Finance Wanted.

By Martin Lukac

When it comes to money, control is everything. Have you ever noticed how out-of-control your entire life can seem when you are up to your ears in debt? It can almost paralyze other parts of your life. You are stressed. You can't think, you can't sleep and you dread paying the bills or checking your account balances.

Do you know why?

Because you are letting your finances control you. You have given up control. But finances just can't run themselves. You can't ignore your money situation. You can't charge on your credit cards and then ignore the fact that you can't pay for it. Eventually, it will all catch up with you.

I've heard it said by many financial advisors that once you are able to control your finances, the rest of your life will fall in order. That is because the same self-control you use in managing your money will affect other aspects of your life. For example, people who live frugally often live quite neatly. They realize that everything they own costs money. They accept the responsibility and take care of their belongings. It's funny how money can affect many aspects of our lives.

What you must do is find a way to get back control. You do this by simply taking care of your finances on a regular basis. Are you wondering how you will pay your bills or get rid of your debt? No answers?

There is no answer until you sit down and find one. You have to look at where your money is being spent. You have to look honestly at the amount of debt you have. Until you get a picture of your financial situation, you will never find the money you need to pay the bills or get out of debt. You are living blindly.

You should know every day exactly how much money you have. This takes seconds. Just sit down for a little bit each night and write things down in your checking account register. This not only puts you in control, it makes it so that you can't simply ignore how much money you really have left.

You have to find a budget that works for you. This will help you know where your money is going, where it should be going and where you want it to go. You simply keep track of what you are spending and are responsible for it. When you see that you can cut back in a certain area, do it. That's all there is to it. There are many different budgeting methods. The key is to find one that works for you.

When you are controlling your finances, you are able to get out of debt, save for the future and find a little money for the things you really want. It doesn't take a lot. After the first week or so of figuring things out, you probably will only spend five to 30 minutes an evening working on your finances. That sure beats worrying all night.

Take control of your money situation. Don't just worry and fret. Write out a plan based on what is really going on with your money. Start taking steps to get out of debt and save for the future. Believe me, when you are out of debt your financial life will be more easily controlled. By taking back control, you are taking your life back.

Martin Lukac represents RateTake Mortgage Loan marketplace. RateTake matches consumers with multiple lenders offering low Refinance rates from our network of accredited lenders.

By Dallas Clane

I'm sure you've heard the news by now. Forex Tracer is the new kid on the block and it's kicking the crap out of the other automated forex programs. Well is that just hype? Or is this program really making people as much money as they are claiming?

I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try this program out because if it was true, it would be an incredible life changing thing. The first thing that impressed me about Forex Tracer was its return policy. 60 days for free. What that means is, if you can't make money with it, you can return it any time during the first 60 days. That's no questions asked. The way I figured it, I had nothing to lose! However, it took less than a week and already I had made more money than I spent on this particular program.

So now that you know it does indeed work your probably wondering why you shouldn't just get out there and buy it now. Well, some of the other programs are better suited for certain things. What? I thought Forex Tracer was the best.

Well, out of the automated forex solutions, Forex Tracer is by far the easiest to use. However, other programs are better suited if you know more about the market.

But all in all, if your looking to make money quickly and safely, I couldn't recommend Forex Tracer enough. It's by far the easiest one to use and that's all there is to it. Combined with it's killer return policy if you aren't satisfied, what do you have to lose? I'm enjoying life a lot more now with extra money to spend on the side and I love it.

For more a better look at Forex Tracer and the other best forex software click on the links. The more info you know the better!

By Elizabeth Mathers Stankovic

What we want is a kindly figure who will listen intently to our financial history and then harness extensive knowledge, experience and a measure of second sight to draw up a plan guaranteeing us a happy and secure life. Not too much to ask is it? Well, such individuals do exist.

They are called personal accountants, and those who, measure up to the description above don't come cheap. They are not to be confused with financial advisers, who will be happy to select a suitable product for you in a particular field, such as investment or insurance.

Don't expect a personal accountant to change your life; they may save you some legwork, and perhaps that the rap if things go wrong. After all, pensions and endowment policy miss selling really did happen. But that begs the question: is there really such a thing as objective advice out there? How much does it cost, and can anyone do much more than lick a finger and stick it up to the wind? First, let's pin down who's who.

FINANCIAL ADVISERS

'Financial advisers' is a term that embraces several species- Independent Financial Advisers (IFA), tied agents, appointed representatives and brokers. While it might seem blunt, one of your first questions to anyone offering information or advice should be:

" What are you?" advisers must tell you clearly what their interest is."

INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL ADVISERS

IFAs, as their name suggests, should be in a position to look at any companies or products on the market and find those that suit you best. IFAs who advise on investments, such as shares and collective funds, pensions, or equity-based life insurance, must be authorised by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and abide by its regulations.

IFAs who advise only on loans, mortgages, non- investment-based insurance or bank and building society accounts do not have to be FSA-authorised and are covered by separate code of practice, depending on their area of expertise. Many of these advisers are due to be regulated by the FSA from 2004.

TIED AGENTS

Don't expect tied agents to check out the whole spectrum of products on your behalf. They usually advise on those of a single company (except in case of stakeholder pensions, where they can 'adopt' the offerings of other providers), so should at least know their products thoroughly. They may be employed by the provider, or simply act as agent and collect commission on sales. Banks and Building societies, estate agents and travel agents often act as tied agents. As with IFAs, tied agents are expected to make the effort to understand your requirements and to politely turn away if none of their products is suitable. Yes, honestly!

APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVES

Here's where the water starts to get muddier because appointed representatives are self-employed individuals who may act either as tied agents for a particular company, or for a firm of IFAs. If it's the latter, they can easily give the impression of being IFAS in their own right, but it is illegal for them not to be straight with you about their status.

BROKERS

Brokers again may have ties with certain companies or be independent. They normally specialise-often in investments, insurance or mortgages- and will, therefore, claim to have the greater knowledge than IFAs, who may cover a wide range of financial products.

Some product providers will deal only through brokers, because it saves them a high-street presence and they can, in theory, pass their savings in overheads on to you. Many brokers also form relationships with providers, which allows them to obtain products at preferential rates. If not regulated by the FSA they are covered by bodies such as the Mortgage Code Compliance Board.

DISCOUNT BROKERS

Further confusing the issue when it comes to investments are discount brokers. They operate on an execution-only' basis, which means they are not allowed to offer more than general information on products, as opposed to individual advise tailored to your own circumstances. Their selling point is that they rebate all or part of their initial commission when you buy a product such as a ISAs, making their money later on renewal commissions from the provider. Discount brokers may also act as IFAs and offer personal advice, but you can't then claim discounts.

So you need help to find a particular product-who you should you consult? For collective-fund investments or pensions, choose an authorised IFA or an appointed representative for a firm of IFAs. For mortgages, you may be best approaching specialist brokers, but check whether they are independent or tied to particular companies.

Liza Mathers writes for Seek4finance. Our visitors can apply online for a range of personal finance, solutions including personal loans, mortgages, credit cards, savings, current accounts and investment information. Visit http://www.seek4finance.co.uk today.

By Thomas Wheelwright

Recently I've been sharing tax strategies related to getting your children in the game and on your payroll. Now that you've put your children to work, the next step is to put their money to work!

There are many ways your children can put their money to work. Here are two of those ways:

#1 Have Your Children Pay for Their Extras

One thing most parents agree on is that children can be expensive! All the extras add up - sports, lessons, toys, games, the latest gadgets. All parents know this list can go on and on. Rather than paying for your children's extras with your after-tax dollars, have your children pay for their extras with their after-tax dollars. Your children's after-tax dollars are much cheaper than yours - especially if they are in a 0% tax rate!

What I love about this strategy is it reduces my taxes AND gives my children real life experience with managing their own finances.

#2 Have Your Children Fund a Roth IRA

Typically children do not have IRAs because in order to make a contribution to an IRA, the IRA owner must have earned income. Since most children do not have earned income, an IRA is not an option.

When you have your business hire your children, not only do you have the opportunity to reduce your taxes, but you have also created the opportunity for your children to contribute to an IRA. Once your children have earned income, they are eligible to contribute to an IRA.

In most cases, I find that a Roth IRA is a better fit for children than a traditional IRA. One reason is because distributions from a Roth IRA are tax-free. In a traditional IRA, distributions are taxable income. This means that all the income earned in a Roth IRA will never be taxed! Of course, the rules of the Roth IRA must be followed to receive this treatment but I find that most of the time, the rules of the Roth IRA are easier to follow than those of a traditional IRA.

The power of time is huge in this strategy because even modest contributions to a Roth IRA at a young age can grow to a substantial balance by the time your children are even just middle aged! Add to that the tax-free nature of the Roth IRA and it's easy to understand why this strategy can be so powerful for your children.

Another reason I like the Roth IRA for children is that there are several exceptions to the early withdrawal penalty (which can make Roth IRA earnings and contributions taxable). These exceptions provide opportunity for your children to take distributions without penalty long before they reach retirement age.

Tom Wheelwright is not only the founder and CEO of Provision, but he is the creative force behind Provision Wealth Strategists. In addition to his management responsibilities, Tom likes to coach clients on wealth, business, and tax strategies. Along with his frequent seminars on these strategies, Tom is an adjunct professor in the Masters of Tax program at Arizona State University. For more information, visit http://www.provisionwealth.com