Financial Articles
Brining Financial Services Online
(category: Financial, Word count: 630)
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The variety of financial tools and services available today has multiplied dramatically from a generation ago. On both the personal front and in the business sector there has been a dramatic increase in the number of products available, the methods by which they are delivered and the services they require.
The internet is a perfect system for laying out preliminary information in the financial services industry, where product options can get complicated fairly quickly. Businesses of all sizes that are engaged in some portion of this industry are finding that a website makes good business sense.
An enormous amount of financially related business is still done at the local level. Mortgages, auto and home loans and insurance policies are still usually secured from a local agent. The small businessman engaged in providing such products need only think about the amount of time he or she spends on the phone explaining the basics of their services to realize how much time a website could save them.
When a customer calls about auto insurance, think about the ability to refer the caller to your website to learn about the required minimum coverage, about the relationship of the vehicle's value, about the relationship of personal injury coverage to health insurance.
Think about having a website that explains the four or five home mortgage options that are available, about how they are affected by down payment, credit history and loan amount. Consider the enormous number of variables available in health insurance for both individuals and families, and envision a chart on your own website that explains how those policies work.
That's only a start on the types of benefits a website can provide to a small businessman or regional company in the financial services business. Your website can provide explanations, charts, even video clips explaining:
* Retirement planning
* Medicare insurance options
* Home loans, including specialties such as tenants-in kind
* Real estate history and trends in your area
* Auto insurance, including the effects of driving records and assigned risk
* Investments - mutual funds or annuities? Stocks or CDs?
* Estate planning
* Health insurance - a new policy, or COBRA?
These are a few examples plucked from a vast array of financial services that are out there today. Your website can become your reference library, your consulting tool, and your business partner when it comes to educating your clients. Websites provide multidimensional explanations of material in a far more effective fashion than brochures. No matter how glossy, stacks of paper that use terms only half understood are intimidating to people.
Your website can have an entire dictionary section, so that potential customers can learn terminology at their leisure, rather than ask embarrassing questions. And of course, the fewer questions they have when they pay a call on you, the less time is consumed in moving towards a potential sale.
Use the graphics capability of a website to maximize the attractive nature of your particular company. Take advantage of a personalized business website to explain why your services are better, unique, priced more reasonably, performed more thoroughly. With any complex financial product, you'll need to explain how your selection of products can meet an entire range of consumer needs. Your website can do that for you.
Financial products can be presented online just as attractively as real estate is today. For every financial product, there is a personal benefit that can be reinforced with images. For products with multiple options and complex purchasing decisions, a website provides a consumer with an invaluable tool that is available 24/7. Your potential customer won't be sitting across from you, concerned that there's been a question missed or an issue not fully understood. A website is like an office staff to a financial services professional: there's no better business for harnessing the efficiency of the new technology.
Refinancing Your Home Why You Should And Why You Would.
(category: Financial, Word count: 516)
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There are many people in today's society that have, for one reason or another, found themselves in massive financial difficulty.
The reasons for this are widespread but typically include credit card debt, loan debt, Car Loans (believe it or not), or mortgage problems.
All of these things are debt of one type or another and during our study we have found that there is a typical pattern of events surrounding the persons problems. Read on and see if this sounds familiar:
1. Person has a job, not brilliantly paid but a paying job
2. Person feels comfy so gets a loan to buy 'x' with (Car, kitchen, holiday, etc)
3. Person then either
a. Loses job
b. Acquires more loans (because they need more stuff)
4. The debt that they've acquired then starts eating away at what ever money was left at the end of the month
5. Person borrow more money to help prop up the existing debts, usually with credit card spending
6. Points 4 and 5 then get repeated until suddenly the monthly out goings are more than the incomings
And suddenly the person finds themselves in trouble because each month the debt gets bigger and bigger.
Sound familiar?
There are probably some of you reading this thinking 'What is he talking about?', rest assured there are those reading this right now having just experienced a cold chill.
One of the options that 'Person' usually overlooks is the value of the house that they are living in, a simple mistake (because realistically who wants to gamble the roof over their head?).
There are two clear ways out for Person, he can either sell the property (in which case a series of new problems come to light - like finding somewhere else to live) or more intelligently he could refinance the property (the technical name for this is 'Refinance Home Equity' / 'Refinance Home Mortgage').
Most banks will do this for you (assuming you haven't already upset them) or you can approach a private company for a 'Home Equity Loan'.
The thing to remember about refinancing your home (whether 'Refinance Home Equity' via a bank or 'Home Equity Loan' via a loan company) you are essentially borrowing money against the value of your home, and so if you default on this loan (or remortgage) then you are going to be in real trouble.
To limit the potential for problems you should:
1. Find local refinance companies - they'll be more sympathetic to your situation
2. Find the best refinance loan rate or Home Equity Refinance rate
3. Clear credit card debt first - this is typically the most expensive type of loan
4. Don't refinance just to buy a car - if you're not doing well don't go OTT
5. Whether you're looking at mortgage loans or equity loans be sure to shop around - the larger banks might make an offer to stop you using the smaller refinance provider
This may seem like very simple advice to many people but for some, who have worked themselves into a rut it's handy to be reminded.
And don't forget, by intelligent use of credit and refinance you can solve your debt problems.
The ABCs Of Refinancing
(category: Financial, Word count: 556)
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Since the advent of information technology, more and more people are enticed to engage in some activities that will make their lives easier and better. This is especially true whenever people get into trouble such as debts.
What they know is that they should find some ways on how to alleviate their problems, even if it means changing from one aspect to another with the risk of getting into another trouble.
Take for example the concept of refinancing. Some people instantly opt for refinancing thinking that this is the best way to eliminate those debts. What they do not know is that refinancing could be a better alternative. However, in reality, changes may take place if the process is employed with the wrong directions.
The Concept
Refinancing, basically, refers to the way people are given the chance to request for a "secured loan" with the purpose of paying off the existing primary loan.
The main reason why many people are opting to refinance their debts is base on the fact that these people can no longer afford to pay more interests. They want to lessen, if not eliminate, the amount of interest charges.
In most cases, the most widely known kinds of refinancing are those that involve home mortgages. This is because home mortgages are usually the ones that are hard to pay off. Hence, what happens is that they continue to accumulate debts because of the growing interest charges.
So for those who have some problems on their debts and wish to reduce or eradicate interest charges, it is best to use refinancing. But you should be aware of the pitfalls behind it so as to avoid further trouble.
Here is a list of some tips that will help you construct good refinancing plans.
1. Be wary of the money involve
There are instances wherein the people are not fully aware of the amount and the classification of finances involved in refinancing.
It is extremely important to take note of this because if not, the refinancing of some amount is limited to what they can afford.
2. Do your homework
There are no better ways in learning than to learn through experience. Hence, in order to foretell the future, it would be best to conduct some researches or information regarding the interest rates to be given by the company to the people.
3. Compare charges
Before deciding on a particular refinancing scheme, it is best to analyze the situation first. And the best way to do this is to shop around and compare their features and offers.
The point here is that through comparison, the consumer can tell the edge of refinancing plan over the other.
4. Clear things out before walking out of the room.
If there is one thing that is not clear to you, try not to dismiss the fact by asking questions instantly. This is the primary step in breaking the ice and solving the problems.
5. Require pertinent documents
These documents are generally used to provide enough proof for the mortgage maker whenever they are trying to close a deal with a client. These documents are your key to success, without it, you can never access any endeavors for that matter.
The best thing about having these is that people may have the chance to live a life out of debts. As long as the proper measures are made, refinancing may be a good solution to life'sfinancial problems.
How To Safeguard Your Financial Life
(category: Financial, Word count: 511)
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How to Safeguard Your Financial Life
Several financial planners would agree that one of the
foremost and important steps that you should take to
protect your financial stability is to set aside funds
as emergency reserve. The concept that you have the
fund for emergency and unexpected events is enough to
help you stay away from using your credit card and
drown yourself in debt.
How to Get Started
Everyone must stash a little extra cash in case of
emergencies. However, how much money should you keep?
Although the topic of exactly how much money is needed
for your emergency fund is open to debate, the minimum
amount should be enough to cover your expenses for
daily living for at least three months. It is also
wiser to save for six months though most financial
planners agree on a full year worth of cash.
Your personal circumstances and what it takes to
provide you with a peace of mind are the elements to
help you determine just how cautious you want to be.
If for instance, you have well-off parents who have
always been supportive and willing to help you in a
financial crisis, an emergency fund for three months
will be sufficient. On the other hand, if you had
reach for you credit card for help and end up paying
15% in interest on the debt, you would be better off
saving enough money for your expenses that would last
for at least six months.
If by any chance you are thinking about where to place
your money, emergency fund, paying off the credit card
debt or funding your 401(k), you can always start with
your credit card debt. Next, you can contribute to
your 401(k). This step is especially useful since you
can later borrow money from your 401(k). However, as
soon as all those are finished, return to your project
of setting up your emergency fund.
If you do not feel like you are required to make your
entire funds this week, you can start like everyone
else. Begin by setting aside a monthly amount, like
for instance, 5% of your paycheck or other amount that
allows you to build one month's worth of living
expenses over the course of a full year. It is also
advisable and helpful to make this automatic. You can
do this by asking your bank to do an automatic program
for deduction from your checking account to your
savings account.
Additionally, monitor you spending habit each month
and always search for areas that you can develop. If
by any chance you receive a promotion, bonuses, or
other unexpected windfalls, always think about
including them to your emergency fund.
Where to Keep the Cash
Keep your emergency fund somewhere that is both easily
accessible and safe because you might be required to
get the cash in a hurry during emergencies. Remember
not to put your cash in the freezer but do not tie
them up together in stocks whose worth may have
declined by the time you need them.
The best option you have is to open a savings account
or money market account. However, always examine their
offer with regards to the minimum balance, interest
rate and other terms.
By time you think you have saved enough, learn how to
stop. You can now sleep easier and try to start
placing your additional saving into higher-interest
and usually less accessible investments or accounts.
Financial Security through Structured Settlements
(category: Financial, Word count: 89)
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Structured settlements have become a natural part of personal injury and worker's compensation claims in the United States, according to the National Structured Settlements Trade Association (NSSTA). In 2001, life insurance members of NSSTA wrote more than $6.05 billion of issued annuities as settlement for physical injury claims. This represents a 19 percent increase over 2000.
A structured settlement is the dispersement of money for a legal claim where all or part of the arrangement calls for future periodic payments. The money is paid in regular installments
Creative Financing Options
(category: Financial, Word count: 558)
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With today's rising prices it's all most people can do to stay afloat financially. So how does a young couple save enough money to break into the housing market? Sometimes you have to think outside of the box and come up with creative financing options. One such example is Lease-to-Own, or Rent-to-Own house purchases.
Basically, in this scenario, the landlord and the tenant come up with an agreement to purchase the house within a designated period of time (usually 3 years or less), for a specific price. An option fee of 1 to 5% of the price is credited to the purchase price and a premium is added to the rent payment to accumulate a deposit. If the buyer backs out of the purchase agreement they lose both the option fee and the rent premium.
Typical Rent-to-Own Contract Features
The rent and home price are usually established and documented based on market value plus any negotiation between the buyer and seller.
A rent-to-own contract will have an option period where the borrower can build equity while living in the home. Once the option period expires, the borrower is counting on successfully qualifying for a mortgage to purchase the home. It is imperative that the borrower has a good idea of their ability to assume a mortgage; speak to a lender before entering on a rent-to-own agreement to have your financial situation examined. You may only have to improve your credit rating, and this can be accomplished by making timely minimum payments any loans or credit cards each month.
Often a lender will want to see that an amount above the market rent price has been set aside. This ensures that the seller is not providing the borrower with a kickback by artificially inflating the selling price. Usually the bank will also request an appraisal for this reason.
If at the end of the option period, the buyer discovers problems with the home, it may be cheaper to walk away from the deal than purchase a house which may develop into a money pit.
The selling price of the home is agreed upon at the beginning of the option period. This means that after a 3 year option period if houses prices drop the borrower may request a down payment based on the new value. For instance, a 5% down payment on a $225,000 home would be $11,250. If the home drops 3% in value, or to $218,250, the 5% down payment from this would be $10,912 - bringing the maximum loan amount to 207,338. You need $225,000, now you have to make up the difference.
However, the price may indeed go up 3% in price and the seller is out the amount of the increase. It is for this reason that some contracts are drawn up with no final price quoted, just specifying the house will be sold at fair market value at the end of the option period.
There are shady sellers out there who will create a contract with an easy escape clause, such as the right to evict a tenant with only 3 days notice. It is in the buyer's best interests to have their contract reviewed by a lawyer before entering into a binding agreement. Also, pay your rent on time and do not give the seller any opportunity to renege on the agreement.
Purchase Order Financing For Resellers and Trading Companies
(category: Financial, Word count: 389)
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Are you a reseller, importer/exporter or own a trading company? Most resellers make their money by buying products from their suppliers at a favorable price, and then selling them to their customers for a markup. The business model is simple, clean, and above all, profitable. Many companies can easily pull margins of 15% to 30%. And I have even seen companies with margins that are close to 100%.
So the business model is good. But it's also challenging. Why? Well, when you buy from a supplier, they always want immediate payment or payment by letter of credit. Coupled with this is the fact that your customers always want to pay in 30 to 60 days. Many times, this payment timing discrepancy creates major problems.
When this happens, most business owners will run to the bank and try to get a business loan. But business loans are very hard to obtain. Many businesses - especially small and mid sized businesses - will fall flat on their faces when they go to a bank for financing. But there is an alternative.
There is a financing product that will provide you with the funds (or letters of credit) to pay all your suppliers. This enables you to deliver the order and make the sale. And, as opposed to a business loan, it's easy to obtain. This product is called purchase order financing.
Purchase order financing allows you to purchase products from your suppliers, using the financing company's money, and then resell them to a third party. The biggest requirement is that you have non-cancelable purchase orders from solid commercial or government customers.
Purchase order funding can be very helpful if your company is turning away orders because it lacks the financial wherewithal to deliver on them. The transaction is usually very simple. Once you have a purchase order, you call the factoring financing company. They provide you with the letters of credit (or similar instruments) to pay your suppliers. With that in hand, you go ahead and deliver on the order and invoice your client. The transaction is settled once your client pays, usually 30 to 60 days later.
Many times, purchase order funding is combined with invoice factoring (also known as receivable factoring). This allows you to lower your overall cost of financing, making the transaction more profitable for you.
Plan Your Retirement In As Easy As 1 - 2 - 3 Using Financial Planning Software
(category: Financial, Word count: 462)
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Rather than spend your hard earned money hiring a financial planner or consulting with one, there are actually countless software programs that would help you in managing your finances. These programs are efficient tools for planning and making all those important retirement calculations.
One software program is MFC, My Financial Coordinator. It literally serves this purpose. It merges all your income streams into a coherent report therefore making managing your assets so much easier to understand and manage.
This software also helps to determine which of your assets you should sell or hold based on performance. It also details all the financial activities you did for the year and helps you estimate your quarterly tax calculations. Doing so prevents you from incurring those annoying penalties from the IRS.
Other benefits the software program includes are the following:
Monitoring of stop/loss
This software helps in your decision-making on a specific asset prior to it losing its significant value because the stop/loss monitoring function works off the highest value recorded.
Quarterly Federal, State and Local Tax Estimates
The MFC software provides an easy one stop source for determining liability information and accurately reporting it thus ensuring on-time payment.
Confidentiality assured
MFC keeps you in the know as well as preventing others from knowing all your investment information. Details on your assets as well as your financial transactions are secure with you and never leave your sight. Any data transferred over the internet are mere stock symbols and never reveal any number of shares that you may have or any of your personal information.
Everything is served to you
Since assets come from various resources, the MFC software groups them all together on the system. All bonds, stocks, mutual funds, certificates of deposit, checking accounts, money market accounts, salary, income from social security, pension, annuities, proceeds from gambling, royalties, income from business and others.
Reporting of monthly income
This feature in the software enables you to see the level of your income on a monthly as well as an annual basis. This to assist you in managing all your financial as well as expense needs.
Calculations on your performing assets
Updates on your performing assets is provided to you by the MFC software program. This would help you in determining which are your non performing assets or under performers. Doing so would be of great assistance to you especially when the time comes to select which will go first when fund liquidation is called for.
You have the power and control
Absolute power in terms of your finances provides absolute control as well as flexibility as this software program enables you to indicate the Federal, State as well as any local adjustments or deductions in the computation of your gross income and liability in taxes.
Is Re-Financing Always Worthwhile Anyway?
(category: Financial, Word count: 563)
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This is a very important question which all homeowners should ask themselves both at the start and towards the end of the process of re-financing. The answer to this question can spur the homeowner to investigate re-financing further or convince the homeowner to table the thoughts of re-financing for the moment and concentrate on other aspect of owning a home.
Establish Financial Goals
This should be the first step in the process of determining whether or not re-financing is worthwhile. Without this step, a homeowner cannot accurate answer the question of the worth of re-financing because the homeowner may not fully understand his own financial goals. While financial goals may run the gamut from one extreme to another the most basic question to ask is whether the more significant goal is long term savings or increased monthly cash flow. This is important because re-financing can usually achieve these two goals.
Do You Want to Save Money in the Long Run?
Homeowners who establish a goal of saving money in the long run should consider re-financing options such as lower interest rates or shorter loan terms. Both of these options can considerably lower the amount of interest the homeowner is paying on the loan. This is significant because paying less interest will result in a greater cost savings.
Consider an example where a homeowner has an existing debt of $100,000, an interest rate of 6.25% and a loan term of 30 years. Just by reducing the loan term to 15 years the homeowner can significantly decrease the amount which is paid in interest during the course of the loan. However, this option will also result in an increase in the monthly payments made by the homeowner. Therefore this type of re-financing option may only be available to those who have enough cash flow to compensate for the increase in monthly payments.
Do You Want to Increase Your Monthly Cash Flow?
Some homeowners may have a chosen goal of increasing their monthly cash flow. For these homeowners the overall cost savings may not be as important as having more money available to them each month. These homeowners might consider a re-financing option in which they are able to extend their loan terms. This means they will be repaying the existing debt over a longer period of time. The homeowner will pay more in interest in the long run but will achieve their goal of lower monthly payments and an increased cash flow.
How Will Re-Financing Affect Tax Deductions?
This is another serious consideration for homeowners who are interested in investigating the possibility of re-financing. The interest paid on a home loan is often tax deductible. A homeowner who re-finances in a manner which results in less interest being paid annually may adversely affect their tax strategy. The implications of this type of chance can be amplified for homeowners who were previously just below a significant tax break line. A significant decrease in the amount of interest paid will mean a significant decrease in the deduction the homeowner is allowed to take. This reduced deduction can put the homeowner in an entirely different tax bracket and could end up costing the homeowner money in the long run. For this reason, homeowners who are considering re-financing should have a tax preparation professional determine the ramifications re-financing will have on their tax return before a decision is made.
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