Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Reaching the Financial Goals - The Importance of Benchmarking

Benchmarking is a way to achieve your financial goals. Benchmarking encourages you to look for better and unique ideas that can be applicable in your business. Aside from innovative ideas, pushes you to formulate effective practice of operation. People who practice benchmarking in their business often look at their organization and make changes and improvement to make their team or product more competitive.

Competition may not the mother of all invention but it certainly is the cause of all improvements. In sports, healthy competition can lead one team to do better. If athletes don't compete against each, they will not know how it feels like to win. Life gets better when there is competition.

The principle of healthy competition can be applied not only in sports but in business as well. As a matter of fact, a lot of good things came out of healthy business competition. To give you a better and clearer example of the picture, take this: you own pastry store that achieves a gross profit of about 30 percent. You think 30% is okay and that your pastry store is doing quite well. You don't do something about it as you are overly satisfied with your profit. But if you know that a distant pastry store achieves gross profit of 50 %, things will change. Since you know that there is still room for improvement and that you can do something to improve your 30 %, you now have a goal to reach.

This is where benchmarking comes in. If you have a financial goal that you need to reach or a vision that you want to achieve, benchmarking can help you achieve your goal. Fact is, benchmarking is considered to be a major part of business development as it gives business owner a clear and thorough understanding of what are the things that needs to be done in order to be the best. Come to think of it, big names in have been using benchmarking as a way of measuring the progress of their business. It does not matter what type of industry you are in, there will always be competition; therefore, benchmarking will always applicable.

Another advantage of benchmarking is that you get a bird's eye view of your shortcomings in your business. The rule is quite simple, the more often that you see what you did wrong, the more likely that you will do something to correct it. Researching is also improved if you do benchmarking, if you see someone doing better, chances are you will ask around and research about their formula, their secrets and the things that they do in order to get what they have achieved.

What is Holistic Financial Planning?

One of the newer phrases to find its way into the vocabulary of today's more progressive financial planners is "holistic financial planning". So what does it mean and why now? Also is this newer type of all inclusive financial planning something that you can benefit by?

In broader terms, holistic financial planning identifies and takes into consideration the entirety of a clients financial situation both present and on into the future. When the client receives completely inclusive or complete holistic advice, they are far better able to make decisions that insure that their total objectives are more realistically obtained.

In the past far too many financial planners and their clients took a far more narrowly focused approach to Financial Planning. Each consideration was held out and dealt with separately. One by one increments or facets of a person's finances would be analyzed and dealt with as a singular unit. In the end it was felt that all the pieces would fall together correctly and they often did.

How Holistic Financial Planning Works

With holistic financial planning however, all aspects of client's finances, goals, lifestyle and ideals are brought together at once and analyzed as a whole. A much "bigger picture" is viewed, if you will and also other peripheral aspects and factors such as client's principles are entered into the equation as well. Something that was rarely done in the past.

Holistic financial planning begins with a preliminary financial advisory process that includes an initial fact finding stage. This initial stage of the process is geared towards assessing a clients likes and dislikes, general opinions, goals both short and long term. Also during this initial fact finding stage, information such as a clients risk tolerance is also gathered and filed for analysis. Then after the necessary preliminary information has been gathered, it's on to the next phase.

This secondary stage would be the strategy recommendation stage, where all of the data gathered is used to formulate an inclusive and objective strategy that takes all into account. In this stage the clients objectives and goals are prepared and laid out with a focus on creating wealth, debt management, taxation plans, estate planning and of course risk.

While this process may sound simple on the surface, it's not. In fact in some cases the entire preliminary review can involve several meetings and in the end what is arrived at must also be approved by the client. As these meetings and review sessions unfold, often times a client will be given several options to choose from, such that in the end the final plan meshes seamlessly with their principles and values.

The final phase of the holistic financial planning process involves the monitoring/review process. As previously indicated, this a continuous and ongoing function in which benchmarks the applied overall plans outcomes and performance levels, factored against the clients perceived goals and objectives.

This ongoing process includes periodic portfolio value assessment reports, workshops and seminars, portfolio review meetings and strategy sessions and of course the end of year pre-taxation strategy and planning sessions. So hopefully now you can see that it's a system that provides holistic advice for clients geared towards growth, security and peace of mind.

Financing Your Government Contracts With Purchase Order Financing

Purchase order financing is a very good way for businesses to generate the capital necessary to fund government contracts. Government contracts are in hot demand. They provide companies with business that can be counted on and that also pays well. Businesses typically don't have to worry about a check from the government bouncing or not getting paid. Consequently, businesses go after these contracts hard, hoping to secure the business of the government. The problem is that these jobs can be quite expensive to fulfill and can subsequently, put a lot of strain on a businesses' cash flow. Purchase order financing is one way for them to get the money they need.

Bank financing has historically been one of the primary ways that companies used to come up with the money they need to cover the costs of their government contracts, though this was not always possible for every business. Newer companies may not have been able to qualify and neither might those with bad credit. Today, it is difficult for all companies to secure a loan, regardless of their credit history or length of time in business. One option for those looking to generate cash is purchase order financing.

Purchase order financing is a method of generating capital that would be ideal for those with government contracts. In order to fulfill a government contract, it is often necessary to buy materials or products. If a company does not have the money on hand to do so, they can not complete the job. That is where the aforementioned financing comes into place

Purchase order financing occurs when a company sells their purchase orders (orders for materials, finished goods, etc.) to a business known as a Factor. The Factor will make arrangements with the supplier which may include actually buying the supplies or goods with cash or opening up a line of credit with them. The company who needs the goods will then be able to receive them. They will repay the Factor after they have completed the government contract. Payment for this service typically involves some sort of profit sharing.

Purchase Order Financing is an ideal way for businesses to finance government contracts. It makes it possible for companies to immediately generate the cash they need to fulfill their contracts, even if they do not have the money required. Instead of having to turn down the contract or somehow get out of it, they are able to complete it. This puts them in a good position to receive another contract in the future. The availability of purchase order financing also makes it possible for smaller companies to go after government contracts. Many shy away from them because they fear they don't have the capital. P.O. financing provides them with the capital they need to compete even with larger, more established companies.

How to Choose a Good Financial Advisor - A Lawyer's Perspective

How to choose a good financial advisor and finding the best one for you is much like interviewing candidates seeking employment; you are the employer and the advisor is the employee. Working in the area of estate planning, I can offer some criteria I look for in light of my experience working with financial professionals.

Here are seven tips when "interviewing" candidates that are competing for your business:

(1) Qualified Referral: Did the candidate come to you, or did you contact the candidate, based on a qualified referral? By "qualified referral," in other words, is the candidate someone who was recommended to you based on their proven success with their clients, or is it someone whom is referred to you because of a person you trust that is making a recommendation? Keep in mind that advisors are in a business which relies heavily on referrals. Advisors are also in "sales." Therefore, they are frequently soliciting referrals from new clients who have yet to "qualify" the referral based on empirical proof of their advisor's actual performance - though the client may have received good advice or service and thus wants to promote their advisor.

(2) Objective Ratings: There are sources such as A.M. Best and TheStreet.com (formerly known as Weiss) that rate financial companies with an A,B,C, (+/-), system. These are helpful to know if the advisor works for a well rated company or firm. Yet, at least with A.M. Best insurance and financial companies pay for their ratings to be published, which then calls into question objectivity. So, rely on more than just one rating source. There are also the Better Business Bureau reports (BBB), Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), as well as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that announce any wrongdoings committed by financial among other companies. Searching through the above will at least reveal any "red flags."

(3) Compensation Driven Advice: Unfortunately, those in financial positions may like other sales-related industries be held to scrutiny. When it comes to making financial recommendations, advisors' own compliance dictates acceptability, to some extent, based on whether the product advised passes a "suitability" test. The SEC thus has some built-in consumer protections in its regulations. However, the financial industry is very clever in making product recommendations that can get around suitability restrictions in attempting to be one step ahead of the SEC. As such, know how much your advisor is making on the deal as well as exactly what his or her company's share is of the compensation. The lesson of the past is that advisors are notorious for making recommendations based on compensation.

(4) Do not be fooled by guarantees of any kind: If your advisor guarantees anything, be highly skeptical. Some financial instruments, such as cash value in a whole life policy, can have some degree of guaranteed protection of principal. Yet, with any third party holding your money or assets,even if FDIC insured, there are no 100% guarantees - although there are some financial instruments that are safer than others (FDIC insured being relatively safe). In fact, promises of guarantees on financial products or plans that are not so can get an advisor in trouble with his or her regulatory agency.

(5) Good Standing: It is not offensive to simply ask about an advisor's good standing with his license and/or any disciplinary actions that may have been taken. You may even request that he or she furnish paperwork demonstrating a "clean record." Why not? Employers obtain background checks on employees. Right?

(6) Who is on the advisor's team: Know all the "players" on the advisor's team who will be a part of making recommendations and managing your account. Does his or her company have someone watching your money all the time? Will your investments be frequently assessed for risk and will precautions be taken ahead of market crashes like the one experienced in 2008 and 2009?

(7) Availability and Specialty: If your advisor or someone on his or her staff does not get back to you before the end of the day or at least first thing in the morning, this gives cause for concern. Good advisors tend to get back in touch with their clients within 24 hours after they are contacted, usually within the same day. On another note, is your advisor specialized in anything important to your needs. It is one thing to have an advisor "tend to your needs," but is he or she knowledgeable in desired products and areas that matter to your financial bottom line, such as in variable annuities, variable life insurance, long term care insurance, ETF's, etc., or college planning, distribution planning, aggressive growth investing, commodities, etc.

In addition to these seven tips, make sure your advisor takes ownership for bad recommendations as well as be modest about good ones. These indicate someone who is likely more accountable and less the defensive or ego driven type. Otherwise, it is good to know that someone will do everything they can when things do go wrong.

Ultimately, there are going to be advisors that are good and bad; the advisor that is good for you is equally important to choosing someone who is "good." A professional recommending the best products to meet your goals and protect your money is critical. Therefore, doing some of your own due diligence in financial products is a good idea despite seeking an advisor for their opinions. The money and finance section at your local book store ought to carry good publications that will assist you. In the end, seek a neutral opinion from someone outside the financial industry who has no reason to either defend or criticize companies or advisors themselves. Financial industry people may have a tendency to protect their own or be too quick to criticize another. After the recent aftermath of this recession, caution and deliberation with your current advisor or in finding a new one are well justified.

About the Author: Frank A. Cseke is a Fort Collins, Colorado-based attorney whose practice is focused on the areas of Estate Planning (Wills and Trusts), Business Law, VA and Governments Benefits Assistance. He serves as President of the Northern Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Society of Financial Services Professionals. Before setting out on his own, Frank practiced civil litigation and criminal defense for two Northern Colorado law offices, where in his general practice work he grew his passion for Estate Planning and Elder Law. Moreover, he has taken on an emphasis in Veterans and Special Needs trusts. Frank received his J.D. from the University of Colorado, School of Law (Boulder), in 2004, where he also worked as a student associate for LexisNexis, Inc. Prior to attending law school, Frank gained experience as an entrepreneur and LLC manager, and later as General Counsel, with 4 Guys Investments, LLC of Fort Collins. Frank obtained his undergraduate degree (a B.A. in Political Science with High Honors) from Franklin Pierce University (Rindge, NE) in 1999, where he was a member of Alpha Chi, Phi Alpha Theta, and Sigma Tao Delta. Frank, who grew up in Fort Collins, Colorado, now lives there with his wife, Daffney, and his son, Matthew, and step-son, Austin. "We are here to add what we can to life, not to get what we can from life." -William Osler

Monday, January 25, 2010

Some Common Types of Insurance

We all need insurance of some type. Whether it is car, health, home/renters, boats, life; we need it. The insurance companies of today are pricing their policies pretty inexpensive now. Although some are very high there are low ones you can find.

Compare the prices let's say of auto insurance. Go online and find the prices of three auto insurance companies. They give you a list of questions to fill out then give you an estimate of what you will pay a year or monthly. Each state laws are different so find the state you live in and have your car registered in. You can get just what the state requires for older vehicles or you can insure your vehicle to the hilt. Be wary of fly by night companies. I recommend getting your information from the big insurance companies. You know they have been around a long time.

Health insurance today is a big mess. Obama's health reform is causing so many problems. But you really need good, affordable health insurance. Many people who still have jobs can usually get their insurance from their employer. Be careful, sometimes that is more expensive than finding insurance on your own. For a single person verses a family the prices are quit different. If you have special needs, be sure to read what that insurance company covers. There are insurance companies that will not cover a lot of maladies. Many are online and give what they cover and what they do not cover. Co-payments and medicines vary as well. Check all that out. It could cost you big time. Know what you are buying.

Talk to others that have the same health insurance you are looking into. Their input will help you decide. Again compare them to other companies.

Life insurance is for your loved ones when you die. It covers your burial and a few other items. It is good to have if you can afford it. It is not a law that you must have it, but it's nice for your loved one to know you have it. It also protects you. If you should die and have the insurance, some policies will send a check and your family has some money. Check them out, find out what they offer and be sure to read the fine print. Some will cover only certain things. Be sure it covers what you want.

You just bought your first home. Insurance payments are usually incorporated into the monthly payment. If you go through the bank, which most do, the bank requires insurance. Prices will depend on the structure of the home, wood, stone or brick. The prices very.

Renters insurance is basically insurance for people who rent their dwellings. It covers what the landlords insurance does not. Don't be fooled. The different polices will cover theft and damage. It can also cover injury to people who are visiting you. Take pictures of the things you really want covered. Submit them to the insurance company and keep copies for yourself.

There are more insurances to look at, depends on what you have to insure. Good luck to you.

Insurance Coverage - What's Just Right

Being a defensive driver does not mean one is safe from road accidents. Such can happen to almost anyone anytime, anywhere. But if drivers are insured, they might be relieved of the hassle that their coverage affords them.

Owners must take a look of various coverage of car insurance. They can then select what type of coverage they would want to take advantage of based on their needs as a driver.

First on the list is the collision coverage. This takes care of the refurbishment of the car in case of accident and includes windshield, tires or any part of the car that needs to be replaced.

Second is bodily coverage. This includes medical expenses or injuries that drivers may cause to third party during accidents.

Third is comprehensive coverage. This is for the restoration or replacement of the car in case of calamities, vandalism, hurricane, fire or any other natural calamity aside from collision of course.

Fourth is the property damages coverage which shoulders the things or properties destroyed during an accident. Properties such as the neighbor's fence or telephone poles are taken charge of.

Fifth is medical coverage. This is very important because it incorporates medical expenses of the driver including those of the passengers in case there are passengers in the car during a misfortune. This includes medical treatment, x-rays, surgeries and even funeral charges just in case someone is unlucky enough during an accident.

Last is personal injury coverage. This is inclusive of the medical expenditures that might arise because of an accident. Medical bills, laboratory fees, surgeries and other related services are likewise included. If there are still remaining amounts after all expenses have been deducted, payment for not being able to go to work because of the accident will be paid by this car insurance coverage.

With the basic knowledge provided here about some of the coverage that drivers might possibly avail of, it is now time to go online to check for possible insurance quotes. From there, owners can settle on what are the things they needed the most. They should consider the lifestyle they have and how often you use their car in choosing the right quote.

After acquiring an online quote, one should call an agent. It is then time to discuss what coverage they would want to avail. Nevertheless they must be very attentive in availing coverage because they might end up paying multiple coverage with just the same remuneration. They should not forget to ask if they have clarifications to make.

One thing to not though driving a car with auto insurance should not be a motivation to be reckless. The best insurance still is being defensive or extra careful every time one is in front of the wheel. Drivers might be insured but there is no better thought than driving without encountering any road accident. Use car insurance as a protection and use it wisely.

Individual and Group Insurance

One of the most important classifications of insurance distinguishes between individual and group insurance contracts. The characteristics of these two categories of insurance may be described by their differences.

Individual indemnity comprises contracts naming as insured individual person of business entities with the insurance generally for the direct benefit of the person insured. Group indemnity, a major component of the employee benefit plan, is a plan in which there is coverage of a number of persons for business firs under a single contract between an insurer and the group policy holder such as employer or trade association.

It is characterized by the group selection of insured's without evidence of insurability on a n individual basis, lower costs through the economies of volume distribution and administration and the increased certainty associated with large groups of insured's, premiums influenced by the experience of the group, and the continuing contract lasing beyond the lifetime of individuals for whom protection is provided.

In the field of life and health insurance, individual assurance is further classified into ordinary and industrial insurance. Industrial life and health indemnity, which is sold to low-income individuals through agent, is characterized by small policies and weekly or monthly premiums usually collected at the home of the policyholder. Generally, industrial insurance serves best those segments of the population requiring the collections and other series of the agent. The largest U.S. companies have withdrawn from the industrial field as the need for this industry has declined: a considerable volume of industrial life insurance is written, however, particularly in the Southeast and Southwest. It represents only 4 4% of the total insurance in force in the United States. However, industrial insurance is a major force in the life and health assurance business of developing countries.

Group life and health insurance has grown at a substantial rate and represents 34.9% of the insurance force in the United States. Ordinary insurance is still the most significant branch of life and health insurance, constituting 54.7% of the total life and health insurance in force.

Distribution of Insurance

The distribution structure in private insurance consists of insurers, field organizations, and associations. Insurers assume and pool risks, collect premiums, and pay losses. Field organizations sell insurance to the public and handle losses. Associations are either inter-company concerned with a variety of functions including activities designed to promote directly or indirectly, the interest of insurer representatives who sells insurance to the public.

Insurers may be classified into two broad categories: first, those organized as proprietary enterprises including individual underwriters, syndicates of underwriters, and corporations organized as cooperative enterprises, including cooperatives organized on mutual basis, associations, and reciprocals, or inter-insurance exchanges. The capital stock and mutual insurers are the dominant organization providing all forms of private insurance. a mutual company is owned, operated, and controlled by its policyholders.

A number of agency arrangements have evolved for distributing insurance. Most life insurer contract with an agent to represent them exclusively and compensate him with commissions. In the life insurance field this is sometimes referred to as the "American agency system." many companies using this system do not insist that their company be the only represented by the agent, but some do. Some life insurance companies do not use commission agents but employ salaried representatives. Although few life insurance companies rely on them exclusively, many companies place business through brokers.

In additions to selling, field organization inspects property, to some extent handle underwriting and investigate and settle claims. Home offices of insurers may, of course, maintain direct contact with the public through their own salaried employees.

The tendency toward associates is highly developed in the insurance business. this tendency arises from the highly technical character of various aspects of insurance operations and form the desire of groups within the business to establish and maintain standards. Further, a desire to provide protection against damaging legislation leads to insurer and agent association activities. Such associations have service provided by the insurance business and in lowering insurance costs to the public.

How Insurance Works

Individuals, families, business, and other organization face innumerable possibilities of financial loss. These possibilities produce uncertainty in the management of their affairs. Therefore persons responsible for individual or group welfare - for instance, the head of a family or an executive in a corporation - purchase insurance to reduce or eliminate uncertainties.

Insurance is a social device that makes it possible for an individual or an organization to substitute a small definite cost for a large but uncertain loss, up to the amount of the insurance. Under this arrangement, the fortunate many who escape loss will help to compensate the unfortunate few who suffer loss.

Insurers keep the arrangement operating by mathematically anticipating the probable extent of losses and by accumulating premiums in order to pay the losses as they occur. Actuaries expert in the mathematics of insurance use mortality tables in the case of life insurance and other data on risk to forecast losses. The terms of the agreement between the insured and the insurer are expressed in a contract, the insurance policy. Based on the type of loss events covered, insurance policies fall into three classifications: personal, including death and disability; property, usually possessions of the insured; and liability, involving the person or property of the others.

Personal risks involve loss events that touch the person, such as financial loss arising out of premature death or disability. Generally, the lives involved include one's own immediate family or key business associates, persons in whom the assured has an insurable interest.

Property risks involve loss events that touch directly the property covered. Losses include the expense of repair or replacement and lost income derived from property use. The property that is the subject of insurance is usually owned by the insured. Liability risks involve loss events that concern the person or property of others, and for which an insured is legally responsible either through the contract or tort law.

Known to merchants and traders since the ancient world, insurance now flourishes in most part of the world. Privately owned insurance firms constitute major industries in the United States, Canada, Britain, and in some other advanced Western nations. Many governments operate social insurance programs.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Currency Trading Strategy - 5 Tips to Crank Up Your Profits!

Want a sound currency trading strategy tip to get you on the right track to success? Below are 5 simple tips to crank up your forex trading-

1. Without question, the forex market is enormous, and the transactions are fast because everything is done electronically. However, it is wrong and naive to think that there are instant riches to fx trading... you can lose big in currency trading, if you do not know what you are doing.

The ones who fall into this trap often acts impulsively with the dream of getting rich overnight. Realistically, if you do not take the time to learn the many aspects of FOREX trading, then you will fail.

2. Learn, learn, learn - Get some experience of the forex market prior to buying any Forex System. Know your stuff so that you can be more successful with your currency trading. As well, in a volatile forex market, your currency trading strategy should realize the fact that NOT all trades will be successful. There will be some failures. Hence, be sure you stick to an amount you can afford to lose.

3. Know your exit strategy - that means, know have a target to get out of a trade. One way to cut down the risk of emotional trading (greed and fear) is to set a get out target price. By sticking to this Currency Trading Strategy, you will limit your loss, and hopefully, realize your profits.

4. Don't second guess the market - avoid buying at the lowest lows. It is just too difficult to predict the fx market, so why try to beat it. Respect it, and follow a trend.

5. The most effective Currency Trading Strategy tip is - get into breakout trading. You find a trend, wait for confirmation via a breakout above resistance, add a few momentum indicators and then get in a trade with the odds on your side to make big profits. This can be easy, if you know what you are doing.

Forex Trading Requires Paying Close Attention to the News

One of the key drivers to a currency's value is interest rates. The higher the interest that a country pays on its money, the more than money is worth relative to other world currencies.

Those interest rates are guided by central bankers guided by economic events.

Therefore, economic news can dramatically affect forex trades. This means that forex traders must be on top of the news around the world.

Some economic news is important because it's a guide to how a central back may or may not change interest rates in the near future. This is certainly true of anything that impacts a country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Consumer Price Index (CPI) short or long-term trends. Other news changes foreign exchange positions immediately.

In one of Jack Schwager's MARKET WIZARDS books, a successful (pre-Internet) foreign exchange trader attributed all his success to having a large network of insiders who kept him up to date on all the relevant news affecting currency values around the world.

Consumer spending obviously affects a country's GDP and economic outlook.

In the United States the key consumer confidence sentiment indicators are the surveys by the Conference Board and the University of Michigan. The European Commission publishes a sentiment survey once a month. In the United Kingdom the GFK Group and the Nationwide Building Society each issue key consumer confidence reports. The Cabinet Office of Japan publishes an estimate of consumer sentiment. In Australia there's the Westpac-Melbourne Institute Survey of Consumer Sentiment published monthly. In New Zealand the Westpac-McDermott Miller Consumer Confidence Index is published quarterly.

Of course, sentiment is only a guide. Sales is where the rubber meets the road, so a country's retail sales report is more important. In the U.S., U.K., Japan, Switzerland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, the government issues reports on retail sales. Eurostat reports retail sales for E.U. countries.

Traders can check the U.S. Institute for Supply Management's manufacturing and nonmanufacturing indexes released monthly and the Commerce Department's report on durable goods orders. Europe has a Retail Purchasing Managers' Index report. For Canada check the Ivey Purchasing Managers' Index. Markit Economics has a Purchasing Managers' Index for the E.U., the U.K., Japan and Australia. For New Zealand, go to Business NA. For Switzerland, Credit Suisse releases SVME PMI.

Of course, all forex traders should know to keep an eagle on trade data, since balance of trade figures dramatically affect relative currency trade values.

Of course, interest rate and central news is all-important. Watch the United States Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, the Bank of Japan, the Bank of Canada, the Bank of England, and the Swiss National Bank.

Also pay attention to what these bankers say. A pronouncement by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on the danger of inflation or deflation may be a critical clue to future trends.

Of course, keeping up with this data isn't easy even for one country, let alone all the developed countries of the world. Yet that's what moves the forex markets. You must stay ahead of the shifts in demand for one currency or the other.

Loan to Consolidate Credit Card Debt - Tips For Getting the Best Deal

Although everyone deserves to do something fun after a hard day or week of work, this can cause future problems if you use a charge card to meet all the expenses of a night out on the town. A charge card is actually forcing you to pay more for everything that you do because of the high interest leveraged on the money you spend. Since you're using borrowed money, you have to pay for the money you use. Add up enough entertainment expenses and you'll end up in credit card debt.

Since charge card companies are notorious not only for high interest rates but also for adding late fee payments, persecuting you with frequent "reminder" calls from collection agencies, and lashing out at you by reporting you to credit rating agencies, this type of debt needs to be cleared up as quickly as possible.

One way of doing this is through a credit card debt consolidation loan.

What Is A Debt Consolidation Loan?

Certain lenders specialize in bailing people out of debt, specifically charge card debt. They do this by offering a loan that pays off all charge cards with a blanket loan. The consumer is then left only with the repayment of this loan. This loan, in essence, is designed to offer debt relief.

The advantages of this loan are that it is low interest, and it simplifies account management because you only pay off the loan not multiple charge cards. In addition, it fulfills the agreement of the charge account card, which restores your credit ratings.

How Can You Get The Best Deal On This Loan?

The best deal is getting a loan that pays off as many charge cards as possible while offering the lowest interest rates to service the loan.

Here are two important tips on how to get the best deal:

1. Research lenders who offer this type of loan. Find a reputable lender who has credentials in debt arbitration, the right certifications to be a preferred member within the debt relief business and the right licenses to be legal in your state. In addition, if possible, try and speak with former clients and find out their experiences. A good lender will not only be able to council you on your money situation but will also have the resources to offer you a deal that will manage your repayment easily.

2. Although you can get an unsecured consolidated loan, try and offer collateral on it, like a home, land, or a vehicle. This will reduce the risk for the lender and lower your interest rates.

Bad Credit Record and Debt Consolidation

If you have built up numerous credit troubles, you have the alternative to merge and combine all your existing loans, into one convenient loan. This is known as Debt consolidation, a loan payback plan that has become very popular in recent times. It merely means that you will have to apply for one debt in place of several others. This is done so that you can get a lesser interest rate and pay at a single fixed rate of interest. Occasionally, it is just done for the ease of paying off only a single debt.

Debt consolidation can be made either in secure or unsecured format. In case of secured debt, you can take out a vast sum of loan, which is not usually obtainable if you do not have collateral. Moreover, having collateral also reduces the rate of interest, making it relatively low.

Unsecured loans, otherwise, offer a restricted amount of loan, for a short time span. The rate of interest in this case is also lofty, and should be taken only when you do not want to put your property as collateral, or when you don't have any.

Debt consolidation for people with bad credit

The option of debt consolidation can also be obtained when you have an awful credit record. Nevertheless, this means that your bad credit lender who offers you the loan for debt consolidation is shouldering extra risk by reimbursing all your extra loans and defaults. You already have a terrible credit record, and so, no one else is prepared to give you a loan.

This typically means that you will be anxious to get the loan, and be prepared to pay a lofty amount of interest - often up to 20% - 22%! Though your monthly payment is lower than what you used to pay, you end up paying much more than what you should have.

This is a huge gain for the bad debt consolidator. At the same time, the collateral guarantees the lender the return of his investment. He can effortlessly get the money for foreclosing the property.

Good debt consolidation options

A home equity loan is comparatively a low cost investment. You can also undertake a "cash-out" refinancing of your home. However, as this is a "one time" only alternative as the total interest over the years can add up to become enormous. Refinancing your automobile is also a good debt consolidation option, if your debt is smaller than the cost of your automobile.

A good debt consolidation plan can be very helpful, as it helps you to shell out your loan only once a month. You will not have to pay your late fees anymore. Moreover, some of the creditors may probably "re-age" your account and perk up your credit rating.

Ways to Consolidate Credit Card Debt Without Affecting Credit Scores

You need to eliminate costly and annoying unsecured debt, but you don't want to negatively impact your credit score. There are ways to consolidate without affecting credit scores, if you work with the best company for your needs and ensure that the debt specialists with whom you work are aware that it is imperative for you to maintain your good credit.

When you are looking for a company to work with on your consolidation, talk to each one you talk with about your credit score. Ask them how they can work with your creditors to get negative reporting removed from your credit report. If they are not skilled in negotiating with creditors on behalf of their clients, then consider checking with other companies until you find one that thinks they can help you to do this.

If you are not already experiencing problems meeting your monthly credit card bills, then you most likely will not have to worry about negative marks on your credit report. Therefore, the absolute best way to avoid affecting credit scores when consolidating credit card debt is to get help before you fall behind. If you are not yet behind, you will get the best possible credit card settlement offers from your credit card companies. Be aware that some companies will not offer you settlement amounts until you have fallen behind by at least one payment, if this is the case you will need to forgo a payment but get started with settlement negotiations as soon as you possibly can.

When you are at your initial consultation, talk to the agent helping you about your credit score. Make sure that if they intend to give you a consolidation loan, they intend to submit payment to your creditors immediately upon the issuance of the loan. If not, then you will fall further behind. Also, before signing settlement agreements with your creditors, make sure that your credit report will be notated paid in full. This will help to keep your credit score the same.

As you can see, there are definitely some simple ways to ensure that when you consolidate credit card debt, your credit score is not affected. There is no better feeling than financial independence, and when you consolidate your unsecured debts you are making a huge difference in your financial future. Working with a reputable and reliable consolidation lender is the right way to get started but you also you will save money by getting better results in the shortest span of time possible.