Introduction
The Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) has announced a delay in the Protocol 20 upgrade of the Stellar blockchain network. Originally scheduled for January 30, the upgrade has been put on hold due to the discovery of a bug that could impact Soroban smart contract transactions.
Discovery of the Bug
The bug was identified on January 25 and affects fee-bumped Soroban transactions. This bug could potentially lead to incorrect handling of refunds. Soroban, a smart contract platform on Stellar, went live on a testnet in October 2022.
Commitment to Collaboration
In a blog post dated January 27, the SDF expressed its commitment to ensuring the network's readiness for the upgrade. However, the foundation also emphasized the importance of consensus within the ecosystem. The decision to delay the upgrade was made collaboratively, as the SDF acknowledges that they are not an ecosystem of one.
Phased Rollout of Protocol 20
According to Tyler van der Hoeven, a core developer of Stellar, Protocol 20 will be a phased rollout. Although the timeline for full implementation of Soroban smart contracts remains unspecified, the SDF is actively working on resolving the bug.
Decision-Making Process
The SDF has disarmed its validators in light of the bug to prevent them from voting for the upgrade. The foundation clarified that the decision to upgrade rests with the entire network of validators, not solely with the SDF. As of December 2023, there were 43 validator nodes according to Stellarbeat.io.
Fix for the Bug
The SDF assured the community that a fix for the bug is currently underway. It is expected to be available within two weeks. In the event of a postponement, the foundation will coordinate with validators to determine a new date for the Protocol 20 vote.
Stay Informed
The Stellar community and developers are encouraged to stay informed through the Stellar Dev Discord and developer mailing lists. The SDF emphasized the importance of cooperation and consensus for the success of the upgrade, stating that they are grateful for the ecosystem's willingness to engage in important conversations.
Conclusion
With the delay of the Protocol 20 upgrade, Stellar is taking the necessary steps to ensure a smooth and bug-free transition. The addition of Soroban smart contracts is expected to enhance the capabilities of the blockchain, making it an attractive platform for smart contract developers. Share your thoughts and opinions about Stellar's potential as a popular place for smart contract development in the comments section below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is entitled to the gold in a IRA that holds gold?
The IRS considers any individual who holds gold “a form of income” that is subject to taxation.
You must have at least $10,000 in gold and keep it for at most five years to qualify for this tax-free status.
While gold may be a great investment to help prevent inflation and volatility in the market, it's not wise to keep it if you won't use it.
If you are planning to sell your gold someday, it is necessary that you report its value. This can affect the capital gains taxes that you owe when cashing in on investments.
A financial planner or accountant should be consulted to discuss your options.
What are the pros & con's of a golden IRA?
An Individual Retirement Account (IRA), unlike regular savings accounts, doesn't require you to pay tax on interest earned. An IRA is a good choice for those who want a way to save some money but don’t want the tax. This type of investment has its downsides.
To give an example, if your IRA is withdrawn too often, you can lose all your accumulated funds. You may also be prohibited by the IRS from making withdrawals from an IRA after you turn 59 1/2. If you do withdraw funds, you'll need to pay a penalty.
Another disadvantage is that you must pay fees to manage your IRA. Many banks charge between 0.5%-2.0% per year. Other providers charge monthly management costs ranging from $10-50.
Insurance is necessary if you wish to keep your money safe from the banks. Most insurers require you to own a minimum amount of gold before making a claim. You may be required by some insurers to purchase insurance that covers losses as high as $500,000.
If you decide to open a gold IRA, it is important to know how much you can use. Some providers restrict the amount you can own in gold. Others allow you the freedom to choose your own weight.
You'll also need to decide whether to buy physical gold or futures contracts. Gold futures contracts are more expensive than physical gold. Futures contracts provide flexibility for purchasing gold. They enable you to establish a contract with an expiration date.
You'll also need to decide what kind of insurance coverage you want. The standard policy does not include theft protection or loss caused by fire, flood, earthquake. It does include coverage for damage due to natural disasters. If you live in a high-risk area, you may want to add additional coverage.
You should also consider the cost of storage for your gold. Storage costs are not covered by insurance. In addition, most banks charge around $25-$40 per month for safekeeping.
A qualified custodian is required to help you open a Gold IRA. A custodian maintains track of all your investments and ensures you are in compliance with federal regulations. Custodians are not allowed to sell your assets. They must instead keep them for as long as you ask.
Once you've decided which type of IRA best suits your needs, you'll need to fill out paperwork specifying your goals. Your plan should include information about the investments you want to make, such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, or real estate. Also, you should specify how much each month you plan to invest.
You will need to fill out the forms and send them to your chosen provider together with a check for small deposits. After receiving your application, the company will review it and mail you a confirmation letter.
Consider consulting a financial advisor when opening a golden IRA. Financial planners are experts at investing and can help you determine which type of IRA is best for you. They can help you find cheaper insurance options to lower your costs.
How much money should my Roth IRA be funded?
Roth IRAs allow you to deposit your money tax-free. You cannot withdraw funds from these accounts until you reach 59 1/2. There are some rules that you need to keep in mind if you want to withdraw funds from these accounts before you reach 59 1/2. First, your principal (the deposit amount originally made) is not transferable. No matter how much money you contribute, you cannot take out more than was originally deposited to the account. If you decide to withdraw more money than what you contributed initially, you will need to pay taxes.
The second rule states that income taxes must be paid before you can withdraw earnings. You will pay income taxes when you withdraw your earnings. Let's assume that you contribute $5,000 each year to your Roth IRA. Let's also assume that you make $10,000 per year from your Roth IRA contributions. The federal income tax on your earnings would amount to $3,500. So you would only have $6,500 left. Because you can only withdraw what you have initially contributed, this is all you can take out.
Therefore, even if you take $4,000 out of your earnings you still owe taxes on $1,500. In addition, 50% of your earnings will be subject to tax again (half of 40%). So, even though you ended up with $7,000 in your Roth IRA, you only got back $4,000.
There are two types: Roth IRAs that are traditional and Roth. Traditional IRAs allow pre-tax contributions to be deducted from your taxable tax income. Your traditional IRA allows you to withdraw your entire contribution plus any interest. A traditional IRA can be withdrawn up to the maximum amount allowed.
Roth IRAs don't allow you deduct contributions. Once you are retired, however, you may withdraw all of your contributions plus accrued interest. Unlike a traditional IRA, there is no minimum withdrawal requirement. You don't need to wait until your 70 1/2 year old age before you can withdraw your contribution.
Which precious metals are best to invest in retirement?
Gold and silver are the best precious metal investments. They are both easy to trade and have been around for years. If you want to diversify your portfolio, you should consider adding them to your list.
Gold: This is the oldest form of currency that man has ever known. It's stable and safe. It's a great way to protect wealth in times of uncertainty.
Silver: Silver has been a favorite among investors for years. It's a good choice for those who want to avoid volatility. Unlike gold, silver tends to go up instead of down.
Platinum: This precious metal is also becoming more popular. It's resistant to corrosion and durable, similar to gold and silver. It is, however, more expensive than its competitors.
Rhodium: Rhodium is used in catalytic converters. It is also used for jewelry making. It is relatively affordable when compared to other types.
Palladium – Palladium is an alternative to platinum that's more common but less scarce. It's also more accessible. Investors looking to add precious and rare metals to their portfolios love it for these reasons.
How much do gold IRA fees cost?
An Individual Retirement Account (IRA) fee is $6 per month. This fee includes account maintenance fees as well as any investment costs related to your selected investments.
Diversifying your portfolio may require you to pay additional fees. The type of IRA you choose will determine the fees. For example, some companies offer free checking accounts but charge monthly fees for IRA accounts.
Most providers also charge annual management costs. These fees are usually between 0% and 1%. The average rate is.25% each year. These rates are usually waived if you use a broker such as TD Ameritrade.
Is gold a good IRA investment?
Anyone who is looking to save money can make gold an excellent investment. You can diversify your portfolio with gold. But gold has more to it than meets the eyes.
It has been used as a currency throughout history and is still a popular method of payment. It is often called “the oldest currency in the world.”
But unlike paper currencies, which governments create, gold is mined out of the earth. This makes it highly valuable as it is hard and rare to produce.
The supply and demand for gold determine the price of gold. People tend to spend more when the economy is healthy, which means that fewer people are able to mine gold. The result is that gold's value increases.
On the flip side, when the economy slows down, people hoard cash instead of spending it. This increases the production of gold, which in turn drives down its value.
It is this reason that gold investing makes sense for businesses and individuals. You'll reap the benefits of investing in gold when the economy grows.
You'll also earn interest on your investments, which helps you grow your wealth. If gold's value falls, you don't have to lose any of your investments.
Statistics
- Indeed, several financial advisers interviewed for this article suggest you invest 5 to 15 percent of your portfolio in gold, just in case. (aarp.org)
- The price of gold jumped 131 percent from late 2007 to September 2011, when it hit a high of $1,921 an ounce, according to the World Gold Council. (aarp.org)
- Instead, the economy improved, stocks rebounded, and gold plunged, losing 28 percent of its value in 2013. (aarp.org)
- If you take distributions before hitting 59.5, you'll owe a 10% penalty on the amount withdrawn. (lendedu.com)
- Gold is considered a collectible, and profits from a sale are taxed at a maximum rate of 28 percent. (aarp.org)
External Links
bbb.org
law.cornell.edu
- 7 U.S. Code SS7 – Designation of boards for trade as contract markets
- 26 U.S. Code SS 408 – Individual retirement account
wsj.com
- Saddam Hussein's Invasion Helped Uncage a Bear In 1990 – WSJ
- Are you interested in keeping gold in your IRA at-home? It's not legal – WSJ
finance.yahoo.com
How To
The History of Gold as an Asset
Gold was a currency from ancient times until the early 20th century. It was widely accepted around the world and enjoyed its purity, divisibility and uniformity. Due to its value, it was also internationally traded. Different weights and measurements existed around the world, however, because there were not international standards to measure gold. For example in England, a pound sterling equals 24 carats. In France, a livre tournois equals 25. Carats of golden. Germany had one mark which equals 28. Carats.
The United States began issuing American coin made up 90% copper, 10% zinc and 0.942 fine-gold in the 1860s. This resulted in a decline of foreign currency demand and an increase in the price. In this period, large amounts of gold coin were minted by the United States, which caused the gold price to drop. Because the U.S. government had too much money coming into circulation, they needed to find a way to pay off some debt. They decided to sell some excess gold to Europe in order to do this.
Many European countries began accepting gold in exchange for the dollar because they did not trust it. Many European countries started to accept paper money as a substitute for gold after World War I. Since then, the price of gold has increased significantly. Even though gold's price fluctuates, it is still one of the most secure investments you could make.
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By: David Sencil
Title: Stellar Development Foundation Delays Protocol 20 Upgrade Due to Bug
Sourced From: news.bitcoin.com/stellar-development-foundation-votes-to-delay-protocol-20-upgrade-amid-bug-concerns/
Published Date: Mon, 29 Jan 2024 23:00:11 +0000
