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The Essential Guide to Insurance for First-Time Landlords

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There are so many people deciding to become landlords for the first time nowadays. But the ones that succeed will be the ones that get everything right – including the insurance. Here’s your guide to landlord insurance.

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What You Need

Every landlord needs landlord insurance. It’s not enough to get an ordinary home insurance policy; you need one that’s tailored specifically for landlords. If you have an ordinary policy and the something happens to the property, the insurer probably won’t pay out.

There are lots of landlord insurance policies out there so make sure you compare them to find the best. Below, I will discuss some of the essential cover that your policy should include. Remember, cheaper doesn’t necessarily mean better.

Building

Every landlord insurance will cover your building. Your building is probably the most valuable asset you have, so it needs to be covered. Typical landlord insurance policies will cover damage to your property sustained in instances such as fires, floods and storms.

This is the very minimum you should expect from your landlord insurance policy. But read all the small print and make sure you’re getting exactly what you expect to from the policy. I wouldn’t recommend using a policy that only covered your building though, read on to find out what else you should have.

Contents

Contents insurance covers all the items in your home. This is especially important for landlords if you’re renting out a property that’s fully furnished. You’re going to be putting a lot of trust in the tenant, so it’s nice to have the peace of mind offered by contents insurance.

Even if you’re renting out an unfurnished property, it can be a good idea to have an insurance policy that covers contents. You’ll have light fixtures and doors in the property at the very least, and content insurance will cover these items.

Malicious Damage

No landlord wants to think about the possibility of having their property damaged by a tenant. These things do happen though, unfortunately. You can never fully trust a tenant if you don’t know them, so make sure you’re covered for malicious damage.

Another thing you should do is do your best to find good tenants. You could use a company like London2let to act as a middleman between you and the tenant. That way you’ll have more security. You should make sure you get references from potential renters too.

Loss of Rent

Being a landlord can be a precarious job. To start with, you’ll probably be heavily reliant on incoming rent to cover your mortgage costs. So, you’ll be in big trouble if, for some reason, you suffer a loss of rent.

A lot of policies will cover loss of rent. Cheaper policies won’ do though, that’s why you need to weigh up the pros and cons of every insurance policy before you take on out. If the tenant refuses to pay or the house becomes uninhabitable, this part of the policy will cover you.

Being a landlord can be a great way of making money, but you can only do that if you first get the right insurance in place.

 


How Much Should You Spend On a New Car?

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Are you in the market for a new car? Whether you’re upgrading to a new vehicle or buying your first car, shopping for a new car can often be a stressful and challenging experience.

Your car is usually the second biggest purchase you’ll make, after your home. Since cars are far from cheap, it’s important to budget appropriately and only spend what you can afford.

How much is the right amount to spend on a new car? That depends on two factors: your income and how much your car means to you. We spoke to the car experts at Warrantywise to find out exactly how much you should spend on a new car.

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Need something simple? Spend 10-15% of your pre-tax salary

Do you think of your car as a convenient way to get from one point to another? If you only need a car for transportation and don’t care much about performance or comfort, budget around 10-15% of your pre-tax salary.

This means that if you earn £30,000 per year, you can afford spend £4,500 or less for your car. At this price point, you’ll be able to afford a compact car that’s around two to three years old with a fairly low mileage.

Want something comfortable? Spend 25% or less of your salary

If you’d like something a little more comfortable, you’ll need to increase your car budget. Spending 25% of your salary on a car lets you, at a salary of £30,000 per year, spend about £7,500 on a vehicle.

At this price point, you’ll be able to afford a new compact car or a slightly used city or family car. Search for cars that are two to three years old – these cars have lower priced due to depreciation but are often still in excellent condition.

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Are you a car guru? Spend up to 50% of your annual salary

Do you view your car as part of your identity? If you’re a car person who can’t live without a great vehicle, it’s alright to spend slightly more than you normally would to get something you like.

Try to avoid spending more than half of your salary on a vehicle. For £15,000, you’ll be able to afford a huge selection of used cars and a variety of new cars such as the Ford Focus or Peugeot 308, which are both priced at under £14,000.

Which category do you fit into?

Are you a car guru or someone that views a car simply as a way to travel? Work out which of the above categories you fit into to determine how much you can afford to spend on a new car.

What are the Benefits and Drawbacks of Life Insurance?

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Life is packed full of difficult decisions, and whether to take out a life insurance policy is one of the biggest and most difficult. Here are the benefits and drawbacks of taking out a life insurance policy.

Benefits

No one likes to think about what might happen should they die. But it’s the kind of thing that you should give some thought to. So, what are the main benefits of having life insurance cover? For me, the main reason for getting life insurance is the peace of mind it provides you with. You won’t need to be worrying about how your family will cope after you’ve gone because you know they’ll get some money to take care of themselves with. This money will never be enough stop the grief, but it can make the whole process a lot easier for them.

A lot of policies also give an option that allows money to be paid out in the event of the diagnosis of a terminal illness. Again, you don’t want to think about something like that happening to you, but having the money to ease the situation can be really help if that’s what happens.

Taking out a policy doesn’t have to cost the Earth either. If you shop around and compare as many deals as possible, you’ll be able to find yourself a good deal. If you’re looking to take out other forms of insurance policy too, you could save even more money by opting for combined insurance. This means your policies will be bundled together.

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Drawbacks

There are some drawbacks to take into consideration before you make a final decision on the policy though. Life insurance isn’t necessarily a good idea for everyone; it depends on your individual circumstances. For example, life insurance is made much more costly if you have a pre-existing medical condition. The insurance company will want to assess you and then they’ll decide if they want to offer you a policy and at what price. If you’re in a high-risk group, the costs will be higher.

Your family might not need the money either. If you are already relatively asset rich, that can be passed on to your family in the event of your death. This means that an insurance policy could be a waste of money for you. It’s a better option for people who don’t have much to pass on to their relatives. And if you don’t have any children, a policy is probably a waste of time for you.

You should also think about if you can afford to pay the monthly costs involved in taking out an insurance policy. It can be expensive, and you don’t want to be struggling to get by just because you want to pay for the policy. A lot of people would argue that life is for living and life insurance is a poor way to use your money while you are alive.

Conclusion

Like a lot of financial matters, your decision is entirely dependent on your own circumstances and concerns. If you don’t have much to pass on to your family and are worried about how they will get by should you pass on, life insurance could be a good idea.

Five Reasons To Get Car Insurance

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Car insurance seems like an extra cost that insurance companies add on to take more money from you. In fact, as many as one out of seven car owners forgo insurance because they cannot be bothered with the cost. No matter how insignificant it seems you never realise the consequences until you find yourself in a jam and need a way out. If you are on the fence and don’t know whether to go for insurance or not, here are five reasons you should get your car insured.

It’s The Law

And breaking the law is not what you want to be doing. No matter what part of the world you call home, driving uninsured incurs either massive fine and community service or even jail time, depending on the severity of the situation. Okay, you might never be in a car accident in your life, so you may never get caught. However, all it takes is a police officer to notice that your insurance has expired, or there is no sticker on your vehicle and you will soon find yourself on the way to the cop shop.

It Gives You Peace Of Mind

There is no doubt you are a capable driver, but there are plenty of other drivers who are not. All it takes is for one of these bad drivers to crash into you, and you are in plenty of troubles; you don’t have to do anything wrong. Still, even if you are in the right car insurance is essential. All you have to do is ring them, and they will guide you through the process, or they will pay out for you if the other party doesn’t have insurance. There are millions of road traffic claims every year and insurance gives you peace of mind that you won’t go uncompensated if anything does happen.

It Saves Time And Hassle

Accidents happen and you need the expertise of your insurance company when they occur. Working with another person’s insurance company is a complicated and extremely difficult process, and you would be very naïve to do it on your own. Plus, insurance companies can help you find a repair shop and settle the problem as quickly and as fairly as possible.

It Saves You Money In The Long Term

It might cost you in the short term, but car insurance saves you money if the worst does happen. There are millions of accidents every year, and unfortunately you could be one of them. If you don’t have car insurance, you are the one who has to pay for the damage. So, if it comes out of your pocket, it is going to cost you a lot more than your insurance premium every year.

Supplements Health Insurance

If you don’t have sufficient health insurance, car insurance can help you out if you are injured in a car accident. Some policies cover dental work, rehabilitation and funeral costs for your family.

It might seem like another ploy, but car insurance is essential especially if you find yourself in a car accident that wasn’t your fault.

 

Credit Card and Personal: A Tale of Two Loans

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Before the advent of credit cards, consumers could rely on personal loans to access shot term credits relatively easy. But what exactly is the persona loans? It starts by borrowing a fixed amount of money for a fixed period of time. What differentiates one loan from another are the interest rate and fees. This type of financial product was never too exciting for the banks because its nature is simple, transparent with expected gains. And then the credit card hit the stage.

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What Made Credit Cards so Lucrative?

Well, for one, people are prone to spend more money when they are using plastic. Even twice as much. Then, people rarely ask about the interest rate when they are applying for a credit card. Credit Cards have an aura of spending tools and easy life that follows it, and one never considers what happens if they are unable to pay the balance at the end of the month. Credit card rates are high, because companies that issue them recognize that lack of interest rate sensitivity in users. Basic credit card interest rates are higher than 13% and can reach 29% if you miss the payment.

As the third reason, people are often unable to pay the statement balance in full every month, because of that spending. Apparently 40% of Americans fail to pay their statement balance in full from month to month. Even coming short of $1 triggers the interest on the average daily balance. Credit cards remained profitable for the banks because people are willing to build up balances, not worrying about interest rates. Credit card businesses have receive returns above 20%. That is the reason why many banks let got their personal loan services, focusing solely on credit card loans.

Personal Loan Strikes Back

However, recently, a few US based startup loan companies recognized the gravity of the situation. The Federal Reserve report states that currently there is $885 billion of outstanding revolving debt. Their business goal is to offer people the chance to refinance their credit card debts from double-digit to much better interest rates.

These companies have made a plan of creating allow-cost operating model, with digitalized business activities and automated lending and customer service model. Then, they started crating marketplaces that would connect borrowers and investors. The lending companies’ interest lies in origination and the servicing. The result is an equilibrium price that benefits the investors with a much higher return, but also a more suitable interest rate for the borrower. One of those companies, claims to have reduced the average credit card interest rate refinance by 31%.

In addition, while banks have developed sets of underwriting rules, complex pricing models and punitive fees, these young personal loan companies capitalize on a completely transparent business model. This is an example how another startup loan refinancing company makes their approval criteria.

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A Good German Example

Traditionally, borrowing money has not been popular among German consumers. When forced to, though, they often prefer personal loans to credit cards. A loan gives them an opportunity to compare prices in advance and borrow only as much as they need. Also, this option allows them to set up a reasonable term for paying off the debt. When compare to personal loan market, credit card market takes an inconsiderable percentage.

What you can Do

If you are looking to refinance your credit card debt, take your time to compare options. Sites like MagnifyMoney give you a list of many lenders. You should pay attention to:

  • Get the best interest rate & fee combo.
  • Opt for a low cost term life insurance that covers all your needs, loan included.

The advent of small “low-cost” personal loan companies threatens to hurt a soft underbelly of credit card business. Most of their users are ex-credit card borrowers, who fled from high interest rates.

Ways to Avoid Car Insurance Fraud

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Generally speaking, car insurance fraud occurs when a person or entity makes false insurance claims in order to benefit financially, obtaining compensation or benefits that they are not entitled to. Did you know that you can commit car insurance fraud by accident or become prey in a fraud perpetrated by another individual? Yes, while auto insurance fraud is more popular in its more egregious forms, an innocent mistake when filling out paperwork may be considered fraud.

Common Mistakes That May Lead To Car Insurance Fraud

It pays to be aware of common mistakes you can make that may lead to auto insurance fraud because something as innocuous as omitting an information regarding the use of the vehicle when filing a claim with your agent or insurance company can lead to a fraud case. Not listing all household members related to the policyholder is another possible omission that could lead to serious trouble. Even moving to or staying at another location should be made known to your insurance company or agent.

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More serious cases of premeditated, fraudulent activity would include buying a policy after an accident had occurred, staging a car accident, intentionally causing a car accident, or reporting inflated repair costs.

Consequences of Fraudulent Claims

Whether it be accidental or not, being found guilty of auto insurance fraud may result in a policy cancellation or legal punishment. If you are fortunate enough to be spared legal sanctions, don’t rejoice just yet. Having a cancelled policy and driving without a valid coverage is extremely risky, and it would be wise to find a new insurer as soon as possible.

How to Avoid Car Insurance Fraud

One way to avoid accidental car insurance fraud is to work with a trustworthy and reliable agent who will purchase and maintain your coverage for you. Make sure to provide as much information to your agent as possible and double check for accuracy. It is much easier to obtain fraud-free car insurance coverage with the help of a trained professional than to buy insurance on your own. While you may save you a few dollars now buying a policy yourself, doing so might cost you in the long run when you need it most.

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On the road, you can protect yourself from fraudulent activity by driving defensively. In case of a car accident, it is best to call the police. It would also be good to take pictures. If you suspect fraud, let your agent know right away so they can alert your auto insurance company. It would be advantageous to try to get witnesses to help you.

Being familiar with the risks of unintentionally committing, or becoming prey to, an auto insurance fraud, and taking the necessary precautionary steps to avoid one is not too difficult. Doing some research on the do’s and don’t’s can save you from legal consequences and a lot of stress. Remember to always keep your insurance agent updated on all pertinent information that could change your policy and, of course, always drive safely.

Another look at Wealth Management

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The term wealth management is often thought of as usually just managing one’s savings and keeping track of budgeting and accounts. However, investment also falls under wealth management, and is often confused as a term used when you will be spending a large amount of money on a high risk, high reward operation. This is untrue.

There are many forms of investments that can be made by many different people, a lot of which are actually within the usual comfort zone. You do not have to be spending a large amount of money to be making an investment, and it can still provide the same benefit down the line, albeit to a lesser degree.

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A pension can be perfectly classified as an investment. Regardless of how incremental you build your wealth pool via your pension, it still will give you many benefits once you have retired. It’s a very basic necessity that almost every employee in the world is aware of and takes advantage of.

On the other end of the spectrum, property investment is one of the more upfront ways of investing money. You purchase property using your money or maybe even a loan, invest time, effort and money on that property, in the hopes that the investment will even itself out and even go over your initial capital. In fact, property actually goes up in value as time goes by, so the finances will be building up even further down the line.

However it is implemented, it is important to think of these actions as investments. These are not just security measures being made in order to set aside savings- these are smart moves that will ensure benefits that one may reap from in the near or far future. Depending on how you go about it, they can be big or small, but the important thing is that you end up with more than you started off with.

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Talking about security, playing with money is a very difficult task to deal with. The market is constantly shifting and changing that unless you studiously observe the economy, calling the right shots can come down the sheer luck. Relying on luck alone will not get you very far with your money.

That said, there are wealth management companies like Citibank whose primary goal is to help their clients hit the mark with their investments. There is numerous support offshore and onshore that have access to global statistics and can make very intelligent predictions as to where the market flow will go next. Experts on board have studied the economy as their job for many years and know how to put you in the best position to make smart moves without having to take unnecessary risks.

With something as precious as your nest egg that you have surely worked hard for, you will benefit from the words of wisdom of men and women who are on call for you 24/7 and will help you get off the fence and move forward. Money is the security of you and your family as well, and may be one of those things better left to the experts.

A XFR Financial Ltd’s Guide For Online CFD Trading

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Our guide to Online CFD trading is aimed at educating you on the basic concepts of CFD trading, an overview and benefits of online CFD trading.  As compared to many traditional forms of financial trading, CFDs help investors to hold a position on future price movements over more than 10000 financial instruments. Those who work on other jobs on a full time basis can take the advantage of working part time on CFDs with XFR Financial Ltd and carry out the trade. Therefore the demand for higher access and more flexible trading hours are well served by the best online CFD trading platforms.

An overview of CFD trading by XFR Financial Ltd

Those who are new to XFR Financial Ltd and CFDsshould first understand what is CFD trading in real. CFDs are contract for difference agreements with other party in order to exchange the difference between the opening and closing price of a contract based on an underlying financial instrument. You do not need to owe the underlying financial instruments and this is a great feature of CFDs. The instruments can be stock, Forex currencies, equities, shares and any financial commodity.

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A leverage facility is also there in CFD trading and you can just deposit a small portion of the trade as margin and get the benefits of the higher volumes of trade. This offers an easy access to a big range of financial traders. But with Leverage there comes a considerable risk when you have to suffer losses greater than your margin money. So CFD trading needs to be done with proper strategies and risk management in place.

Online CFD trading platforms and their benefits

Online CFD trading platforms today provide a great range of benefits to the investors and enable them to trade from where they want. The platforms are downloadable as well as web based platforms which can be used from any computer in the world through internet. The online CFD trading app is also in popularity now and traders can download the online apps and trade with the comfort of their hand and carry the trade anywhere in their pocket.

The online CFD trading platforms provide a good and easy to use interface where the trader can carry out the trade, view insights, signals and can review the trade reports and analysis on a regular basis. CFD trading has good benefits and online mode has increased the benefits to a higher level. It is easy to manage the funds and assets with XFR Financial and the user can play with different financial instruments simultaneously with one platform and manage the trade as per his choice.

The online CFD trade pattern has eliminated the hassles of contacting a physical broker and has automated the process to make it best for a person want to trade in CFDs. If you want to make the use of your money without actually handling the financial instruments then CFD trading is best for you because you do not actually trade the assets but you trade through the movements of them.


Worried about Repossession? How Employment Insurance Could Help

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With the economic down turn and the housing market crash, there was a sharp rise in unemployment and housing repossessions.

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Though the market and the economy have recovered somewhat it has left people more aware of just how suddenly circumstances can change and how devastating and long lasting the affects can be. If there were any positives to be taken from what happened it would be that people are now much more sensible about not stretching themselves financially and increasingly people are looking for ways that they can help to safe guard their income and the roof over their head should they find that their circumstances change suddenly.

It has become more common for mortgage lenders to require their customers to acquire some manner of insurance policy as a condition of the loan. These policies are designed to protect mortgage payments or in some cases even completely repay mortgages. There are various policies available; life insurance, critical illness but one that is becoming more popular is employment insurance.

For a relatively small monthly premium, typically no more than around £20 per applicant per month these policies are designed to pay out should the policy holder find themselves unexpectedly out of work. Though the terms and conditions of these policies vary most are similar in their approach; they will pay out either a fixed monthly payment or a proportion of the applicants’ salary (this is usually up to 50% of the applicants’ normal salary subject to a maximum amount). These payments are made for a fixed duration of time, typically up to 12 months. This will hopefully provide the applicant adequate time to find new employment with the comfort that their monthly mortgage payments are still being met while they are looking for work.

There is usually certain qualifying criteria that the applicant must meet, such as being in their job for a certain amount of time before applying for a policy. The applicant usually needs to be outside of any probationary period or as a rule, be in their current job a minimum of 6-12 months. There is typically a minimum period after the policy is taken out that must pass before a claim can be made, usually at least 30 days. There is also a minimum period of time that must pass after a claim is accepted before the first payment is made. This can be anywhere from 1-3 months after the claim is made. The length of this period affect the monthly policy premiums, the longer the period the lower the payments will be.

Employment insurance is relatively inexpensive and with all the uncertainty about job security it is certainly a useful policy to have in place given the peace of mind it provides. It can also be combined with other insurance policies such as Payment Protection Insurance which also covers accidents and illness that prevent you from being able to work. These policies are slightly more expensive but cover a far wider range of circumstances that they will pay out for, providing more comprehensive cover.

If you are considering taking out Employment Insurance, like any insurance policy each company will have different terms and conditions, with some offering better terms than others. It always pays to shop around and with numerous price comparison websites designed to help you find the best deals it is worth spending some time to find the best option to suit your circumstances. Make sure that you look into the policy terms and pay particular attention to any exclusions mentioned since failure to do this could seriously affect your ability to make a claim through that lender at a later date. One thing that should be noted is that though not impossible it can be really quite difficult for self-employed people to qualify for Employment Insurance. For any self-employed individuals it is worth contacting a financial adviser or approaching the insurance companies direct to discuss your requirements and see what options may be available to you.

However you look at it, for a nominal monthly fee Employment Insurance is well worth considering as it provides policy holders the reassurance that should they unexpectedly find themselves unemployed they have at least protected their home.

STOP: Don’t Start A Business Without These Financial Tips

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In recent years, the world has seen hundreds of well-documented startup success stories. Therefore, it’s no surprise to learn that more and more people are trying to take control of their futures by starting businesses of their own.

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We’ve all had a great business idea at one time or another, and it’s never been easier to follow those visions. However, to make those dreams into reality, it’s imperative to get the monetary side of the venture right.

Here are some crucial tips to ensure that you do just that.

Remember Finance Is A Priority

Finance isn’t only one of various important aspects surrounding your business. It is the number one crucial factor. If you can’t keep this aspect in good condition, then you’ve got absolutely no hope of building a successful company.

It’s vital that you monitor these points at all times. Otherwise, you’ll never have a true reflection of where you stand at any given moment. There are plenty of tools to help you track these items. Using them should help you make more calculated decisions regarding future growth.

A successful business is comprised of many contributing factors, but they must all be carried out in a way that’s financially viable. The sooner you accept this, the better.

Keep Costs Low

As a fresh, ambitious business, you’ll naturally have ideas about how to take the company forward. However, it’s imperative that you walk before you run. One of the most important aspects in those early moments is to keep spending as efficient as possible.

Getting cheap gas and electric for the business is vital. Meanwhile, you should be sure to keep office spaces as small as possible. Similarly, try to keep staffing costs as low as possible. In many cases, this could mean outsourcing a number of individual tasks to online freelancers.

Just think, any money saved can be put towards making the business better.

Keep The Business Safe

Your business is a sacred possession, and it’s vital that you keep it safe at all times. In today’s climate, that idea isn’t restricted to physical assets either.

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The modern business world comes with more opportunities than ever before. That’s largely thanks to online capabilities. However, those progressions have come at a cost. Quite frankly, using proactive cybersecurity is a must. The potential damage of failing to do this is far too big to ignore.

If nothing else, it will give you added peace of mind. You can’t put a price on that.

Leave Expert Work To The Experts

As a business, you have a number of financial obligations to contend with. While keeping track of day-to-day finances will help your situation, the main tasks should be left to a professional.

Finding the right accountant will be hugely beneficial for your company. Not only will it ensure that things are handled in the correct manner, but they could also save you money too. After all, you don’t know the intricate details of this subject.

The time you’ll save should serve as an extra incentive too.

Advantages of a Roth IRA over Traditional IRA

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The Roth IRA is a newer version of the classic Individual Retirement Account that is becoming far more popular than the latter in the modern day. People are always striving for better deals when it comes to their retirement. The more security and comfort that they are promised when they retire, the better it is for them. This is the main reason that the Roth IRA has come forth as the latest and greatest competitor in the field of retirement accounts. Some of the main benefits of a Roth IRA over a traditional one include:

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Tax-free income after retiring

When you deposit money in a traditional IRA, you get excited because you don’t have to pay income tax on the amount that you are depositing. While this may seem like a pretty great deal at first, you are soon going to realize that it isn’t, especially when you do retire. After all, the last thing you want to be doing after retirement is paying taxes yet again! This is actually what you will end up doing if you stick with a traditional IRA. However, this thankfully isn’t the only option you have anymore.

With the Roth IRA, you will be able to get tax-free income when you retire. If you are wondering how this is going to come about, it is done by paying the income tax on that contribution to the IRA when you make the deposit. This will definitely pay off in the future, although it may not seem that great right now. Another very cool thing about the contributions that you withdraw from the account after retirement is that the government can’t charge income taxes on any money you earn using this money.

Flexibility

You have to keep in mind that having a savings account for your retirement is a risky business. As such, you need to monitor it as closely as you can. If you don’t do this, you will find that the value of the IRA is reducing too fast for you to even control. The Roth IRA is perfect to provide emergency funds because they can be withdrawn from without running the risk of penalties. While the contributions can be taken out at any time, you have to be at least 60 years old to take anything else out of the Roth IRA. However, it is flexible enough to accommodate circumstances like disabilities, death or sudden critical expenses.

Security

To make a Roth IRA more secure, an option exists called a silver IRA. What is a silver IRA account? Well, it is a Roth IRA in which you convert some of the contributions into physical assets in the form of precious metals like silver and gold. This makes the account far more secure because it is less closely linked to the state of the economy and the current dollar value. A silver IRA is definitely worth looking into for added security for your Roth account.

Are your precious pieces of jewelry under insured?

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When looking around for contents insurance, many home owners choose a policy which fits their pocket or stay with a company through customer loyalty; both trusting that if the time comes then their provider will compensate them for loss or damage.

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One area though where policy holders are underinsuring their possessions is that of jewelry. Whilst the majority of content insurance providers offer some cover for jewelry, the rising value over recent years means that many people may unwittingly be underinsured.

The rise in price of gold and silver

Silver has risen hugely in price over the last decade as has gold and with specialists such as those who sell Houston jewelry, here lies the core of the issue. Rings worn on a daily basis as well as pieces in jewelry boxes have a much higher value than ever imagined and with thieves often targeting easy to steal pieces in house burglaries which bring fast returns, policy holders are receiving a nasty shock when they realize they don’t have sufficient cover due to valuations being out of date.

Have the correct cover in place

Statistics show that jewelry theft makes up around a third of all household insurance claims and unfortunately not all are successful; industry experts believe that around 40% of policy holders are underinsured. If a claim is made, many policies will only pay out on the original valuation of a piece of jewelry. It’s vital then to have items made of precious metals and containing gemstones revalued on a regular basis and then updating the insurance provider with the figures.

How to update values

Any high street jeweler can help; they can send your rings, pendants and other items to the Institute of Registered Valuers and a revaluation report will be created. There will be a fee involved and this will vary depending on the value and how much time is required to assess each item. Ask for the scale of charges to be explained before handing pieces over but don’t be discouraged by any costs involved. These are small in comparison to the overall loss if there is damage, loss or theft in the future and the insurance company decides to not pay part or all of the claim.

All contents insurance – whatever the items – should reflect the true value. A significant underinsurance scenario can cause particular problems and so it really does make sense to have a professional valuation carried out as the majority of items are unique and are impossible to be replaced.

Tips for insuring jewelry

If you have any jewelry of any value, it’s time to take action in case the worse should happen.

  • Tell your insurer of any pieces of jewelry you’ve acquired since your policy started or if you discover any item is worth more than the single item limit
  • Undertake a professional valuation to reflect the current market
  • Take photos of valuable items
  • Keep a copy of the valuation lodged with your solicitor in case of fire or flood
  • Don’t clean valuable jewelry yourself; use a professional service
  • Keep any items not regularly worn in a safe

Obtaining an up to date valuation isn’t complicated or time-consuming and could stop potential heartache so have a look at your insurance policy to see what is covered and ensure valuations are up to date and your provider is aware of your situation.

XFR Financial Ltd – What Does Technical Analysis In Forex Involve?

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Technical analysis refers to the activities involved in speculating development of future price by viewing history of market information.

Majority of brokers, where XFR Financial Ltd is one of them, make use of technical analysis to draw a ‘large picture’ of the worth of an investment in the past. In fact, even professional traders would look at charts to verify if they are buying at a rational price, selling at the top price or getting into a rough market.

Majority of technical analysts make a few important assumptions like:

  • All market fundamentals are revealed by way of value information.  They need not necessarily take consideration of unreliable sentiments, state of minds plus other business sector rudiments.
  • History can often repeat itself in genuinely expected patterns. Such patterns produced as a result of movement in prices are known as signals. A technical analyst could probably disclose signals of an ongoing market by viewing signals from the past market.
  • Patterns of price movements- Technical analysts believe changes in value are not inconsistent or irregular.  Once an up, down or sideways pattern starts getting formed, it will continue for some time.

Getting in and out at the perfect time

Brokers rely on many charts including volume plus value charts and different mathematical illustrations of market information to determine faultless entry plus exit time for making a deal. Some studies differentiate a pattern but others take consideration of the quality plus manageability of the pattern revealed after some time.

Technical analysis may incorporate discipline and reduce the element of emotion in trading strategy applied at XFR Financial Ltd. It may become difficult to identify vital notions concerning your entry plus exit options as per the plan. Though no outline is flawless, technical analysis helps you t some extent to see your trading strategy more analytically and objectively.

XFR Financial Ltd Presents The Types of price charts

Bar Charts

These are the most familiar kind graphs that indicate value activity when you are trading at XFR Financial Ltd. Each bar stands for a time frame or period which can vary from just one minute to a number of years. Over a period of time, these can show particular price movements.

Candlesticks Charts

Instead of a basic bar, each candle shows the low, high and closing value for the time period it symbolizes. Candlestick patterns offer more interesting visuals while they are developing.

Point & Figure Charts

Part and figure charts seem to be like bar charts except that Xs and Os are used to indicate changes in the course of time. These charts do not employ time frames to relate a definite day with a definite value activity.

Types of specialized indicators

Pattern

Patterns point out flat value information, causing a constant up, down of sideways pattern that can in fact be seen.  (Examples: moving pattern lines, midpoints)

Unpredictability

“Unpredictability” refers to the extent of daily price changes, irrespective of their directional pattern. Changes in volatility tend to foresee variations in price.

Quality

Quality pointers illustrate the influence of market opinion on a definite cost by examining the positions taken by various business sector members. Volumes or open interests are the crucial fundamentals of strength indicators and help considerably to your XFR Financial Ltd trading.

Cycle

Cycle patterns help to reveal repeating market patterns from flashing circumstances, such as seasons and decisions. Cycle pointers help deciding the time of a definite market pattern.

Early Retirement: Turn Your Dreams Into Reality

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Retiring early in life means that you will have plenty of time to enjoy all the wonderful things you always wanted. However, getting there might be a bit hard, because for some it will mean that they will have to start saving money as early as possible. Nevertheless, dedication, smart saving and good investment can get you there fast.

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  1. The Importance of the 4% Rule

You can be in a position to get a good grip on your early retirement if you start in time, which means that you will have to start putting aside as much as possible and as early as possible. Americans are already seeing the retirement age being pushed deep into old age because people do not start saving up smart. By adhering to the 4% rule, you can save up money efficiently, if you only use that percentage while saving up, and later on.

  1. Do the Math

It is not enough to put money aside and hope for it to be enough one day. You need to sit down and do the math on your nest egg savings. This is more complex than just putting a sum aside every month, because it will help you tell you exactly how much you need to save up, to live in comfort with the remainder. Moreover, you will have a clear insight into where you can make cuts in order to save some money at home on your bills.

  1. Got Some Money to Spend?

One of the fastest and often surefire ways to get ahead with your retirement plan is to start investing your money. But, it will require a bit of knowhow because you need to understand the market, how stocks work and where it will be a good idea to start investing. Avoid focusing all your money on a single stock, because you could lose it all in a matter of seconds. Instead, try to focus on stable companies and stocks, as they will provide you a steady income. Furthermore, try to automate your investments by assigning a percentage of your income, which will boost your early retirement fund immensely.

  1. Try Your Luck

Working hard for your money can be exhausting and often will require a lot of time to help you retire early on. However, if you try games of chance you might find yourself being born under a lucky star. Merle and Patricia Butler won around $200 million, each, on the lottery. Needless to say they managed to retire almost immediately. Similar to Louse White, who won an astounding $300 million, you need to have faith and try your fortune in playing online pokies. After all, it will be something you like, and being able to make some money while have fun.

No matter how you want to start saving your money, you will have to plan carefully ahead and make sure that you keep your spending spurs to a minimum. Moreover, becoming a bit frugal and saving up at home can help you earn that extra money to try your luck out. Nonetheless, make sure that you do not spend more than 4% from your savings account, so that it could last your lifetime when you retire. Even more so, try to find some ways to entertain yourself and make some money while retired.

ESTA visa waiver service for travel

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Planning a trip to the United States should be a fun and easy task. There are so many wonderful travel destinations to visit while you are there, all you have to do is decide on the regions you want to visit and activities you would like to participate in.

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If you are looking to tour some fast paced East Coast cities, you should plan to visit New York City, Washington D.C. and Boston. Aside from taking part in the hustle and bustle, you can sightsee some of the most popular tourist spots such as Times Square and the Statue of Liberty in New York, The Washington Monument in Washington D.C and Fenway Park in Boston.

The West Coast boasts a more laid back feel, and you will find a great variety of activities to choose from there. Spend a day sunning on perfect beaches, participate in a Wine Country tour or take part in exciting casino action, the sky is the limit! The more famous cities to visit on the West Coast are Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Portland and Seattle just to name a few.

There are other cities worth looking into when you are planning your trip. New Orleans has a one of a kind vibe, especially if you are visiting during Mardi Gras. In Florida, Orlando is the ultimate family amusement park experience, Miami Beach has the best parties and Key West offers travelers a picture perfect taste of the Caribbean.

Crossing the United States off your bucket list should be simple and fun, especially if you are eligible for the ESTA visa waiver. If you are a citizen of one of the 38 ESTA countries, you should take advantage of the ESTA visa service . ESTA online registration is quick and simple and you can be on your way to a wonderful all American vacation in no time!


How to Identify the Best Identity Theft Protection Services

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Today, just about anything is paid for by credit card or debit card. While such payments methods have numerous benefits, they also have disadvantages. When your credit rating is stable, you are secure in the knowledge that you don’t have to struggle on a daily basis. But this is one of the reasons why you might become a victim of identity theft and also the reasons why you need the best identity protection service.

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The fact that you have a good credit rating can be interpreted by identity as having a good net worth. Having a good net worth puts you at risk because you have more credit, more accounts and your information appears in places which are sensitive. To protect yourself from identity theft, you need to know how find the best identity protection services. Here are some factors that can help you find a service that will keep your ID protected.

The Importance of Credit Card Reports

There are thee essential factors that you should look for in a company that offers services that protect identity theft. The first important factor when looking for an identity theft protection service is to look for a company that offers updates on your credit card report. A regular credit card report update helps you to determine if you are a victim of identity theft or not. Getting this report can help you identify things that you know nothing about. You might find some changes in the report such as a loan that you never requested, or a change in address that you never made. Knowing what is in credit card report is essential because it helps you to find out is there are unwarranted transactions or changes you never made. A good service will provide you with the report initially and will give you updates every three months.

Why Credit File Monitoring is Essential

When you actually get a credit card report or an update every three months, an identity theft crime might occur and you might be the victim without your knowledge. A good service will keep monitoring your credit file on a regular basis, possibly every day. The service will let you know immediately if criminals try to use your information. You will also be assisted by fraud experts to make right any errors so that your credit is not destroyed.

The Importance of Identity Theft Insurance

A good service will also offer you identity theft insurance. This is vital and because the event that your identity is stolen, you will need to hire a lawyer. You will also need money so that any costs involved are covered.

Research Helps You Find a Good Service

You should also do a little research and find a good service. You can compare services to help you find one that is ideal for your requirements. Find out what the service offers and check the track record of the company to determine if they are what they claim to be. Find out if the clients have lodged complaints about the company and ask for references. Once you shop around and are satisfied, choose the best service.

Business Travel for Less

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Some readers may wonder, what’s the deal with trying to minimize business travel expenses? Well, not all of us travel on a giant corporate account. If you are an independent insurance agent or other business person, you likely hesitate to take any business trip. The potential for gains almost always offsets all of the costs you will incur, at least in your mind.

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Now, you can free up your mind and stop worrying so much about business expenses. There is a brand new service coming to the United Kingdom that will bring you the same great comfort and convenience Travelodge offers, but at even better prices. It is true, Travelodge has some of the best rates around. There is a reason you look them up when you are in town on a business trip.

Obviously, Travelodges are well positioned for success- they are often next to airports or other transportation hubs, which means you can get where you need to go immediately upon waking up. Yes, Travelodges offer great amenities, like continental breakfasts, television in each room, and comfortable beds. But there is one reason above all else that someone on a business, like yourself, would stay at Travelodge.

Travelodge is one of the most economical choices around. If you are trying to travel on a budget, you certainly need to look into how you can use Travelodge to save money. Using a brand new service coming to the United Kingdom, you’ll find that you’re saving huge amounts of money over your old business trip expenses. These new Discount Codes offered by Groupon offer discounted rates at Travelodges across the country and world. What’s more, the discounts are updated regularly, so you can score on all kinds of different discounts.

It’s important to go into any business trip with positive expectations. You want to wow your client, not present them with a worrying penny-pincher. The key to success is projecting confidence, not defeat. Now that you have learned how to minimize your expenses on your business trips, we hope you’ll be able to enter any negotiations already feeling like the champion that you are.

Is Life Insurance a Good Investment?

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There are three things a person needs to secure his or her financial future: an emergency savings account, solid investments and life insurance. Many modern consumers see life insurance as a form of investment, just like betting money on the stock market or buying seafront property. However, some consumers may see life insurance as a good investment, while others may consider it possibly one of the worst types of investments ever.

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When opinions are heated like this, it’s important to know exactly why life insurance can be even considered an investment in the first place. Is committing oneself to a whole life insurance policy the same as protecting wealth by buying gold? Well, life insurance is basically defined as financial protection in the event of an untimely death. Of course, life insurance protects family members of the person who is insured. The insured quite literally doesn’t live to enjoy the monetary fruits of a life insurance policy.

All Life Insurance Policies are Not Made Equal

When it comes to life insurance, it’s very important to understand the different types of policies to determine if one can be considered a form of investment. There are essentially two types of life insurance policies: whole and term. Whole life insurance policies are the most commonly available. These cover individuals from the date they purchase the policy to the day they die. Whole life insurance policies are rarely cancelled, and many include a savings portion that can generate significant amounts of cash value over couple of decades. Most policyholders see this savings component as a good form of investment.

Term life insurance policies, in contrast, last only for the period it is purchased. An individual can purchase a term life insurance policy for a decade, and if the policyholder dies during this period, the insurance company pays the beneficiaries. If the holder is lucky to be alive for the duration of the policy, the insurance claim ultimately expires and no one gets anything. Term life insurance builds little cash value over time, and therefore, consumers do not usually consider these as forms of investments.

Looks of a Policy Can be Deceiving

As whole life insurance policies come with an option to save and build cash value over time, some buyers believe it is a form of investment, which is about as good as spending funds to buy gold. Here lies the problem. Investments are not defined simply by cash value. A good investment is something that returns more money than the initial capital spent. The main problem with whole life insurance policies is that these come with very high premiums. When these premiums are summed up, they may not necessarily be lower than the cash value of the policy as a whole over time. For example, an average whole life insurance policy held for approximately 40 years have a return of about 4%. That is a very low rate of interest. In comparison, a U.S. government bond, a relatively safe but low-rate form of investment, has historically returned at least 5.4%. Historically, meaning, after the bond values have suffered even recessions and wars.

And the Answer is…

No.  Whole life insurance policies are not a good form of investment for multiple reasons. As mentioned above, the premiums are too high and the returns are too low. Also, these policies are undiversified. If the insurance industry suffers as a whole, your money will be gone, too. Despite what the television advertisements tell consumers, whole life insurance policies have no guaranteed returns. In addition, a whole life insurance policy has little to no liquidity.

Considering all of the above reasons, whole life policies are too risky, illiquid and take a long time to generate returns to be considered a good investment. Therefore, consumers who want to secure their financial futures should look toward other forms of investments, like real estate for example, instead of buying life insurance.

The Essential Habits of Successful Investors

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If you have any knowledge about the trading and investing segment of the financial industry, you’ll be well aware of the famous notion that for every winner there simply has to be a loser. That’s certainly the case with regards to something like CFD trading, which is something a brutally objective onlooker may refer to as outright gambling. For every winner, there does indeed have to be loser and somewhere in between these winners and losers are two key players who always win. These key players include the company whose stocks are being traded and the broker — perhaps even more so for the broker because the company itself could turn out not to be as profitable as they might have liked in their organic marketplace.

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So that’s basically where you have to look if you want to adopt the essential habits of a successful investor. Invest in THE PROCESS as opposed to what the process is telling you to invest in. Simply put, you want to be the closest thing to being a broker as is possible, broken down in the following simple actionable steps:

Investing in Dynamic Education

This is true for traders as well, but even more so for investors who focus on longer term gains as opposed to the intra-day gains targeted by traders, that being the fact that most of your time should be spent conducting research and educating yourself in that way. The total amount of time you spend executing your trades and investments should be way, way less than that time you spend researching those trades and investments.

This is how you learn about relationships between seemingly unrelated markets which can have you in for a really big payday, or indeed see you realising some slow but steady and safe growth levels. Your knowledge of a specific market should go way beyond what is placed right in front of your eyes because that’s where all the money is to be made. How many times have you ever heard the likes of Bloomberg or CNBC talking about the spike in financial claims associated with financial products such as packaged bank accounts and even PPI claims? These things aren’t mentioned because going the extra mile to uncover such elements is what gives successful investors the edge over those who are too focussed on what the process suggests to them as opposed to the process itself. To the successful investor there is a clear link between the state of the markets and something like an accelerated market dealing specifically with financial claims.

Risk Spreading

The puzzle is completed through spreading your risk. No matter how much of a sure bet a certain investment or a certain group of investments may be, always leave room for disappointment by physically making provision for a recovery plan to be implemented should things not go according to established trends and there’s a so-called black swan event.

Risk spreading simply entails diversifying your investments, but staying within a certain theme so that you still have an overall knowledge of every corner in which your money is parked.

Estate Agent Contracts Are You Protected?

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If you are considering enlisting the services of an estate agent to sell or buy property, it is important to understand that there are different types of contract with each having its benefits as well as drawbacks. Therefore, you must be sure to make the right decision.

Here are some of the common estate agent contractual agreements:

  • Sole selling rights – A sole selling rights contract usually has serious implications hence you must think about it carefully before signing. That is, it allows the estate agent alone to sell your home during the contract period. Therefore, if you find a buyer on your own you will still be under obligation to pay the agent.
  • Ready, willing and able purchaser – With this kind of contract, you will be required to pay the estate agent for finding the buyer even if you rescind the decision to sell the property.
  • Multi agency – This contract lets you use multiple agents to sell your property but you will only pay a commission to the agent that will sell the property. This is one of the best ways to sell your house fast when you need a quick house sale. The advantage of this contract is that there are more agent working to sell your property hence they are likely to reach more potential buyers. Furthermore, you are likely to sell the property for a higher price. The downside of this contract is that you will also pay high fees. It is advisable that you consider the type of property you wish to sell as well as the state of the market before opting for this contract.
  • Sole agency – This is the same as sole selling. However, the difference is that when you find a buyer on your own then you will not have to pay the estate agency anything especially if the contract is not open ended otherwise the agent might claim a commission long after the contract became void.

The other important aspect of estate agent contracts that you need to know and look out for is future liability. That is, you must understand the extent to which you are bound to the contract so that the estate agent does not make claims years after the contract expired.

Take your time to read and understand if there is any continuing liability that you might be signing for that goes beyond the contract period. Here is a checklist of the things you must be on the lookout for before signing your estate agent contract:

  • Commission rates – Bearing in mind that the estate agent is out to make business, it is critical that you review all the commission rates to ensure they are in line with the agreements from your discussion with the agent. In most cases, this will be a percentage of the agreed final price.
  • VAT – You need to check and confirm whether the VAT is included in the fee or not. Establishing this early saves you the agony of having to receive less money from your sale or even feeling cheated. Remember, the estate agent is under obligation to furnish you with accurate information.
  • Review the type of contract – Choose the type of contract that you would like to enter into carefully. Generally, you will do well to resist a sole selling rights contract so that you do not have to pay the agent when in fact you found a buyer through your own efforts.
  • Look out for additional charges – It is important to discuss with the agent about any additional charges or withdrawal fees that may not be included in the contract. In addition, the commission should only be payable upon completion.
  • Contract with handwriting changes – Some estate agents may give room for additional changes such as additional marketing charges or withdrawal fees to be made by hand. You should not agree to sign such contracts as serious changes may be made behind your back to signify your commitment thus putting you in trouble.
  • Check that you have not been signed to in-house services – You need to ensure that you are not signed up for in-house services like conveyancing and energy performance certificates among others that you have not talked about and agreed. Ensure that these are not handwritten on the contract.
  • Review the tie-in period – You need to check the tie-in period and negotiate if it is not ideal for you. Most importantly, ensure that the introducer commitment period is not extended. Open ended sole agency contracts for example may mean that the agent may claim commission if they introduced a buyer even when the offer is made months later.

Estate agent contracts are legally binding documents that must be taken seriously hence the need to carefully read through and understand the implications before signing. The contracts are generally very long and include everything but the kitchen sink, so it’s essential you read every part of it carefully to ensure it covers what you need.

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