Bad Debt Collection: How Long Should It Be Done? By Jim Oneil

A debt will always remain as it is until it gets fully paid. This means that if someone owes you money, you certainly have the right to collect the payment from him. It is your money after all. Even as you do so, you should also realize that there are laws that may no longer be applicable if you want to use to them to compel the debtor to pay. In Britain, for example, if you have no contact with the debtor for a span of six years, you may no longer be able to collect the payment for the bad debt.
Of course, this does not mean that you could no longer make a follow-up on the debtor and try collecting the money from him. It is your right to re-acquire what is originally yours, particularly if it is a debt. However, as pointed out already, you could no longer take advantage of any law to compel the debtor to pay. You just have to think of more effective ways of making sure that the debtor meets his obligations. Apparently, this would entail a lot of effort on your part. Still, you could never be too sure whether you would actually get to see the debt repaid soon.

What you should avoid therefore is to be incapable of establishing communication with the debtor for six years. This would guarantee that the debtor would not run away from his responsibility and that you would still be able to use the law to force him to pay. To do this, you should not scare the debtor with huge installments. If you just send him a bill with the a four-figure amount to be collected, he may just start computing the costs of running away and compare it to the cost of paying you.
The reason why you are collecting the debt payments is that you simply want to get what is yours. This is your business. Scaring the debtor or telling him that you could do many things just to get the payment would only backfire. Instead of sticking to his obligations, the debtor may just decide to run away. When this happens, you would only all chances of being repaid. The logic is pretty simple; it is better to be lenient than to insist that you are the boss. With the latter, you are only able to satisfy your pride. But with the former, you get something more tangible, the payment.

The best that you could do is to adjust the payment methods or schedules according to the capabilities of the debtor. Under such flexible arrangement, the debtor may be able to heave a sigh of relief because the burden would no longer be as heavy. However, he would still pay the entire amount of the debt plus the interest rates. Another option that you could apply is to sell the debt to a debt collection agency. This method would certainly relieve you from the tedious task of collecting the payment.

Jim Oneil is a writer with a special interest in debt issues and personal finance. He has written for small local newspapers in the past and now devotes part of his time writing about debt consolidation and management and also UK based financial products.

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Debt Collection After Years of No Contact With a Creditor By Jim Oneil

Would there ever be a time when the creditor would no longer be able to pursue debt payments? This must be a question that must arise every time you get a call reminding you of your payment schedule. When you get annoyed at such calls, you would really wish for a time when you are left at peace without being forced to repay. If you live in the UK, then you are fortunate. This is because there are laws in the country that actually deprives creditors to make use of legal avenues in order to make you pay after a certain period of time.
The provision is that if the creditor does not have any contact with the debtor after six years, it would no longer have the right to employ legal remedies that would compel the latter to repay. Of course, this does not mean that the creditor could just forget about the debt and label it as a mere loss. It is still a debt and it still should be paid. The creditor could still make use of different avenues and techniques just to make sure that the debtor pays. However, the main advantage that the debtor can enjoy is that he can no longer be charged.
This is the reason why creditors do their best to establish communications with the debtor always. If they were not able to connect with the debtor in a span of six years, they would no longer be backed by the law in pursuing the payment. Because of this, it is no rare for creditors to simply sell the debts to debt collection companies. Once this is done, the problem of contacting and dealing with errant debtors would no longer be the problem of the creditors but of the debt collection agencies. Apparently, this is the more convenient option for the creditors.

As the debtor, you would certainly think that this is something that you could take advantage of. However, you must also realize that six years is quite a long time. It would just seem impossible for the creditor not to establish communication lines with you during that time. Unless you leave the country or to actually go incognito for that length of time, the creditors could still compel you to pay. This becomes even more possible if the debt has been sold to the debt collection agency. Because it is their specialty, debt collection agencies never seem to run out of methods to make debtors pay.

The key here is to consider paying your debts and you could live without anyone hassling you afterwards. Although they may no longer be able to sue you after the 6-year no contact period, the creditors could still call you for as many times as they want after they have located you. You may not have the trouble of going to the courts but you would certainly have to deal with the annoying calls that you would get from the creditors every now and then.

Jim Oneil is a writer with a special interest in debt issues and personal finance. He has written for small local newspapers in the past and now devotes part of his time writing about debt consolidation and management and other UK based financial products.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Oneil

How To Get Out Of the Debt Trap By Jean Brewer

Will Rogers once said that too many people spend money they haven't earned, to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like - and I agree with him. What a crazy world we live in today; it's the world of instant gratification - the wanting of it all now, right now, and the unwillingness to wait.
So many are in debt because of this very thing. Maybe you are bored, it's been a hard day, nothing is going right. So what do you do? Well, maybe a bit of retail therapy will help? And off you go to the mall, looking for something to lift your spirits. Next thing you know you are walking back to the car laden with parcels of all the goodies you have purchased. And that sudden excitment of some new toy, some new product does lift your spirits.... until you get reminded that while you may have the latest iphone, you cannot afford to eat for the next fortnight! Chatting to friends may feed the soul, but it won't fill your stomach!
Why do we do it? Well, it's because of all that great advertising all around us about get it now and pay later - its proof that advertising does work. Maybe advertising is not the right word for it, how about - brain washing? Because that is what it is like; whatever you want, the billboards scream that you can get it with no money down, and easy (like heck it is) repayments. So we flash out our cute little plastic card - or one of the many if you have a selection like most people do- and zip zap! The deal is done - painless and over in minutes. Unfortuately the pain is just about to begin as the payments become due. Most of us are still paying for things we gave up using months ago, and because of that, can barely afford the necessities of life like quality food, rent, or a much needed trip to the dentist.

It has to stop; you have to change. Make a decision to only buy the essentials while you concentrate on paying off all your debt. If you need to take on a second part time job, then do so. It will get you out of debt quicker. There is no feeling in the world like the one when you are debt free. It is even better when you have money in the bank so you can take that trip, you can get those yellow rotted teeth fixed, you can afford to go out for dinner and enjoy it knowing you have money in your pocket to pay for it.
As a society we need to turn things around. Instead of buying on credit, we need to buy with cash. Save the money then buy. An alternative is to put something on layby - in other words, pay it off before you get it. That way we know we really do want it because we are prepared to wait and pay it off before we get our sticky fingers on it. It's back to front in today's society - we get things we cannot afford to buy, then struggle to pay it off. Lets start by getting rid of all our debt which is the cause of all the worlds financial woes, and start afresh. Use cash to buy what we need. Not only will it change your life, it has the power to change the world if we all did it.
Get ahead of things, don't get behind. It will take a bit of time to catch up and get ahead, but once ahead it is easy. Learn to live within your means. If you want more of something, then you need to earn more. This way you will always be improving your life, not sabotaging it with the ball and chain of debt.

One more thing we need to do is to stop competing. Just because the neighbour has a brand new car (and is drowning in debt) there is no need for you to get a better one. And that applies to homes, clothing, jewellry - any material possession. Peace and happiness comes from within, you cannot buy it in a shop. And while the latest gadget will bring momentary pleasure, you will be off chasing something else when the glow wears off. Stop worrying about what others have, that's their business, you mind your own. We all have way too many things, you only have to see the stuff some people have hoarded in their homes that they have hardly used - its amazing.
Material possessions are only a small part of life. What you make of yourself, who you become and how you live life is your true purpose, not how much you own. Why waste your precious time worrying over debt and fancy stuff? Lets solve our own financial crisis, get rid of debt and really start to enjoy life and live!

My goal is to educate and inspire people to be the best that they can be. Whether in health, wealth or personal self development Brewer International is there to assist all who visit. http://brewerinternational.com/ Sign up for our Newsletter that offers loads of free information for health, wealth and personal development all mixed with a bit of humour and some fantastic quotes.
Everyone deserves the best in life, everyone deserves the opportunity to learn and grow.
Please visit us at our website link above, and join us in the journey for a full and happy life.

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Welcome to the "$1,000 Gold" Fan Club By Kevin A. Demeritt

The $1,000 gold fan club? Absolutely. And, as far as fan clubs go, this one's membership is swelling daily. There's no question that the number of financial analysts who see gold topping the $1,000 mark have suddenly become as common as Tom Brady touchdown passes. But whether these folks are newcomers to the gold bandwagon or have been riding confidently along for years, it's remarkable just how many analysts now see nothing but good for gold.
Here, for example, is what a few $1,000 gold prognosticators have to say...
o The Falling Dow/Gold Ratio. The Dow/Gold Ratio - the number of gold ounces it takes to buy one share of the Dow Jones Index - has fallen from 42 in 2000 to nearly 19 in 2007. "What is interesting," said analyst Dr. Marc Farber, "is that despite the stock market's rebound since October 2002, the Dow/Gold Ratio has continued to decline. Simply put for the holder of gold - the world's only honest currency, since it cannot be printed by some dishonest central banker - the Dow, although it increased in value in dollar terms, has continued to decline in gold terms with the result that, today, it 'only' takes 20 ounces of gold to buy one Dow Jones Industrial Average.

"Simply put, since 2000, gold has risen at a much faster clip than the Dow Jones and I would expect this out-performance to continue for the next few years until 'gold currency' holders will be able to buy one Dow Jones with just one ounce of gold.
"Now, you may think that I have become insane (but) I am convinced that the US Fed's monetary policies will lead to exponentially widening wealth inequity and impoverish the majority of US households, which will then lead to social strife, protectionism, war, and the breakdown of the capitalistic system.
"However, if one considers that in 1932 and in 1980 one could indeed buy one Dow Jones Industrial Average with just one ounce of gold, then maybe my views are rather conservative. Possibly one will be able to buy, sometime in future, one Dow Jones with just half an ounce of gold!"
With that in mind, Farber believes we could be in store for a lot more than just $1,000 gold.

o In 1980 Dollars, Gold is Just Half-Price. John Hathaway, managing director of Tocqueville Asset Management, believes $1,000 gold isn't far off. "I don't think it will take much. Let's not forget, in 1980 dollars, gold is less than half of its nominal price today.
"The disparity between the amount of paper that has been created since 1980 and the amount of gold that has been produced since then is just enormous. The ratio of financial assets to physical gold is at the low end of a historical range. If you were to mark all the gold to market that has ever been mined, which is a very conservative approach, and then take the valuation of all the global stock markets and all the global bond markets, gold represents about 3%, compared with a figure in the mid-20% range in 1980, which was the top of the bull market in gold and the beginning of the bull market in financial assets.
"Gold is a good value, certainly, at these prices, just based on the considerations we've discussed. Even if you don't think worst-case outcomes are in the cards, gold is still rare and hard to find, and believe me, these companies are having the toughest times trying to maintain production, much less build it."
o Central Banks Abandon Control of Gold. Two Citigroup metals analysts wrote that central banks faced a choice between a global recession and their continuing "control" of gold.
They chose to focus on staving off global recession.
"We believe that the policy resolution to the credit crunch will take the form of a massive, extended 'reflationary rescue' in a new cycle of global credit creation and competitive currency devaluation which could take gold to $1,000/oz or higher."

o Slashing Interest Rates Will Only Add Fuel to the Fire. Analyst John Ing believes $1,000 gold is just on the horizon. His reasoning? Bankers are out of bullets when it comes to settling U.S. debt battles.
"Ironically, while there is a crisis of confidence in the credit markets, the world is awash in liquidity due to the gargantuan current account surpluses of China and other Asian countries as well as the Middle-East," Ing wrote. "The problem however, is not the supply of surpluses, but the imbalance between the short term and long term obligations of the world's biggest debtor and the United States."
"As long as there is a lack of confidence in the short term, central banks are faced with the dilemma as to how to supply liquidity. Today, central banks continue to boost money supply but the monetary aggregates were already growing at double-digit levels and they had little room to maneuver. What is likely then is a dramatic reduction in interest rates, which will serve as a short term palliative. But this will not correct the imbalances. Central banks have tried to stabilize the global financial system by pumping large amounts of liquidity into the markets. To date, they have only addressed the symptoms of the underlying crisis. The situation will become even worse."
o "Gold Is the Purist Play Against the Dollar." When the former head of technical research at Citigroup predicts gold is heading not to $1,000, but to $3,000, it makes great sense to pay attention.
"Gold is the purest play against the dollar," Louise Yamada, managing director of Yamada Technical Research Advisors said. She predicted gold would surpass $730 on its way to $3,000 inside of a decade.
o "Still Cheap Relative to Oil or Base Metals." Australia's Fat Prophets newsletter is another prominent member of the $1,000 gold fan club.

"We think the price could reach $850 an ounce by the end of the year, based on issues in the US housing market," senior equities analyst Greg Canavan says. "US housing was an accident waiting to happen. We have also been forecasting an eventual price of $1000, and we would expect that in the first half of 2008.
"In the US, we expect further interest rate cuts. In Europe, the euro is getting stronger, with implications for exports. It could lead to a slowdown there," he went on to say. "Also in Europe, the Bank of England had said it would not be bailing out lenders. But now it has been told that it must do so. So investors are seeing that gold is a fundamental store of wealth."
Canavan added, "You should have 10 per cent of your portfolio in bullion or gold stocks. Also, it is considerably undervalued right now so it is more than just insurance. Despite being at more than 20-year highs it is still cheap relative to oil or base metals."
o World Currencies "Becoming Increasingly Doubted." James Turk in his Freemarket Gold & Money Report believes $1,500 gold is possible.
"A blow-off leg in gold is looking increasingly likely once it clears $1,000. Think about this a moment. The US dollar is now trading at record lows, with no bottom in sight. Commodity prices are soaring, with wheat at over $9 per bushel and crude oil looking increasingly well supported over $80 per barrel. Gold is rising against all the world's currencies, indicating that fiat national currencies backed by nothing but promises from over-indebted governments are becoming increasingly doubted. Britain just experienced the world's biggest bank run since the 1930s. ... We should be mentally prepared for the possibility that gold exceeds $1,000 within the next few months, and then just keeps climbing to a blow-off high.
"How high? A doubling of the gold price has happened before in blow-offs like the one I am describing, so $1,500 or more is not out of the question."

So...where are you with your investments? Are you overly reliant on those worrisome "paper" investments at a time when more and more people want to hold something of authentic value in their hands? If that's the case - and even if you've never joined a fan club your entire life - today may be the perfect time to become a member of the $1,000 gold fan club.

You've seen him on Fox News Television and heard him on the Rush Limbaugh Show. He's a published author, writer and an expert guest on more than 1000 radio programs discussing today's economy and gold.
Kevin DeMeritt, President of Lear Financial, is a nationally renowned analyst whose insight into the future of domestic and global economies is unmatched.
His book, The Bulls The Bears and the Bust, reviewed by the Associated Press, predicted the market crash of 2001 and the ensuing rise of gold to the status of best investment.
At the helm of Lear Financial, Kevin DeMeritt has made Lear one of the most highly endorsed gold companies in the country. Relying on his insightful recommendations, uncanny market and trading skills and 20 years of experience in investment quality gold, Kevin has navigated thousands of portfolios to profitability through boom and bust times.
And, now more than ever, his insights are welcome by nervous investors.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_A._Demeritt

What If I Don't Have A Lot Of Money - Can I Still Build Wealth? By Linda P. Jones

Many people are under the mistaken assumption that if they don't have a lot of money to invest, that they can't build wealth. Sometimes that's true, but not today.
The way I teach people to invest is by first identifying the cycle we're in. Cycle refers to repeating patterns with investments that occur at regular time intervals. There are two main cycles: stocks and commodities. Each cycle lasts roughly 15 - 20 years. Currently, we are in the commodity cycle which began in 2001. We can see this is true, because commodities have led in performance for the last 11 years. Gold has appreciated about 17% per year and silver about 24% per year (except last year, silver was slightly negative due to a normal pullback, not the end of the trend).
So we know we're in the commodity cycle and roughly 11 years into a 15 or 20 year trend.

There is still plenty of time to build wealth. Cycles end when it becomes obvious to everyone, even the non-investor, that this is a good place to build wealth. Then seemingly everyone jumps to invest, or go "all in", and we see tremendous appreciation at the very end of the cycle, usually climaxing in a "bubble." By definition, bubbles are invisible while they are building, and only can be recognized by everyone in hindsight.
Since this bubble has not only to do with commodities, but also gold and silver being treated as currencies (yes, it's happening. Countries are now paying for oil with gold, the Comex is accepting gold for payment, and so is the State of Utah). It's just the beginning. Gold and silver will gain more acceptance as currency as the Dollar, Euro, and other paper currencies continue to lose value over time.
This will cause demand for gold and silver to back paper currencies (like the Swiss Franc is proposing now to be backed with 20% gold). The bubble will likely be worldwide as Central Banks purchase the metal at any price to back their failing paper currencies.

All of this is why silver is a great investment now. Silver is not only in the commodity cycle and also is a currency, it is used also as an industrial metal in new energy inventions and technology. Don't let the fact it's only $34 an ounce fool you. It is very rare and in low supply. High demand and low supply = a great investment opportunity! You can buy it from a coin dealer, like an American Eagle coin for about $5 over the spot price, or about $39 today. You can also invest in billionaire Eric Sprott's silver ETF, symbol PSLV (I prefer this and do NOT recommend the more popular, SLV). PSLV is at $14.55 a share today. Remember, you're actually buying the physical silver, not mining company shares.

Linda P. Jones is America's Wealth Mentor. Linda teaches women all over the world her personal wealth building system, which begins with having a wealthy mindset and ends with creating your legacy.
http://www.lindapjones.com

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Six Ways to Slash the Cost of Young Drivers Car Insurance By Anthony Saxon

The high cost of young driver car insurance is frequently blamed on the fact that young drivers are statistically the most risky to insure. Figures from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) suggest that only 12% of drivers are under the age of 25 - but they are responsible for 30% of accidents. Insurers admit that they are often unwilling to insure young drivers hence the prohibitive cost of the policies.
However the industry realises that this approach is not ideal and is itself seeking ways to reduce the costs to young drivers. Pay how you drive schemes are being introduced that insure drivers based on their individual skills rather than their age bracket. In addition there are a number of simple steps you can take to reduce the cost of your insurance.

Six Simple Steps
Take a Pass Plus Course
Costing around £150 and taking six hours to complete this course covers advanced driving skills and some insurers will offer a 35% discount once completed.
Buy a Low Powered Car
These cars are considered less risky - and will be cheaper to insure whatever your age.
Avoid Modifications
Most insurers will add more to the premium for a modified car, for your first year at least avoid changing the specification of your car in any way.
Compare Prices
Use a comparison site to shop around.
Parking Matters
Parking off-road or in a garage when the car is not in use - this will make a difference to the cost of the premium and every little helps!
Drive safely
The better your driving record the lower your costs. After the first year of driving the saving that this can entail is significant and may well allow you to upgrade the car.

Lower Costs Around the Corner?
Not all insurers are offering a smart box to monitor your driving skills yet - although it seems likely they will become widespread in the future. Young drivers insurance premiums should be affected positively when this technology is widely available but in the meantime the tips above can save you some very significant amounts of money.
Telematics devices can not only save on your car insurance as they monitor your driving but are very useful for other reasons also such as:
Track the location of your car if it is stolen
Provide assistance in the result of an accident
Manage your claim after an accident
If you are a young driver and are looking to reduce your car insurance costs then follow these simple steps and you might be surprised how much money you can save.

Anthony Saxon is financial content writer currently working in the insurance industry for http://www.tiger.co.uk. Tiger is one of the leading car insurance for young drivers sites in the UK and our focus is to find the right insurance policy for the right price. You can compare over 140 of our insurance partners to find the best deal and save money.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anthony_Saxon

Competition in the Classic Car Insurance Market By Anthony Saxon

Assuming that old cars equalled unreliable and dangerous they overlooked some simple facts relating to cars and their owners. Yes, classic cars may need a little more maintenance than those straight off the production line, but for classic car owners this is nearly always part of the joy of owning them.
Possibly classic cars may be more liable to breakdown and need recovery services - but then few car owners use them for the daily commute or to nip to the shops in. Finally, classic vehicles may well be more expensive and increase in value unlike modern makes, but their owners are fully aware of this fact and are inclined to take security measures seriously.
Owners Attitudes
Luckily a range of specialist insurers did realise that these factors make classic motor insurance a viable risk. Accepting that the nature of classic car ownership tends to mean only occasional use, excellent maintenance standards and a pro-active attitude to security, a new range of specialist car insurer entered the market. The traditional mainstream insurance companies tend to notice when part of their market is eroded, the result being that today many now have specialist departments that cater to this niche market.

Special Circumstances
This, of course, has been good news for those seeking classic motor insurance. Not only recognising the fact that they tend to be good drivers and look after their car, but insures are now familiar with tailoring insurance policies to the specific needs of classic car owners and offer competitive car insurance.
Specific factors to check when comparing quotes from both specialist and mainstream providers should include:
Valuations: agreed at the outset and reviewable as your car is more likely to increase in value than devalue.
Rally and other event coverage: check if the policy includes this if you take part in events or rallies.
Suspension or 'laid up' periods: most classic car insurance policies should include some flexibility to cover the fact that your use of the car on-road is likely to be seasonal. Remember you need to make a statutory off road notification if you have the car off the road.

Monitoring the Market
With a wider range of insurers recognising the specifics of classic car insurance and a highly competitive market in the insurance industry in general it's now possible to find excellent value for money in the car insurance market.
Comparison sites will often include a number of specialist areas including classic insurance and should be thoroughly checked for the best deals available. As with any comparison shopping for insurance you should also consider regular reviews of the offers available on the market.

Anthony Saxon is financial content writer currently working in the insurance industry for http://www.tiger.co.uk. Tiger is one of the leading classic car insurance comparison sites in the UK and our focus is to find the right insurance policy for the right price. You can compare over 140 of our insurance partners to find the best deal and save money.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anthony_Saxon

Insuring Your Car For a Day By Martin Keen

Insurance for cars is something we all have experience with, every year our policies come up for renewal and we are reminded of this by letter from our current insurer. Often they will provide a renewal quote in the hope that it will be competitive enough to temp us back.
Often we will search the internet to see if we can get a better deal, often ending up at one of the online car insurance comparison sites. For most of us this is where the story ends, but what if we have slightly different insurance requirements. These days there are more insurance options to suit different circumstances and requirements. Some of the newer types of car insurance products include short term insurance that allows you to get insured for short periods of time.

One particular product is day insurance, this allows you insure yourself to drive a car or even a van for a day or anywhere up to 28 days. This type of policy is useful if you want to borrow another persons car to drive for a short period. You could also insure yourself if you are renting a car or if you are test driving a car for the day or weekend. You could have purchased a car for yourself or someone else and need to drive it home, this could also be a reason to use daily car insurance.

Another variation of this temporary insurance is monthly insurance, this is a halfway product between daily insurance and the standard full years car insurance policy. It allows you to get car insurance for a month at a time without any annual commitment. This means that you can insure your car for as little as just one month or as many months as you need. Unlike an annual policy there is no cancellation fee which you usually have to pay if you end a policy early.

Find out how you can get 1 day car insurance to drive a car or van for a day and protect your no claims at the same time. Visit http://www.1daycarinsuranceuk.co.uk.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Martin_Keen

Information About Medicare Supplemental Insurance Coverage By Sherry McKelvy

Many individuals that are intending to enroll for Medicare Part B may not understand that Medicare supplemental insurance plans are quite important. Even when you're completely healthy, you will never know when a visit to the hospital, or the need for extensive diagnostic testing might leave you with thousands of dollars in medical bills. As might be anticipated, if you currently have chronic conditions such as being overweight, diabetes, hypertension, or high cholesterol levels, lacking a Medicare supplement plan could easily cost you way over you ever imagined possible.
No matter how you look at it, increased longevity still takes a toll on your body. This includes creating a higher risk of stroke, heart attack, cancer, and a lot of other severe ailments. Considering that Medicare only pays 80% of their contracted fee schedule for medical care, investing in an acceptable healthcare could be well beyond your budget in case you don't have Medicare supplemental plans to back you up. In fact, if you already have some health conditions, or know of illnesses which have a tendency to run in your family, obtaining Medicare secondary insurance could easily give you peace of mind even though you do not need to use the insurance instantly.

Even though the majority of senior citizens understand the rewards associated with signing up for Medicare Part B, far too many do not look for Medigap insurance or even Medicare advantage plans. Think about a situation in which you just retired, and now have Medicare for health insurance rather than the coverage you had at work. Do you recall when you can just go to the emergency room and pay a $50.00 copy? Sadly, with Part B Medicare, you would pay a lot more. Even if you only have one or two x-rays taken after falling, the total emergency room charge is going to run around $4,000.
In case you have not met your deductible of $110.00 for 2012, you could expect to pay around $910.00 for a single trip to the hospital. Needless to say, if you wind up being diagnosed with a critical medical problem, you may easily wind up with several thousand dollars worth of expenses in a very short time. In case you worked your whole life in order to pay off a mortgage loan and have a little bit of savings, it would be gone in medical expenses unless you get insurance plan to supplement your Medicare.

Today, countless individuals still look forward to registering for Medicare supplemental insurance plans for this coming year since it means they are going to finally have some kind of safety net in case they get sick. While Medicare truly does serve the needs of countless people, the rest of the 20% of medical expenses which get assigned to the patient tends to be too expensive. Without a question, if you're disturbed by the extreme escalation in the cost of healthcare services, then you owe it to your business to shop for Medicare supplemental plans to be able to protect your financial future and guarantee that you are going to be able to choose the types of care that you would like to obtain.

Medicare.gov provides information about the parts of Medicare, what's new and how to find Medicare plans, facilities or providers. Medicare Supplement Insurance fills the gaps in coverage that your basic Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B do not cover.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sherry_McKelvy

Why You Need Health Insurance By Tony McCart

People have so many excuses for why they don't think they need health insurance. They're young or healthy or too poor-so they think, "Why bother?" Sadly for them, health insurance is one of the most important things in our lives, and it costs much more than money to not have it.
The Money
Not having insurance is a major gamble that you will eventually lose. You may think that you're saving a good deal by not spending it on health insurance, but every doctor's visit and prescription is a loss against your gain. The stakes are much higher than that, though. Every day, you have to dodge major illness and physical trauma or you'll lose big. A cold gone wrong or an accident caused by an uninsured driver can put you in the loser's circle by throwing you into major medical debt. The worst of it is that your now crushing debt would only be a small fraction of itself if you had the insurance company waiting to take care of the bill.

Your Health
People without health insurance end up having negative effects on their overall health, mostly because they either believe that they do not need medical assistance or they believe the cost is not worth it. Routine screenings and appointments fall to the wayside when a person is paying out of pocket. Even important things like prenatal tests and maintenance of chronic conditions are proven to significantly reduce when a patient pays for them on their own. When uninsured patients do actually go in for testing and maintenance of diseases, they often do not do so on their doctor's recommended schedule, which leads to a delayed response to any issue that might arise.

Your Life
The problem with all of the poor health that accompanies a lack of health insurance is that it can affect both the quality and length of your life. Being sick frequently genuinely makes your life a less-than-pleasant experience and can cause you to miss out on work, costing you money, and can cause you to miss out on the fun and important events of your life. Sadly, missing out on money and rewarding experiences isn't the only thing the uninsured miss out on: they also miss out on years of their natural lives. Studies have shown that the uninsured tend to live shorter lives than people with health insurance, which is no doubt a correlation between the care taken for their respective health by the two groups.

Tony McCart is the President of McCart Insurance. For decades, McCart Insurance has helped Georgia individuals and families to select their ideal Georgia health insurance plans, including plans from Coventry Healthcare of Georgia. McCart Insurance is a family owned and operated business with over 40 years of experience in the personal insurance field.

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How to Find a Good Bankruptcy Attorney By Chandra B Sekhar

Most people never take notice of advertisements by bankruptcy attorneys. This is because no one ever expects to find themselves one day having to file for bankruptcy. This is something that one never plans for. When you find yourself having to file for bankruptcy it is advisable to hire the services of a bankruptcy attorney. Individuals are permitted to file for bankruptcy without hiring bankruptcy attorneys. However, entities such as businesses, non-profits, corporations, education institutions and other such bodies cannot file for bankruptcy without hiring the services of bankruptcy attorneys. This is mandated by federal law in the United States and most other countries.
However, it is advised that individuals should not undergo the process of filing for bankruptcy without hiring the services of bankruptcy attorneys, even if they are entitled to go without. This is because bankruptcy is one of the most complicated areas of the law. Attorneys spend years training in their field, so it is not possible for an inexperienced individual to go through the process alone and guarantee themselves a favourable outcome. Even then, not just any bankruptcy attorney will do. Research is required to find a good bankruptcy attorney. It is best to hire experienced bankruptcy attorneys. They are more expensive than those that have just completed their training; however the extra fees are worth it. This is because it is better to pay the higher fees in order to secure a favourable outcome, than it is to pay small fees and have everything auctioned away to pay off creditors.

How does one go about finding a bankruptcy attorney?
As previously mentioned, not just any attorney will do. It is important to get a well-trained, highly experienced and reputable attorney. The first port of call when one thinks that filing for bankruptcy cannot be avoided is to find a bankruptcy to advise whether there are any other options that are still available. Attorneys have licenses to practice in the states in which they work. So in order to get a list of bankruptcy attorneys in a particular state or city one can get in touch with the local law association or society. They will be able to provide any information required. In fact, if one already has some idea of an attorney that they want to hire they can get in touch with the law association or society to find out if the attorney that they want has the necessary license to practice. This is very important because attorneys have to be licensed; attorneys who work without licenses are operating illegally in the United States.

One can also find bankruptcy attorneys using the internet. Use the individual websites of attorneys to find references and reviews from previous clients. This is one of the best ways to find out whether an attorney is competent in their area of work. In fact, good attorneys will have clients that are prepared to vouch for their professionalism and quality of service. So make sure that you request contact details for references from any attorneys that one is interested in hiring. When there is a shortlist of candidates to consider, it is advisable to find out their fees before hiring them. However, attorneys with very high fees are not necessarily the best. They could just be located in a very wealthy part of town. Similarly, attorneys with low fees are not necessarily bad. But, one must be careful not to hire attorneys with uncommonly low fees as they use this to attract business because they do not have good reputations. Once they have secured business, they will then charge their clients hidden fees.

The Bankruptcy Attorney will definitely help those people if they have filed for bankruptcy so that, the common people do not get over burdened with the debt which will be impossible for them to pay back.
Click here for Bankruptcy lawyer

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Insurance For Your Income By Dave Healey

Most of us know how much we earn each month in wages or a salary, but have you ever taken the time to sit down and calculate exactly how much household expenditure you have each month?
You may be unpleasantly surprised when you do the calculations and see the cumulative amount of all those payments and out-goings.
There is the mortgage payment or rent for accommodation, council tax or local rates, credit card payments, loan debt repayments, electricity bills, fuel bills, water rates, phone bills and mobile payment plans, pension and savings commitments, insurance payments, hire-purchase repayments, car, motoring and travel expenses. And that is all before you have had anything to eat or drink or put shoes on your feet.
If you have dependents such as children there are new school uniforms to be paid for, Johnny's football fees and Victoria's piano and ballet lessons. If you are fortunate you may even be able to put a little away for a rainy day or perhaps even a holiday or vacation.
Having done the mathematics, you then need to ask yourself how you are going to pay for all this is you suffer an accident or are off work with a prolonged sickness?
Fortunately a type of insurance called income insurance or income protection insurance as it is often referred to, has been devised to protect and cover the costs of all your monthly out-goings whilst you are unable to work.

For a small monthly premium, workers are able to receive a monthly benefit that typically will cover up to fifty or sixty per cent of their total monthly income, should they suffer an accident or sickness that keeps them off work for an extensive period.
Income insurance has two different types of cover, each which is calculated differently and aimed at different members of the workforce.
General Income protection policies take into account occupation, current and previous health record and lifestyle considerations such as whether you are a smoker or not. These types of polices offer an agreed monthly benefit, often inflation indexed linked, for a fixed price which stays the same throughout the term of the policy or until cancelled.
General income protection polices also pay out for long periods of time, possibly up to retirement age or for as long as it is necessary to have time off work. Because of the scope of cover this type of income insurance, it was known in the past as permanent health cover.
Alternatively, it is possible to opt for an age-related income insurance policy. This type of protection offers the same benefits as a general policy, however rates are determined by age and factors such as health, occupation and lifestyle are not used to calculate monthly premiums. Age-related policies are often short-term cover offering benefit payments for periods of one or two years of absenteeism only.
Each type of policy has its merits and costs. An age related policy will usually be cheaper for younger persons, those who smoke and those in high risk jobs. The downside is that the premiums go up each year, however this usually offset by increases in personal wealth as people age.

Those workers in low risk jobs, such as office workers and professional services, who are in good health and lead low risk lifestyles, may well find a general income insurance policy is cheaper and offers more flexible and wider coverage.
Both types of income insurance offer what is known as a deferred claim period or excess period, which is the time between when a worker is first off work and the day they wish the cover to commence payment.
Deferred periods allow for the statutory four weeks employers sick pay to be paid. Many employers will offer full pay for a period of up to six months after a worker has gone off sick or with an accident, any many good employers will offer half-pay for a further six months of absence. A deferred period allows income insurance payments to start when these resources run out. Taking a long deferred claim excess time period, such as six months can reduce the amount of monthly premium that has to be paid, by over a half.

Both general lifestyle and age-related income insurance polices are widely available on the Internet from online suplliers. Shop around and compare prices for both types of income protection insurance.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Healey

Life Insurance for Children - Where to Get the Best Rate By Brian Stevens Co-Author: Stacey Schifferdecker

As a parent, the last thing you want to think about is that one of your children might die. However, accidents and illnesses do happen, and many parents feel buying life insurance for children provides the family an extra level of protection. Here's how to get the best rate on children's life insurance.
Protecting Your Family

Most people buy life insurance to replace a breadwinner's income. While few children earn an income, buying a policy for them offers several other benefits:
* It allows you to lock in an inexpensive rate for your children, making it more affordable for them as adults.
* It guarantees that your children will have life insurance as adults if they develop an illness and become uninsurable.
* If you buy a whole life policy, you can begin building a financial nest egg for your children that they can draw on as adults to go to college, buy a home, or for other financial needs.
* It provides financial protection so the family will not be overwhelmed by medical bills and funeral expenses at an emotionally trying time.
Finding the Best Rate on Children's Life Insurance

You may get the best rate on life insurance for a child by adding a rider to your own policy. If this isn't an option, you can begin looking at other insurance companies.
The easiest way to compare rates from various companies is to log onto the Internet and go to an insurance comparison website. While there you'll complete a simple online questionnaire, after which you'll receive quotes from multiple A-rated companies.
The best comparison websites also have a chat feature with insurance professionals on hand to answer your questions and help you get the best rate (see link below.)

Visit http://www.LowerRateQuotes.com/life-insurance.html to get children's life insurance rate quotes from top-rated companies and see how much you can save. You can get more tips and advice in their Articles section.
The authors, Brian Stevens and Stacey Schifferdecker, have spent 30 years in the insurance and finance industries, and have written a number of articles on life insurance for children.

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Life Insurance Rates Online - Does Alcohol Affect Your Premiums? By Wayne Earp

When you apply for life insurance, no matter if it's term or whole life, you will be asked two alcohol-related questions:
• How much alcohol, and how regularly do you drink?
• Have you ever been convicted for a DUI charge?
Your answers will determine how much your premiums will cost. That said, you can say that life insurance underwriting is more of an art than a science, and there is no consensus, or consistency, among the different life insurance companies in dealing with the answer to either of the two questions, especially the first.
Yes, excessive drinking is associated with a shorter life expectancy, but there is no agreement on what is "excessive". Is it one drink a day, or two, or is it six? There is also the point to consider that moderate drinking has been known to increase life expectancy by a few years and cut down both heart attack and stroke.

Of course, having a DUI on your record - unless it was many, many years ago - will most likely disqualify you from the best life insurance rating class. If it was recent, and if there have been multiple DUI charges in recent years, you will be required to pay even more.
Honesty Is Still the Best Policy
When filling out your life insurance application form, be accurate as possible about your alcohol consumption because your policy can easily be rescinded if any inaccuracies are discovered, which often happens after a claim is made.
Alcohol does not usually stay in the blood for more than 24 hours (hopefully you weren't drinking when the nurse came by to do the paramed exam). Alcohol use, however, can be suggested by the presence of elevated liver enzymes, which can be tested for. An elevated liver enzyme level indicates more than occasional drinking. If you are found to have elevated liver enzymes, several things may happen as a result:
• You will not be issued a policy.
• Your application will be postponed until the cause is pinpointed.
• You will be issued a policy but you will be required to pay extra premium.

If you end up with a higher-than-expected life insurance rate because of something alcohol-related, remember that your rates can go down over time if you are able to furnish evidence that you have addressed the problem.
If you drink moderately, like a glass of wine a day, it is unlikely to affect your rates with most insurers unless you have elevated liver enzymes. If your alcohol consumption is more than moderate, with a little diligence and hard work, it should be possible to get an excellent rate on life insurance, if this is your only issue.

Visit the site http://insuranceshops.info to find out the differences between term insurance and permanent life insurance.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wayne_Earp

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Life Insurance Rates By Dave S Livingston

Aside from the provisions of a policy, the applicant will be mostly interested with life insurance rates. This is only expected as they will want to know how much they are going to pay should their application gets approved by their selected insurance provider. This is also the basis they can use in order to see if a certain policy has the potential to be a good deal. In this article, you are going to find a list of a few questions that are frequently asked regarding insurance quotes including the respective answers. This will surely give you a hand to be more acquainted with this topic.
• Are insurance plans usually expensive? - The minimum coverage amount that most insurance firms offer cost around $100,000. Some can give you more depending on your current financial status and extent of needs. If you will only take a closer look on this question, you would see that the nature is quite subjective. It depends on how a person will define expensive. The difference of a thousand bucks may be small or an individual and big to the person sitting next to him. In addition, the limit of the applicant's purchasing power will play a crucial role in perceiving if one policy is indeed expensive or not.

• Is there a tinge of truth regarding the idea that low cost life insurance policies are "no good?" - This can be true but not all the time. Cheap term plans are often perceived as good for nothing as at times, they cannot sufficiently meet all the needs of the plan holders. However, the fault cannot be blamed to the policy as it should be clear to prospective buyers that it is definitely not for everyone. Surely, you will not expect 250 milliliters of water to fill a tank. Ideally, such type of plan is for individuals who only have one or no dependents at all.
• How can I determine the coverage amount that I need? - You can do this by finding out how long you intend your term insurance to last and listing down all your existing loans and present and future expenses, both foreseen and unexpected types. In addition, you need to sort out the sources of your income and anticipate how long do you think they can they last. From such details, you can easily calculate the coverage amount that you have to get as you will have an idea how much your family will need in the event that you would suddenly have to meet your demise.
• Why it is that life insurance no exam plan is pricey compared with the others? - This is because this policy provides the plan owner leeway and convenience unlike the usual plans. In this case, the underwriters will not consider your health status so even if you have an incurable medical condition, it will be rendered void; thus, it would not affect your application. You wouldn't have to go through medical tests and in some instances, the approval of your request to be granted protection is even guaranteed. This adds the risk on the part of the carriers so they ask for higher premiums so they can be properly compensated.
• Will the present premium I currently pay change over time? - The premiums that you pay at the moment can have some adjustments as your plan gets to term depending on the type of policy that you bought. If you got a decreasing term plan, you would pay high premiums at first and then it will decrease over time. The exact opposite will happen if you chose an increasing term plan. There will be no change if you opted for level term policy. These different payment schemes are offered in order to suit the people's different financial capabilities.

• Why does one carrier offer different life insurance quote from another? - Although the factors that underwriters use in order to determine the premiums are basically the same, there are still instances that one insurance firm will offer a higher or lower quote compared with the others. For example, if you are already considered by your chosen carrier as a patron, chances are you will be enjoying some sort of discount. Also, it would depend on the current financial status and tenure of the provider.
Hopefully, the questions which are answered above concerning life insurance rates have familiarized you more with the tricks of the insurance trade.

Article by David Livingston of EQuote, who is a specialist in everything life insurance. For more information on affordable term life insurance, visit his site today.

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Question: How Do I Get A Small Business Loan? By Wade Henderson

Whenever someone considers starting a business, the most common thing that comes to mind is "how do I get a small business loan"?
There are numerous techniques a startup company can receive funding for their business. Many business owners usually start out their new business with their own funds nevertheless it won't take very long prior to these funds are gone. Early costs such as obtaining equipment and payroll effortlessly eat up your startup capital and it is going to be a misfortune to have your new business started and then quit the operation due to the lack of startup funding.
It is possible to locate a wide range of funding sources readily available currently and you should apply to all that may well be interested in investing your company. The best step you should take would be to accept support from specialists who've access to these sources of funding. Experts can help you ascertain the very best sources of funding and can help you with preparing your funding applications.
You'll find four major kinds of funding for startup business. The first sort is equity partners in which count on investors who fund new organizations in return for taking an ownership percentage. The ownership could take the form of a stock holder or operating partner.

The second form is angel investors. These investors utilize their private money to invest in new businesses. The investment may be in the type of debt or equity. The reason why they are named angels is they seemed to be heaven delivered to entrepreneurs that are having difficulty in locating a startup business funding. They are also skilled entrepreneurs who can analyze your new business thought with their expertise. They are hoping to earn greater investment returns in startups.
One more kind of funding source is venture capital. This type of funding is very preferred for bigger startup business. The objective of venture capitalists would be to find a business can offer you early high returns. Generally, this investor will take an equity position that means you have to share ownership. While this idea could bother you, this kind of financing is worth considering mainly because the final deal could be structured in several diverse techniques.

The last variety of funding source is business loan. Several banks are providing lending options to startup business. Most banks right now are no longer stringent in approving business funding. A skilled may well help you locate finance companies that give business financing.
Hopefully this general response to your question: "how do I get a small business loan" will help. You will need to do your homework to determine where the best source is for your company.

Wade Henderson
Wade Henderson is a recognized Expert in Business Finance with over 16 years Experience in the Commercial Lending Field and a strong reputation for getting the deal done. Visit his Commercial Finance Website to put his experience to work for you.
Business Finance Solutions | How Get A Business Loan
Be sure to View IMMFinancial.com for more information.

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