Category Archives: financial services

Life InsuranceThere is an assortment of Life insurance policies obtainable to protect a person, as well as their belongings in the happening of a crisis such as car insurance, health insurance, home insurance, fire insurance, and the list, goes on and on. However, between these, the most well-known by far would have to be life insurance.Protecting The FutureLife Insurance is specially designed to protect an individual’s family by providing benefits payable to them when the individual dies. Throughout life, we all have financial commitments whether it’s a house payment, car payment, medical bills, credit card debt, etc. The point is when you die those bills are left, for your family, to deal with.If you’re the chief resource of income for your relations, then think about how your family will survive, if something will happen to you. Providing money for your family, after you die, is what life insurance is all about.

The benefits your family collects from a life insurance policy could help pay off a mortgage, send a child to college, as well as protect the financial future of your spouse.In the past time, it was always promoted that the husband needs life insurance, but with a wife working and bringing an income to the house, it is also essential that she is covered, as well.How Much Coverage You NeedWhen determining how much coverage you need, key factors require to concentrate such as the type of lifestyle you are accustomed to, the amount of your current debts, how many children you have, and your main source of income.

Oftentimes, an insurance agent, will recommend individuals purchase a life insurance policy up to ten times their gross annual income. If you want honest answers, then ask the advice of an insurance consultant whose expertise is helping individuals to determine the type of policies those would best suit their personal wants, on top of, the prospect requirements of their familyAdvantages Of Life InsuranceIf your home is paid for when you die, then your home becomes secure and cannot be touched by collectors seeking payment for debts. The tax free money provided to the beneficiary can be used to pay off debts or any personal expenses.

Certain types of policies are available for riders, or those with high risk jobs. Other types of life insurance can be used as a pension, savings, or retirement plan, which can be cashed in later in life for its full value.Your credit rating can be improved with a valid life insurance policy as it is considered to be a financial asset. Life is full of uncertainties. Your life Insurance should deliver you satisfaction of knowing that your family will be taken care of after your death. Look at it as a forced way of saving, because once the payment has been made you forget about it, but it is money that will be there when needed.To Know More Visit Our Website At:

Despite government rhetoric evidence continues to accumulate that the banks are still not lending to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), according to rescue and turnaround advisers. “We are hearing that when companies apply for any lending the banks are only considering loans or overdrafts secured on tangible assets, with most also demanding personal guarantees from the directors in addition to the security” says one turnaround adviser. More evidence was revealed in the February figures released by the Bank of England that reported the total net lending by the UK’s five main banks fell in every quarter of 2011 and that banks had missed their lending target to small firms, whose use of bank overdrafts and loans had also declined over the past two years. In a survey of 11,000 small businesses by the FSB (Federation of Small Businesses) it was revealed that just one in 10 had obtained a bank loan in 2011.

Furthermore the FSB reported that 41% of applicants had been refused loans in the three months to February 2012. Graeme Fisher, FSB Head of Policy, commented that the UK banking system was not geared up to lower end loans of less than 25,000, adding that “there’s no money in it”. Business Secretary Vince Cable, quoted in the Financial Times, warned in his recent address at the annual City of London Corporation industry dinner, that recovery is being imperilled by the “yawning mismatch” between bank lending and demands for finance from SMEs. In a forecast at the end of April by economists at Ernst and Young, it was revealed that lending is expected to reduce further this year, to 419 Billion, a drop of 6.8 per cent. In conjunction with all this there has been a significant increase in invoice discounting and factoring. The banks appear to be no longer offering these facilities themselves, leaving the door open for independent companies such as Bibby, Close, Centric, SME, Ultimate and the new British bank, Aldermore. Where the banks appear to be unable to provide invoice discounting and factoring facilities against book debts these smaller companies are.

Clearly the banks are struggling or they are simply withdrawing from the SME market. The message may not have yet filtered down to their sales staff who are often saying “yes” to proposals from SMEs but then subsequently the bank credit committees are saying “no”. Rescue advisers argue that the banks are being deceitful, whatever the rhetoric they are using public relations tactics to report new loans, which are in fact not really new lending but the refinancing of existing facilities such as turning an overdraft into a term loan or a factoring facility. This is adding even more pressure onto small businesses, he argues, because there is a net decline in the flow of money into SMEs, and furthermore any new money is being provided at a very great cost in terms of fees and interest. While high rates of lending may be justified by the risk when it is unsecured, it is not justified when the loan is secured. Copyright ?? 2012 Alison Withers

In the past exchanging cash was one of the few ways that you could pay someone for goods and services. Today there are many different ways of making a payment and it can become confusing. It is important to know which payment type is most appropriate for your situation as it can save you time and hassle and can, in some cases, even save you money. Using a particular payment type may also come with added benefits that other types may not offer. Cash is still widely used but many people choose to use different payment methods for regular or larger payments. A popular method is to pay with a debit or credit card. What are these cards and how do they work? This article looks at the important differences between the two that should be taken into account when picking a payment method. A debit card is essentially a direct line to your current account, it is much like withdrawing cash from your account and using it to pay for something but without the need to withdraw any money. In the mid-80s many people were using cheques to pay for things because they reduced the need to pay large amounts in cash. Cheques, however, are expensive for banks to process and banks began to issue debit cards to dissuade people from overusing cheques.

Debit cards are useful because they not only allow you to withdraw cash from your account while you are out and about but also can be used as a direct payment method. Because the money is taken directly from your account you will need to be sure that you have the available funds to make the transaction. When you make a payment with your debit card your bank will put a hold on the specified amount and the details of the transaction are sent to the other banks involved. When this has been verified and accepted the funds will be transferred. If you don’t have the money it is still possible to pay for something, but you will need to have an agreed overdraft. Going into an overdraft is often inadvisable because you will have to pay interest on the amount you have used. Debit cards can be particularly useful for medium cost purchases or everyday items like petrol or food. It has been estimated that we use our debit cards six times on average every week. One advantage that debit cards have over credit cards is that they are also a quick and easy method of withdrawing cash.

In theory you can use a credit card to withdraw money but it is not a good idea as you are borrowing money not withdrawing money that is yours. You will be charged a fee for using a credit card in this way and you will have to pay interest on the money you withdrew. With a debit card it is free to withdraw money and the money is yours – not borrowed. It can be easy to confuse credit cards and debit cards as they are similarly named and both involve using a plastic card to make payments. With a debit card you can use funds that are already in your account that are yours to do with as you please. A credit card, on the other hand, is a simple way of borrowing money. It is not linked to your current account and using one will not reduce the amount of money in your account directly (until you pay your bill at least!). When you apply for a credit card you will be designated a specific credit limit – this is how much money you can borrow from your bank each month. If you have a good credit rating, are prompt with repayments and have minimal debt you will have a higher limit. At the end of each month the payments you have made with your credit card are listed and itemised – you must then repay what you owe. You can do this in one go or you can spread repayments over a period of time. It is preferable to pay off your credit card bill as soon as possible because the interest on the amount you have borrowed will soon stack up. Credit cards are often most useful for bigger, more expensive purchases. This is because most people will have the funds for their weekly food shop but they may not have funds available for a holiday, new furniture or a car. With a credit card you can pay back the money over a longer period which may make it easier to deal with. There is also additional protection with a credit card that is not available with other payment methods. Most credit card companies offer purchase protection – this can be hugely useful if you buy something expensive that turns out to be defective.

Purchase protection means that your credit card company assumes joint liability with the seller to provide the item as described and will reimburse you if it is not. This can also be advantageous when buying items online and the website turns out to be untrustworthy. You do not always have to use your credit card for big purchases, you can use it for smaller, less expensive items and pay off the bill straight-away. Doing this may help to improve your credit rating and you can also benefit from any reward schemes on offer. In order to stand out from the plethora of other credit card companies many companies will offer rewards and deals. If you use a credit card that is attached to a particular shop or supermarket they may offer discount vouchers or deals on their products. Other cards allow you to build up points every time you use it and once you have accumulated enough points you can turn them into a voucher. Some companies run ‘cash-back’ deals that give you tax-free cash instead of points. Many credit cards associated with airlines will let you build up free air-miles while others may offer upgrades. You should make sure to not just think about the rewards, however, and should think carefully before you borrow any money. You should also consider whether a debit card may be more appropriate.