My wheels!


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The ,000+ Corvette Z06 was on display but was, alas, not available to drive.

What Type of Auto Loan Should You Get?

The market today is flooded with all types of auto loan options that range from bad credit auto loans to auto loans for people who have good credit. For a person who is in the market for an auto loan this can be very confusing as it makes it hard for them to choose the right type of auto loan. This article will discuss the various types of auto loans offered so that you can understand which type of auto loan works best for you.

A quick auto loan, as the name suggests, is an auto loan which is processed in a hurry, and many times the lender will not check your credit report prior to approving the loan. Some quick auto loans can be approved in less than 24 hours making it a great option for anyone who is interested in getting an auto loan in a hurry. One of the biggest and unknown of drawbacks of quick auto loan is that it is often accompanied by a very high interest rate. This interest rate can some times be well over 10% making it an expensive option.

Most dealers offer car financing options to their clients. For some clients the dealer might offer an auto loan which allows them to drive off with their new car in just a few hours time. However as with the quick auto loan mentioned above the biggest drawback of this type of auto loan is that it’s really expensive. There are service charges, and other hidden charges in addition to the high interest rate charged. Many car dealers will also not extend an auto loan to people with bad or fair credit.

An auto loan offered by a bank or a financial intuition works best for most people. The interest rate on this auto loan is not very high but it’s still expensive. However banks are great for people who have good credit but then again people with good credit can always get much better interest rates from online lenders and other lenders as well. But this will require that people with good credit shop around both online as well as visit local lenders to find the best interest rate which they can get. This requires time as well as it can be a bit of a hassle.

Everything you always wanted to know about loans…
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Edvisors Network / Student Loan Network Holiday Party 2006


Image by Christopher S. Penn
Photos from the Holiday Party at Fleming’s in Boston.

All photos copyright Christopher S. Penn and the Financial Aid Podcast. Licensed under Creative Commons NONCOMMERCIAL no-derivatives by attribution.

Student Loan Consolidation Centers Should Have Common Options

A Student Loan Consolidation Center allows you to bring together several types of federal student loans with numerous repayment schedules into one loan with one monthly repayment. For example the executives at Chase Student loans centre and other companies like them target student loans for those with bad credit for college and graduate students, GE makes literature on its loans available to students at every grade level.

This section will shine a light on other sources of student loans with bad credit. There are a number of major lenders in the Student Loans Consolidation markets. It is best to search for student loan consolidation centers which offer minimal rates of interest. A student is qualified for a maximum of 1 percent reduction on the interest rate, if he pays on time for thirty six consecutive payments. While still attending school, students having federal direct loans are able to consolidate by means of the federal consolidation program provided by the government. Even student loans with bad credit options can be challenging to repay.

Most student consolidation loans fall into two categories. They are government student loans and private student loans. Student consolidation loan centers provide loans such as federal, Stafford, professional student loans, nursing student loans etc. The government loan consolidation centre is providing a student loan consolidation program which allows students to consolidate outstanding education loans into a single brand new loan. This is not limited to a single lender. Even if multiple lenders hold the loans, one can still opt to consolidate. After doing some research you will find that Student Loans Centre’s have unique programs and loan opportunities available. For example the lenders at Citizens Bank defer payment on their student loans during the first 6 months after the student has graduated, or has otherwise stopped attending classes.

Two popular online student consolidation loan centers are Internet student loans centre and US student loan consolidation centre. Next student is another popular student loan consolidating centre. It offers student loan payments lower by up to 60% or more. Sallie Mae loan consolidation centre offers federal consolidation loans. The Citibank student loan centre corporation is giving federal and private loan consolidation. Wachovia student consolidating loan centre is giving federal Stafford loans.

Students must only consolidate loans which are of variable or changing rates such as the Stafford Loans. Never consolidate on fixed-rate loans such as Perkins loans as there won’t be any financial benefit. Interest rates for college students who are already adults or on their way to sixth month grace period will be higher.

Debt Management 101: 7 Key Rules every Consumer Should Know

Individuals often feel overwhelmed when they come to a point in life where they must ask for help from a credit counselor or debt management specialist. Without some specific guidelines to assist them along the way, many may make poor decisions and, in the long run, only compound their original financial problems. But what is debt management, and what does it really involve?

Debt Management, defined simply, is a process by which debt is eased and eventually reduced through the managing of consumer assets and direct negotiation with creditors. Debt management is usually offered by qualified debt “counselors” or a certified debt management company. These debt management companies use what are called “debt management plans (DMPs)” by which consumers deposit set funds each month into specific accounts that are then used by the debt management company to pay off consumer credit card bills, student loans, medical bills or any other form of unsecured debt.

Choosing a debt management provider is not something that should be taken lightly. What do you look for when choosing a credit counselor or debt management firm? There are dozens of factors to consider, but these 7 key rules to choosing a credit/debt management firm can make the process less stressful and may get you much closer to financial comfort faster and easier then you ever thought possible.

1. Get a Referral – Ask someone who has been in a similar situation. Take time to ask questions, to determine if they had a good experience with a particular firm or a bad experience. Getting information directly from another consumer who has used credit counseling or debt management in the past is an excellent way to learn before you agree to pay for services. In addition, a reputable company should be willing to provide examples of good results, without revealing another person’s private information.

2. National Accreditation – While no specific national or state accreditation will guarantee success, there are organizations in the U.S. with the soul purpose of promoting high standards and ethical practices in the consumer credit industry. The American Association of Debt Management Organizations are one of the most prominent in this industry. Members of this organization specialize in credit counseling, debt management plans, budget/finance industry education and much more.

3. Better Business Bureau Membership – Contact the Better Business Bureau in your city or region and ask for information about the credit counselor or debt management firm you are considering. You may also want to talk to someone in the State’s Attorney or Attorney General’s office to see if the company has been the subject of any regulatory action. Finally, if the firm in question has a website, check to ensure it[s a member of the www.bbbonline.org online arm of the BBB and has been awarded its coveted "Reliability Program Online Seal."

4. For Profit vs. Non-Profit Experience - Many consumers have a misunderstanding about Not-For-Profit debt management companies vs. For-Profit companies. They both offer concessions for the consumer whereas some states require non-profit status before the company can do business in the state. Credit card companies fund most Not-For-Profit credit counseling companies with Grants and Fairshare deductions as a way for them to recover money from consumers who are currently not making their payments. The biggest difference is that a Not-For-Profit does not pay taxes whereas a For Profit does. Study the company carefully to see if it uses "non-profit" status simply as a marketing tool.

5. Excessive Costs - In recent years, credit card companies and other lenders have reduced some of the funding for credit counseling. This has led counseling firms to increase their fees. Some of these increases are reasonable, but consumers should be careful not to get involved with a company that charges a large upfront payment just to establish an account. A baseline of per month is a good guideline for an initial new debt management plan. In contrast, a credit counselor or debt manager should probably not charge a fee of more than 0 to establish your account and negotiate with your creditors. Some companies will waive their initial enrollment fees entirely if you can't afford them.

6. Real Education - Try to find a credit counselor or debt management professional who is sincere about giving you information that will help you deal with financial problems. You should not have to pay extra for CDs or videos that require you to learn on your own. If the person you are talking with does not or cannot provide satisfactory answers to your questions, find another company.

7. A Written Plan - A reputable credit counseling firm or debt management company will take time to review your situation, help you with budgeting and money management, and put your individual plan in writing. This personalized plan should include details on how creditors will be paid, as well as realistic goals for returning you to full financial health. Some firms even offer a free debt comparison quote which is an excellent way to see how much money you can save, what your new interest rate may be and how long it will take you to get debt free on your debt consolidation program right out of the gate. Unrealistic promises should not be part of the plan. For example, a debt management or credit-counseling firm does not have the authority to change your credit report nor should it ever imply it has done so in the past.

Coming face-to-face with financial trouble may seem to be more than you can handle, at first blush. Fortunately, there are many reputable credit counselors and debt management companies out there who can help get you started again in the right direction. Following these 7 simple guidelines when choosing a firm will go a long way in ensuring your final choice is also the best choice for your current financial circumstances.

The Student Loan en el CBA Santa Cruz


Image by Embajada de Estados Unidos en Bolivia

Should You Co-Sign on Someone’s Student Loans?

Anyone who has first-hand experience with student loan debt will tell you that the only way to eliminate it is to pay off your student loans.

Unlike other forms of consumer debt, student loans receive special protections under current laws ranging from collection to bankruptcy. This special status applies not only to the primary borrower (the student) but also to any co-signer on the student loan.

Student loans are one of the hardest types of debt to shake. Current U.S. bankruptcy law allows a court to discharge student loans in bankruptcy only in the narrowest circumstances. In fact, the legal requirements for discharging education loans are so formidable to meet that most bankruptcy attorneys avoid student loan cases altogether.

Since so few student loan borrowers qualify for bankruptcy discharge under the law, the vast majority of student loan debt is carried until the borrower repays the loan or dies — although some non-federal student loans even survive death, passing the debt on to the borrower’s co-signer.

Co-Signer Requirements of Student Loans

Most government-issued student loans don’t require a co-signer. Federal Stafford student loans and Perkins student loans are awarded to students without a credit check or co-signer. The one exception would be federal Grad PLUS loans, which are credit-based graduate student loans.

Federal PLUS loans for parents are also credit-based and may, in certain cases, require a co-signer for the parents to be able to take out the loan. However, the credit requirements for federal PLUS parent loans and for federal Grad PLUS student loans are much less stringent than the credit requirements for non-federal private student loans.

Private student loans are credit-based loans issued by private lenders or banks. Under current credit criteria, most students, who typically have little or no established credit history, will require a co-signer in order to qualify for a private student loan.

Typically, a co-signer is a relative who agrees to pay the balance of any co-signed student loans if the student fails to repay the loan, although a family relationship is not a requirement. A student may have an unrelated co-signer.

Federal Student Loans vs. Private Student Loans

Government-backed federal student loans come with certain payment-deferment and loan-forgiveness benefits. Borrowers who are having difficulty making their monthly student loan payments may be eligible for up to three years of payment deferment due to economic hardship, along with an additional three years of forbearance, during which interest continues to accrue, but no payments would be due.

For borrowers who are on the government’s income-based repayment plan, any outstanding federal college loans can be discharged prior to full repayment if the borrower has made her or his monthly student loan payments for 25 years. Borrowers who go to work for the government or the public sector can have their federal college loans forgiven after 10 years.

Federal college loans can also be forgiven in the event the borrower dies or becomes permanently disabled.

Non-federal private student loans, on the other hand, aren’t required to offer any of these payment-deferment or discharge provisions. It is at the lender’s discretion whether to offer a struggling borrower deferred or lower monthly student loan payments and even whether to discharge the private student loan upon the borrower’s death or permanent disability.

Without any special dispensations from the lender, private student loans will generally remain in repayment until the note is satisfied or charged off as a default, no matter how long the repayment process takes.

The Legal Implications of Co-Signing on Student Loans

A student loan co-signer has all the same legal responsibilities as the primary student loan borrower and has a legal obligation to repay the student loan debt under the same terms as the primary borrower. The co-signer is really a co-borrower and is equally responsible for repaying the co-signed student loans.

Unfortunately, too many co-borrowers realize this truth very late in the game.

If you’ve co-signed on someone’s student loans and your primary borrower makes all of her or his payments on the student loan on time and as planned, you may never hear from the lender. If your primary borrower starts missing payments or payment due dates, however, the lender will contact you.

Normally, by the time the lender is contacting you, the student loan you’ve co-signed is already past due, and your credit rating may have already taken a hit.

Keep in mind, too, that any legal remedies a lender has at its disposal for pursuing a student loan debt can also be applied to the co-signer. These legal remedies include assignment of the delinquent student loan account to a debt collection service and a possible court action. For delinquent federal education loans, the government may seek to garnish your wages or seize any income tax refunds you have coming your way.

In addition, delinquencies or a default on any student loans on which you’ve co-signed will appear on your own credit report with all the same adverse effects as on the primary borrower’s credit report. The debt from any co-signed student loans will also remain on your credit report as an open obligation until the debt is repaid (or written off in the event of a default).

4 Tips for Protecting Yourself as a Co-Signer on a Student Loan

So should you co-sign on a student loan? You can never predict the future, and unfortunate circumstances can derail even the best-intentioned and responsible student borrower.

If you do decide to co-sign on a student loan (or any other loan, for that matter), make sure you clearly understand what your responsibilities are and under what circumstances you would be expected to take over the note:

Have a firm understanding with your primary borrower about the repayment plan — you may even want to consider putting a signed, written agreement in place between the two of you — and stay in contact with the lender to make sure that the monthly student loan payments are being received on time and as agreed. If your primary borrower misses a payment date, contact her or him immediately to discuss the problem.
Work with the lender to ensure that you receive duplicate copies of monthly statements, and periodically check your credit report to make sure your credit is still in good standing. Also, bear in mind that being a co-signer on an outstanding student loan may reduce your overall creditworthiness since the student loan debt will be viewed as a liability.
If your primary borrower communicates to you that s/he is having difficulty making the monthly student loan payments, contact the lender immediately. For federal college loans, ask about your student loan deferment and forbearance options. Private student loans generally don’t offer the same deferment and forbearance benefits as federal student loans, but some private student loan lenders may be willing to discuss a deferred payment arrangement or alternative payment plan.
If your primary borrower misses a payment or stops making payments altogether, you’ll be expected to take over the student loan payments. You may have legal recourses with regard to the borrower, but those are separate from the legal obligations of the loan itself. The lender will be looking to you, as a co-signer, to make the monthly student loan payments until the primary borrower can resume responsibility for making the payments her or himself.

Peter Schiff talks with a college graduate that has nearly 0000 in student loan debt because of the government. This should be a blatantly clear example of why the government needs to get the hell out of the education sector. www.schiffradio.com twohundredthou.com
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Small Businesses Should Definitely Use Accounting Software

There is only one major difference between a big and a small company except the financial status. This difference is small business most often does not require a certified public accountant as a full time employee. Accounting is the financial process by which a business is able to summarize the costs it has borne and the profits it has made. Here are the top ten reasons why small businesses should invest in accounting software.

1. Productivity is increased by the use of Accounting

Though your company got adjusted to the paper work manually, it does not mean you can’t change it. Accounting is a high professionalism job. This software simplifies the whole process and handles a various financial calculations simply. By spending less time you can achieve more using a accounting software you can reduce error.

2. Banking processes get immense help by Accounting Software

The latest accounting software can also be linked to your banking account through Internet and the business banking information can be incorporated by the software.

3. The Good Bookkeeping value

Bookkeeping is an essential part of any business as it become important while tax return to the government. As Accounting software reduces the pain of the work so most accountant prefer it. It also saves the work a lot.

4. Using Accounting Information is convenient

Using accounting software is simple to send data and information to your tax consultant or to an outsource service provider through email to work on your accounting and financial data. For Small businesses this saves significant time and money.

5. Accounting Software can be easily accessible

Any small business accounting software like QuickBooks, Simply Accounting, Peachtree, MYOB, Microsoft office small business accounting , etc., are easy to install and use. All of the accounting software comes with manuals and tutorials for you to read and understand the software. Other option for small business is using Application Service provider (ASP), in this accounting software model small businesses can use other companies accounting software for a monthly fee.

6. Tax calculations can be made easy by this software

Small businesses like other businesses have several financial and tax responsibilities to keep in mind when preparing their quarterly and year-end financial statements. Accounting software greatly simplifies and helps you to pay your tax dues correctly and accurately without incurring any penalties and fines.

7. Best practices

Using accounting software small businesses can instantly increase their operational and business efficiency by the best practices offered by the accounting software.

8. Planning & forecasting are prime thing in this software

Accounting software can assist in keeping the small businesses in forecasting their current and future business strategies. They can easily compare their past and current data in various reports, graphs and can use their business data for planning and forecasting purposes.

9. Accounting Software can be combined with Other Software for Better Use

Most accounting software allow other software programs such as Microsoft Office and other related business application to simplify the data sharing

10. Accounting Software is versatile

Small businesses can not only keep a track of their expenditure, debts and receipts; but also create pay rolls, invoices, print checks, pay outstanding invoices, track overdue invoices, scheduled transactions, accounts payable, accounts receivable etc. Thus the software can help the small business keep a track of virtually all its financial dealings and ensure that no payment or bill is missed

Accounting Society Photoshoot


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Little Miss Jocelyn – Accounts