Finance Wanted.

By Robert S. Singleton

You've heard it's tough getting a home mortgage today, and that's true. However, the formula for getting approval isn't too difficult to understand and there are strategies to help you get a home mortgage eventually. You just have to follow the same guidelines that the mortgage brokers will use to determine your creditworthiness to decide whether it's time to apply for a mortgage. Even if you are turned down, what you learn from the experience will eventually help you qualify later. And, as the credit market eases in panic, you may even find yourself in a great position to buy a low-priced, quality, home with just the right qualifications the lenders are looking for in a borrower.

Your Credit Reports

If you haven't checked your credit reports in years, do so before you apply for a home mortgage. There are three major credit bureaus that you will need to ask for a copy of your credit report: Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. You will need to ask for a copy from each of these credit bureaus, as the information is not common between all of them. Some may have entries that others don't and the key is to clear up all your credit reports so that your credit is sparkling clean by the time you apply for a home mortgage.

Once you receive your credit reports, check out any inconsistencies on it that might be disputed and then dispute them. You won't get your actual FICO score when you get a free credit report, for that you have to pay. This is actually well worth paying for as the new FICO score that lenders are looking for is anything above 720. The higher your score about this number, the more leverage you have for scoring a low interest rate and favorable home mortgage terms.

Seek Home Ownership Programs

If you aren't able to qualify for a loan right now there are agencies set up to help low-income people qualify for a home by educating them on the entire process. You will want to check out if you are eligible to participate in any home mortgage and ownership classes to help you resolve issues way ahead of time. Places to find such programs include the Department of Housing and Urban Development and your state's Housing Finance Agency. Also check out your local yellow pages, but be aware to check the credential of any program with the state agencies so that you don't end up being defrauded. Other issues that can be discussed in these programs are your income level, your level of debt, and your reasons for buying a home.

Robert is the owner/developer of http://www.info-mortgages-online.com, an Online Mortgage Guide with vital Information on Mortgages. Someone looking to get a Home Mortgage can visit: Home Mortgage Guide for more info. Also check out the Online Blog!

By Carolyn Clayton

It might seem perverse but in today's current financial climate where interest rates are low but competition is fiercer than ever only the most financially astute will succeed. Venture Capitalists expectations have become far more realistic and inline with market conditions there has never been a better time to seek investment. The Government for its part is keen to foster the notion of a nation of entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurial spirit that is intrinsic with this nation, but entrepreneurs need to dare to be different, and make the leap of faith from dreamer to true entrepreneur. To have a great idea is simply not enough you need to have the drive and mindset to get your idea accepted and off the ground. A can do attitude and a fierce work ethic are what investors want to see from prospective partnerships.

I know this is very simplistic but a good business model really can come from a good SWOT analysis, you have to focus on what people actually want, successful enterprises will be able to deliver the product to market seamlessly in the most cost effective manner, ensuring both customer satisfaction and maintaining brand loyalty simultaneously.

The difference between a dreamer and an entrepreneur is the doing, making it happen and embracing risk is the preserve of the entrepreneur and that is the primary reason why we're not all doing it.

If you are an entrepreneur in need of capital investment Business Angels has numerous large investors from around the globe all with substantial financial clout. Business Angels actively seek out investment opportunities in SME and business start-ups. Angels have resources set aside solely for the purpose of funding entrepreneurs and established companies alike, it could be that you are simply in need of a cash injection to take them to that next level. There are sites online that have online forms which you can submit your business ideas. It's quick and simple and will only take a few minutes to complete. A lot of Business Angels sites have a members area where investors can view all the business ideas and get in touch with the businesses that they think they can help. Some companies will actually match your business with a venture capitalist or business angel depending on your need.

Most of these sites will allow you to register for free which will allow you to use any of their services including forums where you can ask the experts a question. These are valuable resource will allow you to gauge opinion, seek advice, confer with other uses and build up a significant network of influence. Why not benefit from the experience of others? Avoid start-up mistakes like an inappropriate location, marginal niche, derivative idea, poor investor management or fighting between founders by establishing clear strategic guidelines for the future ensuring that your not always on the back foot with tactical decision. Be Proactive and not Reactive!

Angel Startups is an internet resource for start up companies, entrepreneurs, bankers, loan companies, venture capitalists and Business Angels

Please feel free to republish this article providing this resource box remains intact with a working hyperlink to our site.

By Douglas Glenn Clark

Here's how inflation could suddenly make today's outrageous gasoline prices seem like a bargain: the credit crisis deepens, loans of all kinds freeze and more major brokerage firms fearing implosion beg for a bailout. Bankruptcies of public companies and municipalities add salt to the financial wound and the federal government is forced to continue loaning cheap money to banks to balance the books.

Then, finally, there is no more money left. I know, that sounds impossible: no money in the federal coffers? But the fact is it does happen. Guess what the solution is? The Fed just prints more. And in the opinion of many money experts, ramping up supply of the lowly U.S. Dollar is a sure way to ignite one of our most feared enemies: rampant inflation.

We already know what inflation can do to our money. Inflation essentially eats greenbacks like a moviegoer eats popcorn. Speaking of movies and snacks, do you like how those prices continue to rise? The price of gasoline is a popular complaint, but there will be many other prices to complain about - including entertainment - when America becomes Inflation Nation.

Don't just stand there when the inflation fire starts consuming your life. Where there's a woe there's a way - for those who are willing to understand one basic concept and learn to accept a controllable risk.

Here's the concept: U.S. Treasury bonds hate inflation. Why? Inflation usually causes the Fed to raise interest rates in an attempt to cool the economy. When rates rise, bond prices fall.

Here's the controllable risk: Put options on U.S. Treasury bond futures. Why? Put options gain in value as the U.S. Treasury bond market price falls. When you buy a Put option, you only risk the money you have spent. It can't explode into a bigger, nastier loss in the manner of futures positions or other sophisticated speculative (think gambling) methods.

Now for the solution to rampant inflation: Learn to trade Put options on U.S. Treasury bond futures. Master this. Not only for protection against the inevitable flash flood of inflation. Master this market because when you do, you will always know how to protect yourself against changing tides in the economy - such as the rising cost of food, housing and necessities of all kinds.

You can also use Call options to exploit upward price moves in the T-bond market. But those days are behind us for now. We've already seen a major move up. Where were you? Possibly searching for a mortgage with a low interest rate. Fortunately, many homeowners benefited from low rates. But some folks are losing homes because they agreed to complicated adjustable-rate mortgages and can no longer afford their payments. Why? Inflation increased their monthly bill.

The haves and have nots both need protection. Master one market. And sleep a little easier.

Copyright 2008

Douglas Glenn Clark is the author of A Mortgage Liberator Guidebook: How to pay your bills as interest rates change. Free lessons and information at http://www.dgclarkgroup.com/portfolio.htm and his blog: http://www.afterthenoise.blogspot.com

By James Gauci

The Financial market currently displays impressive shifts. You cannot guess what will happen in next moment. The value of shares and commodities might go up and down. The funds can become productive, or it might fall down. Two or three investment might bring great returns or a few may completely fail. At times you can get confused on which saving choice is the finest. All these cases will make you completely blurred. You can accomplish one thing in order to remove any of the finance-connected confusions, or you can choose for the asset management solutions company.

Up till now, the market has good finance companies that can give asset management solutions. Since you know that an asset management scheme has developed from the maintenance management system as a result principles of an asset management is relevant to all substantial assets like property, inheritance, plant, infrastructure, and equipment. You will develop your investment act and direct financial risk experience, and simultaneously you can decrease the costs to business, which is best for overall business condition. Now, due to the significance to investment solutions different asset management companies are giving services these days.

Any of the asset management company provides liquidity, diversification as well as professional organization service. They can also give advices about issues such as asset management and reformation to businesses, mergers and acquirements, partnerships, organizations and governments. Portfolio management is another area that an asset management company can look after.

Portfolio managers of asset Management Company mix together individual investment choices into fully expanded local, global or else expert portfolio. Such type of portfolios is with striking risk return features. You can select modified investment portfolios with most excellent investment thoughts. Hence, for any long lasting or temporary financial decisions select the asset management services and spend without feeling heavy.

Visit http://www.einvestment.tv for the latest information on the World of Finance

By Bryan Burbank

A certificate of deposit better known as a CD is a deposit made based on time. It is a very common product that is offered to customers of credit unions and banks.

CD'S are act similar to a savings account because you are considered to be risk free because a CD is insured by the FDIC. There are some differences in savings accounts and CD'S such as a set term for maturity. The CD will have a fixed term such as 3-12 months and also will have a fixed interest rate. The reason is that for you to get the full maturity you must hold it the allotted time. At the time of maturity you will be able to withdrawal the principle amount plus the interest that has accrued.

What a financial institution does is it will give you a higher rate for agreeing for a longer term. This differs from a savings account which generally gives you a lower rate because you have instant access to that money.

Most CD'S have only fixed rates but in some cases you will see banks offering a bump up rate which will be adjustable. If you get into a situation were the interest rate is on the rise then you get into a CD that will allow you a one time adjustment.

It is good to know that there are some things you must know about interest rates. In general if you have a larger amount to deposit then you will get a higher interest rate. If you have a longer term then you can also get a higher rate over the length of the CD. If you find a smaller bank a lot of times they will offer a higher rate to attract new customers.

Basically how a CD works is you need to decide on how much you are going to deposit then when you go to the bank you make your deposit. You will then receive a book that will have the deposit amount and rate on it. You will receive periodic statements so that you know how much interest you have earned.

You can also have the interest made on the CD paid to you on a monthly basis but be aware that you will not benefit form compounding interest. Also CD'S usually have a minimum amount that they require to deposit.

If you do not cash out your CD at the end of the term then usually the bank will roll it over for another term that was the same as before

Learn How To: Get Debt Relief Now

Learn How to Get: Government Grants to Eliminate Debt

Bryan Burbank is an Expert on Finance and has spent many years in the field.

By Steve A Wright

Before considering whether it is a good idea, it might be helpful to take a quick look at just what is pension drawdown.

Replace that "drawdown" with "withdraw" and it can perhaps be most readily understood as the ability to withdraw money from your pension fund and leave the balance invested, so that (hopefully) it continues to grow. This ability therefore gives the pension holder an additional option on retirement: instead of using the pension for the one-off purchase of a lifetime annuity, funds can be withdrawn or drawn down for the purchase of an annuity at a later date. And the later the date, of course, the more attractive the annuity should be. Tit does mean, however, that you will probably need an alternative source of income in the meantime.

Clearly, this will give you a much greater degree of flexibility in the use of your pension and preserves the opportunity of a remaining pension fund that you could pass on to your children on your death (provided, of course, that the fund is still a reasonably significant amount).

If the pension fund is sufficiently large, you will be able to draw down income and continue to manage the balance of the fund, making any necessary investment decisions for yourself. In other words, it allows you to stay in control of a significant source of savings and investment.

Pension drawdown could also result in your being able to increase your income when you are older. Obviously, this will depend not only on there still being a sizeable balance in the pension fund, but also that the investments perform well. The opposite is also true, of course. If the investments do not perform well, then the fund can become seriously depleted and the income in your old age could in fact be significantly reduced.

Pension drawdown thus offers a more flexible alternative to purchasing an annuity as soon as you retire. This will suit those people who feel that the one-off purchase of an annuity at too early a stage locks them into an arrangement which might not represent the best deal over the longer-term. They might also be concerned about the relatively limited death benefits that come with many annuities.

From the foregoing, therefore, it can be seen that there are attractions to a pension drawdown. But these attractions come at a price. And that price lies in the risk of things going wrong or you miscalculating a number of factors. In other words, pension drawdown represents a risk. If the worst came to the worst, your decisions could leave your remaining pension fund seriously - if not totally - depleted. This would leave you without a private pension at all in your old age.

The risk is sufficient, certainly, for it to be very unwise to consider this retirement option without first consulting an experienced independent financial adviser, who can warn you of the pitfalls and carefully explain not only the attractions, but also the drawbacks of a pension drawdown.

Steve Wright is Managing Director of Wrightway Financial Consultants, Independent Financial Advisers specialising in Pensions, Investments, Mortgages and Insurance. One of their major areas is pension drawdown.

By Steve A Wright

Independent financial advice is needed by anyone wanting to ensure that their hard-won money works its hardest for them. There are good ways and there are not such good ways, there are efficient means and less efficient means of literally getting the best value for money - and independent financial advice will point you in the direction of the best routes and the best financial products available.

Britain has one of the most developed and advanced financial services industries in the world. This is great news for the consumer, of course, but it does mean that there is a positively bewildering array of different financial products on the market. Independent financial advice will help to make sure that you are choosing not only the best, but also the most suitable for your particular needs.

Savings and investment

If you want to make the most of your savings and investments, for example, would you know where to start? Could you pick your way through the maze of unit trusts, individual savings accounts (ISAs), Open-ended Investment Companies (OEICs), investment bonds, inshore or offshore investments, or ethical investments? Would you know where to go for reliable stock broking or comprehensive savings plans? The choices are almost overwhelming and this is the point at which you would want a well-informed, qualified and independently expert adviser to step in and advise you of the pros and cons of each.

Pensions

One of the major areas of development and sophistication has been that of pensions planning. Once again, independent financial advice will be essential to ensuring that you make the most of your money for the longest possible time. Whether it is advice and guidance on personal pensions, annuities or finances on retirement, consultation with an expert will pay dividends.

Personal finances, protection and insurance

In today's uncertain economic climate most people want to make sure that every penny counts. Independent financial advice is essential to the best management of your personal finances and that of your family. In the field of personal and family insurance, for instance, there is already a huge range of products to choose from - and the choice is growing all the time. Whether your interest is in life insurance, critical or serious illness insurance, health insurance, or endowments, independent expert advice will be needed to ensure that you and thoroughly understand what you are buying, but that you have chosen the most appropriate cover for you and your family's needs.

Although sound, independent financial advice might have helped you to manage your debts in a sound and stable way in the past, if problems have begun to appear or debts seem to be getting out of control, then advice can also be given on debt consolidation or other debt management solutions.

Mortgages

A whole field of independent financial advice is also available to those looking for help in obtaining the right mortgage. Today's mortgage market, of course, is something of a minefield and expert advice is needed to tread a clear and confident path through the available offerings and choices between repayment, fixed interest, interest-only, endowment and pension mortgages (to name but a few).

Steve Wright is Managing Director of Wrightway Financial Consultants, Independent Financial Advisers specialising in Pensions, Investments, Mortgages and Insurance. One of their major areas is independent financial advice.

By Steve A Wright

Despite the quite considerable contributions individuals are likely to be making to them and the accumulated value they are likely to have, it is surprising how few people keep an eye on how their pension fund investments are doing. The contributions are made on the same monthly basis, come what may, regardless of the investment's comparative performance. It seems that many people give no thought to the possibility of pension transfers and whether such a move would make sense for them.

Whether a pension transfer is something you should be considering, of course, will depend on the performance of your current pension fund. Together with your home, this is likely to be one of your larger investments and, as with any investment, you will want to make sure that your hard-earned money there is working as hard for you as it possibly can. With the value of your home, for example, you probably follow every twist and turn of local property prices and keep a fairly close watch on just how much it is worth. How many people do the same with their pension investments?

With your pension fund, it is not just the overall value and performance you will be interested in. Have you recently reviewed what management or administration fees you are paying? Could you get a better deal for less?

Ready to transfer?

If you believe it is time for a change, there are one or two things you should definitely do first before committing yourself to a transfer:

- Above all, do not consider transferring your pension without seeking the expert advice of a registered independent financial adviser;

- If you have not done so already, one of the first things your adviser will ask to see is a transfer value analysis. As the title suggests, this is an analysis which allows you to compare the value and performance of your current pension investments with the alternatives. It should include a figure called the "critical yield" (typically somewhere between 7% and 11%) which tells you how fast any replacement scheme would need to grow to match the performance of your present scheme. A good rule of thumb will be a figure of 8%. If your present scheme is returning anything less than this, then you might want to take the idea of a pension transfer further;

- What are your intentions regarding retirement? When do you hope to start drawing on your pension? If you are planning to retire early, for example, you will need to ensure that any replacement scheme to which you are intending to transfer is sufficiently flexible to allow this;

- With the help of your independent financial adviser, you will naturally want to check again the current financial position and performance of your present scheme. In the event that it is showing a surplus, with a higher value on assets than liabilities, then it could well prove worthwhile staying with your present pension fund.

Summary

It is certainly worth reviewing and monitoring your pension fund in the same way that you would any other investment, to consider the potential benefits of a pension transfer:

- Financial performance, management costs and flexibility might be a useful basis for comparison;

- Before doing anything, however, make sure that you seek the services of a reputable, independent financial adviser;

- Get a transfer value analysis of your current pension scheme;

- Take into account your actual retirement plans and any intention you might have to retire early.

Steve Wright is Managing Director of Wrightway Financial Consultants, Independent Financial Advisers specialising in Pensions, Investments, Mortgages and Insurance. One of their major areas is pension transfers.

By Steve A Wright

At the risk of sounding facetious, an independent financial adviser is someone who gives independent advice on financial matters. In fact, stating the rather obvious in this way put an important stress on the three vital components of the independent financial adviser's role.

Independent

The independence of the adviser is critical. When an independent financial adviser is consulted, it is important to know that he or she has no vested interest and will not be influenced in any way by selling a single company's products. Independence means that the client can expect the adviser to act completely impartially, entirely in the client's best interests, and not because there is an established dependent relationship between the adviser and one particular supplier. The importance of this independence cannot be stressed enough. The adviser needs to be licensed by and is regulated by the Financial Services Authority, and independence is something that is central to such recognition. The client's faith and trust in the adviser stems largely from the latter's independence.

Financial

An independent financial adviser needs to have expert professional knowledge of a huge range of financial products and services. Since it has one of the most highly developed financial services industries in the world, the sheer range of products available on the British market means that knowledge and professionalism must be of the highest order.

Because of the sheer range of subjects with which an independent financial adviser needs to be familiar, there is a correspondingly wide range of qualifications available to individual advisers. For example, the adviser might have professional qualifications awarded by the Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA) Institute, the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), the Institute of Financial Planning (IFP), the Personal Finance Society (PFS), the Pensions Management Institute (PMI, the Securities and Investment Institute (SII), or others. Above all, however, the adviser knows that his is a constantly changing market, with new products and services emerging all the time. He or she will make it his or her business to stay completely abreast of these trends.

Adviser

As an adviser, the third and vital component of the independent financial adviser's role harks back to the first of his or her qualities, independence. The financial advice given must be "best advice" when recommending any product or service. That is to say, the advice must be the advice that is genuinely in the client's best interest. It is as though the adviser had stepped into the client's shoes and was giving advice entirely from the client's perspective. In this way, the client can be assured that the advice is truly independent, objective and impartial advice that will satisfy the interests that the client himself or herself has identified.

Summary

It is surprising just how much meaning can be packed into the three words that describe the role of the independent financial adviser. But as the above brief, thumb-nail sketchy has shown, each of the three words encapsulates a fundamental and vital part of this professional's job. Each word describes the obligations that the adviser has towards each of his clients, so that the clients, for their part, can rest absolutely assured that they receive genuinely independent, well-informed and expert financial advice that will serve their own best interests.

Steve Wright is Managing Director of Wrightway Financial Consultants, Independent Financial Advisers specialising in Pensions, Investments, Mortgages and Insurance. One of their major areas is being a Independent Financial Adviser.

By Steve A Wright

Everyone knows that the younger you are when you start paying into a pension, the more you'll receive when it's time to pay out on your retirement. Nevertheless, there are still many who delay making that start and a frightening number of people who believe that their entitlement to a basic State pension will be enough to see them comfortably through old age. While they might be right about the entitlement to a State pension, they are most unlikely to find that the State pension alone will ensure anything like a comfortable retirement. But if taking care of your own pension arrangements is to be an option, where do you go for the best pension advice?

Even a cursory look at the subject of pensions will tell you that it can become a pretty complicated topic, with a bewildering range of different products, to suit different ends and purposes. For example, you might be aware that your employer runs a pension scheme and, indeed, you believe that the employer contributes to your pension on your behalf. But is this an occupational pension scheme. If it is, do you know whether it is salary-related or whether it is a defined contribution or money purchase scheme?

Alternatively, is your employer offering a stakeholder pension scheme or running a group personal pension scheme? You have heard that it is possible to set up your own stakeholder pension. How would this differ from your having your own personal pension arrangement? Is one or the other - a stakeholder or a personal pension scheme - something you should be setting up for yourself?

These are all perfectly reasonable questions, but how on earth do you go about answering them? It's very much a specialist subject and the ground rules seem to be changing all the time. You have might also have heard, for example, that the government is introducing changes requiring all employers to offer a pension in the future and to make contributions to the schemes set up. This can be the employer's own scheme or the government's new central scheme that is being established.

Yet further changes will affect the minimum age at which you can start drawing your pension benefits. Subject to the rules of your particular scheme, the minimum age is currently 50, but this will go up to age 55 by the year 2010 (though you will no longer need to stop working altogether to be able to draw the pension, provided continued employment is allowed by the rules of your particular scheme). To phase in the higher age level, pension fund managers have been given the period from April 2006 until April 2010 to raise the age limit. Clearly, you will need to know when it applies to you.

All in all, therefore, it is clear that questions about pensions can become quite complicated. They are further complicated by your need to know exactly how your own individual circumstances should affect your pension options and decisions. A pension is a long-term investment, which accumulates many thousands of pounds of your hard-earned cash - it's important, therefore, that you are guided towards the right decisions.

Given the importance of getting it right, the sensible course of action is to consult an independent financial adviser about your existing and future pension options. This will ensure that your decisions are based on the best, professional and expert, independent pension advice.

Steve Wright is Managing Director of Wrightway Financial Consultants, Independent Financial Advisers specialising in Pensions, Investments, Mortgages and Insurance. One of their major areas is pension advice.

By Steve A Wright

A brief scan of the financial pages of the national press might give you some idea of the number of employers these days why are eager to switch their employees from final salary pension schemes into other, personal pension, plans. Many employers are so keen to encourage such a switch that they are offering a lump sum cash inducement for those who elect to transfer their pension rights in this way. Despite such an apparently attractive inducement, however, where can the employee get pension transfer advice that he or she can feel secure in knowing the transfer is in their own best interest?

The reason for many employers wanting to shift employees away from final salary schemes is that such schemes tend to be relatively expensive. For the employee, however, the attraction may well be the certainty offered by a final salary scheme, since it will be known all along just how the pension is calculated and what it is likely to amount to. A personal pension plan, however, will depend on the performance of the pension fund's investments and the equally unknown variations in annuity rates. So, the personal pension plan could do better, or it could do worse than, the occupational final salary scheme. How can the employee begin to compare the two, therefore, to know whether to accept the employer's incentive to quit the safety and certainty of a final salary scheme?

The answer is that it is an extremely difficult decision to make and not one which should be made without dependable pension transfer advice. The complicated nature of pension transfers is no idle judgment, but one that comes from the financial services industry regulator, the Financial Services Authority (FSA). Speaking about the responsibility of pension fund trustees towards any of its members who are thinking about a pension transfer, the Authority states: "Although it is not compulsory, the trustees should encourage members to take advice as pension transfers are complicated and it is difficult to make suitable decisions without advice, even when all the relevant information is provided".

So, the FSA itself would encourage anyone thinking of transferring from one pension scheme to another - and that includes a transfer out of a final salary scheme - should first consult an independent financial adviser. It is the independent financial adviser, for example, who can begin to make sense of the next most important piece of information you will need in order to weigh up the pros and cons of any transfer. That is a transfer value analysis and an estimate of the benefits that your present scheme would pay. Fairly obviously, this is something that would be needed before any comparison between the existing and new scheme could be attempted. Furthermore, the transfer value analysis is something that only the trustees of your present scheme could provide.

Summary

For whatever reason you are considering taking pension transfer advice, the best-placed source is an independent financial adviser because:

� Independent financial advice is recommended by the Financial Services Authority;

� You will need someone who can help you understand and interpret the transfer value analysis provided by the trustees of your current pension scheme;

� You will benefit from professional advice in weighing up the benefits and drawbacks of your present scheme compared to any alternative.

Steve Wright is Managing Director of Wrightway Financial Consultants, Independent Financial Advisers specialising in Pensions, Investments, Mortgages and Insurance. One of their major areas is pension transfer advice.

By Joseph Kenny

Offshore banking, we have all heard about it before. Unfortunately, many are misinformed when it comes to offshore banking. We have all heard news reports of offshore accounts being used to front illegal activities or to avoid taxes. In fact, we have also seen it in the movies, being used a similar way. This has led many individuals to believe that offshore banking is illegal. Despite what you may believe, offshore banking is legal. However, how you use it may be considered illegal.

Offshore banking is done through a bank that is known as an offshore bank. Offshore banks are banks that are located in another country, other than the country that you reside in. For instance, if you live in the Untied States an offshore bank would not be located in the United States. Many popular offshore banks are located in Switzerland. There are a number of advantages to offshore banking, but there are disadvantages as well.

The biggest advantage of offshore banking is that you are offered privacy and stability. There are many individuals who place their money in offshore accounts for security purposes. When your money is in an offshore account, you can access it, but many choose not to. It is easier to access and spend your money if it is at a local bank. That is why a large number of individuals use offshore banking to help them increase their savings.

Another advantage of offshore banking is that just about anyone can open an account. The most common users of offshore banking are corporations, the self-employed, or individuals who wealthy. Offshore banks may have restrictions on the amount of money that is needed to open an account, but it is not always a large amount. Whether you are a small business owner, wealthy, or you consider yourself middle class, you should still be able to open up an offshore bank account.

As previously mentioned, offshore banking is often associated with illegal activities. One of these illegal activities is tax evasion. If you set up an offshore bank account, you will still need to report your savings. Not reporting all of your money in an offshore account can lead to you be brought up on tax evasion charges. It is important to note that you have the ability to prevent this from happening. As long as you choose to use your offshore bank account legally, there shouldn't be any disadvantages to having one.

The decision to open up an offshore bank account is a large one. If you are interested in opening up an offshore bank account, it is advised that you fully examine your decision. Many benefit from offshore banking, but not all do. If you are planning on using your offshore account to avoid a lawsuit or to evade taxes, you may want to reexamine your decision. As previously mentioned, there are serious consequences for doing this. As long as you plan on using your offshore account in a legal way, you can benefit immensely from offshore banking.

Joe Kenny writes for Only Stop, compare bank accounts in the UK, visit them today for savings accounts and also Compare Them for great savings accounts.

By R Rama

There are a number of products which different credit card providers are willing to offer, you can obtain credit cards, mortgages, loans, broadband the list can go on. However today i would like to present their finest credit card deals available;

Many credit cards have a 0% on balance transfers, for the first 10 months. 0% on purchases for the first 3 months, 0% commission on purchases overseas and 0% again on balance transfers for 5 months on the month of your 1st and 2nd anniversary. There are credit cards which also offer a 24/7 helpline and online account management. Finally the interest rate stands at 15.9% APR Typical (variable).

All different credit card providers are here to compete against their hardest rivals. While surfing their online website you will find it is to navigate throughout and are sure to find more products which could save you additional money.

To obtain the best competitive car insurance quote, searching online will enable you to the finest deals. They will search over through the entire database to make sure you are getting the lowest possible quote. Comparing car insurance online can be a very good way to obtain the best quote and with comparing companies below you are sure to get a even better rate.

There are many finance products to choose from however getting the best mortgage or credit card deal is important as on the long term selecting the right deal can save you money. Today due to the credit crunch all firms are finding it difficult to set a reasonable deal with their customers, Many firms are trying to concentrate on what their customers want and thats why you are sure to get the best deal possible.

If you would like to apply for Post Office finance products, please visit our website: Post Office.

If you would like to apply for a Post Office Credit Card, please visit our website: Post Office Credit Card.

By Steve A Wright

When the investment in your personal pension plan reaches maturity when you retire, you will need to transfer its accumulated value into a regular income for the remainder of your retirement. This is achieved through the purchase of a pension annuity - a seemingly simple and straight forward transaction that exchanges the final value of the pension fund into which you have been paying into a regular income.

Whilst the principle of a pension annuity is seemingly very straight forward, however, things are rarely quite as simple as they seem.

The first and probably most critical aspect of buying a pension annuity is that it is a long-term, one-off commitment. You have just one shot at it, since there is no going back and asking for a refund of all of the capital simply because, after the event, you have found a better deal elsewhere. In other words, it is very important that you make the right choice.

Making the right choice is made no easier by the fact that a host of different annuities all offer a host of different annuity rates - i.e. will offer a different level of income for the same amount of pension investment.

The difficulty is further compounded by the sheer number of different types of annuity available these days.

Standard annuity - the most conventional form of annuity is one that pays you a fixed income throughout the remainder of your life. The income is known in advance, so you have the security and peace of mind in knowing just how much that will be;

With profits annuity - as the name suggests, this relates the income you receive to an element of your initially invested sum that is in turn invested again in equities, bonds and gilts. In this way, your annuity reflects some of the risks inherent in such investments;

Unit-linked annuity - this is probably the choice for those prepared to take the greatest risk on an annuity that is entirely subject to the fluctuations of the investments made;

Immediate ("temporary" or "purchased life") annuity - this form of annuity needs to be purchased either from the cash element of your matured pension fund or some other cash resource. The advantage of this kind of annuity is that part of the annuity is treated as a return of your initial capital and, therefore, is not taxed, whereas the whole of your pension annuity would be subject to income tax;

Impaired life annuity - this is a type of annuity designed for those whose actuarial life expectancy is lower than someone of the same age in the general population. Different annuities will operate different definitions of what amounts to "impairment" of life, but it is generally a question of an existing serious illness or lifestyle factors such as smoking, obesity or past occupation.

Summary

The seemingly simple and straight forward question of converting the final value of a pension fund into a regular, income-paying annuity actually requires the kind of advice you can best receive from an independent financial adviser, since:

� Your pension annuity decision is of a one-off type that you need to get right the first time;

� There is considerable variation in the level of income paid by any one annuity - naturally, you would want the highest paying;

� There is a wide range of different types of annuity - some higher, some lower, risk - an independent financial adviser will be able to help you choose the one you want.

Steve Wright is Managing Director of Wrightway Financial Consultants, Independent Financial Advisers specialising in Pensions, Investments, Mortgages and Insurance. One of their major areas is pension annuity.