Making money: What the experts say

Friending Facebook’s friends

Why wait months for Facebook to start selling its stock when you can invest now in companies bound to benefit from the biggest tech IPO ever? asked John Melloy in CNBC​.com. Shares of online-game maker Zynga, a major source of Facebook’s revenue, have rallied after a disappointing debut in December, but are still a good buy. Investors are already snapping up “global social-network players” like China-based Renren, which is up 50 percent since Jan. 1. And there’s Netflix. The DVD and streaming movie service has an app that lets people share and comment on the shows they’re watching, but it’s only available abroad because of a U.S. privacy law dating to the 1980s. The House of Representatives has already voted to amend the rule, and if the Senate follows suit, “it would immediately make Netflix a top-10 application on Facebook in this country,” says Jon Najarian of TradeMonster.com.

An easier route to annuities

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Your nest egg options may soon expand, said Margaret Collins in Bloomberg.com. More and more retirees are outliving their savings, so the Treasury Department has proposed regulations that would make it easier for people to buy annuities, which guarantee a lifetime stream of income. The proposed rules would let retirees allocate some or all of their pension plan assets into annuities, and would encourage 401(k) plans to offer so-called “longevity annuities,” which may not start paying until age 80 or 85. The government will also require 401(k) providers to reveal their administration costs to employers by July 1. It’s hoped the disclosures will encourage employers to “shop for better deals,” which could lower plan costs and keep more money in your account.

Finding value in tweets

Want to know if a company is a good investment? Follow it on Twitter, said Chris Barth in Forbes.com. A positive profile there is vital for any firm that depends on good customer relations for growth. Social media has revolutionized how companies and customers interact, so how a company responds to online questions and complaints can be a good indication of future success. Having a great social-media strategy is “part of what makes your business more robust,” says Zack Urlocker of software maker Zendesk. “There are many companies who have made their reputation on that kind of great service.”