What drives US entrepreneurship?

By Will Smale Business reporter, BBC News

How does running a business differ around the world? In a new series, the BBC News Website is speaking to successful entrepreneurs from around the globe about the secrets of their success, and the challenges they have faced. In the first instalment, three US business people explore what drives American entrepreneurship.

Tom Ryan is just your typical, easy-going American entrepreneur - he wants to take over the world.
Mr Ryan is founder of restaurant chain Smashburger, one of the fastest-growing companies in the US.
From just one outlet in Denver in 2007, it now has more than 150 branches nationwide, and will later this year open its first foreign sites in Kuwait, Canada and Costa Rica.
Europe and Asia are then due to follow.
Aiming to reach 500 US branches within the next few years, Smashburger's current global ambition is for ultimately 2,000 international outlets.
Mr Ryan, a restaurant industry veteran, says: "Everyone said the burger industry in the US was too crowded for a new entry, but I was sure there was a place for a new chain offering much higher quality than the established players."
Backed by a private equity firm, Smashburger was immediately popular with American consumers, and its expansion quickly started.
Mr Ryan adds: "Obviously I'm delighted with how things have gone. I knew we had a strong concept, and therefore a fighting chance."
Search engine Smashburger is far from unique in the US.

The likes of Google, Twitter and Facebook may not make hamburgers, but all three were also just start-up businesses not too many years ago. Facebook was only established in 2004, and Twitter was not set up until 2006.

Facebook was first started in a university dormitory, and Google's early days were based in a garage.
But as the US continues to produce a wealth of start-up companies that quickly grow to dominate their marketplaces, what are the reasons behind America's continuing entrepreneurial success - and can they be copied?
And are successful entrepreneurs born or bred?
Californian Eric Ries may be just 33, but he's a Silicon Valley veteran.
With a number of technology sector start-ups behind him, "some successful ones, and some failures", he is now an in-demand start-up adviser, and author of The Lean Start-Up.
Mr Ries says that when it comes to supporting entrepreneurship, the US has some key advantages over Europe and other parts of the world.
"There are definitely cultural factors in the US's favour, perhaps most importantly a willingness to tolerate failure," he says.
"In Europe if you fail in business you are going to find it very difficult to borrow money the next time around, but in the US it is almost seen as a useful experience to have gone through."
Mr Ries adds that this all makes American entrepreneurs more willing to take risks.

 

 Smashburger has 150 outlets across the US

"On top of this, some European countries have very high personal liability levels for entrepreneurs, which is a terrible mistake," he says.
"Regulations are also lower in the US for smaller firms. Add all these together, and you can see the advantage the US has.
"But it is not all one-sized, there are still some great firms in Europe."
'Smaller governments' Julie Meyer is a US entrepreneur who lives and works in London, where she is chief executive of investment fund Ariadne Capital.
This invests £55m per year in early stage technology businesses.
Ms Meyer agrees that more Americans are willing to take a chance on starting up their own company, which she says is a "cultural thing".
"But I don't want to stress the US market too much. I believe we have excellent entrepreneurs in the UK, it is just the available financing and tax policies that lag behind.
"The UK government needs to cut taxes for small firms to help spur growth and act as an incentive.

 

 Eric Ries says entrepreneurship is a teachable quality

"Overall this would mean more successful small firms and therefore more tax revenues."

Looking across Europe in general, Ms Meyer says generations of left-leaning governments have held back entrepreneurship.
"The welfare states across Europe have not helped boost entrepreneurship, because governments have told people 'don't worry, we'll look after you' instead of 'you have a unique contribution to make'," she says.
"Instead governments need to be much smaller, with more focus on individuals. And we are now heading in that direction, because European governments suddenly realise they cannot afford to be so large."
'Right stuff' But if European nations want to copy more of American-style entrepreneurship, how easily can this be achieved? Or is it simply that more entrepreneurs are born in the US?
Mr Ries says: "I'm definitely not one of those people who say that entrepreneurs are born with the 'right stuff'.
"It is teachable, but countries have to change their cultures and rules to help support successful start-ups. That's the US's cultural advantage."
Julie Meyer also says she doesn't believe entrepreneurs are born.
"You aren't born, rather I think entrepreneurs are nurtured," she says.

 

 Julie Meyer says the UK has excellent entrepreneurs, but finance is an issue

"My father was an entrepreneur, so I realised it was not the easiest choice to make. But I knew it was what I wanted to do, and I had that experience to draw upon."
Smashburger's Tom Ryan says that while entrepreneurs may have "a little bit of creativity that is not inherent in others", the first two key factors to success in business are your product and your business model.
He adds: "The third is work with great people, you need these to make everything come together. Entrepreneurs can't work on their own."

US adds 115,000 jobs in April, fewer than expected

The US economy created 115,000 jobs during April, down on the previous month and fewer than analysts had expected, official figures have shown.

However, the unemployment rate fell slightly to 8.1% from 8.2% in March, the Labor Department said.
Employment has been rising for the past eight months, but the jobless rate has been stuck above 8% since early 2009.
The weak report pushed US and European shares lower, with the Dow Jones index falling 168 points to 13,038.
Both the Nasdaq and the Standard & Poor's 500 had their worst week of the year, while markets in London, Paris and Frankfurt closed almost 2% lower.
Meanwhile, the oil price continued to fall, with US light crude dipping below $100 a barrel on concerns about the strength of the world's largest economy.

President Barack Obama said he would urge Congress next week to implement "common sense ideas" to accelerate job growth.
Speaking after the data was released, he said: "We've got to do more if we're going to recover all the jobs lost in the recession."

US Secretary of Labor: Older and younger people are not in the workforce

The stubbornly high unemployment rate is seen as a drag on economic growth in the US.
Jobs were created in the business services, retail and healthcare sectors in April, but were lost in transport.
The Labor Department said the number of long-term unemployed was "little changed at 5.1 million".
The unemployment rate hit a three-year low, but part of the reason for the fall was a drop in the number of people looking for work, which reduced the size of the workforce.
"The drop in the unemployment rate was actually an unhealthy drop - you had less people looking for work, which shows a bad sentiment," said Ron Florence at Wells Fargo Private Bank.
'Sluggish growth'

 
The US saw two consecutive months of robust jobs growth in January and February, with increases of well over 200,000 jobs in both months.
But the past two months have seen a sharp fall in job creation, with 154,000 jobs added in March, a figure revised up from 120,000.
Analysts had expected a rise in April.
"We're still growing just gradually," said Nigel Gault at IHS Global Insight in Massachusetts.
"Hiring is coming back into line with what you would expect with sluggish growth."
Last week, official figures showed that US economic growth slowed to an annualised rate of 2.2% in the first three months of the year, down from 3% in the final quarter of last year.
The Commerce Department said a cut-back in business investment was the key reason for the slowdown in growth.
The Federal Reserve expects economic growth of between 2.4% and 2.9% in 2012, with an unemployment rate of between 7.8% and 8%.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17957196

Best of American Express Charge Cards for 2012 By Matthew R Coan

Ask any current American Express charge card holder and the will probably tell you that it's the best charge card that they have every had, as long as it is accepted at all of their normal vendors. American Express is not the most widely accepted cards, and the main reason for this is because American Express charges a higher fee per transaction at merchants than other credit cards do. But as a cardholder you can reap the benefits from this extra money that American Express makes in the form of rewards and added features on your card. If you enjoy traveling or attending special events then take a look at the group of American Express charge cards and see what you have been missing.

Amex Green Charge Card
This is the base level charge card for American Express. With this card you can earn 1 point for every dollar that you spend on your card. You also earn 2x points when you book you trips through American Express's travel site and up to 10x points when you make purchases on American Express's Membership Rewards online mall with over 300 of the best vendors.
The annual fee for the American Express Green Charge card is $95, which is waived for your first year, and $30/year for each additional card that you add to your account.

Amex Gold Charge Card
The American Express Gold Charge Card is the next step up in ladder. With this card you are earning the same points structure that the Green card offers. The main difference is that you will be one of the first people to now about upcoming entertainment events and be able to purchases tickets to these events through American Express (which you can use points to pay for.) If you attend a lot of special events and hate waiting in line for tickets and you want to save $50 off of the next card in this entourage then this is the card for you.
The annual fee for the American Express Gold Card is $125, and $35 for each additional card you add to your account.
Amex Premier Rewards Gold Charge Card
If you were interested in the American Express Gold Charge Card then you need to take a look at the Premier Rewards Card. This card is offering 25,000 bonus points (valued at $250) when you spend $2,000 in the first 3 months of opening your account. You can earn 3x points on airfare that is purchased through American Express's travel site, 2x points on gas and groceries, and 1x points on everything else. You get the same early access to special events along with offers that include special travel packages and amenities at hotels worldwide.
The annual fee for the American Express Premier Rewards Gold card is $175, which is waived the first year, and there is no annual fee for the next 5 cards that you add to your account.

Amex Platinum Charge Card
This is the card for the world traveler or anyone who plans to take lots of trips in the future. The Platinum card is offering 25,000 bonus points when you spend $2,000 in the first 3 months. You will also earn 2x points when you book your trip through the American Express travelers site and 1x points on everything else that you purchase.
You will get access to over 600 travel lounges with American Express's priority pass, you will not be charged any foreign transaction fees, you can skip to the front of U.S. Custom lines with American Express's Global entry, and you get up $200 annually to cover incidental airline charges, including checked baggage fees. When you purchase a qualifying first or business class international ticket you can receive a companion ticket for any discounted traveler. Also you can receive complementary upgrades at hotels, boutiques, and resorts worldwide.
With all of these travel rewards and upgrades you will also get a 24/7 concierge that can offer assistance with reservations, travel, gifts, and more. And to make your traveling plans even better you will save 20% when you pay for any of your trips with the points that you have earned. And while you are on your trip you will get exclusive access to events and shows that are not offered to the general public.
The annual fee for the American Express Platinum Charge Card is $450.
With all of these options it is probably pretty easy to figure out which card is best for you. On top of the unique features for each card all of the American Express Charge cards include the following features.
-There is no limit to the amount of points that you earn, there are no blackout dates and the points you earn can be transferred to over 20 different frequent flyer miles programs.

-When you are traveling you can travel in comfort knowing that your bags are covered. Up to $1,250 in insurance for your carry on bags and $500 in insurance for your checked bags. You can also refuse the supplementary car rental insurance when you are renting a car with your American Express Charge card.
-24/7 emergency assistance when you are traveling more than 100 miles from your home, which includes roadside assistance if your car breaks down.
-When you are shopping you can return items that you are not satisfied with and if the vendor will not take them back, American Express will refund you up to $300 of the purchase. You are also protected in case you break something, accidentally, American Express will replace, repair, or reimburse you for the item up to 90 after your purchase.
-Extended warranty on the items that you purchase with your card up to one year passed the standard manufactures warranty.
For anyone who travels a lot or attends special events then the group of American Express Charge Cards is an option worth looking at. You can also have the added benefit of adding additional cards to your account and watch your earned points add up. American Express makes it easy to earn points as well as spend them in the way that you want. The only problem is deciding on where your next trip will be and which event you want to see.
It's important to note that a charge card is a card that is used by someone who plans to pay his or her bill in full each month. These cards also come with "no preset spending limit," but that does not mean you can go out and buy anything. Your card limit can be based on anything from your spending habits to your credit history.

Visit Casavvy.com for card card details and offers.

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

How To Rebuild Credit Starting Today By John Phillips

Rebuilding credit can be one of the hardest but most important things you can do to secure your future. Poor credit can come from many circumstances in life; examples include bankruptcy, divorce, an accident, or an illness that may have kept a primary earner from being able to work, or built up huge medical bills. Sometimes it's simply poor financial planning or decisions that caused the problem. No matter how you may find yourself in this position, the sooner you start rebuilding the better. You have many options and avenues to explore that will raise your credit score bit by bit until you are back to where you started from or above.
The Simplest First, A Bank Account
A good way to get a foothold on your finances and credit is to open a bank account. Opening a new bank account won't raise your score, as the information isn't used on your credit report. However, you will need to setup a good relationship with a bank to set the stage for strategies to come in the future. A great account to set up is a checking account. Once you do set one up, make certain to use it very responsibly. Responsible use includes the usual things like using your check card, and writing checks. Just make sure not to overdraft! The bank likes to see that you can handle cash responsibly, and then when you get to the point where you are ready to take out a loan, they will feel that you can handle a loan and will be more likely to grant you one.

Be Timely With Your Payments To Utility Companies
A great way to get your credit rating to look good again is to make sure to pay your bills on time. Bills such as those from the telephone company and the electric company must be paid on time to maintain a good rating. You may have had to pay a deposit to get these services started in the first place if you had poor credit when you set up these accounts. It is of vital importance now that you have these accounts set up that you pay them on time monthly. The security deposit you may have had to pay must not be looked at as a "savings account" meaning you can skip a month here and there. A credit rating will be affected by even one missed payment. The benefits you will receive from paying bills on time will be very evident.

Obtain A Credit Card
A credit card can still be obtained even with poor credit. It's very interesting that even after filing bankruptcy, a person will likely receive a number of credit card offers in the mail. Usually these offers come from companies that specialize in handling poor credit clients. But say your credit is really poor; you may not be able to get one of these credit cards. If you happen to fall into this category, You will have to look into getting a secured card.
With this type of card, you technically are not being extended any credit. The setup here is that you establish an account that you fund yourself. The amount that you have in this account is the limit that you have to spend. A secured card - used responsibly - will be a big boost to your credit rating, and may keep you from getting into credit card trouble again. And you needn't worry what people may think of you; a secured card appears and swipes just like a normal charge card.
Be aware that a secured card won't have all the perks that a traditional card may have. Most secured cards actually have no perks. This will get you into the habit of knowing that a credit card is basically for paying for things without having to have cash. In addition, you can use a secured card to secure a hotel or airline reservation. Secured cards do come at a price though, fees and charges can add up. But if you are looking to rebuild your credit, you must be prepared to sacrifice a bit.

Looking for good ways to rebuild credit? Discover options available to you. Visit: http://www.rebuildcreditsuccess.com today!

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

What You Need to Know About Inheritance Tax By Alan Tii

What is the increased threshold?
Married couples and registered civil partners can effectively increase the threshold on their estate when the second of them dies - to a maximum of £650,000 in 2011/12. Their personal representatives must claim the unused Inheritance Tax threshold or "nil rate band" of the first spouse or civil partner so that it is available to set against the estate of the second spouse or civil partner.
Who is responsible for paying the tax?
Inheritance Tax is payable by different people in different circumstances. Usually, personal representatives pay it using funds from the estate of the deceased. Trustees are usually responsible for paying Inheritance Tax on assets in, or transferred into, a Trust. Sometimes people who have received gifts, or who inherit from the deceased, have to pay the Tax - but this is not common.
How do I find out if Inheritance Tax is payable?
To find out if the Tax is due on an estate, you must first value the estate. i.e. calculate the value of all assets owned at the date of death - including any property, possessions, money and investments - and deduct any debts owed, including household bills and funeral expenses.
The estate also includes the deceased's share of any jointly owned assets and the value of any assets held in a trust from which they were entitled to income.

Any gifts that the deceased may have made in their lifetime should be reviewed to see if they are exempt and, if not, they must be included in the overall value of the estate.
What exemptions and reliefs are there?
Sometimes, even if your estate is over the threshold, you can pass on assets without having to pay the tax. Exemptions and reliefs include:-
* Spouse or civil partner exemption - your estate usually doesn't owe the Tax on anything you leave to a spouse or civil partner who has their permanent home in the UK - nor on gifts you make to them in your lifetime - even if the amount is over the threshold.
* Charity exemption - any gifts you make to a "qualifying" charity - during your lifetime or in your Will - will be exempt from Inheritance Tax. In the 2011 budget the Chancellor announced a 10% discount on Inheritance Tax for those individuals who left at least 10% of the value of their net estate to a registered charity. The reduction effectively means a 10% discount off the standard 40% rate of Inheritance Tax - being 36%.

* Potentially Exempt Transfers - if you survive for 7 years after making a gift to someone, the gift is generally exempt from Inheritance Tax, no matter what the value,
* Annual Exemption - you can give up to £3,000 away each year, either as a single gift or as several gifts adding up to that amount - you can also use your unused allowance from the previous year, but you use the current year's allowance first.
* Wedding and civil partnership gifts - gifts to someone getting married or registering a civil partnership are exempt up to an amount which is dependent on the closeness of the relationship to the individual who is to be married.
* Business, woodland, heritage and farm relief - if the deceased owned a business, farm, woodland or national heritage property, some relief from Inheritance Tax may be available.
* Small gift exemption - small gifts of up to £250 to as many individuals as you like, can be made tax free
When does the Tax have to be paid?
In most cases Inheritance Tax must be paid within 6 months of the end of the month in which the deceased died, after which time interest will be charged on the amount outstanding. Inheritance Tax payable on certain assets including land and property may be paid in annual instalments over 10 years.

If you wish to consider reducing your Inheritance Tax liability we recommend that you take professional advice and ensure that your Will is up to date. The sooner you plan to do something about your inheritance tax liability, the more effective your arrangements will be. Please contact us for further information.

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

3 Ways to Improve Your Credit Score By Alice C. Edgars

When Sunny Roseman reveals that his sleep number is higher than his credit score, the crowd laughs nervously... Theirs isn't much better.
Everyone wants their fair share of the credit pie, but how are they going to get it when their score is in the toilet with all the other financial turds? Darrell Hornbacher, Denver credit repair King wraps it all up in a quick circle pie, explaining that your credit score is made up of paying your bills on time, 35%, credit utilization (I hate that word) rate, 30% of what is otherwise known as a line of credit, or rotating charge cards, 15% is made up of your credit history, or how long you've had credit, 10% new credit inquiries, and 10% mixed debt types, including your home loan, your auto loan and charge cards.
Perfect credit?
For the average person hasn't existed, but it can. A credit score of more than 700 is considered high, with average scores ranging closer to 665. But how does a working girl acquire a score that looks like that?
Nobody ever said managing your financial situation will be easy, but there are a few quick tricks to help you increase your credit score.

1. Fix it. Remove all the crud off your credit report by first getting a FREE report from one of those amazing companies that gives you one with no fees. Then... Write all creditors who have bad stuff on your report and ask them to take off any inaccurate or illegal dings.
2. Carry 3 cards: Visa, Mastercard, Discovery or American Express, with 23 - 27% capacity. Meaning if your credit limit on the card is $1,000 you carry no more than $270.00 of credit on the card. Pay most of it off every month, but better yet, pay your payment on the due date and a little extra 10 days later, just enough to keep it under the amount and keep paying on it about every two weeks.
3. Make sure all line of credit or revolving credit accounts are reporting your payments as installment payments on an "installment" loan. If not, change the loan to an installment loan, because they report better than revolving credit loans.

These tips will fix your credit score, improve your credit and make it more likely that you will be able to finance a home loan. Business loans and professional financing options are more likely to be obtainable if your personal credit is in better shape.

Alice C. Edgars understands the need to improve your financial well being and maximize your financial impact with a great credit score. Visit http://plusfindyourdream.com and get a subscription to her amazing, informative newsletter. You'll understand killer values and lifestyle financial impact while you find your dream at PLUS!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alice_C._Edgars

Credit Card Debts: What Happens When the Holder Dies? By Jim Oneil

Death is often seen by many as an escape route from the troubles that world could give to an individual. You may not subscribe to such morbid notion but if you are neck-deep in debt, it is possible that you would entertain the said idea. This is because the logic behind this is pretty simple: if you die then you would certainly not have any more trouble with your debts. In fact, it is possible that those whom you have left behind in your family would not be obligated to pay for the said debts. However, it is also possible that someone else would be left to deal with the burden.
If your credit card account happens to be joint account with your wife or any other partner, then that individual would be the one who would carry the burden after you die. The bank or the credit card company would surely take steps to compel your co-account holder to pay for the debts that you have incurred using the credit card. Of course, for that person, this arrangement would just seem unfair. But that is how things turn out in such circumstance. If your wife is your co-account holder, she should just be ready to bear the brunt of the debts when you are gone.

The case is different if the credit card account happens to be yours alone. In this case, the creditor would have no other recourse but to determine whether your estate could be used to repay your debts. The first step to be taken here is that the creditor would find out if you have any property that is left behind. Before such real property could be divided among the heirs, the right of the creditors to obtain payment from the estate is secured first. There are legal statutes that would lay the bases for this action.
However, if you die without leaving behind any substantial estate, then the creditor would have to accept the fact that it has lost in the process. Since it has no one to collect the payment from, the creditor is compelled to declare that the debt is no longer recoverable. In this instance, it is actually the creditor that is left holding an empty bag. Credit card companies and banks, however, do not just easily give up their right to get paid. They would first exhaust all options before they would accept the truth that they could no longer get anything from a dead debtor.

It must be pointed out though that there may be differences also in the treatment of such cases in other countries. In fact, in the US, the differences may even be from state to state. Because of this, is expected that a debtor should read about laws governing debts and repayments. Knowing the said laws would be enlightening. It would even encourage one to be more prudent in spending his money and in acquiring debts. After all, nobody who is sane enough would prefer death to complying with payment obligations.

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 issues and UK based financial products.

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

Top 15 Strangest Scholarships By Jenny Sweeney

Thousands of soon-to-be students are hunting for extra financial assistance for college tuition. Without a perfect SAT score or the ability to run a sub 4.5 forty yard dash, you might find your chances of securing a scholarship aren't looking too bright. However, you might not realize that your odd talent or hobby may make you the perfect applicant for one of these 15 strange but real scholarships.
Oink, Oink
Has your room been compared to a sty? Are you comfortable living in a messy habitat? These aren't requirements for a scholarship, but they are attributes of the creatures you care about - pigs! If you're interested in creatures of the bovine persuasion, this is the scholarship for you; the International Boar Semen (IBS) Scholarship is available for those interested in swine management. For more information, visit piggene.com/IBS/ibs_home.htm.
The Next Generation of . . . Klingons
Trekkies, leave your capes, figurines, posters and other memorabilia behind. Just bring, well, yourself! Klingon Language Institute, in an effort to promote language study, awards one lucky winner a $500 Kor Memorial Scholarship-but don't worry, fluency in Klingon is not a requirement. Check out the requirements for this scholarship at: kli.org/scholarship/.

Think Tall Thoughts
You've got Michael Jordan's stature but you're about as agile as a water buffalo. That's okay with Tall Clubs International! Males over 6'2" and females above 5'8" are encouraged to apply. The reward is no small (pun intended) amount either; Tall.org awards a whopping $1,000 scholarship to the winner. Find more info at: http://www.tall.org.
Yo, Shorti!
For the vertically challenged, the Billy Barty Foundation offers scholarships to students of "short stature". Similarly, the Little People of America awards students - and their families - scholarships. To join, members must be 4'10" and shorter. Scholarship amounts range from $250 to $1000. Read all the requirements at: lpaonline.org.

More Trans fat, please!
Say goodbye to the cabbage soup, grapefruit only, or south beach diets! The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance encourages "fat" people to apply for one of their two merit-based scholarships. The scholarships, offered to already-existing NAAF members, awards $1,000 for first place, while the second place prize is $500. For more fat-friendly information regarding the scholarships, go to: naafa.org/newevents/shcolarship.html
For the Herbivores
Calling all veggie-lovers around the world! Two health-conscious winners will be awarded $5,000 in scholarship money from the Vegetarian Resource Group. But be forewarned: unless you love your legumes, this scholarship is not for you. Eligible applicants must not only exemplify a healthy lifestyle, but also promote vegetarianism within their community too. For more information visit: vrg.org.

Sk8 through School
Thanks to Tony Hawk and a few scrapes, bruises, and breaks, your skateboarding skills may have finally paid off. The Patrick Kerr Skateboard scholarship program awards four different scholarships each year. One applicant will receive a $5,000 college scholarship and three others will receive $1,000 awards. And your mother thought skateboarding would never get you anywhere! Requirements include maintaining at least a 2.5 out of 4.0 GPA, be a graduating senior, and a United States citizen. Be sure to read all the requirements skateboardscholarship.org.
Bit of the Bubbly, Please
Finally, your weakness for wine might serve another purpose-besides the pounding morning-after headache. The American Society for Enology and Viticulture (AASEV) awards multiple students for enrolling in science fields relating to the grape and wine industry. The scholarship amount is not predetermined; it varies year to year. To read other requirements for this scholarship, go to: asev.org/scholarship-program.
Bowling for Dollars
Though those middle-school years of loitering around bowling alleys have ended, your talent for earning turkeys may finally be cashing in. The United States Bowling Congress (USBC) offers a range of scholarships, including the Chuck Hall Star of Tomorrow that offers a $1,500 renewable scholarship for distinguished male high school bowlers and the Alberta E. Crow Star of Tomorrow that also offers $1,500 in renewable scholarship funds for great female high school bowlers. Read more at: bowl.com/smart/locateState.aspx.

Got Milk?
The Scholar-Athlete Milk Mustache of the Year award is given to twenty-five graduating high school seniors who have what it takes to sport the famous milk mustache; winners receive $7,500 in scholarship funds. If that's not enough, winners receive a special ad that runs in USA Today. If that's not enough, winners receive an all-expense trip to an awards ceremony at Disney Wide World of Sports' Milk House in Orlando, FL and an induction into the Milk House Hall of Fame. Check out applications at: sammy.bodybymilk.com.
Offer an Organ
You signed up to be an organ donor when you received your license. Put that heart on your ID to use! The Students for Organ Donation Youth Leadership award one or two $500 to $1,000 scholarships to full-time high school or undergraduate college students. Successful candidates actively promote organ donation and transplantation. More criteria to apply for this scholarship can be found at: studentdonor.org.
Tee It Up
You've seen them trudging up and down the greens, toting thirty pounds of iron on their backs, and offering tips to improve swings, distance and posture. Finally, they're due their recognition; Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund, founded in 1949, offers anywhere from $1,500 to $7,500 per year to caddies. Eligible applicants must have served at least two years as caddies, helpers in the pro shop or course superintendent operations at a club in Massachusetts. Read more information: ouimet.org/scholarships/

Color in the Lines
Did you meticulously color in the lines of your coloring books as a child? You may have graduated from crayons to acrylics, but the concept is the same: you're an artist at heart. Established in 1983, the L. Ron Hubbard Illustrator of the Future contest awards both quarterly and annual scholarships, ranging from $1,500 to $4,000. Read more : writersofthefuture.com
Hot, Hot, Hot
You've heard it, those three little words...in case of a fire: stop, drop and roll to safety. Earning a scholarship from the American Fire Sprinkler Association is almost just as easy; AFSA offers ten $2,000 scholarships per year to graduating high school seniors. Requirements include reading an essay and taking an online (and open-book) test. Read more about this sizzling offer on: afsascholarship.org.
Giddyup, cowboy!
The Arabian Horse Foundation offers an annual scholarship of $2,500 to one eligibly equine enthusiast. The scholarship, named in remembrance of William Zekan, is offered to horse lovers that demonstrate financial need, are currently either a high school senior or college freshman and can provide two letters of recommendation. For more eligibility criteria: arabianhorsefoundation.org.

Jenny Sweeney is a copywriter with DMi Partners, an interactive marketing agency devoted to informative websites, including ecollegefinder.org, a site devoted to distance learning and accredited online colleges.

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

List of Scholarships for High School Seniors Graduating in 2012 By Jennifer Langston

Finding the best list of scholarships for high school seniors graduating in 2012 is easy if you know a few basic techniques. It is important to recognize the types of qualifications required for different scholarships before beginning your search. Grade point average (GPA), athletic or other in-school extracurricular participation, church or other civic group volunteer work, letters of recommendation, and personal essays are all important elements in successful scholarship applications.
There are two primary ways to find the most complete listings of scholarships. First, talk with your school's guidance (or career) counselor. These trained professionals can help you find the best matches for financial aid based on on your student record and your standardized test scores. Remember to talk to the counselor about your parents' employers and any backgrounds that might qualify you for a diversity scholarship.

Many companies -- McDonald's, IBM, Wal-Mart, just to name a few -- offer scholarships to the children and other close family members of existing employees. Diversity awards are designed to encourage under-represented groups of people to attend and graduate college. Most diversity awards only require one parent have a non-caucasian background, so biracial students often qualify.
The second way to find thorough listings of scholarships is through the internet. Using Google or Bing, simply use a query string such as "high school 2012 scholarships" or "best scholarships 2012" (without the quotes) then follow the links for more information. Be sure to avoid any sites with links featuring warnings from the search engine about malware or potentially harmful content.

Links to some sites contain dangerous content (like viruses) that can execute on your computer without your permission. It is a good idea to gather information about scholarships from the internet including requirements for approval, deadlines for submissions, and types of essays or letters of recommendations considered appropriate. Take this information to your school guidance counselor or have your parent or another trusted adult help you complete the applications.
Applying online is fine provided you are sure the website is legitimate and the protocol is secure (HTTPS). Scholarship applications linked to from.GOV or.EDU domains are good examples of more trustworthy sites, but due diligence should still be exercised. Most applications do not need details such as your social security number in the initial application stage, so call via telephone to verify any applications that seem to ask odd questions like "what is your mother's maiden name?" With a little effort, you are sure to find a list of scholarships for high school seniors graduating in 2012.

A rewarding career starts with a great education. Click Here to find some rare scholarships that most students didn't know existed.

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How to Fill Out the FAFSA Application Online to Get Federal Student Loans By Angela Goldstein-Meyer

Federal Student Aid can help pay for secondary education beyond high school to eligible individuals. It is federally funded financial assistance to help students and families pay for college. The FAFSA application is free and the benefits will last a lifetime.
To apply for financial aid, an applicant must fill out a FAFSA, which stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This application will determine eligibility for receiving financial assistance for college based on the data provided, which includes personal information, income, parent's income (if applicable), spouse's income (if applicable), dependents, assets, housing situation, and any other government programs participated in by the applicant.
The FAFSA can be completed quickly and easily online. It is split into sections and there are helpful directions and tips for each question. It is necessary to have the federal tax return from the previous year in order to fill out the financial section of the FAFSA.

Section One - Student Personal Information:
This section requires the legal name, current address, social security number, date of birth, telephone number, driver's license state and number, email, citizenship status, marital status, state of legal residence, gender, information regarding any conviction for the possession or sale of illegal drugs that occurred while receiving any form of federal student aid, parents' education level, high school information and completion status, student classification for the upcoming school year, degree or certificate working towards, and whether work study should be considered.
Section Two - Student Financial Information:
This section requires information contained on the tax return from the prior year. It conveniently directs the applicant to the precise lines on the federal tax return that contain the information requested. Spouse's income is included in this section as well. The applicant must also list the total value of family assets, including cash, checking and savings accounts, real estate investments (excluding the home where the applicant currently resides), and businesses or investment farms (excluding family businesses or family farms that have less than 100 full time equivalent employees).
This section also requires the applicant to disclose any education credits received, child support paid for children not living at home, other taxable earnings like Federal Work-Study, other taxable student aid such as grants or scholarships, any taxable combat or special combat pay, or any cooperative education program income. Information regarding untaxed income will also need to be reported here, including payments made to tax-deferred savings plans or pensions, IRA deductions and payments for self-employed applicants, child support received (excluding payments for foster care or adoption), any tax-exempt interest income, untaxed IRA distributions or pensions (excluding rollovers), living allowances paid to military, clergy, or anyone else, non-education Veteran's benefits, and any other untaxed income (worker's compensation, disability, etc.).

Section Three & Four - Parent Determination:
The questions in this section will help determine whether the applicant needs to include parent information when applying for financial assistance. If the applicant can answer "yes" to any of the 13 eligibility questions in this section, they are exempt from needing to include parent information and can skip this section entirely. If the applicant answers "no" to any of the 13 questions in this section, they must have their parent(s) fill out Section Four, which will ask similar information of the parents as it did for the applicant.
Section Five - Household:
This short section asks how many people are in the applicant's household and of those people, how many will be college students during the year the applicant is applying for federal aid. It also asks if anyone in the household is receiving any federal benefits, such as TANF, WIC, SSI, food stamps, or free/reduced lunches. The final question of this section is whether the applicant is a dislocated worker.
Section Six - Schools:
This section is solely for entering the colleges or universities the applicant is interested in attending.
Section Seven - Signatures:
This section is for the applicant and their parent (if applicable) to sign, verifying all information presented is true and correct.
It is important to fill out a FAFSA as soon after January 1st as possible since federal financial aid and college grants are distributed on a first come, first served basis. The application process is simple and easy to follow, albeit time consuming since it requires many details about income and financial information. The FAFSA will calculate the applicant's EFC - expected family contribution. This amount will determine the applicant's financial need and whether the applicant is eligible to receive federal financial aid.
Once financial aid is awarded, it will be distributed first to the college or university the applicant is attending and will go towards paying tuition, fees and books. Any remaining funds that are unused will then be distributed to the student directly.

To learn more about Federal Grants and aid for college be sure to visit the FindCollegeGrants.com website which features in-depth guides and resources on numerous topics such as pell grants, college grants for women, grant money for adults and seniors, grants for minorities, and much more.

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Paying for College Without Using Student Loans By Jeffrey Mictabor

Paying for college can be tricky, especially when the cost of a college education is far outstripping the rate of inflation.
About two-thirds of today's college students take out student loans of some sort, and their average student loan debt load at graduation is over $23,000, according to FinAid.org.
These college loans can include government-issued federal student loans, federal parent loans, and non-federal private student loans offered by banks, credit unions, and other private student loan lenders.
There are ways, however, to minimize the amount of borrowing required to get a student through college. As a parent, one of the best ways to help your college-bound child avoid student loan debt is to save for college expenses over the long haul.
Financial planners advise new parents to start college savings accounts immediately after your child is born and to contribute a minimum of $75-$100 to the savings plan each month. That rate of savings will likely support in-state resident costs for a four-year degree at a public university. If you have your hearts set on sending Junior to the Ivy League, on the other hand, your monthly savings rate will need to be substantially higher.
Long-term savers have the benefit of time, which can generate options when it comes to paying for college. For families who haven't saved for college or whose college savings aren't enough, there are still a few more ways to help lessen the burden of paying for college without relying too heavily on school loans.

1) 529 College Savings Plans
It's never too late to start saving for college. This is especially true with 529 plans. These tax-friendly college savings plans are available in most states. There's no requirement that you invest in your own state's savings plan, but you could reap additional tax benefits by choosing to keep your money at home.
When you open a 529 plan, you must name a living beneficiary (you can name yourself), and you can switch beneficiaries whenever you like. You fill the account with post-tax contributions. If you follow the plan rules, which include using the proceeds only for qualified higher education expenses, you won't pay taxes on the gains when you use the funds. Additionally, relatives and friends can contribute to your 529 account, or they can open their own account for the same beneficiary.
2) Education Tax Benefits
The federal government extends tax benefits to college students and families who have students in college. The American Opportunity Credit offers a tax credit of up to $2,500 per student per year.
If you've already graduated from college and you're in repayment on your student loans, you can deduct a portion of your student loan interest if you meet certain income guidelines. Deductions are also available for un-reimbursed educational expenses that are required by your job.
To determine which tax benefits may be available for you or your family, consult with a tax advisor or visit the IRS website at http://www.irs.gov to download a copy of Publication 970: Tax Benefits for Education.

3) Scholarships & Grants
Whether you're already in college or still in high school, you should dedicate some time each month to search for college scholarships and grants. There are several online scholarship search engines that allow you to search databases of millions of scholarship awards for free. Scholarships and grants provide "free money" for college that, unlike student loans, you won't need to pay back.
With millions of local and national scholarship programs available, you can find scholarship competitions to enter year-round.
4) College Tuition Reimbursement Programs
If you're working while you're attending college, you may be able to take advantage of an educational reimbursement plan. Some employers provide full or partial tuition reimbursements for employees who have returned to the college classroom. Check with your human resources department to see if your employer offers a tuition reimbursement program.
A few employers will also provide assistance for dependents of their employees, so it's worthwhile for parents to look into whether their employer has any college tuition funds available for children of employees.

5) Student Loan Forgiveness Programs
Depending on your field of study and your post-graduation employment, you may qualify for federal, state, or private student loan forgiveness. For graduates qualified to work in certain health care, legal, law enforcement, social work, and education-related professions, taking a position in a low-income, high-need area for a designated period of time may allow you to reduce or eliminate your student loan balance.
Check federal and state financial aid websites for student loan forgiveness programs and a list of qualifying professions and majors.

6) Community College -- The College Cost-Cutter
Reducing the cost of college upfront can help you minimize the need for school loans. By attending a community college for your first two years of school, you can cut thousands of dollars off your four-year college bill.
Once you've finished your line-up of core courses, survey classes, and other basic undergraduate requirements at a less-expensive two-year school, you can transfer to the institution of your choice to complete your four-year bachelor's degree. When you graduate, your degree will carry the name of the college or university you finished at.
If you decide to go this route, work closely with your college advisors, particularly at the school where you want to complete your degree, to ensure that your coursework will transfer.
student loans

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How to Save for Your Children's College Education While You're Still Paying for Yours By Christopher Lawson

One of the biggest fears of our clients with children is that they will still be paying off their own student loans when it's time to start paying for their kids to go to college.
If you use what I'm about to teach you, you can be a hero to your kids by pre-funding their college education and at the same time relieve your stress by paying down your own student loans faster. If you don't use what I'm about to teach you, you could end up living every parent's worst college nightmare, the 11th hour crisis to find the money for college as they struggle to pay back their own student loans.
Common sense tells us that the more goals we are saving for the less we can contribute to each goal. For example, if you have $1,000 each month to put toward your financial goals and you have 10 goals in total, that equals $100 allocated toward each goal right? And if you only have 2 goals you can now save $500 toward each goal. Pretty simple stuff here but the point is, there's only so much money to go around unless you start thinking outside of the box. As you know, the real problem is that student loan debt payments take up such a large portion of your monthly income that there's a big challenge in finding the money to pay bills, loans, housing expenses, save for your retirement and college for your kids. As a result, most families end up sacrificing one or several goals in order to meet others.

There is help, and it's closer than you think
What if you could get friends and family to help you build your children's college fund? Grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, brothers and sisters, even friends and colleagues, anyone you know can help build the account. All you need are two things to get started: a 529 college savings plan and a 529 plan registry.
The 529 plan
State sponsored college savings plans or 529 plans are named after the section of the tax code that provides for their favorable tax treatment. The 529 plan is an investment account that was designed to help pay for future qualified education expenses including tuition, books, supplies, equipment, and room and board.
There are lots of benefits to using a 529 plan for college savings among them are:
1. Tax benefits - Money going into the plan is after-tax but earnings accrue tax-deferred and distributions made to pay the beneficiaries college costs are federal tax-free. Some states also offer similar tax benefits. Added bonus; there is no tax reporting until the year in which you began taking withdrawals.
2. You retain control of the funds - With very few exceptions, the beneficiary has no rights to the funds. You own the account and you decide when withdrawals are taken and for what purpose. This helps you avoid the Harley versus Harvard dilemma where your kid decides he would rather buy a Harley and see the country than spend four years at Harvard. And if the Harley versus Harvard dilemma does come up you can always change the beneficiary of the account to another child or even yourself if you plan to further your own education.
3. Easy to manage - Once you decide which plan to use, fill out the enrollment paperwork, and make your contributions, the professional managers take over and handle the day-to-day management of the investments for you.
4. Flexible - In most programs you can change investment options, roll over into a different state's plan, or change beneficiaries. You have many options to make sure that the plan remains the best fit for you and your children.
5. Large deposits are allowed - In many state plans contributions of up to $300,000 are permitted.

The 529 plan registry: supercharging your 529 plan
The control, tax benefits, and flexibility of 529 plans are great but if you really want to supercharge the value of the 529 plan, you need to get others to help you fund it and that's where the 529 plan registry comes in.
Once you enroll in a 529 plan you can go to a 529 plan registry website like http://www.freshmanfund.com that connects friends and family with your child's college fund. A 529 plan registry is similar to a gift registry that you may be familiar with from weddings and baby showers. Here you can sign up and connect with friends and family who can go to a personalized registry page to make a gift donation for your child's college education fund.
There are lots of benefits to using a 529 plan registry for college savings, here are some of the benefits of Freshman Fund:
1. You get a customized webpage - Where friends and family can go to make donations at anytime.
2. The account is free to set up - However, contributions are assessed a small service charge.
3. It's easy to share and get the word out - You have the option of importing your Yahoo, Gmail, Linkedin, or other address book contact information so you can notify those people in your network who might be interested in helping you fund your children's college education.
4. Your children's privacy is protected - Privacy is a big issue and Freshman Fund has a detailed privacy policy that you can view. You have the option to restrict who can view your child's pages and limit viewing only to signed-in users and not the entire internet. And unlike Facebook, if you ever decide to completely delete your child's profile, you can do so.

How do you get started?
The best part is that you can get started in four simple steps:
1. Visit: SavingForCollege.com and select a 529 plan - Here you will be able to get all of your college savings questions answered and select which 529 plan is best for you.
2. Enroll in the 529 plan you have selected - Complete the enrollment process.
3. Visit: FreshmanFund.com - And Sign-up.
4. Get the word out - Use the tools on Freshman Fund's website to customize your friend and family greetings and invite them to help you build a strong financial foundation for your children's future education. Be creative and have fun. There are many ways to share this news, birthdays, holidays, special events, the more you can engage your network the more savings will pour in.
Before you close this article
Momentum is important, at the very minimum go to SavingForCollege.com and bookmark the page so you don't forget. If you have a few minutes, poke around on the site a bit to see what's there. And if you're a real go getter select a 529 plan and get started building your college fund right now.

Visit http://financialevolutiongroupblog.com/ to claim your free report "The 3 Biggest Mistakes College Grads Make When Trying to Pay-Off Enormous Student Loan Debts...And How to Avoid Them".

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MLA Style Citation:
Lawson, Christopher "How to Save for Your Children's College Education While You're Still Paying for Yours." How to Save for Your Children's College Education While You're Still Paying for Yours. 16 Apr. 2012 EzineArticles.com. 2 May. 2012 <http://ezinearticles.com/?How-­to-­Save-­for-­Your-­Childrens-­College-­Education-­While-­Youre-­Still-­Paying-­for-­Yours&id=7003654>.

APA Style Citation:
Lawson, C. (2012, April 16). How to Save for Your Children's College Education While You're Still Paying for Yours. Retrieved May 2, 2012, from http://ezinearticles.com/?How-­to-­Save-­for-­Your-­Childrens-­College-­Education-­While-­Youre-­Still-­Paying-­for-­Yours&id=7003654

Chicago Style Citation:
Lawson, Christopher "How to Save for Your Children's College Education While You're Still Paying for Yours." How to Save for Your Children's College Education While You're Still Paying for Yours EzineArticles.com. http://ezinearticles.com/?How-­to-­Save-­for-­Your-­Childrens-­College-­Education-­While-­Youre-­Still-­Paying-­for-­Yours&id=7003654

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How and Why You Can Sue a Debt Collector By Sean Payne

If you're in debt, you may be worried about getting sued by a debt collector for not paying your debt. But did you know that there are several instances in which you can legally sue them instead?
With the understanding that I am not a lawyer and am not giving any legal advice, here are the facts:
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, or FDCPA, outlines specific behaviors in which debt collectors are forbidden to engage. According to this law, if a collector does engage in these forbidden practices, you may have the right to sue them in a state or Federal court.
So, what are these forbidden practices?
The first, and most common, is harassment. Under the FDCPA, harassment means use of "threats of violence or harm", using obscene language, or annoying someone through repeated use of the telephone.
Another forbidden practice is making false statements. The FDCPA forbids debt collectors from lying to try to collect a debt. Examples of this include falsely claiming that they are attorneys or that they represent the government, lying about how much you owe them, or falsely stating that your outstanding debt makes you a criminal. Debt collectors have a long history of saying what they have to in order to collect on a debt, including outright lies and subtle misrepresentations.

Debt collectors also may not make public the fact that you owe a debt. This includes contacting other people about your debt, publishing a list of names of people who have outstanding debts, or contacting you via postcard. The only instance in which a debt collection agency can contact other people about your debt is in order to find out your current address, phone number, or place of employment.
So, what happens if a debt collector does engage in one of these forbidden practices?
Your first action should be to inform them that you are aware of your rights under the FDCPA, and that they must cease their illegal actions. Most of the time, this will resolve the problem without you having to resort to legal action.
If that doesn't work, however, you have up to one year from the date that they violated the law to sue them in state or Federal court. You can sue the collector for any damage that you can demonstrate you suffered because of their collection practices, such as medical bills or loss of wages.

Even if you can't prove that they caused any actual damages, the judge can still require that they pay you up to $1000. In addition, the judge can require them to reimburse you for your attorney fees.
Keep in mind that just because the debt collector violated the law in trying to collect your debt, the debt does not just disappear if you actually owe it. Their violation of the law only entitles you to sue them under the FDCPA.
Know the law. Know your rights. And if your rights are violated under law, make sure you use the law to enforce your rights.

Sean Payne is a personal finance and debt reduction enthusiast. After getting out of debt himself, he spent several years learning all he could about how debtors can use the law to protect their rights and their peace of mind.
Learn more about how to sue debt collectors for violating your rights at Sean's fascinating website at http://www.debtpayofftips.com

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How To Take Advantage of 0% APR Balance Transfer To Get Rid of Credit Card Debt By Jennifer L Todd

If you have a better option to get rid of credit card debt, don't choose balance transfer option as its promotion period has expired date and it carries high interest rate, higher than your existing credit card interest rates upon expiry of the cheap interest rate promotion period. However, if you choose the very attractive 0% APR balance transfer to get rid of credit card debt, you have to know how to take advantage of it so that you can get out of debt successfully.
The features of Credit Card Balance Transfer
Balance transfer is a popular promotions by creditors. It normally comes with very low, or even 0% introductory APR. But, there are a few important features that you have to watch out for:

• The 0% or cheap interest rate has expiry date. Normally, the date given is typically 8 to 24 months in the future. You have to aware of this period if you want to take advantage of 0% APR on balance transfer.
• The interest rate will normally jump back to regular rate after the promotion period. You have to check the rate, it may be higher than the existing credit card rate before the balance transfer.
• Most balance transfers do charge a processing fee. If you want to truly benefit from this option, you have to take into account all the costs involved.
• There are always some remarks in the fine print agreement. You may not be told about them verbally. So, you have to read the fine print to ensure that you have understood all the terms and conditions before signing on the dotted line of the agreement.

3 Steps to take advantage of 0% APR Balance Transfer
Once you aware of the balance transfer features and you decide to transfer the credit card balances that are currently at high interest rates to save interest with the 0% APR, below are the basic 3 steps you can do to take advantage on this option.
Step 1: Choose the best offer
There are many offers of 0% APR on balance transfer, you have to choose the best offer. The longer of 0% APR last, the more you can make. The rule of thumb, you are advised to wait until you receive an offer that is at least 0% APR for 12 months. Of course, you have to read the fine print to ensure there are not hidden costs that may cause you pay more. Then, you have to compare various offers by calculating all the costs involved before deciding the best offer.

Step 2: Plan to pay off the balance before the 0% APR expiry date
In order to maximize the benefit of balance transfer, you want to pay off the balance before the expiry of 0% APR. The monthly payment amount can be calculated by dividing the transferred amount with the number of months for 0% APR offer. For example, you transfer a $5000 credit card balance with 18% of interest rate to enjoy the 0% APR for 18 months, you will need to pay at least $278 a month to clear off the balance before the expiry date.
Step 3: Set a backup plan
If you can't afford or fail to settle the balance within the 0% APR promotion period, what is your alternative plan of action? You may want to consider debt consolidation or other debt management options if you can't payoff the transferred balance during the 0% APR period.
Summary
0% APR balance transfer is a very attractive offer for you to get rid of high interest rate credit card debt, but you have to understand how to take advantage of the offer if you want to benefit from it. You are advised to consider it carefully with the above information before making your decision.

Jennifer L. Todd is a Finance Expert focusing on debt management and credit counseling. Visit her at http://www.debtconsolidationmakeeasy.com for more information about various options for getting rid of debt.

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