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 Ivan A Cuxeva

When you are ready to buy a home, especially if you have never purchased a home before, you will have a lot of questions. Your realtor may be able to answer some of these questions for you, but if you really want someone to help you through the process and explain things to you every step of the way, you will want to work very closely with a mortgage bank.

Don't be Afraid to Work with a Mortgage Bank

Many people are leery of mortgage banks when they first start applying for home loans, but you don't have to be. There are many, many banks out there for you to choose from so if you don't hit it off with one you can always start working with another. The fact of the matter is that you should use the banks and all of the knowledge that they possess to allow you to get information about home loans that you need and ultimately wind up with the loan that will allow you to move into the home of your choice.

There are many different home loans out there for you to choose from. It can be difficult to determine on your own which of the loans is the best deal for you and this is where a bank will really help you out. Not only will they be able to explain all of the different home loan options to you, they will be able to help you apply for the right loans. When you have a question you will have someone who will have the knowledge to answer that question for you or at least know where to go to get that information.

If you have a situation where you have some challenges to overcome you should make a mortgage bank your best friend. Many people who have bad credit or credit challenges such as foreclosure or bankruptcy have found that when they apply for home loans they run into problems getting approved for loans. With a knowledgeable employees by their side they will be able to help them apply for the right type of loans, such as FHA loans, which will be more forgiving of past credit problems. This is why it is so important to find a mortgage bank that you trust and that you enjoy working with so you know that you have someone who has your best interest at heart and will work to get you into the home of your choice.

When you start shopping for home loans you should remember that you don't have to work against mortgage banks, as many people feel they should. Mortgage banks are there to help you get into a new home, so take advantage of all of the information and guidance that they can offer you. If you work with the right bank you will likely end up with a better loan program for your situation than you would have if you dealt straight with a lender.

To learn more about mortgage refinance and financial institutions which are in charge of reviewing and approving applications visit our site at: http://www.refinance.com

By Stephen Ryan

In late 2007 It was confirmed by the world bank that India were the largest recipients of money transfers via money transfer services. Indeed India received $23.4 billion via the main money transfer service WUnion. In fact they recently opened their 300,000 the agent location world wide in India bringing the total number of agents there to 36,000. This of course is mainly due to working migrants transferring money back to family and friends.

However with the money transfer industry growing all the time, currently at over 10% per year there are many ways to transfer money to India and many companies to choose from. Here is a quick comparison of some of the main ways to transfer money to India, the fee shown relates to a money transfer being sent from New York, America over to India:

MoneyGram: $10, the only downside to this company is that you can only use their online service if you are based in America, it is therefore not available for anyone living elsewhere.

WUnion: The biggest money transfer service provider of sending money to India: $10, their money in minutes service is undoubtedly fast and efficient. The money is certainly available very rapidly providing the collector gives appropriate identification.

Xoom Money Transfer: $9.99 is their usual fee but you can significantly reduce this figure if you request a delayed transaction, this simply mean instead of them sending the money immediately they take a few days to do so. This service is only $2.00 so it certainly pays to plan ahead with your finances. A further added bonus to users of Xoom are that if the amount you send is in excess of $700 they will not charge you a fee at all! Additionally they can have it deposited direct into a bank account for you or even arrange a home delivery for you if required. Whilst not having as many agents as WUnion 4,350 is still a good start.

Ikobo: $5 will see your money transferred to India, however the procedure isn't completely straight forward as there is an application process to go through and you have to first send an ATM card to the recipient whop can then use the card at over 1,000,000 ATM's worldwide.

Paypal: well it is virtually free save for a few cents here and there. Money can be transferred to any email address instantly but don't let that fool you, the money has to be first uploaded to your paypal account and then downloaded to the recipients bank account (provided both accounts are verified, which can take a week to do) in total this can be a couple of weeks.

ICICI bank: They offer zero charge providing the recipient has an NRE/NRI account. They also give you an excellent exchange rate. The service is known as Money2India. They can have money sent for you to any branch nationwide across India. CitiNRI and Citibank also offer excellent services and run very competitive promotions from time to time.

The above are just a few options outlined, of course there are many other methods. The main point is to shop around, consider how frequently you send money, the exchange rate and how urgently you need to send the money. Always check exactly what exchange rate you are getting and you should be able to find a safe and efficient money transfer service without too much difficulty.

Money Transfer Review provides free money saving comparison charts, safety tips and money saving advice for all your money transfer needs. Simply click: Money Transfer or Transfer Money Overseas to discover more.

By Jon Heusman

Often times when a homeowner is forced to claim bankruptcy the home is the first asset that is taken away, as it is the most valuable - and if often comes at the highest monthly expense. As this highest monthly expense, there are ways that it can be protected from being seized by creditors, including the lending company who issued the mortgage. Ensure that bankruptcy is filed before the foreclosure noticed has been issued, to avoid foreclosure on the home.

Bankruptcy is defined as legislation to protect businesses and individuals that are unable to meet their financial obligations - from creditors becoming involved in the process. Bankruptcy can protect assets such as homes, and cars and protect creditors from seizing these assets.

After a notice of default has been filed, the lender has the right to request full balance that is owed, and refuse to take monthly payments. This is referred to as accelerated debt, and should be avoided at all costs. It is crucial to contact the lender and come to an agreement before the notice of default has been issued to the homeowner. Once the notice of default has been issued, the lender has the right to take the house into foreclosure.

Sometimes, bankruptcy is seen as an alternative to foreclosure. When a bankruptcy claim is filed than an automatic stay is issued, which stops all creditors from any actions to collect on claims, this includes foreclosure.

At the beginning of a bankruptcy case in the United States, if before the foreclosure sale date, will stop the foreclosure sale from taking place. Under a Chapter 13 bankruptcy plan, you can make regular monthly payments and be given a reasonable period of time to bring your loan payments up to date to save your property from being seized and sold to another seller who is able to make the payments on the property.

If the bankruptcy proceedings are to occur before the foreclosure date, than the foreclosure could be avoided - due to the bankruptcy legislation. It is crucial that the homeowner be able to start proceedings quickly, immediately after payments have been defaulted - before a notice of default has been issued to the homeowner. After this notice has been issued, the home is liable to be seized in foreclosure.

In order for the bankruptcy to be valid and stop the foreclosure - It must be filed before. Bankruptcy after the foreclosure date is often unable to protect the home from being seized, and sold to another buyer that can pay the outstanding balance to the lender from the previous homeowner.

There are debates between financial gurus regarding whom option is worse for the credit of the homeowner - bankruptcy or foreclosure. It is important to remember that both have adverse effects on credit for up to seven years, but declaring bankruptcy could be the key to saving your investment, your home from the creditors. This could be the new start that you require, and the homeowner would have one of the highest valued assets to begin the process anew.

The home foreclosure market is booming like never before. It is ripe for stealing away huge profits from, and I want to show you how. But first check out my free report: Home Foreclosure Profits

By Joshua Mosshart

Although it is usually not desirable to eliminate risk, there are strategies that may help to manage the volatility of your portfolio. A diversified investment mix, a focus on large cap growth stocks, and exposure to active portfolio managers may all help you deal with greater market volatility.

The Return of Diversification

We believe that effective diversification becomes more important in an environment of rising volatility. We expect the interrelationship of stocks and bonds to provide more diversification benefits than in past cycles as real interest rates become the driver of relative performance.

Correlation measures the degree to which asset returns move together or in opposite directions. Over time, the correlation between two asset classes can change. For instance, the relationship between the total returns of stocks and the total returns of bonds has varied over the past 75 years. During much of the 1980s and 1990s, stock and bond prices generally moved together, as reflected in the +0.5 correlation between them over the period.1 In the 1990s, diversification offered little value to investors - stocks and bonds generally moved in the same direction. In contrast, the correlation between stocks and bonds in recent years - just as in the 1950s - has reversed, reaching -0.5. Diversification is of more value in managing volatility now than at any time in the past 40-50 years!

The recent decline in the stock market was mirrored in a decline in yields (and rise in bond prices) as market participants' expectations for economic growth were tempered. Indeed, since the peak in the S&P 500 on July 19, the intermediate term government bonds have gained about 5% while stocks have fallen about 5%.2

We expect the correlation between stocks and bonds to remain below the levels seen in the 1980s and 1990s. In an era of a low, stable pace of inflation relative to historical levels, the volatility of interest rates may be driven more by expectations for the real rate of economic growth than by inflation expectations. In general, rising inflation tends to be a negative for both stocks and bonds. In contrast, rising real growth is a plus for stocks but a negative for bonds, because bond yields generally rise and prices fall. A similar period of negative correlation between stock and bond prices resulting from low and stable inflation occurred in the 1950s and 1960s.

A benefit of the changing correlation between stocks and bonds is that as price volatility remains elevated in the years ahead, a lower-than-average correlation between stocks and bonds should produce more benefits from diversification, which should serve to moderate overall portfolio volatility.

Go for Growth

In recent years, it was easy for investors who didn't periodically rebalance their portfolios to become over-weighted in value stocks - dominated by the financial sector, which is at the hub of the current market turmoil. With the exception of the aftermath of the technology bubble in the early 2000s, value stocks have tended to be more cyclical than growth stocks - meaning they display greater volatility when economic growth slows. As volatility has returned to the financial markets growth stocks have displayed less volatility than their value peers.

We expect better performance by growth stocks in the years ahead. In contrast to the 1990s, the excesses that have built up during the 2000s business cycle can be found in value rather than growth stocks. For example, the energy sector has soared along with energy prices and is vulnerable to a pullback in prices from record highs and the financial sector is exposed to the aftermath of the bubble in subprime debt. The large cap growth asset class is more attractively priced than any time in the last 10 years and earnings growth is likely to remain robust.

Get Active

Active managers benefit in an environment of rising volatility. The percentage of active managers beating their index tends to rise and fall with the trend in market volatility. During the second half of the 1990s economic cycle, volatility steadily rose - as did the percentage of large cap managers beating the market. The percentage of large cap managers beating the index rose steadily along with volatility from 11% at the end of 1995 to 68% by the end of the first quarter of 2001.3 As volatility remains elevated relative to recent years, we may look forward to stronger relative performance by managers relative to their indexes.

While the return of volatility may be unwelcome by some market participants - it may actually be good news. The turnaround in volatility has historically been followed by years of additional gains before the end of the business cycle.

A focus on diversification, large cap growth stocks, and active management can help to effectively manage portfolio volatility. In addition, we believe that rising volatility presents opportunities to potentially enhance return and manage risk through tactical asset allocation shifts. Rather than ignore volatility and adhere to a rigid allocation, we seek to capitalize on market volatility and make full use of the flexibility of our asset allocation framework.

1 S&P 500 and the Ibbotson Intermediate Term Government bond index

2 Ibbotson Intermediate Term Government bond index

3 Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index; large cap core managers in Lipper database.

This article is not intended to provide specific investment or tax advice for any individual. Consult your financial advisor, your tax advisor or me if you have any questions.

http://www.mosshartwealthmanagement.com

By Miek J

Why you should consider opening a High Interest Savings Account

For Australians in-particular, there has never been a better time for applying to a high interest savings account, particularly with new bank offers such as Commonwealth Banks 'Netsaver' and Bankwest's 'Telenet Saver'.

With such fierce competition in the Australian bank market, banking firms have no choice but to keep offering and releasing new savings accounts with consistently better features.

Regardless of your socio-economic background and situation, having even a minor sum of funds in a savings accounts can compound relatively fast. It also provides less incentive to spend, as commonly, these accounts are not accessible from ATM/Eftpos machines.

Having a separate high interest account comes down to greater efficiency of storing your money over a traditional transaction account, from higher interest payments.

They also include extra savings bonus's, such as extra interest if no withdrawals have been made in a certain time frame.

According to research by the Investment and Financial Services Association, Between 1990 and 2006, Australian's statistically saved an average of approximately 2.88% of their disposable incomes - the lowest of all westernised countries. This is far inferior amount to France for instance at 12.1%, who is not even the leader in disposable savings.

Be wary of the Fine Print

Be very careful and make sure you analyze the terms and conditions of your new potential high interest savings account closely.

Although most are authentically beneficial, some have negative features such HSBC's 'Serious Saver account', which only compounds and adds interest when there have be no withdrawals throughout the month.

Apart from nuisances like that, make sure not to avoid paying fees and regular payments, to avoid more serious fines, or dishonoured, bad credit rating.

Do you have enough Discipline to Save your Money?

Like many, the incentive of excess funds mixed with the impulses of sudden spending are hard to ignore. For the majority of savings account (particularly online savings accounts), it takes effort withdrawing your funds, reducing the chance that you will unnecessarily withdraw funds.

If you believe you can efficiently control the amount of money you withdraw and save, then a Cash Management Account, which allows money withdrawn at hand any time, would be more suited for your lifestyle.

Miek helps administrate an Australian credit cards site, Credit Card Finder.
For more information on credit cards and the latest high interest savings account offer, visit Credit Card Finder's page for the Bankwest Telenet Saver offer.

By Addi Vardhaman

Banking sector has remained the backbone of Indian economy since independence. After the reformative measures of 1991, this industry has been undergoing major changes. Advent of hi-tech communication and information technology has facilitated growth in Internet banking, ATM Network, Electronic transfer of funds and quick dissemination of information between different branches. Marketing of banking services has undergone a sea change in the last decade. Marketing of banking services means organizing right activities and programmes to render right services to the right people at the right place, at the right time at the right price and with right communication and promotion facility.

There are some other factors which have catalysed the transformation. The entry of more and more foreign banks and private sector banks, lean and nimble footed structure, have intensified the growth potentials in the Indian banking industry. Structural reforms have improved the health of Indian banking sector. The reforms include the enactment of the securitization Act to step up fast loan recoveries, establishment of professional asset reconstruction companies, initiatives on improving the pattern of recoveries from non-performing Assets (NPAs) and change on the basis of income recognition. These reforms have raised transparency and efficiency in the banking system.

The sudden swift in treasury income and smart loan recoveries has helped Indian Banks to have

record profitability. The following factors are likely to drive banking sector performance from in the coming years:

1. Credit growth likely to remain healthy at around 20-23% and deposit growth at 18% during the current five year plan.

2. The pressure on creating additional credit is now reduced. Banks can continue to cut deposit rates, the rate cut is likely to translate into better margins.

3. CASA ratios could stabilise and neutralise rate cut effects.

4. Non- interest income is likely to remain strong and third party product distribution is increasing.

5. Slowdown in retail credit, buoyant economy, rising wages and increased employment

opportunities provide a room for quality asset portfolio of banks.

The net non-performing loans to GDP has declined sharply to 1% in 2007 compared to 10.4% in 2002. A buoyant economy, higher profitability, and asset inflation will definitely strengthen balance sheet in the corporate sector and improve asset quality of the Indian financial and banking sector

About The 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 Paisawaisa as a finance specialist.

For more information related to finance community please visit: http://www.paisawaisa.com

By George Mclovin

When you start looking into home loans you may find that a lot of lenders will require that you pay for mortgage insurance or mortgage insurance has to be a part of the deal. This is especially true if you get an FHA loan or any type of federally insured loan. You might wonder what this is all about since this type of mortgage insurance doesn't actually provide you any insurance, but it's a good deal. While you may be required to keep mortgage insurance for your loan you can also opt for your own mortgage insurance, too!

Home Loans and Mortgage Insurance

Home loans are something that a lot of people dream of having so that they can own their own home. When most of us dream of owning our own home we never fathom that we could get into a position where we are unable to pay our mortgage and run the risk of having our house foreclosed on. While no one ever thinks that this will happen to them, there are millions of people that are losing their homes every year and they never planned on it.

When you are required by home loans to keep mortgage insurance this is so that if you default on the loan the lender will be paid the principal amount due on the loan. Basically, the lender is secured from a possible default through this mortgage insurance, which is why they may have agreed to lend to you even if you have less than perfect credit or have experience bankruptcy or foreclosure in the past.

In addition to the mortgage insurance that is required for some home loans you can also buy your own mortgage insurance that will not protect the lender but will protect you. Many people are able to get this insurance for as little as $50. For $50 you can pay for insurance that will make payments on your home for you if you are laid off from a job, too ill to go to work for extended periods, or even if the primary borrower dies and their spouse cannot make the payments on the house. Wouldn't it be nice to know that if something happened to you that your home would be paid off?

Mortgage insurance is something that everyone should consider when they are buying a home. While no one likes to think that foreclosure could happen to them, it could. Things happen all the time that we don't expect such as the loss of a job, an injury or illness that does not allow for us to work, divorce, and even death. These are not the things that most of us can plan for and many times it is loans and homes that are lost because of it. You can protect yourself, your home, and your family with very little each month out of pocket but it could mean saving your home later on. Hopefully you'll never need to call on this type of insurance coverage, but it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. If you have a home loan you should definitely look into this type of coverage because it can be very affordable and it can help you out in a big way when you fall on hard times.

To learn more about mortgage refinance as well as mortgage insurance visit our site at: http://www.refinance.com/

By Earnest Leibermanso

Panama's banking secrecy laws have been put to the test many times in the past and have always passed the privacy test. Panama is unique, in that corporations can be registered anonymously in bearer share format with these corporations able to hold bank accounts allowing for a high degree of financial privacy.

These corporations are difficult to find out the real owner because when ownership is transfered no records of the sale need to be kept or registered. The person that physically holds the share certificates is the owner of a bearer share corporation and any associated bank accounts which offers a great deal of privacy.

Of course there has to be someone as a signatory on the company bank accounts but within every corporation there can be more than one person with signing authority. Being a signatory on an account is not proof that the corporation funds are your funds.

Technically, the owner of the bank account is the corporation and not the people with signatory privileges. The banking secrecy afforded by law in Panama is what draws foreigners to Panama to set up their corporations and bank accounts.

Lets Take a look at some of those laws:

Article 74 of Decree 238 makes it so the banking commission of Panama can't conduct an investigation on personal banking clients. Additionally, if it uncovers any information during normal operations they aren't allowed to reveal that information to any person or authority. They may only do so if they are subpoenaed by a Panama court. Violators of this law are subject to another law which imposes fines or jail time on the guilty party.

Article 65 of Cabinet Decree 238 regulates the manner in which the National Banking Commission can gain access to banking information and documents. The law states that they may only inspect the banks general books and that they may not single out individual bank accounts. That law covers both deposits and securities at the bank, and this to can only be broken by a court order.

Article 170 states that any person with access to confidential banking information through either occupation or activity, that uses this information without the consent of the involved parties, in a way that causes someone damages, they can be punished and possibly imprisoned. That sentence can be anywhere from ten months to two years, it may include monetary fines and they will also be barred from practicing their profession for a two year period.

Regardless of where you bank today there are three reasons that can lead to your banking secrecy being violated. Those three reasons are severe criminal activity such as terrorist funding, money laundering and drug smuggling.

In Panama tax evasion is not considered a serious crime. There is no court in Panama that will allow your banking secrecy to be violated for tax related violations unless a case is brought that can show this money was also involved in a serious crime.

Panama is a member of the mutual legal assistance treaty. In a post 911 world it is now a requirement that all countries that transit funds in and out of the United States must be a part of this treaty. When you analyze this treaty it does not threaten any of the strict secrecy laws set fourth in Panama.

The following are the basics of the treaty. The investigation can only be conducted if the offense that is to be investigated is a crime in both countries. If a country wants information they have to prove they have no other alternative method of obtaining it and they must also show they can not go fourth with legal action without the information. When information is requested it has to be specific. They can't just be fishing for information.

They must also first file a criminal case in its court system on a national level, which ensures that smaller cases are not covered under the treaty. If another country meets all of the conditions, the request is pushed through diplomatic channels and then Panama must consider the information request.

Panama values its banking secrecy laws and they may ask for more information before they break the laws they hold with such esteem. It is not uncommon for Panama to deny an information request since they need to feel the matter is serious on their end to bring action against a person. They are allowed to deny any request that meets the outlined guidelines.

Panama does not in any way shape or form participate in any tax treaties. They also do not acknowledge tax related investigations as criminal situations. Panama will not divulge a person's personal information to a foreign entity for tax related issues unless formal litigation is brought before a Panama court and the judge approves the request. This is only granted for serious crimes. Tax evasion is considered a civil matter in Panama. In Panama you must commit a serious crime to risk your financial privacy.

Learn more about Panama banking, banking secrecy or other offshore related subjects please visit the author's website: OffshoreLegal.org

By Shane Kiefer

"Is Cash Gifting Legal"? is the main question that Americans and Canadians have. The site of cash delivered to your door just sound unreal. Fortunately for the private members of these programs it is legal by law.

Citizen go through life learning only what they need to know. That is becoming a problem because people that find the new ways of life are speaking out. Soon it is not going to be about where you work. But what business do you own? What is your web site? People need to get ahead of the game and start believing that these programs and people are real.

Cash gifting is a legal business. Inventors build a foundation and then build on it. That sounds familiar. There is step by step instructions that are receive from the inviter. For no cost.
People out there need to think about who they have gifted before. What was received in return? Nothing but maybe a good feeling inside.

Cash Gifting has so much information about the system that their should not be any unanswered questions. People are not going to put their face and time into public eye that don't have a plain or truthful ability. There are lots of ways to profit large amounts of cash. That is why America is the richest country in the world. Another reason is because are government takes advantage of the citizens. I think that it is time to take advantage of the law that they give us. Stop being a little puppy that isn't getting any bigger. Please do the research but also learn about the internet with out spending lots of cash.

The site shown below will help you determine if the truth is in this article.

Shane Kiefer people need to know the truth and that is why these articles are written it is not to deceive you.

402-690-8240
http://www.unlimitedcashgifting.com
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p950.pdf

By George Mclovin

In the past when you wanted to buy a home and you were looking at home loans you would generally find that you had three basic options and those were the 10 year, 15 year, and 30 year loan terms. Today there is another option that is becoming more popular and that is the 40 year loan term. This is becoming more and more popular as borrowers want to keep their mortgage payments as low as possible. There are many advantages to this type of loan and because of this more lenders are offering them and more consumers are taking advantage of these longer term loan programs.

40 Year Home Loans Can Be a Great Option

Many people who are buying homes today are doing so on a very tight budget and they are finding that 40 year home loans are an awesome way to do this. In the past many people would look at the differences between the monthly payments of a 15 year and a 30 year loan and they would decide that they simply could not afford the 15 year and they would go for the 30 year. Now, with times being tight for a lot of people, even making the monthly payments with the 30 year loan programs can be difficult. The 40 year loan gives you ten more years to pay off the debt, which makes your payments even more affordable.

When you want to buy a home and you want to keep your payments as affordable as possible it makes sense to look at home loans that will stretch out the cost of the home for as long as possible. While 30 years was great, why not stretch it out ten more years to drop the monthly payment all the more? That extra ten years could save you hundreds of dollars per month, depending on the cost of your home and the interest rate.

The great thing about the 40 year loans is that they can be a great option for just about every type of buyer. If you are planning on staying in a home for more than five years you would want to look at a fixed rate loan as this will allow you to have the same payment for the term of the loan, and would make budgeting easier. Many lenders are offering the 40 year loans with the fixed rate making this an option for those that intend to stay in one place. In addition, there are those buyers that don't plan on staying in a home for more than five years and it would be in their best interest to go with an adjustable rate mortgage, or an ARM loan. The great thing is, there are 40 year ARM loans, too!

Forty year home loans are growing in popularity for a wide variety of reasons and if you are looking to keep your mortgage payment as affordable as possible this is a great way to do it. If you get one of these loans you may want to request a penalty free early pay clause so that if you decide to pay off the loan early by paying more each month, you can do so without incurring any fees. When looking into loans you may want to consider the 40 year term!

Refinance.com provides more information about getting home loans which can be extended up go 40 years, visit us today at: http://www.refinance.com/

By Mark Charnet

Yes it can! There are only two kinds of money - dollars at risk and dollars not at risk; described another way, an investment portfolio and a savings account. Savings accounts may be described as an interest bearing account that is guaranteed to be worth more tomorrow than yesterday and most of these types of accounts center around banks. Passbook accounts, CD's, interest bearing checkbooks, just to name a few. The Federal Government offers US Savings Bonds of various kinds and lastly, insurance companies offer fixed annuities, a tax-deferred accumulation vehicle that is designed to grow every day and at some point in the future, allow for either systematic withdrawals or a guaranteed income for a period of time that you can select such as you're the rest of your life. The advantage of a compounded rate of return growing tax-deferred over a large span of time, as compared to a taxable alternative is powerful and should be studied, understood and embraced.

On the other hand investments such as stocks and bonds have the possibility for loss; loss of investment gains and even loss potential of the original principal. Knowing this, why would anyone choose an investment over the safety and security of a savings vehicle? Answer - because of the opportunity for a greater return! That makes sense, if you want the possibility to earn more than a typical savings vehicle, perhaps even double or triple. However, you must accept the fact that you might lose some or even all of your investment. This scenario presents an interesting dilemma. I ask you, will greed get the better of you or is a calculated risk a risk worth taking? Obviously, for tens of millions of American's who invest in mutual funds, individual stocks and bonds and their 401k's, the risk is worth the reward. These people have chosen that the risk of losing money in the short-term was trumped by the risk of running out of money before running out of life.

With the advent of corporate pension plans going the way of the dinosaur, our government has placed the burden of retirement planning directly on each of us, yet, at the same time neglecting to educate the public on how to properly allocate a 401k program or how to design a diversified long-term investment portfolio. The government never demonstrated adequately to the public why they must contribute to and accumulate their own retirement funds, nor maintain an acceptable and prudent withdrawal pattern during the retirement years as not to seriously impede or destroy the account value. Believe it or not, there are some folks working at companies that offer a matching program for 401k contributions and don't take advantage of it! This is obviously a severe mistake.

Designing an educational program on how to pick a stock or bond and how to manage your portfolio hasn't arrived in the High School classroom yet either. The government expects all of us to become self-taught financial advisors and leaves it to us to educate our children in the matters of finance such as retirement and estate planning, long-term-care planning and tax reduction planning.

This predicament leaves the public no choice other than to some how become highly educated in these matters or to trust a retirement and estate planning specialist. A good way to size-up a financial advisor is to see him or her conduct a financial planning seminar or workshop. In this way you can make the decision in a public, non-threatening environment, how he/she presents them self and if you are motivated enough by the presentation, to schedule an appointment to visit with that professional. I happen to like this form of 'blind date' between seminar attendee and potential financial advisor and have created just this type of forum, with great success. With this thought in mind, I would encourage the readers of Life & Leisure to attend the American Prosperity Group Workshop Series the next time it is advertised in this and other local papers. However, I would recommend that you avoid the programs that offer a free meal for attending. The problem is that most of these seminars are attended by professional 'free meal eaters' and usually not people seriously searching for information first and foremost. For me, I would rather surround myself with people hungry to learn something new, exciting and essential to their financial success, than people looking to eat free food, wouldn't you?

The title of this editorial is: Can your Portfolio be Protected From a Plummeting Stock Market? Fortunately, there are strategies, techniques and financial products when combined, offer portfolio protection from the 5 potential forces of Portfolio Demise: Liability, Health Care, Long-Term-Care, Taxes at Death and Stock Market Losses. Unfortunately, the editor says I'm out of space to print them at this point in the column. No matter, I'll share them with you anyway when you attend an APG workshop or by securing an appointment here at American Prosperity Group Headquarters, both with no cost, no obligation, no kidding! Perhaps you're skeptical and doubtful that this can be done? Good, let that be your motivation to come and learn more. An APG Retirement and Estate Planning Workshop is in the planning stage so watch for our flyer in an up-coming issue of this newspaper and keep reading this column for details and more timely financial information. To learn more about Retirement and Estate Planning from the comfort of your own home, check out our website: www.1APG.com and visit often as the content is constantly updated.

Mark Charnet is President and Founder of American Prosperity Group (APG). APGis the Premier Retirement and Estate Planning Franchise in the United States. Mr. Charnet has over a quarter of a century of experience in the Retirement and Estate Planning fields. Mark encourages your inquiries and can be reached at: 973-831-4424 or via email, Info@1APG.com. Interested in a career in retirement and estate planning? Check out this website: http://www.APGFranchise.com

+ Guarantee is based on the claims paying ability of the insurance company. A variable annuity is a long-term investment vehicle designed specifically for retirement. While they are subject to market risk and fluctuation in account value, they may also offer several optional protection features not found in other investment vehicles. Securities and Advisory Services offered through BCG Securities, Inc. Member FINRA, SIPC and a Registered Investment Advisor. APG & BCG are separate and unrelated companies. ฉ APG April, 2008

By Akhil Shahani

One of the first things you must do when starting a new business is open a bank account for your business. You will have to consider several things including transaction and borrowing costs, what facilities the bank offers, and the type of relationship you want with a bank. A business account is essential if you are setting up a Limited Company or Partnership. While you can use your own personal account if your business is a sole proprietorship, it is advisable that you have a separate business account to manage your business finances.

Now that you are aware that you have to open a bank account, how do you go about it? Can you use the same bank that you use for your personal accounts? Of course, you can! But they may not offer the best deal for your business. The considerations for opening a business account are quite different from a personal account - you could be missing out on lower charges and higher interest on a credit balance. Over a long period, you could be depriving your business of a significant amount of money. Before you sign up with anyone, look around and understand what's available out there.

We've put together the 5 most important factors to consider before choosing a bank account:

1. Bank charges - This is a key point that you have to consider - how much will it cost you to have a business bank account? Ensure that you know exactly what charges will be levied on your account before signing up. The more check and cash transactions you have, the higher the charges you will end up paying.

2. Online services - Does the account offer online services? This is an increasingly important service, and most banks now provide an internet service so you can check the status of your account day or night. By using this service, you can manage your account transactions in a fraction of the time it used to take in the old days.

3. Interest rates - The interest rates can vary from bank to bank. Consider the overall benefits an account would provide to your business and decide accordingly.

4. Small business advice - Select a bank that has a specialized small business unit. This could be of big help to you when you are setting up your business and if you establish a good working relationship with them, you can reap the benefits of their expertise.

5. Shop around -Make sure you compare several business account offerings, and compare the costs and charges associated with each one. Typically, you should compare at least three accounts before zeroing in on one.

Choosing a bank account for your small business is an important stage in the startup process. So, spend the necessary time and effort to get the best banking deal for your business.

Hi, I'm Akhil Shahani, a serial entrepreneur who wants to help you succeed.If you like to work smart, check out http://www.SmartEntrepreneur.net It's full of articles and resources to help you start and grow your business successfully. Please visit us & download our special "Freebie of The Month" at http://www.smartentrepreneur.net/freebie-of-the-month.html

By Jennifer L Loganathan

It is no secret that the banking industry is clamming up in the soft economy we live in today. It's not hard for most Americans to point the finger at what or who is responsible for the shift in procedures and the banks willingness to do business with people and businesses. Today, we consumers and businesses encounter a mixed bag of reactions from the banking industry when going about our daily business; whether it's shopping new car rates or going through the mortgage application process, or even making a capital gains purchase for our business. In all these scenarios and numerous other ones, banks have changed the rules.

Some of the most common examples of this can be seen in low or zero percent interest rates on automobile loans contrasting to stringent regulations on first mortgages and home equity loans. Like any business, a bank has a memory and a lot of business is trial and error. Banks tried to be lenient with home loans for a few years and now we're in the biggest housing market crunch in American history. Why? They took too many risks lending money to people they shouldn't have. Not to sound mean, because we've heard the stories and all of them are sad; however, it's not the banks fault that a customer willingly signs on for an adjustable rate mortgage, or sees a rate drop and immediately swings for the fences on his or her first mortgage, only to find out that they'll have to feed their family macaroni and cheese and bologna sandwiches for the next thirty years while eating on patio furniture in their dining room.

Don't laugh! Truth is, they got sick of bologna sandwiches; not the banks fault. The fallout from a lot of this is that banks are scrutinizing every deal that comes across their desks and are forced to walk the line on qualifying criteria for loans. As well, they have been forced to lay off staff and find themselves making increasingly difficult decisions on "the American dream" with little sleep and in a hurry

Automobile industry, same thing; after September eleventh you could take your pick of just about any car or truck you wanted for zero percent financing for up to seventy two months. That was great for a while, but what about in 2005 and 2006, when it came time for those car owners to trade them in? What most Americans were met with is low trade in values due to low used car prices because of the huge inventory of used cars hitting the market all at once. This was not bad for banks; now they could raise rates on used cars because the prices were low and the best play the auto industry had was to lower rates on new cars. Sorry, they already played that card, so now what? Here's an idea, source parts for American cars from China to lower costs, close American factories and bring the new car rate back down to zero percent.

The upside is that business and capital gains loans are accessible and banks are making an attempt to fix the problems created over the last six or seven years from the bottom up. Merchants and small businesses have been affected as well; banks are imposing higher discount rates and fees associated with merchant's credit card processing capabilities to the point that some businesses are turning to merchant service providers to source them banks outside the United States for cheaper, less restrictive credit card processing. In all, we know banks aren't perfect; however, they are taking the right steps today to ensure we have a tomorrow that is better than it was before the banking industry had to tighten up.

Jennifer Loganathan is the President and CEO of Stradafee Limited. Stradafee is an electronic payments company as well as an eCommerce and Internet merchant account provider. Merchant accounts make it possible for businesses to provide online credit card processing For more information on credit card processing visit http://www.stradafee.com

By William Mccready

A number of qualities are necessary in order to become a successful futures trader. These characteristics can be your keys to success. Some are more crucial than others, but together they form an unbeatable -- and winning -- combination.

The Discipline of Excellence

Discipline is the primary key to successful futures trading. You must have the discipline to learn your system, study it daily and tweak it to perfection. You must have the discipline to keep a trading log that records your trades, as well as the market conditions, thought processes and external influences that affected each trade. Without such a log, you are doomed to repeat your mistakes, rather than learning from them. You must have the discipline to do your homework, to study and keep up with the market, and to keep your system current.

The Profit of Patience

You must be patient if your trading system is to be effective. By trading too soon, you negate the value of your trading system. You must exercise patience and give your system time to work. More than a virtue, patience for the futures trader is sheer profit.

Learning to Deal With Loss

Loss is simply part of the trading game. You must be able to take losses in stride and get right back in the game. When your system dictates that a loss be taken, you must have the discipline to follow your system, take the loss quickly, minimize the damage and move on.

Perseverance

There are no overnight success stories in futures trading. Success is a matter of building experience, working and perfecting your system, minimizing losses, and capitalizing on small gains. Success, particularly at the beginning, is more often a series of small steps than giant leaps.

Confidence

Above all, a futures trader must have confidence in him or herself. You must have confidence in your system and your ability to work your system -- to "pull the trigger". Futures trading is a game of risk. You can't be afraid to act. You must have confidence in your ability to read your system and act. Those who hesitate or who second-guess themselves on every trade are doomed to lose in the futures trading game.

Flexibility

The market and market forces are ever changing. You must have the flexibility to change with the times, and to make changes to your system so it remains viable and in tune with current market conditions.

Each individual component of futures trading -- from timing, to entry, money management, and exit -- is directly affected by the person calling the shots: the trader. For this reason, personal traits and characteristics of the trader must be continually examined and developed, in order that optimal performance be accomplished and maintained.

Bill McCready teaches people to make money trading. For 11 FREE futures trading lessons, and a free ebook, visit http://www.FuturesTradingSecrets.com

By Mike Selvon

After high school a brand new world begins to open up. You are headed towards those hallowed halls of higher education. It may have been several years since you graduated high school and you are entering college as a non-traditional student.

Regardless of your age, you are going to have to face the problem of paying for college. That is why government grants for college expenses were initiated. They help pay for tuition, books, room and board. It may help to offset a huge student loan debt that will need to be repaid after graduation.

Everything about school starts in the financial aid office. Your financial aid will start there as well. You will need to fill out a FAFSA, which is a Free Application for Federal Student Aid form.

The FAFSA will need some demographic information, as well as tax information about you and your parents if you are still considered a dependant. If you are an adult attending school, then the FAFSA will be based on your previous year's taxes alone.

After the FAFSA is filed you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) that details what government grants for school you are eligible to receive and how much money will be made available to you. You may still need to take out a student loan but you should always try to minimize how much money you take out because, unlike grants, student loans have to be repaid once you graduate.

Your federal financial aid does come with a stipulation. You must be enrolled full time, in 12 credit hours worth of classes, and you must maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average, which is a 'C' grade point average. Hopefully, these two conditions will not cause you any trouble because you are a smart cookie.

Government grants for school can be an intimidating process when you first begin applying and filling out the paperwork. This is on top of all the paperwork your school already requires to be admitted. It is natural to feel a bit overwhelmed and anxious about your money and how things will be paid.

Just take a deep breath and relax. Your school's financial aid office can help you with any questions you may have and can help walk you through the process. Just picture yourself walking down the aisle at graduation with your college diploma in your hand. That will make things easier.

Mike Selvon's government grants portal has some more useful information on government grants for school. Visit his web site and leave a comment at his cash grants blog.

By Sonya Shalnikov

If you live in California and you are ready to start shopping for a home mortgage then you should start by going online and comparing the offers of several different lenders before choosing a lender to get a home mortgage in California from. Before you accept an offer for a home mortgage in California there are several factors that you need to consider.

You are making a serious financial commitment when you take on a home mortgage so before you choose a mortgage you should make sure that you understand what types of home mortgages are available to you. What type of home mortgage a lender is willing to offer you will depend on your credit, your employment, and also the size of the down payment that you plan to make. Before you take on a home mortgage in California or anywhere else you need to figure out what a comfortable monthly home mortgage payment will be so that you don't accept a home mortgage that has a monthly payment higher than you can afford. T

here are a lot of one time expenses that you will have to pay when you move into a new home like moving expenses and furniture expenses, closing costs, and of course the costs of redecorating and finishing the home to make it the way that you want it. Because you will need more cash on hand when you move into the house then you will need at any other time sometimes it makes sense to get an adjustable rate mortgage for the initial home loan and then switch to a more stable fixed rate mortgage later on. That way your initial mortgage payments will be very low and you will have the extra cash on hand that you need. But even if you don't to go that route it's important to know exactly what you can and can't afford as a monthly mortgage payment before you sign any paperwork for a new mortgage or home loan.

Once you have decided what amount you can afford for a monthly payment you can go online and start getting offers and comparing home mortgages and lenders. When you're comparing the home mortgage offers that you get be sure that you compare all the benefits and costs of each mortgage offer and don't just look at the total monthly payment amount or the interest rate. Sometimes the language and length of these mortgage offers make it difficult to pick out all the important terms and the fees that you will be agreeing to pay.

If you want to be extra sure that you are clean on all the terms and conditions you should have a lawyer or a trusted friend that knows a lot about business read over the offer too. You will be living with this home mortgage for at least five years so it's important that you read all the fine print of the home mortgage offers that you get from different home mortgage lenders very carefully before you pick one. You should never accept a home mortgage offer unless you completely understand everything in the offer, otherwise you could end up with some costly surprises down the road.

To find out more or to compare offers from multiple lenders go to: http://www.golendershopping.com

By Alan LeStourgeon

The Coinage Act of 1792 established the US Mint, the nine coins that would be produced, and the amount of precious metal that would be contained in each coin. The nine coins slated to go into production were the copper half cent and cent, the silver half disme and disme, the silver quarter dollar, half dollar and dollar, and the gold quarter eagle, half eagle and gold eagle.

United States gold coins were not minted until 1795. The first coin that went into production was the half eagle. Later, the quarter eagle and eagle went into production the following year. They all bore the same designs - varying versions of a Liberty head bust on the obverse and an eagle on the reverse. The gold content of the coins varied somewhat in the early years, but was finally settled on .900 pure in 1834, with an alloy of silver and copper added to ensure long-wearing properties.

Because gold was more expensive overseas, President Jefferson suspended the minting of the eagle and the silver dollar in 1804 - as these coins were being exported overseas where they were melted down. On June 28, 1834 a new law was passed reducing the weight of standard gold, which put America on the gold standard. Minting of the eagle would resume in 1838. The discovery of gold in California in 1849 also jump-started the American economy and the double eagle ($20 face value) and gold dollar entered production. The $3 gold piece followed in 1853, but was discontinued after its minimum 25-year lifespan ended in 1889.

The first gold coins - the quarter, half and eagle - all featured the same design - the bust of Liberty , facing either right or left, and wearing a Liberty cap. On the obverse was an eagle - which underwent more obvious design changes than Liberty , from holding a branch in its beak, to an heraldic eagle (bearing a shield on its chest) with having an extremely long neck, to a shorter neck, to a rakish design that looked as if the eagle could actually take flight.

A little bit of variety was introduced in 1849 with the Indian head coin, but nothing really happened until 1907 when President Roosevelt took it upon himself to beautify American coinage - in particular the gold variety. Sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens and Bela Lyon Pratt were commissioned to provide new designs.

Saint-Gaudens is justly famous for his double eagle, featuring Liberty striding forward out of the coin on the obverse and an eagle in flight on the reverse. For the eagle he created an Indian Head, vastly different from that of his student, Bela Lyon Pratt, who's Indian head on the quarter eagle and half eagle actually resembled a Native American. Another difference, and one that makes Pratt's unique in American coinage, is that the designs are sunken into the coin itself, not raised above it. These two coins were unpopular at the time, but are desired collectibles today.

The gold coin era for the United States started to come to an end in the later part of the nineteenth century and the early part of the twentieth century when the last gold dollar was minted in 1889, the last quarter eagle in 1929, the last $3 in 1889, the last half eagle in 1929, the last eagle in 1933, and the last double eagle in 1933. After 1933 no longer would gold coins ever be used again as a form of legal tender.

Then in 1986, the United States began producing gold bullion coins again with the debut of the American Eagle in one ounce, half ounce, quarter ounce, in 22-karat gold. In 2006 they entered the 24-karat gold market with the Gold Buffalo $50 coin, and in 2007 with the First Spouse $10 dollar coin series.

With the raising price of gold and the excellent designs on these new coins, the U.S. gold bullion coins are quite popular with today's collectors. Collecting gold coins has become an enjoyable and profitable hobby since the days of using gold as a legal tender. Owning any United States gold coin is considered by many to be a highlight of their collection.

Alan LeStourgeon runs the US Gold Coin Auctions web site where you can find Indian head gold coins and gold eagle coins up for auction.

By Gail Gorman

When it concerns lifestyle, numerous arguments fire up. A lot of people possess their own idea of what lifestyle actually represents. Only it is unmistakable that finance and life-style need to co-exist in roughly some shape.

So for you to afford a certain lifestyle, you are required to be in a correct fiscal standing. Whenever your life-style comprises of buying the most red-hot fashion, and so it's clear that you have got to have or had better hold a certain sum of money. If you do not have sufficient income or resources to sustain this life-style, it will necessitate you stopping expending money.

If you experience a vision of what your perfect life-style ought to be, then it is time you made sure your finances meet that reality. Zero amount of daydreaming will make things come true. There has to exist some sort of practicality as well, since income can disappear and debt can climb.

Do not take for granted that a certain lifestyle is possible for you merely because the magazines say you it is so. The first thing to do is to have a look at your finances and Figure out if they will be equal to and be capable of supporting the lifestyle described through the magazine or by your friends.

The common fault that most individuals make is that they believe they have got more money than they actually possess. So they spend more on their perfect lifestyle just because it represents a status symbol.

The philosophy is this: if they recognize that I am wearing something by so and so or driving such and such a motorcar, then they will not find out that my monetary resource are in the red. Finance is the primary thing you need to consider as you choose a certain life-style.

You will merely look foolish if your financial position drops so badly that your house gets repossessed and you have to file for bankruptcy. Live inside your means and your finance and lifestyle will be able to take care of themselves.

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