Thousands Now Survive Financial Hardship Who Never Thought They Could with a Solo 401k !

Financial Emergency!
It is unpredictable yet it happens to all of us. Whether it\'s college tuition for your daughter, unexpected medical bills from an accident in the yard, covering the higher than expected closing costs on your new home or avoiding foreclosure or eviction because spending got out of hand; you\'re going to need money fast.

As one of the requirements for the tax exempt status of your Solo 401k, distributions of funds from your Solo 401k are limited to termination of employment, retirement, disability, death, plan termination or inservice distributions after age 59.5. Severe options for those needing a temporary cash infusion.

Your Solo 401k to the Rescue.

To cover those temporary situations, the IRS allows Solo 401k\'s to provide disbursements of salary deferral contributions for financial hardships. These financial hardships must satisfy one of the following IRS preapproved conditions:

Medical bills unreimbursed by insurance

Secondary Education for yourself, spouse or dependents

Purchase of your primary residence or

Avoid foreclosure or eviction

These hardship disbursements are not considered Solo 401k distributions with the option to be rolled over to IRAs or other qualified plans. But what happens if the solo 401k financial hardship does not meet one of these criteria? The request is denied and the consequences must be endured.

The IRS recognized that there were other significant events that could qualify as financial hardship and with IRS Regulation 2004-TD-9169, the IRS added two additional circumstances to the list of approved financial hardships.

1.Funeral Expenses and
2.Cost of Uninsured Repairs on your Primary Residence.

These two new additions bring the approved circumstances to a total of six.
The changes to the safe harbor hardship rules resulting from the IRS regulations is the second set of changes to the hardship rules since GUST. The first set of changes occurred when EGTRRA reduced the holdout period for elective deferrals from 12 to 6 months. Please note that all of the changes to the hardship rules since GUST apply only to plans that use the safe harbor criteria for hardship withdrawals.
To add these two additional situations to the financial hardship provisions of your Solo 401k requires an amendment. Such an amendment should adopt the safe harbor financial regulations by reference so that any future additions are incorporated without additional amendment.

Want to retire with $1,127,376.04? With more than two decades of operational and management experience Lawrence Groves has developed a sharp eye for how businesses get clobbered with retirement plan fees and how they can retool for a sleeker, smoother, strategically focused retirement plan. As an entrepreneur who quickly built his own successful consulting business he also empathetically helps other business owners set priorities and create the retirement programs that get results. Visit http://www.solo-k.com or http://www.womensolok.com Contact Lawrence at Lawrence@solo-k.com or call 727-277-4137.

7 Tips For Transforming Students Into Financially Responsible Adults

Yes, it is possible for your student to learn some valuable life lessons while they are away at college. Not all of them may be a possibility for your family, depending on financial ability, but it may be valuable to consider the options. Many things are possible, even though they sound out of reach.

What your student can do to learn some financial lessons:

1.Buy a house. With today's low interest rates and interest-only loans, anyone with descent credit can buy a home with no money down. Sellers can pay closing costs, usually up to 6% of the loan amount. Roommates can help to split the mortgage payment, allowing it to pay for itself. Over the four years, or so, that your student is at college, thousands of dollars will be earned in equity for them to use on the purchase of their next home. At a modest 5% annual property appreciation, a $150,000 home would be worth about $192,000 in five years, approximately the time it takes to graduate from college.

2.Open up a couple of credit cards. Good credit can be built by showing that your student knows how to manage money. By opening revolving lines of credit and paying the balances down monthly, it shows credit worthiness.

3.Open a checking account. Being able to balance a checkbook can be a difficult task for anybody. Checking accounts are also a great way to see where the money is going, and most importantly, what expenditures can be reduced, if not eliminated.

4.Pay their own tuition. Now, this doesn't have to be upfront. Loans can be taken out to pay for schooling, and almost anyone is approved. Interest and payments are deferred until usually a six month absence from school. The loans could probably be paid off with the proceeds from the sale of the home.

5.Get a job in their desired field. This mistake is made by many. Finding a job in the student's desired field may not pay the best upfront, but it will open many doors for career opportunities. A network is built and experience is gained. It's not what you know, but who you know, and this covers both.

6.Take advantage of 401k offered by employers. Many employers these days offer 401k plans to employees who work so many hours. Invest as much as possible in these plans. A couple percent may not make much difference on a paycheck, but it can make a huge difference in the growth of a fund. After five years at college, it may be possible for a student to accrue $10,000 or so.

7.Drive a beater. So many times we see students go out and buy a fancy new car that comes with a fancy new payment. Car payments can be upward of $500. Autos lose their value extremely fast and can result in negative equity faster than many other purchases. Driving a modest vehicle with a minimal or no payment will eliminate the stress of shifting funds around help to reduce other debt.

These are some simple ideas that most students are capable of handling. Lessons learned, like buying a house, will be applied countless times in a student's life, and it is better to learn them now. These teachings will help them to get ahead when they step into the workforce and family life as they look to the future.

Robb Ksiazek is a successful author and publisher for http://www.checks-4u.com. He has researched and written hundreds of articles and can simplify your online search by recommending merchants for the best value and selections in business or personal checks, address labels, rubber stamps and envelopes.

Why the Minority are Rich

Scientific Explanation of Wealth
Wealth is a very contentious subject because almost everyone has a view on it. It is an ancient question which boasts answers in almost every corner of knowledge and experience. There is the scientific explanation, the spiritual explanation, the economic explanation, the psychological explanation and the plain old weird explanation. In this article, I\'m going for the scientific explanation.

This pays no attention to who we actually are when we start out in life. It simply says that there is only a finite amount of resources in the world and the capitalist system of wealth creation functions as a hierarchy resembling a pyramid. The lower levels house the majority of people who toil day and night to support the minority levels above them.

The Pyramid Model
Consider a pyramid at the top of which sits the worlds richest man. Below him the next 100 and below them the next 400. Using a criterion of 100(n x n), where n represents the next level, we find that the people at the very bottom, some 32.5 million of them, are 570 levels below the top. If we now add the people at each level we come to 6.1 billion which is approximately the population of the world. So you see, if the pyramid is to exist we MUST have people at different levels of wealth.

Clearly it is possible to rise through the levels, as well as drop to ones below. We are all capable of going down because it is very easy. Just squander all your money, make a bad investment, give it away etc. and before you know it you are at ground level. The trick is to go up. So we inevitably ask the obvious question.

How do we go up
It\'s almost like a console game. Rising through the levels and reaching some eventual goal. I suppose if we must continue the analogy, the difficulty level we set ourselves has to be the different methods open to us and which of these we select to use. But that is for another article.

As it turns out it is perfectly possible to receive a helping hand from those above you as well as a friendly push from those around you. A combination of both will make your job easier. Examples of getting a helping hand from above are people like relatives who will lend you capital without the urgency of paying them back or even a free handout. Perhaps some kind of inheritance will help. If none of this is open to you, your job is somewhat more difficult. You need to rely on those around you who are at the same level as you and they cannot afford to give you anything substantial. So you have to create something and sell it to them as well as those above you. If you are successful, your bank balance goes up and so do you. I\'ve deliberately left out \bank borrowing\ because I believe one should avoid this method of raising capital simply because the chances are that the loan will require to be paid back before you have made enough money to pay it back.

Just thinking about it makes it obvious that if you want to go up in this world and your relatives cannot help you, not many people know you, and there is no incentive for anyone from above you to help either, you have next to no chance of ever rising above the level that you find yourself. Options like gambling and lotteries are the only possibilities left but the odds simply make these things not even worth mentioning.

The key to it is publicity. You need to do or create something, within the law, that will touch large numbers of people. It really does not matter what it is. Even if it is something as simple as helping people fill a glass of water, it can create this publicity for you or for your product. In the case of fortune through fame, you yourself are the product. I\'ll leave you to ponder this.

If you wish to read more about me or the supernatural/science-fiction novel I\'ve written, please visit my website http://www.willofdreams.com - thank you for your attention.

Angels Are They Real?

They're real, but few survive. High risk investing is dangerous to your bank balance. The process toward extinction is that an angel risks money in one venture. It fails. Then, he joins a group of angels and risks money in another venture. It fails. At this point, the angel usually hands in his or her wings.

To be an angel, you must have considerable discretionary income. This is why most angels are attorneys, accountants, medical doctors or successful small business people. Attorneys and accountants often form angel groups from their client base. Their goal is to take the ride on the roller coaster without paying for the ticket. Their clients invest in the project and they get a piece of the action. Since the action is usually bad, all they get from the effort is a reduced client base.

Angels want to invest within fifty miles of their location. This allows them to visit the office or plant of the investment on a regular basis. As the company starts to fail, the proximity card encourages the angel to try to take over the business investment. This mistake is often made by successful small business people.

I'd defer to a study on the odds of attracting an angel to your company. However, my experience suggests that an angel will invest in about one company out of every three hundred that send the angel their business plan. My experience is based upon working with San Francisco Bay Area Venture Capital Clubs over a decade ago. Given the greater investment interest today, your odds may be better than 1-in-300.

Eighty-five percent of small businesses fail. Among the 15% that succeed are franchises and professional offices. My guess is that an angel has about one chance in ten of making money on a risk capital investment. The angels think they can beat the odds. They're wrong.

Most attorneys, accountants and medical doctors achieve their social position and income by believing what they read. As a student, if you question the data in a textbook, you are unlikely to pass the final exam. This pattern of read and believe gets the student from first grade to medical school or law school. Believing what you read in a business plan is often a mistake. Professionals tend to believe the written word. Doing so as the basis of a risk capital investment is fatal. As more than one professional has told me when they turned in their wings, I guess I'll have to raise my fees to offset my business loss. I've often wondered if barring professionals as angels wouldn't lower legal and medical costs.

Small business owners believe they are smarter than the average bear. It's their ego that often clouds their judgment. If you don't believe that you've made a mistake, you'll dump more money into a black hole investment. It's this group that are most likely to turn in their wings as they file for Chapter 11. There's a time to hold them and a time to fold them. Successful small business people don't believe in folding.

There are always angels coming into the Market. We live in boom times. The population of angels is growing. If you can catch a nearby angel, do it. It's best to catch them before they see the financial fire that awaits most of them.

As with buying lottery tickets, there are a few successful angels. I'd like to see a study of how long they last, if they beat the investment odds.

Published February 2000

About The Author

William Cate has been the Managing Director of Beowulf Investments [http://home.earthlink.net/~beowulfinvestments/ since 1981 and is the Executive Director of the Global Village Investment Club [http://home.earthlink.net/~beowulfinvestments/globalvillageinvestmentclubwelcome/

Stock Market Quotes 101

The stock market quote is the basic collection of numbers an
investor must understand to achieve success in the stock market.
It is a list of prices for certain stocks at one point within
the trading day. In the past, stocks were quoted in fractions,
but now, most exchanges use decimals. Stock market quotes are
found in newspapers, as well as online. Stock quotes are updated
regularly during the trading day.

What are the numbers and columns in the stock quotes mean?
Though most are easily understandable, some may be confusing for
a stock market newbie. Here is a review of the common numbers in
the stock quotes and what they mean.

Newspaper Stock Market Quotes. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ)
format is easiest to follow. Listed below are the columns and a
brief explanation for each column.

- YTD % CHG - The Year-To-Date Percentage Change. This
represents the stock price percentage change for the year. This
percentage is adjusted for stock splits and dividends over 10%.

- 52-Week HI & LO - The two numbers in the column record both
the highest and the lowest price the stock is traded for within
the last 52-weeks. Previous trading day not included.

- Stock (SYM) - This is where the stock name and symbols are
listed. Stock names are usually abbreviated. The stock symbol is
printed in boldface. Some newspapers don't print them at all.

- DIV - This stands for Dividend reflecting the annual
distribution rate based on the last regular disbursement for a
stock.

- Yield % - The yield percentages are the other disbursements
paid to stockholders as a percentage of the stock's price.

- PE - The Price to Earnings Ratio is the per-share earnings
over the closing price.

- VOL 100s - This means sales volume expressed with two missing
zeros.

- CLOSE - The last price the stock traded for a certain day. But
it doesn't mean that this will be the price the stock opens at
the next trading day.

- NET CHANGE - This is the amount at which the stock closed
today against yesterday.

- Footnotes - These notations point out any extraordinary
circumstances within the listing such as new highs and lows,
unusual dividends, first day of trading, etc.

Online Stock Market Quotes. Online stock resources cover the
same information as the newspaper stock quotes. However, the
difference is mainly with regards to getting the live
information. Compared to reading yesterdays stock quotes on the
paper the next morning, the information presented on online
resources are updated constantly within the course of the
trading day.

Indeed, stock market quotes offer a wealth of information when
it comes to wise stock investment. as long as one understands
what the numbers mean.

Budget Planning It's Elementary My Dear Watson

Does it feel like you have to be Sherlock Holmes to solve the mystery behind balancing your personal budget? Are you living a mysterious thriller where your realization of financial independence and security is a vicious repeating cycle of debt? Don't be afraid...Somehow you've ended up lost in the plastic zone. 'The plastic zone is a scary place. But you're not alone. There are millions of people today living the same mysterious life in the plastic zone. Remember green money? You know, that green paper with presidents proudly displayed on them. They have virtually disappeared from the plastic zone. Is real Money a foreign object to you? Is the balance of your checking account mysteriously stuck at Zero? It's time to solve the mystery.

You don't have to be a financial wizard to solve this mystery. And you certainly don't have to be Sherlock Holmes. You see it really is an elementary concept. If you ask any elementary school student they'll tell you that you can't take 10 from 5.There can be no negative integers in this equation. Simply put, you can't spend more than you have! You have to fit your living within your means.

For most of us living in the plastic zone, this means making some serious changes in our spending habits. It seems an impossible feat to reduce debt while still building a foundation for your financial security and independence. It Can Be Done! And it is elementary my dear Watson!

KNOW WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES!

~The first step is to realize where your money goes. How are you spending it? This requires a little recording keeping but is not difficult. Simply write down every purchase you make, that is not a monthly bill, for at least a week. This includes every check, debit, credit card, and cash transaction made (if married, your spouse must do this also). When finished sort these into appropriate categories to plug into your budget later. For example; dining out, lunch at work, groceries, coffee, gasoline, snacks, well you get the idea.

~Second lets tackle that debt. The monkey on your back will always insist on being fed until you take control of your money and say NO MORE! Make a commitment to stop using the credit. You must make a decision to invest in yourself from now on. Not the credit card companies. Take control by knowing what you owe , what you're paying, and how much it is costing you. Make a list. Include Creditors Name, Amount Owed, Interest Rate, Current Minimum Monthly Payment.

Add up all of your current minimum monthly payments. This is your monthly debt reduction payment for the life of the debt. You will pay this consistent amount each month until the debt is paid in full. Roll down freed up monies from one creditor to the next as accounts are paid. For example: your list of payments include a visa you must currently pay $80 per month. You will make that $80 payment regardless of the minimum due (unless for some reason the payment goes up) until the debt is paid. When it is paid you will take that $80 and apply to another creditors monthly payment. This is the secret to paying them off before you die! And, still have time to enjoy a debt free lifestyle.

~Next, you have to write down regular monthly expenses. Things like the mortgage, cable, phone, electric, car payment,. Any expense that you pay every month. Insurance payments can be included if you pay monthly payments instead of a lump sum. Some of these expenses may not be the same each month ( like the electric bill). You should figure an average monthly amount for these. If your provider offers a budget plan where your payment can be a consistent amount each month, this makes budgeting these bills much easier. So do it!

~Now figure in the variable expenses. These are things like car maintenance, home maintenance, property taxes, income taxes, insurance's that are not paid monthly, pet care (vet bills, and medicines), your family's medical expenses (physician co-pays, deductibles, prescriptions (or prescription co-pays). Go through your financial records and write down every expense you can find that did not occur on a regular monthly basis. When you're done, add the total amounts for the year, divide by twelve, and this will give you an estimate of what you should be setting aside each month to budget these expenses. This is a variable expense monthly allowance to be included in your budget as a monthly expense. You set aside this amount each month (maybe in a savings or second checking account).

This is one of the most important steps in the budgeting process. The one step that most of us forget to do. The biggest budget busters are these unexpected expenses. They're not really unexpected. Most of us just have a tendency to treat them as if they are unexpected. You don't plan for them. Consequently you will not be financially prepared when they need to be taken care of. You know that the car and home require some level of maintenance, but do you actually have a plan to pay for that expense? Or, when the hot water heater goes up, will you be forced to resort to the help of the credit card companies. This is what they hope you will do. Of course the property taxes have to be paid. Will you have the payment when it is due?

To reduce debt and maintain a successful budget you have to plan for these variables. If not, you will inevitably use the credit cards to bail out and you'll be defeating yourself. The variable expense allowance in your monthly budget will allow you save for these expenses and will be your defense against creating more debt. This is an essential step in building financial security, investing in yourself, and remaining debt free.

~ Set a reasonable amount for your monthly savings allowance. This will be an emergency fund that can bail you out in case of tragic circumstances such as a serious illness or unemployment. Start with 10-15 % of your income and cut back to as little as 5% if you need to balance the budget. But, do save something! Anything is better than nothing. If you have to start small, as your finances improve, you should increase your savings allowance to reach at least 10% of your income.

Of course, once you have all of these figures in place you may find that you don't have enough money to cover all the expenses. You not alone. I was amazed at how much more I was spending than I was earning. It finally made sense to me why I couldn't get ahead. Why my debt kept increasing no matter how hard I tried to budget. This is when you have to start eliminating unnecessary spending, trimming down expenses by using some money saving strategies, or possibly considering an extra income.

It isn't always an easy process. It depends on how much of your spending is unnecessary, how much you're paying out for debt, and how much you want to be free from debt and financially independent.

One things certain, if you take control of your money, and are committed to living debt free, you will find success. If you just keep doing what you're doing, things will not change, but will inevitably get worse. You will continue to invest in credit card companies, spending money that you don't actually have, and don't have a plan to pay back.

So start with a good spending plan that cuts out unnecessary spending, reduces monthly bills and expenses to the bare minimum, and eliminates credit card use. Save money in every area of your budget. Remember, $10 a month doesn't sound like a lot. But, a savings of $10 per month is $120 per year that you can apply somewhere else in the budget.

Every dollar you free up helps bring the budget into balance. Helps you live within your means. Don't spend more than you have. It doesn't get any more elementary than that!

Good Luck and Success! Live Debt Free to Be Free. You Deserve It!

Cheryl Johnson is a mother of four helping herself and others become and stay debt free. Publisher of Simple Debt Free Living at http://www.simpledebtfreeliving.com - A self-help plan, ideas, and resources for debt management, household budget planning, frugal and debt free living. Money saving tips for groceries, bills, clothing, weddings, gifts, and much more. A money saving tip a day keeps the credit card away!

Disgruntled

The following situation happens quite often to many traders. Look it over and see if it has been happening to you:

You have been faithfully following your trading plan and the rules you've set for trading. By following them you are now in a trade that doesn't look so good. At the same time, by following your trading plan, you see that you've missed a beautiful move in a different market, one that could have made you a lot of money.

You are in a bad trade and you've missed out on a great trade. You become disgruntled. You think to yourself that your trading plan must not be so great. You think there must be a better methodology that you should use that will prevent this from happening. You think to yourself, Yes! That's it, I'll change the way I do things. So you create a new rule or modify an old one so that such a rule would have let you capture the trade you missed and avoid the one you took. Have you been making this mistake?

Here's another way it can happen: You are in a trade, and your rules cause you to be stopped out with little or no profit. Shortly after you exit the trade according to plan, prices take off and move to where, had you stayed in, you would have made substantial profits. The move leaves you sitting there thinking you are stupid. You reason that there must be something wrong with the way you do things.

Your rules, your plan, or both must not be right. So you change what you are doing, or make a new rule so that the next time this happens, you won't be left behind.

You have just abandoned all of the hard work you've previously done that enabled you to successfully trade futures. You've abandoned your education and learning. You've abandoned the wisdom that will enable you to be consistently successful as a trader. You've just started trading history, and you are supposed to be trading on the future movement of prices. You are trading what happened, not what will happen. By not being willing to be left behind, you are setting yourself up for being left out.

If you've been having thoughts, or have been acting as we've just described, you have a terrible problem with greed. Why? Because greed can never get enough. You can't satisfy greed. Greed wants more, and yet more.

Not every trade is your trade. Not every trade has to work out for you. You have to be satisfied with getting a reasonable share of trades that fit your description of a good trade. Some of those trades will turn out to be great trades, others are good trades, and a certain percentage of your trades will be bad. There's no way around it.

Not every good trade will turn into a great trade. When you enter a trade according to your rules and trading plan, you have no idea whether or not it will turn out to be a good trade, much less a great trade. The reality of trading is that, try as you might, you cannot know the future.

Whenever we miss a big move and then try to find some pattern, indicator, rationale, or modification to make to what we are doing so that the next time we will not miss the ig move, it is a part of the hunt for something magic - a continuation of our quest for the holy grail of trading.

What a terrible mistake to allow yourself to make. Winning as a trader consists of making some small profits and some larger profits on a regular basis. Obviously, there will be some losses. We regularly want to keep losses small, but there are times when a loss will get away from us and turn out to be bigger than desired.

If adversity causes you to become disgruntled, then you really need to examine your thinking and your approach to trading. Your trading plan must allow for disappointment and loss.

You've got to believe in what you are doing and be able to trade from the knowledge that when you follow your rules and your plan, you will make money from your trading.When you become disgruntled and begin to change your plan, your rules, or both, you are setting yourself up for almost certain failure and the worst thing that can happen to a trader - you will lose the courage of your convictions. Without it you cannot trade with any level of confidence.

This is why we encourage you to write out the reasons and rationale for every trade you make, even if you have to do it after you have completed the trade. You must develop a keen recognition of the trades that are your trades. Write out your trading plan every day and for every trade you intend to make. If you did not have time to plan every trade, be sure to review those you did make without pre-planning. Then you can go back over your trading and be able to see why and when you are successful.

Reminder: Here are some steps to take before the market opens.

View major formations on the charts of those futures you intend to trade. View potential congestion areas, get the big picture from the longer term charts.

Write down all potential entries as you see them on the chart.

You need to go through this exercise every day that you trade. This takes discipline. However, doing so will help you develop the kinds of habits that will mold you into a great trader.

If you are too busy to be disciplined, then you are too busy to trade. If you don't discipline yourself, you will soon disappear from the trading scene.

Joe Ross

Trading Educators Inc

ABOUT JOE ROSS:

Joe Ross has been trading for more than 47 years, and is a well known Master Trader. He has survived all the up and downs of the markets because of his adaptable trading style, using a low-risk approach that produces consistent profits.

Joe is the creator of the Ross hook, and has set new standards for low-risk trading with his concept of The Law of Charts. Joe was a private trader for most of his life. In the mid 80's he shift his focus and decided to share his knowledge. After his recovery, he founded Trading Educators in 1988 to teach aspiring traders how to make profits using his trading approach. He has written 12 major books on trading. All of them have become classics and have been translated into many different languages.

Joe holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of California at Los Angeles. He did his Masters work in Computer Sciences at the George Washington University extension in Norfolk, VA. Joe still tutors, teaches, writes, and trades regularly. Joe is still an active and integral part of Trading Educators.

Water Water Everywhere on the Waterfront

Waterfront living is among the most desirable of locations in our area (Florida). The views and vistas are fantastic, not to mention the ability to walk out one's door to drop a line to fish or untie a line to enjoy boating. However, all this joy is not without some special concerns.

The most common fear heard from waterfront homebuyers is their concern that the river may rise and roll into their home. While it is not an impossible scenario, it is truly rare. More often than not, the water that posses the greatest risk to the waterfront home is not from the river, but rather from the water flowing overland toward the river.

Always remember that the river is the place that all water flows to. How a particular home is oriented to or obstructs the flow of water moving toward the river determines how dry the house remains. And for many homes in is not just how dry it is in the home, but also under the home.

The majority of water that affects the home is the surface water flowing toward the river. The volume of water can be in the thousands of gallons per hour during a heavy shower. If the grade of the lot is not proper, this can mean thousands of gallons of water in or under the home.

So, when looking at waterfront property, enjoy the view over the water, but be sure to look inland to be sure that your experience with water front living won't be with water in the living room!

But what should you do after you've experienced a flooded home? There is hope! Your home and its contents may look damaged beyond repair, but many items can be restored. There is a high probability that by acting quickly, your flooded home can be cleaned up, dried out, rebuilt, and reoccupied sooner than you think.

After your home has been flooded, play it safe. Always seek professional help. And while in the midst of cleaning and repairing, consider your preparation for the future. The American Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) suggests the following steps if your home has been flooded:

• Take Care of Yourself First - Protect yourself and your family from stress, fatigue, and health hazards that follow a flood.
• Give Your Home First Aid - Once it is safe to go back in, protect your home and contents from further damage.
• Get Organized - Some things are not worth repairing and some things may be too complicated or expensive for you to do by yourself. A recovery plan can take these things into account and help you make the most of your time and money.
• Dry Out Your Home - Floodwaters damage materials, leave mud, silt and unknown contaminants, and promote the growth of mildew. You need to dry your home to reduce these hazards and the damage they cause.
• Restore the Utilities - The rest of your work will be much easier if you have heat, electricity, clean water, and sewage disposal.
• Clean Up - The walls, floors, closets, shelves, contents and any other flooded parts of your home should be thoroughly washed and disinfected.
• Check on Financial Assistance - Voluntary agencies, businesses, insurance, and government disaster programs can help you through recovery.
• Rebuild and Flood-proof - Take your time to rebuild correctly and make improvements that will protect your building from damage by the next flood.
• Prepare for the Next Flood - Protect yourself from the next flood with flood insurance, a flood response plan, and community flood protection programs. This step also includes sources to go to for additional assistance.

For more information on repairing your home after a flood, please visit www.redcross.org.

Many people highly prize waterfront living, and find it a deeply fulfilling experience. Knowing what to look for when choosing waterfront property will make your life on the water easier and more rewarding. Choose and plan wisely - it's about knowing!

Wally Conway is President of Florida HomePro Inspections, and has been featured regularly on HGTV's House Detective. Wally has recently written a book entitled Secrets of the Happy Home Inspector, available at GoHomePro.com or Amazon.com. As a speaker, writer, instructor, and host of The Happy Home Inspector radio show every Saturday at 3 PM on WOKV 690, Wally blends the right amount of up-to-date information with just the right amount of humor, insight, motivation, and real-world application. Visit WallyConway.com for more information!

Its Good Enough for Warren Buffett

I have written an article or two about precious metals with very weak reception. I did not think it would be a huge reception but I thought there would be more interest. Precious metals are not understood by many people. I got into precious metals, more specifically silver, about 3 years ago. I have moved some of my investments in my IRA from more traditional investments to silver. My financial advisor was hesitant when I first discussed it with him. I know he did not agree with my move. I also know he makes no money from the move so it does not benefit him at all. This is probably a large part of the reason why he didn\'t agree.

I have recently left my job and I will be transferring my money from that 401K program to my IRA. I will be spreading it out over the precious metals with the majority going to silver. Many people do not realize the silver supply is not what it once was. I have read articles in the past discussing the silver supply. Some experts feel there are more \shares\ of silver sold and owned by investors that there is actually silver left on the planet.

Hopefully most people reading this article know who Warren Buffet is. I am assuming you do because you are reading articles relating to investing. For those that don\'t know who he is, he is the second richest man in the world. He is only a couple billion behind Bill Gates with an estimated value of roughly $42 billion. He made his fortune strictly through investing whereas Bill Gates did it with his company. Back in the late 90\'s Mr. Buffet bought 130 million ounces of silver. If you read the article I have attached:

http://www.gold-eagle.com/editorials05/dross022806.html

You will see he clearly knew what he was doing. The silver ETF was approved since the above article was written and since its approval the price of silver is going up. It has only been a few days but it is on the rise. If a man that is worth $42 billion, who has made his money in investing, is buying silver I am thinking there is good reason for it. The article indicates he may be supplying the company responsible for the ETF with the amount of silver they need to open for business but even if that is the case he still knew silver would be exploding in price at some point and has worked himself a deal to make a few more billion.

There is no way to know how much silver will be worth in the near future. But, there is no way to know what your GE stock will be worth, or whatever the company may be. But, at a current price of roughly $11 an ounce it is a safe bet that you will be making some money. Certainly the risk of losing money on silver is minimal at that price. When it is at $11 an ounce there is not much room to fall.

One other difference between silver, or any precious metal for that matter, and a regular stock is the precious metals have value. The stock is a piece of paper. If you have 1000 ounces of silver in your possession, whether at home or in a deposit box at your local bank, you know your investment has value. It can always be sold for some money. Precious metals have been around for centuries. They were used as currency in many countries and they are still used in some countries to this day. Our United States currency was once backed by silver and gold.

China has previously not allowed its citizens to buy silver and gold but recently began allowing them to buy. They have been using some of their savings to acquire as much of the precious metals as they can.

People are afraid to do something different. I have been pushing the benefits of precious metals and Forex trading. Many people know very little about either of them and they keep away from them. I say that people need to stop being dependant on their financial advisors who make money on the sales they recommend. They are in it for themselves first. Your goal is to protect you, not them. If the second richest person in the world can spend $1.3 billion of his own money for silver then why shouldn\'t you spend a few hundred to get yourself started?

Scott Bianchi operates http://www.best-internet-bargains.com. He writes on a variety of topics. If you would like to be added to his distribution list for his new articles when they are published just send an email to articles@bestinternetbargains.com.

Pre Construction Investment Real Estate Pros and Cons

Many people have been asking me \Mark, why would I buy a brand new pre construction investment condo when I can buy an older one and fix it up and sell it?\ This is a good question. Some people do very well buying old fixer uppers and throwing in some new carpet and new paint and making a few bucks but this is defiantly not for serious investors. In this article I will go over the pros and cons of the \We Buy Ugly Houses\ that has gained in popularity over the last few years with the help of some charismatic real estate \Gurus\.

First let\'s analyze exactly what these \Gurus\ want you to do. They tell you that you don\'t need ANY money and if you use their system they can make you a millionaire in just a few short months. If this was true I would have retired a billionaire a long time ago, the truth is the opportunities they talk about are VERY few and far between and you add in the factor that every major city has at least 15-20 people trying the same technique as you (They may even have the same $599 CD set!) And you\'ll see the odds are stacked against you. Now these CDs are not all bad, they do educate many amateur investors. But just remember, these \Gurus\ do exaggerate the market and do spread a lot of false hope to impressionable new comers. When you listen to the CD\'s sets in your car always keep this little fact in the back of your head \They made it rich off selling the CD sets, not from selling real estate\ Why would someone who made it rich from real estate want to start selling CDs? It\'s like that age old quote says \Those who can\'t do, teach\

Now let\'s go over the pros and cons of real estate investing. Although I don\'t believe there are many drawbacks in investing in pre construction real estate there are some points that scare people out of the market.

I think it will be easier just to bullet the points and explain. This way all the people looking for a quick answer can just browse to the points.

***Pros in Pre Construction Real Estate Investing***

* It\'s the Easiest Form of Real Estate Investing - Investing in pre construction real estate is the easiest form of real estate investing, all you need to do is buy a property wait a few months for it to get into a higher phase of construction then sell it for a profit.

* No Head Aches - Pre construction real estate doesn\'t have nearly the number of problems/headaches as traditional fixer upper real estate investments. With fixer upper real estate you have to worry about a furnace going, re-paving a driveway, insect infestation, or a whole world of other problems. Pre construction real estate is brand new out of the box housing, there are no major problems that commonly accompany older houses.

* Free Vacations - Buying pre construction real estate in Florida or Las Vegas means you have a free vacation house when the family goes on vacation. Fixer uppers are usually close to your home for easily access and typically not a place your family wants to vacation too. Most people do not have the luxury of buying a fixer upper house halfway across the country and flying down every weekend to work on it.

* Rental Income - Rental income is a huge factor for many pre construction real estate investors. The fact that once the condo or townhouse is built and they can rent it out for more money then they pay a month is very appealing. Think about it, if you receive $2000 a month in rental income and you only pay $1300 for your mortgage and upkeep AND your house is skyrocketing in value... Is that a good investment?

***Cons in Pre Construction Real Estate Investing***

* You Need Money to Make Money - Because pre construction investment real estate is so sought after developers are demanding a higher percent for down payment. Often times developers want 10-20% of the property sale price as a down payment, also just to hold your spot (a reservation) often requires between $2000-5000.

* Not Every Project is a Winner - The biggest downside to investing in pre construction real estate is with so many projects popping up it\'s hard to find the most profitable investment. Although at the current time most pre construction investments will make you money it\'s important to do your due diligence and research the developer AND the management company. Make sure your real estate brokerage has your best attentions at heart, many investment brokerages only focus on a handful of projects where they make the biggest commission.

* Money for Nothing - One reason that some people stray from pre construction investment real estate is the simple fact that they do not feel comfortable buying a property that they can not see the finished product. Remember, when you\'re going to buy pre construction investment real estate it usually hasn\'t even been started yet. This tends to scare amateur investors because spending that much money for them is usually an emotional buy, the seasoned investor understands that the reason they are getting the price they are is because it\'s in the pre development stage. If the property was already finished the price would be more.

If you have any questions on Las Vegas or Florida pre construction investment real estate feel free to browse our other articles on Ezinearticles.com or visit our official website: http://www.investrealestate101.com

Wondering what developments I\'m recommending to my clients? Give me a call and I\'ll give you FREE real estate investing advice. I\'ve been dealing in strictly investment and second home real estate for over 19 years specializing in Las Vegas, Orlando, and Florida pre construction.

Goldberg Executive Realty Group
Mark Goldberg
Phone: 1-866-247-2259
E-mail: GoldbergRealtyGroup@cfl.rr.com

Home Owner's Insurance Policy Learn More And Save Money

We buy insurance all of our life. We sometimes do it
indiscriminately. There are times when people will buy a home
and the homeowner\'s insurance policy is just something that is
needed to make the closing run smooth. The home policy protects
the largest asset that most of us will ever purchase and so it
makes sense to learn the basics. The Homeowner\'s policy has
multiple benefits and features and is probably the best and most
affordable policy that we will ever purchase. There is clearly a
misconception about what homeowner\'s insurance covers and what
it does not cover. The homeowner\'s policy protects us our home
against perils. Perils are unforeseen events like fire or
explosions. The home policy does not cover maintenance problems.
This is where the misunderstanding begins. Deterioration or poor
craftsmanship buy a tradesman is not covered under the
homeowner\'s policy. That kind of blanket coverage would make the
homeowner\'s policy unaffordable.

The homeowner insurance policy is very comprehensive. It
protects all of your personal property along with the dwelling.
Most policies are written on a replacement cost basis. That
means that in the event of a total loss that your home and all
of its contents will be replaced with like kind and quality of
materials. Shopping for a homeowner\'s policy is so much easier.
Make sure that you have your current declarations page. You can
either go online or contact a local agent. It is better to
combine an auto and home quote to get the multi-policy discounts
available.

There are a lot of additional riders that you can purchase on a
homeowner\'s policy. If you have items like jewelry, fine arts,
and collectibles then you can schedule them with an all risk
type of coverage. There are a lot of new endorsed benefits like
identity theft and home day care coverage. The homeowner
insurance policy is one of the most important insurance
purchases you will ever make. Don\'t sell yourself short. Explore
all the possibilities when covering your assets. Use higher
deductibles to lower the overall premium so that you can cover
some of your most valued assets with scheduled riders.

Is Life Insurance Right for Me?

Life insurance provides money to your family or loved ones if you should die. Life insurance can also help protect the financial interests of a business if a key employee should die. Here, we will discuss the use of life insurance for your family.

Now, no one likes to think about the consequences of their death. Yet, people die of accidents and diseases every single day. Around 2.5 million people in the United States die every year. While diseases lead the list of causes, over 100,000 people die every year of accidental causes.

If you have family members that depend on your earning power, the important question you must ask yourself is, \What will happen to them if I am no longer around to provide for them?\

And, you must ask that question now, before you die of an accident or are diagnosed with a deadly disease. Once you are involved in a deadly accident, it\'s to late to obtain life insurance. And, once you are diagnosed with a deadly disease it\'s awfully hard to obtain life insurance.

Life insurance can protect and provide for your family in a number of ways:

- Pay off debts

- Provide care and education of your children

- Provide needed money before your spouse can make up for your lost income

=== Life Insurance Can Pay Off Debts ===

Many families live in a home with a substantial mortgage. Your mortgage typically represents your greatest debt. Your income is probably what provides the money to pay your mortgage payment. Life insurance can be used to pay off that mortgage debt if your income is lost.

Millions of families have a large credit card debt. They often cannot pay off their credit cards every month. Those families that seldom pay off their credit cards have an average debt of nearly $8,000. And, many families that declare bankruptcy have tens of thousands of dollars in credit card debt. Life insurance can be used to pay off that credit card debt.

=== Life Insurance Can Help Pay for the Care and Education of Your Children ===

If you are a family with \special needs\ children, you may be paying for special tutoring or child care. These expenses will continue beyond your untimely death. Life insurance can help provide for your child\'s special needs. This help could continue for quite some time.

A university education often costs $20,000 a year or more. Your savings and investments over the years could help pay that cost. But, if your income stops before those investments can grow to help your children with their education expenses, your children will have less money available to get them through their university education. Life insurance can be used to help provide the educational costs of tuition, books, fees, and living expenses.

=== Life Insurance Helps Your Spouse ===

Your spouse may or may not be able to make up for your lost income. Depending on your spouse\'s age or other circumstances, your spouse may:

- Re-marry and gain another source of income.

- Wait until a pension and/or Social Security provides an additional income stream.

- Increase income from employment or entrepreneurial efforts.

Life insurance can help your spouse make the transition from the time of your death to the time of a new income stream. While life insurance sales people often want you consider your family\'s lifetime income requirements, this is often beyond what is really required.

You need to consider how large an income stream your spouse needs and for how long before a successful transition to another source of income can be made. The face value of your life insurance can be tailored to help provide the income stream through this interim period.

Typically, as you become older and income from pensions and Social Security are closer at hand, your need for life insurance decreases. And, if you have built up sufficient financial resources, your need for life insurance is almost non-existent.

=== Types of Life Insurance ===

There are two basic types of life insurance:

- Term Life Insurance

- Whole Life Insurance

Term life insurance is simply a contract that calls for you to pay a premium for a certain number of years for a certain face value of life insurance. The length of the contract can vary from 1 to 30 years. If your term policy ends without your death, you receive no benefits. If you die before your policy ends, you survivors receive the full face value of the insurance.

Some term life policies are called \decreasing term\ because the face value of the policy decreases over the years. Term life insurance policies are often \renewable\ when they expire, allowing you to get another policy of term life insurance without a new physical examination.

Whole life insurance is a long term policy in which you pay premiums that provide for both life insurance and a \cash value\ investment plan. When the policy is surrendered, it either pays the face value death benefit (if you die) or the \cash value\ of the policy. Often the \cash value\ of your policy is determined by a fixed rate of return on your premium payments. After some initial period, you can borrow against the cash value of the policy. The premiums for whole life insurance are higher than for term life insurance.

Whole life insurance is also offered with some variations in premium payments and face value amount. Such variable plans can be called universal life insurance, variable life insurance, or other names.

Several factors are important when considering whole life insurance. You should clearly understand:

- When Cash Value Begins to Build -- Often whole life insurance policies do not allocate much of your premium to begin building a significant cash value before you\'ve paid into the policy for 10 years or more.

- Rate of Return -- The rate at which your policy builds cash value is often below the rate you could get if you invested elsewhere.

You should carefully investigate both term life insurance and whole life insurance plans. It is often wise to consider buying a term life insurance policy and investing the excess of what the whole life insurance policy would cost. That way you would have the benefit of both life insurance and a higher rate of return on your investments.

Overall, you should evaluate your circumstances to determine if you need life insurance. If you need life insurance you should determine how much insurance is appropriate and the type of life insurance policy that would best meet your family\'s needs.

Bob Sherman is the owner of http://www.bobshermancredit.com that provides information about credit, debt, wealth building, and other financial topics. His ebook, How to End Your Credit Card Debt, is offered free to subscribers of his Credit and Debt newsletter.

Recover Your Credit Standing With Bad Credit Commercial Loans

When I was saddled with debts I needed some cash urgently to invest into my business. I thought of taking a loan. But the bad credit incurred on me was a hindrance in borrowing money in the commercial market. I was overwhelmed with joy when a friend told me about bad credit commercial loans. I found a way to come out of my financial troubles.



Bad credit commercial loans are specially designed for the entrepreneurs who have witnessed the problem of arrears, defaults, County Court Judgment or bankruptcy. These people are denied the much needed money because of their bad credit history. Bad credit commercial loans have emerged as a remunerative force to help them regain their credit standing.



An entrepreneur can avail bad credit commercial loans as secured or unsecured. Secured loans necessitate the borrower to place a collateral. Any fixed asset such as machinery, invoices or any commercial property can be used to secure against the loan. Unsecured loans are not curtailed to collateral. Also, they are free from the risk of property repossession.



The lender of Bad credit commercial loans decides the loan amount on the basis of the credit score, income and repayment potential of the borrower. So, it is important to know your credit score. Credit score is given after a detailed study of the following-:



Amount of credit incurred

Employment history

Late payments

Length of residency at the present address

Bankruptcy, charge off etc.



Credit score as given by FICO is a three digit numerical ranging from 340-850. A score of 600 and below is considered as bad and denounces you as a bad debtor. So the loan will carry a higher rate of interest. Therefore, the borrower of bad credit commercial loans is advised to follow credit repair steps. Obtain your credit report form a reputed credit rating agency. If you find any unsolicited debts in the credit report, you must immediately get it updated by a credit rating agency. Though, it will not eliminate bad debt completely but will help it improve gradually. If you place a high value collateral and promise to repay on time, there are lenders who can provide you loans at an affordable rate of interest.



Various online lenders are now endorsing Bad credit commercial loans. You just need to fill in a simple online loan application form. The lender will require few documents from the entrepreneur to gather information on the employment history, current income, length of residency etc. This will be helpful in hunting the best loan deal.



Enjoy the pleasure of consistent flow of cash. Bad credit commercial loans provide you enough money and help you retain the ownership of your business.

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com

Tim Kelly is an expert in finance having completed his LLM in Finance (Master of Lawsin Finance) from Institute for Law and Finance at Frankfurt University.He is currently working with Commercial Secured Loan as a financial advisor.To Find Business Commercial Secured loan,Bad credit Commercial loans,Commercial Secured loan visit www.commercialsecuredloan.co.uk

Real Estate & The Internet

The Real Estate business is truly unique in the sense that most
people will only engage in it once or twice in their entire
life.

And since purchasing property is such a complicated matter, Real
Estate businesses have laboriously pursued every means to make
this transaction as easy, and as informative as possible.

This explains the plethora of agents, advertisements, listings,
open houses, and gimmicks realtors employ just to attract
potential buyers, who, understandably so are squeamish about
jumping headlong into such a big investment without thinking
everything over.

However, there is great satisfaction in being able to close a
successful deal with a client. This is especially true when the
client is satisfied and heartily recommends the agent/broker to
his friends who may be considering purchasing homes too.

Transition to the Information Age

Today's buyers and sellers turn to the Internet first. To be
competitive, Real Estate businesses have started to tap into the
power of the internet. Successful websites will more than pay
for themselves with the business it generates and the time it
saves.

The beauty of the internet is that it puts so much information
in the hands of users in an instant and in the comfort of their
homes. On the flip side, sellers are now able to push that
information to the buyer table reliably, instantly, and most
importantly inexpensively.

Real Estate businesses should realize that potential buyers
nowadays desire to see many options. Before deciding on
purchasing a home, they now do research on the internet,
scanning for good deals and supporting information to help them
weigh their decision.

If a Real Estate business does not adapt to this need, or to the
growing power of information technology, it may find itself
lagging behind the competition.

Inexpensive Advertisement

In America alone there are close to 70 million users of the
internet. What business would not want to have advertising
mileage in this medium? The cost of advertisement on this medium
may cost anywhere from nothing to a few hundred dollars.

In any rate that still makes for a great deal.

Instant Communication

A buyer seeks information, what does the agent do? In the older
days, they would fax documents, call long distance, send snail
mail, and such. This sort of communication made facilitating a
sale sometimes tedious and backbreaking.

Today information architecture allows buyers and sellers to
shuttle mail, images, data, and others at a snap. This too is,
like internet advertisement, inexpensive.

Realtors can pitch to not just one buyer at a time, but as many
as can access his website. And the good thing about that is that
he does not have to repeat himself for each customer.

10 Reasons for Selling

During your investing career, you will do these two
transactions; buying and selling. Buying requires knowing the
fair value of a stock and then compare it with recent price. If
recent stock price is 10% below fair value and an investor does
not mind getting a 10% return, then he should buy the stock. If
not, he can then move on to other stocks.

Selling, however is not that simple. Sometimes, investment do
not go the way you want it to be. Your prediction may not be
accurate. Furthermore, your time frame may be longer than you
expected. Here are ten different reasons investors might sell a
common stock:

Need the money. This generally happens due to improper
planning. However, things happen. Even the most carefully
planned strategy may not work. Catastrophic events such as
Hurricane Katrina or Rita may force investors to sell an
investment if his household is affected by it.

The book is unclean. When management left their post
abruptly or when the Securities of Exchange Commission (SEC)
conduct a criminal investigation on a company, it may be time to
sell. Your assumption may be inaccurate as a lot of fair value
calculation is based on the company's balance sheet, cash flow
or other financial statement published by management.

Takeover news. When one of your stock holding is getting
bought by other companies, it may be time to sell. Sure, you
might like the acquiring company but you still need to figure
out the fair value of the common stock of the acquiring company.
If the acquiring company is overvalued, then it is best to sell.
A good example would be the purchase of Time Warner by American
Online (AOL) in 2000. At the time, AOL share price was way
overvalued with Price Earning ratio of 100.

Taking Profits Off the Table. Your stock has risen 40%
from your purchase price. Your fair value calculation indicates
that the stock can rise 10% more. Should you sell? Sure. After
all, the goal of every investor is to make money. If you feel
that you need to get something off the table, then by all means
do it. I am not going to be naive and assume that you should
wait for the stock price to rise 10% more. Remember that stock
price goes up and down and that fair value calculation has some
degree of uncertainty. Would you risk your 40% gain for an
additional 10% return? I probably wouldn't.

Other Investment Opportunity. Let's say you bought stock
A and it has risen to 10% below its fair value. Meanwhile, you
had watched stock B fallen to below 50% of your calculated fair
value. This is an easy decision. Go Ahead! Sell your stock A and
buy stock B. Our goal as an investor is to maximize our
investment return. Sacrificing a 10% of return in order to earn
a 50% return is a sensible way to do that.

Inaccurate Fair Value Calculation. Let's face it. People
make mistakes. As investors, we sometimes made errors in our
fair value calculation. There are factors that we might not take
into accounts when researching a particular company. For
example, Merck & Co Inc. will have a higher fair value if we
dismiss the potential Vioxx liability that some say to be as
high as $ 50 Billion. But doing further research, we know that
Vioxx liability does exist.

New Competitors with Better Products. When new
competitors sprung up, the company that you hold might have to
spend more money in order to fend off competition. Recent
example include the emergence of pay-per click advertising by
Google. If you are in the advertising business such as
newspapers or cable network, this new product by Google might
hurt your profit margins and eventually the fair value of the
stock.

Exodus of Talented Employees. Talent is an asset. Yet, it
does not appear on the company's balance sheet. Companies that
rely heavily on intellectual products need to keep their
employees happy. They are prized assets. When employees defect,
it will affect the company's future earnings. Lower future
earnings means lower fair value for the common stock. A recent
example include several Microsoft key employees defecting to
Google.

Not having a valid reason to Buy. When you don't know why
you bought a particular stock, you won't know how much your
potential return is or when you should sell it. This is the
easiest way of losing money. When you have no valid reason to
buy, you should sell immediately.

Stock Reaches Fair Value. This is the easiest part of the
problem. Yes. We should sell when a stock reaches its fair
value. It is the main reason why we chose to buy it on the first
place.

A Cosmetic Surgery Loan Can Make You Look Better

People are never satisfied with what they have. There is always an urge to have more. People want more money, more success, more fame, etc. The same thing happens in case of appearance. Looking more beautiful has always enticed human beings - men as well as women. Right from the ancient times, women have been wearing make up to look beautiful and more appealing. There is a boom in the cosmetics industry world over.

With the advancement in medical science in the last one century, people can now improve their appearance in a more conspicuous manner. Cosmetic surgery has revolutionised the way people make changes to their appearance. There has been a rise in the number of cosmetic surgeries in the UK. The most popular cosmetic surgery among women is breast augmentation. Among men, rhinoplasty comes at the top. Other popular cosmetic surgeries include blepharoplasty, face lift, neck list, abdominoplasty, liposuction, etc.

Cosmetic surgery is very expensive. It is not in the reach of a common man. The worst part is that cosmetic surgery is not covered by health insurance schemes. You have to use your savings to undergo such treatment. If you do not enough money for this, you can take out a cosmetic surgery loan. Lenders want to take advantage of the expanding cosmetic surgery market. They are now offering loans ranging form small amounts to large amounts. You can obtain a secured or an unsecured loan depending upon your requirement.

For a small surgical procedure, you can take out an unsecured loan. Lenders do not offer large amounts of unsecured loans but since a minor surgery is not very expensive, an unsecured loan will be sufficient. A secured loan is ideal if you are planning to undergo a major cosmetic surgery. You can spread the repayment of a secured loan over a long period of time so that the amount of monthly installments becomes small. Another advantage of a secured loan is a low rate of interest. You can obtain a secured loan only if you have some property to offer as a security to the lender. If you are a homeowner, you can offer your house as collateral to get a secured loan. Apply for a secured loan only if you are confident that you will repay it since your property may be repossessed by the lender if you default in the loan repayment.

Author:

The author is a business writer specializing in finance and credit products and has written authoritative articles on the finance industry. He has done his masters in Business Administration and is currently assisting Apply-4-loans as a finance specialist. For more information please visit http://www.apply-4-loans.co.uk

Pricing You Home to Sell

When it comes time to sell your home, settling on your list
price is one of the most important decisions you will make. All
sellers want to command the highest price possible, while all
buyers, of course, want to buy a house for the lowest amount
they can. Finding the price in between that is just right for
your home, its assets, and its area, is a process that involves
many factors.

The first factor in pricing your home is, naturally enough, your
home itself. The desirability of the property will be the
deciding factor in what price to set. It's an excellent idea to
get a home inspector on the premises to check out all aspects of
the house, including the roof, electrical systems, and plumbing.
Get a clean bill of health for your house if possible, and
seriously consider making any needed repairs. Buyers today want
model-home houses.

In fact, many buyers will not move in to a property if there is
even a small amount of work that needs to be done. In a seller's
market, you may be able to get away with selling a house that
needs small improvements, but it will lower your list price.

Call in local agents to help estimate the true market value of
your home. It's best to get more than one opinion on this
matter. Talk to appraisers and agents who work in your area and
are familiar with the neighborhood, as they will be able to
factor in the prices of surrounding properties, as well as the
desirability of the area.

However, don't spend money on getting a formal market appraisal.
Local real estate agents will have a better idea of the area and
be able to price your house according to current market trends.
Don't be afraid to point out certain features or traits of your
home that may justify pricing it slightly higher. For example,
if you have a bay window, or a carpeted basement that provides
more potential living space, you have a slight edge over similar
houses, and those factors should be taken into account. A good realtor
will be able to take all of these factors into account when
setting your list price.

Once you have settled on a fair price for your property, it's
time to set your actual price tag. It's expected that most
sellers will initially price their home at about 15 percent
above its actual market value. The selling process will involve
bargaining, and depending on the condition of the home, any
possible repairs, and the amount of potential buyers, the amount
it sells for will more than likely be less than the price for
which you have it listed. So aim a little high and be prepared
to receive various offers on your home based off your initial
price. If you've done your appraising and calculated correctly,
when the final paperwork is signed you should be receiving an
amount very close to your home's actual worth.

Find more information about related topics like Real Estate
Agents at the Real Estate
Property Directory.

Are Two Incomes Better Than One?

Two incomes aren\'t always the obvious choice. Most households today consist of two incomes. Stay at home parents are less and less common. Part of this is due to the increase in housing costs in many areas. Houses are larger, fancier and more expensive than ever.

But have you thought of the costs associated with two incomes? When both parents work, there are more auto costs -- double the auto insurance, gas and maintenance. There is also day care, an increased level of taxes, more for clothing and even lunch.

You have to spend money to make money, after all.

Two income homes are often more risky than one income homes. When there are two incomes, a level of spending is reached that is comparable with the two incomes. If one wage earner is laid off or can no longer work, the family may find it is in financial trouble.

In a one-income family, if the wage earner is no longer working, the partner can go to work and provide approximately the same level of living for the family. Yes, there may be a gap in the incomes, but it usually isn\'t as severe as when a two-income family loses one income.

It\'s not that two income families aren\'t great. They are just as wonderful as one-income families. But you should consider all of the costs when looking at the extra income. It is often more sensible and increasingly frugal to consider becoming a one income family.

Even if you are a two-income family, you can reduce your risk by simply working your budget so that you are living off of only one income, not both. That way, you are able to cushion yourself against any unforeseen occurences. The income from the second income should go directly into savings each month. You will be amazed how quickly your savings will grow by doing this.

It can be difficult to go from two to one, but if you adjust yourself gradually, you should really notice the difference. The changes can start as simply as no longer eating out for lunch. For two people, that can save around $100 a week. That\'s $400 a month!

Then, consider carpooling. Lots of families arrange it so that one person goes on and off work fifteen minutes before and after the other person. That way, they can ride together. This can save a lot given today\'s rising gas expenses.

Find ways to cut your monthly expenses. Start paying off all of your credit card debt. If you have no credit card debt, start paying off your other debts. You should make sure that you have emergency savings that will cover up to three months of expenses. This will cushion your budget from unexpected emergencies.

Look to ways to cut your utilities, grocery spending and entertainment costs. You will be surprised what you will cut and never really miss.

One or two incomes, it is up to you. But make sure you base the decision partly on the math involved, not just what others are doing.

Martin Lukac (http://www.MartinLukac.com), represents http://www.RateEmpire.com and http://www.1AmericanFinancial.com, a finance web-company specializing in real estate/mortgage market. We specialize in daily updates, rate predictions, mortgage rates and more. Find low home loan mortgage interest rates from hundreds of mortgage companies!

IRS Issues Tax Credit Amount For Toyota Camry Hybrid

Prior to January 1, 2006, people purchasing hybrid vehicles were eligible to claim a significant tax deduction. Now they can claim a monstrously large tax credit.



IRS Issues Tax Credit Amount For Toyota Camry Hybrid



The government attempts to modify the behavior of taxpayers by applying or reducing taxes on certain activities. Alcohol and cigarettes are viewed as health risks, so the government adds excessive taxes to them to try to discourage their use. On the energy front, the government is in favor of people buying hybrid vehicles as part of the effort to reduce our nation\'s oil dependence. To facilitate this policy, the government is giving people who buy hybrids a huge tax windfall.



To understand the windfall, you need to understand the difference between a tax deduction and tax credit. A deduction is something you reduce from your gross income. A $1,000 deduction may save you $200 to $400 depending on your tax bill. A tax deduction is a positive thing, but pails in comparison to a tax credit.



A tax credit is not deducted from your gross income. It is deducted directly from the amount of tax you owe. Using the previous example, you would figure out how much tax you owe for the year and then deduct $1,000 from it. Put another way, the tax credit represents a dollar for dollar savings on the actual amount of taxes you owe, a huge savings.



To promote hybrid cars, the federal government lets purchasers claim a tax credit amount set by the IRS. The credit can be as high as $3,400, but is often a bit less. The IRS has just released technical guidance indicating it will allow taxpayers to claim a tax credit of $2,600 if they purchase a 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid after January 1, 2006.



For example, if you go out and purchase the car tomorrow, you are going to be very happy when you prepare your taxes for 2006. Let\'s assume you do your taxes next March for 2006 and find out you owe $10,000 to the IRS. You would apply the $2,600 tax credit to that amount, reducing your tax bill to $7,400. Not bad, eh?

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com

Richard A. Chapo is with BusinessTaxRecovery.com - providing information on taxes.

U.S. Real Estate Sought By Foreign Investors Due to a Weaker Dollar

The weak US dollar has been good news for real estate. Taking advantage of the favorable conversion rates, foreign investors are eagerly picking up real estate in major cities across the US. Who is buying and where are they investing?

WHO IS INVESTING?

In recent years the U.S. real estate market has seen the highest amount of investing from foreign investors in Germany, Britain, Canada, Japan and the Netherlands. Germany was the strongest player in 2004 reporting over $4 billion in investments for that year.

Where are they buying? In the past Europeans were drawn to East Coast properties and Asians to the West Coast. Now, because of the lower interest mortgages and a weak dollar, foreign investors are picking up property, commercial and residential, in all major US cities, including Chicago and Las Vegas.

CANADIANS AND AUSTRALIANS BENEFITING TOO

Even neighbors north of the border in Canada are seeing the benefits. Although the Canadian dollar has been weaker than the US dollar for years, many Canadians own vacation homes in the US, particularly in Arizona. They are one of the highest volume investors in the US real estate market. Whether buying or selling, Canadians are enjoying stronger purchasing power while the US dollar remains low.

Some Canadians, instead of buying, are following the lead of foreign investors who are selling current US properties in preparation for buying at an even better rate if the US dollar continues to fall.

While Germans are slowing down in the volume of investments due to recent caps, Australians are picking things up. Australia, with one of the largest pension funds in the world, must look beyond their own real estate market for investment opportunities. Investing in US real estate permits them to invest their huge national pension funds into diversified holdings.

HOW LONG WILL IT LAST?

Although the current mortgage rates are an appealing draw, they will not remain low indefinitely. However, lower priced properties such as foreclosures would make the financial investment potentially lucrative for foreign investors despite the interest rates as long as the dollar remains low.

Foreign investors looking for long run profits anticipate an increase in the US dollar as an incentive to buy. Investing while the euro is strong and the US dollar is weak means they can pick up real estate for a relatively low investment. Already some countries are seeing up to a 35% discount based on the favorable exchange rates. However, the aim is to hold the property until the US dollar is strong and then the conversion to euro would be highly profitable.

With the availability of properties online it is easier than ever for investors to find properties without crossing an ocean. Some of the best deals, such as foreclosures, can be researched and purchased without coming to the US. This makes investing in US real estate a great opportunity for investors no matter where they live.

Copyright 2005 A1-Foreclosure.com

Jeff Garrison is a regular contributor to A1-Foreclosure.com, a website which provides timely real estate foreclosure and investing articles pertinent to real estate buyers, investors, realtors, and sellers. Includes a guide to free foreclosure listings and other sources of investment property including foreclosures bank owned.

What's in my credit report?

Your credit report contains a list of every member creditor who
has lent you money or provided you with credit in any way. It
shows your charge accounts, automobile loans, bank and student
loans, home mortgage, and any other credit-related transaction.
It shows when the credit line was opened, the highest amount you
ever borrowed, how much you owe now, and whether you've missed
any payments or were late.

Your credit report also contains certain items known as Public
Records. Public Records include any credit-related lawsuits
that you may have been involved in as well as liens,
repossessions, foreclosures, judgments and bankruptcies.

Credit bureaus also report the names of other member creditors
who have made inquiries into your account. If a potential lender
sees too many recent inquiries, they might not grant you credit
if they feel that you are getting overextended.

There are, however, two types of inquiries that are part of your
record but are never seen by creditors. There are inquiries made
by you, on your own behalf, and inquiries made by companies that
send you all of those unsolicited credit card and loan offers
that you get in the mail. So, while these offers may be annoying
to some, the good news is that you are not being penalized by
them.

How am I identified in my credit report?

Your credit report lists your name, current and previous
addresses, Social Security Number, Date of Birth, Spouses Name
(if you are married) and your employer.

What other personal information do hey know about me?

Nothing. By law, your credit report cannot contain information
about your race, religious beliefs, political affiliations,
sexual preferences, criminal records, or any other lifestyle
issues.

How far back does my credit report go?

Positive or good credit information remains on your report for
as long as you have an active credit relationship with the
creditor and for up to seven years after that relationship ends
satisfactorily.

Negative, or ad credit remains for seven years except for
bankruptcies which remain for up to 10 years. The public record
information that we mentioned earlier can remain for up to seven
years after you remedy the problem that caused the information
to appear in the first place.

An unpaid judgment, which is an amount of money that a court has
decided that you owe as the result of you're having lost some
legal action against you, such as not paying a bill which
resulted in the creditor taking you to court, can remain on your
report for up to 7 years AFTER you pay the judgment, and will
remain indefinitely if you do not pay it.

Creditor inquiries generally stay on you report for up to two
years.

How do I get a copy of my report and is it free?

As of September 1, 2005 consumers in all 50 U.S. States, Puerto
Rico, and all U.S. territories are now eligible to receive a
free credit report from EACH of the three nationwide credit
reporting agencies once per year.

Read more about the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act
(FACTA) and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) here:

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2004/06/freeannual.htm

To get your free annual credit report contact each of these
agencies at:

Equifax:
(800) 685-1111
Equifax Credit Information
Services
P.O. Box 74024
Atlanta, GA 30374

Experian:
(800) 311-4769

The address depends on your situation. If you have been turned
down for credit, insurance or employment, it's:
P.O. Box
9600
Allen, TX 75013

If you are on welfare, unemployed but job-hunting, or believe
you have been a victim of credit fraud, the address is:
P.O.
Box 9532
Allen, TX 75013

TransUnion:
(800) 888-4213
TransUnion LLC
Consumer
Disclosure Center
P.O. Box 1000
Chester, PA 19022

You are entitled to a free credit report from any agency that
provided information that resulted in your being denied credit,
insurance or a job if you request it within 60 days of the
denial.

There is also a U.S. Federal law, which says that you can get
one free credit report per year, directly from each of the three
major credit reporting agencies, if you can certify that:

* you are unemployed and will be looking for a job within the
next 60 days.
* you are receiving any type of public
assistance.
* you believe there are fraudulent entries in
your credit report.

If you are lucky enough to be a resident of Colorado, Maryland,
Massachusetts, New Jersey, or Vermont then there are state laws
that entitle you to receive one free report from any one
credit-reporting agency per year. If you live in Georgia then
you may get two.

At LearningAboutCredit.com you'll find tips and insight on
topics such as budgeting, credit card management, saving,
spending and more. To get your free report, Learning About
Credit: Steps to Take on the Road to YOUR Good Credit visit
http://www.learningaboutcredit.com
right now!

Forex Currency Trading System

Forex Currency Trading System If you are familiar with trading
in the stock market, Forex currency trading system is very
similar where you speculate on the exchange rate between two
currencies of countries that trade in the world exchange market.
Instead of the stock of a publicly traded company, you are now
dealing with the currencies of two different countries. In Forex
currency trading system, you are buying or selling currencies
with the intent to make a profit. The value of any currency is
based upon the economic health and the future growth of that
country which is a very similar scenario when we look at the
stock of any corporation. In essence, Forex trading system
involves buying one currency by selling another. The speculation
is that the currency you are buying is going to go up in value
and the currency you are selling will go down in value in the
foreseeable future.

If you would like to discuss how Escape Currency can help you
save money fill out our simple FREE QUOTE form or call us
FREEPHONE 08000 321 109.

You are probably wondering about the Forex currency trading
system - Why would the currencies go up or go down? Value of any
currency reflects the potential economic strength of a country.
The fluctuation in the currency occurs because of market news or
events that take place in the country or anywhere in the world.

The Forex currency trading system is the largest market in the
world with approximately daily reported volume of close to 2
trillion transactions, making it one of the most exciting
markets for trading. The Forex currency trading system is unique
compared to any other market in the world because there are no
opening and closing hours. Essentially, Forex trading system is
available 24-hours a day.

7/24 availability of Forex currency trading system is because
different countries all across the globe are in different time
zones. Somewhere around the world, financial markets are open
for business when everything is closed in your home country.
Banks and other institutions involved in Forex currency trading
system, generally carry on with the business as usual, every
minute of the day and night with only minor stoppage on the
weekends.

If you would like to discuss how Escape Currency can help you
save money fill out our simple FREE QUOTE form or call us
FREEPHONE 08000 321 109.

In Forex currency trading system, the mechanics of a trade are
virtually identical to those found in other markets. Placing a
trade in the Forex currency trading system is simple and the
objective is to earn a profit from your position.

Lions and Loans: Why Finance Should Always be Personal

Different types of loans are available for almost every aspect of your life: personal loans, car loans, secured and unsecured loans, home loans, homeowner loans, student loans, graduate loans and career development loans (CDL). If you've suffered from credit problems in the past and now hold sub-prime characteristics, then you will be eligible for adverse credit and adverse loans.

You can always borrow money these days, but it is crucial to read the small print as the difference between interest rates is enormous and stories of people forced to pay off amounts which are five times the amount of their original loan are not uncommon.

There are also numerous stories on unemployed couples being sold loans, such as the case of Julie and Kevin Davies, reported by the BBC. The couple were already experiencing difficulty in paying off their existing debts of 4,000, when they were sold another 20,000 loan by Lloyds TSB.

Loans of 1,000 to 25,000 can be taken out and repaid over a period typically varying between six months and 10 years depending on your credit history and available finances. Loans are usually secured or unsecured. Secured loans are tied to your house, so you can be forced to sell the house if you are unable to make the repayments. Unsecured loans do not impose the same restriction, though a default on repayments may result in being credit blacklisted. Once blacklisted, you may get future credit card, mortgages and hire purchase applications rejected, as well as face a potential higher rate of interest for all existing debts.

It is absolutely crucial that you shop around for a loan and not just through the high-street banks. The internet offers a wealth of information available and there are many sites which compare the prices of products, and to really ensure you get a good deal - compare the different comparison sites. In the UK moneyfacts, moneyextra and ( moneynet ) offer price comparison services for a wide range of loans, amongst other financial products. These sites also offer consumer information guides, which you can either print directly off the website or download on to your computer.

Do read all the terms and conditions carefully and ask friends, family and your financial adviser / bank adviser if you don't understand a particular statement. The annual percentage rate (APR) is particularly important and can make a difference of thousands of pounds over the term of the loan.

Unsecured loans can be purchased from building societies and banks, as well as certain high street shops. Unsecured loans may be taken out for something specific or simply to make life more 'comfortable'. The process usually involves:

* Requesting a typical amount for the loan

* Discussion of interest rate (APR) and possible loan payment protection insurance

* A credit check, you may wish to get one of these first, so you know what to expect

* Reading the terms and conditions and then signing the agreement

* Money can then be transferred into your account

In the discussion of secured versus unsecured loans, moneynet explains that although secured loans can offer lower interest rates and repayments, many people do not wish to jeopardise the potential loss of their home in the default of a repayment of a secured loan. In unsecured loans, pay attention to the difference in APR, term of the loan and any additional charges such as an early settlement charge or redemption penalty.

Resources:

- Mortgage and loan comparisons
Personal finance blog Cashzilla

About Rachel Lane:
Rachel writes for the personal finance blog Cashzilla:
Rachel is a disillusioned, disaffected and broke graduate, exploiting new media for financial therapy.

E-mail: rachel@positiveinterest.comor online@moneynet.co.uk

Phone: 0131 561 2251