, Investing | Comments Off on Guide to Reading an S-1 Statement

An S-1 statement is a type of registration form that companies, hoping to go public, need to file with regulators in order to issue stocks on public exchanges. It’s an important document, and one that is combed through by many prospective investors prior to an IPO.

For investors who may be interested in IPO investing, learning the ins and outs of an S-1 statement is paramount.

What Is an S-1 Form?

An S-1 statement is the registration form companies must file with the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) to issue new securities. As such, it’s a necessary document for any company preparing for an initial public offering (IPO) to list on a national exchange, such as the Nasdaq or the New York Stock Exchange.

The form serves as an introduction for companies hoping to raise money from the investing public, in which they essentially lay out their business plan. That includes explaining its current business model, its place in the current competitive landscape, as well as introducing managers and sharing a short prospectus for the stock itself. The form also includes the company’s methodology for formulating the stock price, and disclosures about how the company expects its IPO to impact the stocks of any existing public companies.

Thoroughly reading an S-1 is a great way for investors to research a company directly, rather than gathering information from third-party sources.

Recommended: What Is an IPO? Everything Investors Need to Know


💡 Quick Tip: If you’re opening a brokerage account for the first time, consider starting with an amount of money you’re prepared to lose. Investing always includes the risk of loss, and until you’ve gained some experience, it’s probably wise to start small.

Where Can You Find S-1 Filings?

The S-1 form, like all SEC forms, is publicly available. You can typically find it by going to the “investor relations” section of a company’s Web site, or by searching on the SEC’s EDGAR (Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval) system.

The EDGAR system is free and publicly available. It allows you to search by company, or even by form type. So, for example, you could look for all the S-1 registrations for a given period.


💡 Quick Tip: Keen to invest in an initial public offering, or IPO? Be sure to check with your brokerage about what’s required. Typically IPO stock is available only to eligible investors.

How to Read An S-1: Section Breakdown

There are several different sections of the S-1 form that contain helpful information for analyzing a stock.

The Box

The beginning of the form consists of a section often called “The Box,” which summarizes the major highlights of the document. The Box usually includes the following information about the company:

• Background information

• Industry information

• Competitive strengths

• Business strategies

• Risks

• Financial data

• Description of securities it plans to sell in its IPO

The box is where the company will try to tell its life story, its plan for the future, and why it is a worthwhile investment. It is, in some ways, a pitch to prospective investors. As such, it can be surprisingly non-technical, without some of the financial and legal jargon that can make financial statements so difficult to read.

Management’s Discussion & Analysis (MD&A)

This is where the company explains and offers context around the financial statements that appear in other sections of the S-1 registration.

This usually includes operating performance metrics, as well as how different business segments performed. This is also where management often elaborates on some of the risk factors that affect or will affect the company. Sometimes, a company will also use the MD&A as a place to share their long-term outlook.

Selected Consolidated Financial Data

This is the section where you’ll get to the numbers that matter, where the company shares a condensed statement of its income, balance sheet and cash flow.

Those statements present a quarter-by-quarter illustration of the company’s financials over the previous two years, showing its growth, capital expenditures, and other trends in the business. While those numbers may well tell a story on their own, they may be worth perusing with the commentary and background of the MD&A in mind.

Recommended: Using Fundamental Analysis to Choose Stocks

Description of Capital Stock & Underwriting

While the other sections tell you what the company is, what it does, and how it’s doing, this one gets to the main point of the S-1 – what the company is selling, namely, its stock.

This section is where investors can dig in to understand the security that will be making its debut. It includes details of shareholder rights, such as its voting and conversion rights. It also lists the investment banks that the company has hired to sell its IPO shares to large investors.

Description of Capital Stock & Underwriting even gives a preview of the IPO itself, disclosing the stock’s offering price, the number of shares the company plans to sell, and the total proceeds that the company hopes to raise in the IPO.

Recommended: How Are IPO Prices Set?

Executive Compensation

This is the section that discloses how much senior management makes in salary and other compensation, and can give investors a sense of the net worth and motivation of the leadership.

Related Party Transactions

This is where investors get a glimpse into who the company is working with. It’s a chance to connect the dots, and see who’s backing the company. The Related Party section is where a company has to disclose any transaction with a private equity firm, or a family member.

The Footnotes

Seasoned investors are also close readers of the footnotes of an S-1. This is where the most interesting little details are sometimes buried.

The Takeaway

Filing an S-1 is a key part of the IPO process. Reading an SEC S-1 filing can help investors understand what to expect about an IPO. Every company approaches their S-1 registration differently. Each company will provide different degrees of disclosure, and they will use the format of the S-1 to present that information in the way they believe will benefit them.

Reading through the document can feel like a chore, but if you’re at all interested in IPO investing, it’s a worthwhile investment of time. If you feel like you’re in over your head, though, you may want to speak with a financial professional to try and get caught up.

Ready to invest in your goals? It’s easy to get started when you open an investment account with SoFi Invest. You can invest in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, alternative funds, and more. SoFi doesn’t charge commissions, but other fees apply (full fee disclosure here).

For a limited time, opening and funding an Active Invest account gives you the opportunity to get up to $1,000 in the stock of your choice.

Photo credit: iStock/insta_photos

SoFi Invest®

INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE

SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below: Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Investing in an Initial Public Offering (IPO) involves substantial risk, including the risk of loss. Further, there are a variety of risk factors to consider when investing in an IPO, including but not limited to, unproven management, significant debt, and lack of operating history. For a comprehensive discussion of these risks please refer to SoFi Securities’ IPO Risk Disclosure Statement. IPOs offered through SoFi Securities are not a recommendation and investors should carefully read the offering prospectus to determine whether an offering is consistent with their investment objectives, risk tolerance, and financial situation.

New offerings generally have high demand and there are a limited number of shares available for distribution to participants. Many customers may not be allocated shares and share allocations may be significantly smaller than the shares requested in the customer’s initial offer (Indication of Interest). For SoFi’s allocation procedures please refer to IPO Allocation Procedures.

Claw Promotion: Customer must fund their Active Invest account with at least $25 within 30 days of opening the account. Probability of customer receiving $1,000 is 0.028%. See full terms and conditions.

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01
2023
What Are Capital Markets?

Capital Markets Explained

By | Growing Wealth, invest, Investing | Comments Off on Capital Markets Explained

Capital markets are markets for capital, where businesses and other organizations can find financial resources to help them grow. The capital markets are also where financial securities like stocks and bonds are generated, which is critical for investors of all stripes to understand.

The capital markets play a key role in the economy, and there are also a wide variety of them. Again, this can all be critical for investors to understand, especially if they’re in the early stages of building their portfolios.

What Are Capital Markets?

As mentioned, capital markets refer to entities that offer funding to businesses, organizations and other entities that need capital. Capital market instruments are financial securities, including stocks and bonds. Most capital markets are located in the world’s financial centers, such as London, New York, Singapore and Hong Kong.

The entities that supply the capital consist of financial institutions, corporate treasurers, commercial banks, pension plans, life insurance companies, charitable foundations, and other asset managers. The entities that go to the capital markets to acquire capital include companies, nations, states, municipalities, banks, among others.


💡 Quick Tip: Before opening an investment account, know your investment objectives, time horizon, and risk tolerance. These fundamentals will help keep your strategy on track and with the aim of meeting your goals.

What Are the Types of Capital Markets?

There are a wide range of capital markets. The most common capital markets are stock markets, where investors exchange capital for equity stakes in a given company, and the bond market, where investors exchange capital for a right to agreed-upon debt repayments from a company, a state, or another entity.

Stock markets are probably the most well-known of the capital markets. They are capital markets because it’s where companies go to acquire the capital they need to grow, and where investors go to find opportunities for their capital to grow. Companies acquire capital in the stock markets through an initial public offering (IPO) when they sell fractional ownership stakes in themselves to investors.

Recommended: A Brief History of the Stock Market

Bond markets, on the other hand, are not as popular or as well understood by the general public. For one thing, the bond market doesn’t have a central exchange. Instead, they sell over the counter. And most of the people who trade in this OTC market are professional traders, such as pension funds, investment banks, hedge funds, and asset managers.

The bond market is a capital market because it is where companies, states, and other entities go to raise money by offering their debt in the form of a bond. In a bond issuance, investors pay for the right to receive repayment, along with the interest rate offered in the bond.

Stock and bond markets are one way to divide up the capital markets. But there are other so-called hybrid securities such as preferred stocks, convertible bonds, convertible preference shares and other sophisticated securities that companies sell to raise capital. And they also trade in the capital markets.

Primary Market vs. Secondary Market

Capital markets are also commonly divided into primary and secondary markets. The primary markets are where the entities who need capital sell stakes in themselves in the form of a stock IPO, or take on debt by selling bonds directly to investors. It is where issuers sell “new” securities, and where investors buy them.

The other side of the capital markets are the secondary markets. This is where investors buy and sell the stocks and bonds that have already been issued.

Recommended: Bonds vs Stocks: Key Differences for Investors

While the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq are different stock exchanges where companies hold their IPOs, they are much better known to investors because of their roles as the secondary markets where investors buy and sell shares of companies. The issuers of stocks typically only play a role in the secondary markets when they conduct a share buyback.

Capital Markets vs. Financial Markets vs. Money Markets

While capital markets overlap with financial markets, the two are not synonymous.

Financial markets are a broader category that includes any venue in which people and institutions trade any financial asset, including securities, currencies, derivatives, commodities and contracts. Capital markets specifically refer to the places where companies and other entities go to raise funding.

Capital markets are also distinct from money markets in that the money market is where investors trade short-term debt. The money markets also have a wide variety of participants, such as corporations, banks, governments and financial institutions.

In the money market, they lend and borrow for terms as short as a single night, all the way up to a year. The capital markets, on the other hand, consist of trade in longer-term stocks and bonds.

Capital Markets vs. Other Funding Sources

When a company, a state or another entity needs to raise money, they have a few options. They can borrow money from a bank, or another institution. And a private company can even sell a stake to a private equity investor, a venture capital firm, or an angel investor. Those funding mechanisms come with less scrutiny and draw less attention. So what advantages do the capital markets offer?

If a company wants to access large-scale funding from the capital markets, it can issue stocks or bonds. To issue stocks to sell to the institutions that offer funding through the capital markets, the company will have to conduct an IPO.

IPOs and Capital Markets

A company will usually consider an IPO when it has grown in size and matured as an organization. From a size perspective, one common time to consider an IPO is when a unicorn company has reached a valuation of $1 billion, though many companies go public before this point.

As a company grows, many early-stage investors, including company founders, will look to the public markets as a way to cash out their investments.

The maturity of the company is also important, as it will need to have internal procedures and dedicated professionals to take on the kind of scrutiny and regulatory compliance that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) demands of publicly traded companies.

Many companies will choose to conduct an IPO to raise capital in amounts that simply aren’t available through private investors. The public capital market creates the opportunity for millions of investors to buy stakes in the company.

For many companies, the day of its IPO represents the beginning of a new stage of growth. In addition to the funds raised in an IPO, the credibility and transparency of being a publicly traded company can make it easier and less expensive to borrow money in the future.

Bond Issuance and Capital Markets

To access public funding through a bond issue, a company or another entity will start by discussing its need for capital with an investment bank. The bank will do some research to see if the borrower meets the requirements for the bond market.

If the borrower doesn’t have a rating from a bond-rating agency, the bank will help the borrower get in touch with the right rating agencies.

Once the terms of the bond are agreed upon, and the rating assigned to it, the bank sets up meetings with institutional investors. If they respond positively, then the bonds go to the investors who agreed to buy it over the course of the meetings leading up to the issuance date.


💡 Quick Tip: If you’re opening a brokerage account for the first time, consider starting with an amount of money you’re prepared to lose. Investing always includes the risk of loss, and until you’ve gained some experience, it’s probably wise to start small.

The Takeaway

The term capital markets encompasses any place where companies, countries, states or other entities go to obtain capital from investors. While the term capital markets is a familiar one, it is sometimes confused with other types of markets.

Understanding the basics of capital markets is very important for investors, as they will be interacting with numerous capital markets throughout their investing journeys. While you may not end up thinking about capital markets on a day to day basis, some background knowledge is helpful.

Ready to invest in your goals? It’s easy to get started when you open an investment account with SoFi Invest. You can invest in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, alternative funds, and more. SoFi doesn’t charge commissions, but other fees apply (full fee disclosure here).

For a limited time, opening and funding an Active Invest account gives you the opportunity to get up to $1,000 in the stock of your choice.

Photo credit: iStock/Ivan Pantic

SoFi Invest®

INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE

SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below: Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Claw Promotion: Customer must fund their Active Invest account with at least $25 within 30 days of opening the account. Probability of customer receiving $1,000 is 0.028%. See full terms and conditions.

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01
2023
What Are Trading Index Options?

What Are Index Options?

By | Growing Wealth, invest, Investing | Comments Off on What Are Index Options?

While stock options derive their value from the performance of a single stock, index options are derivatives of an index. Indexes can have a narrow focus on a specific market sector or they can contain a broader mix of stocks. They’re listed on U.S. option exchanges and regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Like stock options, the prices of index options fluctuate according to factors like the value of the underlying security, volatility, time left until expiration, strike price, and interest rates. Unlike stock options, there is no underlying asset with index options, they’re simply bets on the direction that an index will move.

What Is An Index Call Option?

An index call option is a financial derivative that represents a bullish bet on the underlying index. An investor who buys an option of this kind believes that the index in question will rise in value. If the index appreciates, so too will the call option.

Before getting too far into the weeds when it comes to trading index options, it may be a good idea to make sure you have a solid understanding of what it means to trade options in a broader sense. It can be a confusing segment of the financial market.


💡 Quick Tip: Before opening any investment account, consider what level of risk you are comfortable with. If you’re not sure, start with more conservative investments, and then adjust your portfolio as you learn more.

What Is An Index Put Option?

An index put option is a bearish bet on the underlying index. An investor who buys this derivative believes that its underlying index will decline in value.

Differences Between Index Options and Stock Options

In addition to the existence of an underlying security, there are several key differences between trading index options and trading stock options. It’s important for investors to understand these differences.

Trading Hours

Broad-based indexes stop trading at 4:15 PM Eastern Time while stock options and narrow-based index options end their trading fifteen minutes earlier, at 4:00 PM ET. When significant news drops after the market closes, this could impact the prices of narrow-based index options and stock options.

Broad-based indexes are less likely to be affected, however, because they tend to include more sectors in their baskets of securities.

Recommended: When Is the Stock Market Closed?

Settlement Date and Style

While stock options use the American-style of exercise, meaning options holders can exercise at any point leading up to expiration, most index options have European-style exercise (with some exceptions). That means the trader can’t exercise the option until their expiration date. However, traders can still close out their index option positions by buying or selling throughout the life of the contract.

As for settlement date, stock index options usually have their last trading day on the Thursday before the third Friday of the month, with determination of the settlement value coming on Friday. Stock options, by contrast, have their last trading day on the third Friday of the month, with settlement being determined on Saturday.

Settlement Method

When settling stock options, the underlying stock changes hands upon the exercise of the contract. However, traders of index options settle their contracts in cash.

That’s because of the number of securities involved. For example, an investor exercising a call option based on the S&P 500 would have to buy shares of all the stocks in that index.

What Are Options Trading Levels?

Some options trading strategies are simple and come with relatively low investment risk. But there are other ways to use options that can get rather complicated and come with substantial risk.

To make sure that investors are aware of the bets they are making and the risks involved, brokerages have something called options trading levels. Brokerages have enacted these levels to protect themselves from liability if new investors lose large amounts of money in a short period when trading options they don’t understand.

If a brokerage believes an investor faces a low risk of potentially blowing up their whole account through complex options trading, they’ll assign that investor a higher options trading level. Higher options levels open up a user’s account to additional investment strategies, enabling them to trade different types of options.

Most brokerages have four or five trading levels. Reaching all but the highest level usually involves little more than answering some questions and taking a quiz to test an investor’s knowledge.

Options Trading Level 1

This is the lowest level and most often only allows a user to trade the simplest options like covered calls and protective puts. A covered call is when an investor writes an out-of-the-money call option on stocks they own, and a protective put is when an investor buys put options against stocks they own.

These strategies require the trader to hold shares of the underlying stock, making these trades less risky than many others. There is also only one option leg to worry about, which makes executing the trade much simpler in practice.

Options Trading Level 2

Level 2 comes with the right to buy calls and puts. The difference between level 2 and level 1 is that traders at level 2 can make directional bets. Most new traders begin their accounts at this level.

Options Trading Level 3

At level 3, more complex strategies start to come into play. This level usually brings with it the ability to trade debit spreads. Though complicated to execute, debit spreads still limit risk since the trader’s loss is limited to the cash paid to buy the necessary options.

Options Trading Level 4

Level 4 provides traders the ability to trade credit spreads, and is sometimes included in level 3 (in which case the brokerage would have only 4 levels). A credit spread works like a debit spread, although the trader will receive a premium.

Calculating potential losses becomes more complicated at this level. It is here that novice traders can wind up accidentally exposing themselves to tremendous risk.

Options Trading Level 5

Level 5 brings with it the highest risk, allowing traders to write call options and put options without owning shares of the underlying stock. These trades expose investors to potentially unlimited losses and should be avoided by all but the most experienced options traders.

The most important requirement of level 5 is that an investor keeps adequate cash as margin in their account. That way, if an options trade moves against the investor, the broker can take cash to cover the losses created by the bad trade.

Recommended: What Are Naked Options?

What Happens to Index Options On Expiry?

Most index options have European-style exercise, meaning traders can only execute them upon expiration. Investors should conduct the appropriate research to learn which type of exercise their index options have before making a trade.

Upon expiration, the Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) assigns the option to one or more Clearing Members who have short positions in the same options. The Clearing Members then assign the option to one of their customers.

The index option writer must then pay the settlement amount in cash. Settlement usually occurs on the business day following the exercise.


💡 Quick Tip: In order to profit from purchasing a stock, the price has to rise. But an options account offers more flexibility, and an options trader might gain if the price rises or falls. This is a high-risk strategy, and investors can lose money if the trade moves in the wrong direction.

How To Trade Index Options

Trading index options may be one type of investment to consider as part of a diversified portfolio. For the most part, trading index options works like trading any other option. The big difference is that the underlying security will be an index, rather than stock.

Here are a few basic steps that investors can follow to begin trading index options.

•   Get your brokerage account authorized for options trading

•   Get familiar with how the options chains look in your brokerage account

•   Study different option trading strategies and pick one appropriate for your level of expertise

•   Enter an option trade using the trading screens of your account

•   Monitor your option trades and make a plan for closing out positions to either lock in profits or cut losses.

The Takeaway

Index options are similar to stock options, in some ways, in that they are financial derivatives. They are rooted in indexes, though, which are focused on a segment or portion of the overall market. Trading options and index options, though, is a high-level activity, and may not be for all investors.

Index investing with index options could appeal to investors looking to hedge their portfolios with different types of investments. If an investor holds a lot of positions within a particular index, or perhaps an index fund or other low-fee ETFs, put options for that index could serve as a hedge, for example.

Ready to invest in your goals? It’s easy to get started when you open an investment account with SoFi Invest. You can invest in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, alternative funds, and more. SoFi doesn’t charge commissions, but other fees apply (full fee disclosure here).

For a limited time, opening and funding an Active Invest account gives you the opportunity to get up to $1,000 in the stock of your choice.

Photo credit: iStock/kate_sept2004

SoFi Invest®

INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE

SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below: Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Options involve risks, including substantial risk of loss and the possibility an investor may lose the entire amount invested in a short period of time. Before an investor begins trading options they should familiarize themselves with the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options . Tax considerations with options transactions are unique, investors should consult with their tax advisor to understand the impact to their taxes.
Claw Promotion: Customer must fund their Active Invest account with at least $25 within 30 days of opening the account. Probability of customer receiving $1,000 is 0.028%. See full terms and conditions.

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2023
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What You Need to Know About SPACs Before You Invest

By | Growing Wealth, invest, Investing | Comments Off on What You Need to Know About SPACs Before You Invest

SPAC stands for “special purpose acquisition company,” and these entities act as a shell that can raise money in order to acquire another active company that wishes to go public.

Companies that want to have an initial public offering (IPO) can use SPACs to make it happen. SPACs themselves are publicly traded, and some investors are buying SPAC shares in an effort to get in as early as possible on companies going public — but it’s rare that the average investor will have access to SPAC shares.

But SPACs, like many investments, are not something you want to jump into without doing some homework first. In addition, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has proposed new rules to make SPACs more transparent, and limit conflict-of-interest in these mergers.

What Is a SPAC?

SPACs are legal business entities that don’t have any assets or conduct any sort of business activity. In effect, they’re empty husks. That’s why they’re often called “blank check companies.”

As for their purpose, SPACs can be used to take companies public. So, instead of going through the traditional IPO process, many companies are instead using SPACs to get themselves listed on the stock markets.


💡 Quick Tip: Keen to invest in an initial public offering, or IPO? Be sure to check with your brokerage about what’s required. Typically IPO stock is available only to eligible investors.

SPACs and Acquisitions

As for how a SPAC takes a company public, the process is basically a reverse merger, when a private business goes public by buying an already public company.

Here’s a step-by step:

•   A SPAC goes public, selling shares and promising to use the proceeds to buy another business.

•   The SPAC’s sponsors set their sights on a company it wants to take public — an acquisition target.

•   The SPAC often raises more money to acquire the target. Remember, SPACs are already publicly traded, so when it does acquire a target, the target is absorbed by the SPAC, and then becomes public too.

Recommended: What Happens to a Stock During a Merger?

So, why would a company want to use a SPAC transaction to go public rather than go the traditional IPO route? The simple answer is that it can be much faster and easier.

For instance, a merger between a SPAC and its target can take between four to six months, whereas the traditional IPO route can take 12 to 18 months.

How Do I Invest in SPACs?

SPACs are designed to raise money so that they can acquire their target. To raise money, they need investors, which is why they’re generally publicly traded. In theory, retail investors can invest in SPACs — in most cases, a brokerage account is all that’s required. But a 2022 SEC analysis shows that very few retail investors actually gain access to SPAC shares.

5 Things to Know Before Investing in SPACs

Before you pursue what could be a risky investment, run through this list of considerations:

1. Failure to Find Target

SPACs exist for one reason: To acquire a target company and take it public. But there’s a chance that some could fail to do so — something that prospective investors should take seriously. The clock is ticking, too. If a SPAC does not acquire a target within a specific time frame — typically two years — it could liquidate.


💡 Quick Tip: All investments come with some degree of risk — and some are riskier than others. Before investing online, decide on your investment goals and how much risk you want to take.

2. Investor Dilution

SPAC investors also run the risk that their shares could be diluted, or lose value. Meaning: The folks running the SPAC may throw in additional funding that can erode the value of those shares.

That dilution can happen during the merger process. As the merger takes place, fees are paid, warrants are exercised, and the SPAC’s sponsor receives 20% ownership in the new entity. All this can take ownership from investors’ shares, diluting them.

3. Poor Performance

Some companies that go public via a SPAC transaction don’t do so well after the merger. Their stock values don’t perform as many investors have hoped. This is yet another very real risk that SPAC investors must contend with.

As SPAC targets are private companies, investors can be limited in the amount of research they can do on the targets. Their financial records may be difficult to find. As a result, investors are basically relying on the due diligence of the SPAC sponsor. So there’s an element of trust — and risk — at play.

What investors should know is that many companies that have gone public through a SPAC underperform compared to the broader market at large.

4. Big Names Can Cloud Investor Judgment

It can be easy to get caught up in the hype around certain SPACs. Whether the SPAC itself is targeting a particularly noteworthy company to take public, or if it’s being managed by a big-name investor or famous person, the glitz and glamor may blind investors to certain risks.

It may be fun to think that you’re getting in on an investment with a celebrity. But that doesn’t mean that the investment they’re attached to is necessarily a good one, or the right one for you.

5. Uncertain Future

SPACs, in recent years, were a hot commodity. But since there are some significant risks involved in investing in SPACs, regulators stepped in to make some changes that would protect average investors.

Given the lack of transparency around SPACs and the general fast-and-loose approach that the markets are talking to them, the government and other watch dogs are already calling for some reforms.

Among them: Tamping down on SPAC hype, like protecting investors from misleading information or expectations, enhancing disclosures, and being more forthcoming about the risks to investors.

The Takeaway

There’s a lot to consider about SPACs from an investor’s point of view. But the important thing to remember is that SPACs are speculative, risky investments. Investing in SPACs will likely require a high risk tolerance for most investors, and it’s a good idea that you have your other financial ducks in a row before dedicating any money to it.

Whether you’re curious about exploring IPOs, or interested in traditional stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), you can get started by opening an account on the SoFi Invest® brokerage platform. On SoFi Invest, eligible SoFi members have the opportunity to trade IPO shares, and there are no account minimums for those with an Active Investing account. As with any investment, it's wise to consider your overall portfolio goals in order to assess whether IPO investing is right for you, given the risks of volatility and loss.


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New offerings generally have high demand and there are a limited number of shares available for distribution to participants. Many customers may not be allocated shares and share allocations may be significantly smaller than the shares requested in the customer’s initial offer (Indication of Interest). For SoFi’s allocation procedures please refer to IPO Allocation Procedures.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

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Aug
01
2023
5 Smart Ways to Pay for Law School

5 Smart Ways to Pay for Law School

By | Debt Payoff, Fresh Out of School, Student Loans, student_loan | No Comments

When you realize that the average tab for law school tuition approaches $50,000 a year (more than double the average cost of other graduate schools) you may wonder — how will I ever be able to pay for law school?

Fortunately, there are numerous programs that can cover part, or even all, of your legal education, including scholarships, grants, and loans. Read on to learn more about how to pay for law school without going broke.

Key Points

•   Law school tuition averages around $50,000 annually, significantly exceeding other graduate programs, leading to total costs averaging $220,335 for a three-year program.

•   Federal aid, grants, and scholarships are vital resources; completing the FAFSA can help determine eligibility for various financial support options and law school-specific aid.

•   Working part-time or temp jobs during law school can reduce debt, with opportunities available in legal settings or roles that enhance professional experience.

•   Military veterans may access educational benefits through programs like the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which can significantly offset law school costs.

•   Private student loans can fill funding gaps after exhausting federal options, but borrowers should consider the differences in protections and repayment terms compared to federal loans.

Average Cost of Law School

The cost of law school will vary depending on where you study. According to educationdata.org, the average total cost of law school is $220,335.

Tuition alone runs, on average, $146,484 (or $48,828 per year), while living expenses average $73,851(or $24,617 per year).

And the cost of law school keeps going up. In fact, law school tuition costs have risen by about $5,350 every five years since 2005. Based on that inflation rate, the average yearly cost of tuition for the 2024-2025 academic year is expected to be $51,624.

Private and Public Law School Tuition

Public law schools generally run about $21,130 a year less per year than private law schools. If you attend a traditional three-year law program, the gap between public and private schools increases to around $63,380.
Based on tuition alone, the most expensive law school is Columbia University at $78,278 a year, while the least expensive is University of Memphis at $12,208 a year.

However, when you include living expenses, the most expensive law school is Stanford University, ringing in at $46,233 a year, while the least costly school is Oklahoma City University, at $12,600 a year for tuition and living expenses.


💡 Quick Tip: You can fund your education with a low-rate, no-fee private student loan that covers all school-certified costs.

How to Pay for Law School

1. Apply for Federal Aid, Grants, and Scholarships

Filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) allows you to find out whether you qualify for federal grants, work-study programs, federal student loans, as well as student aid from your state or school.

The FAFSA may be a familiar presence since your undergrad days, but now you may be considered an independent student. You may be eligible for a Direct Unsubsidized Loan (current rate: 7.05%), Direct PLUS Loan (current rate: 8.05%), or the federal work-study program.

Keep in mind that the aggregate federal student loan limit, which includes federal loans for undergraduate study, is $138,500 for graduate or professional students.

Law schools also typically offer some form of need-based financial aid based on information you provide on your FAFSA.

In addition to submitting the FAFSA, you may also want to seek out law school scholarships and grants from non-government sources. Grants and scholarships can be particularly helpful because they don’t require repayment. The Law School Admission Council’s website is a good resource for possible scholarship opportunities.

If you’re going into public interest law, you may also want to research the many programs that offer tuition assistance or law school loan forgiveness for working in eligible legal areas.

You can also check whether your school offers graduate student assistantships, which would cover some of your tuition in exchange for helping with research or teaching.

Recommended: Guide to Law School Scholarships

2. Consider a Part-Time Job or Temp Work

It can be challenging to make a side job jibe with your academic responsibilities, but if you can manage it, making some money while you’re still in school can be one of the best ways to reduce the debt you take on.

It might be a good idea to see if you can get a job that also boosts your résumé, such as working for a professor or as a paralegal.

Even if you can’t commit to a consistent job, you might consider temping during breaks, slow periods, and summers. A staffing agency may be able to quickly set you up with work that lasts just a few weeks or months. Short-term work can include customer service, data entry, or serving as an executive assistant.

If you have additional skills, such as a background in accounting or IT, you may be able to qualify for more specialized roles that demand higher pay. Some temp agencies even specialize in staffing for legal organizations.

3. Attend Law School Part Time

It’ll take longer to complete your degree, but working full time while you go to law school part time is another way to support yourself as you go.

Part-time programs usually allow you to earn your J.D. in four years rather than three. The downside is that you might miss out on opportunities such as clinics, summer clerkships, and student organizations.

4. Look Into Military Aid

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has many educational benefit programs. One of the most popular is the Post-9/11 GI Bill program (Chapter 33), which provides eligible veterans and members of the Reserves with funding for tuition, fees, books, and housing.

Law schools that participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program provide additional funding to veterans, or their children, who are eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. The Department of Veterans Affairs matches these schools’ contribution, which could potentially help you to attend law school at a significantly reduced price.

Recommended: What Are Student Loans for Military Dependents?

5. Think About Private Student Loans or Refinancing

After grants, scholarships, and federal student loans, you may want to consider a private student loan to fill any gaps. If you have good or excellent credit (or can recruit a cosigner who does), you may be able to get a lower rate than some federal graduate school loans.

If you have loans from your undergraduate education or your first year or two of law school, refinancing your student loans with a private lender may allow you to take advantage of a lower interest rate and, depending on the loan term you choose, could lower your monthly payment or put you on track to repay your loans faster. (Note: You may pay more interest over the life of the loan if you refinance with an extended term.)

Just keep in mind that private student loans don’t offer the same protections you get with federal loans, such as forbearance, income-based repayment plans, and loan forgiveness programs. However, some private refinance lenders provide flexible options while you’re in school or experiencing economic hardship.


💡 Quick Tip: It’s a good idea to understand the pros and cons of private student loans and federal student loans before committing to them.

When we say no fees we mean it.
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Paying for Bar Exam Expenses

Sitting for the bar exam, a two-day affair, requires preparation (and often a bar review course), exam registration fees, and possibly travel expenses.

You may want to hunt around for bar preparation scholarships to help cover these costs. If you’re working for a law firm, your employer will usually cover the cost of the prep course. And many firms will pay review course fees for prospective employees.

Still, if you find yourself short, you could take out a “bar loan” in your final semester of law school or up to a year after graduating. A bar loan is a type of private loan you can use to cover all the costs associated with taking the bar. While rates can be high, they are generally lower than what you would pay with a credit card.

Recommended: What to Do After You Graduate From Law School

The Takeaway

While earning a law degree may lead to a lucrative career, figuring out how to pay for law school can be challenging. The good news is that there are numerous programs, including financial aid, work-study, scholarships, grants, and loans that can help you cover the cost of your legal degree.

If you’ve exhausted all federal student aid options, no-fee private student loans from SoFi can help you pay for school. The online application process is easy, and you can see rates and terms in just minutes. Repayment plans are flexible, so you can find an option that works for your financial plan and budget.


Cover up to 100% of school-certified costs including tuition, books, supplies, room and board, and transportation with a private student loan from SoFi.


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Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third-party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.

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