Life Insurance - Why Does Less Than Half The UK Population Have Cover?
September 30, 2009
Life Insurance - Why Does Less Than Half The UK Population Have Cover?
by: Michael Challiner
Less than 50% of the UK population has any form of life insurance cover, says Swiss Re, one of the largest insurance companies in the world. In their latest annual report they estimate that £4.2 trillion worth of insurance cover is needed whereas only £1.8 trillion has been taken up. That leaves an insurance gap of £2.3 trillion.
But in all probability, the gap is not that large. Firstly, there’s the people who are ruled out from having life insurance due to their age - just over 1 in 5 are under 18 years of age, the minimum for life insurance cover, and 1 in 6 are over 65 and they’re effectively uninsurable. Then there’s a raft of single folks aged between 18 and 65 without dependents, and for whom life insurance is just not necessary. Having said that, without doubt, there are still many families who desperately need life insurance but who don’t have cover.
Why do they hold back?
A Revolutionary Fundraising Opportunity — Life Settlements
September 29, 2009
Amid fundraisers’ growing concerns about the current charitable giving climate, dampened by the erratic stock market and shaky economy, a new fundraising opportunity has emerged ? Life Settlements.
What is a Life Settlement? A Life Settlement is the sale of an existing life insurance policy for a lump sum of cash that is more than the cash surrender value. A life insurance policy is property, like a car, house, stocks and bonds that can be legally sold in accordance with applicable laws. Through a Life Settlement, a policy owner can realize value today from an asset that is generally thought to only have a benefit when the insured passes away.
How can Life Settlements be used in Fundraising? There are many variations and complex estate and tax planning strategies that can be employed when utilizing Life Settlements in a planned giving program. However, in its simplest terms, a Donor who owns a life insurance policy gives the policy to the philanthropic organization that in turn immediately sells the policy for a lump sum of cash through a Life Settlement.
In order for a policy to be eligible for a life settlement, it must meet the following criteria:
- Insuring an individual over age sixty-five (65) or with a serious illness
Make Your Fortune In A Paper Business
September 28, 2009
Make Your Fortune In A Paper Business
by: Stephen Pope
The problem with some business ideas is their cost. To manufacture and market a product you have invented could cost you millions of dollars. The investment in machinery, buildings, inventory and other expenditures could bankrupt you before your first sale ever occurred.
For this reason, many prefer to run a paper business. Paper businesses do not require large investments of capital for expensive equipment, inventory, and buildings. Many paper businesses can be run from your own home.
A paper business is a business that can be operated mainly using pieces of paper, such as contracts, invoices, shipping documents, et cetera.
Here are some excellent paper businesses that you can operate.
1. Consulting
Consultants charge large fees for their knowledge, expertise, skills, connections, experience, and other assets. This business can be operated from home with little more than standard office equipment and supplies.
Consulting is a paper business because your product is an intangible service. Your results are often summarized in a written, paper report and you use written contracts to protect your interests.
2. Finding
Best Ways to Secure a Personal Loan
September 27, 2009
Best Ways to Secure a Personal Loan
by: John Mussi
If you are looking to borrow money over a period of less than ten years, whether you need the money for a purchase or perhaps to repay existing debt, then a personal loan may be suitable for your needs.
Unlike a home or auto loan, your personal loan is usually unsecured. This means that there is no collateral provided and the only guarantee that a borrower can give the lender is his reputation for good credit. This is also one of the main reasons why they have interest rates that are higher than most other loans.
Personal loans borrow an agreed sum of money for an agreed length of time, anywhere between five months and ten years. The lender offers you a personal loan because they make money by charging interest on it, though the interest rate can be either fixed or variable. In most cases you’ll get a decision within 24 hours.
Getting a secured loan can be tricky, but below are some steps that can make securing a personal loan easier.
Get Secured
What To Look For In Business Credit Cards
September 26, 2009
What To Look For In Business Credit Cards
by: Morgan Hamilton
Everybody needs credit and it is no different for a business. When establishing a businesses credit the first step is usually to get a business credit card. Business credit cards often differ from credit cards for personal use. It is good to know the difference between personal and business credit cards, as well as what to look for in a business credit card. Your businesses credit is as important, if not more than your personal credit, so knowing as much as you can about it is essential.
Knowing the difference between business and personal credit is the first step to getting a business credit card. Most card offers you get will be based on your personal credit and just have your business name on them. What this means is your business name will just get added to your personal credit report and this card will report to your personal credit. You will not be building credit for your business. In order to figure out if the credit offers you are getting are like this or not is to see what credit agency they report to. The business credit agencies are: Dun & Bradstreet, Experian Business, Equifax Business, Business Credit USA. If they report to anyone else then it will be based on your personal credit. You should ask if they have a business card you can get. This will allow you to build your business credit.
Choosing An Investment Stock Broker
September 26, 2009
If you want one.
And I don’t recommend any broker with whom to trade who will be giving you advice on what to buy and sell. When a broker speaks it is a eulogy for your money. My definition of a broker is one who makes you broker.
The reason I say this is that when I owned my brokerage company I hired and supervised over 300 brokers. The actual number of good traders I could count on one hand and have fingers left over.
Let’s understand that a broker is hired by a brokerage company for one reason - to generate commission, not to make you money. He is trained to analyze stocks or mutual funds, but not to protect your capital. Pitifully, he thinks he is. They never tell you to sell before a stock falls to 50% of its value. Most of the time brokers are left to themselves as to what they recommend to their customers, but there are many brokerage houses that will insist that they push some particular stock of the day or new Initial Public Offering (IPO). Many times he has a quota - and you’re “it”.
Second Mortgage a Good First Step
September 25, 2009
Second Mortgage a Good First Step
by: Mike Hamel
A second mortgage can be the first step to climbing out of debt, especially for homeowners who have bad credit. A second mortgage is a loan taken out in “second position” on a property that already has a mortgage. There are fixed-rate loans, adjustable-rate loans and home equity lines of credit (also known as HELOCs). Fixed-dollar-amount mortgages are the way to go when you need all the money at once. A HELOC is a credit line that can be drawn upon as needed up to the limit of the loan.
“Bad Credit” Second Mortgages
Your right to credit is guaranteed by the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. You can’t be denied credit based on race, gender, marital status or ethnicity. But how much money you can borrow and how much interest you will be charged will depend on your credit score.
Credit is easy to get and hard to control. Not using it properly will get you a low FICO score from the three major credit bureaus. Generally, a score of 680 or better signifies good credit. Scores in the 680-620 range are still considered good, but will cause creditors to take a second look before lending you money. 620 and lower, and you are in the bad credit range.
Choosing the Right Loan Term for You
September 24, 2009
Choosing the Right Loan Term for You
by: John Mussi
Your personal situation will determine the best kind of loan for you. By asking yourself a few questions, you can help narrow your search among the many options available and discover which loan suits you best. Do you expect your finances to changeover the next few years? Are you planning to live in this home for a long period of time? Are you comfortable with the idea of a changing mortgage payment amount? Do you wish to be free of mortgage debt as your children approach college age or as you prepare for retirement? Considering these factors will help you determine the best loan term for you.
Know the Difference
The term of the loan that you take out will be the number of years over which you will repay this loan. The most common terms are 15 years and 30 years. If this loan has a “balloon” payment, the loan term will be shorter than the number of years to amortize the loan. For example, a loan with a 5-year term amortized over 30 years will have the same monthly payment as a 30-year loan with the same interest rate. The difference is the 30-year loan will have equal payments for 30 years. The 5-year loan will have equal payments for 5 years and then a very large, or balloon, payment for the remaining balance.
The Advantages of Airline Credit Cards
September 23, 2009
The Advantages of Airline Credit Cards
by: Morgan Hamilton
Credit card companies are becoming very competitive. With the use of credit cards becoming an everyday part of life, credit card companies are scurrying to get your business. Many credit card companies have teamed up with other companies to offer rewards or perks to users. Airlines are one of the top companies that they have team up with. Travel and credit go hand in hand to provide the customer with free air miles for purchases they make on their credit card. Airline credit cards have many advantages for the frequent traveler.
Airline credit cards have a major credit card company backing it, but also displays the airlines logo or name. As you make purchases you earn points towards these airline miles. Most airline cards have a certain number of points you must gain before earning a free ticket. It is important to read the details about a card before signing up so you understand how the point system works. Shopping around is always a good idea, as an airline may have ties with a few different cards.
Bootstrap Financing Your Way To Business Success
September 22, 2009
Bootstrap Financing Your Way To Business Success
by: Stephen Pope
Do you need to start or grow your business but have little money? Before you look to banks and similar sources of financing, why not bootstrap your way to business success?
A bootstrap is a small loop of leather or other material that is found on the top rear or sides of a boot. The purpose of the bootstrap is to help you pull your boot on.
In business, bootstrapping has come to mean helping oneself without seeking outside help. It means using your own resources to finance, promote, and develop your business.
Here, then, are some ways of financing your own business by using your own initiative and depending less on outside bank financing.
1. Operate a Home-Based Business
Operating your business from home could save you a fortune. First of all, you eliminate the costs of expensive commercial rent, commuting, et cetera.
As well, your business use of home expenses would be deductible for income tax purposes. Since your home is your base of operations, your travel and automotive expenses from your home to clients would be deductible.
