Do You Know Where To Look For Cheap Mortgage Protection? By Simon Burgess

Cheap mortgage protection is possible to find but you do have to know where to look for it. Taking out mortgage protection alongside your borrowing can add hundreds more onto the cost of the cover than it needs to. A far better way to buy your protection is to go with a standalone specialist provider. You can get quality cheap mortgage protection if you choose to buy the cover independently.

Another reason why you should take the cover with a specialist is the information regarding the exclusions that almost all specialists should make available. You have to read the key facts of mortgage protection before buying as this is where you will find the exclusions and terms and conditions which could mean a policy would not be suitable for your circumstances. It is also where you can find out how much the cover will cost in total.

The exclusions can vary from provider to provider but there are some that are common to all policies. If you work part time, are self-employed, suffer a pre-existing medical condition or you are of retirement age then you probably would not be eligible to claim. However do check the small print for additional exclusions relating to the provider.

If the mortgage payment protection insurance policy is suitable then it can give you the money needed each month to continue repaying your mortgage if you were to be off work due to suffering an accident, sickness or through unemployment. Cover would start to pay out anywhere between the 31st and 90th day and would then continue with a tax free income for between 12 and 24 months. You have to read the key facts to determine the terms and conditions of the policy you are considering taking out along with the exclusions as these vary depending on providers.

Cover has been mis-sold in the past and faith in payment protection products has waivered as a result. However, changes for the better which will be seen in March 2008 with the introduction of comparison tables and it is hoped these will begin to restore confidence in the product. The tables will be based on a series of questions, when answered correctly the consumer will know which cover is most suitable for their circumstances. The tables will also point out the exclusions in a policy and make sure the consumer understands how much the cover will cost in total. It is worth checking for eligibility of the cover as the State cannot be relied upon to provide you with the money needed to pay your mortgage. Even if you are eligible to receive help the financial assistance you are given might not be enough to save the roof over your head.

When taken out correctly cheap mortgage protection can give you a safety net and provide you with an income but you have to choose a policy very carefully. Choosing to take your cover with a specialist provider is the only way to get cheap mortgage protection and also be assured of having a quality product. As a specialist is more ethical and does not put profits ahead of the consumer you can buy with peace of mind that the policy is backed up by experience in selling payment protection products.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=210610&ca=Finances

Forex Trading Software - First Rule You Need To Know Before You Start By Wlad Wagner

So, now you are a forex currency trader. But how can you avoid the risk of losing money if you are a newbie? I think many newbie traders would like to have an experienced successful adviser, who could help both newbie or experienced trader, someone who could teach them how to trade without losing money.

Before you start or continue trading, you need to know the main rule of successful forex traders: you should use your own forex trading system. You can ask: why is this system so important? It is very simple. If you don't have your own successful trading system you may lose your money after only 1 or 2 weeks. It's very difficult to be a successful trader without using a tried and tested system. For many people trading is a gamble. They try to start trading as soon as possible and make money too quickly. This usually leads to losing on the first trade. Many successful traders have their own strategies that have proven their effectiveness.

But the problem is - it can take many years before you you'll find this strategy, and also it will take some time to test how well it works. Yes this is true - some traders develop their strategies over 2 or more years! Here's a simple test for you - Check your trading results for the last 3 Months. - Do you have your own rules? Do you make profits consistently? Is your capital growing every week / month? - If all answers are 'yes' - you have already your own forex trading strategy. But if any questions were answered 'no' - Stop your trading immediately! You're losing your funds and you need to make some changes.

The easy way to change your losses to profits - Get an already working trading strategy from traders who are already making money! These successful traders have incorporated their trading strategies into a piece of forex trading software that helps traders make their decisions immediately. You need to be using software that gives you exact buy/sell signals.

This forex trading software will alert you about the best opportunities at the right moments - Because the program calculates many forex indicators and follows all trading rules automatically. So there isn't the 'human-error' factor. Ask yourself - do you say sometimes 'It was a bad day today...' I'll tell you why this is bad day for you. Because you think this is a bad day... and you made mistakes in your trading and lost money today. This software doesn't know about 'bad' days. It just follows the trading rules without emotion to make profits for you.

Every successfully trader uses a few strategies to increase their profits, and minimize losses. The simpler a strategy is, the better it is. I started to use an already proven and working forex trading system after an experienced professional trader gave this advice to me. And this helped me a lot. I think for many new traders or people who have some problems with it right now 'I mean losses' this will be a good opportunity to turn your losses into profits.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=210717&ca=Finances

Cheap Mortgage Protection Insurance Is Just A Click Away By Simon Burgess

Cheap mortgage protection insurance is just a click away when you do your searching for the cover online with an independent specialist provider. A specialist provider will help you to make huge savings on what could be valuable cover providing you have checked the exclusions against your current circumstances. These can be found in the small print of the policy and must be read before buying mortgage payment protection insurance because a lack of knowledge regarding them could make a policy useless.

Common exclusions to all policies include if you are of retirement age, are self-employed, you are suffering from an ongoing illness or if you only work in part time employment. While these are the most typical to look out for, there can be others defined by the provider so you have to check them to be sure that you would be eligible to make a claim.

Cheap mortgage protection can be a very valuable lifeline if you were to come out of work after suffering from an accident, if you should suffer an illness which was bad enough to keep you off work for some time or if you were to be made unemployed by way of unexpected redundancy. A policy would begin to pay out from anywhere between the 31st and 90th day and the tax free income would give you the money each month so that you would have peace of mind. You would have to continue repaying your mortgage and the State cannot be relied upon to give you a helping hand even if you were entitled to receive any. Providing a policy is suitable to your circumstances then it could be an essential lifeline for between 12 and 24 months which means you would have time to get back on your feet or find another job.

You should never be tempted to take out the cover alongside the mortgage at the time of taking it out with the high street lender. While this might seem like the easiest option to buying the cover, it is without a doubt one of most expensive ways of taking out this valuable protection along with the riskiest. Cover sold alongside the mortgage comes with very little information regarding the exclusions and key facts and as such has been mis-sold to consumers who cannot claim against a policy.

Mis-selling was brought to attention in 2005 when the Office of Fair Trading received a super complaint from the Citizens Advice. At the same time, the Financial Services Authority began an investigation in to the sector. Following this several names on the high street were fined for mis-selling cover and even though changes for the better have been seen most recently a mortgage firm was fined. However not only was the firm fined but also the Chief Executive of the firm, who was the first to receive a personal fine.

If you want not only cheap mortgage protection insurance but also the peace of mind that you have the information you need and a quality policy then go online to a standalone specialist provider. All ethical providers will give you access to the key facts and exclusions which means you can make an informed decision regarding suitability.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=210611&ca=Finances

Income Protection Insurance Could Give You A Replacement Income By Simon Burgess

While losing your income is something that the majority of us never give much thought to, it can happen and if you were to suddenly find yourself out of work due to an accident, sickness or through unemployment then you could be left struggling financially. Income protection insurance could give you a replacement income with which to continue repaying your essential outgoings and give you security.

The majority of income protection insurance policies would begin to pay out once you had been off work for a continuous period which can be anywhere between 31 and 90 days after the event and depending on the provider. The amount of time that a policy will pay can also vary but it is usually somewhere between 12 and 24 months, again dependant on the provider.

Buying cover from a standalone provider is the best way to secure yourself the cheapest premiums for the cover and the cost can vary tremendously. It is essential to check the small print or key facts of the policy before you buy because this is what will allow you to decide if income protection insurance is right for your circumstances.

While providers can add in exclusions there are some that are typcail to most policies. If you are in self-employment, retired, only working part time or suffering a pre-existing medical condition then a policy would not be in your best interests. By shopping with a specialist for the cover you will be given access to the key facts and exclusions which makes determining if you would be eligible easier.

In the past income protection insurance has and in fact still does give cause for concern. This came about after the Citizens Advice made a super complaint to the Office of Fair Trading. Following this an investigation by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) began which resulted in several high street names being given fines. The Competition Commission began a review of the sector which is still ongoing and the FSA continue to keep the sector under their watchful eye.

Recently the FSA announced that while some changes have been made to the way that cover is sold, many firms are still not following guidelines properly. Just recently a mortgage firm was fined and not only was the company fined but also the Chief Executive, who was handed a personal fine. Clearly many more changes still need to be made to make the products more transparent to the consumer and it is hoped this will be seen in March 2008. Comparison tables will appear which should make choosing such as income protection insurance easier. The tables will ask a series of questions which will lead to the consumer being able to tell which product would be in their best interest and also tell the about exclusions and how much the cover will cost.

For now the safest option you can take when it comes to buying income protection insurance is to stick with a standalone specialist for your cover and be sure that your policy will come with the key facts needed and is backed up by experience in selling protection cover of quality.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=210614&ca=Finances

Buying Cheap Personal Checks Online By Mads Petterson

Well, you have your check. It’s pretty much the basic ones with the basic design – pretty boring actually. And your colleague takes out his check, and you peer in to look, and you saw his picture smack right at the middle of the check! Now, that isn’t boring. That’s classic. There’s nothing like saying, “I issue this check.” There’s nothing more personal than having your own picture printed on your own check.

However, it might not necessarily be your picture. If you’re not too comfortable with constantly staring at your smiling face as you issue money off your bank account, it could be someone else’s picture. It wouldn’t have to be your wife’s picture either despite her nagging that you put it in to remind you that she’s checking the books every month. What matters is that it is personal to you. It is extremely satisfying to have your own customized or personalized check. It is even more satisfying if you were able to get it at a much discounted price!

Introduction to Cheap Personal Checks

Cheap personal checks are basically checks that are customized according to the owners’ preference. If you are fairly artistic and you like colors, it would be expected that you would like somewhat modern-looking checks with various shades of color and quite unique prints.

Nowadays, cheap personal checks are fairly common. It is one of the most common means of paying for debts, services or goods. This is not surprising since these allow for a fast and convenient flow of transactions. You don’t have to actually carry thousands of dollars with you. You can enter into transactions and close deals without passing a single actual bill to the other party. This gives a lot of security against theft. Checks can also easily pass off as receipts when the bearer presents the check to the drawee bank with the latter accepting it and eventually returning the check to the drawer.

Order Online Personal Checks

It is quite easy to order cheap personal checks online. These checks basically resemble the usual or basic bank checks that you see. However, what makes a personal check unique is the exclusive pattern, style or design that you would choose to have imprinted on the check. It could be anything else – your daughter, your dog, Celine Dion, or even Brad Pitt! You could find a lot of companies online that offer to sell cheap personal checks including top-tear checks and duplicate checks.

The one good thing about these cheap personal checks is that they also come with security features to protect you against fraud, falsification and theft. Typically, security features like micro-print and water-mark seal ensures the safety of the owner of the check.

Get Your Personal Checks Cheap!

You don’t have to spend huge amounts of money to have your very own customized or personalized checks. There are a lot of online companies that are willing to produce and sell to you your personal check at a fairly competitive or cheap price. Usually, you’d save a lot of money by going directly to online printers because you do away with the middlemen who are out to profit from your check. You would be able to avoid getting charged at a much higher price that you’d be willing to pay.

However, if you really want to make sure that you’d be able to get your personal check at extremely low prices, the secret is to wait for online promos and offers wherein online companies narrow down their prices for a box of checks. You would also be able to get more discounts as you order for more personal checks. You would typically get your order within a week or so. So, if you’re considering having your face printed on your checks, you might as well scour the Internet for discounts.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=210315&ca=Finances

Home Insurance Needs Careful Consideration By David Thomson

When thinking of taking out home insurance you have to give it some very careful consideration especially when it comes to determining how much cover you actually need. If you do not take out enough cover then you are leaving yourself open to problems if the worse comes to the worse and you have to replace everything in your home due to fire, for example. Take out too much and you will be paying for cover that you do not need.

Not only is the amount of home contents insurance confusing but also where you have to buy the cover. Many individuals believe that they have to take the cover out that is offered by when you take out your mortgage. In fact 2.9 million of the policies that are sold are bought from the high street lender which means they are probably paying way over the odds for their cover. High street lenders jump onto all types of insurance and try pushing it alongside offering a cheap mortgage or loan and home insurance is no exception and is just one more way of boosting profits.

Home insurance has to be shopped around for just the same as with any type of insurance, the premiums do vary depending on the provider and if you go with an independent broker then they will be able to shop around on your behalf and can often get special internet or broker deals, which will save you even more money. By doing so they will be able to gather together the cheapest premiums and along with this will make sure that you have access to the key facts which will explain clearly how much the cover will cost.

A good indication as to how much you need to insure your home contents for is to go around and jot down all the contents of your home including clothing, electrical equipment, accessories in your kitchen and any other items that you would have to replace in the event that you lost everything. Even the cost of CDs, DVDs and expensive cosmetics can all add up, you’d be really surprised.

And if you lost everything, you’d have to replace it all, right from the carpets upwards. That is why getting the right amount of insurance cover is so important.

However you do have to take into account that certain items in your home might not be covered under a standard policy. For example if you have an extensive collection or jewelery collection then you might have to take out extra cover. Even your bicycle may need to be insured separately.

It is also essential that just because you got the cheapest premiums for home contents insurance one year it does not necessarily mean that you will get the cheapest premiums again by just renewing it. Loyalty is not often rewarded by brokers. Premiums can vary greatly from year to year and you can get a better deal by going back to a broker and allowing them to search on your behalf.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=210326&ca=Finances

Loan Payment Protection Insurance Still Facing Problems By Simon Burgess

Despite the fact that the Financial Services Authority (FSA) investigated the payment protection insurance (PPI) sector and set out guidelines which those selling the cover were to follow, over 4,000 cases of mis-selling are being investigated in 2007. While this fact alone is bad enough, the figure is twice that of the year before, giving consumers cause for concern when buying loan payment protection insurance.

It was hoped that mis-selling would cease following on from the FSA, Office of Fair Trading and Competition Commission investigations, but with the figure doubling it seems that much more has to be done if mis-selling is to end. The majority of mis-selling occurs with the high street lenders who sell the cover alongside their loans, putting huge profits ahead of the consumer’s best interests. Loan protection is a huge profit maker which rakes in over £4 billion a year and greedy high street lenders do not want to lose this profit margin.

A far better way to purchase loan payment protection insurance is to take out the cover with a standalone specialist provider. Always make sure when taking out a loan or credit card that the cover has not been included because although this should be mentioned it has been known to have been included without the consumer being aware. A specialist provider will be more ethical and will make sure the consumer has access to the key facts of the cover and so known about the exclusions which could stop them from being eligible to claim. Common exclusions include if you only work part time, suffer a pre-existing illness, are of retirement age or are self-employed but there can be others.

Once you have checked the exclusions to determine if loan payment protection insurance would be suitable then cover could begin to provide you with a tax free income from between the 31st and 90th day of being out of work. If you continued to be out of work then the cover would provide you with an income to take care of your monthly loan repayments for between 12 and 24 months. This would give you great peace of mind and help to keep you out of debt at the very least.

A change for the better is on the horizon with the introduction of comparison tables in March 2008. It is hoped that the comparison tables will lead to the family of protection policies being more transparent to the consumer and so are able to decide which product would be more suitable. This will be achieved by a series of questions which the consumer will answer and lead to the right payment protection product. Along with this information will be given regarding the exclusions and also the total cost of the protection which means the consumer is able to make an informed decision regarding the suitability of the product.

While the comparison charts are a step in the right direction when it comes to the consumer getting the right advice they cannot replace the advice and information an independent specialist provider can give. They also cannot change the fact that a standalone provider will offer the cheapest premiums for loan payment protection insurance which can save you hundreds of pounds on the cover.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=210617&ca=Finances

UK Loan Protection Insurance Can Give You Peace Of Mind And Security By Simon Burgess

UK loan protection insurance gives you an income each month so you are able to continue paying your loan repayments and not get into debt if you were to come out of work through an accident, sickness or unemployment.

The cover will begin to payout from between the 31st and 90th day of being out of work and would then continue to provide you with a tax free income for between 12 and 24 months depending on the provider. It is essential that you do shop around for the cover because it varies greatly between providers; the exclusions vary as does the cost of the premiums. Buying the cover with an independent provider will mean that you get the cheapest premiums possible which can save you a lot of money and along with this they will give you the key facts so that you can determine if the policy is suitable.

Some of the most common exclusions include if you are self-employed, are retired, working part time or if you suffer from a pre-existing medical condition at the time of going for the cover. There can be additional conditions set out by the provider so it is imperative that you do read the small print.

UK loan protection insurance is usually offered at the time of taking out the loan or credit card and is sometimes even pushed alongside the cover without making the consumer aware that there are conditions which could mean a policy would be useless. This was highlighted in 2005 when the Financial Services Authority began an investigation into the sector which resulted in fines being handed out to several well known names on the high street. The payment protection industry is also currently under review by the Competition Commission who recently announced that high street lenders are raking in as much as 80% from selling the cover alongside cheap loans.

One change which will be seen for the better is the introduction of comparison tables in March 2008, the tables will show the consumer how much the cover will cost and also make them aware that there are exclusions in all policies. The tables will also ask a series of questions which will then lead to the consumer being able to make the right decision regarding which type of payment protection would be the most suitable for their circumstances.

While some changes for the better have been made clearly many more still need to be made if the cover is to become more transparent. For now the only way to buy a quality product along with the key facts attached so you are able to make an informed decision as to whether UK loan protection insurance is suitable is if you stick with an independent specialist. Always be sure to read the small print with any policy that you are considering taking out as this is what led to the majority of mis-selling and a loss of faith in payment protection products. It is important to remember that it is not the products which are at fault but those selling them without the necessary experience which were to blame.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=210885&ca=Finances

Trusting Your Kid With A Student Credit Card By Tom Tessin

As a parent, you want your children to be very responsible once they head off to college. Whether they are attending a local university or they are attending a college one thousand miles away, you truly care for them. When you think about your child going off to college, you tend to worry about their safety and financial status. You not only want your child to be safe but have enough money to get by each day.

As your children grow old and reach the ripe age of 18, they are considered an adult in the United States. Not only can they now buy cigarettes and lottery tickets, they can also apply for a student credit card. Before your child goes dipping into the credit card market, you’re going to want to point out a few things to them even if they don’t tend to listen. Like a alcohol or drug lecture, a credit card lecture should be taken very serious just as important.

Why should a parent talk to their child about a credit card? It’s simple. A credit card Is your child’s financial future. You want to make sure that they don’t start spending money that they don’t have. If they already have student loans, a credit card may be a bad idea. The more debt you have when you graduate means the harder you’re going to have to work to pay it off. A credit card is just going to make it worse.

Before your child heads off to school, you’ll want to point out a few things they should look for when applying for a card. The first thing is that they should never ever apply for a card that is pushed into their face at a campus. They won’t get to know the details of the card and most of the times; they will find themselves getting ripped off. The only reason they will apply for this card is for the stupid t-shirt of free burrito.

The most important thing you’ll want to tell your child is that they research their credit cards online. You will want them to look into the rewards and most importantly, the APR rate. The APR as you know by now is the interest they will pay on the balance they don’t pay off in full. It’s wise to tell them right off the bat that they treat their credit card as if it were a gift card with a set limit on it or better yet, a debit card. Make sure that you drill into their head that you can’t spend more than what you have.

As you know by now, it’s hard to bury knowledge into a child’s head. It’s even harder when they turn 18. This of course is the age that they think they know everything and don’t need the advice. If you just sit them down or print them up a little sheet on how to build your credit, you can at least say you tried.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=210187&ca=Finances

Giving A Little Something Back With Charity Credit Cards By Morgan Hamilton

A sizeable percentage of all modern commerce occurs on credit cards. The internet has increased the amount of business done on credit cards since all internet purchases require electronic forms of payment (i.e. not cash and only rarely checks) and the internet marketplace is continuously increasing. As any good business person knows, a small percentage of a large number can be a large number as well. This little bit of mathematical truth has enabled an entire industry dedicated to unique benefits based credit cards.

Airline credit cards are probably the most well known example. Consumers who have airline credit cards typically earn a small number of points redeemable as air miles every time they make a charge on their airline credit cards. Those who are interested in charitable causes but never seem to have the time or money to volunteer or make a sizeable donation can use their credit purchase rewards to donate money to their favorite charity by using charity credit cards. Charity credit cards make it easy for even the busiest consumer to make a difference in the world by supporting a charity.

Charity credit cards come in a variety of types. Perhaps the most common type of charity credit cards is environment charity credit cards. These charity credit cards typically use a small percentage of the finance charge, usually less than one percent of the charity credit card's balance, to fund a charitable environmental organization. Humans' rights charities, charities to help the homeless, abused women and children charities, and a number of other notable organizations also have charity credit cards.

No philanthropy is without price, and this applies to charity credit cards. The amount of the charitable contribution comes directly out of the consumer's pocket in the form of increased interest rates or fees. However, the good news is that donations made via charity credit cards are usually tax deductible. This means card holders should be sure to keep their statements so that they can claim the deduction at tax time.

Charity credit cards make donating to charity a fairly simple process. By simply making a purchase using charity credit cards, it is possible for the consumer help fund charitable work that is important to him or her. Since the amount contributed to the charitable organization on charity credit cards is tax deductible, the account holder is able to receive a break at tax time in exchange for their donation.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=118300&ca=Finances

Depreciation and Your Business

Depreciation and Your Business

Depreciation is the systematic deduction of the worth of assets that are used in production. The assets are the capital investments a company makes to enable production of goods or services. They include equipments and machinery, vehicles, and buildings among others. They are not recorded as expenses. Because these are resources, they are assigned a useful life span. Based on an estimate of the life of an asset minus the salvage value, entities are allowed to distribute the worth of the asset over the period of use of the asset measured in years in most cases. What this means is that at the end of each year, the worth of the asset is deducted because it is no longer expected to as productive as it was at the beginning of the year. There are different methods of depreciation.

Straight-line Depreciation:

The straight-line depreciation method allows entities to calculate the worth of an asset and distribute an even deduction of the amount on a yearly basis over the life of the asset. In this case the cost of the asset minus the estimated salvage value divided by the estimated useful life of the asset. The salvage value is what the asset is expected to fetch when sold at the end of its useful life.

Straight-line depreciation can also be measured in units-of production. In this case, the cost of each unit is calculated and that cost is multiplied by the number of units produced in every given year and that amount is deducted as the depreciated value of the asset. In this case, the cost minus the estimated salvage value divided by the estimated total units to be made.

Accelerated Depreciation:

In the accelerated depreciation method the basic premise consists of depreciating a greater part of the value of the asset in the earlier life of the asset which would be reflected as a greater cost and less income in the financial statement. In this case, either the sum-of-the–years’ digits or the double-declining method is used. In this method, the annual depreciation expense is the cost minus the estimated salvage value and that is multiplied by the remaining life in years divided by the sum-of-the-years’ digits.

An alternative accelerated depreciation method the double-declining method. In this case the straight-line depreciation rate is doubled before being multiplied by the cost minus the salvage value.

Annual Depreciation expense is equal; double straight-line depreciation rate multiplied by the asset’s net value.

The straight-line rate is calculated by one divided by the life in years multiplied by one hundred.

What is depreciation used for?

Depreciation has a tax value. It does not result in a tax return but companies deduct the depreciated value and taxes are based on post depreciated amounts. For this reason, the Internal Revenue Service came up with guidelines and publications on how to handle depreciation.

Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS).

MACRS is an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) standard by which companies depreciate assets. Under this act, assets were classified under specific categories with each category having specific depreciation methods including 150% declining balance method for machinery. Also, under this code the recovery method was lengthened. This ensures that though the double-declining method allows for earlier or quicker depreciation of an asset, depreciation will be more leveled out as apposed to a steep curve. One of the categories in MACRS remained specific to buildings which instead of depreciating generally appreciate in value or have a longer life span. MACRS maintained a straight-line method for buildings.

“Depreciation is not an attempt to recognize a loss in market value or any value between the original cost and replacement cost of an asset.”

Small Business Finance : Nurturing the Businessman in you With Adequate Cash

It is difficult for businessmen to concentrate towards the growth of his business if he is short of finances. Also financial help is a must for people who want to start their own business. Small business finance helps you with all your financial needs. It is meant for small business houses and can be availed in two forms secured and unsecured small business finance. It is also open to people suffering from bad credit history.BASIC INFORMATION ON SMALL BUSINES FINANCEAs the name suggests small business finance is meant to provide financial help to small business houses. You can also avail small business finance if you want to start your own venture. Small business finance is basically of two types, secured small business finance and unsecured small business finance. To avail secured small business finance you will have to place one of your properties as collateral against the loan amount. This can be any of your property like car, home, bank account etc. Placing a security helps you to avail small business finance with lower interest rate and flexible repayment duration. Also you can avail large amount of money by placing collateral of high equity. On the other hand no such collateral is needed to avail unsecured business finance, but the interest rate is slightly higher compared to secured business finance and also the repayment duration is shorter. Small business finance can also is availed by people suffering from bad credit history.SMALL BUSINESS FINANCE: ADVANTAGESSmall business loans are advance to businessmen running small business or those who want to start their own venture. Small business finance is available in both forms, secured and unsecured small business finance. If you don’t want to risk your property you can avail unsecured small business finance, but if you want to avail loan at low interest rate secured business finance is the best option for you. Small business finance open to all be it good credit borrower or bad credit borrower. Anyone suffering from arrears, defaults, CCJ, IVA, bankruptcy etc can also avail the benefits of small business finance.SMALL BUSINESS FINANCE: SUGGESTIONWhile applying for loan, always give preferences to a well known lender having good reputation in the market. Also search well before applying for loan. With good research you can avail a lender offering small business finance at reasonable interest rate. Small business finance is the best option for small business house and for people wants to start their own venture.

Importance of Trade Finance & Structured Trade Finance for Importers and Exporters of Commodities?

Trade finance is the method importers and exporters of commodities and goods use to finance their business. Basically, trade finance has been in existence for many thousands of years - and one can trace the roots of trade finance and structured trade finance right back to the early days of China and the silk route, Mesopotamia and Europe. Trade Finance was around long before Europeans settled in America and long before the world’s stock markets were born! Today, trade finance is a massive, multi-billion dollar business. As the world trades more and more goods and commodities are bought and sold, so more and more banks and financiers are needed to lend money to finance the purchase and sale of these goods and commodities - right across the global supply chain.How is trade finance and structured trade finance useful?Take an example: imagine you are a trader in cocoa beans in Cote d’Ivoire, buying beans locally and selling them to foreign buyers. To make your purchases, you will need to have money to buy the cocoa up-country in Africa, prior to their export. Where will you find money to make these purchases? And supposing you are the international buyer; the shipper, purchasing from cocoa traders all over West Africa - how will you finance your transactions, which at any one time may exceed your cash reserves? What might be supported by your bank who, if they are traditional lenders, will only lend against your balance sheet?This is where trade finance and structured trade finance is useful – your business can grow and develop if you use the services of a specialist trade finance department who will structure trade finance structures can be tailored to your needs, using the collateral of the goods you are trading, rather than your own balance sheet or other assets.What is the basis of trade finance and structured trade finance?Goods and commodities have an underlying value of their own. For example, if cocoa beans are worth many hundreds or even thousands of dollars per tonne, then once a big pile of beans is accumulated in one place; in a warehouse or on a ship, it is worth a lot of money. A bank may lend money against the total value of the beans, minus some amount to take account of price and other risks. It is the same for every commodity or trade good which is resalable. A bank will make a loan as long as the collateral “adds up” and as long as the bank is comfortable with the way the deal is structured between both the buyer and the seller. Of key importance is that if something goes wrong the bank is able to take possession of the commodities or goods and sell them to realise monies to repay any loan amounts outstanding.Basically, when we talk of structured trade finance we are talking of deals whereby complex arrangements are put in place to ensure a bank can take possession and sell the underlying capital used for the loan; in this example, the goods and commodities themselves.Is trade finance complicated?No. It is a simple business although the structures used in trade finance in more complex deals require a lot of work for all of the parties involved. This is why the total loan amount of a structured trade finance loans must be high enough to warrant the involvement of highly-paid bankers, lawyers and other advisers.Where can I find out more about trade finance and structured trade finance?Day Robinson Group has offices in London and New Delhi and is one of the world’s foremost providers of training in the trade finance sector. For more information, you can visit our site at: http:///www.dayrobinson.com or you can contact the author of this article, Dan Day-Robinson at Day Robinson International in the UK (ddr@dayrobinson.com).