Indianapolis Colts coach Shane Steichen seemed to sense the question might arise after his club was eliminated from playoff consideration Sunday with a ghastly 45-33 loss to the host New York Giants in East Rutheford, N.J. The Giants were 2-13 and had lost a franchise-record 10 straight games entering the contest and their season-high point total Sunday more than tripled their season average of 14.3 points per game. It was the type of bad loss that leads to head coaches being asked about their job security. "I control what I can control," Steichen said of the employment situation. The Colts (7-9) were outplayed all contest by the team that entered the day with the worst record in the NFL -- and with their playoff hopes on the line. Last season, Steichen's first as Indianapolis coach, the Colts also fell short, losing to the Houston Texans in the final week of the season to miss the playoffs. "It was as disappointing as it gets," Steichen said of the setback against the Giants. "As the leader of a football team, shoot, I always say I've got to be better, we've all got to be better. That's a group effort, everyone's got to chip in and do their part, so stuff like that doesn't happen." Giants quarterback Drew Lock passed for 309 yards and tied his career high of four touchdowns while also running for a score. Meanwhile, the Colts also went with a reserve quarterback in veteran Joe Flacco and he turned the ball over three times on two interceptions and a fumble. He also passed for 330 yards. Flacco started because rookie Anthony Richardson couldn't play due to back and foot injuries. Indianapolis completes the season next weekend at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars. "I know it's a tough situation, obviously, when you're out of the playoff hunt, but again, I told (the team) we've got to be professional about it," Steichen said. "That's the biggest thing. We've got to show up and do our job still with one week left." The Colts last made the playoffs in the 2020 season. Their last playoff win was two seasons earlier. --Field Level Media
Colorado's 2-way star Travis Hunter eyes Big 12 title and more before 'for sure' entering NFL draftBengaluru: A cybercrook hacked the login ID of the Tours and Travels division of Mysore Sales International Limited (MSIL) for SpiceJet airlines and booked 17 air tickets fraudulently. The staff concerned found that the 17 bookings were made within 10 minutes, causing MSIL a loss of Rs 2.9 lakh. According to the complaint filed by Ravi Kumar K, 50, working in the MSIL head office on Cunningham Road, the miscreant hacked the MSIL website and login ID of SpiceJet on Dec 17 and booked the tickets fraudulently between 7.30pm and 7.40pm. Kumar told police the hacker used a mobile number — 7465910880 — and email ID — gariyavikki80@gmail.com — to hack and log into the SpiceJet login ID BLRMS22266. The hacker also managed to crack the password. By the time the incident came to Kumar's notice on Dec 19, about 14 people had travelled using the tickets booked by the hacker. A police officer said according to Kumar, 11 people travelled to Dubai from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, while three travelled from Dubai to Mumbai. Soon after the fraud came to Kumar's notice, he informed his seniors in the office and cancelled three tickets booked from Delhi to Dubai. "We have asked Kumar to provide details about all 17 air passengers for whom the hacker had booked the tickets, including those who were about to fly to Dubai from Delhi. We will get in touch with the individuals to ascertain through whom they had booked the flight tickets. Meanwhile, our technical team is working to trace the miscreant who procured the sim card and the Gmail ID used to hack. A case has been registered under the Information Technology Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Section 318 (cheating). MSIL started the tour and travels 25 years ago, but for the first time they are encountering such an issue," the officer added. The loss mentioned in the complaint is the amount MSIL was to pay to the airlines company. The hacker must have earned more than what MSIL has lost, according to police. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword . Spread love this holiday season with these Christmas wishes , messages , and quotes.
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NoneTweet Facebook Mail Heartbroken business owners have explained why they believe so many small Australian companies went bust this year. Business collapses climbed in 2024 and the hospitality, construction and retail industries were among the worst hit as inflation drove costs up. Plenty of small and large business owners made the gut-wrenching decision to shut doors or were forced to liquidate as they drowned in bills, including Sydney woman Belinda Jane Keehn. READ MORE: What the RBA is really looking at when it sets interest rates Belinda Jane Keehn ran her own business, BJ's PJs, but couldn't afford to keep it going in 2024. (Supplied) She told 9news.com.au she folded her clothing business, BJ's PJs, this year after struggling to cope with the aftermath of COVID-19. "When I launched my business just six years ago, the world was very different," Keehn said. "Unfortunately, this year, after years of navigating the challenges of small business ownership, including the aftermath of COVID-19 and skyrocketing living costs, I made the difficult decision to close my doors. "The rising production costs, financial stress, and declining consumer spending have made it unsustainable to continue." Keehn said the cost of production meant she was barely making any profit from her brand. She also blames the big brand competition which made it virtually impossible to match prices. READ MORE: Other countries have tried to ban children from using social media. So does it ever work? She said the rising cost of production meant she couldn't turn a profit. (Supplied) "I am far from alone in these challenging times," she added. "Many small businesses are either closing or are on the brink of doing so, and it's heartbreaking to witness." Keehn said the cost of fabric, manufacturing and postage resulted in her business effectively being made "non-profitable". "Winding down has been an emotional and difficult challenge," she said. "I Have built up my clientele in my other small business, Keehn As Gardening and Light Home Maintenance, which took a back seat to BJ's PJs over the last few years but will focus more on that to supplement the loss of income." The best and worst states and territories to try and run a business in View Gallery Sydney man Mick Owar ran his own construction business for five years. He told 9news.om.au business boomed after he started it in 2018, but things went south post-COVID. "The cost of materials just exploded and there was a point after COVID where the labour force just woke up and didn't want to work anymore," he said. "Finding people that just had an ounce of reliability became almost impossible." Owar described the taxes forced on businesses in Australia as a "joke". This contributed to Owar shutting down the construction side of his company after realising he was barely able to cut himself a salary. Experts have blamed the huge spike in business failures in rising costs, tax debts and low consumer spending. (Dion Georgopoulos/SMH) According to UNSW research, rising material costs, tax debts and high interest rates have contributed to the surge of businesses going bust this year. Low consumer spending has also been a major factor. "The more discretionary categories of spending tend to get cut back on, and for businesses in that sector, a large and sudden drop in demand can make it economically impossible to continue," Professor Richard Holden from the UNSW School of Economics said. In October, a report from CreditorWatch found businesses in Australia were collapsing at a rate not seen since the pandemic. It blamed the rapid rate of business owners shutting doors on the cost of living crisis and mounting tax debts. CreditorWatch noted all sectors have seen a major spike in failures since the ATO ramped up collections in October 2023.Chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen returns to a tournament after a dispute over jeans is resolved
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If you want to invest for retirement, a 401(k) is a great place to start. A 401(k) is an employer-sponsored retirement account that gives you tax advantages for investing. Many employers sweeten the deal by matching some or all of your contributions. The 401(k) gets its name from the section of the Internal Revenue Code that established the 401(k). But don’t worry: You don’t need to pore over the tax code to understand the basics of a 401(k). We’ll break down what a 401(k) is, how it works, some key benefits, and the rules you need to know for your retirement planning. Learn more: Retirement planning: A step-by-step guide This embedded content is not available in your region. What is a 401(k)? A 401(k) is a type of retirement plan that lets you invest part of your paycheck in a tax-advantaged account that’s managed by your employer. Many companies encourage workers to save by offering an employer match. To participate in a 401(k), you’ll need to work for an employer that sponsors one. A 401(k) isn’t the only type of retirement account employers offer. For example, your employer might offer a similar plan called a 403(b) if you work for a public school or charity. But some employers (most commonly small businesses) don’t sponsor any type of retirement plan. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that only 58% of people employed by a business with fewer than 100 workers have access to retirement benefits. If your employer doesn’t offer a 401(k), you can still save for retirement through an individual retirement account, or IRA. 401(k) plans must meet the standards of a federal law called the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, or ERISA. The law sets a host of rules about things like how the plan is managed, who’s allowed to participate, and disclosure requirements. Learn more: How to start investing How does a 401(k) work? When you’re enrolled in a 401(k), the money you contribute is automatically taken out of your paycheck. You can get a tax break either on your contributions or your withdrawals, depending on the type of 401(k) you choose. You contribute pre-tax money, which lowers your taxable income for the year. Your investments grow on a tax-deferred basis. When you withdraw your money later on, your distributions are taxed as ordinary income. You contribute money you’ve already paid taxes on, so you don’t get a tax break in the year you contribute. As with a traditional 401(k), your money grows on a tax-deferred basis. But once you’re retired, you get to make tax-free withdrawals. How to enroll in a 401(k) When you enroll in a 401(k), you’ll need to choose the type of account (most employers now offer both traditional and Roth accounts), the percentage of your salary to invest, and your investments. Many 401(k)s let you choose from several different mutual funds, which pool money from many investors and then invest in a basket of securities. Employer-matching One of the best perks of a 401(k) is that many employers match a portion of your contributions. Some employers match contributions dollar-for-dollar, while others offer a partial match or a combination of the two. For example, in one common match scenario, employers match the first 3% of employee contributions dollar for dollar, then offer a 50% match on the next 2%, bringing the maximum employer contribution to 4% of the worker’s salary. How much can you contribute to a 401(k)? The IRS sets annual contribution limits for 401(k)s and other tax-advantaged retirement accounts. These limits are adjusted annually for inflation. You can’t contribute more than you earn in a given year to your 401(k). If you’re 50 or older, you’re allowed to make what are known as catch-up contributions, which are extra contributions afforded to workers getting closer to retirement. Beginning in 2025, you’ll also be allowed even higher catch-up contributions if you’re between the ages of 60 and 63 under new rules of the Secure Act 2.0, a bill President Biden signed into law aimed at improving retirement security. If you switch jobs, you may opt for a 401(k) rollover, where you “roll” funds from your past employer’s plan into an account at your new job. Any funds you roll over won’t count toward your annual contribution limits. Learn more: IRA contribution limits for 2025 401(k)s vs. IRAs A 401(k) is one of several types of tax-advantaged retirement accounts. IRA is an acronym for individual retirement account. The big difference between a 401(k) vs. IRA is that a 401(k) is sponsored by your employer, whereas an IRA is an account you open independently that isn’t tied to your job. Compared to 401(k) limits, IRA contribution limits are fairly low. In 2024 and 2025, you can only contribute up to $7,000 to an IRA, or $8,000 if you’re 50 or older. 401(k) vs. 403(b) 401(k)s and 403(b)s are both employer-sponsored retirement accounts. The main distinction is that 401(k)s are typically offered by private-sector companies, while 403(b) plans are limited to public schools, churches, and charities with 501(c)(3) tax status. 401(k) and 403(b) accounts are subject to many of the same rules and contribution limits. However, some 403(b) plans allow participants to make an additional catch-up contribution if they have at least 15 years of service with the organization. 403(b) plans usually have fewer investment options than 401(k)s. 401(k)s vs. pensions A 401(k) is what’s known as a defined-contribution plan, which means that your employer decides how much they’ll contribute to the account, but the account’s value ultimately depends on investment performance. You’re not promised any benefit when you retire. That’s a key distinction between 401(k)s vs. pensions (also known as defined-benefit plans), which guarantee a benefit based on factors like years of service and your average salary at the time you retire. How much should you have saved in a 401(k)? A good rule of thumb is to save at least 15% of your pre-tax income for retirement. If you get an employer 401(k) match, that counts toward your goal. You can include money you save in your 401(k), as well as an IRA. If you can’t afford to save that much, aim to at least put enough in your 401(k) to get your company’s full 401(k) match. Then, make it your goal to save more as your income increases. If your expenses drop — for instance, you pay off your car or credit card, or your child starts school and you’re no longer paying for daycare — try to divert some of the savings toward your 401(k). While there’s no one-size-fits-all rule for how much you should have saved in a 401(k), Fidelity provides these retirement-savings-by-age guidelines to help you set a benchmark: Age 30: 1x salary Age 35: 2x salary Age 40: 3x salary Age 45: 4x salary Age 50: 6x salary Age 55: 7x salary Age 60: 8x salary Age 67 (Social Security full retirement age for people born after 1959): 10x salary How to withdraw cash early from a 401(k) and avoid penalties A 401(k) is designed to encourage people to save for retirement, so you’ll often face penalties if you withdraw money early. You’ll typically pay a 10% early withdrawal penalty on distributions you take before age 59 1⁄2, on top of applicable taxes. There are a few exceptions, though. Some plans allow for hardship distributions if it’s needed for “an immediate and heavy financial need.” You may be able to avoid the 10% penalty (but not the tax bill if you funded the account with pre-tax money) in certain situations, such as: You become totally and permanently disabled You experienced economic losses due to a federally declared disaster where you live You have unreimbursed medical expenses above 7.5% of your adjusted gross income You’re a military reservist called to active duty You’ve been diagnosed with a terminal illness by a physician Under "the rule of 55," you can also avoid a penalty on 401(k) withdrawals if you leave your job the year you turn 55 or older (or 50 for some public safety workers). However, this rule only applies to your 401(k) for the employer you were working for when you left your job. You’ll still need to pay taxes on any non-Roth withdrawals. 401(k) loans Many (but not all) plans allow 401(k) loans of up to whichever is less: 50% of the vested account balance, OR $50,000 If your 401(k) has less than $10,000, you may be allowed to borrow the full amount, depending on your employer’s rules. When you take out a 401(k) loan, you won’t owe taxes or a penalty on the distribution unless you don’t repay the loan as agreed. You’re required to pay back the full amount you borrow, plus interest, within five years. However, if you leave your job, you’ll usually need to repay the loan by the time you file your tax return for the year. For example, if you leave your job in May 2025 and have an outstanding 401(k) loan, you’d need to repay it when you file your taxes for 2025 in April 2026, or October 2026 if you requested a tax extension. Required minimum distributions If you have a traditional 401(k), you can’t let your money grow forever. Annual taxable withdrawals called “required minimum distributions” (RMDs) are mandated once you’re 73 (previously age 72). Note that RMD age is scheduled to increase to 75 in 2033 under the Secure Act 2.0. As of 2024, Roth 401(k)s are no longer subject to RMDs. 401(k) FAQs If you need to track down an old 401(k), contacting your former employer is a good place to start. You can also search the National Association of Registry of Unclaimed Retirement Benefits , the Department of Labor’s Abandoned Plan Program , and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation databases, as well as your state’s unclaimed property division website to find your 401(k). A common recommendation is that you should have around one year’s salary saved for retirement by age 30. If you’re not quite there, try to increase your 401(k) or IRA contributions, or make a plan to up your savings percentage next time you get a raise. Bartenders and other service industry workers can have a 401(k) if their employer offers one or if they belong to a union that offers a retirement plan to its members. You’re more likely to be offered a 401(k) if you work for a large restaurant or hotel chain, as many small businesses don’t offer retirement benefits. If you don’t get a 401(k) through your employer, you can still save in an IRA.Sundry Photography Investment thesis SentinelOne's ( NYSE: S ) products continue to lead the way in their respective niches, helping the long-term trend of rising customer numbers to hold up. We believe the company will raise its revenue and gradually improve its profitability over Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). 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