Expert Savings Advice

Life insurance is a way to provide financial security to your family after you pass away. For many, life insurance is a necessity, as costs of funerals or even medical treatments during life can drain funds that might otherwise have been used to provide security to the surviving family members. Deciding on life insurance is very important and should not be taken lightly. That being said, deciphering all the technicalities of a policy can be difficult, particularly to the many of us who dont have any type of legal training.

Anyone who provides for a family should look at life insurance. You simply never know when an accident, a freak occurrence, or just plain health will cause you to die, possibly much younger than anyone would have expected. If you provide for a family, or even just a spouse, you should look at life insurance, since it may not only help cover funeral costs (which shock many people who have never had to deal with them) but also provide money to your family after you die. The amount of money they receive is dependant on how large a life insurance policy you choose to purchase. The money that your policy leaves them can help to pay the mortgage (or rent), run the household, and ensure that your dependents are not burdened with debt from the funeral. Another thing to seriously consider: there is no federal income tax on life insurance benefits.

The best place to start is to figure out what exactly your familys needs would be if you were to suddenly pass away. Make sure to include expenses for the funeral, estate taxes (if you own property), and any medical bills, as well as any ongoing expense like utility, retirement savings, food, car, etc. This will give show you why a policy might be in order for far more than you would otherwise originally consider. Many people do not realize what their actual expenses over several years would be. There is no true way of deciphering a tried and true method of figuring out how large a policy you should take out. Several insurance companies recommend aiming for an amount that is roughly equivalent to six or seven times your annual income.

One real thing to watch out for is what type of life insurance you receive. Almost all life insurance is either considered permanent insurance or there is also term insurance. Term insurance provides protection for only a certain period of time, while permanent insurance provides life time protectionbut there are benefits and drawbacks to both. Do your research to figure out which one would work best from you and go from there.

Best Money Market Account

When you are looking for a good safe way to invest your money you should look into a money market account. They are a great way to maximize your savings potential without any risk. Many people don’t understand the way money market accounts work and therefore they don’t know how to choose the best money market account for their financial situation.

What is a Money Market Account?
A money market account is an account that works like both a checking and savings account. They offer you the ability to earn a much higher rate of interest then a standard savings account. This is because you only have the ability to withdraw money from your account six times a month, this is standard and every financial institution has the same rules. You can either write a check or a debit card to access your money.
What to Look for in a Money Market Account

One of the first things you should find out when searching for the best money market account is if the financial institution that you are going to use is FDIC insured. This is basically saying that the federal government is insuring your money, so if your bank, for whatever reason, goes out of business your money is not lost, you will get it back.
Another important factor is monthly maintenance fees that some financial institutions have. Many of them will waive all monthly fees if you keep a certain minimum balance each month and if you look around, especially on the internet, you can find many of them that have no fees and have require no minimum balance requirements. This is especially helpful if you are just beginning to start saving, the last thing you need is having your savings eaten up by fees.

Opening balances vary from institution to institution. Almost every money market account has a minimum opening requirement. However, they run the gamut, many require only $50 to open an account but as you get the better interest rates you will often have higher opening balance requirements, in fact several of them get up to the $5,000 mark.

Where to Find the Best Money Market Accounts
Until recently the only place to open a money market account was to go to a local bank. With the internet becoming so prevalent in society, lending institutions have begun to use it to recruit new customers. Some of the best money market accounts are available by internet. They don’t have the high expensive of having lots of buildings to maintain so they are able to offer higher interest rates.

The only real difference between using an internet bank and a local branch is how you make your deposit, you will make your deposit two ways you can have your employer do a direct deposit or you can mail them a deposit. It is recommended that when you mail your deposits you send them certified.

Having a money market account is one of the best ways to save your money with no risks like stocks or bonds. You keep your money liquid and earn a great interest rated so take some time and find the best money market account for you and your financial circumstances.
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To constantly live with the tag of bad credit is certainly not a good one. More so, it affects the financial stability of a person. This is where Bad Credit Personal Loans can help these specific individuals a lot. It is because these loans offer finances to the individuals irrespective of their poor credit record.

Bad credit happens when a borrower does not repay or skip his past loans which results in creating a series of problems like CCJs, IVA, arrears, defaults etc. It can be also attributed to various factors like sudden illness, transfer, loss of employment on the part of borrower. But with the finances obtained form the loans, borrower can meet the various needs like purchasing a car, renovation of home, education, wedding, travelling etc.

Lenders offer these loans in two forms i.e. secured and unsecured. The secured form of the loans can be availed only by placing collateral of value such as home, real estate property, car etc. Placing of the asset assures the lender that the amount is safe and will be safely returned. The amount offered depends a lot on the equity value of collateral. Besides as there is a security attached, the rates of interest are comparatively low.

Unsecured from of these loans are accessible without the involvement of any collateral. This makes it beneficial for borrowers who do not own any asset such as tenants and non homeowners. Homeowners too can apply for these loans. The amount offered is based mainly on the repayment capability and income drawn. However the rates of interest for this loan option is slightly higher.

These loans not only assist the borrower by offering finances, it also helps to strengthen the credit record. By ensuring regular monthly installments towards the borrowed amount, they can very much improve their credit record

Most of the lenders now offer these loans through the online mode. It is also preferable as these lenders due to stiff competition in the market are offering these loans at cheap rates.

Bad credit personal loans assist the borrower to fulfill various needs without worrying about their credit record. Moreover by repaying the borrowed amount, they can improve their credit record.

I have notice that keep on changing new car has become a trend of todays life in city. People keep on switching to new car for no reason. It seems like car has become a way for people to express and show their status. Every year there are so many new car models coming up. So they keep on changing the car whenever they saw some new models that they like.

I had even heard people saying this: Since I need to pay for my installment every month, then why dont I switch to a better new car? It seems like paying car installment has become part of peoples routine life where if they dont pay for the installment, they dont know what to do with the money. Maybe people have forgot that they dont have to pay for car installment if they dont want to.

I know that I may offend a lot of people by saying that buying a new car is not necessary. However what I am saying is not that you cannot buy a new car. But when you wanted to buy a new car, think about why do you want to buy it. Is it neccesary? Do you want to buy it because you need it? Or you want to buy it simply because you wanted to show off to people that you are rich. Do you buy the car to boost up your ego?

For me, I only buy a car when it is needed. When I say needed, I mean that I really need the car. Not for no reason, not for showing off purpose. If my house is located at an area where I have no access to public transports, then I will consider to buy a car. If my old car has too many problems, then I will consider to switch to a new car.

Currently I have a car of 5++ years old. I have no intention to change a new car right now as my current car is still in good condition. I plan to use the car for at least 10 years if the conditions are ok. Actually the car is currently used by my wife to drive to work. For myself I am actually taking public transport (LRT). I have no intention to buy a second car although there is no problem in getting one financially.

With this I can save at least RM1000 per month. I would rather leverage this RM1000 per month for other purpose for example paying extra for my house loan. This way I can finish my house loan faster and reduce the interest. Why do I want to increase my expense to somewhere that I dont really need. I can even use the extra money to do some investment. This will improve my financial situation.

Good Stock Buys are the ones that make you more money than leaving it in the savings account!

You don’t have to be a financial wizard to know that your money isn’t going to earn a very high return sitting nice and safely in your local bank or credit union. Of course, there’s a lot to be said for not having to worry about if your money will be waiting for you as banks are notoriously risk adverse. There is also the issue of the federal governments guarantee that you money will be waiting. This is also known as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or FDIC.

Now the FDIC is NOT really insurance and the money it has available can cover about 1-3% maximum of the total monies it has guaranteed. No one except the federal government could get away with such low reserves and continue in business. That said, understand that the FDIC, for all intents and purposes IS the government.

If however you need to have your money grow, and who doesn’t, it’s necessary to increase your net worth. Whether it’s for retirement, a home, your children’s college education or a vacation, you should consider learning about stock market trading.

According to most estimates, you can expect to earn an average of 10 to 12 percent annually from stock market trading — even with a very conservative portfolio. When you compare those returns to the three or four percent interest that the typical savings account pays, you can easily see why stock market trading is the better option. So we’re talking about a solid return on investment several times what can be obtained at the local savings and load.

Getting involved in stock market trading is very straightforward and uncomplicated. All of the major brokerage firms maintain web sites that make it easy to compare rates and fees. You can just sign up with one of these firms, talk to a broker to discuss your financial goals, and then let the firm do all the work. If you want to be more hands-on, there are even do-it-yourself stock market trading web sites where you can make trades with just a few clicks of the mouse. Whichever route you choose, you should be able to start building your portfolio within a few days.

The key however is to practice first and THEN invest. Several web sites are available that for a small fee, you can trade an imaginary account that is linked to the actual action on the various stock markets. This was, you are able to hone the trading skills necessary to be successful. It also protects capital and keeps the losses just on paper and not real money.

By starting with a practice account, you can gain confidence in your ability and find out what style of investing is most comfortable. People just like you have been increasing their net worth through stock market trading for decades. If your money is currently languishing in your bank account, it might be time to put it to work for you. Get into stock market trading now, and start building up a portfolio that will be able to support you and your family well into the future.

Juggling may be entertaining, but the average person may not have the concentration to keep the balls in the air. Yet half of Americans in their prime savings years juggle their retirement money in three or more accounts, according to Fidelity Investments estimates.

Whether they are 401(k)s from previous jobs or forgotten IRAs, these multiple accounts can burden investors with several statements and potentially more account fees. Most importantly, scattered accounts may make it more difficult to keep a diversified investing strategy on track.

“It’s natural to think that multiple accounts may automatically diversify a portfolio, but that’s not necessarily true,” says Cynthia Egan of Fidelity. “In fact, managing a mix of stocks, bonds and cash across numerous accounts can be confusing and may make it harder to detect risks to your portfolio.”

For example, some investors unknowingly hold the same security in several accounts, which could result in a big hit to the portfolio if that stock price falls. Identifying how much is “too much” is simple with one view of all your retirement money.

Merging multiple accounts into a single Rollover IRA can make it easier to manage your savings, allowing you to easily review your holdings and quickly make adjustments. Here are three more tips to help simplify your portfolio:

1. Find them all. Even if you have to spread your statements across the kitchen table, identify all of your accounts that can be consolidated, including forgotten IRAs and old 401(k)s.

2. Mix it up. We’ve all heard that while diversification doesn’t ensure a profit or guarantee against loss, an age-appropriate mix of stocks, bonds and cash is the key to potentially better long-term performance. Make it easy with a lifecycle fund that is automatically rebalanced by a professional as your target retirement date approaches.

3. Keep it moving. Just like your regular trip to the dentist for a preventive checkup, be sure to review your portfolio annually to make sure your overall retirement strategy stays on track.

Fortunately, there are many resources available to help you manage your retirement savings. At the end of the day, however, consolidating retirement accounts into a single IRA account can help you more easily evaluate your retirement assets, develop a more thoughtful retirement strategy and monitor your investments to build your portfolio – making it easier to keep your eye on the retirement ball.

Do you remember any of the New Year’s resolutions you made for 2005? If you don’t, it may not be such a tragedy. After all, you still may have had a good quality of life even if you didn’t get to the gym three times a week, learn a new language or take that gourmet cooking class. On the other hand, you can make a big difference in your future if you make – and keep – financial resolutions for the coming year.

Of course, like all resolutions, the financial ones are easier to keep if they don’t force you to radically change your lifestyle. So, with that in mind, here are a few achievable financial resolutions you may want to consider for 2006:

- Increase your 401(k) contributions. If your salary goes up this year, increase the percentage of your earnings that you defer into your 401(k). With tax-deferred growth, pre-tax contributions and a variety of investment choices, your 401(k) is one of the best retirement-savings vehicles around. Plus, since the money is taken out before it even reaches your check, you won’t really “miss” your increased contribution.

- “Max out” on your IRA. In 2006, you can put in up to $4,000 to a traditional or Roth IRA, or $5,000 if you are 50 or older. If you cannot come up with the maximum amount at once, try dividing your IRA contributions into 12 equal monthly payments – and have the money taken automatically from a checking or savings account.

- Pay down your credit card debt. As you may know, the Federal Reserve raised short-term interest rates 12 straight times from June 2004 through November 2005. Sooner or later – and probably sooner – these rate increases will affect interest rates charged by credit card providers. So, if you are paying a variable rate on your credit cards, be prepared to pay more in interest. These interest payments do you no good, as you can’t deduct them from your taxes; consequently, you’ll want to pay down this debt as quickly as you can.

Review your investment portfolio. It’s a good idea to review your investment portfolio at least once a year. Over the course of 12 months, your life can change in many ways; e.g., new spouse, new house, new child, new job, etc. And if your life changes significantly, your investment goals may also change. But even if your circumstances haven’t changed much in a year, you should review your holdings to make sure they are properly diversified in a way that reflects your individual risk tolerance, time horizon and long-term objectives. A financial professional can help you review your investments to make sure you are still on track.
Avoid last year’s mistakes. Everyone makes investment mistakes – but the smartest investors only make them once. So, try to identify any errors you made in 2005. Did you chase after “hot stocks” only to find they had already cooled off by the time you purchased them? Did you incur a large tax bill by constantly buying and selling investments? These are the types of mistakes you should seek to avoid in 2006.

So, there you have them: some New Year’s financial resolutions that, if followed carefully, can provide you with benefits long after 2006 is over.

Savings. Pay yourself first. Start now stashing 10% of your income in an Emergency savings. Dont use it for anything but real emergencies. Keep a For Sure savings account for yearly expenses you know are coming and you can estimate (e.g. Christmas, insurance, taxes, etc.). Also have a Buy Stuff account. If you do, youll be able to avoid many financial disasters which will face you, and you can avoid borrowing money from high-rate lenders.

Borrowing. Dont borrow money unless you are willing and able to pay it back. Failure to pay debts on time causes severe financial, emotional, and family problems. Experts recommend you dont borrow for wants, only for needs, or for things that increase in value. Many lenders will loan you money you cant afford to pay back, especially high-rate lenders.

Co-signing. Dont co-sign on a loan unless you are willing and able to pay it back. Often, co-signers end up paying off loans they are unprepared for, and financial hardships follow. Numerous co-signors now have negative credit ratings because a primary borrower paid late. Many lenders do not notify the co-signor before reporting delinquencies or repossessions to the credit bureau.

Compare. Before you decide who to borrow from, compare! Find out who is offering the best deal at that time look for the loan with the lowest rate (APR).

APR. The Annual Percentage Rate (APR). It is the standard rate, so we may compare the cost of borrowing. It is the cost of credit expressed as a yearly rate. When you borrow, always beat 13% APR (consider 13 to be unlucky when it comes to borrowing). Some have been illegally stating other rates such as weekly or monthly rates. Compare APR to APR. If you pay your bills on time, and you arent over-extended, you can nearly always find loans or financing arrangements at rates lower than 13%. Beware though, because beating 13% does not always mean you are getting a good deal. For instance: the difference in total interest paid on an 11% versus an 8% 30-year, $100,000 mortgage loan is $64,283 (assuming all payments are made as agreed).

Consolidation Loans. A consolidation loan can result in great savings to borrowers if the new interest rate is significantly lower, and if you dont run-up debt similar to what was just consolidated. But beware, because consolidation loans usually result in substantially more money out of your pocket into the lenders. For instance, mortgage loans usually involve closing costs. They increase the total debt. Many refinances involve reducing the monthly payment, but increasing the length of payback, which substantially increases the total interest paid. Borrowers, who refinance unsecured debt (e.g. credit cards) into a home mortgage, also increase their risk of losing their homes. Also, remember to keep all of your payments current until the old debt is paid off. Too many people have damaged credit ratings, and are in bad financial condition because they counted on money which didnt come when they expected it. Expect delays when applying for loans, especially consolidation loans. Dont spend money before you get it.

Desperation. Dont get desperate for money. The more desperate you are, the less likely you are to get a good loan.

Auto insurance. Keep your auto insurance current. If you fail to keep your insurance up-to-date, you could end up making loan payments for years after your car has been totaled.

Establish good credit. To avoid bad credit, don’t borrow too much, and do pay your bills on time. Inexpensive ways to establish good credit: (1) Obtain a good credit card. When you charge things, pay off the balance each month on time and pay no interest. (2) Establish a revolving line of credit (an empty loan) as an overdraft protection against bounced checks, and dont use it as a loan. (3) Get a loan to buy a car, or furniture, or etc.) and pay it off within a few months.

Late fees. To avoid late fees (which multiply the cost of borrowing), pay early, or at least on time.

Repossessions. To avoid repossessions and associated fees, pay early or on time, and keep your insurance current.

Extra principal less interest. To pay less interest on loans, pay more than the minimum required payment. Even small amounts of extra principal, can significantly reduce the total amount of interest you would otherwise pay over the life of the loan. Before doing this, however, make sure your lender accepts extra principal payments, and find out what particular procedure you need to follow to ensure your extra principal is properly applied.

Bi-weekly payments. If you get paid weekly, or every other week, paying bi-weekly is a very convenient (almost painless) way to reduce your loan term and interest. For instance, if you make of your required monthly payment every 14 days (a bi-weekly period), you pay the equivalent of 13.052 payments in an average year. If you dont get paid bi-weekly, or if your lender doesnt like biweekly payments, you can pay the equivalent amount in monthly installments. If you pay 1/12 of the sum of 13.05 payments each month, you will match the bi-weekly advantage (minor rounding differences).

Contrary to popular belief, the frequency of paying payments bi-weekly doesnt accomplish much, the real advantage is paying the extra principal (13.05 payments, or more, each year) which reduces the term and the interest paid. If you are considering signing up for a bi-weekly program, pay close attention to the cost. Some servicers have large set-up fees and transaction fees. Also consider the credibility of any company handling your money, some have diverted payments into their own pockets, leaving borrowers to make payments twice (once to a corrupt servicer, and a second time directly to the lender).

According to a recent “Retirement Trends” survey by Fidelity Investments, 96 percent of Americans saving for retirement don’t know the current contribution limit for an individual retirement account, with some guessing as low as $1,000. The reality is that for tax year 2005, IRA contribution limits increase to $4,000 — up from $3,000 in 2004.

When it comes to knowing the facts about retirement, misperceptions can lead to missed opportunities. Today’s workers will face rising health care costs when they retire, as well as declining pension benefits and a higher cost of living. That’s why it’s important to save as much as possible, and as early as possible, in tax-advantaged accounts like IRAs.

Knowing the facts can help dispel common myths that may keep some investors from making the smart move of saving in an IRA.

* Myth No. 1: My 401(k) savings should be enough.

Nearly one-third of Americans in their prime savings years who have not yet opened an IRA account think their 401(k) savings will be sufficient for retirement, according to the Retirement Trends survey. However, Fidelity estimates that retirees will need approximately 80 percent to 100 percent of their pre-retirement income to live comfortably. Using an IRA now to supplement workplace programs can help investors make sure their savings will continue to grow and last throughout retirement.

* Myth No. 2: I have to come up with thousands of dollars all at once to open an IRA.

For the one in four non-IRA owners surveyed who say they can’t afford the initial investment required to open an IRA, opportunities to save even more for retirement may be daunting. But getting started without an initial lump sum is as easy as setting up automatic monthly payments through a Fidelity SimpleStart IRA.

* Myth No. 3: IRAs are for older people with lots of money to save.

The truth is that younger investors could benefit the most by starting to save early because they have time on their side. Nearly two-thirds of young adults have started to save for retirement before age 30, according to the Retirement Trends survey. That’s good news; starting to save as early as possible is one of the best ways to prepare for the future.

The intense competition among credit card companies has squeezed their creative brains hard, as they try to come up with innovative features on their various credit cards. One of the most attractive and substantive features invented by the credit card companies have been the low-rate credit cards.

It is a smart move to take advantage of these cost-saving credit card offers. Potentially, you could actually get the bulk of interest savings from these low-rate credit card offers, especially when you are trying to manage your credit card debt. Indeed, there are people who would advise that you jump from one credit card to another, taking advantage of the 0% apr credit card introductory offers and save yourself a lot of money in interest charges. It would be like getting an interest-free loan every time.

However, as attractive as such offers may seem, it would not hurt to thoroughly investigate the finer details of the credit card terms. The credit card companies, after all, are there to make money, so why should they be giving away their chance to make profits with these 0% apr credit card offers? Being in the business of lending money, credit card issuers earn money by charging interest on credit card balances.

It would be prudent, therefore, to check for hidden costs in these attractive offers before you apply for a credit card. Prudence requires that you study and understand the entire offer. Despite a possible distaste for it, you should read the credit card terms, the back of the offer, and all of the fine print.

You should study these conditions every time consider new credit cards. Its not that you begrudge the credit card companies the right to impose interest and credit card fees; its just that you would not want any surprises and would prefer to get the better end of the deal. Let us look at some of these details.

Interest rate. This will always be the most important factor when evaluating credit cards. You will have no problem finding the nominal rate because it is usually printed in big bold type in the credit card offer letter. The long and the short of interest rate is this: if you want a balance transfer as a means to save money, youll have to make certain that your current rate in your existing credit card is significantly higher than the interest rate in the new offer for credit cards. While other considerations should also be weighed, you will agree that if this condition is not true, there is no way you will save money on the new card.

Action date. This may not be as obvious, as it is buried in smaller print. The offer from the credit card company may specify the latest day for you to take advantage of the offer. Sometimes, the offer will specify different rates for different action dates.

Effective period. You need to know how long the low rate will be applied to your credit cards. The introductory periods on credit cards, vary anywhere from three months to fifteen months, and this obviously will impact how much you can expect to save. The longer the time youre in the low rate, the more money you will save. However, if there are credit card processing fees included as a condition on the transfers, you need to calculate a break-even time, that is, you must be in the lower rate for a certain length of time before you start seeing any savings.

Application of payments. You have to make certain how payments will be applied to your credit card account. Sometimes, the credit card issuer will apply your payments to the balance you transfer from other credit cards, which is subject to the low rate offer, while new purchases which may accrue interest at a higher rate will remain untouched by your payments. However, there are cards that offer the low rate for both transfers and new purchases, which is more advantageous to you.

Allowable amount to transfer. Most credit card offers allow transfer balances up to your credit limit, which is great. This can be a little tricky, though, because they often do not specify exactly how much you can transfer. Its tricky because it is possible for you to go over the credit cards credit limit if there are transfer fees and other charges to be paid, and if you do go over that you will get hit with an over-limit fee. Discuss this area thoroughly with the account representative to be certain you dont break any rules. Remember, if the bank thinks it can charge credit card fees for something, they will.

Balance transfer fees. Now most balance transfer offers do not really impose transfer fees. Just double check to make sure; read the fine print carefully. There could be transfer fee schedules based on the amount transferred, which could be something like: a flat minimum fee for any amount; a 2% fee on the amount transferred; or, a maximum fee to serve as a ceiling. It is not saying that credit card fees are automatically onerous, but you must know so that you can calculate if indeed you will save money when comparing the credit card fees to what you currently are paying.

Different rates for different amounts transferred. There may be a varying schedule of rates for different amounts transferred. This could be present in the credit card offer letter, but then again, it may not. Some banks may graduate their interest rate such that the bigger the amount transferred, the lower will be your rate. For instance, amounts below $3,000 will be at 8.9%, $3,000 to $4,999, 7.9%; and over $5,000, the interest is 6.9%. Again you need to know this to calculate the amount you will save on the credit cards.

Late payment condition. You should really be careful with this condition imposed on credit cards. The advantages of the low-rate credit card offer could suddenly terminate and end up costing you hundreds of dollars if you do not read the terms and conditions. Contract provisions like this usually go to the superfine print area, and could read something like, However, if a minimum monthly payment is not received by the close of the first billing cycle following the payment due date, your promotional APR balances will be 24.9%. Thats a jump to the stratosphere from a very low rate credit card offer, and that is for being late once! This is where you realize that it is costly to be late on any of your credit cards. The bottom line is that when you opt to take the low rate offer, make your payments on time.

Interest rate after intro period. You must know what the rate will be when the introductory period is over. Hopefully, the bank will raise the rate to a fair level, but if you comparison shop, you will find that some rates can reach close to 20%. That can be painfully high. You need to know this rate after the promotion period phases out, to be more realistic in your estimate of savings. This assumes that you will not switch to new low-rate credit cards. If the bank tries to gouge you, you probably will. There are so many other offers on credit cards to choose from out there.

There are benefits to be gained from these low-rate credit card offers. To ensure that you will enjoy these benefits to the maximum, you must do your homework and become credit card smart.