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Saturday, January 3, 2009

Keys to Obtaining Business Loans for Small Businesses

By Peter Zirch

At this very moment, there is a serious downturn in the overall economy. The problems are being felt everywhere. From the average Joe to auto workers in Detroit to traders on Wall Street, money seems all dried up.

I see business owners everyday who are surviving the economic climate the best way they know how. Hard work. Its an American heritage that will never die More often than not, however, growing a business takes more than just working harder than the guy down the street. It takes business financing.

Even in this recession, it is possible to secure personal and business financing for business entrepreneurs in need. With the current economic black cloud hovering over the nation, this is no small feat.

Contrary to what most people think, the financing opportunities are out there and depending on your circumstances, it can be a lot faster and easier to get than for others. When you choose a business financing consultant, it is vital to have knowledgeable consultant who has multiple ways of successfully securing the capital that is needed. Ask them for references, check out their BBB record, and get to know them. Your goal as a client is to be treated first class and to get the money you need.

About Us: Our business loan consultation service will help you find and secure the right type of business financing for your cash flow, business start up, expansion or acquisition needs. Our team of professionals will work closely with you to understand your unique needs in order to find the perfect solution for you and your business.

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Mortgage Refinance Loans Tips

By John Bear

If you are already in the process of refinancing your home mortgage loan, choosing the right type of mortgage for your situation could save you thousands of dollars. There are two types of mortgage loans to choose from when refinancing depending on your financial needs and tolerance for risk. Here are several tips to help you select the right type for mortgage when refinancing your home loan.

The two types of mortgage refinance loans are loans with fixed interest rates and those with adjustable interest rates. As for fixed rate mortgages, they come with ten to fifty years of term lengths and have payments based upon an interest rate that does not change for the duration of the loan.

On the other hand, adjustable rate mortgages are specifically based on a financial index, and will include mortgage lenders margin. The other type of mortgage, hybrid loans, are more of a combination of both the fixed rate and adjustable rate mortgages.

The interest rate on your Adjustable Rate Mortgage will only change every time the lender resets your loan. When the lender resets your interest rate and payment amount, they will then use the financial index your loan is tied to plus their own margin. The most common index that is used by mortgage lenders is the one-year treasury note. Adjustable Rate Mortgages have the advantage of lower initial payments, but these loans have more risk for borrowers once the lender begins adjusting the loan.

For those homeowners who understand the risks with adjustable rate mortgage refinance loans, they will be able to save thousands of dollars with refinancing. So don't write off adjustable rate mortgages just because someone told you that you will be in a payment shock when the lender starts adjusting your loan.

Now, there are several advantages to accepting an adjustable mortgage. As a start, a low rate mortgage will allow buyers to purchase pricier home even while maintaining an affordable monthly payment. And because of the record of low rates, home buyers who obtain an adjustable rate mortgage may enjoy falling rates without even having to refinance their mortgage. Thus, they can avoid the closing costs and other fees.

Adjustable rate mortgages are in fact ideal for people who plan on moving in a few years. Some people enjoy the stability of living in one place for many years. So in this case, having to refinance for a fixed rate is truly a wonderful idea, but if you would like the flexibility of moving every three to five years, then you can save some money with an adjustable rate.

Fortunately, home mortgage loans can be refinanced whenever you like and some lenders even suggest allowing the loan to mature at least 12 months. However, if you detect a change in market trends, refinancing shortly after purchasing your home is surely a smart maneuver. Those contemplating refinancing must be prepared in order to pay additional closing fees. Moreover, contact your current lender and inquire about prepayment penalties regarding mortgage refinance loans.

Remove Late Payments from Your Credit Report

By Matt Douglas

Late payments are not equal; a 90 day or 120 day late pay will cause a large amount of damage and is seen as a very negative mark by lenders. However a 30 day or 60 day late payment will not do much damage.

You can remove a 30 and 60 day late pay from your report by contacting the lender and asking them to erase it. Frequently they will do this in order to keep you as a customer and in their good graces.

We suggest a phone call and sending them a written letter with a brief explanation as to what happened. Additionally it will go a long way if you are polite and respectful during your communications.

A 90 or 120 day late pay will be more difficult to remove. We still suggest contacting the lender, if your account is still open, and ask them to remove the mark.

It is a good idea to make sure your account is up to date before asking them to remove the item from your report. The lender will often look at your payment history to see if late payments are common with your account.

If you can not get the mark removed we suggest you dispute it directly with the credit bureaus. This is done by creating a dispute letter and mailing it to each bureau or you can hire a service to do this on your behalf.

This mark will stay on your report for a maximum of seven years. Additionally your account will go to collections after 180 days or six months of delinquency.

The lender can remove a late pay from your report because they report regularly to the bureaus. All they have to do is not report the late payment the next time they report to the bureaus, typically monthly.

Your only way of getting help from the creditor is if you account is currently in good standing. Additionally there is information about negative marks and that they will stay on your report for 7 years.

This is not true; any item can be removed at any point in time, the maximum amount of time an item can remain on your report is seven years. There are a few exceptions such as a bankruptcy. The Fair Credit Reporting Act clearly says that the maximum amount of time is seven years. There is no minimum amount of time an item must stay on your report and can thus be removed at any time.

In sum the first step is contacting the lender, if you still have the account, and then if that is unsuccessful dispute it directly with the bureaus.

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How to Learn Your Tax Deduction Limits

By Matt Brewer

It is not only good to know the tax deduction limits when you file your tax return, but it's also necessary to know if you want to lower your tax bill. Most people are always looking for ways to lower their income taxes owed to the IRS. They know that the more tax deductions they are able to take, the more tax savings they will have.

Before a taxpayer can understand the importance of knowing tax deduction limits, they have to understand what tax deductions are. Some people do not even know what they are because they never have to claim them. The concept of tax deductions is simple. Tax deductions are expenses that the IRS allows taxpayers to subtract from their income. The result is that, the more tax deductions the taxpayer can subtract from his or her income, the less taxes he or she will have to pay the IRS.

Knowing the tax deduction limits will allow taxpayers to plan what they are going to owe the IRS. The more you know, the more creative you can be to claim the tax deductions to the limit. Some of the tax deduction limits are confusing and obscure so you may have to read relevant IRS publications to understand how to claim these tax deductions and how much to claim.

Some people think that IRS deductions are the same as tax credits and the tax deduction limits are also the same as tax credit limits. They are not. A tax deduction simply lowers taxable income for a taxpayer whereas a tax credit gives the taxpayer money directly. If there is a choice, taxpayers often prefer tax credits than tax deductions because tax credits save them more money than tax deductions do.

Choosing the right type of IRS deductions can affect how much taxes a taxpayer owes the IRS. The tax deduction limits do not matter so much if the taxpayer chooses to claim the standard deduction. However, not everyone can claim the standard deduction. If they can, though, it is the easier option of the two and all you have to do is check the box on your tax return form that says 'standard deduction'.

Some taxpayers are not eligible to claim standard deduction so they must claim the itemized deductions and pay attention to the tax deduction limits. The itemized deductions are more complicated than standard deduction because each tax deductible item has its own limit. If you are qualified for both the standard deduction and the itemized deductions, it is important to know the limits so that you can calculate which route is best for your tax return.

The bottom line is that by knowing the tax deduction limits, taxpayers can make an informed decision about whether to claim the standard deduction or to itemize his or her tax deductions if he or she is eligible to claim both. There are many books, IRS publications and websites that will give details of what the tax deduction limits are for different tax deductions.

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The mortgage market needs somehting but is it just money?

By Chris Clare

You may have noticed over the last month many countries have past bills in their governments to inject substantial amounts of cash into their banking system. They have done this on the understanding that all the bad loans also known as toxic debt is weakening the institutions and rendering us unable to borrow money so leaving us all worse off as a result.

The burning question now is whether or not this cash injection will have the desired effect so that we are able to borrow money confidently again. At present I am only able to comment on the effect these changes will have on the general public in the United Kingdom, as I am unaware of how other global markets work within their countries, and therefore am unqualified to comment. There may be similarities in how the markets work, but it is best to take my comments here as a rough guide only if outside the UK.

Now the general consensus would be that due to the credit crunch the various financial institutions involved in the lending of money are not at liberty to do so, through a lack of it. So it would then follow on that the way to solve the problem is to supply them with the necessary means, i.e. more money. But this approach does not begin to scratch the surface with regards to the underlying problem. The reality is that the banks have been badly hit by the credit crunch and so are quite unwilling to continue on with lending as if nothing had happened.

The main result and contributory factor to the current financial predicament is that of house prices, and house prices are not only falling but are set to continue to fall for the foreseeable future. Consequently lenders are finding that they have to tighten all their criteria not least in the area of loan to value LTV, that is the amount of money that is lent based on the value of the property. Most lenders during 2007 lent up to 95% LTV some lent 100% LTV and in some cases they went as high as 125%LTV.

Most experts will agree that as long as the market is buoyant, this lending is alright. If you take into account that the market was rising at a rate of 10%, lending 125% on a property of 100,000 means you are lending 125,000, but with that 10% rate of increase in value over just 3 years your LTV has already dropped to around 93%. In a buoyant market, this sort of lending would be considered a calculated profitable risk and was therefore given the o.k..

However house prices are not rising by 10% per annum in fact they are falling by at least 10% and some people think that these falls will be worse. So with that in mind if you now lend to someone 85,000 on a 100,000 house in three years your loan could be as high as 118% LTV. This as I am sure you will agree unacceptable lending in this climate. This therefore clearly explains why lenders are unwilling to lend over 90% LTV and in some cases 85%.

So what does the future hold for the market and will the bailout be the solution to the problem. Well I can only give my own personal professional opinion and nothing is set in stone but realistically I would perceive the bailout as having very little effect. They simply cannot lend at the high loan to values even though they have been committed in 2009 to lend at the levels reached in 2007. You see the majority of loans being agreed at present are dealing with people coming out of rates that had been pre-arranged over the last 5 years. Due to the downward spiral of house prices these people are going to be pushing the LTV up.

Another thing to consider is the high amount of self certification mortgages that have been arranged over the last 5 years. These types of mortgages will definitely be a rarity because they are seen as to high a risk and the institutions don?t want to know. And even if they are available the LTV will be far lower so what are the consequences in that scenario?

So whilst I do welcome the money that is being injected into the finance market I sadly think that whilst property continues to fall and lenders fail to have the pre 2008 appetite for lending it is more than likely just going to be stockpiled. This will have a domino effect as house prices will continue to fall because of the lack of lending at the right LTV with the right lending criteria which again will make lenders even less willing to lend. I have to say this is quite a quandary and I honestly don't see how it can be stopped until someone has the bravery to just lend knowing the calculated risk it represents I think it is fondly known as taking a punt!.

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Are You Thinking About Declaring Bankruptcy?

By Elma Evvie

Deciding whether or not to declare bankruptcy can be one of the most difficult decisions. However if you have looked at all the alternatives; then declaring bankruptcy may be your best choice. It will relieve your burden and help you enjoy living life again.

If you are struggling to make ends meet every month and it seems that it is never getting better; then you will definitely want to consider how to get some help. No one wants to keep hearing from creditors because you can not make the payments; if this is the case then you may want to consider filing for bankruptcy.

This can be a great way to get create a "new beginning" for you and your family. However there are some issues that you should be aware of before ou begin declaring bankruptcy that you may or may not know.

1. It Leaves Bad Marks On Your Credit: We all know that your credit score is the thing that everyone looks at. Creditors and employers all ask to look at your credit score.

Once you file bankruptcy then it is going to affect your credit for up to 7 years. However once you have decided that this is the best route for you; then you want to know that you can rebuild your credit after you have filed with work and persistence.

2. Money Management: You have to understand why you are in the position that you are currently facing; after all if you do not know how to change your finance habits; then chances are you will end up in the same place a couple months after you file.

Regardless of whether you file for bankruptcy it is important to find out how to manage your money. You can never fix anything if you do not know why you are in the situation you are in.

3. Teach Your Kids: This one is imporant because you want to teach your kids how to be responsible with their finances so that they will not make the same mistakes that you made.

Declaring bankruptcy is one of the most difficult decisions that anyone can be faced with. If you are struggling with your payments and not making enough to pay your bills; then you may want to consider filing. Even though it does affect your credit; you can learn how to rebuild your credit after filing. Before you decide whether or not to file; you may want to get a free counseling about your finances to ensure that you do not have any alternatives.

For more valuable information about life after bankruptcy and getting back on your feet; visit our site below and get all the tips and advice that you need in this difficult time.

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Reverse Mortgage Disclaimer Deed & Consequences thereof

By Ignego Vanrock

Mortgage companies factor the amount of available funds, for a borrower to receive, based upon current interest rates, home value, and age of borrower. Older reverse mortgage borrowers receive more money their younger counterparts.

Supposing there is more than one person on the loan. The lender factors the youngest persons age as the determinant in the equation to find the loan amount.

If the mortgage amount ever exceeds value and the home is sold, either because the last surviving spouse dies or the from a voluntary sale, the lender automatically loses money. This being the case the mortgage company must be conservative by using the age of the younger spouse.

The thing the lender must take into consideration is how interest accumulates and compounds over time. The mortgage company has to lend less to the younger borrowers because they live longer, and interest has more time to eat away at the equity.

That being said borrowers may realize a dilemma if one spouse is quite a bit older than the other. If the couple needs a sizable sum of money out of the mortgage, the age of the younger borrower can dismantle this plan.

Are they dead in the water? Absolutely not. The younger spouse can sign a disclaimer deed, effectively making the older borrower the sole borrower, and they can get their money.

Theyve accomplished the goal! Yeah!

But not so fast, there are problems in doing this. Sometimes in the busy scheme of things, we forget that we will not be here forever! Yes, we too will pass.

After the bank finds out of the older borrowers passing (and they will), the remaining borrower will be notified and has roughly a year to compensate the bank.

People with tons of money in the bank and investments dont normally get reverse mortgages. With that in mind the spouse will 95 times out of 100 be forced to sell the home to pay the lender.

Houses are more than just buildings, and that is especially true for seniors. A house is a memory-filled home. If disclaiming a spouse to get a reverse mortgage is on the table, be positive the loan merits the probability of losing the home and its memories in the end.

Disclaiming the spouse should be done on a need basis and both spouses should understand and accept the future consequences.

Student Loans - Interest Rates, Now and Future

By William Blake

Variable vs Fixed

As of July 1, 2006 Stafford loans became fixed rate loans. This was not a new idea. Years ago all Stafford loans had a fixed interest rate. In time the structure changed and they became variable rate loans. Now they have again taken their original structure.

But they can change again. What the Government does, it can undo. Also, because lenders have some flexibility, even official rates can be altered in subtle ways. Many lenders, for example, charge the Federally established origination fee of 3% and the default insurance rate of 1%. Others are willing to absorb those costs to get your business. As a rough rule of thumb, every 3% in fees is equivalent to approximately 1% in interest rate.

Interest Rate Increases

Though the interest rate changes can be modest, PLUS loans increased from 6.1% to 8.5%, for example. On, say, even as low as $16,000 borrowed, a 2.4% rate difference equals (approximately) a $400 difference in interest charges the first year alone.

You can visit www.bankrate.com/brm/mortgage-calculator.asp to see exactly how much your loan will cost you at a given interest rate.

The Future

There are no guarantees. The rates can change, since they're similar to variable rate home loans, even after the loans are funded. Predicting interest rates, both near term and long term, is a task that challenges even the finest financial experts. If it were otherwise, the bond market would be a pretty dull affair (which it's not). So, the best the average student or parent can do is to look to what those experts are predicting.

Finance Websites Give Good Guidance

Among the easier ways to follow those predictions is to look at various interest-bearing financial instruments, such as T-Bills or long-term corporate bonds. By examining those numbers, potential borrowers can get the best available guess about where interest rates are headed. That information is easily gained from any finance website, such as Yahoo Finance or some other personal favorite.

Student loans and other types of loans often vary in conjunction with the Treasury bill. The Treasury bill shows what the government projections are for selling its debt and what the buyers are expected to offer.

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The Price of Free Reverse Mortgage Info

By Revmorti Vanrock

You may have some financial hurdle to overcome. Perhaps you are 62 years old or older and have heard about using a reverse mortgage to help you solve your problem.

What you may have heard is that equity in the home can become spendable money, but the how of it isn't quite clear. So you Google reverse mortgages to see what comes up.

You are pleased to see so many informational websites offering free guides and informational booklets on the reverse mortgage. Its like a bonanza for people just like you who just want some basic information.

Soon you come across a free report that can be mailed to you right away. That's exactly what you were looking for! You send in your information and keep an eye out for the report.

What may be news to you is that these websites are not actually altruistic, but operate for the purpose of gathering information to make a profit.

Profit is made 1 of 2 ways. The website owner could be an actual lender vying for reverse mortgage clients, and wants to be the one you pick should you continue the process.

Or they are in the lead sales business. This is big business in the reverse industry. Some of the most informational websites are also the most profitable lead generators.

What a website such as this does, is grab your information and sells it to a reverse mortgage lender, so they may get in touch with you.

You fill out the form, wait for the info, and little do you know, youll be receiving a phone call from a local reverse mortgage lender. He or she will remind you that you filled out the form and of their affiliation with that website.

Perhaps you entered your contact details on numerous websites for free guides. This means that multiple companies will be contacting you.

And by the way, it is a very competitive business so you can expect multiple calls from each of these folks attempting to garner your business.

So, as you gather reverse mortgage information online, if you give out your contact info, prepare yourself for phone calls that you were not necessarily expecting.