Debt Consolidation Credit Counseling In Cleveland Debt Consolidation Credit Counseling In Cleveland

Find out more on Debt Consolidation Credit Counseling In Cleveland Now!

Friday, February 6, 2009

Dental Insurance: What You Should Pay Attention To

By Nathan D. Kopeck

Nobody likes going to the dentist: on top of the physical pain, we know it's going to bring financial pain as well. If you happen not to have dental insurance coverage, any work that's done on your teeth will end up costing you a small fortune. The internet offers hundreds of sites where you can do some research and get a feel for what your ideal plan would cost you. It's really important that you take care of this as soon as possible because waiting usually just compounds the problem.

If you have a job, you best and cheapest option for dental insurance coverage is that which is offered through your employer's health insurance coverage. So ask if you have it or in case you don't have it, see if they can have it added to your current health insurance coverage. The payments will be handled by your company the same way your health insurance payments are. In some rare cases, the coverage will be available but your particular conditions will preclude you from being covered. You will then have to look online for a good but affordable dental plan that will ease the financial pain of visiting your dentist.

Like I said, thanks to the Internet, the process of finding a dental plan that's a good fit for you is considerably less complicated than it was a few years ago. The industry being very competitive, a bit of comparison-shopping will net you a good plan with good coverage at a decent price. Since you don't have to physically walk from one place to the other, comparing options and prices that best suit your needs becomes a lot easier and making the right choice becomes a lot simpler. Here's what you should be looking at.

Reasonable premiums. One of the simplest ways to avoid getting charged more than necessary is to take several offers from several companies and pit them one against the other. Of course, in order to ensure an apples-to-apples comparison, you'll want to pick similar plans for this exercise. If you look at them thoroughly, you will greatly increase your chances of selecting one where your dollar goes further, compared to the other ones.

Preventive dental care. Comprehensive dental care goes beyond providing coverage for actual dental work. It should also include preventive care that minimizes the chances that you will someday need to have extensive work done on your teeth. A few exemples of preventive measures are x-rays, regular cleanings, and free check-ups. Your insurance company has a vested interest in offering this to you because it pays off in the long run if they don't have to foot a hefty bill at some point.

Company background. Once you do find that great plan with good pricing and everything, the next step should be to evaluate the company that's offering it. Check whether or not they have a good background by finding out if they've been in the news for good or bad reasons; check their financial status to (sort of) determine if they're likely to be around in the foreseeable future; try and find out what their record is when it comes to settling their customers' claims... All this is very important and should not be overlooked.

Customer testimonials. Talking to current or former customers of the company will give you a great idea of the quality of their service. You can use various online resources to read some testimonials from users and make a better decision based on what you expect to get from your dental insurance provider. Do not take anything at face value though, because the Internet makes it really easy for people to pretend to be what they're not.

About the Author:

Looking for a Financial Advisor?

By Paul J. Easton

When looking for a financial advisor, it can be very complicated to find a trusted personality who will provide sincere analysis and guidance to your decision-making in your investment choices. Look for these sets of criteria when searching for your financial advisors.

Start by scrutinizing their education and experience on finance management. Are they recommended by friends or trusted peers? Do they have familiar clients who have entrusted them with their transactions?

Veteran financial advisors have both the education and experience. Education provides them with the necessary knowledge in our complex global financial system. Since their main function is to gather financial information, analyze it, and make recommendations, they should be well an expert in the field already.

Moreover, their experience is a very good indication of their confidence to guide you through great deals. With their experience, you will definitely notice that these persons spend a lot of time working with people. Thus, they really developed their communication skills.

Another consideration you should always iron out is to resolve how these advisors are paid. Expect financial advisor to be paid in three different ways. When taking his time and using his expertise, you can expect to pay him with an hourly rate, a monthly retainer, or commission-based. Be very keen with your agreement in payments so as to avoid ending up regretting your choice.

As a tip, prefer the hourly rate or monthly retainer rather than paying your advisor on a commission basis. Usually, when paid with commission on trades, they may recommend changes, which can be unnecessary or even harmful, in your portfolio. This is because they have the motive of increasing their commission payments. This is what we need to avoid getting a biased and probably bad investment deals.

Your main purpose in getting a financial advisor is for an expert to guide you in intelligent decision-making. As their role is to assist you in the planning and arrangement of financial affairs, such as your retirement provisions, you need to have a loyal one behind your back. By ensuring the financial advisor's track record with his career, you will found out that he will certainly understand your financial situation in the first place.

Finance can be very intimidating and a good financial advisor will be responsible to make sure that a client's risk is minimized. By taking the time to look for the best financial advisor, you prevent yourself from a future of stress and frustrations.

For more information on financial directory, get FREE Articles Tips at DollarGuides.com. Get debt-free today with tips on how to get rid of debt here.

About the Author:

Minimize Overdraft And Bounced Check Fees

By Merril Bernstein

The purpose of this article is to help you minimize the financial cost that comes with repeated overdraft and bounced check fees. Not only do they add up at the end of the year, but are a symptom of poor financial management skills, which can be very bad for your future.

What's an overdraft? Anytime you make a transaction for more than the amount available in your checking account, you overdraw it. That transaction can be the writing of a check, an ATM withdrawal, a debit card purchase, an online bill payment, and so on. What matters is that you used more than your available balance, and the negative balance that ensues is called an overdraft.

Your transaction puts your bank in a position where it has to decide whether whether or not it's going to pay the amount. Either way, the bank will assess you a fee. If the amount is paid for although you didn't have enough funds, the bank will assess you an overdraft fee. In case the bank decides that the check should be returned unpaid, it will assess you a bounced check fee.

The best way to minimize such fees is to manage your bank account so that you're not in a situation where you overdraw it. There are many ways you can keep close track of your account balance. Record all your transactions when you make them, without forgetting that any banking fee you usually pay has to be accounted for.

You will have to be especially vigilant about electronic transactions. Your ATM withdrawals (including any fees), purchases paid for with your debit card, as well as online payments can easily be forgotten and must be recorded ASAP. In the same vein, regularly scheduled online bill payments for utilities, insurance, or loan payments should not be forgotten. Know your account balance and remember that some transactions may take a while to clear if you see it's higher than what it should be.

Review your account statements each and every month. Between statements, finding out which payments have cleared is as simple as calling your bank to get your current balance, checking it online, or getting it from an ATM (assuming that you won't get charged just for checking).

If, unfortunately, you find yourself having overdrawn your account, you best bet would be to deposit some money back into it as soon as you have cash available. Remember that you will also have to account for your bank's overdraft fees. Some banks will take the opportunity to sell you on alternative ways to to cover overdrafts.

Most likely you will get to choose one of those options. You can either link a savings account of yours (at the bank) to your checking account, or apply for an overdraft limit of credit with the bank. In the first case, every time there is a transaction that would result in your checking account being overdrawn, funds are automatically transferred from your savings account to prevent that. In the case of the line of credit (which you will have to apply for and will be treated as a loan application when it comes to eligibility), your account will be allowed to operate with a negative balance, up to your credit limit. That balance will generate interest, and the credit line itself may be subject to an annual maintenance fee.

About the Author:

Paying your Financial Advisor

By Paul J. Easton

Are you wondering what to look for in a financial advisor? Here is some information you need to know when looking for one.

Begin with investigating on education and experience. This can be observed with the mere confidence during the initial meetings. One important issue to resolve as well is the payment method. By taking the time to look for these qualities in your possible financial advisors, you can eliminate a lot of anxiety in your financial future.

You will hire a financial advisor to render investment advices and other services. The role of a financial advisor is to help you maintain the balance of investment income and capital gains. Your advisor will also assess an acceptable level of risk by using proper asset allocation.

Financial advisors use several financial vehicles like stocks, bond, options, notes insurance, and other products to meet the needs of the clients. Many financial advisors are receiving payment through commissions. By brokering financial products, they get paid by the company but these types of advisors I do not advise. Fee-only financial advisors offer a more balanced and unbiased planning thus it is becoming more popular nowadays in the financial service industry.

If financial advisors are paid through commission for every product their clients subscribe to, they will likely be recommending changes in your portfolio which are unnecessary. You end up being misinformed due to a conflict of interest to increase their commission payments.

With advisors receiving 100% of their compensation directly from you as client, there are no conflicts of interests between theirs and those of their clients. This is often the problem with financial advisors with biases for the company they work with because of the problem created by commissions paid. Fee-only advisors will customize an investment portfolio designed to guide the client realize short- and long-term investment goals. In addition, a simplified performance reporting is provided to make accounts monitoring as easy as possible for clients. Find out how your financial advisor will be paid for his expertise surely is worth the trouble. Many people very frequently make the mistake of ignoring this very vital information. By choosing a scheme that would make your financial advisor as objective as possible, you will never end up regretting your choice.

Always confirm the payment arrangements with your financial advisor. It is one of the single most important parts of this deal.

For more information on financial directory, get FREE Articles Tips at DollarGuides.com. Get debt-free today with tips on how to get rid of debt here.

About the Author:

Fee Only Financial Advisors

By Paul J. Easton

Good financial advisors should be well educated and experienced at the same time. They are hard to find tough. Finding the service of a good financial advisor will be one of the most important steps in securing your future and looking for one need much of your attention.

With proper education, your financial advisor is equipped with the necessary information to deal with today's financial system. Education is not enough though. When starting a portfolio of investments, one needs to find an experienced guide to the finance basics. Experience exudes confidence and confidence is peace of mind. With a good track record, you can also observe that experience is equivalent to your advisor's communication skills.

When choosing your financial advisor, do not ignore the method of their payment. Discuss this with them. This single yet crucial information is imperative in finding out whether this deal is worth taking the plunge. Remember that this choice must be founded with in-depth research so as to avoid ending up regretting this one.

Financial advisors are normally paid with commission from the company. You want to avoid these advisors as much as possible. Choose those fee only advisors, especially when you have long-term goals. Fee only advisors charge in an hourly rate or a monthly retainer.

With a fee-only basis, your financial advisor can customize your investment portfolio. This plan helps you to realize short-term and long-term investment goals in a guided manner. Moreover, your advisor can provide performance reporting in a simplified form. This is very useful in monitoring your accounts and in realizing how much your investments had grown.

With a retainer, many advisors offer support their client with professional advice, real time account information, periodic updates on best deals in the financial markets, and so many more. In addition, your advisor will manage your portfolio and take care of investment changes without any commission.

This is in contrast to the very common commission-based financial advisors available anywhere with most financial service companies. Paid with commission on every trade, these advisors will recommend unnecessary investments with their financial products to your portfolio. This is their way to increase their commission payments but can end up unfavorable for your part.

A financial advisor is your consultant for your investments. They should supposedly recommend improvement with appropriate investment tools based on your goals, attitude toward risk, and expectations. With a written plan and some consultations, you are making your money work for you. Your financial advisor is your mentor and partner in securing a better financial future. Choose an independent fee-only financial advisor.

For more information on financial directory, get FREE Articles Tips at DollarGuides.com. Get debt-free today with tips on how to get rid of debt here.

About the Author:

The Challenge of the Current US Financial Market

By Paul J. Easton

The financial crisis in America is affecting us all. It seems that there is an unending list of financial institutions falling into bankruptcy. The financial market anomaly seems to indicate that it will not yet stop soon.

As the recent financial crisis brought fear in the American banking system, one must prepare to keep up with the recent times. As banks are getting doubtful about the idea that they might get back their money still, the money market rate has been forced to double from 3.33 per cent to 6.44 per cent in record time.

With these uncertain times, you truly need a tool to keep you updated to not fall behind. The American Financial Directory might be this tool. It provides detailed descriptions and contact information for banking organizations all over the country. Accurate with only the quality information is what best describe this tool. A wonderful instrument as it compiles a precise list of data on every banking institution including savings and loan, holding company and major credit union in America. Formatted in a very easy to access manner, you can locate any institution by name or ABA routing number without any effort.

In addition, one can understand the value of this remarkable directory with features where you can process checks or send wire transfers. On top of that, you can also initiate ACH transactions for commercial banks, savings institutions, and major credit unions.

The American Financial Directory contains only the most accurate financial industry information obtained straight from official sources such as financial institutions. This essential information is updated twice a year. Used in a myriad of applications which include but not limited to processing payments, locating American financial institutions, and initiating ACH transactions, this valuable tool must always be in your office.

This five-volume set of American Financial Directory is very handy to get the most recent and updated financial industry data. This lets you carry out researches of the most important key personnel of every banking institution and the decision-makers of every bank's management team, which is crucial at this time. Together with the package is a list of all the physical mailing addresses and web addresses as well.

You can also choose to focus on a specific sector in line with your financial business. Or if you prefer to concentrate on a certain geographic area of the country, you can have the customized version of the American Financial Directory. This is will be your dependable and concise list about the financial companies in your specific specialty or specific state or Federal Reserve System region of your target.

If you are looking at this listing of banks and routing numbers, the American Financial Directory is the most complete collection of American financial institutions' must-have information.

For more information on financial directory, get FREE Articles Tips at DollarGuides.com. Get debt-free today with tips on how to get rid of debt here.

About the Author:

Your Financial Sector Ultimate Guide

By Paul J. Easton

One of the best sources of banking information today is the American Financial Directory. It is the hidden secret of most budding financial bankers and entrepreneurs. Anyone in the financial industry can hardly do better without the American Financial Directory as a tool.

This directory is in essence a who's who for the financial industry in the U.S. To stay updated, it is twice published yearly and it is very versatile. This article is only dedicated to the wide range of uses of the American Financial Directory. Upon reading this, you would realize that the American Financial Directory should have been in your library years ago.

This tool published its first copies way back on 1836. The directory is a list with complete information of every banking entity in the United States. These entities include banks, savings and loan departments, credit unions, and holding companies with the necessary contact information in an organized format. It enlists contact information including telephone numbers, web addresses, and physical locations. The best part of it all is that it provides direct contact information for key personnel in every banking institution. With five volumes of detailed data, this tool is a comprehensive compilation for all your every banking transaction needs.

If you want to focus on a specific sector of the market, for example, you can obtain a customized version of the American Financial Directory that contains only the information you need.

With the U.S. banking sector always being very dynamic with mergers and acquisitions, this special tool is indeed necessary. With the current economic meltdown, dramatic changes and major financial announcements shake the market place on a regular basis. Changes in the financial arena have truly accelerated radically. This pace of the volatile market place makes it very hard to keep up with the latest yet accurate information. This is where the American Financial Directory comes as a handy tool to meet this challenge.

The American Financial Directory makes the possibilities limitless. It holds various data you can use to initiate transactions, process checks, and even send money through wire transfers. In the hands of someone expert financial marketers, the American Financial Directory is a gold mine.

Check out the latest American Financial Directory and get ahead with the financial meltdown. For more information on financial directory, get FREE Articles Tips at DollarGuides.com.

In this recession time, get debt-free today with tips on how to get rid of debt blog here and find out for yourself.

About the Author:

Sector-Specific Topic of the American Financial Directory

By Paul J. Easton

The finance industry covers a wide range of organizations dealing with money management. Banks, credit card companies, and other financial services including insurance companies, consumer finance, and investment companies.

With extensive coverage like banks, holding companies, savings and loans, and major credit unions, you are assured of precise data and you never get lost with all these information. The American Financial Directory provides an easy format for everybody. Included in the list are all the important data you need like street and mail addresses, telephone, and fax numbers. Moreover, it also provides the ABA routing numbers, charter types, ownership, principal correspondents, and financial summaries. It even increase the value a notch higher by providing the list with information on the institution's key decision-maker names, alpha and numeric routing number indices, merger, name change and closing information which are all important yet hard to find in today's very dynamic financial scenario.

With such a wide range of services and a vast industry in itself, the financial sector can be much more conquered if you focus and specialize to a niche. This is what the American Financial Directory wants to offer. If you wish to focus on a specific sector of the financial market, you can obtain a customized version of the American Financial Directory that contains only the information you essentially need.

The American Financial Directory is the top-notch source for the latest information on the US financial industry, especially if you want to look at niches with lesser competition and find out the latest trends and happenings sin the financial community. This Directory provides information on all facets of money markets and financial products currently available around the country. And the best part is that you can tailor fit the directory to your needs so that your focus will be concentrated on the specific sector. The purpose of the directory is to compile an updated list of financial organizations with their contact information and provide value to our budding financial entrepreneurs.

As most financial start-ups are recommended to find a niche rather than compete with the financial giants, this American Financial Directory is the ultimate customized guide to your sector-confined researches.

At the stage of economic slowdown, focusing your efforts to a specific and related list of companies, whether they are competition or a joint venture partner, is the only way to survive this temporary down time. This American Financial Directory is your handy companion and is truly a must have.

For more information on financial directory, get FREE Articles Tips at DollarGuides.com. Get debt-free tips today with how to get rid of debt blog here.

About the Author:

How To Erase Debt

By Nathan A. Bargigh

Today it is vital that you take every opportunity to get ahead in your life, and attempting to rid yourself of debt is a start to this. When you succeed at getting debt out of your life, you'll see how much more you can get out of life.

First to lower the amount of debt you have you must start to take control of it. You need to add up how much you debt is, this will aid you in making up your mind on what you can pay back. But you have to be organized before you can do anything. Make positive that you understand all the types of debt that you are carrying, and what amount of it has to be paid back before you are in charge of it again.

Now that you have gotten organized and understand how much debt you have, then you will have to come up with a schedule to pay it back good. The reason that this is crucial is that it allows you to start making the minimum required payments. Figure out the size of payments you can make, and then contact your credit card companies. Most of the time they will permit you to pay on your debt a little at a time, which over time will assist you in getting rid of your debt.

If you are committed to settling your debt, there are some tips that will help you with this. First, only set your monthly payment goals to what you can stay with paying. These goals should be ones you can always meet this way you will strive to stay with them better, and it will be easier for you. This will turn out being so crucial for you, due to the fact that it will permit you to get rid of as much debt possible.

Then you need to stay on the payment schedule to pay it down. Debt is one of those things that just accumulates slowly over time. You just have to continue to make your payments monthly, and stop new debt, you will pay off your debt very quickly. This is one thing you need to understand and follow because it permits you to easier pay off debt and helps you make plans for the rest of your financial life.

It is a good thing not to get in more debt too. Be certain to make your schedule payments on time. This is the best method for getting rid of debt and avoiding it too. Along with this you want to make plans on what money you can spend without having more debt. This one point is so very crucial for staying out of debt from now on.

About the Author:

US Financial Institution Information at your Fingertips

By Paul J. Easton

The American Financial Directory is the hidden secret tool of most influential forces behind the financial sector. What is it? This simple yet very effective tool is a resource filled with complete information for every U.S. financial institution.

The American Financial Directory is one wonderful tool as it is the only one that offers you precise data access on every banking institution including savings and loan, holding company and major credit union in America. With the helpful state indexes, with the complete master index, you can locate any institution by name or ABA routing number in a snap.

Additional features of the American Financial Directory add value to it so that you can process checks or send wire transfers. In addition, you can also initiate ACH transactions for savings institutions, commercial banks, major credit unions, and financial service firms with ease.

The five-volume set American Financial Directory is the definitive way to get the most current financial industry data available anywhere. This set of data allows you to carry out researches for the banking management team including their officers' and director' names. Included also in this set are the banking institution's physical mailing address and web addresses. Important details on the head office and branch location details including their telephone and fax numbers are essentially included to guide you accordingly.

Mergers and name changes of banks and other financial services firms are also announced in the American Financial Directory. The activities in the financial sector are so immensely complicated and dynamic right now that going without this directory is a surefire way to disaster.

If preferring to focus on a certain area of the country, you can have access to a customized version of the American Financial Directory. This provides everything about the banks and other financial companies in the specific state or Federal Reserve System region of your target.

By maintaining fresh and up-to-date information of main banking and financial sector players all over the US, it is consistently publishing twice a year. This directory is printed every January and July for the industry's latest information. Used by financial marketers and professionals for various applications, you will truly appreciate the value of this resource. It is even hard to imagine yourself without one.

This is the all-inclusive multi-category financial services directory you can have today. This directory provides you the best options as a guide in moving forward with your financial venture. With a small investment in these resources, your financial endeavor will soon get through the rainy times.

For more information on financial directory, get FREE Articles Tips at DollarGuides.com. Also, get debt-free today with tips on how to get rid of debt here.

About the Author:

How to Select a Great Mortgage

By Troy Cruz William Engle Dawn Khoury James Nissen Robert Hill Chris Laning Janet Taylor Jack Enders Bruce Gross Rick Bean Keith Wood Ray Johnson Juan Hines Paul Holtz Kenya Rios Peggy Dye Neal Dawes Lucas King David Hebert Karl Howell Jarrod Lucky Ruth Coats Doris Lund Ryan Hudson Henry Bush Lonnie May Arlen Bell Wanda Kuebler Kevin Stiles Nick Horton Jorge Pina Frank Vera Chad Copp Fred Brod Jose Cruz Jeremy Stanley Mark Jones Kelly McMahon Barney Bernard Ailleann Alan

When you look at all of the choices that banks and lending companies offer you for your new mortgage you might be a bit confused. How do you know which one is the best one? Well, picking a mortgage loan is more complicated than a lot of people think and it is going to take a lot of research, a lot of calculations and a lot of time on your part to get the best deal.

When going mortgage shopping, you are going to want to make sure that you have a budget made out. When making a new budget, plan for the expenses that come for a new house, including property taxes, insurance and repairs; also don't forget about your nest egg. You never know when something is going to come up and you will have to make repairs on your house, so be prepared. Once you have your budget on paper, you should be able to see how much money you can spend every month on a mortgage payment.

So how much is your dream house and how much can you afford? If your dream house is more than your budget allows, you are going to probably want to find a new house. You don't want to take out a mortgage for more than you can afford even if you take out some of the non-standard mortgages out there because it can be a financially risky move. What's risky about it is that in the future you are going to have to come up with more money. Sure, you may be counting on getting a raise with your new job but it's not a sure thing yet so you shouldn't put all of your eggs in one basket. By not being so optimistic about the future, you are going to make sure that in the future you can stay in your house and that you don't have financial troubles.

After you have decided how much money to borrow, you need to think about how long you plan on living in your new house. If you are buying a starter home and plan on moving in a couple of years, get a mortgage that is going to be advantageous to you right now, rather than one that is going to be stable for the entire length of the mortgage. An adjustable rate mortgage might be the best bet, because it is going to give you a lower rate of interest for the first couple of years. If you plan on moving for any reason, this is going to possibly be the best mortgage for you.

Now it is time to talk to some banks. Only once you have figured out how much you want to borrow and what type of home you want will you be able to go to some banks and ask them to give you a recommendation for the best mortgage for you. A bank should be able to tell you exactly how much the fees, monthly payments and interest rates are going to be on each mortgage that they recommend. The first thing that you are going to see is that the interest that you pay every month is a good chunk of your total payment. To reduce the amount of interest that you pay, consider making double payments if you can and try to pay off your mortgage early. Making extra payments in the long run will help you out for years in the future.

Picking the right mortgage loan is difficult, and it is going to take research. But, this research is going to pay off for the next fifteen or thirty years while you are saving money because you made the right choice.

About the Author:

Bad Credit Mortgage Loans

By Roger Dawkins

Many people think that if they have bad credit that they won't be able to get a mortgage loan. While there is a bit of truth to that there are a lot of options that you should look at before you give up.

Most people that can't initially qualify are going to take the same first step. They need to get a copy of their credit report. After all if you don't know what is wrong with your credit then you will have a hard time getting it fixed.

People who don't initially qualify for a bad credit mortgage loan will have a credit score in the 500 range. This is bad but is easily repaired. In fact a lot of times you can get a good enough score to qualify in less then six months.

First you have to get your credit report. You can usually get a free one from any mortgage broker. Mortgage brokers aren't credit specialists by trade but since they need to look at it to try and give you a loan they are a great free source of credit info.

Once you have your report look at it and see why your score is so low. Most of the time it is because you have been delinquent on several credit cards. In some cases it is due to you defaulting on some credit cards or other debt payments.

If you have been penalized due to late payments then you will want to call your credit card companies and find out how many on time payments in a row you must do before they take the penalty off of your credit history.

Now that you know how long you need to make timely payments you now just have to do it and pay on time. Once you have paid your bills on time for a long enough period of time, usually six months, you are now ready to re submit your application for a bad credit mortgage loan.

If you still do not qualify then talk to your mortgage broker on what other options you have. A lot of brokerages have special programs set up to give you a bad credit mortgage loan. Yes, the fees can be high but you will be able to get your home and once your credit is fixed you can get lower fees.

About the Author:

Tips on Transferring Money to Colombia

By Chloe Banks

There are several ways to send money to Colombia from the United States. One of the easiest ways to send money is to have a relationship with a US bank that is well represented in Colombia.

If the sender and recipient both have accounts with one of these banks, it might be a good idea to open an account locally in Colombia. Money being sent between accounts within the same bank is often processed quickly and at little or no cost.

Bank transfers between different banks aren't difficult, but can entail a waiting period of up to 5 business days with higher costs.

You can initiate wire transfers to Colombia through banks. A wire transfer gets the money there fast, but there must be a corresponding bank to receive it. Fees can be high for international wire transfers, but this is a good option if the money needs to get there fast.

For people who send money to Colombia regularly, another way is through an ATM or pre-paid debit card.

The money can be withdrawn from a large network of ATMs in Colombia if the debit card has the PLUS or CIRRUS logo on the back. Only use an ATM card if you trust that the cardholder is not accessing funds without authorization. A pre-paid debit card is a more secure way of sending the exact amount of money intended for the recipient.

In addition, online payment services such as ATM Cash are a popular way to get money to Colombia quickly. Online services allow you to send money 24/7 from your computer and for a less amount of money.

These are some of the methods you can use to transfer money to Colombia

About the Author:

Insight to Chapter Seven Bankruptcy

By John Parker

The new Bankruptcy laws are no stranger to most people today. The laws are there to act as the middleman between the debtors and the creditors. It's can be pretty confusing when you look at the various laws that a person would want to file for. The process of choose the right law can be tough.

In general, most people would want to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy because this law has many terms that can help the debtors. However, there are a number of criterias that a debtor must fulfill before he can file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

Whatever the case, here are the following steps will help you to apply for chapter 7 bankruptcy in the right manner:

- Bankruptcy should always be the last avenue and file for bankruptcy only when there is no way out.

- Begin with a bankruptcy attorney. An attorney is a professional and has the knowledge and proficiency to help you in the entire procedure.

- Credit counseling is absolutely mandatory.

- File petition. Doing so will stop your creditors from suing you using other laws.

- Finish the required paper works properly.

- All fees should be paid on time.

- About a month after the petition, a meeting will be held. Your creditors will be present and questions about your property and financial status will be asked and you must answer them. You cannot miss this meeting, it is very important.

In conclusion, when you have taken the above advice you should be able to handle your bankruptcy issues.

About the Author:

True Confessions of an Identity Thief

By Linda Seamore

Want to protect your identity like the law officials do? You've come to the right place! You'll find out just how these identity theft criminals plot their scams.

There were nearly 12 million events of identity theft in the United States in 2006, according to the U.S. Postal Service; which cost consumers about $6.3 billion! Consumers certainly raised their awareness after hearing this dreadful statistic; however, there are still consumers who are unaware of the distinctive techniques these identity thieves use. One renowned identity theft revealed, in an extensive interview, the 4 common mistakes she used to take your money!

Misconception # 1 All Identity Thieves Are Men

This is a common misconception that our identity thief says makes her job so much easier. The problem is that most of the major media outlets portray identity thieves as men. The reality is that many of these criminals are well dressed attractive women. To avoid falling into a trap, watch your personal information with both men and women. Studies have shown that both men and women let their guards down around women more so than they do around men. Everyone is a potential identity thief. This does not mean you should be paranoid rather you should simply be very careful.

Misconception # 2 Trusting Your Friendly Store Clerk or Waiter

This one is hard to combat because in most cases you are required to hand over personal information and or documents to store clerks or waiters at restaurants. What you may not know is that some of those people who are waiting on you may in fact have two jobs. By day they work in the local department store but at night they have a side job. Their side job is simply to provide a few customers credit card numbers to their friends. This works so well because they have access to your credit card or account number. The only way to really combat this is to review your account statements. It is also a good idea to keep a journal of expenditures greater than a certain dollar amount.

If you monitor your statement closely as soon as you receive them, the less stressed you'll be, should a situation occur. Let's think about it...how quickly can a person, working at a shopping mall or restaurant, get access to hundreds of customers' personal data? You got it...very quickly! Our notorious identity thief revealed in her interview that most identity theft criminals work at these sorts of places for a few months, and once all the information is in-hand, they're on the next flight to the Bahamas!

Myth #3: Throwing Away Unopened Junk Mail

Whether you have good credit, great credit or terrible credit, it really does not matter. You will receive in a given month between 12 and 50 plus new offers each month to open new banking, credit accounts. The problem with this is that most of us are lazy. We fall in one of two categories. The first is a person who does not own a personal shredding machine and simply tosses the multiple credit offers in the trash or simply tears them in half and then tosses them. The second is the person who does own a personal shredder but has become too lazy to shred each and every piece of documentation sent to them.

Listen, all a thief has to do is get a hold of one piece of information from your trash can and you quickly become a victim. Dont believe me? Let me ask you this, what are doing at 3a.m.? Really, well guess what our trustworthy identity thief is doing? She is in your trash can randomly pulling a bag out of your can for shifting and sorting later. Tip: After you shred your documents, add a little water to the bag before you seal it and then toss it. Not only will the pages be sliced and diced but will also be a wet and soggy mess, completely unusable by anyone.

Misconception # 4 Sending or Receiving Mail from at Your Home

By now you are beginning to see the point. Identity thieves commit their crimes in several ways. They steal credit card payments and other outgoing mail from private or curbside mailboxes. In fact, according to our expert, some will go a step further and file a change of address form in the victims name to divert mail and gather personal and financial data. Here is a simple tip. First, drop all of your outgoing mail in a local United States Postal Service mailbox. Second, consider opening a P.O. Box. I know this seems inconvenient but to truly protect yourself, these are some of the preventative measures you must take to win the fight against identity theft.

The real problem is that there are so many opportunities to become a victim; you really need 24 hour protection. Stop trying to make it without help!

It's very difficult to protect yourself and your family, successfully, without help. Trying to do it alone can be worrisome and not very effective. It makes a huge difference when you have someone protecting you who has actually been through the storm! LifeLock is a company who has absolutely outstanding identity theft protection for everyday people.

When selecting a service to monitor and proactively protect your credit, make sure they have been recommended by over and over by top law enforcement personnel and their service has been proven to work in real world situations.

Identity Theft Prevention and Identity Theft Protection are nothing to joke about. STOP Identity Theft with LifeLock. LifeLock guarantees identity theft will NEVER happen to you. Please visit lifelock.com to learn more about how to protect you and your loved ones from identity theft.

About the Author:

What Are Prepaid Credit Cards?

By Steven J. Talrechi

Credit can be a touchy subject for many individuals. Often it can be quite difficult to be approved for a traditional credit card. Perhaps you have had a poor credit history in the past, or perhaps your problem is that you just haven't had any credit history yet. Whatever your circumstances are it can feel downright degrading to get rejected for a credit card. However, there is a way that you can start building your credit rating and give you the flexibility that a credit card affords you, and that is by getting yourself a prepaid credit card.

But how does a prepaid credit card actually work? It is essentially an account into which you can deposit money and access it by using the card to make purchases. You can use a prepaid credit card anywhere that credit cards are accepted. Unlike a traditional card, however, you can only make purchases after you have deposited money in your account. There is a spending limit just as with a traditional charge card, but with a prepaid card, this limit is the amount which you have put on your account.

A prepaid credit card offers all of the convenience of a regular charge card. You can use it in the same way at the same places.

A prepaid credit card is very helpful in keeping your spending under control. You can only spend as much as you have deposited in your account, so it is impossible to get yourself into credit card debt by overspending. A prepaid credit card is also a good way to begin learning about managing your financial life responsibly.

You are also largely insulated from identity theft when using a prepaid credit card. Whether you are buying in person, online or over the phone, you can rest assured that even if someone gets a hold of your credit card number, your other accounts are perfectly safe; they can't run up huge bills on your prepaid credit card.

So how to you set up a prepaid credit card. Well you will incur a fee to set up your credit account. Typically it is quite small. Anywhere from $5-$10. Additionally, there are usually fees that accompany any deposit that you are making into your account. Though there are some slight fees for those who have been struggling with their credit or merely want to keep a tight handle on their spending it really might be a viable solution for you.

Let's face facts, we live in a credit driven world today. It seems like you can't do anything without a credit card these days. So if you want to be able to function in this world you need to find a way to have access to a credit card. For those who are struggling with bad credit, or want to keep better tabs on their spending then a prepaid card might be exactly what you're looking for!

About the Author:

Credit Repair Home Based Business: Easy To Start, Lots Of Rewards

By William Blake

Credit repair is a good business to be in because there is a growing need for this service. This is an excellent at home business because the services provided can all easily be performed from the comfort of your home. If you have any experience in or knowledge about credit repair this is a business that could be very lucrative for you.

A credit repair business operated out of your home is a great way to start small and slowly build a successful business. Now is a good time to get started because of the increased demand for this type of service.

No Special Skills Required

There are no special skills required for starting a home business in credit repair. In fact, there are many programs out there that give instruction on how to get such a business started. These do it yourself kits give you step by step direction in how to start the business and tips on how to make it successful with very little out of pocket expense for you. With this kind of help available it is not necessary to be a financial expert of a professional credit counselor to start your credit repair business in your home.

One of the best things about your own home based business is that you can be your own boss. There is no need for special schooling or licensing to begin your credit repair business. You can start the business right away with the help of these business kits. They even give suggestions on how you can market your business.

Marketing is an important step in getting your business off the ground. Once you advertise your business and get people to respond you can set up a time to meet with them and explain what services can provide for them. If you are able to convince them that you can really help them successfully repair their credit you have just contracted a client.

In your contract with your client be sure you state clearly what fees you will be charging for your services. Collect your fees before you begin working for the client. Once a contract is signed and fees paid you will be ready to gather credit information from your client and prepare dispute verification correspondence for each of the major credit bureaus.

Do your homework before you get started to be sure that you can successfully operate a credit repair business out of your home. With finances the way they are right now and with stricter bankruptcy laws in place the opportunities for success in a credit repair business are greater. It is a good time to try to see for yourself whether this type of business is a good fit for you.

About the Author:

Find Contact Personnel Using American Financial Directory

By Paul J. Easton

In the search for the ultimate guide with the US banking information, the American Financial Directory is your only directory to rely on.

As a power house directory offering a wide range of financial related information, real time updates on mergers and financial news, the Directory will definitely help you build and make your financial business conveniently.

The American Financial Directory makes available a list of accurate information on all aspects of today's money markets.

Updated twice a year, it contains the updated list of information for every banking entity in the United States. This includes banks, savings and loans, holding companies and credit unions. Depending on your goals and objectives, you can find all the necessary information with this directory.

First published in 1836, the Directory list is updated every January and July. It presently is composed of five volumes of detailed data. It comes with the option for a customized version where you can only confine your list within a specific sector of the financial market.

With the U.S. banking and financial sector in constant dynamic mode, mergers and acquisitions are common on a regular basis. With today's economic climate, the change has immensely accelerated to a pace where you must equip yourself with only the latest and precise information. With the American Financial Directory, you can easily meet head-on with this challenge.

The industry information in the American Financial Directory is very suitable for a number of uses like processing checks, initiating ACH transaction and sending wire transfers. The American Financial Directory is truly a precious gem for someone who market to the US financial sector.

This dependable tool is indeed a small investment compared to the probable loss you might face when lagging behind in today's financial dynamics. Filled with fresh and detailed data for every U.S. financial institution, no wonder it is used by financial marketers and geniuses for their researches and personal networking. Used and recommended by financial professionals for a variety of applications, you will beyond doubt understand the value of this resource.

You must have this American Financial Directory today. This directory is your best option in moving through these hard times when you truly need the best team of bankers and financial business partners. With such a small investment, your money is well worth every cent.

See details of the latest American Financial Directory and understand its value for your financial future. For more information on financial directory, get FREE Articles Tips at DollarGuides.com. Get debt-free today with tips on how to get rid of debt here.

About the Author:

Different Credit Cards

By Eric Jilson

One of the most well-known and trusted providers of credit cards is American Express, especially in the low interest rate, high credit genre of cards. Often, their balance transfer options and up to fifteen months with no interest can't be beat. Some of their cards even offer points with redemptions towards travel, hotels, rentals, and more and often with no annual fee.

Chase credit cards have 5% on purchases and an offer of 0% APR for up to a full year. Cardholders can even receive cash back on 1% of their additional purchases. Chase offers a wide variety of cards, so you'll probably find one that fits your needs.

Citi has the Platinum Select card which has a 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers, though it does not apply to cash advances. If you fail to make payments, go over your limit, or otherwise do not meet the terms of the contract, however, you'll likely lose these benefits.

Discover Platinum Cards are also offered with 0% APR as an introductory rate for up to a year. They also offer no annual fees, 5% cash rewards, and zero fraud liability along with limitless cash rewards for 1% of additional purchases. If you purchase products from their select, name-brand companies, they offer double the rewards for doing so. Of course, since you're paying a premium for the name-brand item, this may not really be that great of a deal. Make sure to read up on the card's requirements and small print before joining, as many find themselves caught because they didn't.

HSBC Mastercard offers manufactured goods from their in-house catalog to new cardholders. Since this bank mainly deals with newly established credit or people with credit difficulties, their offer few 0% APR or other deals. Their rates go as high as 18.75% and they usually have other fees associated with their credit re-establishing offers.

The AT&T Universal Platinum Cards are offered with similar deals, but also include many things the others do not. These include phone savings (through AT&T, of course) and free directory assistance credits and phone minutes monthly. This low-rate card is also a phone card, so you can use it to make long distance calls from any phone world-wide. This is in addition to their 0% APR for a year on purchases and balance transfers and their zero fraud liability guarantee. There are also options for insurance coverage on wireless phones built-in to the account. Of course, it's not all roses. There are down-sides to this card including variable rates after the year is up and very high rates on cash advances and defaults.

Bottom line, there are many cards out there for you to choose from and finding the right one for you is only a matter of looking through the options. For anyone looking for a new credit card or to transfer the balance and close out an existing card, there is a lot to look at out there. Hopefully this short list has helped you in making an informed decision. Be sure to check out each individual offer and to read contracts carefully so you don't get burned.

About the Author:

The Benefits Of Day Trading

By Walter Fox

The first idea for trade was only the barter of goods or service or both between two parties. As time went on, a common exchange was developed in the form of currency. Purchasing and selling goods took precedence over exchanging goods and service began. Every nation began making their own type of currency which was the managed by their rulers.

Since the last century there were a lot of changes took place in the trading market. The origin of stock market is one of them and it is a very important step in this direction. The stock exchange is a place where people buy and sell shares of companies and financial institutions. In those days of stock trading, you had to be physically present in the stock exchange for buying and selling of stocks which is popularly known as stock trading.

To thrive in the share market one should develop abilities related to trading such as learning to day trade. You may develop these skills through the act of actually doing it but you could cut into your dividends while developing this experience on your own. If you make any mistakes while trading, you may have such great losses that you are unable to continue.

Share trading is one of the most complex skills and you should gain your skills by observing and acquiring knowledge from professionals. Your chance of increasing profits wills increases as you gain more skills. You can purchase expert advice from agents who will be beneficial during market trading. For just a small amount of capitol, you can begin.

As stock trading became more dominate in society, the trading forms began to evolve. Paper share certificates were done away with for online documents. Due to worldwide access to the web, online option trading has become an extremely popular form of trading which can be done from the convenience of home or office.

As stock trading spreads, people realized the potential profit making opportunity in trading, started learn to day trade. They realized the need of option trading strategies, and started hiring advisers for successful trading. To facilitate a successful end to your intra day trade in this complex field you can open a trading account in any broking agency and from them can get helpful free tips on continues basis depending upon the market trend and global cues.

Thanks to the internet connectivity one can trade on international markets irrespective of his physical presence in those countries. Trading in the international market is not an easy task keeping in mind its liquid and complex nature and the prevailing challenges in the market. Since every thing is fair in love and war, this is applicable to share trading also. Many a times there is possibility of getting misled by some broker tricks resulting in heavy loss.

If you are not able to obtain advice from a trained professional, you can get advice and hints through a subscription to your mobile phone. Trading in the stock market with all its highs and lows is not a simple task, but if you are smart enough and hold enough experience to handle the pressure you will encounter, you can earn lucrative profits that will benefit you greatly

About the Author: