Codifying Finance | Issue 02

Page 1

CODIFYING FINANCE

-----------------THE SECOND ISSUE


Jeffrey Zhou Co-Founder

Sophie Wang Writer

Layout Designer, Website Team

Writer

Co-Founder

Ivy Wang Social Media Manager

Galiba Anjum

Mansour Doumbia

Andy Lin

Cynthia Nguyen Writer

Samantha Lalich Editor

Maimuna Muntaha Editor

Mohammed Ihtisham Website Team

Huilin (Kelly) Li Writer, Editor


@CodifyingFinance

CodifyingFinance.wixsite.com/home


ALL THINGS FINANCE TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Effects of COVID-19 on our Economy

How the Stimulus Package Affects you! The Road to Becoming a Finance Major

The secret to becoming a millionaire


--

--

---

THE EFFECT OF COVID-19 ON OUR ECONOMY If you open your laptop and search “COVID 19” in

One thing’s for sure– business owners are making

this day and age, you can expect to find a

significantly less profit. Social distancing is the best

massive amount of daily news articles reporting

combat against the virus itself, but it is also damaging

on this battle against the health crisis. As if

companies by preventing customers and employees

thousands of cases and deaths aren’t enough,

from showing up– especially in restaurants.

America’s economy seems to be facing a crisis of its own. Amongst all the institutions and individuals juggling their financial matters in 2020, small businesses are dealing with quite unusual circumstances.

Not only did workers stop going to work, but customers are staying home and relying less on the public. As for the employees, a lot of them are at risk of losing their jobs. Aside from losing the ability to earn income, people might have to alter plans for the

According to McKinsey’s report on the future after becoming unemployed. For example, most

pandemic’s impact on small businesses, a

will look for benefits to aid their unemployment and

major change within these companies is the

support them until they find a new job (Fool.com). The

availability of employees. Companies with

unemployed will most likely have to hold off on

fewer than 100 workers are experiencing the

spending and making big purchases they desired

worst impact; 50% of their overall stability is

before they went jobless. Not only does this do damage to the individual’s financial stability, but it

damaged (McKinsey). This is because as the also decreases the overall economy and the amount

fear of catching the virus gets more serious,

consumers are purchasing.

workers begin to take work breaks, or even quit their jobs for the time being. People are

Although things may seem hectic for many aspects of

leaning away from interactive jobs like food

our society at the moment, a lot of resources and

and customer services, which make up a large

services are also being offered to those in need. In terms of financial stability, the government has

portion of our small businesses. But how are provided stimulus checks, temporary mortgage relief,

people affected by this sudden change of events?

and low interest loans for businesses. This is undoubtedly an unprecedented time period that will cling to our memories of the world’s history.


How the Stimulus Package Affects You! Covid-19 has had a major toll on

Thus, Congress has made a stimulus package that has been

everyone's mental, physical, and financial

signed by President Trump to provide money to those unemployed

wellbeing. For many, it is possible to

during this period. But in what ways will this affect the economy?

remedy this stress and avoid getting sick

Will this cause an increase in jobs or an upend in employment?

by social distancing or by wearing a mask

And finally will this lead to the V-shaped recovery that all of us

when going outside. For millions of

are hoping for?

Americans it is nearly impossible to remedy the financial burden that Covid-19 has had

Before we review the effects that the stimulus package may have

on their families, jobs, and financial

on the economy, we must first go over what is a part of the

safety.

stimulus package. Both the Republican and Democratic parties proposed different ideas.

This is especially true for the 10% that have had to deal with unemployment. The

Republicans have proposed the HEALS Act and the Democrats

financial problems that the average

have proposed the HEROES Act. The HEALS act focuses more on

American has had to endure due to Covid-

HEALing the economy while the HEROES act focuses on being

19 has even caught the attention of

one of the HEROES for the people. Both propositions have

Congress. Though there has been an

positive and negative aspects, but what are the stimulus

attempt at reopening the economy, many

packages going to be exactly?

have still not returned to work.


1 2 3

The Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act (HEROES) comes at a staggering price of 3.5 trillion dollars. Where 175 billion dollars goes to people struggling with their

rent, mortgage, and / or utility bills, 200

billion dollars goes towards essential workers, a part goes to an initial stimulus package for everyone and local governments, and the rest is for the 600$ weekly addition to unemployment benefits.

The Republicans’ Health, Economic Assistance, Liability protection, and Schools act (HEALS) spends a bit more money on getting things back to normal and keeping businesses afloat. The HEALS act has a much lower price than the HEROES act, at a price of only 1 trillion dollars. In the act,105 billion dollars goes towards parcels for colleges and universities. It also puts aside part of the budget to add 200$ to unemployment benefits. After a 60 day period, state benefits will cover about 70% of workers’ wage. Seniors and workers also receive another round of stimulus checks. The HEALS act also sets aside money for the Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP).

Whether it’s by increased unemployment benefits or by more paychecks for essential workers, both the HEROES and HEALS act focus on the economic challenges that people have had to face due to the shutdown. Though it may be a while before any of the stimulus packages are approved, especially since the Senate is at recess until early September, it is still important to discuss the changes it will occur in the economy. Will the stimulus be for the economy or for the people? If it is meant to help the economy, which parts will it be helping? Or will the stimulus bill increase inflation to a point a no return?


HEALS VS HEROES The HEROES Act has a much larger price tag than the

Though the HEALS act does not do much to help

HEALS Act, with its astounding price of 3.5 trillion dollars.

civilians, it does help with an issue that has been

The HEROES Act allocates most of its money towards

arising for the past few months --it allocates

paying citizens, and helping civilians with their mortgage,

money to both schools, and small businesses. This

rent, utility bills, etc. However, this may cause an even

will help with the protection of children during

more devastating economic blow. If the HEROES Act is

hybrid learning. The money can be used for more

passed, it may cause an even higher economic burden

sanitizers, masks, etc. The HEALS act also will help

then there already is. The loan will go to people that

the economy. Ever since the pandemic, it has

don’t actually need these stimulus checks. This will cause

seemed that only large corporations, and the

those people to buy non-essential goods and services

toughest of small businesses will survive. But the

such as luxury apparel, luxury items, eating out, just to

HEALS act has a solution to that. By restricting

name a few. Not only is there a chance of people

business with more than 300 employees from taking

spending the stimulus money in such a fashion, but there

funds, it will level the playing field against large

may also be a rise in inflation. During the start of the

corporations and mom and-pop shops. If civilians

coronavirus pandemic there was an inflation rate of

are financially stable enough to live with the 200$

around 2.3. It then fell close to zero. If the inflation rate

added unemployment benefits, the HEALS Act

may go back to it’s rate during the start of the Covid-19

would be the better choice.

pandemic. The may cause a V-shaped recovery to be even harder to achieve, if it is even possible.

But many say that the financial burden that the HEROES act may cause is worth it, that many people need the economic relief, and that the livelihood of people should be put before the wellbeing of the economy. The HEROES act helps bring some sort of financial stability that are going through these hard times. Overall if the economy can provide the funding for either of these Acts, the HEROES act would be a better alternative than to the HEALS act.

While both the HEROES and HEALS Act differentiate in many categories, they both have the same goal relieving the economic burden for American families during the coronavirus pandemic. Both stimulus packages even give an initial stimulus check of up to 1,200$. They have similar intentions, but try to solve it in different ways. Either of these Acts will be chosen based on what the Senate values more,

O M A Dmust I C be | 2made 4 the economy or the civilians. Regardless, a N decision because of the fact that a stimulus package is needed urgently.


THE ROAD TO BECOMING A FINANCE MAJOR Majoring in finance allows you to study financial growth and management. Finance is a significant aspect of everyone’s life and understanding the concepts leads to numerous financial gains. The very first thing you can do while still in high school is to develop your interests. Seek enrichment programs, summer camps, and connections with business professionals on LinkedIn. Since finance is a highly intensive and competitive field it is important to research as much as possible. Having that mentorship or program on your resume will not only set you aside from other applicants, but also help you discover whether finance is the right fit for you. In college, it is normal for people to change majors, but knowing what you like from the start can save lots of time & money.

Once you’ve applied to your desired institution’s business program, you will be exposed to a variety of business career paths. For instance, at my university, I’m required to take classes of various disciplines such as finance, supply chain, marketing, and accounting. As a freshman, it’s important to attend career fairs and network with recruiters, despite most internships requiring you to be a college junior/senior. However, some companies do offer leadership programs aimed exclusively towards college freshmen and sophomores. Deloitte’s Pioneer Internship Program is only for college freshmen and it grants you exposure to different career fields, along with assigning you a mentor. Internship deadlines are typically in Sept/October for Summer Analyst positions for the following year, so make sure to research internships earlier in advance.

Investing in the stock market and your Roth IRA are two ways you can build wealth.While in college, you can invest in the Roth IRA if you have personal income but the maximum to contribute is $6000 annually. Once you reach a salary of $139,000, you can no longer invest. Contribute in your Roth IRA as early as possible in order to maximize compound interest. The Roth IRA is a tax-free retirement account that can allow you to retire as a millionaire. Also, it’s important to have a side hustle such as investing in stocks. Researching and keeping up with market trends can increase your personal income. Let the power of compound interest do it’s work by starting ASAP! Happy Investing!


LET THE POWER OF COMPOUND INTEREST DO ITS WORK BY STARTING ASAP! HAPPY INVESTING!


THE

Millionaires are the wealthy elite of society. The opinions towards millionaires are

SECRET TO

drastically different from person to person. Millionaires are seen as lazy or hardworking, greedy or philanthropic, and other labels that are given to them based on how they use their wealth. We often hear about how

BECOMING A

millionaires use their wealth. But how do millionaires really gain their wealth? Do they get it from working in an organization or owning property? Are most of them selfmade millionaires, or do they just get an

MILLIONAIRE

inheritance? It’s possible to use these tips and make millions of dollars on your own. And who doesn’t want to be a millionaire?

I would understand if you didn't believe me right away, since millionaires are part of the 1 percent. But there is a pattern of habits that many millionaires have in common. Most of these habits are picked up during their childhoods. They include reading, public speaking, networking, etc. Reading is a habit that many millionaires use to increase creativity, memorization, and other skills that would be useful in accumulating wealth. Since many millionaires are entrepreneurs and lawyers, it's a no brainer that public speaking and networking are useful skills. It would help you become more important in the field that you choose, which would lead to higher salaries. Just picking up a few habits and learning a few skills can make it more likely that you would be a part of the 1%.


Maybe it's too late to pick up these habits, or you simply don't want to learn these skills; luckily, there are still different ways to make money. There are many college degrees and sources of income, such as stocks and capital, that could greatly increase your chances of being a millionaire.

There are many jobs that could lead to becoming a millionaire with a few years of saving. These positions include physicians, engineers, computer scientists, etc. It should come at no surprise that physicians are on the list. Doctors make around $300,000 and even more after they become specialized doctors. Saving

⅔ of their income would be enough to make them a millionaire in 5 years while still having more than enough money to live comfortably. There are also engineers, though they usually make much less than doctors at a salary of around $110,000. An engineering degree creates a much easier pathway into becoming a successful entrepreneur. The engineering degree even forces students to think creatively and quickly. And finally, computer scientists are on the list due to how easy it is to become a computer scientist and move up in the field. Once someone reaches seniority in the field (which is much less competitive than other fields), it would be a breeze to become a millionaire.

But maybe you don’t want to work; maybe you just want to get your money from owning stocks. The stock market is known for being unpredictable. Making a living off of it would be nearly impossible. But if you follow some rules, you may be able to live off of stocks. When investing in stocks, remember to set longterm goals, understand the risks involved, invest in different areas, make logical decisions, and play it safe. These rules are followed by successful stock investors everywhere.

There are many ways that a million dollars can be gained. The most popular ways to get a million dollars are from inheritance and working. About 20% of millionaires have inherited their fortune from their parents. This means about 80% of millionaires are self-made: 67.7% of millionaires are fully self-made, while 23.7% gain their wealth through a combination of self-created wealth and inherited wealth. Only 8.5% of millionaires gain their wealth completely from inheritance.

There are multiple ways and opportunities to make a million dollars. It’s too bad that it’s extremely difficult to become a millionaire. Positions like entrepreneurs and stock investors are terrifyingly hard to become successful at. However, there are easy ways to become a millionaire:you can become a physician or engineer, have rich parents, or even work your way up at a company. Hopefully you can utilize the information in this article to make millions of your own.


ALL THINGS TECH TABLE OF CONTENTS

Rise of Machines

Artificial Intelligence and Current Events


THE RISE OF MACHINES They can optimize speed, strength, endurance, etc. They will not only outperform humans; humans will become useless. In layman's terms, we’re doomed.

In the past, it was thought that Evangelions, robotic personalities, and self-driving cars would be common technology in the future. Although Giant Mechs and flying cars are still technology found only in science fiction, self-driving cars are real and are even used as a status symbol. But robotic personalities are still not common.

There are legal questions that would also arise: would they be considered humans, would they get rights, or would they just be subservient slaves? However, for the acceptance of the technology, both the government and the public should understand how it works. A.G.I, Artificial General Intelligence, can make artificial intelligence just as smart as humans. This could even lead to strong A.G.I devices such as Cortana, Terran Advisor, etc. But how does A.G.I even work?

Before we discuss Artificial General Intelligence, we should have a rundown on what the precursor to it is. A.I, or Narrow Artificial Intelligence has 2 subgroups that are widely used. Machine learning is one of them; it uses past experiences and data to make decisions and serve its purpose. There is also deep learning, which is a subgroup inside a subgroup. Deep-learning is a type of multi-layered machine learning used for advanced algorithms and to create neural networks. This allows computers to make smarter decisions, but only to an extent. Unfortunately, this is the closest thing humanity has to Artificial General Intelligence.


AA common question asked about

he only A.I that is better than A.G.I is

But would it be moral to even use

A.G.I is: “If Narrow A.I is terrible

A.S.I : Artificial Superior Intelligence. If

AI? AI would be just like humans,

compared to A.G.I despite its ability

ASI is reached, humans will officially

harboring emotions, beliefs, etc. It

to do calculations faster than any

become both physically and mentally

would obviously be wrong if a

human, what exactly is A.G.I?” A.G.I

obsolete. A.I will no longer be used for

human was forced to work all their

is not only able to do advanced

today's Roombas. The Roomba will have

lives. But would AI have the same

calculations and be an intellectual

a personality and enough power to

rights as humans? It would be

counterpart to humanity, but it can

destroy your entire house (with the dust

unethical if they weren’t given the

also think like a human, feel like a

of course), if it chooses to. A.S.I will be

same rights, because they still have

human, and be just as smart -if not

better than humans and will have the

the same amount of suffering. These

smarter- than the brightest minds in

power to become overlords to humanity

questions are often pondered on by

the world. A.I may be able to do

by either protecting humans as the ASI’s

science fiction enthusiasts, but

many things today, but it needs to

creator or discarding them as if they

soon, the whole world will be doing

be created by humans. This means

were just a stepping stone in their

the same thinking as Isaac Asimov.

that humans will never become

galactic ambitions..

obsolete to AI, though A.G.I is a

AGI and ASI will be able to

different matter. AGI can write

Although many do not want these

accomplish amazing feats. They will

itself, and armies of AGI robots can

systems developed, it is likely that

be more intelligent than the

surpass the people found in the

Artificial General Intelligence is

average human being and will be

Chinese army. Not only are they

possible. It is likely that A.I will eventually

able to choose what bodies they

able to choose their mental

reach intelligence that is comparable to

will harbor. They can optimize

capacities, but they are also able to

a human. This is likely to be achieved

speed, strength, endurance, etc.

choose their physical capacities

with advancements in quantum

They will not only outperform

(unlike humans). A.G.I robots can

computing. Quantum computers which

humans; humans will become

reach their peak in strength, speed,

will allow for better neural networks,

useless. In layman's terms, we’re

endurance, and every other good

which will lead to the virtual version of

doomed.

physical characteristic. The only

the human brain, and eventually lead to

thing more terrifying than A.G.I’s

ASI. Instead of using AGI and ASI as

intelligence is its successor: A.S.I.

tools, it would be better to integrate them into society.

--

--


Artificial Intelligence and Current Events Humans have always differed with AI, artificial intelligence, as they have the ability to reason. But now machines are learning that too. Machines have been taught words and images, different objects and animals, and various actions.

In a new study, researchers developed a robot model that can compare videos and sort them into categories based on the content in the video. The machine was given a series of videos and ordered to choose the one that doesn’t fit. For example, in a group of videos of a man and his dog, the machine was able to detect the one out of place: the video of a baby crying. This model has the ability to recognize abstract events and has the potential to make accurate predictions and decisions.

Another task the model can do is determining which concepts fit well with each other. When given the concept of sculpting, the machine was able to determine that carving and cutting were similar concepts. To compare the machine’s ability to that of a human’s, researchers conducted a study. To their surprise, the results showed that the machine performed as well as the humans.

Some limits the machine has is that it tends to overanalyze scenarios. For example, when given a series of sports videos, the machine associated a video of a baby and a ball with the series because a ball symbolizes exercise, even though the baby did not.

Machines are moving towards becoming more human-like and gaining human reasoning. With this discovery, it won’t be long before machines function as well as we do.


Works Bieber C. How to Avoid Financial Disaster When You Lose Your Job. The Ascent. Published September 26, 2019. https://www.fool.com/the-ascent/banks/articles/avoid-financial-disaster-lose-yourjob/#:~:text=Most%20people%20depend%20on%20income,consequences%20for%20your%20financial%20stability [1] André Dua, Neha Jain, Deepa Mahajan, Yohann Velasco. COVID-19’s effect on jobs at small businesses in the United States. McKinsey & Company. Published May 5, 2020. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-and-social-sector/our-insights/covid-19seffect-on-jobs-at-small-businesses-in-the-united-states# [20 US Unemployment Rate and Total Unemployed | Department of Numbers. Deptofnumbers.com. Published 2020. https://www.deptofnumbers.com/unemployment/us/ newsfeedback@fool.com (Sean Williams. How to set up a good homeschool environment. Omaha.com. Published August 22, 2020. https://omaha.com/business/investment/personal-finance/the-1-surprising-thing-missing-in-the-new-covid-19-stimulusproposal/article_9d3cd375-bf2c-58cf-b563-5a4f4d1396b6.html [4] Jordain Carney. Senate leaves until September without coronavirus relief deal | TheHill. TheHill. Published August 13, 2020. Accessed October 18, 2020. https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/511896-senate-leaves-until-september-without-coronavirus-reliefdeal [5] McMahon T. What is the Current U.S. Inflation Rate? Inflationdata.com. Published October 13, 2020. https://inflationdata.com/Inflation/Inflation_Rate/CurrentInflation.asp?reloaded=true [6] Current US Inflation Rates: 2009-2020. US Inflation Calculator. Published July 23, 2008. Accessed October 18, 2020. https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/inflation/current-inflation-rates/ [7] Colby C. Your second stimulus check might arrive before or after others’. We worked out possible dates. CNET. Published October 17, 2020. https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/your-second-stimulus-check-might-arrive-before-or-after-others-we-worked-outpossible-dates/ [8] 1.Adamczyk A. HEROES Act would provide another stimulus check, broader student loan relief. CNBC. Published May 16, 2020. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/16/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-heroes-act.html [9] https://www.facebook.com/thebalancecom. What Is the Federal Reserve and What Does It Do? The Balance. Published 2020. https://www.thebalance.com/the-federal-reserve-system-and-its-function3306001#:~:text=The%20Federal%20Reserve%20controls%20inflation%20by%20managing%20credit%2C,open%20market%20oper ations%20and%20the%20fed%20funds%20rate. [10] 1rvolutionlaw. Small Business Help is Coming: The HEALS Act. Greensboro Attorneys | Business Law, Estate Planning, Employment Law. Published July 29, 2020. Accessed October 18, 2020. https://www.revolution.law/small-business-help-is-coming/ [11] The Complete Guide to the Roth IRA. Investopedia. Published 2020. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/rothira.asp [12]


Cited https://www.facebook.com/geekyvicky. Difference between AI, Machine Learning and Deep Learning. Technotification. Published April 4, 2018. Accessed October 18, 2020. https://www.technotification.com/2018/04/deep-learning-machine-learning-and-ai.html [13] Ford P. Our Fear of Artificial Intelligence. MIT Technology Review. Published February 11, 2015. https://www.technologyreview.com/2015/02/11/169210/our-fear-of-artificial-intelligence/ [14] Zoltan Istvan. The Morality of Artificial Intelligence and the Three Laws of Transhumanism. HuffPost. Published October 2, 2014. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-three-laws-of-transhu_b_5853596?guccounter=1 [15] Heath N. What is artificial general intelligence? ZDNet. Published August 22, 2018. https://www.zdnet.com/article/what-is-artificialgeneral-intelligence/ [16] What is Artificial Superintelligence (ASI)? - Definition from Techopedia. Techopedia.com. Published 2016. https://www.techopedia.com/definition/31619/artificial-superintelligenceasi#:~:text=Artificial%20Superintelligence%20%28ASI%29%20Definition%20%20What%20does%20Artificial,the%20ability%20of%20computers%20to%20mimic%20human%20thought. [17] Financial Samurai. Your Chances Of Becoming A Millionaire By Race, Age, And Education. Financial Samurai. Published August 9, 2020. . https://www.financialsamurai.com/chances-becoming-millionaire-by-race-age-education/ [18] Krausz J. 11 Jobs that Make You a Millionaire | Every Buck Counts. EveryBuckCounts. Published June 25, 2018. https://www.everybuckcounts.com/jobs-that-make-you-a-millionaire/ [19] 27 Millionaire Statistics: What percentage of Americans are millionaires? SpendMeNot. Published February 21, 2020. https://spendmenot.com/blog/what-percentage-of-americans-are-millionaires/ [19] Lewis M. 6 Stock Market Investing Tips & Guide for Beginners - Checklist. Moneycrashers.com. Published July 29, 2014. https://www.moneycrashers.com/stock-market-investing-tips-guide-checklist/ [20] Brockman K. Nervous About the Stock Market? These 2 Investment Options Could Be Safer Bets. The Motley Fool. Published August 9, 2020. https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/08/09/nervous-stock-market-2-investmentssafer.aspx#:~:text=You%27ll%20want%20to%20play%20it%20safe%20enough%20that,a%20valuable%20chance%20to%20let%2 0your%20savings%20 [21] Martineau K. Toward a machine learning model that can reason about everyday actions. MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Published August 2020. Accessed October 18, 2020. https://news.mit.edu/2020/toward-machine-learning-that-canreason-about-everyday-actions-0831 [22]


Thank you for reading Issue II!


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.