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Editor's note: This story was originally published in 2021 and has been updated to reflect the 2021-22 women's college basketball season heading into the 2022 WNBA draft.

Some of the most well-known names in women's college basketball will not be drafted April 11 when the 2022 WNBA draft is held.

In 2021, Paige Bueckers built a never-before-seen freshman season for powerhouse Connecticut, a program that itself has experienced a fair share of unprecedented marks. She led the Huskies to the brink of reaching the title game and became the first freshman to win a score of awards, namely the John R. Wooden Award for college basketball's most outstanding player.

If she were a male player, she could have chosen to be a one-and-done as the likely No. 1 pick in the draft. Her childhood best friend, Gonzaga freshman Jalen Suggs, had that option and was selected fifth overall by the Orlando Magic in the 2021 NBA draft.

Two kids from the same neighborhood, same background, same everything go to school 3,000 miles apart. Their paths are 3,000 miles different, UConn coach Geno Auriemma said during the 2021 NCAA women's tournament. One will have the opportunity to be 1-2-3 pick in the NBA draft and make millions and millions of dollars. The other will be back at UConn.

The WNBA operates with different eligibility rules than the NBA. Those rules are increasingly a topic of discussion that came to the forefront with Bueckers, then again in 2022 with the rise of national player of the year and NCAA champion Aliyah Boston, and it's not as clear of a call to change the rules as it is with the NBA.

Most college players aren't eligible for the WNBA draft until they've finished four years of college. But there are some exceptions in the collective bargaining agreement for juniors such as Texas' Charli Collier, who was selected No. 1 in the 2021 WNBA draft.

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A player who turns 22 in the calendar year of the draft can renounce their NCAA eligibility and enter. Sabrina Ionescu could have declared as a junior in the April 2019 draft, for example, because she turned 22 on Dec. 6 later that year.

A player who graduated from a four-year school prior to the draft or within three months after the draft can declare. Many women's players graduate within three years and begin graduate programs to stay for a fourth.

International players who do not play collegiate ball in the U.S. are eligible if they turn 20 during the calendar year of the draft. The Seattle Storm drafted Ezi Magbegor in 2019 when the Australian center was 19.

The draft rules have been around since the league was founded in 1997 and the current CBA runs through 2027, so they are here for a while. Bueckers is staying in school until at least 2023 when she'll turn 22 in October. Boston won't turn 22 until December 2023.

UConn's Paige Bueckers drives to the basket against South Carolina's Aliyah Boston during the NCAA women's championship gamw on April 3, 2022 at Target Center in Minneapolis. Neither player will be selected in the 2022 WNBA draft because of eligibility requires for the pro league. (C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

There was a lot to pack into the CBA after players opted out following the 2018 season. The new deal includes higher salaries, better benefits and accommodations more fitting of professional athletes.

Sue Bird, four-time Seattle Storm champion and WNBA Players Association vice president, said the union briefly discussed it during CBA negotiations in 2019, but didn't revisit it with so much else on the table.

It wasnt the priority in the moment, Bird said, via the Associated Press. I think whats interesting in this conversation is, I think players should have a choice, always. Players should always have a choice.

Her longtime teammate, foe and friend, Phoenix Mercury star Diana Taurasi, agreed.

I think the next step is to have the choice, Taurasi said, via AP. Will kids do it? Probably not. We should have that option. If youre the best at your profession, you should be able to get better.

Bueckers and fellow freshman phenom Caitlin Clark at Iowa were both asked about it last year and demurred, noting the choice isn't available to them so there's no purpose in thinking about it. Along with Boston, they are part of an incredible 2024 class that includes Aaliyah Edwards (UConn), Cameron Brink (Stanford) and Hailey Van Lith (Louisville).

There are very few players who opt to leave college early as an eligible junior. The benefits, and mainly the money, are not there the way they are in the NBA.

In the previous CBA, rookies like four-time UConn champion Breanna Stewart made around $40,000 a year on a rookie contract. WNBA rookies drafted first through fourth in 2021 will receive $70,040 in base salary. That's life-changing money for a lot of people, but it pales in comparison to $8 million a No. 1 NBA draft pick will make.

WNBA players have historically complemented their salaries with potentially more lucrative overseas contracts and marketing deals. But that money is rare to start out for rookies.

For some, it's worth it. Notre Dame star Jewell Loyd (Seattle Storm) and Minnesota's Amanda Zahui B (Los Angeles Sparks) entered the 2015 draft early. In 2016, Aerial Powers (Minnesota Lynx) left Michigan State as a junior and UConn's Morgan Tuck left with a year of eligibility remaining after taking a redshirt as a sophomore.

"Trends take more than a year or two to really develop," Lisa Borders said as WNBA president in 2016. "Let's revisit this again a few years down the road and then see where we stand."

South Carolina redshirt juniors Allisha Gray and Kaela Davis followed in 2017. Diamond DeShields left Tennessee as a junior to play overseas in Turkey ahead of the 2018 draft that also included early entrant Azura Stevens of UConn. Jackie Young left Notre Dame and was the Las Vegas Aces' No. 1 overall pick in 2019. And in 2020, Oregon's Satou Sabally, UConn's Megan Walker and Texas A&M's Chennedy Carter were first-round picks as eligible juniors.

It's a few years later, a trend is there and it's time to revisit it.

The impact of allowing players to declare early is deeper than only a talented player like Bueckers or Boston. Keeping top-notch talent in college year after year grows the collegiate game, and in women's basketball, it still has an outsized impact on women's basketball at large.

Thats what helped our game grow, the fact these kids stay in school a little longer, Auriemma said. Build a brand for themselves, build a brand for the university.

Fans will be tuning in for another college season to watch Boston, Bueckers and other talent that showed out in the tournament. It allows players times to build their own brands and explore name, image and likeness deals. Ionescu has done that with her on-court talents and off-court degree.

But there are also not enough spots for the amount of talent now in the women's game.

"I like the requirements right now selfishly because I think it grows women's basketball," former UConn star and ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo said in 2021. "We saw the ratings [in the 2020-21 season] in women's college basketball and the tournament and the Final Four. These women are on a huge stage on that platform, and I'd like to see them continue to be on that stage until they're completely ready for the WNBA."

The unfortunate reality is there are not a lot of places for them to go if they chose to leave early. Natasha Cloud, Diamond DeShields, Lexie Brown and Erica Wheeler commented last year on a Highlight Her graphic, noting that there are only 12 spots on each of 12 teams. But that 144 roster number isn't accurate, either. Because of the higher salaries and team salary caps, analysts and WNBA general managers estimate it might be lower.

Rosters right now are bulging and the jump from collegiate ball to the professional level is a big one. Second- and third-round draft picks are already a long shot to make rosters and some first-round picks might not make it either.

The league needs expansion first for the growing talent coming up into the professional ranks. We'd all love to see Bueckers or Boston in the WNBA sooner than later. But without more teams, it doesn't make sense for the game if they were to jump now. That might change by the time the CBA is set to expire, and their collegiate feats might force a change for generational talents. For now, there are other changes to accomplish first.

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Why Paige Bueckers and Aliyah Boston won't be drafted until the 2023 WNBA draft - Yahoo Sports

For beginners, it can seem like a good idea (and an exciting prospect) to buy a company that tells a good story to investors, even if it completely lacks a track record of revenue and profit. But as Warren Buffett has mused, 'If you've been playing poker for half an hour and you still don't know who the patsy is, you're the patsy.' When they buy such story stocks, investors are all too often the patsy.

In contrast to all that, I prefer to spend time on companies like Xcel Energy (NASDAQ:XEL), which has not only revenues, but also profits. Even if the shares are fully valued today, most capitalists would recognize its profits as the demonstration of steady value generation. Conversely, a loss-making company is yet to prove itself with profit, and eventually the sweet milk of external capital may run sour.

Check out our latest analysis for Xcel Energy

As one of my mentors once told me, share price follows earnings per share (EPS). That means EPS growth is considered a real positive by most successful long-term investors. Xcel Energy managed to grow EPS by 5.9% per year, over three years. While that sort of growth rate isn't amazing, it does show the business is growing.

I like to see top-line growth as an indication that growth is sustainable, and I look for a high earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margin to point to a competitive moat (though some companies with low margins also have moats). On the one hand, Xcel Energy's EBIT margins fell over the last year, but on the other hand, revenue grew. So if EBIT margins can stabilize, this top-line growth should pay off for shareholders.

The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. For finer detail, click on the image.

earnings-and-revenue-history

Fortunately, we've got access to analyst forecasts of Xcel Energy's future profits. You can do your own forecasts without looking, or you can take a peek at what the professionals are predicting.

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Since Xcel Energy has a market capitalization of US$41b, we wouldn't expect insiders to hold a large percentage of shares. But we do take comfort from the fact that they are investors in the company. To be specific, they have US$47m worth of shares. That's a lot of money, and no small incentive to work hard. Even though that's only about 0.1% of the company, it's enough money to indicate alignment between the leaders of the business and ordinary shareholders.

It means a lot to see insiders invested in the business, but I find myself wondering if remuneration policies are shareholder friendly. A brief analysis of the CEO compensation suggests they are. For companies with market capitalizations over US$8.0b, like Xcel Energy, the median CEO pay is around US$12m.

The Xcel Energy CEO received total compensation of just US$4.1m in the year to . That's clearly well below average, so at a glance, that arrangement seems generous to shareholders, and points to a modest remuneration culture. CEO remuneration levels are not the most important metric for investors, but when the pay is modest, that does support enhanced alignment between the CEO and the ordinary shareholders. I'd also argue reasonable pay levels attest to good decision making more generally.

One positive for Xcel Energy is that it is growing EPS. That's nice to see. The fact that EPS is growing is a genuine positive for Xcel Energy, but the pretty picture gets better than that. With a meaningful level of insider ownership, and reasonable CEO pay, a reasonable mind might conclude that this is one stock worth watching. We should say that we've discovered 2 warning signs for Xcel Energy (1 doesn't sit too well with us!) that you should be aware of before investing here.

Of course, you can do well (sometimes) buying stocks that are not growing earnings and do not have insiders buying shares. But as a growth investor I always like to check out companies that do have those features. You can access a free list of them here.

Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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I Built A List Of Growing Companies And Xcel Energy (NASDAQ:XEL) Made The Cut - Yahoo Finance

Is the COVID pandemic still an emergency?

If youre a student-loan borrower, the answer is yes. President Biden this week extended the COVID-era moratorium on student-debt repayment until Aug. 31, and since thats just a couple of months before the 2022 midterm elections, Biden will almost certainly extend it again. Debt payments may not resume until 2023.

But the migration emergency is over. On April 1, the Centers for Disease Control said it was time to end a controversial policy President Trump first imposed in 2020, known as Title 42 deportations. That comes from a law that allows the U.S. government to block migrants from entering the country for public health reasons. The Trump administration used the law to expel 400,000 migrants, and Biden has expelled another 1.2 million. The policy is now due to end on May 23, with most migrants once again going through the usual process of applying for entry.

Political pressure dominates both issues. Some liberal Democrats are pressuring Biden to use executive action to cancel up to $50,000 per borrower in student debt, with Biden resisting. He supports cancelation of up to $10,000 in debt, but wants Congress to do it through legislation. Democrats dont have the votes for that, so extending the moratorium is a kind of consolation prize for borrowers who hoped Biden and his fellow Democrats would ease student-debt burdens when they took power in Washington last year.

Many of the same liberal Democrats have been urging Biden to end Trumps migration blockade, arguing that it amounts to discrimination against oppressed people with legitimate asylum claims. But some Democrats and most Republicans want to keep Title 42 in place, whether as ongoing protection against COVID or just as a tool to limit inbound migration. Three states have filed a lawsuit trying to block the Biden change, and its possible Republicans and some Democrats in Congress could join forces to keep Title 42 in place through legislation.

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Whats missing is any coherent rationale for determining when the COVID emergency is formally over and the nation should revert to normal policies. Officially, the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines when a public health emergency is in effect, at 90-day intervals. The last such finding came on Jan. 16, with another renewal likely in late April. The emergency has been in effect continually since Jan. 27, 2020, giving the government authority to enact a variety of extraordinary measures.

[Follow Rick Newman on Twitter, sign up for his newsletter or send in your thoughts.]

In a practical sense, however, theres no longer an emergency in most parts of the economy. The labor market is surging and the unemployment rate has fallen to 3.6%, just one-tenth of a point higher than it was before the COVID pandemic erupted in 2020. Real GDP is well above pre-pandemic levels, even when adjusting for inflation. There are problems, such as 7.9% inflation. But consumers keep spending and growth looks solid for the rest of the year.

After Biden extended the student-loan repayment pause, Moodys Analytics argued the extension was unjustified.

The economics do not support a continuation of this policy that began in the teeth of the pandemic recession, economist Bernard Yaros wrote on April 7.

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) before receiving a second COVID-19 booster vaccination in the Eisenhower Executive Office Buildings South Court Auditorium at the White House in Washington, U.S., March 30, 2022. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

He points out that the unemployment rate for workers with a college degree is an extremely low 2%, with others more in need of ongoing relief. The payment pause costs the government about $4 billion per month in foregone revenue, or $48 billion per year. Thats a sizable subsidy going to a relatively high-income slice of Americans.

Biden is obviously invoking emergency powers on a selective basis, to promote policies he thinks will best suit his political needs. Republicans are no better. Many of the conservative voices howling about the end of Title 42 are the same ones who fought against lockdowns, mask mandates and other efforts to limit the spread of COVID. Emergencies are in the eye of the beholder, no matter which party you belong to.

More of this confusion is coming. The federal rule requiring masks on planes and in airports is due to expire on April 18, but the government could renew it, with predictable arguments for and against masks likely to heat up. The surge in the Omicron COVID variant may abate as warmer weather arrives, and many states and cities have relaxed masking rules and other requirements. But another surge is always possible, perhaps next fall or winter when many Americans head back indoors.

There was never likely to be a clean ending to the COVID pandemic, since the virus will circulate indefinitely and vaccine effectiveness could wane. But politicians are making the ending, if there is one, about as muddy as possible. Americans should decide for themselves when the emergency is over, if they want any clarity at all.

Rick Newman is the author of four books, including "Rebounders: How Winners Pivot from Setback to Success. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman. You can also send confidential tips.

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This week in Bidenomics: A tale of two emergencies - Yahoo Finance

Get ready to download another app if you want to watch every game your MLB team plays this season.

NBC's Peacock streaming service announced its full slate of exclusive games on Wednesday, a lineup of early Sunday games played primarily on the East Coast. The first game to get the treatment will be a Chicago White Sox-Boston Red Sox game on May 8, with NBC also airing the game.

Peacock will also be the exclusive home of the MLB Futures Game, an event that features top prospects from every team played during All-Star Week, which is at Los Angeles' Dodger Stadium this year.

If all this sounds familiar, it's because Peacock is only the second streaming service to announce a foray into the already crowded world of MLB broadcasting. Apple TV+ announced earlier this month it had acquired its own exclusive slate of Friday night games, starting with this week's New York Mets-Washington Nationals game.

That game will feature the much anticipated return of Max Scherzer to D.C. (assuming he's healthy), and will only be watchable via Apple's streaming service. Fortunately, Apple TV+ games won't require a paid subscription, but only for a limited time.

It is unclear if a paid Peacock subscription is required to watch the games (Peacock has a very limited free tier of accounts), though some cable subscribers (Xfinity, Cox and Spectrum) can get a free premium account.

All of that is in addition to what already existed for MLB viewers. Fans wanting to watch the local teams generally need a cable subscription to watch their team's primary network as well as games on ESPN and TBS, while out-of-market fans need to shell out for MLB.tv in addition to cable for those latter games. There are also games on Fox, which are available to anyone with an antenna.

Oh, and if you're a New York Yankees fan in New York, you're also going to need an Amazon Prime subscription. What a fun time to be a baseball fan.

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Oh good, another streaming service is getting exclusive MLB games - Yahoo Sports

LeBron James will miss the Los Angeles Lakers' final two games of the season due to an ankle injury. The team re-evaluated James' injury and determined it best he sit for the rest of the season.

James sustained the injury March 27. He missed two games before returning to play against the New Orleans Pelicans on April 1 when the Lakers were still in contention for the play-in tournament. The Lakers lost that game, pushing the postseason further out of view.

James then missed the next three games due to the injury. During that time, the Lakers were officially eliminated from the postseason.

James is expected to make a full recovery from the ankle sprain.

LeBron James will miss the Lakers' final two games. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

It was a disappointing season for the Lakers overall, but James turned in a strong performance. James, 37, averaged 30.3 points per game, the second-highest rate of his career.

James had a shot at winning the scoring title, but will not play enough games to qualify for the title. Players need to play 58 games to qualify for end-of-season awards. James played in 56 games.

In a historically close race, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (30.42 ppg) and Milwaukee Bucks big Giannis Antetokounmpo (29.88) were vying with James for the scoring title.

James' performance wasn't enough to lift the Lakers most nights. It didn't help that Anthony Davis missed time due to injuries and Russell Westbrook had a down year.

With the Lakers missing the playoffs, James will have to figure out how to lead the team back to prominence next season. Davis, James and Westbrook are all under contract for at least one more season, but the Lakers will likely need to make wholesale changes in the offseason in order to contend in James' 20th NBA season.

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Lakers say LeBron James will miss rest of the season due to ankle injury - Yahoo Sports

Meet Jon Friedman, the founder of Freight Farms, a company making farming possible anywhere in the world.

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When it comes to farming, only certain crops can develop in certain climates. With modern advances in refrigeration and transportation, many places have been able to get around this. Much of the food we get in our supermarket is only accessible to us because it was carefully refrigerated and transported from where it was created.

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However, communities across the world cant always access certain crops. Freight Farms makes it possible by using shipping containers to create vertical farms that can hold up anywhere.

We use a shipping container to create a turnkey growing facility that can ship anywhere in the world and grow exactly the same in any climate, Friedman told In The Know.

The company also provides training, tools and resources to those seeking to operate one of its farms. Freight Farms flagship product is the Greenery S.

It is a 40-foot shipping container completely customized to growing precision levels of hydroponic vegetables, Friedman said. So, you can put one of these in any environment in the world, and it will grow 365 days a year, over a thousand heads of lettuce a week. It actually does over 500 different crops.

The Greenery S can produce pumpkins, watermelons, peppers, flowers, tomatoes and much more. What makes the Greenery S so innovative is that you dont need access to a large landmass or even water.

Were wicking water from the air and bringing that and filtering it back into the tank. Really, Greenery S is a way to democratize access to farming, he said.

The shipping container creates an instant, controlled environment at a far more affordable cost than a greenhouse or warehouse. Its simplicity allows just about anyone who wants to farm to use the Greenery S because science and engineering skills arent necessary to operate it.

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This can go a long way in addressing things like food scarcity caused by damage to the environment.

The need for alternative farming solutions is really driven by terrible land depletion, water resource scarcity, the risk in our supply chain centralized production and distribution doesnt really support all the people in the world and all the places that need access to it, Friedman said.

With the Greenery S, we tied that into renewable power distribution, so this is really the most sustainable way you can grow. And we need to make that change as a global population.

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The post Freight Farms uses shipping containers to grow crops anywhere in the world appeared first on In The Know.

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Freight Farms uses shipping containers to grow crops anywhere in the world - Yahoo Sports

SmartAsset: Is It Better to Take RMD Monthly or Annually

After a certain age, you must begin to take minimum withdrawals from your tax-advantaged retirement accounts. The exact amount of this required minimum distribution or RMD is determined by a number of factors, including your age and the amount you have saved up.

The IRS requires you to report this distribution on your annual taxes, so it has to happen by the end of each calendar year. Beyond that, though, you can structure this withdrawal based on your own financial interests. Most retirees collect their required minimum distributions either annually, quarterly or monthly. So long as you withdraw the minimum required amount by Dec. 31, the tax implications are unchanged.

Let's consider your options.

A financial expert could help you create a financial plan for your retirement needs and goals.

What Is the Required Minimum Distribution?

A required minimum distribution is the amount of money you must withdraw each year from a tax-advantaged retirement account. You can take out more than your RMD, but you must withdraw at least this much each year. The amount of your required minimum distribution is determined by your age and savings, and taxpayers can calculate it each year using the IRS' Uniform Lifetime Table.

For anyone who turned 70 on or after July 1, 2019, required minimum distributions begin at age 72. For all retirees who turned 70 before July 1, 2019, required minimum distributions begin at age 70 and six months.

The purpose of a required minimum distribution is so that the IRS can eventually collect the taxes that it deferred when you made contributions to your various retirement accounts. It applies to accounts such as 401(k)s, IRAs and almost any other form of retirement account on which you don't pay taxes. The only significant exceptions are Roth IRAs and other similarly situated accounts.

You must calculate a required minimum distribution for each retirement account in your name. This means that if you have three different qualifying retirement accounts, you must calculate the required minimum distribution for all three accounts. If you fail to withdraw (and pay taxes) on a required minimum distribution, you can be taxed at up to 50% of the required amount. (For example, if you were required to withdraw at least $10,000 and did not do so, you can face a tax bill of up to $5,000.)

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You can use an RMD, however, you see fit; the government just wants to make sure you eventually pay taxes on this money. The only restriction is that you cannot reinvest it in a tax-advantaged retirement account other than, in some cases, a Roth IRA.

Annual Withdrawals

SmartAsset: Is It Better to Take RMD Monthly or Annually

An annual withdrawal plan means that you calculate and withdraw your required minimum distribution in one lump sum each year. This is a perfectly acceptable approach to accounting, since your required minimum distribution is set by a pre-determined formula. You calculate it based on the value of your retirement accounts as of Dec. 31 the year before and using the Uniform Lifetime Table that the IRS releases for each year's tax filings.

So, for example, to calculate your required minimum distribution in 2022, you would use the value of your retirement accounts as of Dec. 31, 2021 and the Uniform Lifetime Table applicable to 2022.

Most taxpayers who choose to make annual withdrawals do so either at the beginning or at the end of each tax year. This is a matter of personal accounting since you can withdraw this money at any time. The one exception is that in the first year that you qualify for a required minimum distribution, you must begin making these withdrawals by April 1. For all years afterward the IRS has no deadline other than end of year.

Whenever you choose to withdraw your minimum distributions, there are pros and cons to the annual approach. The benefits to annual withdrawals can include:

Immediate resolution of your tax obligations. By withdrawing all of your required minimum distribution at once, at the start of the year, you get your tax obligation over with. You don't have to worry about forgetting or otherwise making a mistake during the rest of the year.

Reinvestment opportunities. If you have other strong investments, you can take your minimum distribution and invest it in those opportunities earlier, with more time for growth.

Potentially better growth. Since this is a tax advantaged account, the sooner you withdraw this money the sooner you pay taxes on it. By contrast, the longer you leave it alone the longer it can grow tax-free. Withdrawing it all at the end of the year can mean more growth in your retirement account over the long run. This is the biggest advantage to making annual withdrawals.

However, there are some downsides to annual withdrawals too. Those can include:

Potentially higher estimated taxes. If you pay taxes quarterly, for example if you own a business or generate self-employment income, you can significantly increase your estimated taxes by taking an early minimum distribution.

Cash flow disruption. Some people need the structure of a regular income for their financial planning purposes, which a lump sum withdrawal can disrupt.

Potentially forgetting. If you wait until the end of the year to make your minimum distribution, there's a chance you'll forget to do so altogether.

Risk of spending the tax money. When you withdraw money from your retirement account, you must pay taxes on the profits that account has accrued. If you take your RMD early in the year, there's a risk that you will spend the portion of that money that you will later need to pay taxes. (This depends on how you structure your account, as some retirement accounts will automatically withhold taxes on your behalf.)

Monthly/Quarterly Withdrawals

SmartAsset: Is It Better to Take RMD Monthly or Annually

The other common approach to required minimum distributions is for retirees to take this money either every month or every quarter. As with annual distributions, there is no best way to handle this money. Some retirees prefer taking a lump sum distribution each year. Others prefer a series of smaller monthly withdrawals. It's all up to you.

Readers should note that even this is not the only option. You can make distributions as frequently as your portfolio will allow transfers. However, monthly is the most frequent common approach.

The benefits to a monthly or quarterly approach can include:

Cash flow management. Making monthly withdrawals allows you to treat this as a regular income. Many retirees prefer this style of cash flow over a lump sum format, as it helps with personal finance and budgeting. This is often the biggest advantage to making monthly or quarterly withdrawals.

Estimated taxes. As noted in our section on annual withdrawals, if you pay quarterly taxes based on other income, having your required minimum distribution arrive in regular segments can make these estimated taxes easier.

Tax payments. If you make monthly withdrawals, it's often easier to have your portfolio manager automatically deduct any applicable income taxes so that you don't have to worry about setting the money aside.

Some potential downsides to a monthly or quarterly approach can include:

Reduced growth. The longer you leave your money in place, the more it can grow. If you take your withdrawals over the course of the year, your portfolio will lose some opportunities growth based on reduced capital.

Potential for miscalculation. While less of a concern if you work with a professional, if you withdraw your money in stages (rather than one lump sum) there's more chance that you'll miscalculate or otherwise make a mistake in your minimum withdrawal.

Ultimately, this comes down to the choice that's best for your finances. In most cases we can recommend framing the issue this way: Your money has the most potential for growth if you take your entire minimum distribution at the end of each calendar year. However, personal budgeting may be easiest if you take your minimum distribution in 12 monthly portions.

If you do take your minimum distribution at the end of the calendar year, make sure you set up an automatic withdrawal. Even professional brokers can get distracted around Christmas and New Year's, and you don't want to discover that your sell order got held up by the holidays.

Bottom Line

You can take your required minimum distribution at any point, so long as it happens before the end of the year. Most retirees either take their money in one lump sum at the end of the year, to give it the most time to grow tax-free. Others withdraw their money each month, to give themselves a regular stream of income.

Tips for Retirement Planning

According to the Federal Reserve, 60% of those with self-directed retirement accounts are not confident about their investment decisions. If you're one of them, why not hire a financial advisor? SmartAsset's free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you're ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.

Getting the RMD right is extremely important. The tax implications for this are huge, with potential liability up to 50% of the entire amount. So make sure you know how to calculate your required minimum distribution.

Photo credit: iStock.com/fstop123, iStock.com/PeopleImages iStock.com/PeopleImages

The post Is It Better to Take RMD Monthly or Annually appeared first on SmartAsset Blog.

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Is It Better to Take RMD Monthly or Annually? - Yahoo Finance

We're still five months away from the start of the NFL season, but it's not too early to look forward to next year. Exploiting the futures market during the offseason allows bettors the opportunity to try and beat the market and get the best of numbers before the rest of the world starts paying attention in late summer.

Aaron Rodgers has won back-to-back NFL MVP awards, and he's a co-favorite alongside Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen to win the award again in 2022. However, there's another quarterback a little further down the list who might be worthy of an investment.

In his rookie season, Justin Herbert rewrote the rookie quarterback record books. He finished 2020 as the all-time rookie leader in passing touchdowns, total touchdowns and completions. He also had the most games with 300-plus passing yards and 3-plus touchdown passes of any rookie ever in a single season. He won the offensive rookie of the year award in a year where Justin Jefferson also shattered records.

In his second year, Herbert eclipsed 5,000 passing yards. He finished second in the league in passing yards and third in passing touchdowns.

No quarterback has ever had a better first two seasons in the league. His 9,350 passing yards, 69 passing touchdowns, 839 completions and 17 games with 300-plus passing yards are all records for a signal caller during their first two seasons. Not even Patrick Mahomes had a better first two years.

Is Justin Herbert a good bet to win NFL MVP in 2022? (Chris Unger/Getty Images)

Herbert also passes the eye-test. His 6-foot-6, 240 pound size gives him more than ideal measurables for an NFL quarterback. He's also mobile, as shown by his 536 rushing yards and 8 rushing touchdowns over his first two seasons. There's not a throw on the field he can't make and he has a bazooka attached to his right shoulder. It was easy to see right from the beginning that Herbert had the goods.

Young quarterbacks usually continue to get better over the first few years of their career. They learn the league and different coverages and situations they need to deal with. They physically mature as well. They learn what works and what doesn't work. Herbert was already one of the top quarterbacks in football over his first two years, so if he continues to improve, an MVP award certainly isn't out of the question. Herbert is currently 14-to-1 to win the award in 2022.

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While Herbert has been tremendous in his first two seasons, that hasn't exactly resulted in wins for the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers have gone 16-17 over the last two seasons, missing the playoffs in both years.

Obviously, very little of that blame actually goes to Herbert. If you remember, the Chargers and Raiders played a win-and-in game in Week 18 of this past season. In that game, Herbert erased a 15-point Chargers' deficit in the final five minutes in order to force overtime. Over those two drives, Herbert picked up many key conversions on third and fourth down. The first touchdown was on a 4th-and-21 play while the second touchdown was on the final play of the game.

However, things are expected to improve in Los Angeles this season. Their preseason win total is set at 10.5 wins. The oddsmakers also have them as -150 favorites to make the playoffs in the loaded AFC. The team added Khalil Mack, J.C. Jackson and Sebastian Joseph-Day this offseason to bolster their defense. They have the 17th overall pick in the upcoming draft to bolster their roster even further.

On offense, the Chargers have elite weapons in Keenan Allen, Austin Ekeler and Mike Williams. Josh Palmer showed flashes in his rookie season. The team also signed Gerald Everett, a good pass-catching tight end. Los Angeles had a top-10 offensive line in 2021, according to PFF.

Herbert was already a top quarterback last year in most categories. If the Chargers improve on the field and win more games, that will only help the narrative around Herbert. A young, already top-level quarterback in a big market on a team that's expected to be much improved is not a bad bet for MVP.

A quarterback has won MVP in nine straight seasons and 14 of the last 15 years. Therefore, it should be no surprise that the eight players with the best MVP odds for 2022 are quarterbacks. Here's the rest of the current MVP leaderboard at BetMGM:

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NFL betting: Can Justin Herbert take another step and push for the MVP in 2022? - Yahoo Sports

Yahoo will be an official partner of Toyota Racing Development in a multi-year agreement that will include primary schemes with the Toyota-backed teams of Joe Gibbs Racing, Kyle Busch Motorsports, Venturini Motorsports and Keith Kunz Motorsports.

The partnership debuts with Christopher Bells No. 20 carrying Yahoo on its car this weekend at Martinsville Speedway. Yahoo also will be the primary sponsor on Bells car for the Coca-Cola 600, Southern 500, Road America and the Bristol Night Race. Yahoo will be the primary sponsor on Kyle Buschs truck at Sonoma Raceway.

Yahoo also will support the Toyota Driver Development program and drivers John Hunter Nemechek, Jesse Love and Kaylee Bryson. Nemechek will be backed by Yahoo in Truck races at Pocono and Indianapolis Raceway Park. Love will have Yahoo on his car in five ARCA events for Venturini Motorsports. Bryson will have Yahoo on her midget car for 18 events.

At Yahoo, we connect people to their passions with the content and experiences that fuel their day, said Ivn Markman, Chief Business Officer at Yahoo, in a statement. Were excited to work with TRD this year, and look forward to seeing the Yahoo brand at high speed.

Yahoo is an iconic brand, and we are thrilled to align TRD with them, said Jack Irving, group manager, commercial, TRD, in a statement. Yahoo and TRD are very excited about the future of this program, and we are ready to showcase them across several of Toyotas racing disciplines this season.

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Yahoo, Toyota Racing Development announce multi-year agreement - NASCAR on NBC Sports

If you are willing to be flexible, a decent deal on an airline ticket could be had for this spring and summer.

"I know everyone is on the deal hunt. So I would suggest looking at your Tuesdays and Saturdays. If you can be flexible, there are opportunities to travel for cheap," said MKM Partners airline analyst Conor Cunningham on Yahoo Finance Live.

Higher prices for airfare are currently the norm, however.

Domestic airlines are seen increasing fares by 7% on average each month until June, according to the latest Consumer Airline Index Report from Hopper. Round-trip airfare is seen reaching a peak of $315 on average, the report says.

The ticket price inflation reflects several factors.

First, jet fuel prices have gone through the roof as the West has slapped energy-rich Russia with sanctions for its war on Ukraine. Meantime, airlines are seeing a crush of demand as the world recovers from the pandemic.

Passengers line up at John F. Kennedy International Airport after airlines announced numerous flights were canceled during the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant on Christmas Eve in Queens, New York City, U.S., December 24, 2021. REUTERS/Dieu-Nalio Chery REFILE - QUALITY REPEAT

In turn that has pushed up costs for airlines from everything to labor overtime to the aforementioned fuel.

"Ticket prices are strong now. Probably not really related to oil demand is so strong, we have full planes. I think our fares are as good as they have been for us. We are talking about prices 4% or 5% higher than they were in 2019," said Alaska Airlines CFO Shane Tackett on Yahoo Finance Live.

Airfare could be headed even higher should JetBlue buy Spirit Airlines, pros suggest.

MKM's Cunningham says consumers should be patient, the airlines need the money.

"There are deals to be had if you are willing to be flexible. The airlines want to get back to 2019 levels. They are struggling," Cunningham added.

Brian Sozzi is an editor-at-large and anchor at Yahoo Finance. Follow Sozzi on Twitter @BrianSozzi and on LinkedIn.

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Here is a red-hot tip on how to save big money on airfare - Yahoo Finance