Des Moines, Washington To Benefit From EB-5 Program

A councilman from Des Moines, Washington, is counting his lucky stars that he took up an invitation to meet with a local hotel owner during his visit to China recently.  The man he met with actually owned the hotel in which the councilman was staying, and their conversation has led to a proposed $45 million hotel project in this small town along the Puget Sound.

The councilman, Bob Sheckler, was in China on a mission to establish a sister city relationship with Des Moines, but after learning that the owner of the hotel was looking to develop a project in Washington, Sheckler sensed an opportunity.

The Chinese businessman was deciding between Des Moines and Tacoma, Washington. Although it may seem unusual for such a large project to be developed in one of two rather small and obscure towns in the Pacific Northwest, Sheckler was told that both of the cities had certain geographic and infrastructure features that made them attractive investment locations. 

Sheckler made his best pitch for Des Moines.  He reminded the Chinese hotel magnate that the U.S. Open championship would be held at a nearby golf course in 2015, around the time the hotel is scheduled to open.  Moreover, as part of Washington’s effort to develop deeper commercial and cultural ties to China, SeaTac, Seattle’s international airport, has announced daily nonstop flights to Shanghai beginning next summer.  Des Moines sits just a few miles south of SeaTac and very close to a major highway that leads to the airport.  Tourists from China and elsewhere could potentially be shuttled directly to the hotel in Des Moines as soon as they have collected their baggage, which would certainly be convenient for travelers who have just spent over 12 or 13 hours on a flight.  And the scenic beauty of the Puget Sound and surrounding mountains would not hurt, either. 

Sheckler sold the Chinese hotel developer on the idea of Des Moines as the home of his new project, called Artemis, and construction is scheduled to begin sometime next year.

The Des Moines hotel project is an example of the USCIS’ EB-5 visa program in action.  It will be funded almost entirely by the Yareton Hotel Investment Funds Regional Center.  An EB-5 regional center, like Yareton, is financed by foreign entrepreneurs, but is generally managed by U.S.-based business executives.  Regional centers can pool money from multiple foreign investors and use it to pay for the construction and development of large-scale projects.  In order to receive EB-5 regional center designation, immigrant entrepreneurs must prove they have the funds necessary (either $500,000 or $1 million) to finance a commercial enterprise and a business plan based on sound economic models that reasonably ensure that at least 10 permanent full-time jobs will be created.

The Chinese hotel owner who struck the deal with Sheckler is the majority investor in the Yarteton EB-5 regional center, and his American counterpart is currently in the process of attracting additional foreign investment to the project.  It is estimated that about 170 jobs will be created by the hotel, which will include a casino, a café, a bar and two restaurants.

Visit EB5Investors.com to gain knowledge and assistance on the EB-5 process. EBInvestors.com provides numerous amounts of resources including legal professional counsel.

EB-5 Program Reform Part of the Economic Solution

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Throughout the campaign process, both candidates have spent much of their time speaking on their ideas and plans to “fix” the struggling US economy. With growth at a lower than needed pace and unemployment hovering around eight percent, people are looking everywhere for solutions. One economist believes he has a solution, and it’s not what many people might expect.

Charles Kenny, a fellow at the Center for Global Development and the New America Foundation, believes that what the country needs is immigration reform, and he believes it needs it urgently. He believes that current US policies are unfriendly to immigrant workers, and are adversely affecting industries with high numbers of immigrant workers, such as agriculture and technology. Specifically, he believes that the limit on the number of H-1B visas for “specialty” occupations needs to be increased, and that the US needs to make it easier for foreign students graduating from US universities to stay in the country upon graduation. He also believes that the EB-5 visa program is in need of reform to increase the number of immigrants taking advantage of it.

The EB-5 visa program was created by Congress as a means to stimulate the American economy, promote job growth and attract capital investment by wealthy immigrant investors. The program grants US visas to foreign entrepreneurs and their dependents in exchange for a considerable investment in a US enterprise. The investor must invest either $500,000 in a business located within a targeted employment area (TEA), a rural or high unemployment area, or in any desired location in the US. The investment must create or preserve ten full-time jobs for US workers within two years.

The EB-5 program, named that because it is the fifth category of employment based visas issued by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, is estimated to have created about 34,000 jobs over the life of the program. That number looks to be rising rapidly, as the program is now more popular than ever. The number of applicants for the EB-5 Visa has risen from 1,000 in 2009, to 2,000 in 2010, to over 3,000 in 2011. But Kenny thinks it can be even higher.


Kenny claims that the job creation requirement of the program as it stands leaves the visa holders open to deportation if the jobs that their investment creates are not created in the exact way that was predicted in their application. He believes the process is simply too rigid, and that this rigidity is why only 13,719 people applied between 2000 and 2010 and of these, only 3,127 were granted a US residence permit or green card. With some reforms, perhaps the number of applicants and green cards granted under the EB-5 program will go up, and with each successful applicant comes a large capital infusion into the US economy and 10 new permanent jobs for US workers. With the EB-5 program, it truly is “the more, the merrier.”

National Bankcard Monitor Review

Businesses have chosen the route of aggressive marketing to sell their products to the ever-increasing number of consumers.  Consumerism has its fair share of pros and cons.  With so much variety available for any given product, people enjoy the whole concept of shopping.  This has been made even easier, with credit available for payments.  Banks and credit card companies have enticing offers and easy payment plans available to their customers, to fulfill their cravings. It is not only impulsive shopping we are talking about, but also other essential things like owning a home or car that requires borrowing.  All these classify as debt.  They attract a huge rate of interest too.  Every individual or family has a fair amount of debt in terms of mortgages, car loans, pending bills, credit card bills etc.  It is fine as long as the repayment towards these loans are on time and planned according to the income.  Otherwise, it can be a serious concern. 

Recession and unemployment are playing spoilt sport in the financial plans of many people.  More often they find that even though they are paying towards their debt, they are barely covering the interest due. Thus, getting into the debt trap.  Everybody wants to be debt free as soon as possible. 

Again thanks to aggressive marketing, there are different options being offered by banks and other non-banking organizations for people to become debt free.  These can have very technical sounding names like debt restructuring, debt consolidation and debt settlement etc. They all sum up to some thing more disastrous.  The overall credit score is affected.  It is not an option for a person, who wishes to repay his debt and maintain a good relationship with his lenders. 

In this scenario, National Bankcard Monitor is a right choice.  It offers professional help to the customer, who is sure of his or her repayment potential.  The company offers a faster way to get rid of debt, to be stress free and enjoy the house or car purchased and in the process, save some money by way of interest.  The company has a number of plans available for the customer to choose from, one which may suit his or her requirements. The company has a panel of experts who study the debt amount to be repaid by the customer, and work out a schedule for its prompt closure.  Of course, they do it for a fee, but it is negligible compared to the amount of money saved by way of interest.  It is not a magic potion that works on your debt instantly.  They do no claim to get your loans written off or paid off. The company helps you, as a valued customer, to manage your finances better. 

National Bankcard Monitor has professional expertise and the necessary tools to better manage your debt.  Their services are easy to obtain.  All the information is available online.  Select a plan suitable for you, fill in the data required and sign up for a nominal fee.  Many satisfied customers have gone for upgrades to better manage their finances.  The company offers a solution for people to better enjoy what they earn.

How To Survive During An Economic Downturn

As tough as it may sound, economic downturns are one of the hard facts of life and are considered as part of the flow and ebb of a country's economy. There are many factors which bring about economic-recession but whatever the underlying cause might be, the ripple effect caused by the drawback of an economy is far reaching and usually affects a majority of individuals in any given country. In view of this, it is mandatory that an individual should take drastic measures to survive this bleak economic period. The following are some tips on how to survive during an economic downturn

Plan Ahead

This is considered as one of the best strategies when it comes to surviving an economic downturn. In order to shield yourself from the diverse effects associated with economical downturns, you should set up proper strategies specifically aimed at counteracting the financial difficulties experienced during this period. Setting up an emergency savings account is one of the ways to go about doing this.

Avoid Bad Debt

There are two types of debts; good debts and debts. Good debts are debts incurred on basic utility bills usually in form of electricity, rent, water and gas bills. In order to live a comfortable life, an individual has no choice but to spend money on such utilities. On the other hand, bad debt refers to utility bills on items or luxuries that an individual can live without; these include club subscriptions and pay-TV.

In order to survive economic recession, bad debt should be avoided at all cost. This means that, an individual has to forfeit unnecessary luxuries that would only drive up the cost of living.

Use Debit Cards Instead Of Credit Cards

The use of credit cards during an economic downturn is one of the biggest mistakes an individual can make. By using a credit card, you are actually spending money that you do not have. In an attempt to continue living the life they were living before the downturn, most individuals end up accumulating huge balances on their credit cards. Debit cards are different from credit cards in that, the money is taken directly from a bank account and there is no interest incurred during its use.

The use of a debit card makes an individual aware of their spending limits and also shields an individual from the high interest rates associated with the use of credit cards. By doing this, an individual has a higher chance of surviving during an economic downturn.

Pay Down Debt

During economic downturns, it is usually advisable to pay down debts such as credit card debts. Increasing credit card payments even by a small margin will help you save a lot of money in the long run and is also instrumental in helping an individual come out of an economic crunch unscathed.

Cook at home

You can save up more by cooking at home as opposed to eating out. When doing this, it is usually advisable to buy packaged food in bulk in order to save more money.

Use public transport

Transport expenditure can be cut down extensively through the use of public transport. In order to further subsidize transport expenses, an individual can walk or cycle to a given location.
By doing this, an individual is assured of surviving an economic downturn in relative comfort.

Author Bio: Blogger who talks about all things finance for http://easyrefine.com/ 

The Benefits of Investing in an EB-5 Regional Center

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The Immigrant Investor Program, which is administered by the United States Citizenship and Immigrations Services (USCIS) agency, was established by Congress over twenty years ago to encourage foreign investment and economic growth in the U.S. By investing at least $500,000 in a commercial enterprise that creates or preserves 10 permanent full-time jobs, foreign entrepreneurs can secure a permanent visa, or green card. A green card awarded through the Immigrant Investor Program is also called an EB-5 visa, since it is the fifth category of employment-based visas created by the U.S. government.

There are two options available to foreign investors who want a permanent visa, each distinguished by the amount of the investment. For example, a foreign national could invest $1,000,000 in a commercial enterprise anywhere in the United States, and if that investment leads to the creation or preservation of 10 permanent full-time jobs within two years (with certain exceptions), the investor will be given a permanent visa.

Or, a foreign investor could obtain a permanent visa by investing $500,000 in a commercial enterprise in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA) and create or preserve 10 permanent full-time jobs as a result of that investment. A Targeted Employment Area is a rural area or a region that is currently experiencing 150% of the national unemployment rate. The required investment, while substantial, is not unreasonably high and is relatively affordable for foreign nationals with access to significant financial resources.

The Regional Center model has become by far the most popular option for foreign investors seeking permanent visas through the Immigrant Investor Program. An EB-5 Regional Center is an entity that is involved in the promotion of investment, job creation, and commercial development. The “Regional Center” designation is given by USCIS when certain criteria, such as the filing of a business plan and economists’ report demonstrating the reasonable expectations of the proposed commercial enterprise, have been met. There are several reasons why the Regional Center approach has become so popular in recent years.

First, investments from several foreign citizens can be pooled and managed by a group of U.S.-based managers who can help shepherd a commercial project to completion. Theoretically, a foreign national can make an investment and let the managers do the rest. Once USCIS verifies the investment and designates the Regional Center, the investor can obtain a conditional visa that allows him or her to stay in the United States until the job creation requirement of the Immigrant Investor Program is met, generally two years. Moreover, whereas an investor in a commercial project that is not a designated Regional Center must show that 10 permanent full-time jobs have been created as a direct result of the investment, a investor in a Regional Center can meet the job creation requirement by demonstrating that 10 jobs have been created either directly or indirectly as a result of the investment, a slightly more flexible standard. The application process for Regional Centers can also be expedited in certain circumstances, given Congress’ and USCIS’s stated preference for the Regional Center model. Of the 10,000 EB-5 visas set aside each year, at least 3,000 are designated for foreign nationals who invest in Regional Centers. USCIS has said that the 3,000 permanent visas represent a yearly minimum, and the agency will award more as needed.

EB-5 Program is a Win-Win, Creating Jobs and Making American Dreams Come True

As the United States struggles to reinvigorate its economy and create jobs, a decades old program is experiencing record popularity in the U.S., and just may hold the keys to some much needed economic stimulus.

The EB-5 visa program, also known as the Immigrant Investor Program, was created in 1990 by Congress in an effort to stimulate the American economy, promote job growth and encourage capital investment by wealthy foreign investors.  The program provides U.S. green cards to foreign investors and their families, enabling them to become permanent residents in the United States, in exchange for a sizeable investment in a U.S. venture.  The investor must contribute either $1 Million in any location throughout the U.S., or $500,000 to a project located in a rural or high unemployment area.  Furthermore, the investment must create or preserve a minimum of ten full-time, permanent jobs for qualified American workers within two years after the investor’s admission into the United States.

The EB-5 program, named that because it is the fifth category of employment based visas issued by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, is estimated to have created about 34,000 jobs over the life of the program.  However, that number looks to be rising rapidly, as the program is now more popular than ever.  The number of applicants for the EB-5 Visa has risen from 1,000 in 2009, to 2,000 in 2010, to over 3,000 in 2011.  And with each of the successful applications bringing with it at least 10 new jobs, the potential for a significant economic impact becomes apparent.  In Oregon alone, where the program is experiencing heightened popularity, projections are that as many as 1,000 jobs will be created in the next two years.

The surge in popularity may be attributable to several factors, including, not surprisingly, the economic downturn of late in the United States.  Not only has the downturn created an even greater need to create permanent, full-time jobs, but it has also resulted in a reduction in domestic lending through the traditional bank loan route.  As a result, some developers see the EB-5 program as an alternative way to raise their needed capital.  By soliciting a group of EB-5 investors and pooling their investments together at a regional center, they can generate the large sums of capital that they need to make their projects a reality.
At the same time as the demand for EB-5 investor capital has risen in the U.S., in China, where the majority of EB-5 investors originate, the country’s economic prosperity has resulted in a greater number of interested investors who can afford the hefty price tag of the EB-5 visa.  With supply rising to meet increased demand, the program provides a win-win scenario for everyone.   Even the public at large benefits from responsible and innovative initiatives, such as Miami, Florida’s EB-5 funded Florida Organic Aquaculture, a natural and sustainable shrimp farm which recycles shrimp by-products to feed oysters and fertilize sea asparagus.  The farm can operate 365 days a year and yields ten times the output of a traditional farm, passing cost savings and environmental benefits along to the public.

The EB-5 program has also grown in recent years due to increased interest from Latin American investors.  Unfortunately, the popularity among wealthy Latin Americans stems largely from the fact that they do not feel safe in their home countries, facing the constant threat of kidnappings and extortion. This goes to show that even during these dark economic times, the United States is still a premier destination for immigrants seeking a better life.

Christian Home Business ideas – A Lot of Advantages

Work from home ideas are fast catching up. They have a lot of advantages over the typical office work life. The first and foremost is not being bound by a 9 to 5 job. There is no stress of driving long distances, having to tackle with traffic snarls and going on a guilt trip of neglecting home. Another major factor that makes it a suitable proposition to earn some money is that it is a legitimate source of income. There is no cutthroat competition and strategizing typical to the corporate world. People who are concerned about their religious ethics find this a much sober option; at the same time feel satisfied at having contributed to the family income in some way or the other.

A Christian home business also requires the same amount of planning and nurturing like any other business. Work out a business plan and execute it properly for it to be a success. Much time needs to be spent on short-listing what kind of business is viable. This entirely rests on your strengths and passions. The results are always the best when your heart is completely into it. Some of the Christian home business ideas would be to manage a website giving information about local service providers, church activities and even manage a website selling online greeting cards. The revenue from such websites would be by way of selling advertisement space and also commission from the business benefiting from the traffic to your site. Web designing is also a good proposition if you have the required skills. Online services like proof reading, typing, bookkeeping etc are also well paying options to look into. Affiliate marketing, where in you sell another persons product or services, and earn a commission is also a good option.

Whatever be the nature of the business, it ultimately sees the best results depending upon the effort and dedication put in. It may not be a very high paying business, but at the end of the day, it satisfies your soul. It is ethical and gives you the satisfaction of doing something worthwhile, and truly make you feel a master of your time.

Immigrant Investor Program Helps Foreign Entrepreneurs Obtain Green Cards

The U.S. government’s Immigrant Investor Program is all the rage among wealthy foreign investors who wish to obtain permanent residency visas to live and work in the United States.

The Program, which was created by Congress two decades ago in an effort to encourage economic development and job creation on the domestic front, offers wealthy overseas investors an opportunity to secure a green card by investing at least $500,000 in a domestic commercial enterprise.  A foreign investor can put either half a million dollars in a commercial project in a Targeted Employment Area (defined as a rural area or an area experiencing 150% of the national unemployment rate), or one million dollars anywhere else.  Regardless of where and how much an immigrant entrepreneur wishes to invest, the commercial investment must lead to the creation or preservation of 10 permanent full time jobs within two years. 

A conditional visa is awarded once an investor’s application has been approved by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services agency (USCIS), which administers the Immigrant Investor Program.  If a foreign investor meets the requirements of the Program, he or she (and his or her family) will be granted permanent green cards.  These green cards are one of five employment-based visas available to foreign nationals.  This particular employment-based green card is often referred to as an EB-5 visa, since it is the fifth category of employment-based visas offered by the U.S. government.  After a foreign investor has had an EB-5 visa for five years, he or she (and his or her immediate family) may apply for full U.S citizenship.

In order to meet the stringent requirements of the EB-5 visa program, most foreign investors use Regional Centers to oversee the development and management of commercial enterprises in which they have placed their money and their hopes of obtaining a green card.  Regional Centers are essentially development groups led by U.S.-based managers and business professionals who oversee EB-5 projects, attract additional financing when necessary, and most importantly, make sure the projects comply with the federal government’s EB-5 program rules and regulations.  EB-5 Regional Centers identify good areas for investment, develop a business plan for EB-5 enterprises, help file the necessary paperwork with the USCIS, and present the agency with sound economic analyses that show the reasonable job-creation potential of the project.  Since the goal of the Immigrant Investor Program is to promote economic growth here at home, USCIS prefers the EB-5 Regional Center model to individual investment models because they have better track records and are more likely to lead to successful commercial projects that create jobs and infuse economically stricken communities with much-needed cash.

As one might expect, EB-5 Regional Centers have popped up all over the country, and there are dozens more in the pipeline.  The economic boom in China, India, Southeast Asia and elsewhere over the last decade, coupled with the severe recession in the United States, has made the EB-5 program a relatively affordable and attractive option for wealthy foreign entrepreneurs seeking permanent residency visas for themselves and their families.  This positive trend is expected to continue over the next few years as businesses and development firms from the United States increase their EB-5 outreach in order to secure financing for commercial projects that would otherwise not be possible from domestic sources.

Guide to California cash advance

Many a time, people are caught in a difficult financial situation. Lack of liquidity to meet these demands, that may be due to medical emergencies, repairs that need immediate attention or even some good investment option, can be stressful to deal with. It may become difficult to stretch the urgent payment of bills to the next paycheck. This is where a payday cash advance helps.

California cash advance companies offer a variety of financial planning options. It is legal, and any US citizen above the age of 18 can avail of their services. With a verifiable identity and income proof, and ready access to the Internet, you can shop online for the various lenders.

Once the lender has been shortlisted, fill up the form online and wait for the company to do the necessary risk assessment. This will take a few hours time and the cash will be made available to you in your bank checking account within 24 hours. Past borrowing history and income are determining factors. The maximum amount eligible is $300 and the term can be between 7 to 31 days. To make the best use out of the cash advance loans, make sure that the companies offering the loans are transparent about their charges. Applications must be made through secure servers. Look for companies that have good customer rating and are reliable. A lot of data is available on the Internet; with people writing about their past experiences with different companies.

Negotiate the best terms that suit you with regard to interest and charges and make good use of the competitive offers. Give importance to the fine print because these short-term loans have a very high interest and more than often people get trapped. Due to stress and urgency in getting the cash required to meet your emergency, you may miss out on key points of what you are getting into. Caution and planning will make this a pleasant experience. Always plan towards repaying the loan with the next paycheck. This ensures a good debt history. Payday cash advances must be strictly used as bridges between paychecks.

HOW TO INVEST YOUR MONEY DURING BAD ECONOMIC TIMES

Economic recession is a time where people fall into debt as they are unable to effectively manage their finances. The situation becomes difficult handle investment plans under tough economic conditions. To make sure your future economy is secured try analyzing your countries economy and plan up the necessary steps that will protect your personal life. So, make sure you take wise decisions and choose smart ways when it’s time for investment plans during a recession.

Tips for investments during economic recession:

• Plan to clear all your debts before scheduling for any new investments in bad economic times.
• Check the latest plans introduced while dealing with payment of credit bills. Hence due to the economic crisis companies plan to take a few necessary steps accordingly with the companies rules and regulations.
• Invest money in gold and silver. Investments in such items can help you during an economic recession as you can sell these items and receive money.
• Try to invest in risky investments which incur the potential of earning huge profits
• Real estate investment can also be a way to invest money which is helpful in reselling your property considering the account with the economic situation
• Investment in shares can also be done which allow you to protect your amount and sell them by taking the advice of experts and to earn greater benefits
• Business investment will also be suited to long term security of your money
• Make a point to invest in insurance plans such as health, accidental and death loans along with PPI claims which provide security to policies under emergencies
• PPI claims are payment protection insurance claims. It provides an allowance if you’re in a situation where you can’t pay back with the payment bills; these claims will be helpful to overcome from high interest rates and will pay them in your absence
• Treasury bond investments help to secure money for a long period either of ten years or more. This may sound to be strange but these bonds are helpful in case of sudden crises. These are stored aside and are collected in means of annual profits with lower interest rates which provides security to your money
• In case of any available spare cash, you can make sure to invest them within any organisation to provide security; Certificates of Deposits is an organisation provided by banks to give security to your money for six months to an year

When running with any organisation it doesn’t only look for cash flow and profits; it makes a point with the gross margins and growth of revenue which add up to show growth for a firm. Therefore, investment plans and ideas need to be organized to add on advantages and to be secured even when you are faced with bad economic times.

About the Author:
My name is Sarah.I am a tech writer from UK. I am into Finance.Catch me @financeport

Do Payday Loans Help?

Payday loans or payday advances are made by lenders to borrowers who have an urgent need for a small amount of cash. Typically, these loans are characterized by:

• Being unsecured
• Short term duration
• Extremely useful in an emergency
• Having high interest rates and
• Typically advanced against the borrower’s payday

These instant cash advances are made to people who can show employment records and the ability to pay back a loan when he gets his paycheck. Payday loan has several advantages associated with it. One of the biggest ones is the fact that it helps the underserved or unserved niche of the population. Banks may not lend money to everybody. But with a payday loan, a person can borrow a small sum of money to help him tide over some emergency or requirement. With the swiftness with which applications for a payday loan are processed, this also helps people who have an urgent need for money. A payday lender promises extremely swift and simple processing of loan applications.

The USA is governed by different laws in different states but generally speaking, this is one industry which is legal and very controlled in 37 of the country’s states and considered illegal in 13 states. A payday loan works with high interest rates usually put down as annual percentage rates. These rates range up to 780 in the USA. So in case you are interested in getting a payday loan, do pay attention to the state and federal laws and especially to the rate of interest that you will be repaying at. This is even more important when you have the need to extend the payback period.

One more advantage of getting a payday loan is the fact that you do not need an excellent credit rating. You will need to have a job though because most of the times, the repayment of the loan is linked to when you will get your next paycheck. Ideally, opt for a payday loan only in dire emergencies and when you simply do not have any option of borrowing money. Also, do try and ensure that you pay it all back when your paycheck comes in. With the ease with which you can get a payday loan, comes the certain knowledge that the interest rate will bog you down if you do not pay back in time.

There are a few documents that you have to produce before or when you apply for a payday loan. Apart from the proof of a job and the date of your next paycheck, you also have to be a US citizen and have a bank account in your own name too. Most online resources and websites of payday lenders offer very simple loan applications or forms which you can fill out and expect to receive the money within the next working day. Some companies also promise extremely fast response time and state that you could even SMS them for a payday loan in front of an ATM machine and a few minutes later, can withdraw the money from the ATM. Do check out all terms and conditions before signing on with a payday loans company.

How to Lower Healthcare Costs

Healthcare starts with diagnosis and extends throughout treatment and prevention of illnesses, injury, diseases and impairments. Practitioners—doctors, dentists, nurses, pharmacists and care providers—in diverse disciplines globally specialise in areas related to these fields, including plastic and cosmetic surgery.

As costs rise we see changes to healthcare, such as America's Medicaid and the UK's National Health Service (NHS). Research and studies are aimed at improving healthcare for people all over the world. Internationally, people now have to find ways to lower healthcare costs, so that all from the wealthiest to the poorest may have their basic needs met. 

Medical tourism and private healthcare plans aim to make private care possible too for those in countries where healthcare is expensive, or if there are long waiting lists for organs, surgeries or treatments.

We can all contribute to lowering healthcare costs by trying to stay healthy and living healthier lifestyles. However, at some point we all need healthcare. In the UK citizens support NHS healthcare through payments of National Insurance (NI) from employment or self-employment. 

Prescriptions are paid for and some medical and dental treatments have banded costs. However, certain treatments may not meet NHS eligibility criteria, such as dental implant treatment or cosmetic surgery. In these cases, individuals rely on other options to reduce healthcare costs

We may be able to lower the cost of healthcare by:

• Joining our company healthcare scheme
• Taking out a private healthcare insurance or healthcare plan
• Comparing costs of medication via prescription versus over-the-counter
• Researching healthcare and treatments abroad
• Supporting healthcare charities

Not all are employed by a company with a healthcare scheme and not all companies offer one to employees. Like a pension these schemes may offer insurance to cover certain medical expenses if an employee is in need of healthcare. These schemes may provide the financing for private health care.

Private healthcare insurance enables individuals to pay reasonable monthly premiums for certain private care treatments. Premiums may be stepped to cover basic to more advanced healthcare needs. Increasingly popular, healthcare plans are an affordable way to have choices in private healthcare.

Checking with a pharmacist to see if prescribed medicines are available over-the-counter at lower cost or generic may reduce healthcare bills. For more affordable treatments, many are researching options of healthcare treatment abroad in other countries. Others rely on healthcare charity for organs and care.

More about healthcare costs and cosmetic surgery saving ideas can be found at the home of Cosmetic Surgery Consultants.

4 Steps in Notarizing Your Signature on Financial Documents

To be always safe when it comes to your financial documents, it is a common practice to have those notarized by a notary public. In doing so, you will secure yourself from becoming a victim of fraud. The notary acts as an impartial observer in the signing of documents, and at the same time, establishes that the signers understand the document. The notary will also check the identity of the persons involved in the signing, making sure that no one is misrepresenting themselves.

If you are ready to secure your financial papers, do the following instructions on how to get your signature notarized:

1. Obtain the services of a notary public. Finding a notary to perform notarization on your documents is now made easy with the Internet. Before, you still have locate one using a telephone directory, or by going to your bank or postal office. Using your computer, smartphone, or tablet, you can visit a search engine and type away the correct keywords like “notary public” plus your area. Or to make it easier, you can go to FindNotary.com, which has an extensive directory of notaries public in the United States.

2. After locating a notary public, you can bring your documents, together with any valid proof of identification, to their office. Alternatively, you can also acquire the services of a mobile notary -- if you can’t or don’t like to travel. The mobile notary will go to your place and perform the notarization there.
3. Sign the documents in front of the notary public. It is best that the notary should witness each signing. Please don’t forget to also affixed the correct date under your signature.

4. Once you have finished affixing your signature, it is then the notary’s turn to also signed the document. A properly notarized document should contain the notary seal. The notary’s name, state’s name, and the notary’s commission expiration date should be complete on the seal.

If you have not skipped any of the steps above, you should have no problem in getting a correctly notarized financial document.


About the Author:

Casey Likeness is the Director of Support for FindNotary.com and has published a number notary-related article. Follow him on Twitter - @NotaryFind.

Embarrassed With Your Finances Know Some Tips to Get Through

Overcoming financial hurdles in life is common. Do you need assistance to get out of financial turmoil? Then you are at the right place! It is time for you to plan your finances in such a way that you don’t face any more difficulties in the future.

This can be achieved by compiling the tips listed below:

• Compose a financial plan: Composition of a financial plan is a simple task where you can include your earnings and expenditures, including all the financial transactions that are performed in a sequential manner that will support you in analysing your budget plan. Doing this will allow cash flow to be easily managed, avoiding the wastage of money for no reason. The optimisation of the finances should be frequent so that you keep it updated with the changes that are occurring on the market.

• Prioritise your essentials: Firstly it is significant that you know the thin partition that lies between a need and a want. After you completed the arrangement you can easily identify the real requirements and avoid the unnecessary spending from your pocket; this should help to ensure that you are saving a good sum in your account.

• Synchronise your debts: This is a vital step that has to be taken during the early stages before the situation becomes worse; leaving you with a huge mountain of debt. For this you need to synchronise the debts according to their interest rates, repayment duration and loan amount so that they can be cleared early. Practice wisely the steps required to pay back all your debts and attaining a good credit history that will advantage you in future processing.

• Make use of tax returns: If you are eligible for tax returns then you can utilise that amount before it comes into your hands, this is a case where you pay more tax than required and get back that amount from the government which is known as a tax return. This cash will assure you a loan and also cash by producing your eligibility to the financial institution.

• Secure payday loan: With the support that is administered by short term payday loans you can wisely utilise this money to clear your debts but at a higher interest rate. This loan can be secured by anyone who fulfils the eligibility criteria, which includes age limit of eighteen years and above, being currently employed with an active bank account and being a citizen of the country of application. The loan not only assures you instant cash with fast approval but also improves your credit score with no collateral and credit check done.

• Organise your savings account: The savings you possess will always lead you to success even during the hard times where you face huge economic crisis. Through this you can know how important it is to have savings account that will keep you safe and secured.

Author Bio:

My name is Alicia. I am a tech writer from UK. I am into Finance. Catch me @financeport

Be Sure to Find The Tax Accountant That Can Do The Job Spot On

It cannot be stated clearly enough how important it is to properly prepare your taxes each year. At the beginning of every year, governments around the world require individuals and businesses to file tax forms declaring various financial figures. Most of these figures focus on income, though there are a number of items that may be taxable, or may be written off to reduce an overall tax bill.

Of course, proper filing of taxes is important to stay within existing tax laws, but also to ensure that any potential refunds are also received. For this, you may wish to enlist the help of bookkeeping services in Melbourne or any other city where professional bookkeeping services are offered.

A skilled and knowledgeable tax professional can be a tremendous asset, but there are some points to consider before making a business arrangement and turning over the necessary financial documents.

The first consideration that should be made is whether a particular accountant has the needed specialization for a particular case. Those with a broad range of investments, or businesses in certain sectors of the economy may have long and complicated tax filings each year. Can the accountant keep up with the workload, fully understand rules and regulations to ensure that there will be no tax penalty, and also ensure that they maximize any refunds that may be warranted in certain cases?

Second is to do a bit of background checking on the firm a particular bookkeeper may work for. This includes positives and negatives, as well as whether the firm itself has a particular tax and accounting specialty. Some firms may be more acquainted with personal tax regulations, making them a less attractive candidate for individuals and families.

Third, it is wise to ask whether the accountant that is the first point of contact will actually be your accountant, or if the job will go to another member of the accounting staff. If so, getting an idea of this person's background and credentials is a good idea as well.

Finally, it is important to remember that even though an accountant may be responsible for filing a tax return and attempting to get the maximum refund, each individual is still responsible for their own taxes. If there is any question regarding ethics, or questions that may not be easily answered, it may be best to seek additional accountants and accounting firms to give your business to.

Spending the time to find a good and reliable accountant can help to save quite a bit of money and stress, so choose wisely and deliberately.

A Few Investment Options

The prudent investor always analyses the pros and cons of any scheme before putting his money into it. The following are some investment options that he could consider carefully:

Investing in real estate like a house, apartment or a villa is quite rewarding. You may purchase it for your own or lease it to others as a landlord. In the latter case, you must have it in you to face any dour -faced or brazen tenant who refuses to pay the rent; you may have to force him to leave the place; many a time by physical means, if the need arises.

Evaluate the various insurance plans. Some insurance plans not only involve modest installments, but also ensure death benefits. A few insurance plans that give you lifetime returns can be considered. Annuities and whole-life insurance are some popular choices of many. In case of Company retirement plans, funds are generally tax-deferred.

You could deposit your money into checking accounts. As this account is easily accessible, you can withdraw it anytime. But if you keep it there for a considerable period, in the long run, you stand to lose interest on this money which you would have gained had you deposited it in some other better option. Similar is the case with savings account. Here also, withdrawal is fast but it would not be advisable to keep a large amount of money for a considerable period of time in this account as, once again here, you will not earn interest on your money as much as you would have got if it would have been kept in a fixed deposit or the- like account.

Investing in a Money Market Account in the bank gives better returns that that in a savings account, but the investor has to consider that this account requires a minimum stipulated balance and a maximum number of withdrawals and hence is not as flexible.

Investing in Certificates of Deposit gives you returns on the amount for the pre-specified period, with rates of interest better than those for savings accounts. The disadvantage here is that you have to pay penalty for pre-mature withdrawals, but your money is secure here if the deposit is held by a FDIC bank and the balance is within $100,000. Similarly, U.S. Saving Bond investments involve keeping the money for a fixed term and earning interest on the same for the kept period, without paying any state income taxes on the same.

When corporation requires funds for a new forthcoming project, it issues bonds so that money can thus be raised. When you purchase such bonds, you get interest on the money over the period kept for and as per the prevailing rate of interest. There are no taxes on such an interest.

Another good option is that of investing in mutual funds, where one can periodically add more money to the amount initially invested. Funds can be shifted between many investment assets, which is the reason why this type of flexibility is so preferred by many. The fact that management of this type of investment is quite professional also adds to its importance.

There are myriad investment options available. You have but to evaluate and act wisely.

For more details, visit this link: http://www.profitconfidential.com/

Recession: Proofing your assets

For a long time it seemed like it could never happen, but in the past few years the chance of a bank completely failing has become a real one. On September 14, 2007, panicking British depositors withdrew £1bn from their Northern Rock accounts, and over the course of the next year other banks including Bradford & Bingley, RBS and HBOS all fell victim to the credit crunch.

Fortunately for the individual, the chances of actually losing money if their bank goes down are slim. All UK-regulated accounts are covered for up to £85,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), and if your bank collapses you should get 100% of your money back within seven days, up to this maximum limit.

Yet this still leaves account holders with one week of complete exposure. That being the case, it is important to prepare yourself now for the day you may find you have no access to cash.

Begin by comparing your earnings against your outgoings. In this way you will know exactly how much ready cash you need access to in the event of your banks collapse. Then, spread your savings across more than one bank. In this way your two accounts will act as a back-up to each other, should one of them fail. Ideally you should not have more than £85,000 in each account, to ensure that all of your money is covered by the FSCS.

Another step you can take is to re-examine your personal finance. If your bank collapses, it will be easier to cope if you have less immediate expenses. Energy bills can often be greatly reduced by cancelling paper statements, paying by direct debit, combining gas and electric bills and ordering online. The other obvious step is to turn off lights and appliances when you leave the home.

For internet, telephone and TV, consider buying a package that includes all of these services. This will usually be cheaper than paying for each service individually.

Other bills to reduce include your insurance premiums, although you should ensure that any savings made do not come at the expense of your cover. Shop around for a better offer on your existing insurance, and search for multi car insurance UK online to find out if you can bring costs down by combining your cars on to one policy.

In the very worst case scenario, your last line of defence may well become your credit card. If this is your only access to cash, you will want to make sure that the credit limit on it is such that it can get you by. If you are able to, it would be a good idea to pay off some of your credit card debt to avoid interest charges.

Finally, take steps to make sure that a sudden lack of cash will not have you starving to death. Stockpiling non-perishable food may seem like an over-reaction, but it is better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it.

How to Get Debt Relief with Payday Loans Online

It is not surprising to see many families buried in debt due to the current economic situation. As these families struggle to make the ends meet, the needs for payday loans are on the rise. 

Payday loans online are the best source to get out of your debts. These loans don’t have any effect on your credit score. So, you can borrow these loans to pay off all your debts that are affecting your credit score and you can also improve the credit score. Some debts come with lots of tension and stress to get relief from debts payday loans online will lend you a helping hand. 

They are the best way to pay off your immediate debts as they provide instant cash. You can get your required amount within hours by just filling the application form online. It will usually take around 48 hours to credit your account with the amount requested. One can easily get approved for these loans in spite of any bad credit scores. Getting approved for these loans is very easy as they are approved regardless of the reason for the amount and do not require any collateral or proof to be submitted.

You can also implement some programs like a debt consolidation program or a debt settlement program to get rid of your debts. 

Debt consolidation program: This is the smart plan that aids you to get out of your debts and to overcome the burden of managing various debts. Gather all your debts and calculate the required amount to repay all your debts. Get the required amount from a single credit lender and pay off all your debts. This will allow you to pay a single payment a month to the loan lender and you cvan use this amount to pay off all your other debts. Generally these types of credit lenders will offer a lower interest rate to help you to come out of debts as soon as possible. 

Debt settlement plans: For this plan, you need to hire a credit counsellor who can better communicate with your creditors on your behalf to reduce the interest amount on your debt or reduce the amount of debt you owe. These are mainly useful to pay off your credit card payments and debts.

Along with the help of debt programs or payday loans online one must gain financial discipline to get out debts. If you lack this financial discipline you will end up in worse situation.

Author Bio:

My name is Michelle. I am a tech writer from UK. I am into Finance. Catch me @financeport

Why Investing Your Money Is Better Than Saving It In The Bank?

Because of the world economic status today and the past blows of the recession, many of us have become aware of how important it is to not just save for the rainy day, but to also make our savings grow so that we won’t have to worry too much when the time comes that our income is no longer sufficient to sustain our cost of living and our leisurely activities.

For the more financially literate, saving and investing money are powerful tools to help a person attain financial freedom. To define the terms, saving entails putting the money in the bank for safekeeping, high liquidity, and minimal growth, while investing money is using your money to buy company shares or participating in mutual funds ventures in order for your money to grow at a faster rate while taking risks into consideration. To make it clearer, saving is the choice for funds safety, while investing is for wealth growth.

In the past, only well-to-do individuals and firms participate in investment because of its high principal and lower liquidity. These were the people who don’t really need the money in the near future, so they use it to fund companies, loans and purchase shares in order to yield more wealth with little physical effort in the long term. But for those that don’t have the luxury of having a spare of tens of thousands of dollars, they would just have to stick with their savings account and time deposits.

However, many financial firms now understand the need for private individuals to be more involved in the financial market, and they have devised ways to ensure both the growth and the security of the private individual’s funds. There are also programs, such as Money Market Funds that offer almost the same ease of access to your money, or liquidity, as most banks. Thus, the presence of these types of financial programs pretty much gives investing an advantage over keeping a regular savings account.

The risk in investing your hard earned money could also be easily leveled out by arming oneself with vital economic knowledge. Knowing and keeping track of your investments will help you decide whether you should increase your risk appetite and invest more money to yield better results, or to take your money out to avoid incurring losses.

When you come to think of it, just by comparing the interest rate between a savings account and an investment account, the former will only give you a yield of 0.1% to 1.7%, while the latter can yield anywhere from 1%-3% for the lower risk option (Money Market Funds). This alone gives us an overview of how much potential our money has if we entrust them in the right hands. 

 

Amy C. Fountain is a businesswoman and a writer who likes to help people gain vital financial education by sharing her knowledge and experiences through blogs. She owns a couple of websites that help people make use of Accent Tables and Desk Fountains for home decoration.

Your Option to Get a Loan even with Very Bad Credit Scores!

If you are considering a loan, your credit score is important. Banks and other financial agencies will consider your credit score before they can give you a loan. And if you have a bad credit history then forget that loan! If that is what you hear from banks when you apply for a loan knowing or not knowing of your bad credit, then payday loan will be your problem-solver.

Understanding the fact that not everyone can afford or needs a bank loan, payday loans were devised. It is a loan any person, with or without a good credit score, can opt for.

Understanding payday loan

A payday loan is a smart unsecured loan that is obtained by a borrower from a lender against their next pay cheque. Just like a normal bank loan a payday loan also levies interest on an obtained loan. The interest may depend from one agency to the other, so choose the one that offers cheaper interest rates.

How to get a payday loan?

There are two options for those who wish to take a payday loan.

One can visit a nearby payday loan centre and fill an application form and submit a photocopy or a scanned copy of their payslip along with a proof of an existing bank account from which healthy/active transactions have been carried out recently.

The second option for getting a payday loan is online. There are so many online payday loan agencies that offer you the best choices of interest and instant cash advance. All you need to do is visit an online payday loan company and fill in form and submit it online. It will be processed electronically and within few hours or days the required amount will be credited in your account. All you have to do is provide some details and everything – from money credit to money withdrawal – will be done through online transactions.

Benefit of a payday loan

Payday loan has been quiet popular these days. This popularity is due to the beneficial feature it provides, some of which are listed below:

• It is a hassle-free, paper-free process when you opt for a payday loan

• Payday loans do not consider your credit score so anyone can get one.
• There is less time wasted in a payday loan, so your urgent needs could be attended immediately
• There is no need to wait in long queues just to get a loan approved or retrieve your money
• The process is simple and easy to deal with.

Author Bio:

My name is Michelle. I am a tech writer from UK. I am into Finance. Catch me @financeport

Common debt solutions in Scotland

Residents of Scotland who are experiencing difficulty with debt have access to a wide range of options that could potentially alleviate their situation. Having lots of options can present its’ own challenges however as it can be confusing to weigh them up. In this article we detail some of the main options and summarise how they work.

A debt management plan is the most used debt solution in the UK. The arrangement is known as being “informal”. This means that neither the debtor nor the creditors are “bound” by the relationship. This provides flexibility for a debtor, but also creates exposure. Even if creditors agree to a debt management plan they may later change their mind. Where a DMP works correctly, a monthly payment will be made until such time as the debts are fully repaid.

The Debt Arrangement Scheme is quite similar to a debt management plan. The debtor commits to pay an amount that they can afford towards their debts; this continues until such time that the debts have been fully repaid. While less flexible than an informal debt management plan, the Debt Arrangement Scheme overcomes the exposure issues identified in connection to a debt management plan. Once it is all in place the debtor is protected from legal action by included creditors and interest will not be charged provided that they see the programme through to completion.

More serious debt situations may require more serious measures. Where the debt levels are comparatively high attention may turn to measures such as a protected trust deed. This is sometimes referred to as a Scottish trust deed or simply abbreviated to “trust deed”.

A trust deed is quite similar to bankruptcy in some ways. Both are forms of formal insolvency under Scottish law. In a trust deed the debtor commits to pay their surplus income, the value of significant assets and the value of assets that they may acquire during the trust deed to help repay their creditors. Typically the term will be three years. In some circumstances a trust deed may help a debtor to protect their assets or employment (in comparison to bankruptcy) but this is a very technical area in which specific prior advice should be sought.

Not everyone can afford to make a contribution towards their debts each month via a debt management plan, Debt Arrangement Scheme or a protected trust deed. In such circumstances bankruptcy may be the best route to choose. This will pose challenges however for those with assets and they must be especially careful to understand their position before they go ahead.

Depending upon the circumstances involved one of a number of routes to bankruptcy can be used. Some people can approach the Accountant in Bankruptcy directly to organise the process. Other people may require an intermediate process to be completed first known as a Certificate for Sequestration. In more complex cases where a monthly contribution is viable or assets exist people choose to appoint a Trustee themselves to deal with the bankruptcy. 

With a number of debt solutions being available the value of professional advice comes to the fore. Debt advisers will want to understand the circumstances before directing any individual to a solution that is specifically suitable for them. Professional debt advisers will review income, expenditure, debt, assets, employment and attitudes to various issues before offering their advice.

Author: Scottish trust deed forum provides advice from experienced trust deed professionals, plus news and information on trust deeds.