What Are Social Security Benefits? Social Security benefits are payments made to qualified retired adults and people with disabilities, and to their spouses, children, and survivors. Social Security—officially the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program in the U.S.—is a comprehensive federal benefits program designed to provide partial replacement income for retired adults and their
What Is the Social Security Tax? Social Security tax is the tax levied on both employers and employees to fund the Social Security program in the U.S. Social Security tax is collected in the form of a payroll tax mandated by the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) or a self-employment tax mandated by the Self-Employed Contributions
What Are Social Security Trust Funds? Social Security trust funds are two accounts used by the U.S. government to manage surplus contributions to the Social Security system. The trust funds hold payroll tax contributions made by workers and employers. They make scheduled benefits payments to retired workers and people with disabilities, and invest surplus funds
What Is a Social Sentiment Indicator? A social sentiment indicator analyzes aggregated social media data to help businesses understand how they are performing in the eyes of consumers. Social sentiment indicators enable companies to discover what they are doing right and how they might improve. These measures can also give investors an idea of how publicly-listed stocks might perform.
What Is a Social Welfare System? A social welfare system provides assistance to individuals and families in need. The types and amount of welfare available to individuals and families vary depending on the country, state, or region. In the U.S., the federal government provides grants to each state through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
What Is Socionomics? Socionomics is the study of social mood and its influence over social attitudes and actions. More specifically, it seeks to understand how social mood regulates the overall tenor and character of social behavior in areas such as politics, pop culture, financial markets, and the economy. Socionomic theory proposes that leaders and their
What Is a Soft Commodity? A soft commodity refers to futures contracts where the actuals are grown rather than extracted or mined. Soft commodities represent some of the oldest types of futures known to have been actively traded. This group of agricultural products may include products such as soybeans, cocoa, coffee, cotton, sugar, rice, and
What Is a Small Business Investment Company (SBIC)? A small business investment company (SBIC) is a type of privately-owned investment company that is licensed by the Small Business Administration (SBA). Small business investment companies supply small companies with both equity and debt financing. They provide a viable alternative to venture capital firms for many small
What Is a Small-Cap Stock? A small-cap stock is a stock from a public company whose total market value, or market capitalization, is about $250 million to $2 billion. The precise figures vary. Small-cap stock investors are generally looking for up-and-coming young companies that are growing fast. That is, they’re looking for the large-cap stocks
What Is a Small Corporate Offering Registration (SCOR)? A small corporate offering registration (SCOR) is a simplified means for smaller companies to raise capital by issuing shares. SCOR provides an exemption from the normal registration requirements of federal securities laws for companies that offer and sell up to $5 million of their securities in any 12-month period. Aside
