Get Aware Debt Consolidation Scams Are Everywhere

By Frank Froggatt

There are honorable debt consolidation parties who will do everything they can to free you from your debt,but there are likewise many scam artists out there so you want to be aware of how to tell the difference.

You can be scammed by debt consolidation companies in 2 ways. The first way is they tell you not to make a number of payments while they get you a resolution deal.They then receive your funds that you've preserved for the resolution ostensibly saving it for you, but months later, come time for the settlement, the company skips out on you with your money leaving you with an empty pot and a bunch of hungry lenders.

Another swindle by alleged debt companies is when they receive your funds and don't establish your requitals as agreed. Ascertaining with your creditors to ascertain that they are getting paid is easy enough although some individuals just take it for granted that since the party acquired their money they'd make the payments as agreed upon.

On the other hand there are various parties out there that practice the correct things as well, you simply have to be thorough. In order to keep your money safe the most effective thing to do is research before you pick out a company. Make a point that any party you are debating on cultivating a relationship with is recorded with the BBB and doesn't possess any charges against them. You can also explore the company on google or google blogs and find out what individuals state about the company. You should also make a point that they can be reached by telephone.

You must also make a point that you've selected a debt consolidation company in opposition to a debt reduction company. They aren't the same and debt reduction will eliminate any positive credit rating you could have. They stimulate your lenders to square up for less cash than is owed but your credit is shot as an effect.

Absolutely be sure to have EVERYTHING on paper so you perpetually understand what's going on. Keep tabs on companies getting your payments and do your research before you unite with a debt consolidation company or program. Likewise debt education can instruct you how not to make the same errors once more.

Debt consolidation might not forever be the favorite option but it is considerably more pleasing than debt reduction and your chances of getting victimized are way smaller. If you look round eventually you will discover a great company that actually desires to assist you.

About the Author:

This article was developed by Frank Froggatt, an authority on Bad Credit Debt Consolidation. You can clear up a lot of your confusion about this topic while sitting at home in your easy chair by visiting mydebtconsolidationsite.us

Are Retirement Planning Seminars Really That Beneficial?

By Michael Geoffrey

There is a lot to consider when planning for retirement. It is a very important turning point in a persons life so it must be planned with great care. There is a lot to know in order to make good decisions when planning for retirement. A seminar can be a very valuable source of helpful information.

What Can You Learn At a Seminar

Retirement seminars are very educational. They teach you about retirement and he things you need to be considering when planning for yours. These seminars discuss how to determine how much you should save toward your retirement each month and how to go about doing so. The tips and information that you can acquire at a retirement seminar will help you be properly prepared for this very important time in your life.

Retirement seminars discuss how to decide how much monthly income you will need during your retirement so that you can maintain the same standard of living that are enjoying during your working years. It is crucial that you make an accurate determination about this to avoid coming up short during retirement and not being able to enjoy a stress free retirement.

A good retirement plan is different for everyone. There is no hard fast rule that covers everyone and determines how much a person should save. Some say that around 70% of their salary at the time of retirement will be sufficient. That is a good round figure, but it is not the magic number for everyone. For some it may be more than enough.

In order to determine what you will save you need to give thought to how you will save it. Maybe your employer has a pension plan that will make up a portion of your retirement income. Perhaps you have an RRSP or 401K that you will draw from at the time of your retirement.

Retirement planning seminars are great because they help you to learn the necessary questions that you need to be asking yourself before retirement actually comes in your life, so that you are more informed and knowledgeable on the matter and so that you will be as best prepared as possible.

The key to a good retirement plan is to start early and it is never to early to start. If you have been advised that you dont need to worry about your retirement until you are within 20 years of it you have been misinformed. As soon as you begin working it is a good idea to start thinking about and saving for your retirement.

About the Author:

Are you tired of buying financial guides that make great promises but just don't deliver on those promises? At the Finance Product Evaluations website, we offer unbiased reviews of many resources in the debt, credit, investing and real estate markets, to name a few. Visit http://www.financeproductevaluations.com to take a look at our latest reviews, such as our latest pick The Credit Secrets Bible.

How To Deal With A Bankruptcy And Come Out On Top

By Chris Channing

When a bankruptcy occurs, a consumer is declaring all of his or her debts as too much, and they disappear. This may seem like magic, but know that it is far from it. Bankruptcy will mar a credit rating of the consumer for up to 10 years, and will be a factor in the hiring process of jobs and even applications for living spaces.

Spending money is most often the section of one's personal finances that needs the most attention. Shopping habits that have gone out of control account for many of the debts incurred today, and most of these poor habits come from younger adults who have little experience with how credit works. The worst part is, most of those in debt have multiple credit cards they use on a daily basis- which multiplies their debts. Obtain counseling if you aren't sure you can stop your habit, and try cutting your credit cards up for good measure.

A financial adviser is another option in avoiding bankruptcy. When bankruptcy seems like the only way out, an adviser is able to haggle with credit companies to allow for smaller payments each month. This is a great way to lead a comfortable life style and still have bills whittled away at. This usually means consumers will be in debt longer, but sacrifices must be made.

When market conditions change, interest rates that are current may be better than rates of the past in which loans and debts were tacked on. If that is the case, refinancing a debt is possible, in which the better interest rates are applied to the debt. This isn't always much of a help with small debts, but even with as little as $1,000 in debt it can make a considerable difference each month.

Debt consolidation is also another way to help get around debt problems. If money is owed to a lot of different credit companies and lenders, it is a hard time to figure out who to pay and who to delay. While this can usually be handled with a financial advisor, consumers themselves can haggle with credit companies to make custom payment plans. As consumers find, companies are usually fairly lenient in how they get paid as long as they do get paid.

Spending money isn't always the problem; it's the lack of money coming in that poses a threat. Apply for government assistance programs, whether housing assistance or food assistance, to help lessen the blow of unemployment. If a job is obtained, yet not enough money is coming in still, consider getting another simple part time job in order to get debts paid sooner.

Final Thoughts

Debts can be hard things to control, and bankruptcy always seems like the easy way out. But in reality, bankruptcy is a short term solution that will be paid for time and time again in future years. Thus, education on how to get out of debt is important; see a financial adviser today for more information.

About the Author:

Learn more on Debt Reduction and Debt Relief.

When buying a Jacksonville Condominiums

By A. Kim

There are many available condos in South of Jacksonville Florida such as Point Meadows, Wolfcreek, Overlook, Stonebridge, and Campfield. The building boom of early 2000's have created over supply of Jacksonville condominiums. If your in the market for hands free living these might just be the perfect answer for you needs.

Due to high demands during the height of the housing boom in south Florida, many of the apartment units were turned into a condo creating excess inventories of condos. This left plenty of available living spaces with those size ranging from 1,050 square feet to over 1,500 square pretty large living spaces.

To move these condos, developers are offering fantastic incentives and upgrades to buyers. Jacksonville condominiums can be prices anywhere from $125,000 to $300,000, a good investment in home. If you are looking for these as a buyer you should check with a professional Realtor a buyer's agent to get you the best deal possible and give you some leverage in buying.

But one of the markets that are holding up better than rest of the housing market is the luxury condo market. Some luxurious condos have come to market in downtown Jacksonville. For someone willing to pay for luxury, Berkman Plaza Two, Peninsula, The St. Johns, and the Shipyard are good option for investment as well as luxurious Jacksonville condominiums living. The downtown location makes it ideal for those working in downtown, it cuts down on commuting time. In building amenities such as shopping, cleaners, restaurants, and security is other benefits.

Lots of water sports and many outdoor activities are available in close proximity. Museums like the Museum of Contemporary Art in Jacksonville is a great afternoon activity for you and your family.

Just hang out with your family in the park or waterfront enjoying the nice weather that Florida offers. Before the housing market rebound, check out the condos in Jacksonville.

About the Author:

If your thinking about buying a Jacksonville condominiums, please review Jacksonville Condominiums, and Jacksonville Condominiums

Best ways to get the lowest mortgage rates

By Mijnadviseur

Most people make a decision for a certain lender based on the mortgage rate quoted. Even though the lowest rate quoted doesn't mean you always get the best deal on your mortgage. You can get rates online from hundreds of different lenders, but mortgage advice should be based on your individual situation.

When selecting a mortgage, keep in mind that it's extremely important to choose a mortgage that's suited to your needs and goals. The lowest rates might look very good today, but won't look as good when you are forced to take out a loan or another mortgage in a couple of years because your 'lowest rate mortgage' failed to make you debt free. Always make an honest comparison between different types of mortgages, to ensure you really do get the best deal available.

A very popular form of mortgage, when you are looking for the lowest rates, is the ARM mortgage. ARM stands for Adjustable Rate Mortgage. ARM mortgages are very popular when the interest rates are low, because they give you the biggest advantage in these periods. There are many different types of adjustable rate mortgages, but the important thing to keep in mind is that interest rates fluctuate and you might be looking at a higher monthly payment in a couple years or even months.

The fixed rate mortgage form is almost the opposite of an adjustable rate mortgage. With a fixed rate, you know each month what your monthly payment is going to be, because you have a fixed mortgage rate. Usually, fixed rate mortgages must be paid off within thirty years. Sometimes, balloon payments have to be made at the end of the mortgage. You can choose to save for these payments, or invest every month in an insurance policy or investment plan to make sure you can afford the balloon payment after 30 years. The downside of fixed rate is the rigidity of this form. It's not easy to change your mortgage form if you want to profit from low interest rates.

Getting the lowest mortgage rates is a good goal, as long as you make sure you choose the right mortgage for your situation. Get expert advice, do the research, so you avoid getting into trouble somewhere down the road.

About the Author:

Mijnadviseur is specialised in giving mortgage advice, specifically geared towards the Dutch hypotheek advies market. Mijnadviseur strives to make refinancing or dure hypotheek oversluiten easier for consumers.

What you need to know about the Bankruptcy law change

By Josh Ramos

The recent bankruptcy law has brought some changes with it, and many people are under the false impression that they can no longer file for bankruptcy. Many of the people who need it the most wrongly assume that bankruptcy is no longer a viable option for them.

It's true that there have been some changes, but bankruptcy remains an option that you can and probably should discuss with a lawyer (and possibly a financial adviser if you can afford it). Bankruptcy is certainly not appropriate in every situation, but it can be a lifesaver for many individuals with overwhelming amounts of debt.

Much of the confusion comes as a result of the new bankruptcy reform which was passed by Congress and signed by President Bush in 2005.

The bottom line is that declaring bankruptcy will require you to take some additional steps including mandatory financial counseling. The most important revision in the bankruptcy code requires that you pass something known as the means test. The point of this test is that you have to prove that you do need bankruptcy.

If your annual income is lower than the median income for your state, then you don't even have to worry about this so called bankruptcy means test. That's because if your income is very low, it's not hard to believe you when you say that you're broke. If your income is higher than the median, you will have to go through a more rigorous process to prove that you need to declare bankruptcy.

This really boils down to putting together a well documented list of all of your income and expenses. Be careful not to make any omissions, or this can come back to bite you later on.

It may seem like a painstaking process, but your lawyer should be there to help you through the process. In case you're wondering about trying to declare bankruptcy on your own, let me save you the trouble. Don't even think about going it alone. The new bankruptcy reform makes things much more complicated even for lawyers, let alone lay people.

That is, you need someone who has kept up to date on these latest developments, especially when you consider that there are court rulings coming out over time that will shed new light on this law. You should also learn as much as possible before discussing your case with a lawyer. You can learn quite a bit about whether bankruptcy is right for you and how best to proceed before ever walking into a lawyer's office.

About the Author:

Don't let the fear of your debt take over your life. Get the facts about bankruptcy and learn how to get control of your debt. To learn more about rebuilding your life after bankruptcy visit us at http://personalbankruptcyquestions.org

Teaching Kids about Money for Life-Long Healthy Financial Habits

By Laura Nelson-Smith

Kids catch onto the importance of money in life pretty quickly as they watch us use it. The way to show your child the value of a dollar is by teaching them the different ways a dollar is used.

Begin When They're Young

As soon as your child is ready, start showing them just how money works. Children need to understand that in order to get money, it must be earned. Teach them that the things we need in life like food and clothes have to be purchased with money and that the seller is the one who determines what to charge for the items. If there is no money then you can't buy what is needed.

A follow-up to this is talking about saving money. A child with a couple dollars could go buy a piece of candy (that'll be gone in 10 seconds) or an inexpensive toy (that will be broken in 10 minutes or completely forgot about the next day). However, if that child decides to save those dollars, a better item can be purchased that may have more meaning and last longer.

Have A Savings Plan

One way to teach children about savings is setting a percentage they should save every time they earn money. Ten percent is an easy sum to learn; simply move the decimal point one space to the left. For every $1.00 earned, $0.10 will be saved ($23.48 earned, $2.34 saved).

This savings isn't for a better short-term item, but for a "rainy day" or even a car or college fund. The remaining $0.90 can be used for the candy or "better item" as mentioned above. This principle can teach the child self discipline for very long-term savings (i.e. a house or retirement when they're an adult).

You already know that a six year old could really care less about saving for an emergency or even driving a car, but they will be able to see that saving ten percent over the years adds up. This teaching is a good for when they get their first job because they will already know about putting some money to the side.

You can also share with them about putting some money to the side to give to a charity they are interested in. Concepts like this teach them even more about managing their money.

As Your Child Grows

When your child is older,take him or her to the bank with you and open savings account for them. Decide to take them to the bank monthly so they can deposit their savings into the account. Allow them to view the bank statement so they can see how money is grows with the assistance of interest.

Interest is a huge part of using money. Either it'll make you pay more than what your item was originally worth (credit) or it can help you make more money. Teenagers need to understand that unless you can pay off that debt within 30 days, you'll actually be paying more for your purchased item.

A good way to prove how unfavorable or great interest can be is by role-playing. Find an item your teenager wants to use a credit card to pay for. Create a chart showing how making only the paying the minimum changes what the total debt is, how long it will take to pay the debt off with minimum payments, and how much interest (or money lost), is paid in total.

Then you can take that same amount of months it will take to pay it off and compare the interest they pay with the interest they could earn if they save money for the item. While the interest earned won't be much, your goal is to show them that if they save money to purchase the item, they will only have to pay the cost of the item plus tax, but they won't pay any interest.

The purpose of teaching your child about money is to get them to see the value in proper money management.

About the Author:

Laura Nelson-Smith is the resident editor of Career & Finance at http://www.Schmoozins.com - an online magazine for women that gives all women a voice. Join us as a contributor, schmoozer or just hang out a while.