1. Uncle Sam is currently spending about $1.30 for every tax dollar he collects. As of March 2008, the US national debt has skyrocketed to over $9.38 trillion dollars or about $30,894 per citizen. The borrowing pace has also accelerated as he added $2.38 trillion dollars more debt just less than 4 years and the budget deficit for 2008 could widen to over $500B. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) warned this kind of fiscal policy is simply unsustainable!
2. Per Michael Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security Administration, Uncle Sam will begin paying more benefits to retirees than he collects from active workers starting in 2017! The situation for the Medicare Trust fund which pays for hospital benefits is even worse. To many retirees, Medicare is even more important than Social Security checks. Per David Walker, the former US Comptroller Director, the Medicare Trust Fund will pay out more than it collect starting in 2008. This is because Americans are living longer while having fewer children. The baby boom generation just compounds the problem. So there are fewer young workers paying taxes to support the retirees. Government spending on health care alone could double by 2017 to more than 2 trillion dollars a year as a result of baby boom generation retiring and rising costs of drugs & medical expenses. As a consequence, the reserves for the Medicare trust fund will be depleted by 2019!
3. On top of that, the US has a huge appetite for imports. The trade deficit reached $708 Billion dollars in 2007. It has been rapidly increasing since 1997 when the figure was only $108 Billion. So more and more of our capital is sent to the Middle East and China to pay for our addiction to oil and imports. Per the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the US has spent $10B since 2000 to expand railroad tracks, freight yards and locomotives; and planned to invest another $12B. It’s not an accident the US is expanding its railroads the first time in nearly a century. One of the primary reasons is to haul more cheap Asian imports to heartland cities.

The aging of the baby boomers is probably the most urgent issue facing the US in the 21st century. To tackle the problem, the government will have to spend more and more money that it does not have. To put it simply, the problems are so big and a financial train wreck is inevitable. The question is not if but rather when the tipping point triggering an unprecedented financial crisis will happen. So it’s not a surprise that only 18% of US workers in 2008 are confident they will have enough money for a comfortable retirement per Employee Benefit Research Institute. To make sure you will be least impacted by what is about to come, you need a personal plan to address the issue.

If you work for Corporate America, you probably participate in the 401K plan which invests mostly in stocks/mutual funds and bonds. While 401k is a convenient retirement plan for many as it allows people to make a small monthly tax-deferred contribution, it may not be the solution for everyone. Some people prefer to own more tangible real estates with limited supplies that they have total control and most likely will not reinstate financial results years later! Most if not all financial experts agree that as you get older, you should reduce your investment in the stock market due to its volatility. In addition, the stock market is often promoted & considered as a best investment in the long term. However, the WSJ summarized it all on its March 26, 2008 issue “By one broad measure, the stock market has made no progress over the past nine years.” So where should you move your investment to? This article discusses about an alternative plan to 401K and for a lack of better name the “equity-of-my-home-is-my-retirement-investment-plan”. It is intended to introduce a new paradigm in retirement investment that is not promoted by Fidelity, Smith Barney, eTrade or Charles Schwab.

There are several reasons why commercial real estate investment is a strong candidate:

1. It is a fairly stable investment. This is an important factor as investors want to make sure their equity is also preserved throughout their retirement years. Unlike stocks, real estate investment is not sensitive to market fluctuation. Commercial real estate investment will shield people from going through the emotional roller coaster as the stock value widely fluctuates sometimes within a very short time. The stock of the Bear Stearns, the fifth biggest investment bank in the US is an example. J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. initially offered $2 a share for what was traded at $150/share in March 2007 with a book value of $84/share and Lehman Brothers reiterated its $110 price target just 3 days earlier! It sparked soul searching questions about the true, not book, not market, value of stocks & mutual funds. You don’t see this kind of dramatic volatility in commercial real estate.
2. It generates strong cash flow after paying all expenses and mortgage. To those who invest for retirement purposes, this is another important criteria. In order to retire with dignity you need cold hard cash. Your social security check which was never intended to be your only source of retirement income will most likely not sufficient. The maximum benefit for a 65 years old person in 2008 is only $2185/month provided you have maximized your contribution every year after you turned 21 (you can estimate your social security benefit check on www.ssa.gov/OACT/quickcalc). For those who are still working for Corporate America, this cash flow gives you a second source of income just in case. The simple truth is you are the company’s most important asset until you get the pink slip. Besides, your gray hair is often a liability! To achieve strong cash flow, investors often look for properties where “cap rate” is higher than the interest of the loan. This means you also make a profit on the money you borrow! Texas is an area where many commercial properties offer 8-9% cap rate and it is a good place to invest for strong income. Commercial properties are like a golden goose that keeps laying eggs. You can just eat the eggs, i.e. cash flow, without slaughtering the goose, i.e. your equity, for meat.
3. It is an excellent hedge against inflation. As gas approaches 4 dollars per gallon, you will have to pay more on almost everything. In addition, the US dollar is falling against most foreign currencies so imports will cost more (is there anything made in the US any more?) All these things cause inflation to go up at least in the foreseeable future. Commercial properties tend to hold values very well for two reasons: strong cash flow and limited supplies. Besides, the leases often have an annual rent increase so you should have a raise every year. As the rent increases, the property value is more likely to remain the same or to go up.
4. It gives you a wide range of landlord responsibilities options from purely passive to active. Some single-tenant properties, e.g. restaurants or pharmacies offer 20 years absolute triple-net lease with no landlord responsibilities whatsoever. This means you don’t have to worry about looking for a new tenant for a long time. The tenants maintain your property in first-class condition & pay for all property taxes while all you have to do is cash the rent check and pay the mortgage. This kind of property is ideal when you don’t want to do anything.
5. It also offers potential for appreciation while allows you to depreciate for income tax purposes. This may increase dramatically the overall return of the investment. It is a more prudent investment than residential real estate investment. Due to strong cash flow, you don’t have to gamble on appreciation to make money and thus are less likely to invest on pure speculation. If the property appreciates in value then your investment return is much better. However, if it does not appreciate rapidly and thus you don’t get rich quick, your rental income is more than enough to cover the loan payment & expenses. As a result, your property is less likely to be foreclosed. So it’s not an accident that the default rate for commercial properties is only 4/10 of 1%, at least five to ten times lower than that of residential rental properties. Of course real estate properties are more difficult to sell compared to 401k shares. This actually encourages you to hold the properties for long term investment and discourages you to sell prematurely.

Below is a case to illustrate these principles:

The Smiths (name changed to protect privacy) had their own business and lived in a very expensive neighborhood in the San Francisco Bay Area. They planned to sell their business and retired in the next 2-3 years. They still wanted to maintain current life style. Over the years, they had invested in real estate and had quite a bit of equities in several residential properties. However, they figured out these residential properties would not generate enough cash flow for them to retire comfortably. They decided to exchange these properties for ones with more income. They sold one of the properties and netted about $1M. While the Smiths were looking for properties with high rental income, they wanted to make sure the investment also preserved their equity. This meant they would need to invest in a stable and growing area. They chose to do a 1031 tax-deferred exchange for a $2.825M Italian restaurant located in front of a mall in the fast growing Atlanta metro. The financial information showed the tenant was doing very well and expected to do well in the future due to its highly-visible and irreplaceable location. They applied for $1.8M 5-year fixed-rate 30-year amortization loan at 6.95% interest rate. The property generated $19,000 of net rental income a month after expenses (8% cap) while the mortgage payment was $11,915. So each month, the Smiths net over $7000 of cash flow –several times more than the expected amount of their social security check. The tenant signs a 20 years absolute triple-net lease in which there are no landlord responsibilities. Since the lease had a 2% annual rent increase, the Smiths could expect to get even more cash flow in the future.

Conclusion: The turbulent stock market in 2008 and the subprime crisis are a belated wake up call to reevaluate the emphasis on investment for growth & appreciation to investment for income. Investing in commercial real estate is a good alternative solution to generate a strong & stable stream of retirement income for baby boomers while preserving your equity. However, it is not a plan for everyone as it requires a large sum of down payment. It’s the time to take action now before everyone jumps into the bandwagon.

Information in this article is reliable but not guaranteed to be correct.

David V. Tran is the President and Chief Investment Advisor of eFunding Inc., a commercial real estate & loan brokerage, property management & leasing, and TIC company in San Jose, CA. His website is http://www.efundingcom.com. He may be contacted at (408) 288-5500. eFunding does business in all 50 states. He is selected as Pensco Trust’s (a major self-directed IRA custodian) Preferred Professional and is the #1 US commercial real estate expert author. David currently offers 3 FREE real estate investment seminars:

1. How to invest in commercial real estate for retirement income NOW.
2. How to maximize cash flow with 1031 tax-deferred exchange.
3. TIC: Fractional ownership in high-value commercial properties.

You are welcome to share this article, unedited and in its entirety, with anyone you like. You may not remove this text. © 2007-2008 eFunding, Inc

There are plenty of Forex traders that depend on so-called market predicting tools like neural nets or algorithms. As far as I am concerned they can have these tools and leave me with good old fashioned support and resistance lines.

The best way to describe a support and resistance line is a certain level of price exchange rate level in which the market has hit this level and later pulled back in the other direction. Here is a good way to remember which is which: Support lines are on the bottom while resistance lines are on the top.

So why is this method so effective? This is a good question but it would help if we went back to why the Forex moves at all. The answer to this is obvious: Traders move the markets. The random population of traders consist of individuals, corporations, Central Banks, and hedge funds. On a technical level, there are exchange rate values (emotionally charged) that can make very nice support and resistance lines.

As a result of the fact that we run on a base-10 number system, these emotionally-packed values are the round numbers. The bottom line is that support and resistance lines are simply exchange rate values that are considered by many traders to be critical points that are traded on.
The way to make money on this is to know what side to be on as demonstrated by the support and resistance.

Get an Objective Review of the Most Popular Forex Trading Software Programs. Forex Trading System Review is the place to visit.

See What Forex Trading Software REALLY Works! forex-trading-system-review.com is the place to visit.

It is important to note that Multiple Listing Services generally have a geographic monopoly on a particular area. For instance, the SoCal MLS is ‘the’ MLS for Orange County, California. The Northwest MLS is the only MLS that a property in the Seattle, Washington area needs to be listed in. The Tucson Association of Realtors MLS is the place listing agents, buyers agents, sellers, and buyers turn to in Tucson, Arizona. Across the country there are over 700 Multiple Listing Services. Occasionally there is consolidation between smaller MLS’s, but many small Realtor associations continue to be associated with one equally small MLS with no intentions of expanding or consolidating. These local associations like having control over the way data is entered and presented in their MLS, they like not answering to a separate organization in a larger city, and they like having their own lockbox system. Frankly, they may also like that a Realtor in, for instance, a large city like Phoenix cannot drive 90 miles to Payson, Arizona, and list, show, and sell properties just like a local agent (without joining the local Central Arizona Board of Realtors Multiple Listing Service).

The offer of compensation between brokers is a fundamental aspect of the Multiple Listing Service. Unlike showing For Sale By Owner properties whereby a broker would need to negotiate with each individual homeowner a compensation agreement, in the case of MLS-listed properties, a broker can show numerous properties knowing exactly in advance how much compensation is being offered. This is extremely comforting and time-saving to the broker. Since brokers representing buyers sometimes have the buyer sign a buyer’s agency agreement guaranteeing that broker a minimum commission (such as three percent), they can also know in advance what amount, if any, the buyer will need to come out of pocket with prior to viewing a property. If the compensation offered required the buyer to come up, for instance, ten thousand dollars extra on top of the sales price, the buyer may elect to pass over the property in favor of ones which required no extra money be paid. Thus offering competitive compensation to other brokers can enable additional showings.

Donald Plunkett is the President of Congress Realty, a company which allows homeowners including For Sale By Owner sellers to list their property on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) for a $299 flat fee. More info: http://www.congressrealty.com

You are wondering what should I do? I know, I’ll call my broker. He knows all about the market. Please! Don’t ask your broker. I already know what he will tell you. The usual Wall Street smoke and mirrors answer. “Don’t worry. This is just a healthy correction in a bull market. It will come back”. It makes me sick to hear this kind of nonsense from a supposedly informed and intelligent (?) person. By the way, what is “healthy” about a 38% “correction”?

If this guy was so smart when he had you buy these stocks and mutual funds then why wasn’t he smart enough to have you sell before you gave back 50% or more of your portfolio? He is working under the guise of investment conventional wisdom that is conventional but not wisdom. “Mr. Mushroom, you are in for the long term so don’t worry about these aberrations.” YUK! That is what you are - a mushroom. Grown in the dark and fed you-know-what.

There are times when you should have on only one position - CASH. Cash is a position, but brokers are not taught that. They never heard of it.

When I was a floor trader guys would come to me and say, “Al, what do you have on?” and my reply, “Nothing” drew a shocked look. “How can you be down here on the floor and not be trading?” It is very simple, I was there to make money, not to trade. Many times you should not be doing anything. It is the same for the average investor. He should be in cash when there is a bear market as there is right now. How long it will last I don’t know, but I will know when it is over and the bull has returned. Your broker won’t know because he has not been trained to make money, only to make commission.

Every stock and mutual fund you own should be examined regularly (preferably weekly) and a stop placed under each position so (just in case) that hummer decides to tank you will be out with your profit. Never let a winning trade go to a loss. You must protect your capital at all times.

Al Thomas’ book, “If It Doesn’t Go Up, Don’t Buy It!” has helped thousands of people make money and keep their profits with his simple 2-step method. Read the first chapter at http://www.mutualfundmagic.com and discover why he’s the man that Wall Street does not want you to know.

Copyright 2005

al@mutualfundstrategy.com; 1-888-345-7870

Here are 8 ways to get low cost and free services.

Tip #1: Tune up your computer

Is your computer in need of a tune up? Are you constantly crashing? Are you rebooting? It’s not only frustrating, but it kills an enormous about of time. Not to mention the information you lose. If your computer crashes and you reboot each time, how long does it take for your computer to reboot? I can guarantee if there is something wrong with your computer that is causing it to crash, then it doesn’t reboot quickly. How frustrating is that for you and how much time is that wasting? Get it fixed. Buy something new, but don’t avoid the problem. Time is money and that’s money you could be spending bringing in some help to do something else. If you have a problem, talk to your computer’s manufacturer. Some computer companies like Compaq will even send you a loaner computer if you need to send yours away to be fixed. This is specifically for purchases on business computers, so if you bought your laptop at Costco, you might not have this service. It’s worth a phone call to find out. To quote my Grandpa Lenny, “If you don’t ask, you don’t get.”

Ready to throw in the towel and buy something new, check out www.techbargains.com.

Tip #2: Trade Services

Is there something specific that you need? Maybe there is a special skill you need like copywriting, bookkeeping, internet help, etc. Find an expert who is in a similar business position and see if you can trade services.

Tip #3: Who Do You Know that Will Work For Free?

Do you have friends and family that could help you out? Would your spouse, partner, parents, kids, and/or friends be willing to give you an hour, two or more to help you out? Think back to the days when you had to move. All of your friends gathered around to help you pack and lug boxes, all for the price of a couple of pizzas. Just replace the packing and heavy lifting with business items and tasks.

Tip #4: Ask for Volunteers

In addition to friends and family, if you have an event coming up or a big project that you need help with, go to your mailing list and see if someone would volunteer. I get requests all the time to volunteer at seminars, trade shows and other events. People love to help out. You can return the volunteer favor for them down the line.

Here are a few other things you could offer:

Email your mailing list about their services.

Send some referral business without taking a referral fee.

Give them a free ticket or a copy of the items they are working on for you.

Tip #5: Buddy Up

You know what they say, two heads are better than one. Find a friend or colleague who also needs some help and create a buddy schedule. She works with you for a few hours a week; you work with her for a few hours a week. This is different from trading in that you are creating a long term relationship and regular schedule as opposed to a one-off project.

Tip #6: Use Delivery Services

It’s a web world that we live in. Many business related companies are online and will ship to you. Instead of having to run to: Office supply stores like Office Depot or Staples; To a warehouse store like Costco or Sam’s Club; or To a printer like FedEx Kinko’s, place your order online and have it shipped to you. Many places won’t even charge you a shipping fee if you spend their minimum amount. How much time in running around would that save? And you can do it on your own schedule.

Tip #7: Use Personal Services

Again, time is money. If you are spending an entire day running to the cleaners, the market, cleaning the house, doing the laundry, etc., then you are using time that could be spent cultivating new clients, creating new programs, going to networking meetings, etc. Look into using services such as a house keeper, fluff and fold for your laundry or calling in a meal delivery service. Yes, this will cost a few dollars. Although, if you use that saved time to make follow-up calls that result in a new client, wouldn’t it be worth it? I’m not saying go out and live beyond your means with all kinds of fancy services. This only works if you take that saved time to perform revenue earning tasks, so be sure to use your time wisely.

Tip #8: Get an Intern

Get yourself a free intern. There is an entire group of people out there who are looking to get their feet wet in order to find out what it’s like to do what you do. Write up a quick ad about what you are looking for, what your company is all about and why it would be a great experience for someone to work side-by- side with you for a couple hours a week. This has to be a win/win for both you and the intern, so spend some time thinking about what this person could learn from you. There is a site called www.monstertrak.com. This is a site where open positions are advertised to college students. There is an entire section just for interns. Rates to post ads are very reasonable. Check it out.

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C 2005 Beth Schneider. Want to reprint this article, feel free as long as you include the following: Beth Schneider, Chief Infopreneur of Process Prodigy, is a business process consultant who helps solo-entrepreneurs, small business owners and network marketers who want to systemize their business to increase profits, increase productivity and grow their business without having to give up the family oriented, flexible, balanced lifestyle they desire. Beth works one-on-one with her clients, offers home study courses, and teleclass boot camps. For more information visit www.processprodigy.com and sign up for your FR*EE 5-Step Process Starter Kit and FR*EE Process Tips.

Beth Schneider, Chief Infopreneur, uses her natural ability to create systems and motivate people, providing streamlined, effective and consistent processes and procedures.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a form used by the Department of Education to determine your eligibility for federal grant programs such as the Pell Grant. The information you provide lets them know your income and your demographic information. Without filling out the paperwork you may not be eligible to receive some student loans and most certainly will not receive any grant money for your educational expenses.

When filling out the application, you will need some information about yourself. Obviously, you will need to supply very important personal information, such as your name, address, school of choice (up to three that will receive your report), social security number and your previous year’s tax information. The tax information is used to determine how much you make and how much money in Pell Grants you will be able to receive.

Pell Grants are free grant money from the United States government that you do not have to pay back. It is awarded based on your financial need.

This is the best way to help pay for school since you do not have to worry about accumulating student loan debt. Granted, you will probably still need to take out student loans to help finish paying for your expenses but the Pell Grant can lessen the debt load.

After filling out the FAFSA, you will receive a SAR, or Student Aid Report, that will detail how much money you are eligible to receive. It will also inform you of your disbursement dates. This allows you to plan on when your money will be arriving.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is an invaluable tool used to help determine eligibility and helps students to go to school, who otherwise may not be able to attend. You need to fill out one of these applications even if you know you are not eligible for a Pell Grant because even student loans use this information. Good luck in school!

Mike Selvon’s government grants portal has some more useful information on fafsa. Visit his web site and leave a comment at his cash grants blog.

Real estate ownership in general requires disclosure of owner’s identity. This puts property owners and investors at a disadvantage as it opens them up to attacks from criminal elements. Not only does it put their possessions and lives in danger but it also exposes them, causing them to lose leverage in bidding for lower prices of the real estate or increasing their tax liability.

There are several structures that help make anonymous real estate holding possible. In the United States, a land trust puts the property in the ownership of a trustee in lieu of the beneficiary, who in this case may choose to remain anonymous.

Another way of going about the business of maintaining privacy in real estate ownership is through several layers of LLC or limited liability companies. While LLC’s were originally designed to protect investors from lawsuits, it is also used to keep the identity of the actual real estate owners difficult to trace.

Panama’s Bearer Share Corporation

Perhaps the most popular structure that provides highly anonymous ownership of real estate assets is the Panamanian bearer share corporation. In Panama, such bearer share corporations are allowed to own real estate and other assets such as planes or boats.

By setting up an anonymous bearer share corporation, the real owner of the asset, in our case a real estate asset, is the person who have physical possession of the stock certificates of the corporation. Ownership in this sense is absolutely anonymous and will not be documented in any local or national registry.

The directors of the corporation are just nominal and may be employed through local law firms. These law firms can assist and are vital in the formation of the bearer share corporation. Choose your Panama law firm wisely.

The nominee directors are registered under the corporation but have no real power to administer the corporation’s assets. Only the owner in possession of the actual shares of stock has control of how the asset will be disposed.

In many cases, the stock certificates of bearer share corporations are purposely left unnamed. As an added feature, there are no reporting requirements for sale or transfer of bearer shares of stock. Thus, there is no way of tracing the identity of the real owner since there is no documentation or paper trail that can be referenced.

Advantages of Anonymous Real Estate Holding

Aside from the tremendous leverage afforded by the privacy inherent in Panama’s bearer share corporations, there is also little that would get in the way in terms of paperwork. All it takes is the submission of the Articles of Incorporation. Initial incorporation and annual renewals costs are very low. Panama does not require a minimum paid up capital for new corporations.

The bearer share corporation is completely legal in Panama. Proceeds from the sale or rental of real estate are coursed through the corporation with relative ease. The real owners may then direct their lawyers to transfer funds into an offshore account or have it reinvested. Note that because of attorney-client privilege, anonymity is maintained.

As if these are not benefits by themselves, putting up an anonymous foundation to own the anonymous bearer share corporation adds another layer of protection to the real estate assets. When a transfer of assets is made to the foundation, any personal debt that did not exist at the time of the transfer is insured against civil judgment. Meaning, in any eventuality, no one can legally pursue a claim on your possessions once transferred to the foundation for as long as the debt was not due at the time of the transfer.

This is the best asset protection scenario right now on the planet and many affluent individuals all around the globe are taking advantage of it. With proper real estate asset protection planning done in advance, including a Panama bearer share corporation as an option, you can effectively preserve your estate for yourself and for your family, for many generations to come.

1. Build your Emergency Fund:
Not just the pot of gold that you were considering for a new car or vacation, a fund for real emergencies. Your emergency fund should include at least three to six months worth of living expenses. These funds should only be tapped for healthcare emergencies, times of unplanned unemployment and other events of this magnitude.

As you develop your emergency fund, keep enough money in your bank account or money market account to cover three or more months expenses and than ask your Financial Advisor or your banker to help you set up a series of short term CDs to form a ladder with the rest. Laddering funds will allow you to earn more interest on the money that you may need to get your hands on in hurry. At the same time, it helps to make sure that you don’t get your hands on it all at once for non-emergency purposes.

2. Use credit wisely:
Avoid purchasing items on credit whenever possible. If you must carry debt, look for the lowest rates that you can find. Shop out your loans and credit cards for better deals. Ask your creditors for better rates. If you make all your payments on time and are in good standing with them, most likely they will lower your rates. If not, consider moving elsewhere. Be sure to review your credit report at least annually and watch for identity theft as well.

3. Budget money wisely and do not overspend:
Take the time to sit down and set a budget or a spending plan. Live within your means and don’t try to keep up with the Joneses. We are all guilty of it from time to time, but unless we win the lottery we may want to let the Jones get ahead just a bit so that we are not struggling in retirement. You may be surprised to know that there are a lot of doctors and executives out there who are making well over $500,000 per year who are in debt up to their eyeballs and giving the term “living paycheck to paycheck” a whole new meaning.

Be careful not to overspend when it comes to your investments either:
Some firms are offering free trading if you “simply pay the bid ask spread” or have large sums of money in an account. Other firms are offering low priced stock trades while charging outrageously high margin rates or other fees. Investigate these offers closely and make sure that your free lunch is really free. Some times you can save a few dollars on a commission and spend thousands on a wide spread or other fees. Most importantly, do not try to save a commission by trading online or buying no load funds if you really don’t know what you are doing and are likely to risk your hard earned money.

4. Be prepared:
Make sure that you are properly insured. Not just for your car or home (if renting, be sure to pick up rental insurance) but also for your life, health, disability and if appropriate, long term care. Check your coverage on insurance polices, update beneficiaries on your life insurance and make sure that you have an updated will.

5. Learn as much as you can about investing:
According to a Lusaardi and Mitchell study cited in Money Magazine, individuals who understood simple calculations such as compound interest or percentages had higher net worth than those who did not. The internet offers a great deal of help to arm you with information about investing. But don’t be too proud to get help if you still need it or to get a second opinion to see how you are doing.

6. Set realistic goals:
Don’t start with pie in the sky ideas. Set short, medium and long term goals that you can stick to. A short term goal may include building up that emergency fund that you swore you were going to start or perhaps saving for a house. A medium term goal may include paying for your children’s education and a long term goal may include planning for retirement. Set aside time to plan for each of these and be sure to monitor your progress along the way.

7. Know your Benefits:
Learn what you are entitled to or if you will be entitled to any benefits. Does your employer offer a pension plan? Are you eligible for social security? Are you eligible for a spouse’s benefits in the event of death or divorce? Be sure to review your benefits from time to time as they may have changed. Some employers have significantly reduced or even dropped their pension plans all together.

8. Invest with Discipline:
In a recent “Retirement Reality Check” survey, conducted by the Allstate Insurance Company, 40 percent of respondents admitted that they are not even saving seriously for retirement. Overall, 38 percent of respondents said that they expected their retirement to be “financially difficult.” Start saving early and often to help avoid this situation.

Estimate your retirement needs. Fund your 401(k) retirement plan to the maximum or start an IRA (or alternative retirement plan) if you are eligible. Invest automatically via your employer, through payroll deduction or through your financial institution and have money drawn automatically every month before you have a chance to spend it. Pay yourself first. Treat your savings like a bill and pay yourself every month. Make careful decisions between stocks, bonds, mutual funds and other investments. Pick quality investments, stick with them and rebalance when your allocations are no longer in sync with your plan.

Get started. Don’t wait until tomorrow or until you get a raise or until after the holidays. Take action today.

The topics covered in this article are for discussion and information purposes only. Clients should take special care in understanding all of the risks involved prior to investing. Nothing contained herein should be considered as an offer to buy or sell any security or securities product. Place Trade Financial, Inc. does not provide legal or tax advice. Please consult your own tax and/or legal advisor prior to investing. This article contains links to other web sites. Place Trade Financial, Inc. is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such web sites. Please contact Place Trade Financial at 1-800-50-PLACE or visit http://www.placetrade.com for further information. Place Trade Financial, Inc. is a registered broker dealer. Member FINRA, SIPC.

Sarah M. Place, MBA is the President and CEO of Place Trade Financial, Inc., Member FINRA, SIPC. She has over eighteen years experience in the financial services industry. She has vast experience working with stocks, bonds, mutual funds, 401(k)s and other investment vehicles. She is a member of the National Association for Business Economics (NABE) and the Finance Roundtable, serves as a member of the North Carolina Council on Economic Education (NCCEE) Board of Directors as well as several other boards and committees that are dear to her heart.

She has presented topics including economic issues, investments and retirement planning to numerous groups over the years including the Tufts University Alumni Association and the Cary Jaycees. She is a contributing writer for several publications including Balance Magazine, the Carolina Newswire, the NC Journal for Women, NC Career Networking Magazine and Women in the Triangle.

If you would like to receive a free subscription to our monthly newsletter please visit http://placetrade.com/abt-newsletter.htm

The lawsuits added to the costs of commercial lending because it created uncertainty with regard to the liability of participating banks. Accordingly, the Florida legislature engineered Statute 687.0304. This statute bars anyone from filing a case relying upon an alleged oral credit agreement.

In order to have an enforceable agreement against a bank the agreement must be (1) in writing; (2) express consideration; (3) set forth relevant terms and conditions; and (4) must be signed by both the bank and the borrower.*

Therefore, if you have negotiated with a bank manager that the bank will not foreclose, call the loan in default or seek default interest, attorneys fees or costs, the agreement is not binding unless an agreement is written and signed.

The statute has been tested in appellate courts and has survived judicial scrutiny.

In the final analysis, unless there is a written document there is no agreement with a bank.

Major detailing work is usually required if you are going to restore a classic car. Leather seats can be upgraded since for most vehicles he leather will not have lasted in good condition long enough to be repaired. Most cosmetic detailing shops offer a great deal of flexibility when it comes to how much new leather interiors can be customized. This leaves a lot of potential for creativity. It also means that you will want to protects your investment in restoring the interior of the car. Car window tinting is an excellent way to provide a great deal of protection to newly reupholstered leather seats.

Car window tinting also offers a wide variety of options. It is a good idea to consult with a professional to discuss the different choices for window tints and to help you to decide which window tint is right for your vehicle. For example, if you have already made the investment of purchasing new interior components for your vehicle it is important that you choose a tint of a dark enough grade that it actually protects the interior of the car. Leather seats have a tendency to get brittle and crack when exposed to the sun for long amounts of time.

Whether you are having interiors redone or having the car windows tinted it is important to have the job done by trusted professionals. Do-it-yourself kits are definitely not the answer when it comes to projects of this magnitude. While there are certain detail jobs you may want to do on the car yourself since car window tinting falls under the jurisdiction of certain laws it is better to have it done by a professional who is familiar with these regulations. Replacing vehicle interiors is no easy task and you want a high quality job done on your car. Leather seats are expensive and you want them to look just as luxurious as they are designed to look.

It is important to choose the right company to handle you car window tinting and to replace the interior or your car. Leather seats are a somewhat expensive upgrade, but they will definitely improve the look and feel of your vehicle. Be sure to do some research online and ask around in order to find a quality professional who can perform these services for you.