2012年7月31日 星期二

Types of Docs That Need to Be Notarized


Documents that create a legally binding agreement typically require notarization.

This will vary according to local laws. It's your client's responsibility to consult with their attorney to understand the state and local laws.

Acknowledgements. These certify the signer appeared in person before the notary, was identified by the notary and acknowledged signing the document or documents.

Jurats. These are found in sword documents like affidavits. They certify the signer appeared before the notary and signed in the notary's presence. They also certify the signer took an oath or affirmation from the notary.

Certified Copy of Power of Attorney. POA is a legal authorization giving another person authorization to act on one's behalf. Banks, corporation and courts won't accept a POA unless it's notarized. Notaries certify the copy is identical to the original.

Oaths and Affirmations. Oaths are solemn promises to God. Affirmations are solemn promises made to one's personal honor.

Proofs of Execution. These certify that a witness personally appeared and swore to the notary that another person signed a document.

Depositions. These are the administration of an oath or certificate.

Apostille. These are certifications or legalizations generally necessary for documents which may be sent to other countries. Apostille is a French word meaning certification.

Just like it's up to your client to understand their local laws regarding notarization, they must also know what category of notarization they need. Notaries may not provide this legal direction. Doing so constitutes unauthorized practice of law and is illegal.

Specific Documents Notarized

Primary documents you may notarize include loan documents, deeds and other real estate documents, affidavits, powers of attorney (POA), adoption and custody papers, banking documents, jail documents and corporate materials including contracts.

Medical documents including convalescent care records and living wills also need notarized.

Documents which require certification for acceptance into a foreign country (apostille) may include international adoption papers, diplomas issued by an American college or university, and records and contracts for a company doing business in a foreign country.




Ann is a notary ninja and is giving away her book, Marketing Secrets of the Notary Ninja at www.notaryninja.com [http://www.notaryninja.com]





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Renting Property? Know Your Tenancy Rights


Just because your landlord is the legal owner of the property which you are renting does not mean he can do whatever he pleases. After all you are paying him rent for the use of his property and as a consequence of this as a tenant you have certain fundamental rights relating to the agreement. Hopefully your tenancy and relationship with your landlord will be harmonious throughout the tenancy but sadly this is not always the case. Having an awareness of the rights you automatically possess can be of great importance should any issues regarding your landlord ever arise.

The right to privacy - this prevents your landlord from entering the property at his whim of pleasure, after all if could be highly unsatisfactory if your landlord could just turn up at anytime, however inconvenient that could be for you. However this must be balanced with the fact it is his property and he may require access to it on occasion, for example to conduct a viewing. Consequently the landlord does have a right of access, but must provide you with at least 24 hours notice before any visit. Continually arriving unannounced can result if a charge of harassment. They also cannot interfere with your possessions or the supply of utilities; lock you out; refuse you to have visitors, remove any doors or windows or use threatening behavior towards you.

The right to a safe and habitable home - Your landlord must ensure the property is fit to inhabit and as such are legally responsible for all repairs to the exterior of the property, e.g a leaking roof, and the upkeep of all fixtures relating to the provision of utilities. They must also, before you move it, provide you with a gas safety certificate which shows gas appliances in your home are safe. This must be renewed annually.

The right to have the deposit returned at the end of the tenancy - Landlords are obliged to return the deposit in full if there has been no damage caused to the property which the tenant is responsible for, this allows for wear and tear. Since April 6th 2007 for assured shorthold tenancy's landlords are required to be registered with the tenancy deposit scheme which protects tenants deposits in such a way that landlords cannot unreasonably keep hold of the deposits. It provides a mechanism for tenants reclaiming their deposit without having the hassle of going to court.

There are also many other rights such as being free from unfair eviction. It is also notable that these rights are automatic minimum standards and there is nothing to prevent the tenancy agreement itself affording the tenant with extended rights. If this is agreed then the landlord must comply with these to. If you feel your landlord is causing you problems in many instances you local authorities housing officer may be able to offer assistance. You may also be able to get help and advice from

property solicitors on any particular issues you may have.




Click here for free legal information on Conveyancing and Property Law whether it be further information on Tenancy Rights or any other Property related matter such as Letting, Conveyancing or Planning Permission.

For other free legal advice, information or to be put in touch with a solicitor please visit Lawontheweb.





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2012年7月30日 星期一

Keep Important Documents Safe - A Guide


Many of us have a file for our important papers but I wonder if these pieces of paper are a lot more valuable than you might imagine. You may have a passport, social security card, driver's license and birth certificate as most Americans have these. When you realize the large part of your daily life played by these documents, you may find they require quite a degree of respect.

A passport, for example, is issued by a national government and verifies your identity as well as your citizenship. To obtain one, you much provide documents proving your identity and country of origin. Once acquired, a passport is proof of your name, place and date of birth and sex and also provides a photograph as further proof of your identity. Many people think a passport alone will get you into any country but this is not true. It will, however, grant you re-entry into the country of issuance. International travel does require a passport but another very import use for this document is unquestionable verification of identity.

Now let's talk about your social security card. It provides a one-of-a-kind number unique to only you and is required for each and every American citizen. These numbers certainly aid in the assessment of taxes but they also provide identification. They are also used to identify specific records such as medical, financial and educational ones.

To operate a motor vehicle legally in the United States, your are required to have a drivers' license issued by your state of residence. There are also different types of drivers' licenses depending on the type of vehicle you will be operating. A very large percentage of Americans possess a drivers' license and this provides a qualified means of identification as a picture and description are presented on this important plastic card. This form of identification is often requested when purchasing alcohol, tobacco products or when applying for a job. A drivers' license provides a unique opportunity to become an organ donor in case of your death as this can be indicated on the face of your card.

When a child is born, a hospital issues a birth certificate indicating all the important information pertaining to that child's birth. Birth certificates can be in a long or short form and will include a child's name, sex, place and time of birth as well as the names of parents. These are useful in proving identity, citizenship and relationships and are also required when applying for a passport. You might say this is the beginning of your important papers as it is required when getting almost all others including a marriage license, drivers' license and social security card.

As you can see, important papers come in all shapes and sizes but they are all very vital to your everyday living. Keeping them in a safe place is so important that you might even decide to invest in a safety deposit box so they can't be stolen or damaged. If your identity is stolen or if your documents are counterfeited, there would be great cost and stress undoing the damage so keep these documents in a safe and secure location.




US Passport Now is a full service U.S. passport expediting company. With years of experience in passport expedition, US Passport Now ensures a simple, fast and easy solution in receiving your US passport back in time you require.





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How to Buy a Good Quality Diamond


Diamonds are the most famous, loved, and marketed stone in the world.

Just about every woman desires diamonds, as do an increasing number of men. Everyone from royalty, celebrities, through to the average person adores diamonds.

Most people will buy or receive diamonds in the form of an engagement ring. But, anniversary gifts, birthday presents, or even just to spoil one self, diamonds cover all occasions. Diamonds are used to represent love or to display wealth.

But just how do you know if the stone you are looking at is worth the price tag?

Firstly let's look at how diamonds differ from stone to stone.

Each stone is unique due to flaws called inclusions. An inclusion can be either a black speck, which is a carbon deposit from when the diamond actually formed in the earth due to massive pressure, or it can be a feather. A feather is a white inclusion, also from when the stone was formed. A stones grade according to the number and location of inclusions is called clarity.

Stones are also judged on other factors. One being color. Traditionally, diamonds are thought of as being colorless, a glass like appearance. But, it is possible to get them in a host of other colors from pink to black, and a lot of others in between. For the purpose of this article we shall deal with the traditional diamonds. The most desirable stones are "colorless". As you work your way down the scale you pass through definitions such as "faint yellow" through "slightly yellow" right the way through to "fancy yellow". As you move along the scale the rule of thumb is that the more yellow present in the stone, the less desirable and therefore cheaper the stone gets. But, if you find a stone in the "fancy yellow" category, the diamond is classed as very desirable because the color is attractive and does not take away from the stones beauty, and therefore the price rises again.

Another factor is cut. This can relate to shape, such as round, square (princess cut), etc. But as far as quality grading it is actually referring to the accuracy in which the facets are aligned to reflect light and make the diamond "perform". When a diamond is found, it is a rough stone and looks nothing like the stones you are accustomed to seeing. It has to be cut. The stone has to be cut into shape and this involves creating facets at certain angles all over the stone. A facet is basically like a mirror. The facets have to line up perfectly for the stone to bounce light from facet to facet and return it to the eye in the form of sparkle, or fire as it is known. If a stone is poorly cut the light will be lost out of the sides and sparkle is greatly reduced. Again this affects price.

When buying a stone of half a carat or larger, you will usually be able to view the diamond certificate. A stone that has a certificate has been graded by an outside and neutral laboratory that has assessed the stone according to rigorous guidelines and given the stone a grading for color, cut, and clarity etc. On the certificate will come a map of the stone, this will display the locations of inclusion so they can be found quickly using a loupe (magnifying eye piece). There are various laboratories that grade diamonds and most are highly reputable.

When visiting your jeweler to view diamonds, ask your sales associate to explain the diamond grading process and to show you the inclusions and diamond cut proportions on the certificate. A good salesperson will gladly does this and explain to you what the certificate means and how it relates to the stone you are viewing.

Once you have viewed several stones you will begin to see how they are priced due to the above factors. Once you see a diamond in your price range you can then write down the color, clarity, cut, carat, and of course price, then shop around to see how the various jewelers compare price wise.

Now you have a feel for who is pricing fair and who is not, you can then select your jeweler and be confident that they are going to sell you a stone that is priced according to its quality.

So there you have it, a very straight forward and basic way to buy a quality diamond.




To find a reputable jeweler in your area I suggest Best local jewelers.com store directory.

Christian Underhill is an aspiring writer and online entrepreneur based in Las Vegas Nevada.

To read more information about jewelry and watches read the best local jewelers webpage. Best local jewelers





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2012年7月29日 星期日

Hawaii Death Records


Birth, death, marriages, and divorce certificates of events that occurred in Hawaii are deposited and recorded by the Office of Health Status Monitoring, a unit of the Department of Health. These recordings began as early as the year 1853.

The access of these vital documents such as death certificate is restricted by statute. However, death certificate can be available to anyone if the death occurred more than 75 years. The copies of death certificate may only be issued to authorized individuals or an applicant with direct and tangible interest. If you are not able to establish a direct and tangible interest in the record, you are ineligible and will not be issued a certified copy of the record. The request forms for the certificate must generally be made in writing which can be downloaded online. You may also apply in person, or through mail.

The fee for certified copy of death certificate is $10.00 each for the first copy and additional payment of $4.00 for each additional copy of the same certificate ordered at the same time. Fees may be paid by cash (except for applications made by postal mail), money order, certified check, or cashier's check - make money order and checks payable to the State Department of Health. Take note though that personal checks are not accepted. Fees for death certificates are payable in advance and non-refundable. If no record is found after a search is conducted, the fees are retained to cover the cost of the search.




Search Hawaii Death Records at http://www.searchdeathrecord.com/
You will be able to get a full refund if the records are not found.





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New Jersey Death Records


In the state of New Jersey; collected registration of births, marriages, and death records in a state-wide level started as early as May 1848. These records are deposited to New Jersey State Archives Division of Archives and Records Management which is also responsible for issuing death certificates to requesters.

Acquiring death certificate in New Jersey can be done easily. In order to obtain a certified copy of a death certificate, first you must download an application form through the internet and answer the questions completely. Important information must be provided such as the name of the departed, date of the death, and place where the death happened. Copy of documents from the requester is also needed such as the photocopy of government-issued photo identification (i.e. driver's license, voter registration, immigrant visa, passport, school identification card etc.) and a photocopy of proof of relationship. After this is done, enclose the completed application and supporting documents with the required amount of $25.00 for the first copy and for the additional copy, it would cost you $2.00 per copy. Payments can be made through money order or check payable to Treasurer, State of New Jersey. After all of this is done, you send the application to New Jersey Bureau of Vital Statistics and Registration.

Attain any death certificate online quickly and easily form your computer at home or on your laptop while you are on the go without any problems and long waits in line at your local government center.




Search NJ Death Records at http://www.searchdeathrecord.com/. You will be able to get a full refund if the records are not found.





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2012年7月28日 星期六

4 Easy Ways to Save Money at Restaurants (And Not by Ordering Less!)


I am going to give you 4 ways to save tons of money at restaurants. I hope that you will do all 4 because honestly, I save so much money each way, that I can't imagine not doing it.

1. Restaurant.com Gift Certificates

At Restaurant.com you can buy discounted gift certificates to great restaurants. Once a month these go on sale for $1-$2 each, and that's where the real savings are! You can save more than 50% with these gift certificates and they are really easy to use.

2. Sign Up for Upromise.

Upromise is a program meant for saving money for college; it's run by Sallie Mae. So, it's a government sponsored program and perfectly legit. However, you don't have to save the money for college. You can simply sign up and they will send you a check when you request it. The Upromise program does not cost anything. Upromise has partnered with hundreds of companies, retailers, travel sites and local restaurants, so that you can earn basically a "rebate" of a percentage of each qualifying purchase you make. This "rebate" is deposited in your Upromise account. There are other ways to save money in your Upromise account; you can save e-coupons to your grocery or drugstore cards and then when you buy select items, the money will be deposited in your account. Also, you can use Upromise to save money when you online shop; you will find a massive list of online retailers who give you cash back. What a great way to save for college if you have kids, plan on having kids, or for something like an unexpected medical expense!

3. Sign up for Swagbucks.

Swagbucks is also a must do. Swagbucks is a search engine, like Google. When you use the Swagbucks homepage to search, or the Swagbucks toolbar you earn "bucks" for your searches. You can redeem these bucks for Amazon gift cards, Restaurant.com gift cards, iTunes gift cards, and so much more. The Amazon gift cards are 450 swagbucks and by using the toolbar you'll probably earn between 30 and 50 swagbucks a day. This means that by using Swagbucks for search, you will earn $5 to Amazon or a $25 gift certificate to Restaurant.com every 9 days! Why wouldn't you want to earn gift cards just for searching the web!

4. Group buying sites:

There are tons of them now but the main group buying sites are Groupon and Living Social. If you sign up to receive daily emails from these sites you will be notified when there is a restaurant deal. Most of the times these deals are for 50% or more off!




Head over to Save Money with Me for instructions on how to sign up for all these deals, to calculate how much you can save or check out Eat2WinRaleigh for more easy ways to save money at restaurants.





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Where Can the Average Person Put His or Her Money & Get a Very Sizable Return With Very Little Risk?


Have you lost a large percentage of your investment funds over the past three years because of the real estate crash and/or the stock market crash? Are you still keeping what is left of your investment money in an FDIC insured bank account that offers you a minuscule return of a fraction of a percent on your money? If you are or were investing your money in one or all of these three arenas, then you know what I am talking about.

Most investors have had their investment money reduced substantially and are desperately searching for a place to invest what is left of their money that not only offers a great safety net to protect what they have, but also offers a rate of return averaging 12% to 18% apy. This sounds kind of wild and risky to the average person, but the risk is very minimal and the rate of returns are fantastic. These little known investments are known as Tax Certificates or Tax Lien Certificates.

The average person usually asks 'what is a tax certificate?' A Tax Certificate is a lien placed on a person's real estate property when the property owner does not pay his/her yearly property taxes. When a property owner does not pay his/her real estate property taxes, the county will place a lien on that person's real estate property and issue a Tax Lien Certificate. The Tax Certificate represents the outstanding taxes on the property. Several states allow the tax certificate to become a first lien on the property. If the tax lien certificate is not redeemed by the property owner then the county sells the tax lien certificate at a county held tax certificate public auction sale. After placing a successful bid on tax lien certificates, the buyers of a county government issued tax lien certificate will then get one of two things: either a state-mandated yield up to 18% APY from the tax lien certificate, which the delinquent taxpayer must pay in order to release the tax lien, or Title to the property after a certain amount of time if the delinquent taxpayer fails to pay his/her property taxes.

Real estate has lost about 20% of its peak value over the last three years, but this has very little affect on Tax Certificates. Most Tax Certificates are priced at about 1/2% to 5% of the real estate properties true value. The real estate itself is the security that the Tax Lien Certificate and its high interest amount will be paid by the property owner or another interested party. If the taxes are not paid then the property will be auctioned off by the county at a county Tax Deed auction. Currently most Tax Certificates have an annual yield between 12% and 18%. The percentage amount is set by each individual investor during the county held auction and is the minimum percentage apy the investor is willing to receive.

Most of the Tax Certificates issued to investors are redeemed by the property owner or other interested parties over a period between three months and three years. The property owner must pay the investor's original investment he/she paid to acquire the tax certificate plus the property owner must pay all the accumulated interest money due to the investor to the issuing county before the lien is released from the property. Usually within 7 to 10 days, the issuing county mails the investor's check (with all past due interest) to the investor's mailing address. The investor usually has a very passive investment (basic accounting and cashing the check are all that is required). Many counties also offer direct deposits, which makes it very user friendly for the investors of Tax Lien Certificates.




For free information to learn more about Florida Tax Certificates and Tax Deeds please visit my website: http://www.taxcertificates4sale.com.
http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/inflation/current-inflation-rates/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tax_lien





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Landlord Good Practice Guide


Insurance

Tenants are typically viewed to be of higher risk than owner-occupiers, and for this reason regular homeowner insurance policies are often invalid for tenanted homes.

Most mortgage lenders will require that you have buildings insurance in place. Landlords building insurance will cover you against a number of eventualities, and is specifically tailored to offer a policy which covers damage that more frequently occurs in tenanted properties. Each insurance policy differs, and you should ensure that you are aware of exactly what is covered by your own policy.

Landlord contents insurance covers the cost of any damage to contents owned by you the landlord. It also generally protects you in the event of a theft committed by the tenant.

As a landlord you can also protect yourself against tenant related incidents. If a tenant refuses to pay rent or attempts to hold you liable for a personal injury, the following insurances will provide cover.


Public Liability Insurance - This covers you if a tenant holds you liable for an injury caused by a fault in your property and includes your legal expenses and damages awarded to tenants.
Legal cover - This will cover your expenses if you need to take your tenant to court.
Rent guarantee - This will ensure you're still paid, even if your tenant defaults on the rent.

Safety and Energy Performance Certificates

You are required by law to have both a gas safety certificate (CP12) and Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for any property which is let.

A gas safety certificate is extremely important, and ensures that all gas appliances at the property are in good working order. As a landlord, you are responsible for the safety of your tenants, and as such a gas safety certificate must be renewed every 12 months.

An EPC provides information about a property's energy efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions. It is accompanied by a report which gives suggestions and recommendations on how to reduce your property's energy consumption and emissions. It lasts for 10 years from the date of issue.

Whilst electrical safety certificates are not required by law, it is advised that landlords carry out and keep a record of periodic inspections of fixed electrical installations (like sockets and light fittings), as well as annual testing of all portable appliances (such as kettles, toasters etc), known as PAT testing.

References

First and foremost it is important to reference check any tenant who will be contributing to the monthly rent.

A good reference will include an identity check to ensure the tenant is who they say they are, confirmation of their employment status and current salary (and therefore their ability to pay the rent), and their history of paying rent in the past. It will also include both employer and landlord references, details of any bankruptcies and County Court Judgements (CCJ's) and their previous credit history.

If your tenant is rejected on the grounds of a poor reference, they may be able to offer a friend or relative as a guarantor. This guarantor should also be reference checked to ensure their suitability to pay the rent should the tenant default.

Contract

Having a contract is vitally important. It is important to read through the contract and make sure you are in agreement with the terms and conditions of that contract. You may find that an "off the peg" contract does not cover specific requirements you have. You should amend the contract as necessary to your requirements. Ask the tenant to initial each page, and sign and date as appropriate.

You should ensure that you are in receipt of a signed contract prior to allowing you tenants access to the property or giving them keys.

Deposit

Prior to your tenants having access or keys to your property, you should ensure that you have received your deposit and first month's rent, as cleared funds (either cleared funds in your bank or cash, but never a cheque presented to you on the day).

You should not charge more than two month's rent as deposit. If you do, your tenant may be automatically entitled to sublet the property.

Once you have the deposit, you must place it with a Government-backed deposit protection scheme, and notify your tenants within 30 days of taking the deposit, which protection scheme you intend to use.

You should ensure that you are in receipt of the deposit and first month's rent as cleared funds prior to allowing your tenants access to the property or giving them keys.

Inventory

The inventory is a thorough record, with documentary evidence and photographs, which demonstrates the condition of your property at the commencement of any tenancy.

This document then forms part of your contract, and provides a standard to which the property should be kept. The inventory should be signed by both tenant and landlord, and be sufficiently thorough that it can be used to settle any dispute about the condition of your property that may arise at a later date.

You should take pictures/video footage of each room to ensure that there is no doubt as to the condition of the property, or it's fixtures and fittings.

Check in

On the tenancy commencement date, you will meet your tenants at the property, and provided that they have signed the contract and paid the appropriate deposit and rent, you will hand the property to them.

You should walk them around the property, going through the inventory as you do. Take a camera with you, so that if the tenant wants a particular thing noted, you can take photographic evidence (for example, they might notice a mark on the carpet that they wish to be noted in the inventory).

Check the meter readings with the tenant present, and also take a photograph of the meter reading.

It is always a good idea to show the tenant where the stop cock and electricity consumer unit (fuse box) is.

Once you have shown the tenant around, it is important that you ask the tenant to initial each page of the inventory, and sign to say that they are in agreement with information contained within the inventory, the meter readings, and that they have received the sets of keys you have given them.

Interim checks

It is always prudent to make periodic checks of your property to ensure it is being kept in an appropriate manner.

You should give your tenants notice that you will be making a property check, and you should ask that they are present at the time of the check.

During the check, it is useful to have a copy of the inventory with you so that you can compare the standard at the tenancy commencement to current day.

Ongoing maintenance

It is important to take care of your tenants while they are resident in your property.

You should deal with issues when they arise as promptly as possible, and give tenants as much notice as possible if you or a trades person need to enter the property for any reason.

Check out

At the conclusion of the tenancy, it is important to meet the tenant on their final day at the property to check that it is being left in a condition which is on par with the inventory. Take final meter readings with the tenant present, and include photographic evidence of the each meter reading.

It can often be prudent to attend the property (by prior arrangement) a week or so before the end date of the tenancy. At this point, any issues can be highlighted, and potentially dealt with before the tenancy conclusion (for example, carpets which need cleaning, walls which need filling/painting). This can allow the deposit to be handed back to the tenant at the end of the tenancy without deduction or dispute. In the event that the tenant fails to make good any necessary works you will be able to demonstrate that you have given the tenant sufficient warning of the works required.

The difference between the inventory and the property's condition at the end of the tenancy will form the basis of any claim to withhold some or all of the deposit, so it is important for you to attend with the inventory and a camera, and for the tenant to be present.




At http://www.TheOnlineLettingAgents.co.uk, you can advertise your property to let on all of the major property websites for FREE! Our free tenant find service includes advertising on sites including rightmove, Primelocation and Zoopla, comprehensive tenant referencing and a contract, and is absolutely free to landlords.





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2012年7月27日 星期五

Lead Paint - The Alligator In My Home!


If My Home Could Contain Lead Paint, How Do I Test for It?

EPA RRP Lead-Based Paint Certification and Safety Laws

As with any new program, most people, home owners and contractors alike, first hearing about the EPA's Lead Paint Certification program are very skeptical. Yet we find, when they REALLY investigate the issue, they realize that the program is needed to bring awareness those individuals who might inadvertently produce lead poisoning exposure. Today, many people, contractors included, are initially caught off guard and are unaware of the very real health hazards associated with paint containing lead when it's disrupted. The bottom line, Lead-based paint is hazardous to your health

LEAD PAINT IS LIKE AN ALLIGATOR!

How many people would jump into a neighborhood pond if they knew of an alligator living in it? Yet, many people have jumped into such a pond or have had their dogs drinking water from such a pond, only to find out after it's too late, that an alligator was living in it. In the world of lead paint...the alligator is paint containing lead, and the pond is a house built prior to 1978. Today, lead-based paint is a major source of lead poisoning for children and can also affect adults. In children, lead poisoning can cause irreversible brain damage and can impair mental functioning. It can retard mental and physical development and reduce attention span. It can also retard fetal development, even at extremely low levels of lead. In adults, it can cause irritability, poor muscle coordination, and nerve damage to the sense organs and nerves controlling the body. Lead poisoning may also cause problems with reproduction (such as a decreased sperm count). It may also increase blood pressure. Thus, young children, fetuses, infants, and adults with high blood pressure are the most vulnerable to the effects of lead.

Children should be screened for lead poisoning

In communities where the houses are old and deteriorating, take advantage of available screening programs offered by local health departments, and have children checked regularly to see if they are suffering from lead poisoning. Because the early symptoms of lead poisoning are easy to confuse with other illnesses, it is difficult to diagnose lead poisoning without medical testing. Early symptoms may include persistent tiredness, irritability, loss of appetite, stomach discomfort, reduced attention span, insomnia, and constipation. Failure to treat children in the early stages can cause long-term or permanent health damage.

How Are People exposed to lead from paint.

Contractors and or individuals involved in home renovation activities can generate lead dust by sanding lead-based paint or by scraping or heating lead-based paint. Eating paint chips is one way young children are exposed to lead. This is not the most common way that consumers, in general, are exposed to lead. Ingesting and inhaling lead dust that is created as lead-based paint "chalks," chips, or peels from deteriorated surfaces can expose consumers to lead. Walking on small paint chips found on the floor, or opening and closing a painted frame window, can also create lead dust. Other sources of lead include deposits that may be present in homes after years of use of leaded gasoline and from industrial sources like smelting. Lead dust can settle on floors, walls, and furniture. Under these conditions, children can ingest lead dust from hand-to-mouth contact or from food. Settled lead dust can re-enter the air through cleaning, such as sweeping or vacuuming, or by movement of people throughout the house.

How much lead does it take to get lead poisoning?

Only about 10 micrograms per deciliter of blood. What does that mean?

A deciliter is about 1/2 of a cup.

-A packet of sweetener is roughly one gram.

-There are one million micrograms in a gram.

-So, divide the stuff from one packet into one million piles. (Pretend!)

-Now, discard 999,990 of those "piles."

-Take the remaining 10 piles and mix them into half a cup of liquid.

Now....that's not much! Microscopic levels of lead metal can impair the health of a human, especially a young developing child.

Q. So...how do you test for Lead-Based Paint and Lead Dust?

A. The EPA Lead Abatement Certification program suggests three lead hazard assessment methods available to homeowners:

Lead-Based Paint Inspection, Risk Assessment and a Lead Hazard Screen. The EPA strongly recommends that you have the testing performed by an EPA RRP Certified Professional. Certified Inspectors may perform Lead-Based Paint Inspections, and Certified Risk Assessors can perform both Lead Risk Assessments as well as Lead Hazard Screens.

Lead-Based Paint Inspection: Generally recommended prior to beginning a renovation in a home built prior to 1978. During the inspection all painted surfaces in the home including varnishes and stains are inventoried and inspected for the presence of lead-based paint. Furniture, dust and soil are not typically tested during an inspection. When the report has been completed, you should have an inventory of all surfaces tested and whether the surfaces contain lead.

Risk Assessment: The lead risk assessment is the most rigorous testing method. This method is highly recommended for those who suspect or have confirmed lead poisoning in family members. Not only are all deteriorated paint surfaces covered in the Inspection reviewed, but dust from children's rooms, hallways and play areas are tested in addition to soil from children's play areas. In the event furniture, window sills or molding show bite marks, these surfaces may be tested as well.

Lead Hazard Screening: Recommended for homes and facilities with a low chance of contamination. The Lead Hazard Screening is a scaled down version of the Risk Assessment. Typically, deteriorated paint surfaces are tested, two samples of dust are collected (windows and floors) and soil will not be tested unless there is evidence of paint chips in the soil. A report that shows substantial risks, may require a follow-up with a full-blown Risk Assessment.

Q. How are The Surfaces Tested?

A. Two methods of Lead-Based Paint Testing are recognized by the EPA:

Portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzers and paint chip sampling which is analyzed by a laboratory recognized by EPA's National Lead Laboratory Accreditation Program.

Portable X-Ray Fluorescence Analyzers (XRFs) A portable XRF measures lead in paint,

usually without damaging the paint. In some instances, the material beneath the paint or curves in paint chips on deteriorated surfaces can affect the lead level readings. In these instances the paint must be removed, and the underlying surface is tested to create a baseline for the painted surface being tested. This is the fastest method for delivering results, although in instances where the testing is inconclusive, paint chip samples will need to be delivered to a laboratory for further testing.

Paint Chip Sampling & Lab Analysis: By using a chisel or scraper, one to four square inches of all layers of paint are removed. Generally, a small layer of the underlying surface (wood, plaster or concrete) is removed with the sample. Following removal of the test material, the surface is repainted to prevent contamination for exposed lead surfaces. The samples are then sent to an EPA NLLAP laboratory for testing. This is the most conclusive method for testing for lead-based paint.

Keep in mind, if your home was built before 1978, and you are planning on renting or selling it, the EPA requires that you provide the test results to your buyers or renters.

To learn more about testing procedures, please visit the EPA's Lead-Based Paint Safety site and read EPA's pamphlet on lead paint testing available at http://www.epa.gov




Luke Owen is the founder of GeoLogic Enviromental Solutions, The NPDES Training Institute http://www.npdestraining.com/ and Lead Paint Removal Training, Inc. http://leadpaintremovaltraining.com/ As a top EPA accredited trainer and consultant for Lead Paint Removal Training Inc. and the NPDES Training Institute, Luke is an invited speaker by scores of government agencies, general contractors, consulting firms, and professional associations in the areas of lead paint removal safety, storm water management and protection, as well as EPA regulatory enforcement.





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Profit From Purchasing Tax Liens


Tax liens are the taxes collected by the government from residential and commercial properties to be used for road repair, pay law enforcements or any programs funded by the county. There is also a part on your mortgage payment where it goes to your property taxes each year. But some property owner would prefer to pay for it separately especially if they're already done paying for their mortgage, so they should be accountable for the yearly tax payment.

Each county are getting these tax notices each year and for those who fail to pay their taxes will be considered a delinquent taxpayer. This will give the government the right to set a lien against your property and lien certificate will be put up for sale. Then, the highest bidder will have to pay the unpaid taxes and will be given the authority to collect the payment with the interest or penalty only. That means purchasing tax liens will only give them the right to collect taxes but not really have any rights when it comes to the property itself.

When purchasing tax liens certificate, it is vital for you to understand how the system works before you go and make the bid in any auction. Sale on tax lien properties normally requires a deposit of ten percent in the form of a certified check. So when some bidders will want to get their tax lien certificate, they will receive it by mail. However, these policies vary from state to state or county.

The owner will have to pay at the allotted time plus the interest accrued to the tax lien certificate holder. It is also imperative for the investors who are purchasing tax liens to know if there is a possibility of owning the property. Some state allows the lien certificate holder to foreclose the property if the owner will not be able to pay until the redemption period, so this will give them an opportunity to claim full ownership of the property.

However, most homeowners will do everything they can to raise funds just to pay their owed taxes and save their property from being foreclosed. So there is a higher rate for these loans being paid. In which case, this will still be a win-win situation for the investors. If the loan will end up being paid, they will have the full amount they invested plus the interest set by the government at the time of the lien certificate auction. If not, they can have the property. And these make purchasing tax liens profitable and a good strategy for real estate investors who want to own a property at a fraction of their worth.

You need to make sure that you have made your research and preparation before you enter the tax lien auction if you want to consider this type of investment. You may as well attend the actual bidding so you can properly observe and ask the other investors on how the system works. They can exchange ideas and give you some pointers on what to do and what to avoid.

You may also ask other real estate tax lien professionals you know or attend seminars, or search more information online to give you detailed tips when purchasing tax liens and how it will benefit you. Just make sure you understand the pros and cons before you go into the real auction or invest in real estate.




Claud Pearce is an active real estate investor based in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is a member of the Greater Cincinnati Real Estate Investors Association and works exclusively with investors who want to grow, learn and succeed at real estate investing. Get more information now at http://www.cincinnatireia.com.





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2012年7月26日 星期四

Lehigh Coal Navigated Canals and History


The Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company is a company that is still in operation today. However, there are many old canceled stock certificates that are available for the stock certificate collector to take advantage of. If there is a company that has an incredible history, this is a company that does.

The Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company was created for the carrying of anthracite coal to Easton from Lehigh Valley. This creation occurred after Phillip Ginder discovered large anthracite deposits in the Summit Hill, Pennsylvania area in 1791. The Lehigh and Delaware Rivers were quite turbulent, but transportation of coal was made possible through the navigation system that had been developed. This system was completed by 1820 and this resulted in the merger of Lehigh Coal Company and Lehigh Navigation. By 1825, there was approximately 30,000 tons of coal making its way to Philadelphia.

But there was an increase in competition and something needed to be done, so Lehigh Coal and Navigation Co. continued to expand with better navigation tools, such as lift locks used in the canal. This new expanded navigation system was completed by 1829 and within five years of that completion, the Lehigh navigation system was also connected to New York. But in 1862, parts of the system were destroyed by a great flood. However, the rebuild resulted in even more expansion for the company.

It was in 1822 that the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company became incorporated and became a publicly traded company. Due to its great success, the stock started selling left and right. Although there is some form of Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company in business, the company was sold in the 1960s for recreational use to public and private organizations. So what you will find when looking at a Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company stock certificate is a canceled certificate that cannot be traded on the stock market. In other words, they make fantastic certificates to collect.

There is such an incredible history behind the company that these are widely sought after stock certificates. The company saw great success during the 1800s, but saw reductions in the amount of tonnage that they were transporting. As a matter of fact, they saw a decline in the tonnage being transferred in 1900, but still managed to stay in business until the 1960s. This is a company that had 190 years of operational history behind it.

There are different variations of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company stock certificate. It simply depends on the year it was issued. An 1866 certificate is simply a gray sheet of paper. They have sometimes have a revenue stamp on them from where they were taxed by the government. They are also signed by officers within the company, states the incorporation date of the company, and that the shares were going for fifty dollars each. A 1936 stock certificate is somewhat different with its cream and orange coloring, but the required information is the same.




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Back-Up Your Wealth With Gold


Gold has always been considered a safe and solid asset. Since the beginning of time, it was gold that proved to be the best instrument in ensuring a solid fortune. The amount of gold possessed was an indication of the wealth and power of its owner. Even nowadays, most of the central banks in the world choose to keep some of their reserves in gold. This way they safeguard the investments and deposits of their clients from any potentially disturbing economic or political events.

Although subject, as any other commodity, to flexible demand and supply and the speculation arising from it, gold seems to have maintained a top position. The price of the yellow metal is fixed twice a day by the London bullion market since the commission was established in 1919. Central banks are also involved in the price fixing process.

Keeping your savings in gold might seem like the best solution especially in times of social and political unrest, when all the other currencies stand to drop. Besides, it is a smart way to keep the value of your deposits safe from any variable interest rates and inflation. All this makes even more sense today, when we are facing a rather prolonged global economic crisis.

Gold can be found for sale in a wide range of forms. Many banks and various dealers supply gold coins and bars for sale. It is universally believed, however that coins are much more reliable than bars. There are plenty of fake coins on the market, but with large gold bars one runs more frequently the risk of purchasing bars without a valid certification. Another popular way of buying gold is represented by gold certificates. Gold certificates proved very successful and even circulated as money in the past. Such certificates are still being issued by banks in Germany, Switzerland and USA and provide, some might argue, a more secure way of preserving the gold reserves.

Taxation as well has helped boost the popularity of gold. In the European Union, gold seems to benefit from a rather preferential position, as a free VAT product. Consequently, it would be a very good idea to try and buy gold from a member country of the EU. You will most definitely not regret doing so.

It seems that the future of gold selling is to be sustained by the latest innovation, the so-called "Gold ATM", which supplies one-, five- and ten-gram gold bars. The first "Gold ATMs" proved highly successful, leading to a rapid expansion of the ATM network, and encouraging even more the use of gold as currency.




The most common and traditional way to Buy Gold is by investing in small bars or coins.





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2012年7月25日 星期三

I Need to Estate Plan My Gmail Account


I'm going to date myself, but I still vividly remember signing up for my first "electronic" mail account in the early 90's when I was a freshman in college. I guess it was memorable because it required traveling down into a dark basement underneath one of the buildings. I picked a really strange address name at the time instead of my name, but I have learned to keep my email identity simple since. Email has been joined by a myriad of other internet services. Everyday someone can upload videos onto the net, pay bills online, connect with others via social media websites like Facebook and LinkedIn or just provide your thoughts for the world to see via a blog. Fast forward almost 20 years; the internet has become fully integrated in our lives.

Integration has given birth to a person's "virtual life." With a virtual life comes the need for virtual planning just like a real life needs an estate plan; be it a voluntary one or intestate. Many fail to see how their email account would even be part of their estate. But not taking the appropriate steps in your life - be it virtual or not - can create issues down the road. For example, a few years ago, Justin Ellsworth, a U.S. Marine, was killed in Iraq and his family requested access to his Yahoo email account to retrieve pictures, emails, etc. residing in Justin's account. Yahoo, citing its privacy policy, did not relinquish access to Ellsworth's family. Eventually, Ellsworth's parents successfully sued forcing Yahoo to turn Justin's emails over though only in hard copy format. While this had a positive ending, it cost the Ellsworth's untold hardship along with a great deal of money in legal fees to gain access to something that normally is only clicks away on a keyboard.

To appropriately plan your virtual life, it is important to understand internet providers' privacy policies. Here is a quick rundown of the major providers:



Google: Google mail requires a copy of a death certificate, copy of a power of attorney or birth certificate and a copy of an email sent from the account you are trying to close. A Google account will stay open forever barring a request to delete it.
Yahoo: Has not changed their policy since the Ellsworth case and there is no right of survivorship and non-transferability. Upon receipt of a death certificate, Yahoo will terminate the account and delete all of the contents. Yahoo accounts only have a ninety (90) day window before deleting an account based on inactivity.
Hotmail: Falls in between Yahoo and Google. They will grant access to the account after being provided similar information as Google but will eventually delete the account after a year of inactivity.
MySpace: Will not grant access to anyone to edit or delete any of the content or change the settings but you can request an account to be removed if deemed appropriate.
Facebook: The account is turned "off" and made into a memorial for the person upon request. Facebook grants no ability to edit, limits access to the site but will remove the "person" based on request from next of kin after being provided similar information as Google.
Twitter: Has what appears to be no official policy but states they cannot disclose account information or passwords to anyone, even post-death. Twitter will remove an account after given notice with a death certificate and may remove an account based on 6 months of inactivity.

A simple glance reveals that each provider has a slightly different privacy policy with respect to their willingness to open up a user's account to a non-user. This can mean a number of hurdles someone will need to jump through to access the account because, if you are like me, you have a couple of virtual accounts with several providers, meaning there is no uniform approach.

Well, there has to be a solution. You could simply have a slip of paper listing all your information and store it in your house somewhere readily available. Though, the lack of security sounds like the start of a bad movie.

One practical solution is to keep a list of passwords and similar information on a flash drive or stored on your computer somewhere but name the file something unique - i.e., not "passwords" - and informing a person you trust about the file. Or you could put the flash drive in a safety deposit box making sure someone knows where it is. However, many providers require periodic updating of your password, which means a trip to the bank every time you update a password. Another possibility is to create a power of attorney. That might grant access to some email accounts but would not be a complete solution to trump every provider's policy.

Where there is a demand for services, new companies will appear to meet those demands including several commercial providers to address this very issue. One commercial service, Legacy Locker, acts like a safe deposit box for your log-ins, account information, etc. Legacy Locker also provides personalized instructions to survivors as to how you want your online identity handled. As this market develops, I would guess more commercial services will open. As I have never used any of these services, I cannot vouch for them personally, but they are options to consider.

With estate planning, most people think about creating a will or trust or protecting their home and do not think about their virtual life. As our lives have become intertwined with technology, the need to plan an "electronic" estate has grown such that ignoring your virtual life can trigger estate issues down the road.




Christopher Guest invites you to learn about atypical estate planning or would like more information on wills and trusts, please click on his newsletter http://www.guestlawllc.com/newsletter.html. If you would like to contact Mr. Guest or interested in more information about him please click http://www.guestlawllc.com.





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Florida Death Records


In the State of Florida, recordings of death where limited during the time of 1899 to 1916. Not until 1917, in which the death records of the entire state had been completely accomplished. These records had been deposited to the state's Bureau of Vital Statistics.

The Bureau of Vital Statistics provides the citizen certified copies of Death Certificate. In Florida, anyone may order death certificate "without cause of death". However, if you request for a death certificate "with cause of death" requirements are needed to apply. The first step is to determine your eligibility; this means the proof of your relation to the dead or legal interest. Next step is to provide enough information about the person whose name appears on the certificate. The third step is to provide information about the person ordering the certificate; full name, relationship to the decedent, mailing address, etc. are needed in this step. The fourth step is to determine the type of certificate; you may choose to get a copy of the certified death certificate which cost $5.00 each, you may opt to get an additional copy which costs $4.00 each. The fifth step is to select the delivery method. There are three choices; standard, rush, and express.

In standard delivery, it takes approximately 10 business days for it to be delivered. And in rush delivery, which you will pay an additional $10, you will receive it faster than normal delivery. In express, it is just the same as the rush but you need to pay express fee and would only take 1-2 days. Payment is through check or money order payable to Vital Statistics.

It's faster and cheaper to search death records online, this way you can get a refund if the records are not found.




Search Florida Death Records at http://www.searchdeathrecord.com/
You will be able to get a full refund if the records are not found.





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2012年7月24日 星期二

Historic Changes in the Dollar and Their Impact On Your Finances Today


Over the past 100 years there have been a lot of changes when it comes to the U.S. dollar. Unfortunately most of these changes have been for the worse from the standpoint of our well-being as average citizens.

In the old days our grandparents and their parents were used to conducting transactions using gold and silver coins as well as paper representative money substitutes such as silver certificates. If you are not familiar with silver or gold certificates they are merely notes that look very much like our modern 1, 5 and 20 dollar bills but the difference was that if you took them to the Treasury you could exchange them for a set weight of gold or silver.

The reason people trusted these paper substitutes in the first place was because you could exchange them for real money made of precious metals. Today we simply trust the dollar and the government that issues it more out of habit than out of any real value behind the currency.

The end for the dollar to gold exchange standard came for the average American in the year 1933 when the President at the time -FDR- mandated that all gold currency be called out of circulation and paper money replace it entirely. This was fairly easy to accomplish since people were already used to dealing in paper currency however it was a fateful step since the American people could no longer hold the government accountable for excessive inflation by turning their paper currency in for physical gold.

Foreign countries were able to continue exchanging dollars for gold up until 1971 when Nixon ended that practice. Silver currency stuck around a bit longer than gold since the last silver coins are marked 1964. Silver certificates stopped being exchanged for physical silver in 1968 and since that time it has been up to the individual to accumulate precious metals as savings on their own.

Today it seems quite important to revive interest in precious metals and currencies backed by precious metals. The Federal Reserve has created so many new dollar units that the value of our currency has fallen significantly and continues to do so. If you want to protect the savings you have in the bank from further devaluation you will have to take action since the rate of inflation is outpacing the rate of interest you receive on deposits.

To beat inflation you will have to invest or speculate in some way. One way is to buy safe stocks that pay good dividends. Oil companies are an example of this type of stock. You can also look into buying physical silver and gold in the form of coins or bullion. You can then store your metals in a safe place and track the trends in the price appreciation and inflation rates to determine when you should sell and move back into cash. This will likely be when the real rate of interest you can get on money in the bank returns to positive territory.




Would you like to read more about the history of our money and what silver certificates are worth? You can find out more through the posts at the Silver Certificate Value blog.





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Self-Cert Remortgage Fundamentals


A self cert or self certified mortgage addresses the needs of self-employed and freelance workers, enabling them to raise a loan or remortgage without having to prove their income. The onus is placed back upon the borrower who makes a declaration as to their earnings and no further checks are made. No supporting documentation is required to prove their circumstances, as their word is considered sufficient.

Editors Note: Self employed workers should note that it is not advisable to 'lie' about your income or your financial circumstances as it could get you in trouble with both the loan company and in extreme cases the law.

Self certified mortgages enable borrowers to draw up to £1million, from certain lenders, with a typical deposit of 10-15% of the property value; which once again varies from lender to lender. As the lender views the self-employed as higher risk i.e. possibility of late or non-payment the loan or remortgage carries a higher interest rate.

The basis of remortgage affordability is simple, before applying for a self-certification remortgage you should calculate your total household income, and make sure to include a partner's wage where relevant.

Once calculated your household income will guide you in how much you can afford to pay at each monthly instalment. Great care is required here as a calculated figure set too high is likely to overstretch your finances and you risk defaulting. An instalment figure, which is set too low, will result in the repayment of the mortgage taking much longer than necessary.

As with any other remortgage product self-certification remortgage come in various packages, some of which feature overpayment and underpayment facilities and payment holidays. Variable rate, Fixed rate and Capped rate products are all easily available given the number of new specialist lenders in the market place. Some of these lenders are already established high street names that have setup special divisions to handle these niche remortgages.

Each lender has its own validation/acceptance criteria and some may even seek to obtain credibility statements for the borrower. It is not unusual for accountant and banks to be contacted and if the lender has any doubt then proofs will be required.

As with any remortgage it is always advisable that you seek advice from professionals before you make any decision. When presented with the final paperwork make sure and be thorough in your checks before signing anything. Check the small print and be especially aware of early settlement charges that may prevent you from moving to another remortgage product in the future.

A self-certification remortgage transfers almost all of the decision making away from the lender and over to you, the borrower, as an individual. It is especially important that you consider your position very carefully and are not placing your wealth and your health at risk with a remortgage product that is inappropriate for your circumstances, financial or otherwise.




Andrea Simpson is an online remortgage expert who provides remortgage and self employed program advice.





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2012年7月23日 星期一

Easy Ways of Investing in Silver


Silver is like gold, palladium, and platinum in terms of being regarded as an investment commodity. This valuable metal has been regarded as a form of currency for more than four centuries.

You will find various methods by which 1 might invest in silver. 6 are presented here:

Purchasing bullion bars:

This may be the most traditional way of investing in silver. Silver bullion bars could be bought or sold more than the counter in most banks in Switzerland. They might be stored in safe deposit boxes in banks or placed in non-fungible (allocated) or pooled (unallocated) storage having a silver dealer.

Purchasing silver coins:

This really is a well-liked way of taking hold of silver - physically. Perhaps the finest example of the silver coin may be the Canadian Silver Maple Leaf, which consists of 99.99% pure silver. Silver coins might either be "fine silver" or "junk silver". Junk silver coins are older coins having a lower percentage of silver. Examples of these are the dime, quarter, and fifty-cent U.S. coins minted in 1964 or earlier. These coins contain 90% silver and are 8/10 troy ounce per 1 USD of face worth.

Opening an account:

An investor might open a silver account with 1 of the major banks in Switzerland. Here, silver could be bought or sold more than the counter just like any foreign currency. Nevertheless, the bank client doesn't own the actual silver metal. Instead, he/she has a claim against the bank for a specified quantity from the metal. A silver account is backed via either allocated or unallocated storage.

Owning a silver certificate:

In lieu of storing actual silver bullion, an investor might opt for ownership of the a certificate. A certificate enables an investor to purchase and sell the security sans the inconveniences connected using the physical transfer. The Perth Mint Certificate Programme, which is fully guaranteed by the Government of Western Australia, may be the only silver certificate program within the world that's guaranteed by a national government.

Trading in Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs):

An investor can have a simple way of gaining exposure to the price of silver via an ETF. Some from the well-known ETFs consist of iShares Silver Trust (with ticker symbol NYSE: SLV), Central Fund of Canada (with ticker symbols TSX: CEF.NV.A, NYSE: CEF), and ETFS Silver Trust (with ticker symbol NYSE: SIVR).

Trading in ETFs means doing away using the inconveniences connected using the handling of physical silver bars.

Entering in a Contract For Distinction (CFD):

Some from the noted financial services firms, particularly those within the United Kingdom, supply Contract for Distinction (CFD).

In this investment vehicle, two parties (a "buyer" along with a "seller") enter into a contract, in which the seller agrees to pay the buyer the distinction between the current worth of silver and its worth at contract time. In case the distinction is negative, the seller receives payment instead from the buyer. A CFD, as a result, enables an investor to take advantage of long or short positions, enabling him/her to speculate on these markets.




Click Here [http://www.investingpreciousmetals.info] now to get your Free information kit [http://www.investingpreciousmetals.info] on investing in precious metals such as gold, silver and collectible coins.





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Investing in Tax Liens From Afar


Lately I've been receiving messages from subscribers in other countries - from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and even from parts of Africa, asking if it is possible for them to invest in tax liens and tax deeds in the U.S. market. They want to know if they can actually do this from another country or in some cases from another continent. And the answer is yes you can, but there are some stipulations.

First of all not every state has online auctions, only a few do. So you first have to find out which states have online auctions and determine where you will invest. Next you need to get the tax sale information, which is pretty easy to do and can be done from your computer. You will then need to register for the tax sale and make a deposit with the online auction company - all this can be done online. If you are investing in tax liens you will need to fill out a W-8BEN form, which you can find online with the IRA.

OK, now here comes the hard part - you have to do your due diligence on the tax sale properties before you bid on them. Contrary to what you may have heard, there are risks involved in investing in tax lien certificates and tax deeds, and the way to avoid the risks is to do your due diligence on the properties. Some counties make this easy by providing a lot of information online. In some cases you can get assessment data, maps, and even pictures of the property. There are other online tools that you can use to help you find out what the property is worth. And you can check the state's environmental web sites to find out about any environmental problems that may exist, and check with the municipality for any zoning requirements. All this can be done online and by phone.

For tax liens it's a pretty simple process, but for tax deeds it's a little more involved. If you're purchasing a tax deed, then you are actually buying the property and you'll need to do a little more due diligence than you would for just purchasing a lien. You'll need to do some type of title search to find out about liens or encumbrances that may exist on any properties that you want to bid on. And you'll need to make sure that any lien-holders have been notified of the tax sale, otherwise they may have a legal right to purchase the property back from you if they claim that they were not properly notified of the sale.

This may not be so easy to do from another country. This is where it would be real helpful to work with someone who could look at the property for you and do some of the research. It would be ideal if you had a relationship with a realtor or a title company in the area who could do some of the legwork for you in return for your business when you actually purchase some of these properties. After all you will need a title company to clear the title to each property and a realtor to sell or rent the properties for you once you own them.




Joanne Musa is a tax lien investing consultant who helps investors from all over the world to develop a profitable tax lien or tax deed portfolio. Joanne provides detailed information on how to start building your own profitable portfolio of tax lien certificates or tax deeds and video and audio training on the Members Area of http://www.TaxLienLady.com





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Ease Into the World of Investing


The United Nations does it. Governments do it. Companies do it. Fund managers do it. Millions of ordinary working people - from business owners to factory workers - do it. Housewives do it. Even farmers and children do it.

'It' here is investing: the science and art of creating, protecting and enhancing your wealth in the financial markets. This article introduces some of the most important concerns in the world of investment.

Let's start with your objectives. While clearly the goal is to make more money, there are 3 specific reasons institutions, professionals and retail investors (people like you and me) invest:

For Security, ie for protection against inflation or market crashes
For Income, ie to receive regular income from their investments
For Growth, ie for long-term growth in the value of their investments

Investments are generally structured to focus on one or other of these objectives, and investment professionals (such as fund managers) spend a lot of time balancing these competing objectives. With a little bit of education and time, you can do almost the same thing yourself.

One of the first questions to ask yourself is how much risk you're comfortable with. To put it more plainly: how much money are you prepared to lose? Your risk tolerance level depends on your personality, experiences, number of dependents, age, level of financial knowledge and several other factors. Investment advisors measure your risk tolerance level so they can classify you by risk profile (eg, 'Conservative', 'Moderate', 'Aggressive') and recommend the appropriate investment portfolio (explained below).

However, understanding your personal risk tolerance level is necessary for you too, especially with something as important as your own money. Your investments should be a source of comfort, not pain. Nobody can guarantee you'll make a profit; even the most sensible investment decisions can turn against you; there are always 'good years' and 'bad years'. You may lose part or all of your investment so always invest only what you are prepared to lose.

At some point you'll want to withdraw some or all of your investment funds. When is that point likely to be: in 1 year, 5 years, 10 years or 25 years? Clearly, you'll want an investment that allows you to withdraw at least part of your funds at this point. Your investment timeframe - short-term, medium-term or long-term - will often determine what kinds of investments you can go for and what kinds of returns to expect.

All investments involve a degree of risk. One of the 'golden rules' of investing is that reward is related to risk: the higher the reward you want, the higher the risk you have to take. Different investments can come with very different levels of risk (and associated reward); it's important that you appreciate the risks associated with any investment you're planning to make. There's no such thing as a risk-free investment, and your bank deposits are no exception. Firstly, while Singapore bank deposits are rightly considered very safe, banks in other countries have failed before and continue to fail. More importantly, in 2010 the highest interest rate on Singapore dollar deposits up to $10,000 was 0.375%, while the average inflation rate from Jan-Nov 2010 was 2.66%. You were losing money just by leaving your savings in the bank.

Today, there are many, many types of investments ('asset classes') available. Some - such as bank deposits, stocks (shares) and unit trusts - you're already familiar with, but there are several others you should be aware of. Some of the most common ones:

Bank Deposits
Shares
Investment-Linked Product1
Unit Trusts2
ETFs3
Gold4

1 An Investment-Linked Product (ILP) is an insurance plan that combines protection and investment. ILPs main advantage is that they offer life insurance.

2 A Unit Trust is a pool of money professionally managed according to a specific, long-term management objective (eg, a unit trust may invest in well-known companies all over the world to try to provide a balance of high returns and diversification). The main advantage of unit trusts is that you don't have to pay brokers' commissions.

3 An ETF or Exchange-Traded Fund comes in many different forms: for example, there are equity ETFs that hold, or track the performance of, a basket of stocks (eg Singapore, emerging economies); commodity ETFs that hold, or track the price of, a single commodity or basket of commodities (eg Silver, metals); and currency ETFs that track a major currency or basket of currencies (eg Euro). ETFs offer two main advantages: they trade like shares (on stock exchanges such as the SGX) and typically come with very low management fees.

The main difference between ETFs and Unit Trusts is that ETFs are publicly-traded assets while Unit Trusts are privately-traded assets, meaning that you can buy and sell them yourself anytime during market hours.

4 'Gold' here refers to gold bullion, certificates of ownership or gold savings accounts. However, note that you can invest in gold in many other ways, including gold ETFs, gold Unit Trusts; and shares in gold mining companies.

With the advent of the Internet and online brokers, there are so many investment alternatives available today that even a beginner investor with $5,000 to invest can find several investment options suited to her objectives, risk profile and timeframe.

Diversification basically means trying to reduce risk by making a variety of investments, ie investing your money in multiple companies, industries and countries (and as your financial knowledge and wealth grows, in different 'asset classes' - cash, stocks, ETFs, commodities such as gold and silver, etc). This collection of investments is termed your Investment Portfolio.

Some level of diversification is important because in times of crisis, similar investments tend to behave similarly. Two of the best examples in recent history are the Singapore stock market crashes of late-2008/early-2009, during the US 'Subprime' crisis, and 1997, during the 'Asian Financial Crisis', when the price of large numbers of stocks plunged. 'Diversifying' by investing in different stocks wouldn't have helped you very much on these occasions.

The concept and power of compounding are best explained by example. Assume we have 3 investments: the first returns 0.25% a year; the second returns 5% a year; and the third returns 10% a year. For each investment, we compare 2 scenarios:

Without compounding, ie the annual interest is taken out of the account.
With compounding, ie the annual interest is left (re-invested) in the account.

Let's look at the returns over 25 years for all 3 investments, assuming we start off with $10,000 in Year 0:

With 0.25% return a year, your investment will grow to $10,625 after 25 years without compounding; your investment becomes $10,644 after 25 years with compounding.

With 5% return a year, your investment will grow to $22,500 after 25 years without compounding; your investment becomes $33,864 after 25 years with compounding.

With 10% return a year, your investment will grow to $35,000 after 25 years without compounding; your investment becomes $108,347 after 25 years with compounding.

This shows the dramatic effects of both higher returns and compounding: 10% annual returns coupled with 25 years of compounding will return you more than 10 times your initial investment. And 10% returns are by no means unrealistic: educated investors who actively manage their portfolio themselves and practise diversification can achieve even higher returns, even with some losing years.

People of all ages and backgrounds need practical and customised guidance in developing their financial knowledge and skills in order to reach their financial goals. In this article we've tried to describe in simple terms some of the most important concepts and principles you need to understand on this journey.




Thomas Saw is the founder of the Traders Round Table ( http://www.tradersroundtable.com.sg ), a community of committed traders and investors. TRT's mission is to help people be more successful in Creating, Protecting and Enhancing their wealth in the financial markets. We help fellow traders and investors by providing holistic, broad-based financial trading and investment education, mentorship and psychology. Vinay Kumar Rai is a freelance writer and a member of the TRT.





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2012年7月22日 星期日

Why Investing in Gold Is Beneficial


Investing in gold has many benefits. Some of which include factors involving history, usage, supply, and stability.

Gold has never been a losing investment. In fact, its value appreciates over time that people can rely on this precious metal at any time money is needed. Gold is simply as good as cash that it can even beat the strength of the dollar. Gold never seizes in value whether the economy moves upwards or downwards. Gold purchase is like making your money earn interest in a bank. For as long as you have gold kept in your safety, you are bound to be financially capacitated.

History

Those who believe in gold's highest potential regard it as a form of currency. A history of over 6,000 years had recorded gold being used for trades as early as 4,000 B.C. When most other forms of trade had come and gone, gold remains present despite being transformed from one form to another.

Usage

The application of refined and purified gold is numerous. It is used for coins, jewels, art materials, dentistry, medicine, computers, electronics, and even in space craft.

Supply

An important economic truth can be used when analyzing the value of gold. Three factors are involved: the need or demand, the supply available, and the cost or price.

The price of gold never depreciates because the supply is not abundantly available while the need is continuous. Although deposits are found in various gold mines all over the world, other associated costs makes gold expensive along with other precious metals.

Associated costs include mining expenses, refining and purifying mined deposits into convertible materials, and storage and transportation.

Stability

Unlike currencies particularly in paper bills, gold does not depreciate in value. If there changes to its position in stock exchanges, it is minimal and does not contribute to an overall decline in value.

This truth had been proven during the recent year's economic recession. Even the most progressive economies globally have suffered recession. The downfall of these nations economy is attributed in the fall of its currency. Only precious metals such as gold have been recorded with irrelevant or no loss at all. In fact, its value increases as the demand rises while supplies are limited.

Forms of Gold Investment

Investing in gold can be done by investing in one or more of its forms. These are:

Gold Mutual Funds

These are assets purchased from gold mining industries and companies. Some of which are involved in mining gold, refinery, purification, storage, disposal, and all other processes needed in making gold available for use for different industrial applications.

Gold Exchange Traded Funds or ETF's

Although there are ETF's which may be forms of mutual funds in certain ways, in general ETF's differ from gold funds due to the presence of physical proof. This proof include bars, ingots, and bullion.

Physical Gold

Gold in real form can be converted and traded as coins, jewels, and bars.

Digital Gold Currency or DGC, Gold Certificates, Paper Gold

The late 1800's up to the early 1900's in U.S. history had been a witness to the circulation of gold certificates. Newer versions of which are available through DGC's.

Recent Developments

The year 2010 ended prosperously for precious metals in general. Silver had the most prominent increase recorded for the past year among metal stocks. Platinum is predicted to rise in value for this year. Overall, valuable metals such as gold are expected to perform with positive results for 2011.

Investing in gold had been effective in the past and is certainly going to be beneficial for the future to come.




Aaron Kutchinsky is a writer, lecturer, and committed financial activist.

In 2010 Aaron created and founded Guardian Gold & Silver as a definitive and groundbreaking alternative to the gold industry norm, a mission-oriented and revolutionary precious metals company with 3 specific goals in mind:

? Do the right thing.
? Lead others to understanding.
? Get as many into the boat as possible.

It is extremely important to understand the current world financial paradigm shift, which is now well underway. Please visit http://www.guardiangoldandsilver.com for more information and insights.





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What Makes a Good Landlord? Top Tips to Bring Success, Gain Respect and Popularity From Your Tenants


Letting your property is a proper business and to be a profitable landlord you need a business plan and procedures in place that you will need to complete, in order to rent out your property successfully, such as: a proper application and screening of prospective tenants, a carefully drawn up tenancy agreement, regular maintenance of the property, and an up-to-date knowledge of housing regulations, etc.

Top Tips on how to be a good landlord:


provide a copy or access to the Tenancy Agreement
provide a copy of the full inventory - stating condition of all fixtures and fittings - agreed by the tenant
keep the rent at or near market levels
make yourself readily available and contactable
provide emergency contact
encourage the tenant to report any dis-repair or faults promptly
deal with any repairs promptly
maintain gas and electrical installations, heaters and water heaters and sanitation in proper working order
arrange annual checks by a qualified electrician of the electrical supply, fire detector, alarms, etc - this is a legal requirement
arrange an annual gas safety certificate by a Gas Safe registered gas fitter - this is a legal requirement
replace any damaged furniture or fittings
maintain the interior and exterior decor - this will attract good tenants
ensure the safety and security of your tenants - check alarms, locks and fire extinguishers are working

Treat your tenants as you would like to be treated.

Some landlords like to carry out inspections, usually every 6 months, but many tenants find this invasive and feel it suggests that they are not considered trustworthy. Inspections also make the property feel less like theirs, which is not ideal as people tend to take more care of their own homes. If you feel happier inspecting your let, make sure you give your tenant plenty of notice - always at least 24 hours - and offer different times to fit in with their lives. If problems are arising the tenant should be notified in writing that this is likely to incur them added costs for cleaning or repairs.

Tenancy Deposit Scheme

The deposit now has to be lodged with the custodial scheme, in case of any dispute at the end of the tenancy agreement.

The main thing to remember is that you may own the property, but for the rental period it is the tenant's home.




Fiona Howard specializes in writing for the financial and business market, and is a well-respected city analyst. She currently advises Loansite, one of the leading UK online sites for finding a fast Business Loan or a Fast Payday Loan and advice for landlords and tenants.





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2012年7月21日 星期六

Tax Lien Investing - Myth, Mystery and Your Money


Typically, you will be watching an infomercial, where a sexy lady is half undressed standing next to a someone who has been successful in tax lien investing.? The claim is made that you can invest your money into a guaranteed government backed program that allows you to purchase real estate at pennies on the dollar. They show examples that of real estate that has been purchased for pennies on the dollar in order to prove the point.

The truth is that if you are going to purchase real estate for pennies on the dollar, it is possible, but it takes time and knowledge in order not to loose money. First of all you will need to purchase tax liens on the property that you are interested in buying. Then you will need to wait for a period of time (up to 5 years) and hope that the owner does not pay his taxes. By the way 95% of them are redeemed by the owner of the property. Then after you foreclose on the property and it is yours!

Sounds easy? Wrong! First, they are not easy to find; second, they are not all property, they include utility right of ways, mineral rights, and worthless property; third, the county charges a fee to the investor, plus some counties require a deposit; and last of all, the larger counties charge a fee for just the opportunity to get your hands on the data showing all of the available tax liens.

Now to get right down to it, how do you avoid making bad decisions when purchasing tax liens?

Certificates are issued from individual counties seeking cash flow.? A lien is placed on real property when the taxes are not paid by the tax payer.? The investor buys the certificate for face value plus a fee, and then is promised by the county a fixed interest rate until the tax payer pays the taxes. Most tax lien certificates are paid by the tax payer. When the taxes are paid, the investor is paid the face value of the certificate, plus interest for the time that the taxes were delinquent.

It is not guaranteed that the tax lien investing investor will make money when he invest; in fact he can and will loose money if he lacks the education and experience. Just a few examples include: buying certificates from online forums, eBay or other online auctions; purchasing them directly from the government entity, paying the fees, then the tax payer pays the taxes the next month; buying tax lien certificates on a property that is not able to be sold for more than the taxes are worth.

With the proper education and experience any investor can take a good real estate portfolio and beat the interest rates given by money markets or the stock market.? But there are ways to loose money investing in them.




Tax Lien School, LLC is a company dedicated to teach the truth about tax lien investing. They make it possible for educating anyone from any background to learn the business of tax lien investing. They have an article entitled "Avoid the Pitfalls of Investing in Tax Lien Certificates " that they give away for free which is a good place to start. They also have a detailed book that they sell entitled " Tax Lien Investing - Myth, Mystery and Your Money" which is a must buy.

Tax lien investing is a learned skill and is always improved by having someone who has been successful teach you and hold your hand so that you can get the best out of your hard earned money. Get the schooling that you need before you invest.





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