Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Debt Consolidation - No More Worries

Debt Consolidation – Get Rid From All the Financial Worries



Author: Arvind


How many are stressed out by even the thought of a pending loan payment? Do you find repayment of loans a heavy burden? What can you do to minimize the burden of loan payments? If you need valuable answers to these imperative questions of your life, which might save you monetarily from debt and financial burden, please read further.





Today normal middle class people get a lot of loans to buy a car, house etc. The rules or regulation revolving around these loans are usually forgotten and when the times comes to pay back the debt or at least the debt installment these people are stranded and know not what to do. In such cases contacting the debt Consolidation Company might help. Yes, you heard it right; debt consolidation is the only solution that helps you at the time of need.





When you are in the middle of this loan crisis, just go for debt consolidation by availing the services of free debt consolidation help. Many companies who offer loan or lend debt offer this service for free. People cannot afford paid service of the debt consolidation can take these free services. The loan providers consolidate the installments making it easier for the payer to pay his loans in a single payment.





Debt consolidation services can be very useful especially as it helps the loan payer to better manage his finances. Counseling is also provided by the loan service providers in the form of debt consolidation counseling to help people to get guidance and advice on paying back the installment for loans. It is always a good choice to choose a free debt consolidation service as it comes for free.





The loan repayment is a great burden and who will want to get paid services for debt consolidation. Online help is also provided to help people who are looking out for ways and means to pay back their loan installments and be free of loan payments. Always choose a debt consolidation quote with a less interest and don’t take too much time to decide which one to take, as the interest rates might sour up at any time.





Happily pay back the loans as per the guidance and timely help provided by the debt consolidators and sail through the debts that were over powering you and making you frustrated. Relieve yourself of the burden of loan repayments in style by availing the services of the debt consolidators.




Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/debt-consolidation-articles/debt-consolidation-get-rid-from-all-the-financial-worries-220860.html



About the Author:

Debt Consolidation World is an online informational resource center with articles providing in-depth knowledge about Debt Consolidation. Know how Debt Consolidation Calculator is the first step towards debt free life.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Preventing Identity Theft

14 Steps You Can Take to Prevent Identity Theft:


By: Etienne A. Gibbs


The Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act, known commonly as FACTA, was put into law in the United States to help to protect consumers from identity theft and to help in its prevention. FACTA ensures that all citizens are treated fairly when they apply for a mortgage or other form of credit and it entitles them to a free annual credit report to verify its accuracy.



Becoming a major epidemic, Identity Theft occurs when a criminal uses another person's personal information to take on that person's identity. Identity theft includes the misuse of a Social Security number, credit cards, mail fraud, scam, schemes, frauds, or any other form of misuse or abuse of a victim's identity.



There is no guarantee that you will never be a victim; however, there are steps you can take to minimize your risk. Here is a list of 14 steps you can take to prevent or at least minimize its occurrence:



1. Manage your personal information cautiously and with a new awareness that identity theft can occur anytime anywhere and when you least expect it.



2. Ask about security procedures in your workplace, doctor's office, or other business or organization that routinely collects relevant and personal identifying information as part of doing business or providing a service. Find out who has access to your personal information and verify that it is handled securely. Inquire about their disposal procedures and if your information will be shared with anyone else (namely third parties such as mailing list companies, marketing and survey companies, etc.).



3. Instead of giving your Social Security Number, inquire if you can use other types of identification. Use your Social Security Number with caution and only when absolutely necessary.



"Your Chances of becoming victimized by some form of identity theft is one in ten," according to the Federal Trade Commission.



4. If you find that you have been victimized, immediately file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC maintains a database of identity theft cases used by law enforcement agencies for investigations. Filing a complaint helps the FTC learn more about identity theft and the problems victims are having. This knowledge helps them to assist you better.



5. Carry only the identification and the number of credit and debit cards that you will actually use. Leave extra cards in a safe place at home, in a safety deposit box, or any other secured location.



6. Avoid giving out personal information on the phone, through the mail, or on the internet unless you are absolutely sure you know and can trust with whom you are communicating. Caution: Before you share personal information, be sure you are dealing with a legitimate business or organization. (If you are unsure about an online communication, check the organization's website by typing its URL in the address line. Most large companies post alerts on their sites when they are aware of a scam when their name is used improperly.)



Identity thieves usually pose as representatives of banks, lotteries, sweepstakes, internet service providers, or some other officially-sounding-entity. They will use any means possible to try to get you to reveal your valuable information.



7. Call the Customer Service Department of companies or organizations with whom you do business using the number listed on your account statement or in the telephone book.



8. Do not place passwords on your credit card, bank, or telephone accounts.



9. When choosing a password, avoid using obvious information like your mother's maiden name, your birth date, a series of consecutive numbers, or the last four digits of your Social Security Number or your phone number.



10. Pay attention to your billing cycles. A missing bill could mean an identity thief has gotten their hands on it.



"9.9 million people were victims of identity theft in 2002", according to the Federal Trade Commission. Don't wait until it happens to you.



11. Be wary of promotional scams or phony offers to get you to give them your personal information such as lottery and sweepstakes' that you have never entered and ones asking for an "administration" fee.



12. If your job requires you to suit up in special clothing at work, never leave your purse or wallet in your personal clothes. Always keep them in a safe and secured place.



13. When reordering checks, pick them up at the bank instead of having them sent to your mailbox.



14. Obtain a current credit report by contacting any of these major credit bureaus:



Equifax: P.O. Box 740241 Atlanta, GA 30374-0241

For Fraud Alerts, call: 800-525-6285



Experian: P.O. Box 2002 Allen TX 75013

For Fraud Alerts, call: 888-EXPERIAN (397-3742)



Trans Union: P.O. Box 1000, Chester, PA 19022

For Fraud Alerts, call: 800-680-7289



Think you're not at risk? Unfortunately, you are. View "Protecting Your Identity" blog at www.ProtectingYourIdentity.blogspot.com to learn more about what you can do to protect yours.


Author Bio

Known as The Master Blog Builder, Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW, is in the business of helping small business owners and non-profit organizations improve their customer relationship marketing. Often he comes across cases that are red flags calling identity thieves to come in. Hence, he started the "Protecting Your Identity" blog. Contact him at: www.MasterBlogBuilder.com


Article Source: http://www.articlegeek.com


Tips for First-Time Home Buyers

Tips for First-Time Home Buyers

Buying a home for the first time can be a very overwhelming experience. After all, we were once first-time home buyers, and we remember buying our first home. Add our personal experiences to the experience we’ve had helping first-time buyers, and you’ve got quite a bit of useful information. So, we’ve made a list of tips for those of you considering buying your first home.

1) Weigh the pros and cons of renting versus buying a home. Since there is a ton of information available on this point alone, we’ll only do a quick run through of things to consider. Remember that when you rent, you typically only pay the bills, the rent, and maybe renters’ insurance. When you buy a home you can expect to pay the bills, the “permanent rent” (A.K.A. “mortgage”), homeowners’ insurance (and, depending on where you live, you may need to get additional insurance policies for your home), and property taxes. Also, you’ll have closing costs to pay when you buy the home, and these costs will be at least four or five thousand dollars (even if you have a $0 down payment). Plus, you’ll need to pay for the upkeep of the home and any needed repairs.

2) A non-financial point to consider is how long you plan to live in the area. If you plan on moving in the next couple of years, you should probably think about renting. If you plan to stay for three or more years, you may want to consider buying.

3) Use your current budget to determine how much you think you can pay for the mortgage every month. If you know that the amount you pay for rent now is about as much as you feel comfortable paying, then make a note of that. When you talk with a home loan officer, he or she will probably ask how much you want to pay every month for your mortgage.

4) Talk with home loan officers to find out what size loan you’ll be able to get. There is no way to know what price range you’ll be qualified for until you talk with lenders. And, be sure to talk with several loan officers (we recommend talking to at least three). Since you’ll be a first-time home buyer, you’ll find a range of possibilities for financing. Some home loan officers even specialize in helping first-time home buyers. Sometimes first-time home buyers are pleasantly surprised at how much a lender is willing to lend. This is why I said for you to find an amount you’re comfortable with before talking with the lender. If you’re not comfortable with the monthly payment you’ve received, be sure to talk with your loan officer so that you don’t spread yourself too thin!

5) Be sure to get a “good faith estimate” from the loan officers that breaks down all of the costs of your mortgage. Looking at these estimates can help you to compare loans. You can also use the estimates to work in the estimated mortgage payment into your budget. Would you be able to comfortably afford your mortgage payment?

6) Be sure to think about your needs versus your wants. Although you may want a house with three bedrooms, two baths, 1800 square feet, and stainless steel appliances, remember that this is going to be a first-time home. Depending on where you live, you may not be able to afford everything that you want. So, don’t get discouraged if you can’t find the home of your dreams – you can work up to that home in the coming years. For now, you may find a two bedroom townhouse in a great neighborhood with other first-time home buyers like yourself.


About the Author: Lee Keadle is a full-time real estate agent in Charleston, SC. He works with a team of three agents to give buyers and sellers the best services possible. They specialize in Mt. Pleasant real estate ( http://www.searchforcharlestonrealestate.com/mt-pleasant-real-estate.php ) and James Island real estate ( http://www.searchforcharlestonrealestate.com/james-island-real-estate.php ). Their website is http://www.SearchForCharlestonRealEstate.com

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Bacis Advice on Destroying Debt

Basic advice on destroying debt by Ben Novak

Once you enroll yourself with a debt consolidation services, the company sets to work by sending out proposals to your creditors, on your behalf. These proposals say that you have taken help from the particular debt consolidation company; and requests the creditor to co-operate. The letter has to have proof of your identity and genuine intention to pay-off the debts.



Debt consolidation agencies work by assessing your current debt situation and formulate a relevant plan, which you can carry out no matter what financial state you are in. All you need to do is look up a reliable debt consolidation agency and find a relevant report at its help desk



The word debt consolidation is self-explanatory. It means combining all of your debts into a single, whole payment. This allows you to avoid the hectic act of remembering all your different bills every month and--on top of it--assessing their individual interest rates, too.



Debt consolidation services were setup to provide consumers the much-needed relief from harassing creditors. These services will charge nominal fees for their service. But the function they perform is much more valuable than just their changes.



Be advised that no one can eliminate your debts entirely. Most debt consolidation resources only reduce the rates of interest your cards or loans. And while some claim to "eliminate your interest rates completely," this is not always entirely true. When they consolidate all of your bills, they will roll them into a single monthly installment.



If you aren't dealing with an honest company or a company with good rates, there's a good chance they'll also roll those interest rates into your debt unbeknownst to you.Therefore, make the company prove what he or she can do for you, and make them walk through each step with you carefully. Since most times you will be paying money for the services, you might as well make them work.



All the creditors are interested in at the end of the day is getting back their money. And when your consolidation agent approaches them, they understand that if they do not agree, they just might end up losing the entire due amount. Instead of that, they prefer to keep collecting it in small doses. Debt consolidation services make sure your creditability is not affected due to the negative points that have been accumulated on your account. These points have been added as you failed to pay your credit card bills on time.



Consolidation services ask the creditors to sort that out once you have applied for their services. You are shown as a debt-clearing customer even while you are still in the process of paying it. Hence, the consolidation services are more than just handy in times of debt difficulty.



If you are in debt, your number one priority should be to work through a consolidation service to achieve the best possible debt settlement. A debt settlement will allow you to pay off creditors with money you receive in one large disbursement while simultaneously salvaging your credit rating. That sounds easy enough, but what is the process to consolidate your debt? It's a little more complicated as one might expect


Thank you for taking the time to read my article. My name is Ben Novak owner of http://advisefordebt.com If you are looking for debt consolidation advice please feel free to pay us a visit.




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