Strategic application of Offshoring in a CPA Practice

By:Dev Purkayastha

Offshoring and outsourcing are headline news today. Popular news sources as well as business publications carry daily articles on the virtues and vices of offshoring. How does offshoring affect the local CPA firm?

Let us begin by staing some axiomatic truths:

1. Any business today needs to focus on its key competencies.

2. The internet has made it possible for any job that can be done across town to be done anywhere in the world.

3. US wages and overhead are substantially higher than costs in other English-speaking countries.

Finance and accounting offshoring is growing by 30% annually. Sooner or later, the CPA will have to deal with competitors who are offshoring. It is our contention that CPAs who outsource will have more time to attend to their most profitable clients. They would also be freed from the headaches of recruiting and retaining qualified staff. Making use of offshore services increases profit in the short run as well as the long run. Outsourcing the responsibilities of one US staff accountant saves nearly $50,000/year.

Many people think of offshoring as just a way to reduce cost. This perception misses the greatest benefit to be had - giving the CPA the gift of time.

For the overworked CPA, time is a tyrant. Important business functions which lack urgency are often ignored (e.g. business development, staff development, exit strategy etc.). By outsourcing the less skilled work, the CPA:

• gets the time to attend to the top 10 & ndash; 20% of their clients, who contribute 80 & ndash; 90% of their revenues. These clients are often the best sources of new business.



• gets the opportunity to examine the client & rsquo;s financial affairs and become a trusted advisor. This opens up a myriad of financial services that the client needs and the CPA can provide.



• develops a better understanding of value of the CPAs service to the customer, making value-pricing easier.



• trains fewer accountants; freeing time and money for in-depth staff training. & nbsp;



• can invest in marketing.



• can accept new business without having to worry about staff, space and equipment availability.

While the strategic advantages take some time to become effective, CPAs gain immediate benefits from offshoring, including:

• A simple solution to the vexing problem of recruiting and retaining staff accountants.



• An excellent way to handle peak load, especially during tax season



• Higher quality control: a lighter work load allows for closer review and eliminates the pressure which can lead to mistakes.



• Significant cost savings. There are two parts to this cost saving:
  
  
  
  
  • a. There is the labor arbitrage factor which can deliver 50-70% cost saving. We estimate that the true cost of a US Staff Accountant is $34/hr worked. When you consider that offshore vendors provide the same service for $10 & plusmn;/hr. the cost savings are obvious. We estimate that replacing one US staff accountant saves $47,000/year. (Please see the Excel object at the end of the article. You can substitute your own assumptions and derive your own estimate).
    
  
  
  
  • b. The offshore accounting provider has significantly larger scale than a single local CPA firm. It allows them to invest in process improvements, systematic staff recruiting and training.
    
  
  
  
  • c. It is not uncommon to see automation reduce the time required by as much as 90%. The CPA firm using an outsourced accounting provider can improve its quality and lower cost at the same time.
    

• Improved security: Offshore vendors make substantial investment in security, which is not feasible for a local CPA firm. Contrary to popular belief, offshoring improves security rather than reducing it. .
  

Is an offshore accounting service right for your firm? & nbsp; As with all tools, it is most effective when used in service of a strategy. & nbsp; & nbsp;If you are ready to increase levels of service, grow or diversify your practice, or just have more time to yourself for other pursuits, then it is appropriate to consider offshore accounting as part of your business strategy.

source:users.search-o-rama.com

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How to Obtain a Fair Term Life Insurance Rate Comparison

by V. Michael Santoro

With today's technology, it's easy to obtain a term life insurance rate comparison from the comfort of your own home. It wasn't long ago that your only option was to schedule an appointment with an insurance broker who would visit you at home and review all the options. Times have changed!

Online insurance brokers provide a system that instantly accesses the available term life insurance products. In a few seconds, you receive a term life insurance rate comparison which includes the price that each insurance company will charge you for their policy coverage. In many cases, you will save up to 70 percent using an online service.

A Word of Caution - Don't Fall into the "Rate Factor" Trap
Not all online insurance systems work the same. Many will quote you the lowest possible rate available. Sounds good, however, a general quote that doesn't take your personal circumstances into consideration will result in you being told that you do not qualify for the lower rate. This is known as the "Rate Factor" Trap. Insurance companies establish their premiums based upon lifestyle and health related issues. Insurance broker systems that do not ask you this vital information up front will be trying to now talk you into insuring at the higher rate.

They will urge you to accept this and encourage you to pay the much higher premium for your insurance - DO NOT agree to this! You can avoid this by using the correct quoting system that provides a fair term life insurance rate comparison.

A good system provides an online form that requires you to include the important information that is pertinent to quoting you accurately. This will allow you to receive the lowest cost term life insurance for your particular circumstances.

Keep in mind, finding the lowest cost life insurance available is easy - however if it is not applicable to your circumstances, you will not receive the quoted premium price. Providing you with the best value means that the insurance broker's system must offer you an accurate quote to ensure that you receive the lowest cost term life insurance based upon your personal history. It is better if this approach is provided to you upfront and not after the fact.

For more information about obtaining a fair term life insurance rate comparison and how to avoid any hidden cost surprises, please visit http://www.termlifeinsurancequoteonline.xscoop.info/


About the Author

V. Michael Santoro is a published author and Internet Marketer. He specializes in topics that are important to families.

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Credit Card Blues

For many consumers the largest expense they have each month is their credit card bills. Often this is only exceeded by their home mortgage payment. The number of people who are in deep debt with credit cards is staggering, and many of these people are facing tough times because of this debt. This article explores some of the ways that you can bring credit card debt under control.

Credit cards are not "bad" in and of themselves. The problems with credit card debt begin when too much has been charged to them. This is especially true if the charges were for non-essential items. Far too many people use their credit card to make purchases for lesser priced items when they should be paying with cash.

For those individuals who are not too far into credit card debt the best policy is to pay off the balance each month. If you pay the entire balance before the end of the stated grace period you will not be assessed finance charges. These high-interest finance charges are the reason so many people can never seem to get out of debt. By avoiding them in the first place you will ease your financial obligations considerably.

When you only make the minimum payment (or any payment that is less than the entire balance) finance charges begin to kick in. Here is an example of how this can affect your budget and your financial future:

Credit Card Debt Total: $1,000
APR: 18%
Monthly Payment: $25

If you just pay the minimum payment it will result in the following:

Time to Pay Off: 11 years
Interest Paid: $1,115.41

As you can see the interest that you would pay for this account is more than the original credit card debt total. Also, you are looking at over a decade of payments just to pay off this one charge.

When you add to this that most consumers have more than one card, you can begin to see how devastating this can be to anyone's finances. To make matters worse, many consumers have much higher credit limits than the above $1000 so the problem only compounds itself.

If you are in serious credit card debt, you may need to speak with a credit counselor who can help you set up a budget and help you work something out with your creditors. Missing payments or submitting numerous late payments will only hurt your credit history reports and may have a negative impact on your future ability to borrow money or take out any type of loan.

Those who are in deep credit card debt should also stop using the cards immediately. For many people this is not easy, but it is the first step to financial recovery.

Those with more than one active credit card should also sit down and write out the balances that they owe for each card as well as the monthly payment required for each card. This is a good way to see (in black and white) exactly where they are as it pertains to credit card debt. Knowing the extent of the problem can help you make the best decisions on how to fix the problem.

About the Author:

Peter Kenny is a writer for The Thrifty Scot, please visit us at Compare Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards.

Article Source: www.iSnare.com

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What You Want To Know About Breakdown Cover

By:Smith James

By definition, breakdown cover is a form of car insurance policy that provides assistance to motorists whose vehicles have suffered a mechanical failure that is serious enough to leave them stranded at the spot of the accident. Like any other technical terms in insurance, this definition also needs some explanation. Anybody who is going to buy an insurance policy should know all that is meant by the technical terms; otherwise he may come face to face with nasty surprises.

One can claim for breakdown cover compensation only if the accident leaves him stranded at the place of accident – this is what is indicated by the definition. Unless one knows this fact, he may rest assured that breakdown cover will compensate for any kind of accident his car meets with. With this understanding in mind, he may remain satisfied. So, when he will make a claim in future, he is sure to be disappointed.

This and several other facts are related to car insurance that one should know before he purchases a policy. Particularly, if he is going to buy a breakdown cover, he should ensure that he understands all the terms and conditions of the policy fully. For this, he should read the small prints minutely and ask questions to the agencies if he is not sure of any clause and term.

Breakdown cover can be purchased from the agency from which one buys the car. Either they will sell it directly or make arrangement for it. Generally, car selling agencies have association with other firms that sell insurance policies. So, when you buy a car, they will certainly ask you whether you want to go for breakdown cover or not. It is good if they come up with some nice offers. But unfortunately, they sometimes become pushy and try to thrust a policy. It is better to avoid such agencies.



About the author:- The author is an expert in van insurance, car insurance, breakdown cover, home insurance UK and has written a number of authoritative articles on this subject. His articles are widely read because of the clever tips and valuable advices he provides in them.

Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_232265_19.html

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4 Reasons People Get Into Trouble With the Irs

By:Silvester Thompson

For example, in recent years the IRS has increased its filing of levies, liens and wage garnishments. In fact, in 2004 alone, approximately 2.5 million levies were filed.

The experts at JK Harris & Co., one of the nation's largest tax resolution firms, offer this list of common ways people get into trouble with the IRS.

1. Filing too many exemptions. An exemption gives you a major tax deduction, and some taxpayers can't resist the temptation to report more exemptions than they're entitled.

You can only claim exemptions for yourself, a spouse and for all "dependents." Dependents have to meet specific criteria, however, so make sure you follow the IRS guidelines so that you don't mistakenly file an extra exemption.

2. Being unaware of taxes levied for early withdrawal from certain retirement plans. If you withdraw from a retirement fund such as a 401(k) or IRA before you're 59 1/2, you may face a 10 percent federal penalty on your investments, as well as a state penalty and an income tax on the money withdrawn.

3. Not paying enough taxes when self-employed. Many people who own their own businesses don't know how much they have to pay in taxes. The tax structure for a self-employed person - what to pay, how to pay and what can be deducted - is decidedly complex, so it's easy to become confused.

4. Not paying taxes on winnings. It is necessary to report all gambling winnings, including winnings from lotteries, casinos and horse races, as income.

For people who are in trouble with the IRS, there are various programs available that can provide debt relief if a taxpayer qualifies. JK Harris helps its clients determine if they meet the requirements for one of these IRS programs. Its staff includes former IRS agents, certified public accountants, attorneys, enrolled agents and other experts that offer tax services, financial planning, small business services and other assistance.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com

About the Author:

For More Health Article Visit :: http://www.webhealthclinic.com/

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Credit And Debt, Tips and Tricks

Ah, Credit! Credit is a very helpful and valuable tool. Although more often then not, credit card debt ensues. It just gets out of hand and becomes more of a burden then a help. Credit cards are often abused because it gives you access to a huge amount of money. But with all the bad things credit cards can do credit is definitely there in a crunch and this is why you want to protect your credit score.

If you are like most people, you may have trouble fighting the temptation of not spending the money for frivolous items. Credit gives us the ability to buy and to buy big. It just stinks that in that moment we never take into account that it ISN'T FREE MONEY! We must pay it back with ever increasing Interest. So if you have found yourself in a bind with overwhelming credit card debt, I will show you some great tips on how to get out of the insurmountable debt.

You may or may not know, many people who accumulate huge amounts of credit card debt, only pay the minimum, and never make payments to the principle. These unfortunates will be paying for the next 30 years of there life and pay an ever increasing amount of interest above and beyond there original debt. Many of these people know this as fact, yet they seem to get stuck in the telling themselves that "I can't possibly get out of this credit card debt and I don't want my credit to get worse so I will just keep creditors at bay by paying the minimum payments." This is the wrong attitude and detrimental to your credit.

Now if you are wealthy enough and own a home AND have equity in the house you probably can just get a home equity loan and consolidate your credit card debt and be done with the whole dilemma. But if you are Not wealthy enough and Don't own a Home or Don t have any or very little equity in your home then you may need some help. And that is why you may be reading this article.

First things first. Look at your bill, find out what is the amount of interest you are paying. Second, if you have incurred any late fees or finance charges. Third and last what is your monthly payment. Since we have gathered this information we can at least start at the beginning. We now realize that with all of these things we will never pay of the debt with just minimum payments. We must be smart about our debt. What can we possibly do? First, if you are paying an interest rate of anything above, I'll say 12 of the debt you may be able to *settle(*paying of the debt once and for all) with the creditor. The difference of 40% will be eaten by the credit card company. (***Note this will definitely effect credit scores but less then not paying the debt.)

Now, if you are in deep concern over your credit score, DON'T BE! You are doing the best thing for your credit by using these tips. This is because if you have too large outstanding debt then your credit score is affected. Also if you've been missing payments anyway, you already know that your credit score is damaged. By using these tips you are taking a step towards rebuilding instead of destroying.

By the way you can always rebuild credit. Here are some ways to do that. One great way to build better credit is by paying all your bills on time. i.e. Rent, phone, electric, other credit cards etc..... A secured credit card is another way to start getting better credit. They are expensive but if you have really messed up your credit they usually will take on faulty credit. They do this for an annual fee and/or monthly fee. You will need to "load" the card which is basically just giving the money you are allowed to borrow against to the card hence the name secured credit card.

I hope this was informative at the least. I also hope this opened your eyes to your own control and abilities. Just know you will make that debt disappear it will take you some time so don't fret just weather the course and you will come out on top.

Ors Veress is an Author about a variety of subjects. He mainly writes about investments and ways to invest your money but has an interest in politics. You can visit his credit card help and search site

Source: Free Articles

About the Author
Ors Veress Is a private investor that write article on various topics and has a few websites on investing and credit as well as a retail outfit.Visit his site for credit resources and credit cards at http://www.freecardapplicationsonline.com

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Ways to Improve your Credit Score

BY: Jon Arnold

If more consumers realized the wide range of areas of their lives that are affected by a credit score, there would be a lot more people taking pro-active steps to watch their credit score. A poor credit score can affect your job, your chances of promotion, and even via some recent legislation, affect how much you pay for your car insurance. Based on all these areas of your life affected by your credit score, it would seem prudent to want to do whatever you can to keep your credit score as high as possible at all times.

Most consumers seem to think that their bad credit will clean up over time. While this is true to an extent, what happens if you need to get approved for a loan or a new line of credit somewhere before time has taken its course? The answer is that you either do not get approved, or you end up getting approved but at a much higher rate of interest that you would have had to pay if you had taken steps to clean up your credit score yourself.

One of the mysteries about cleaning up one's credit history is that it does not require an expert or an outside company. Although there are many such companies around willing to charge a fee for their service, most consumers do not realize that those companies cannot do anything that the consumer could not do himself. Those companies cannot offer any kind of guarantee that the consumer could not offer himself either. Like anything else, however, it takes the time, effort, and discipline to just sit down and do it.

If you are self-employed, use your business line of credit. If a credit card is listed in the business name, then the financial transaction will appear on the business's credit report, not on your personal one. This is a good idea anyway, since whatever you can purchase in the name of your business is a much more likely candidate for a tax deduction.

A lot of people seem to feel good about themselves because they have literally dozens of open accounts, usually a combination of Visa and MasterCard accounts, a couple Discover cards, maybe an American Express or two, and several department store charge cards. They don't feel bad about it because they claim that almost all the accounts have a zero balance. This is still not good, according to the most recent studies of the systems that compute one's credit score, because the banks realize that one could go out and charge all those cards to the hilt. It seems the optimal number of open credit card accounts is about 5 or 6 accounts.

With the accounts that you have open, do your absolute best to keep the outstanding balance to less than 30% of your credit limit. This seems to be the optimal percentage where you have plenty of credit available, yet you are actively using the account without being in danger of exceeding your credit limit.

Finally, keep on eye on your credit report. Gets a copy of your credit report separately from each of the three credit reporting agencies, because they each have an independent view of you and your credit history. Chances are better than excellent that there are errors on your credit report, and it is up to you to dispute those errors and have them removed from your credit report, where the end result is a higher credit score.

Don't take your credit score for granted. Your credit score is used in more places in today's world than you realize, and keeping it in as good a condition as possible should be your goal.

About the Author:

For more insights and further information about How To Raise Your Credit Score as well as getting free copies of your credit report, please visit our web site at http://www.credit-help-center.com

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com

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Know Your Rights: What Every Consumer Needs to Know About Debt and the Law

by Jay Sutton

Without a doubt, building good credit history is extremely important to one's life. Without good credit you can be certain that there are many things that you can be deprived of.

The important of building credit goes far beyond life's necessities and wants, such as buying clothes and groceries. It is more than petty cash advances or cash back rewards. Building your credit is akin to building your life as well.

Why? Simply because the way you handle your credit will have an impact on your way of life, your career, the way transact business with other people, and even on the place where you live.

Your credit history and creditworthiness is one of the most important factors employers, lenders, property owners, and/or business owners will consider.

For these reason, why it is imperative for you to learn and understand how credit is granted or rejected. It is also imperative to know what to do in case you have been unduly cared for, coerced or harassed.

In the United States, the Federal Government has enacted various state and federal laws that control credit. These rights have been stated as provisions on Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ("FDCPA") and Fair Credit Reporting Act ("FCRA").

Under these federally enacted laws, every consumer is entitled to the rights stated therein. It can not be said enough that it is imperative that consumers arm themselves with the knowledge of their rights as to not become victims to mistreatments, unduly practices that are regularly practiced by some unsuspecting debt collectors and lenders.

Fair Debt Collection Practices Act

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is one of the written laws of the United States, which has been included in the United States Code under Title VIII of the "Consumer Credit Protection Act."

The main purpose and focus of this law is to guarantee "ethical practices" by debt collectors when attempting to collect consumer debt. It states the guidelines in which must be followed. It also states what your rights are and what you can expect from a debt collector. In addition, it also seeks to present consumers with an opportunity to obtain and dispute legalization of any information regarding a particular debt so as to guarantee the data's correctness.

In essence, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act encourages just, rational, and non-discriminatory treatment of consumers by forbidding debt collectors from utilizing unjust, offensive, and/or misleading actions.

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is applicable to qualified debt collectors capable of collecting loans that they didn't create.

However, this act doesn't theoretically pertain to department stores, banks, and other lending institutions that have their own debt collectors. Be advised that lending companies that maintain a good reputation is allowed to make use of the said practices.

Take copious notations of the following provisions under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act:

1. Debt collectors are only allowed to contact other people, aside from the debtor himself, only to find out any whereabouts of the debtor. They are not allowed to reveal that you are in debt or the amount.

2. Debt collectors aren't allowed to contact the debtor before 8:00 a.m. and after 9:00 p.m. local time. (ie., your local time not theirs).

3. Debt collectors aren't permitted to intimidate, pressure, or make threats to the consumer with legal action to receive payment for a debt unless a lawsuit has been planned, nor can they threaten arrest.

Fair Credit Reporting Act

The Fair Credit Reporting Act upholds the confidentiality, discretion, and truth of information as used in creating customer credit reports. It seeks to control the distribution, collection, and utilization of "consumer credit information."

Under this law, the credit reporting agencies are required to uphold absolute, full, and accurate files and information.

With this act, consumers are entitled to receive their credit reports and to take actions to validate the correctness of information contested by a customer.

The consumers are entitled to such actions under this law:

1. Credit bureaus are permitted to provide credit reports only to those with a lawful business causes

Credit bureaus are not allowed to disclose any information or credit report to institutions that have no legal basis as to their request for a particular credit report information. Only entities such as insurers, employers, creditors, and government agencies are allowed to receive an individual's credit report as part of the evaluation process.

2. The consumer's right to know regarding the denial of credit.

In cases like denied credit, consumers have the right to know about the details of such report. With this, consumers can identify which credit bureau issued such report.

In this way, the consumer will be able to check if there has been any discrepancy.

These are just some of the rights consumers can enjoy under the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. To find more out, visit http://www.fdcpa.gov .

With these laws, the rights of the consumer to a just and fair treatment are upheld.


About the Author

Jay Sutton is website owner of Debt and Credit Solutions who is well-versed in the
knowledge and laws of debt and credit related laws. See http://www.101-debt-solutions.com for more information

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Repossession Laws Right And Wrongs

Author: James Copper

Buying a new car or home can be so much fun You pick out the colours, the style, and all that goes with it. You sign up for a loan and leave feeling accomplished. However, when signing up for a loan or a credit card you may not be aware that if you do not pay, your belongings could be repossessed. It can happen to anyone and it is important that you know what can and can not be taken in the event that you do fall a few payments behind. Understanding the laws can greatly help you avoid repossession and protect you from being taken advantage of throughout the process of the loan.

Not all items can be repossessed. Land, for example, can not be repossessed in most cases. The only way that land can be repossessed is if the contract includes a grace period. This grace period is a time frame in which every payment must be made after a late payment is incurred. If you do not make the payment within this grace period then the land can in fact be taken back by the original owner.

If you are out of work for an extended period of time and are unable to make payments notify your creditor. Sometimes your contract will include Credit Accident and Health Insurance. This insurance will pay the debt that you obtain while you are unable to make payments. Usually this insurance only comes into effect when you have been sick for more than two weeks. It is important that you check whether or not you have this insurance prior to being unable to make payments because if you do not have it, those missed payments could cause that item to be repossessed.

A repossessor can not come into your home without your consent. This means if you see someone trying to break into your home, garage or any place where the item in question is being stored, call the police. Even if someone claims to have legal documentation which states that they can take the item, it is best to contact a lawyer.

If your property is repossessed then you will not be required to pay for it afterwards. The only time you will need to make extra payments is if the property seized was an automobile. Since the creditor will be selling your vehicle for the best price they can get, you will have to pay the difference that is lost in the sale. Any extra money that the creditor earns from completing the sale must be awarded to you. Sometimes the creditor will sell the vehicle for an extremely low amount in order to get money from you. This is illegal and should be reported immediately to your lawyer.

Understanding repossession laws can save you the trouble of trying to regain your property in the unfortunate event of repossession. It is much easier to prevent your property from being repossessed than to try and get it back. Be aware of repossession laws.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com

About the Author:
James Copper is a writer for http://www.stop-repossession-today.co.uk where you can find repossession help

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Solutions for Chexsystems & Bad Credit

By:IC

It is often thought that bankruptcy, collections and ChexSytems records are the end of an individual financial history. This is a common misconception which needs to be addressed before going any further. We are all humans and as such, we face ever changing social influences which sometimes affect our financial situation, a good example could be: missing mortgage and credit card payments, overdrawing checking accounts due to the ailment of an uninsured family member is one of several common reasons why good and honest people find themselves in such predicaments.

The example above depicts two serious problems which can be solved by having the right information. When someone misses a credit card, personal loan or mortgage payment, the creditor/company reports a payment interruption to the credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion and Equifax), each one of these bureaus has its own way to calculate credit scores based on carefully formulated mathematical formulas. Once this report is posted to a person credit report, the credit score fluctuates and the credit score is the main piece of data Financial institutions base their decisions upon, when it comes to loan and line of credit approvals.

Obtaining a credit card, even though your credit is less than perfect, is not that hard. These credit cards can be used to re-established or rebuild bad credit but it is important to keep in mind that the interest rates will be higher. Another option available to individuals looking for a credit card under these terms is to get a prepaid debit card or credit card, where the account requires an initial deposit which determines the credit line available.

Similar to credit bureaus, ChexSystems keep records of individuals who have overdrawn their checking account and a considerable amount of time has gone by without repayment.

When it comes to debit accounts which have been cancelled and reported to ChexSystem a customer can open another account through a non-ChexSystem/Telecheck institution. Second chance checking accounts are also available to address such problem.

It is always extremely important to be on top of our daily finances to avoid complications. Free and affordable tools such as free credit reports are also available to help improve our credit and avoid identity theft issues, but if the moment comes when you need to use any of these resources it is a great relief to know that they are available regardless of how bad the situation may be.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com

About the Author:

CreditServicer provides more accurate information about bad credit and second chance banking. Learn more about ChexSystems and see all the different checking account alternatives available, visit us today!

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MasterCard and Visa Credit Cards: Should you Apply for Both?

MasterCard and Visa: they're both household names in today's credit card world. In fact, MasterCard and Visa are so common that if you're shopping for a new card, it may be difficult to choose one over the other. Which one is more widely accepted? Which one has better benefits? Should you apply for both? Here are some points to consider while comparing MasterCard and Visa credit cards.

How MasterCard and Visa Operate
While you see their name on many cards, MasterCard and Visa do not actually issue credit cards. Rather, they function in a behind-the-scenes way. MasterCard and Visa are payment systems. They create and maintain the computer networks that process their credit card transactions. This is no small task. Literally billions of credit card transactions occur at ATMs and merchants around the world.

Other banks, such as Chase and Bank of America, issue the actual credit cards. These banks work with MasterCard or Visa. They place the brand name on their cards. If you see the Visa name on a credit card, it means that Visa is backing up the card. The same is true for cards with the MasterCard logo on them. This is why you see cards with names such as the Chase Platinum MasterCard. Note that the name of the bank and the payment system are both mentioned. When you make a payment, it goes to the bank that issued the card.

Comparing MasterCard and Visa

As far as worldwide acceptance, MasterCard and Visa are quite comparable. Both of them have an established global presence. Most retailers will take either one without hesitation. In rare occasions, a retailer may only accept one or the other. Even then, you should be able to find another store close by that does take your card.

If you're searching for a credit card, you are probably comparing interest rates, reward programs, fees, and included benefits. Keep in mind that the issuing banks determine these factors. They are not decided by MasterCard or Visa.

Reasons to Get Both

If you are applying for your first card, remember that MasterCard and Visa are quite similar. You will want to look at the various benefits offered by the banks that issue the cards. If you are planning to keep a balance from month to month, you may want to consider a card with a low interest rate. If you are looking for rewards and are able to pay off the balance in full each month, a card with a good reward program may better fit you.

If you have a Visa and want another credit card, it may be wise to get a MasterCard (and vice versa). The same is true for banks. If you have a card from Chase, try looking into a different card issuer. Having variety will aid you should anything happen to one of the institutions. Also, since the different lenders are in competition, you may receive offers for better credit card deals in the future.

MasterCard and Visa are both solid credit card choices. Having a card from each company will give you more credit options. And having cards from different banks will get you access to the best reward programs, interest rates, and other benefits. Start looking online today. Then pick out the credit cards that work best for you.


------

To View Visa Card Offers click the following link: http://www.credit-card-surplus.com/visa-credit-card-applications.php . For MasterCard Offers click http://www.credit-card-surplus.com/mastercard-applications.php . Ed Vegliante runs http://www.credit-card-surplus.com , a directory helping consumers to compare and apply for credit cards.

Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_229891_19.html

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Your Credit Cards Can Be Your Financial Undoing

Author: Amy F. Goodmann

Credit cards can be a convenience or they can be your financial undoing. It is true that credit cards are convenient, reduce your need to carry cash and as well allow you to purchase bargains on the spot, and save money, that you might not have been able to do otherwise.

As your father or grandmother may have chided you "I am getting wealthy on your savings". True credit and credit cards can be a boon. Why is it that so many people have trouble with credit cards? Credit cards are a double, or triple edged sword. Why should be careful with credit cards? Credit cards are useful in our society. And yet these financial instruments deserve the same dread and respect that a recovering alcoholic should have about alcohol.

Credit cards can breed mountains of debt for the unwary. It is not only that we live in a society and time of "immediate pleasure". The refrain may be "Why wait for spring? Why deny yourself. Get it now". Indeed your grandfather may have told you repeatedly not to buy anything until you have saved the money. Best to wait. Never go into debt.

Never buy anything until you can afford it.

However it is not only our current curse of immediate and flagrant consumption of goods that leads more than a few people into credit card driven financial peril. Go into any major city. Ask for the "center of town" or look for the tallest buildings. Invariably these buildings will be "bank towers" and the offices of major banking institutions. You may well ask yourself that what did these organizations do or produce that they have accumulated and deserve such wealth. It is often said that the casinos in the gambling town of Las Vegas were not built on the winnings of gamblers. So is it with credit cards.

Credit cards are pretty much an essential item today. Go on a trip - you vacation. You may well find that you cannot rent a car without a credit card as collateral. Most hotels as well will almost insist on a credit card imprint on check in.

However the rules are stacked against you in credit cards and their management in your finances. A little exercise. You have $ 900 in your saving account. You move into a new apartment or condo. On sale you find a $ 2000 living room set for $ 100. You figure - I will put the purchase on the card, pay the $ 900 and carry the balance for a month. A small cost of interest for a large saving. However when your credit card bill arrives you notice a very large interest charge. The contract you sign with many credit cards stipulates that if the credit card statement is not payed in full "then interest is charged on the full balance from the date of purchase". Translation you will pay interest on the full amount of the purchase, and even on other items you bought. Not only will you be charged interest for that month but interest from the actual day you purchased the item. You will not even receive the first interest free period. It may not be fair, you may not like. However these are the rules that you personally signed for when you signed the credit card /s contract /s.

Now it makes sense. Why once people get into trouble with credit cards they never seem to be able to pay off their debts. The debts just seem to grow and skyrocket.

Credit cards and other such financial instruments are both essential and a godsend in today's world. If you find that you require them and yet want to limit your exposure and vulnerability an option is a prepaid credit card. In essence you are placing a cash savings reserve against future spends. You can only spend what you have in your savings deposit portion of this type of credit card. You can both save for purchases and be limited against overspending both as debt and a source of interest charges. You are limited to charging to the card only to the deposits you have on record with that account.

You cannot overspend the card. Good safety breaks are put on your credit card purchases.

Your Visa, American Express or MasterCard may be wonderful. However they can also cause you a fair amount of trouble and financial troubles along the road of life.

Treat these little pieces of plastic have great power to do you good or cause you great trouble, Treat them with the utmost of respect. .

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com

About the Author:
$ 100 Month Car Payments Vancouver - $ 100 Month Car Payment Edmonton - www.secondchancefinance.ca

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American Express Blue Cash Credit Card: More Than Just Cash Rewards

There are many cash back credit cards on the market today. Almost every large issuer has at least one of these credit cards in their ever growing product selections. Differentiating between these seemingly similar offers can be a tough affair until you start scratching beneath the surface.

When you do, you will find that some offer more than others. A good example of this is the American Express Blue Cash credit card.

American Express Blue Cash Financial Tools

American Express has purposely created an online financial management environment to simplify this often tedious task for holders of their credit cards.

• Account management: you can pay your American Express Blue Cash bill, monitor your account and all the transactions made against your account via the internet. This type of control is especially handy if you have issued family members or friends with American Express Blue Cash credit cards linked to your account. If you want to remain in touch on the fly, you could also avail yourself of the free American Express SMS alert service, which notifies you of any transaction made on your credit cards and provides you with a timely reminder of account payments falling due.

• Bill Payments: American Express Blue Cash credit cards are eligible for the online Bill Pay service. This service enables you to settle your bills with more than 100 companies – either as once-off or as automatic payments. To top it all, payments made in this way with your American Express Blue Cash credit cards, earn you cash back rewards.

• Year-End Summary: The year-end summary tool is extremely helpful – both from a tax preparation and budgeting perspective. It can be downloaded and printed, offers you a full year’s history and allows you to sort your expenses by category.

American Express Blue Cash Protection

American Express has a variety of measures in place to safeguard their American Express Blue Cash credit card holders in terms of:

• Merchants: Merchants whose products are not to specification and those who refuse to accept returns.

• Merchandise: Additional warranties as well as protection against damage and theft.

• Fraud: American Express Blue Cash credit cards are protected against fraudulent use, regardless of whether you shop online or in-store.

• Travel: When you travel, American Express offers you access to their Global Assist Hotline (to help with any emergencies that may come your way), as well as travel insurance and car rental accident and damage waiver protection.

American Express Blue Cash Smart Features

In addition to the financial tools and the protective measures offered by American Express to holders of their credit cards, they also offer a set of ancillary benefits that they call ‘Smart Features’. Some of the Smart Features you enjoy with American Express Blue Cash credit cards include:

• Shop Smart: Shop Smart offers savings and discounts on a wide range of brand names – from electronics all the way through to designer clothing.

• Travel: This Smart feature offers assured bookings, discounts, special offers and low rates to those holders of American Express Blue Cash credit cards who make their reservations through American Express online. When you travel and you need assistance, you can either call in at any one of their 2,200 travel services counters in more than 130 countries or call the Global Assist hotline.

About the Author:

Devin Gilliland Provides Expert opinions and reviews to help you Compare American Express Credit Cards - Search American Express Blue Cash with Credit-Wisdom.com - Unraveling the best in Credit Cards.

Article Source: www.iSnare.com

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Looking For A Free Lease Agreement?

By J K. Kiene

Well, you're not alone -- not by a long shot. Every day, thousands of value-minded and pressed-for-time landlords and property managers scour the back roads and alleyways of the information superhighway, looking for a free basic rental agreement that they can quickly print out, fill in, and hand over to their new tenants along with the keys to the rental unit.

If you search long enough, you'll probably be able to find a free or cheap generic lease online. But before you fill it out, take a minute to really mull over the possible consequences. Remember the old adage that says, "You get what you pay for"? Well, if you settle for a generic free lease agreement, you might just get more than you bargained for -- much, much more. A lease is a legal contract that sets forth the terms of the agreement between you and your tenant. Basically, you're relying on this document to establish the guidelines that will define your entire relationship with your tenant.

The free lease agreements that are a dime a dozen online don't cover much more than the contact information for the landlord and tenants. If you're lucky, you might find one that has a space for the rent amount and due date. In short, these "free" leases typically leave a lot to be desired.

Over the last several decades, the courts have become increasingly friendly to the cause of tenants' rights. Many of the landlords who are hauled in front of a judge by a disgruntled tenant -- or who file a claim to collect back rent from a deadbeat renter -- are winding up out of luck. When in doubt, more and more courts are automatically siding with the tenant.

When you rely on a lease that is vague, brief, or incomplete, you are putting your property, your investment, and your entire business at risk. In legal terms, a contract that's skimpy or insufficient isn't worth the paper that it's written on.

The kind of generic free lease agreements that you can find online are typically chock-full of grey areas, omissions, contradictions, and even outright errors. In other words, they're not exactly the kind of thing that's going to sway the judge in your favor if you wind up in court. If it's not specifically spelled out in the lease, chances are good that the judge will end up siding with your tenant.

Let's face it -- to stay profitable, landlords and property managers have to constantly be on the lookout for ways to save money. That means holding out for sales at home improvement stores, opting for the mid-grade paint and fixtures, and keeping an eye out for reputable contractors that won't charge an arm and a leg.

What it shouldn't mean, however, is skimping on your lease agreement. There are a lot of smart ways for you to save money, but this isn't one of them. Think of it as an investment -- the money you spend now on a comprehensive, legally binding lease agreement could save you thousands of dollars down the road.

Finally, Property Management Software that allows you to communicate effectively with your tenants by using the best Lease, documents and informative information. www.ezLandlordForms.com offers professional landlord forms that you can create online and print right from your home or office.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=J_K._Kiene

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Women are at a Disadvantage When it Comes to Financial Planning

Women Face Unique Financial Challenges. If you were to guess which issue women worry about most, would you guess family, health, time, stress, or maybe equal rights? According to a March 2000 gallop poll, the answer is their finances. This response may surprise you now, but consider the following list of financial issues unique to women.

Consider these results from a women-and-money incubator, and research by Bruce W. Most and William L. Anthes:
- "Women are more intimidated than men about financial issues
- Women earn less money than men
- Women are less prepared for retirement
- Women receive smaller retirement benefits
- Women live longer than men
- Women are poorer in retirement than men
- Women are more conservative investors than men"

We would also add
- Special difficulties for single mothers
- Women caring for elderly parents
- High-deductible health insurance plans cost women more
- Women may defer to men regarding financial decisions
- More women manage daily family finances
- Retirement issues because of divorce agreements
- Male-dominated financial services industry

Earnings Differences
It is a well-documented fact that women earn less than men do. A study by the American Association of University Women Educational Foundation as reported by Ellen Simon {AP}:"Women make only 80 percent of the salaries their male peers do one year after college...10 years after college, women earn only 69 percent of what men earn...Even after controlling for hours, occupation, parenthood, and other factors known to affect earnings," the study found that one-quarter of the pay gap remains unexplained.

Most and Anthes report that "According to the U.S. Department of Labor, women working full-time, year-round, earn roughly 74 percent of what men earn... (and) workers in the age category of 45�54-the prime earning years for most people-women earned $516 a week while men earned $732." It gets even worse for single mothers with young children whose "median income in 1998...was $14,248. This figure is the lowest among all family types, representing roughly one-fourth the median income of married-couples with children...and approximately three-fifths that of females with no children."

Retirement Differences
Women are often less prepared for retirement than men. Most and Anthes also noted that a study that found 58 percent of baby boomer women had saved less than $10,000 in a pension or 401(k) plan, while baby boomer men had saved three times that. In addition, the fact that women live longer than men means that they need more money in their retirement than men do.

Investment Differences
Also, a 1997 study by Dryfus and the National Center for Women and Retirement Research showed that women investors were more worried than men about running out of money in old age, preferred more conservative investments, wanted fixed/steady returns, were more unnerved by stock fluctuations and worried more about investment decisions.

Social Security Retirement Differences
Of course, less money earned by women, means less money saved for retirement or contributed to Social Security benefits, and because women live 79 years on average while men live 72, women retirees are poorer in retirement than men. Most and Anthes note that according to the Administration on Aging "...half the elderly widows now living in poverty were not living in poverty before their husbands died. The picture is even worse for older women in many minority groups".

Decision Making
The next generation of retirees may have been raised in an environment in which men handled the money decisions. More women actually pay the weekly bills, but they may have little knowledge of the larger family finances such as retirement plans, Social Security, IRAs, insurance, annuities, etc. because they may have deferred to their spouse's decisions.

It is essential for women to understand the �big picture' of their finances, especially for retirement, divorce, or death of their spouse. Because women make less than men, are less prepared for retirement, and receive smaller retirement benefits, they need to make sure that their husband's retirement benefits will pass to them if their husband dies first. Because women may be more intimidated about asking questions of their attorney or financial advisor, they may miss crucial details (such as single-life annuity which may bring higher levels during the husband's life but that ends when the husband dies first), or incorrect beneficiaries on life insurance policies.

Divorce
During a divorce, women may be more concerned about custody issues and keeping the house than their future retirement and may agree to forgo the 401(k). Single parenting brings a whole host of financial challenges, including lost wages from parenting responsibilities and childcare and babysitters. If the extra expenses and possibly lower income are not included in the divorce settlement, the single mother may find that she is unable to keep the house and she loses the two most valuable assets: the house and the 401(k).

Health Insurance
Women not only make less money than men, their health plan may cost more reports Mike Stobbe {AP}. When an employer changes to a high-deductible plan, it costs on average $1000/year more for women than for men due to mammograms, the cervical-cancer vaccine, Pap tests and pregnancy related services. This is unfair, but while the inequity exists, women must make an extra effort to contribute the difference to a Health Savings Account or savings program to avoid using credit to pay for the added medical bills. We have personally experienced the $4,000 deductible per year health insurance plan and, although it is better than no insurance, it can certainly make a dent in the family budget.

Care Giving
Another huge drain on women's finances is caring for their aging parents. More women care for aging parents than men. However distasteful it may be to condense a daughter's love for her parents into a discussion of money, this issue must be addressed so that women can prepare. Because of the aging baby-boomer population, these numbers will soon become staggering. If you add caring for young children into the mix at the same time, the financial results can be devastating.

What Should Women Do?
Because of the special issues facing women, it is crucial that women educate themselves about finances and the realities of financial gender inequity and plan for their future. The male-dominated financial services industry is just beginning to realize the unique financial planning issues for women. Make sure that your trusted advisors understand these issues and are helping you plan accordingly. Don't be afraid to ask your advisors questions.

Summary Now is the time to begin planning for the future:
- Have a plan
- Increase your knowledge and understanding of financial matters
- Utilize trusted professional advisors to implement your plans
- Regularly monitor your progress.


------

Kent E. Irwin, ChFC, CLU, CAP, co-founder of eFinplan.com. eFinPLAN is the first and only web-based comprehensive consumer financial planning software designed for people who are trying to do a lot of their own financial planning. Find out more about how do-your-self financial planning at eFinPLAN.com

Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_227390_19.html

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Rewards Credit Cards: 5 Things You Must Know

Two good sites to search for credit cards are "CreditCards" and "ConsumerCardReport". ConsumerCardReport specializes in providing insightful guidance to consumers. CreditCards lists the most offers, but none of the extra cards seemed worth recommending.

There are a few fairly simple precautions that consumers should take when using rewards cards:

1. Pay it off each month. The interest rate on rewards cards is usually higher than on other credit cards, so make sure you pay the balance in full every month.

2. Avoid late fees. These can be as high as $39, so make it a habit to pay the credit card bill soon after receiving it -- don't procrastinate.

3. Don't overuse it. Some people are tempted to buy more stuff with their rewards card in order to increase their rebate, which can pile up unnecessary expenses. If you don't think you can control your spending, don't get the card! Some rewards cards will pay you a higher percentage as you spend more money, for example a card may pay 0.5% for the first $5,000 you spend and 1.5% afterwards. This encourages excessive credit card spending, which is why we don't recommend such cards to most people.

4. Make few applications. If you apply for one credit card your credit score will be fine, but as you apply for more cards lenders become more concerned that you may be having money problems. So the more cards you have applied for in the previous six months, the more your credit score will be decreased. After six months, your credit score returns to normal. Our recommendation for most consumers is to make no more than two card applications; but if you plan to get a mortgage or major loan in the next six months, make only one application.

Be aware that the number of credit cards you actually possess won't harm your credit score. More cards may even improve your credit score by increasing your credit-to-debt ratio. In particular, it's wise to maintain your card balances at less than half of your spending limits for those cards.

5. Check the terms. The most reliable description of a card's terms is listed alongside the card application. Although terms can sometimes change, major changes are usually rare.

While the best ways to save money will always involve old fashioned cost-cutting, obtaining a rewards credit card is still a good way to give yourself a virtual raise.

Source: Free Articles

About Author

David R. Snell is the founder of the Consumer Freedom Alliance (CFA) and webmaster of its flagship site, SmartConsumerTips.com. He offers excellent advices and great tips regarding all aspects of Rewards Credit Cards. While you are there, DO NOT forget to grab your own copy of "The World's 8 Best Consumer Tips" and save hundred hours of research.

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Buying a Home Post Retiremen

Author: Ajeet Khurana

Retirement can bring about major changes in people's lives. One may associate retirement with freedom from work life and deadlines, annoying bosses and aggravating colleagues, cups of coffee and impossible workloads. However, retirement also means that you have to learn to adjust. You are finally faced with the problems of old age. The feeling of dependence on others begins to arise at this time. You are no longer the breadwinner of the house. Questions of whether you will still be valued by those around you will arise. Are you blessed with a caring family? Or will you end up being taken for granted? Many an insecurity will arise the moment that you take leave of your work life and become a retired person. However, this does not mean that you spend the rest of your days worrying about tomorrow.

One way in which a retired person can make himself feel at home is by buying a home. Yes, you got that right. It may be a little hard to believe that a person who is currently unemployed would be willing to use up his savings on a house. However, this could be a great idea. A house provides a sense of security. If you own a home, at least you know that no matter what, you will always have a place to call your own. Come rain, hail, storm, or family problems, that building of bricks and cement shall protect you from a great deal. The question is, how does a retired person find a suitable mortgage to buy a house?

To start with, you must consider you budget. What kind of savings are stored in your bank? Have you invested in any funds that are about to mature sometime soon? Do you already have a large house which you would like to sell before you make a shift to another place? Would your pension fund be able to help you garner a mortgage? These are only some of the initial questions that you must ask yourself. Having done so, you will need to check out a few mortgage deals and then ask yourself if repayment will be possible.

The next step is to make an in-depth study of the various deals that appeal to you the most. Every mortgage that you consider is bound to have some advantages and some disadvantages as well. Be alert and objective as you decide which loan will best meet your requirements.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com

About the Author:

If you need cheap mortgages, even adverse credit remortgages visit http://www.ukpersonalloanstore.co.uk/.

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What is Two Cycle Billing?

By:TheBenny

The term “two cycle billing” may not be common knowledge to all credit card users, but it is a concept that everyone should be aware of. Some issuers have been moving away from the average daily billing cycle and changing over to the two cycle way of calculating the interest earned on balances. Two cycle billing does not greatly affect users that tend the carry a balance, but it does however affect cardholders that pay there balance off monthly.

In order to understand two cycle billing you must first understand the average daily billing method, which will now be explained. Let’s say that you own a credit card with a 15% interest rate and your billing cycle for the month of April runs from the 1st through the 30th of the month. At the beginning of the month you have a balance of textarea on the card. Now, on the 10th of April you make a purchase of 00, which means you are going to carry that balance for 20 days until the current billing cycle ends. You must now calculate the average daily balance for the month of April. To do so you must first multiply the balance of the card by the number of days the balance was carried (00 × 20 days = 20,000), then you will divide that number by the total days in the billing cycle (20,000 ÷ 30 = 666.67). You have now figured out that your average daily balance for April would be 6.67. If this card uses the average daily billing cycle and you started the month with a textarea balance, there will be no interest charged as long as the April balance is paid off in full. This billing cycle essentially gives you a grace period on purchases as long as the balance is paid off in full each month. But, if this credit card uses the two cycle billing method, you would be charged interest for the month of April when you receive your bill in May because your average daily balance is based on the last 2 billing cycles. So, when you receive your bill for May, you will have a finance charge that is due, even though your balance was paid off in full for April and you didn’t make any purchases with the card in May. In order to figure out how much your interest would be, you will take the average daily balance × number of days in the billing cycle × periodic interest rate. Below are the calculations to figure out your interest due in May.

Average daily balance 1000 × 20 ÷ 61 = 327.87
Number of days in billing cycle 30 + 31 = 61
Periodic interest rate 15 ÷ 365 = .0411
Finance charge for May 327.87 × 61 × .000411 = 8.22

Based on the interest rate of 15% stated above, you will receive a bill in May that shows a finance charge of .22 even though the balance was paid in full in April. As you can now see, the two cycle billing method of calculating interest is not ideal for users that choose to pay there balance of in full each month. Essentially, a two cycle billing card will start charging interest from the day the purchases is made, which will eliminate the grace period that is provided by a card that uses the average daily billing method.

As you can now see, the two cycle billing method of calculating interest would mainly effect users that always pay their balance off in full because they will still be paying interest on purchases even when there is no balance being carried over on the card. So, next time you are looking for a new credit card make sure you look at the fine print to check for what type of billing method they use for that card.

Source: Free Articles

Credit card offers - apply for a student credit card

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High Risk Merchant Account Tips on IP Detection

Any high risk merchant should be aware, if not become thoroughly an expert, of all the technical aspects of credit card transactions. Let's face it, doing business online is taking risk a hundred times more dangerous than doing business the brick and mortar fashion. Smart merchants would never plunge headlong into online ventures without a good, working knowledge of the loopholes of the billing process via credit cards.

High risk merchant account providers employ various tactics to mitigate the frequency of chargebacks such as restriction on the use of anonymous e-mail addresses, credit card validation, IP address detection, and proxy server identification.

Anonymous E-mail Addresses
They would make sure email address, phone number, zip code, credit card, mailing /shipping address and other forms of identification are valid. It's rather commonplace to hear that if you were dealing with credit cards, it would be unwise to accept credit card owners that provide anonymous or free e-mail addresses such as @yahoo.com, @hotmail.com, or @gmail.com.

Credit Card Validation and Other Issues
All low risk and high risk merchants are required to integrate a credit card validation system with the customer's issuing bank.
To make it even foolproof, merchants would double check for phone number and zip code authenticity, as well as compatibility with the customer's billing address and issuing bank's country. Some would even make sure they are not doing transactions with customers that originate from high risk countries.

How IP Address Detection Works
Merchants, however, will find even better benefit in taking advantage of detecting the IP addresses of their customers. Security is a tall order when it comes to buying and selling online.

As a matter of fact, legitimate buyers would most welcome security measures such as IP geolocation from high risk merchant account providers to protect them from credit card fraud. Scammers would hide behind anonymous e-mail addresses and proxy servers.
The most that high risk merchants can do is to filter suspicious IP addresses. The process goes as following:

1.Merchants detect IP address using geolocation technology and IP validation technology. It may be categorized by country, zip code, area code or billing address.

2.The geolocation/IP validation technology identifies where the user is located spot-on and compares where the person making order is located and his actual billing address.

3.Merchants analyze, double check transactions, and filter legitimate and illegitimate transactions. They may also block transactions considered as possible frauds, or transactions originating from fraud-prone high risk countries.

Proxy Server Identification
IP address detection also goes hand in hand with proxy server identification. Merchants may find difficulty in detecting IP addresses if customers hide behind anonymous proxy servers.

What is a Proxy Server?
A proxy server facilitates network performance by making use of a caching system. The cache is a temporary storage for data that have been viewed recently (like a brain's short term memory). The purpose is to prevent data such as web pages and images from being downloaded repeatedly, thus saving time on accessing them online. Another is to help network administrators filter sites that they deem other users of the network must not access.

Detecting IP addresses and proxy servers can be tricky. A strong support from a high risk merchant account providers that employs strong IP and proxy server detection technology will help your e-commerce store counteract frauds. This is because anonymous proxy servers cannot be detected consistently. With the help of a reliable IP and proxy server detection technology, a merchant will have less time for worries and more time for finding more solutions to increase profit for his business.

Source: Free Articles

About the Author

Gerri Bryce is a versatile technical writer specializing in general web content copywriting and development for finance and high-risk investment firms. She has contributed a massive number of articles for today's most popular technology, gadget, gaming, business, finance, and science news websites. She participates in a number of top webmaster / finance forums and focuses on new trends in high risk merchant account providers, one of which is http://www.highriskexperts.com Currently, Ms. Bryce lives in Marin County, California. She keeps herself abreast with Web 2.0 and cutting edge Internet trends by attending business workshops, online meet-ups, and conferences for web and business professionals. She also travels extensively throughout the United States and Asia. e-mail: gerri.bryce@gmail.com

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Is Declaring Bankruptcy an Ideal Option for Debt Relief?

Easy availability of loans in the recent times has given rise to a trend of indiscriminate borrowing. Consequently, those who borrow beyond their means end in a debt trap. Even though various debt relief options are available, in certain cases declaring bankruptcy may be the only way out.

Pros And Cons Of Declaring Bankruptcy For Debt Relief

Bankruptcy is the legal declaration of the debtor that he is not in a position to pay back the creditor. Once a debtor declares that he is bankrupt, the law prohibits the creditors from collecting the debts. It will help the debtor to keep the creditors at bay until he can make some alternate arrangement. In many cases, a major part of his debt is written off and he will have to pay back a small percentage of what he owes. Also by declaring bankruptcy, he can make a fresh beginning. Because of this, the people may feel that declaring bankruptcy is the best form of debt relief. However, it is not so.

• Credit rating of the borrower suffers badly because of this. His future loan applications will be rejected. No loan company gives loan to a bankrupt person.

• When a debtor declares bankruptcy, the collateral owed to the creditor has to be given. The debtor cannot keep it with himself. In certain cases, the property of the debtor is used to pay off the creditors also.

• Declaring bankruptcy does not absolve the debtor from the tax burdens, child support and other types of loans. He still will have to make provisions for those financial liabilities that he has to pay.

• In bankruptcy, mortgage or other collateralised loan will no be eliminated. Payments towards them will just be deferred until the issue of bankruptcy is cleared.

• In some countries, people who have declared bankruptcy will find difficult to get a job. Because declaring bankruptcy will raise a question on his character.

That is why declaring bankruptcy as a way of debt relief is not an intelligent move. In fact, it is a very disgraceful action that leaves a permanent black mark on ones credit report and character. Therefore, debtors resort to it as a last attempt to escape the debt trap. If the debtor has some sources to pay off his debt then the best course of action to get him out of the debt trap would be to opt for a suitable debt relief plan. He can make a plan debt relief for himself which would require a lot of self discipline to implement. Else, he can avail the services of a debt relief company that will help in devising a suitable debt relief plan for him based on his financial situation and repayment capability.

About the Author:

Milos Pesic is a professional Debt Management consultant who runs a highly popular and comprehensive Debt Consolidation web site. For more articles and resources on debt management, debt consolidation programs, free debt counseling and much more visit his site at:

=>http://debtpaid.info/

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com

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Some Basic Selling Ploys Can Help To Stop Foreclosures

Isn’t it time to give the home owners facing and trying to stop foreclosures a helping hand? So much advice is available (often for free) out there for first time buyers of foreclosures, but what if the home owner has never prepared to sell a house before. As the old hands at it will know, it can be a disruptive experience, time consuming and frustrating. Imagine how much more difficult it will be for the owner selling to avoid foreclosure in a cold market.

What is more difficult for the first time seller of a home she is in danger of losing when the lender calls in the collateral?
• There is no money for essential repairs,
• Little has been done for some time to spruce up the house,
• Pride will play a part, but most will know instinctively that explaining the true circumstances leading to selling will lower the offer price,
• She desperately needs the help of a realtor but knows this means less in the hand to cure the default and get a fresh start.

Here’s some great advice I have accumulated in the past that helps the mindset. Once you have made the decision to sell, it’s no longer your home; it becomes your "property", an asset you should realise at the best possible value. That goes a long way to remove emotion and have you thinking positive.

You have to have the right attitude about how to sell smartly when all traditional housing (as opposed to actual foreclosures) for sale around you has been for sale for months. From bitter experience you know prices are moving down. After all, you tried unsuccessfully to refinance.

Forget about what the property has cost you, how much you paid for alterations or additions, think only of comparable values in your immediate neighborhood. Comparable means in size, construction, amenities, and state of repair! When prices are trending down, houses that will sell first price ahead of the down curve. You don’t have the luxury of time; your debts are mounting. Price now for the next 3 months rather than list, discount, then list again meanwhile not getting a soul to show to.

Before you make the big decision as to whether paying commission to a realtor is most likely good value anyway, think about all the inexpensive ways you can give your property some curb attraction, something to give a good impression as the potential buyer comes to the front door. Have a thorough clean up and out of clutter and junk, from the entrance to the laundry, outside and in the closets inside. Find the pennies to pay for lawn mowing, and fixing dripping faucets. Cleaning is so important and sparkling windows and washed down paintwork costs so little yet adds so much to appearances. Not to mention the aroma and the attitude.

Philip Smith is the writer of http://www.Foreclosuredeals.com. Your Source of Stop foreclosures online.

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