10 Things To Do Before You Are 50 – Part 1

 Gifts  Comments Off on 10 Things To Do Before You Are 50 – Part 1
Nov 222021
 

The BBC recently commissioned a survey among 20,000 people asking ‘What would you like to do before you die?’ The answers were noted and a list of the most common answers was compiled and entitled ’50 things to do before you die.’

There were some very interesting answers. In at number 50 was ‘to go Polar Bear watching’, the animal theme continued to be popular with ‘to see tigers in the wild’ at number 45 and interestingly, ‘to drive a husky sledge’ reaching number 38. The travelling theme was also present within the list, ‘taking the Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to Vladivostok’ featured at number 33 and ‘walking the Great Wall of China’ proved to be a popular choice charting at number 16. However, the silver medal position went to ‘scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef’ with the number 1 answer being ‘to swim with dolphins’.

Before being asked the ‘what would you like to do before you die’ question, without doubt a number of the 20,000 would have given their answer straight away and then gone on to achieve their ambition within their lifetime however, it would certainly be interesting to find out how many of those surveyed had never before given such an important question much thought but, having then given this some consideration, had answered the question and then actually went on to achieve their stated goal. I would guess a surprisingly high number. The mechanics for those knowing that their number one ambition before they die was to swim with dolphins could be considered surprisingly quite straight forward. Surely it would be a matter of deciding where in the world they could carry this out, what the actual cost of the exercise would be together with when their budget and diary would allow such an activity to take place. It could be argued that the most difficult part of such an exercise is simply deciding what it is you would really like to achieve in the first place!

Financial Planning is no different. The actual mechanics of the process although interesting, at times intimidating but ultimately quite exciting, are relatively straightforward. Once you have established what it is you would like to achieve you may be confident enough to tackle these issues yourself. However, just as many call upon the specialised services of accountants and lawyers, finding a good, experienced financial adviser with whom you can build a long lasting working relationship is likely to help you achieve your goals more quickly.

Fifty is a pivotal age
In financial planning terms, fifty is quite a pivotal age. As a ‘thirty-something’ many consider the world is at their feet, and then,
possibly discovering life really begins at 40! While approaching the half-century may seem like the half time whistle went a few years ago, in reality there’s hopefully a long way to go as yet! Victor Hugo once said ‘Forty is the old age of youth. Fifty is the youth of old age.’ Whether or not you see your fiftieth birthday as a major mile-stone of your life it certainly is an excellent ‘target date’ by which you could judge if your financial priorities have been achieved or are on track to being achieved.

And for those who are approaching fifty now is a good time to take stock of your finances as the good news is you still have time to prepare for the next major milestone in your life which is likely to be your retirement.

I am sure we all dream of a future free from money worries and many would agree the earlier you start to plan the better as this makes it easier for your goals to be achieved. Therefore, the check list below is designed to help you plan and prioritise the 10 things to sort out before you reach the big five-a!

1. Check your budget
If you haven’t done so for some time, you should review your current living costs. Start by listing your essential monthly outgoings such as your home loan and food then, after including those items you would consider important, add in the monthly items you would consider treats and luxuries. Interestingly, this exercise leaves many scratching their heads asking ‘where does the money go each month!’ Once you have worked out your regular monthly outgoings, hopefully there is some money left which can be classed as your disposable income. This may also be a good chance to highlight the areas where money can be saved, perhaps by shopping around for better deals on your regular bills or on your insurance for example. If it turns out, by working through the check list, that you need to save more for your retirement years or to start thinking for your child’s future, you will have a better idea of how much you can really afford.

2. Review your savings and borrowings
It’s a fact of financial life that it usually costs more to borrow than you can earn by saving. So the message is this: if you have cash to spare, you should probably use it to pay off your debts first.

continued in Part 2…

Solving Social Security: Fire the Politicians!

 Uncategorized  Comments Off on Solving Social Security: Fire the Politicians!
Nov 212021
 

As an investor, I’ve always wondered why Social Security is such a problem. What’s so difficult about managing this particular Trust Fund, and why is it so different from other investment accounts that pay out a constant stream of income? The private sector does it routinely with defined benefit pension plans and fixed annuities, so what’s the big deal? Is Social Security failing because it hasn’t been invested soundly, or is there some other reason?

The most obvious explanation is politics, but we’re running out of time for finger pointing, and Social Security is solvable in a surprisingly painless manner. It will require a whole new approach that uses old ideas and institutions in ways that most of us have pretty much given up on. As hopeless as the Bush Administration’s Nicotine Patch for Social Security would have been, it pointed in the right direction. Now don’t hit DELETE when I refer to “privatization”, or when I mention one of my own most hated financial products, the “annuity”. Both are needed to permanently fix the Social Security mess, to get it away from people who are neither managers nor investment specialists, and to make the whole system work more economically. The purpose of this article is to get you to think about it… and to elect a hero with the guts to fix it. Unfortunately, Joe DiMaggio has left the building!

Are you surprised that there is no “Social Security Trust Fund”… no investments and no Investment Managers? This is a gigantic Government designed and controlled Ponzi scheme that has worked incredibly well in spite of congressional tinkering and prohibitively high cost. There was always a tax plan for funding the benefits, but never an Investment Plan. And as difficult as it is for me to admit, no sophisticated Investment Plan is really necessary. We just need a new (reduced) contribution plan, one that isn’t designed to fund every politically sensitive entitlement that compromises itself down the aisle. We need a simplified benefit structure that supplements privately funded (untaxed) retirement programs. [Healthcare just has to be a separate issue, perhaps an actual (managed) Trust Fund, and certainly something that should not be funded by private citizens until there is meaningful tort reform in this country.] Pshew! Back to the point… We can eliminate all the unnecessary bells and whistles simply by mandating personalized benefit funding. Let the politicians deal with homeland security while the private sector deals with things financial.

After the repeal of the Social Security tax and implementation of mandated Individual Retirement Plan Contributions, the Social Security bureaucracy will retain several important functions: 1) Qualifying private sector companies and licensing them to provide Social Security Retirement Income Annuities (SSRIAs). Thousands of providers will be needed, but only, fixed income experienced, profitable companies need apply. 2) Developing a computerized system for participant/provider matching… inspired randomness is essential. 3) Proactive monitoring of compliance with the minimal rules, installation of fraud detection systems, and investigation of all violations by providers, participants, and retirees, 4) Keeping the plan sacred, simple, and principally unchanged by future legislation. The plan must be kept: simple and profitable for providers; painless and visible to participants; timely and comprehensible to retirees.

The SSRIA is a new and improved version of the ancient Deferred Fixed Annuity Contract… a boring but guaranteed retirement benefit vehicle, funded by both mandated and voluntary payroll deductions, with a whole bunch of new wrinkles that make it an ideal Social Security replacement program. For example, and unlike existing annuity contracts: 1) Participants will be allocated to “qualified SSRIA providers” so there will be no sales commissions, no business acquisition or retention costs, no advertising expenses, etc. 2) All SSRIA contracts (regardless of provider) will contain the same terms, interest guarantees, retirement benefit choices, and pre-retirement death benefits, thus eliminating any incentives for internal fraud and manipulation of statistics. 3) Qualified providers will establish separate subsidiaries to manage and control SSRIA operations and to assure that only high quality, income securities are used to fund future benefits. 4) All qualified providers will use the same mortality, investment earnings and expense assumptions, and all benefits will be fully guaranteed by the parent corporations.

The SSRIA is a supplemental retirement program, funded by a much smaller, yet flexible, payroll deduction, and it is designed to be the foundation of a retiree’s total retirement package… a benefit floor. Participants will choose (annually, for the following year) to deposit from the required 2% up to a maximum 4% of their Pre-Tax Income to their personal SSRIA, a contract that will follow them everywhere, from employer to employer, throughout their working years. Before retirement, a death benefit equal to the full cash value of the contract will be paid to the designated beneficiary. At retirement, participants can elect either a Life Annuity or a Joint & 50% Survivor Annuity. No variable plans of any kind will ever be allowed; there will be no loan privileges, withdrawals, or dividends. Providers are expected to make a reasonable profit, which will ultimately be determined by their operating and investing abilities… hmmm, I smell capitalism.

Employer sponsored benefit programs and individual savings and investments are expected to make up the bulk of private retirement programs. The SSRIA will assure that everyone has something, but individual savings and retirement plans, both company sponsored and personally funded, will be encouraged by new IRS policy. No retirement income, regardless of source will be subject to income taxation! Neither employers nor self-employed persons will be required to make matching contributions of any kind to employee SSRIAs. However, they will be encouraged to use their improved cash flow to increase employment or to reduce prices, perhaps by a new system that will reduce their corporate income tax obligations as a reward for boosting the economy. Similarly, billions of dollars of discretionary spendable income will find its way back into the economy from consumers whose payroll deductions have been slashed deservedly.

Subsequent articles will deal with: SSRIA Providers, Participation Rules, Transitioning the Change at Four Levels, and Dealing with the Obscenely Overpaid.

Details of a Home Based Internet Marketing Business

 Flowers  Comments Off on Details of a Home Based Internet Marketing Business
Nov 202021
 

Are you a marketing professional looking to move away from your current job? Do you love the marketing industry, but are tired of office politics? Do you wish that there was a way to take all of your skills and incorporate them into a home based business? If this sounds like you, you are in luck. There are many people in your shoes that have turned their love of marketing into a very successful home based business. Without a little bit of skill and determination, you may be able to take your years of experience and parlay them into a great work from home marketing job.

Starting a home based internet marketing business is not for everyone; but if you have a love for marketing, and the desire to run your own company, this opportunity may be for you.

Obviously, if you want to start your own home based internet marketing business it would help if you have some background experience in the industry to fall back on. This is always helpful because it will cut back on your start up time, and will also allow you to offer a higher level of service to potential clients. Being able to tell clients that you have 15 years of marketing experience will go a long way in securing you a lot of work.

The great thing about starting an internet marketing business is that you should have no problem getting your name in front of potential customers; after all, you are an internet marketing specialist! You will want need to set up a webpage where you outline what your company does, as well as your past experience. By doing this clients will be able to visit you on the web, and make a quick decision on your abilities.

The first thing you will need to start your home business is a home office. This is not as difficult as one would think.

Every home office needs are different but there are some fundamental staples that all require. You will want to have a clean, noise free environment that has good lighting and is free from distractions. This will help keep you more focused and productive. You will need a desk and chair. The size of your desk will depend on what its function is. You will want a place to store all your information about your customers such as a computer and/or a filing cabinet. You will also want a phone, fax/scanner/copier, Internet connection, and any other communication tools you might need at hand. Since most
home-based businesses focus on services or affiliate products there will be no need for storage. If you are planning to sell your own products and ship them yourself then make sure you have room to store them all. If you plan on doing meeting outside of your home there will be no need for a conference room either. If you are going to be seeing clients in your home
and don’t have a conference room then be sure to keep your place clean and neat at all times. First impressions say a lot.

If don’t have any equipment at all then you are probably wondering at what this will cost you. Well it is much lower than it used to be. Computers, printers, and software are a lot more inexpensive these days. You can also find great plans for telephone and Internet service today that are very reasonable. These services will allow you to make long distance phone
calls for free. If you shop around wisely you can find some really good deals on computers and office supplies and furniture.

+ Computer: you can expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $1000 for a computer that has all the latest features. You will want to make sure that it has at least a Pentium 4 processor speed and 60 GB hard drive. You will also want a 17″ monitor to make your life easier especially if you need to be on the computer often. Make sire that you have 256 MB of memory at
least and a CD-ROM read and write drive. This is pretty standard for most computers today, but you will always want to double check.

+ Multifunctional Machine: you will want to invest in a fax, printer, copier, and scanning machine. Many places sell them for great prices. You are looking at about $100 an up. Make sure that if you do a lot of printing you check out the price of the ink cartridge refills. If they are very expensive you might want to consider paying a bit more for the machine itself to be able to get the more inexpensive refills.

+Office Furniture: This can vary tremendously. If you want nice but affordable try office supply stores. They have the packages that are relatively inexpensive and easy to assemble. Get a good chair though. Never skimp on something you will be sitting for hours.

Many people are not sure of what the internet marketing industry consists of. When you are running an internet marketing business, you are going to be showing your customers how to increase web traffic, etc. This is hard for some people because they are used to more traditional means of marketing such as direct mail, etc. Even though you can offer these services, your main goal will be to convey yourself as an internet marketing specialist.

Starting a home based internet marketing business is not for everyone. Most of the time, the people that are most successful in this field have some sort of past experience. But if you don’t have experience, and you are still
interested, you can still give it a go. There is nothing wrong with researching the industry, and trying to learn as much as possible as you go along.

Home internet marketing businesses have become very popular. If you are looking for a way to become more independent, you may want to consider this option.

Phendimetrazine Online Prescription: Quick in Quitting Fat

 Computer HW  Comments Off on Phendimetrazine Online Prescription: Quick in Quitting Fat
Nov 192021
 

Online prescription of Phendimetrazine diet medication is one of easiest and reliable ways to put one’s fat under control. This pill is one among all other reputed medicines which cures obesity effectively.

Phendimetrazine online prescriptions are easiest to access, and utilize it in curing fat without any inconvenience. By going online, one can find many online agents which make this pill available within 24 hours at one’s doorstep. Many obese people would be shy of going to drug shops, and ask for diet pills. Thus, online prescription of this pill doesn’t only keep obese people off any embarrassment, but also it saves a lot of time.

Availing online prescription of Phendimetrazine diet pills can even befit people in making pills available to them at special discount rate. So, buying this pill online might alleviate one’s pocket by saving good amount of money. One must beware of several fake agents who tempt customers by offering them various lucrative deals. Besides, before buying this pill online, it must be remembered that this pill is a prescription based medicine, and must be taken after doctor’s prescription.

Online prescription of Phendimetrazine provides one all kind of information about the diet pill. One must be aware that this pill is an appetite suppressant, and there are various side effects which might occur during its usage. One has to know all precautions by getting all this information online.

Getting privilege of Phendimetrazine online prescription is just a click away. One requires just filling a small online form where desired form of pill has to be specified. Online agent vouchsafes customer to have pills at discount rate, and instantly. For people, who are suffering from obesity, and looking for an easier way to reduce their weight, online prescription of Phendimetrazine is a best tool to use.Online prescription of Phendimetrazine provides one all kind of information about the diet pill.

A guide To Buying A Projector

 Gifts  Comments Off on A guide To Buying A Projector
Nov 182021
 

Good presentations make the foundation of the successful business deals. So while making presentations make sure that you have an easy access to a good projector which suits your requirement as this is going to at as a catalyst for a business deal to happen! The picking of projectors is mainly dependent on the type of work or the kind of business that you have. As for an advertising firm presentations are very frequent so they make doubly sure that they procure a good projector!
The other factor that determines the selection of a projector is the dimension of the room or the conference hall where the presentation is scheduled. As the clarity and readability of the data projected varies from the projector which is designed to function in small room as compared to large room , so presentations for larger areas and for a great number of people should be made through more sophisticated projectors.

Portability of the projector is the another issue, if you usually travel from one place to another for their business presentations then make sure that you invest in a good quality portable projector that is easily transported and provides an easy set up. It is mandatory that it can be set up instantly as who would be carrying a throng of technical people when doing mobile presentations. A projector that easily connects with a personal or portable computer will be ideal to make your presentations simple but sophisticated.

Norms suggest that a portable projector with a minimum brightness capacity of at least 800 lumens is fine to handle the presentations. In contrast to this larger projectors must have a brightness capacity of at least two thousand lumens to make the presentation clear even to those who are seated at the back of the room. A projector must have at least a minimum of 1500 lumens to be able to project effectively in a room where plenty of light comes in as when there are no blinds or curtains

Once you have decided on the type of the projector that you will be using, then make sure that you use projectors in a dark room but if it cannot be avoided, always position the projector at an area where there is less light. It is also important to take note of the resolution of your projector as this signifies the amount of pixels it can display. . Projectors can be easily installed but it is best to consult technical people for setting up the projector especially if they will be mounted to the ceiling. Make sure your projector’s efficiency will last long by using alcohol or a special cleaning solution for the projector lens.

So go ahead and make a appropriate selection from a wide variety of projectors that are available in the market and just to tell you that vendor will be one happy person to give a trial presentation, so make sure that you don’t miss on that as it will throw more light on the projector features.

Online Shopping Tips – Purses & Accessories

 Gifts  Comments Off on Online Shopping Tips – Purses & Accessories
Nov 172021
 

Having trouble looking for that unique and different handbag? Or, maybe you’re looking for a purse that isn’t in the local stores and boutiques yet? Then you should try searching online! Gone are the days when women had to go to the mall to choose from limited supplies. It is the age of the internet, and anything and everything can be found online. It’s easy and accessible, and with one click of a button, hundreds or even thousands of options become available to you.

Now you can go shop for the current “must-have” bag, or something quite different and unique, like customized handbags such as photo purses. If you decide to go online to shop, you must understand that there are a few risks involved. Only deal with reputable stores or sources with credentials, preferably those stores that have secure payment processors like Verisign or Authorize.net. A liberal return policy & a phone number to reach customer service would be another thing to look for. Giving them a call to ask around for details first would be a very good idea.

If you’re in the market for a designer bag, learn to spot fakes and cheap knock-offs. A few tips on how to spot fakes online would be if the price is too good to be true, or the seller is on an auction site and they have a ton to sell. If you do order it, know that designer handbags will often have some extra stitching or small marks that will distinguish it from fakes. Look for the custom label or logo of a designer purse or handbag, and check if they are misplaced or misspelled. Another thing to keep in mind whenever you are shopping would be to compare prices. It never hurts to do a search for the stores name to see if there are any previous customers complaining about the vendor.

Yes there is a slight risk involved in online shopping, but the benefits would far outweigh them. Once you learn to look for bargains and spot fakes, you’re on your way to many great deals and purchases. In today’s world of mass production of purses and fashion accessories, going online to shop is one way to distinguish yourself from looking like everyone else. So go online today and shop with confidence.

Foreclosure – Can Foreclosures be stopped

 General  Comments Off on Foreclosure – Can Foreclosures be stopped
Nov 162021
 

It is everyone’s dream to own a home or built a house for his or herself. There are a few who are fortunate enough to secure one paid in full while many others try to buy one through financing or securing loans.



However, even you are religiously saving for the so-called rainy days and even if you have sufficient finances, there would come a time that you would find it difficult to face up to your obligations. Sicknesses in the family, a possible retrenchment at work or emergency purchases are unexpected instances where you could find yourself in arrears with your payment and then suddenly you are now facing foreclosures.



When legalities come into play in your financial situations or mortgages, it means that your predicament is deep serious. Foreclosures are one of those legal terms that everyone detests, especially the homeowners and the financers or banks themselves.


In exchange for lending the money, the lender would hold a lien against the property, If the borrower does not make the required payments, then the loan goes into default and the lender could exercise the lien against the property, in order to take legal possession of the property for the purpose of selling the property to pay off the borrower’s loan. This process is called foreclosure.



CAN FORECLOSURES BE STOPPED
HOW TO STOP FORECLOSURES


Aside from the obvious reason of not paying their loans on time, homeowners get into foreclosures, even if they have avenues to explore, simply by ignoring calls or letters from their banks and lenders or just simply giving up on his/her property in the hope that the tide of things would turn favorable on them.


Although foreclosures are eventualities in securing homes through financing, it does not mean that this could not be stopped or remedied. The matter hinges on the homeowners themselves if they want to keep the property for sentimental reasons or just simply foreclose it and just face the consequences of their action, notably severe damage to one’s credit rating.


If you are delayed in payments to your mortgages and there is no relief in sight, in the immediate or near future, then you have to put the problem in perspective and make a contingency plan or efforts.


The standard measure of keeping or selling the property is that if your monthly house payment (including property taxes and insurance) does not exceed 40% of your gross monthly income, it should be possible for you to keep the property. If the payment is greater than 40% of your gross monthly income, consider selling or transferring the property to avoid negative impacts on your credit. This option would more likely be the path to be taken by borrowers who have equity in the property. By selling the property, the borrower could then pay off the mortgage, and pocket the difference if there is equity remaining.


If the financial setback is temporary and you need immediate money to make your loan current so that you could continue paying your debts, it is best to approach family and friends instead of hard money loans since they would lend money based on equity in the property. Just make sure to pay off your loans to your relatives or close friends for it is much difficult to have them foreclose on you to get their money back.


The best and simple solution to foreclosure proceedings is to deal directly with the situation. Be brave enough to talk with your banks or lenders and explain your situation. Remember, they do not want to foreclose on you they just simply want their money back plus interest. By exploring this angle, the lender and the borrower may arrive at a common ground to work on and resolve the situation in a way that is agreeable to both parties. The Loss Mitigation Department would deal on cases like this.


Basic lending guidelines would require all home loans would total up to less than 70% of the current market value of the property. If you have more equity than that, you should have no difficulty in obtaining a new refinancing deals or second trust deed to bring your loan current. Expect higher interest rates and loan fees.


There are several other alternatives available to you depending on the situations of the borrower, laws of the state and policies of the lender. You may consider forbearance, refinancing, modification, deferral of principal, a temporary indulgence and a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy.


In applying forbearance, your lender may be able to arrange a repayment plan based on your financial situation and may even provide for a temporary reduction or suspension of your payments. You may qualify for this if you have recently experienced a reduction in income or an increase in living expenses. You must furnish information to your lender that there is a temporary problem and it would be resolved in the near future and show that you would be able to meet the requirements of the new payment plan.


A similar portion is deferral of principal in which the borrower agrees to pay the interest only for a certain period of time and then making the usual monthly payments. But just like in forbearance, this is very difficult to obtain unless the bank is familiar with the borrower or the borrower has an excellent credit stature in the bank.


If you have recovered from a financial problem you may able to apply for a mortgage modification. This process involves renegotiating the terms of debt and/or extends the term of your mortgage loans, changing the interest rates or additional surcharges to the principal with the current lender. This may help you catch up by reducing the monthly payments to a more affordable level. Refinancing, on the other hand, means that the borrower obtains a new mortgage with a different lender; the operative word here is different. As much as possible this alternative should be avoided since it would make your problems worse for borrowers in distress would tend to agree to onerous terms just to get a lease on their loans.


A chapter 13 Bankruptcy could be another option for it gives the borrower the time to “re-organize” his finances and work out a payment plan prior to resumption of payment. This would help keep the property and not blemish your credit rating compared to a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, which completely discharges any debt the borrower had accumulated under the mortgage.


As a last resort, you may able to voluntarily “give back” your property to the lender or a “deed in lieu of foreclosure.” This would not save your house, but it is not as damaging to your credit rating as a foreclosure. This may be availed of if the borrower is in default and do not qualify for any other options and your attempts at selling the house before foreclosures were unsuccessful.


In some other states, there are laws and other options that are available to borrowers with mortgage problems. There is the option of reinstatement which means that the borrower brings the foreclosed mortgage current, including all overdue amounts, as well as fees and costs. Likewise, there is the co-called redemption, however it is usually limited in how often he or she could take advantage of this option and this is limited to some states.


A foreclosure procedure takes a long time to materialize and homeowners are given the chance to bail themselves out of their predicament. Sometimes the best defense against foreclosure is just to make a response on their inquiries or demand letters. Ultimately, the only thing that would stop foreclosure proceedings is repayment of the debt, for every option mentioned here is just a delay in the proceedings.

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