Until recently lawyers for victims of credit damage had little possibility to collect for damages beyond medical treatment, lost wages and property loss. Insurance companies threw up their hands in sympathy, claiming victims can only be compensated for what can be measured - tangible goods and services. But, what happens when the victim has lost considerable time from work, the family bank is broke and monthly payments on mortgages, car loans and credit cards payments are missed? Regardless of the haggling between lawyers and insurance companies, it's the credit victim who ends up having to live with a bad credit rating.
Today, there are legally accepted means for measuring loss of credit through the procedure of Credit Damage Measurement (CDM). CDM is fast becoming a potent tool for recoverable credit damage awards when the damage is not self-inflicted. Previously, both judge and jury, and especially the insurance companies, refused to acknowledge CDM claiming it was speculative because they could not define it as tangible damage.
However, in case after case, victims of credit damage who use the CDM method are getting compensation for credit loss. Many factors are changing the old mindset including credit bureau technology improvements, the application of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), risk scoring sophistication, and the development of CDM as an objective, repeatable method that measures out-of-pocket damage reliably.
Credit Ratings and Recovery
The impact of a bad credit rating is much more significant than most people think. Consider what poorly rated consumers face when they want to lease or buy vehicles, obtain credit cards, buy or lease or refinance their residence. In most cases, it's an easy decision for the creditor: the credit application is simply turned down or the borrower is charged a much higher down payment - maybe thousands of dollars more with monthly payments that are typically several hundred dollars more.
"A person with bad credit is viewed with suspicion and is charged significantly more for future extension of credit because the lender feels the need to protect against a greater risk or default," says Tom Key, a civil litigator practicing in Tustin, CA.
"Over the years I have heard reports of financial damages from clients who have been wrongfully terminated, defrauded, injured in an accident or suffered losses from breach of contract," Key says. "These victims were especially distraught over the fact that their prime credit reputation, carefully nurtured for years, is destroyed overnight. It seemed to me that there must be a way to compensate victims for that type of loss."
Key has witnessed the reactions of many jurors who failed to award a victim of credit damage their rightful compensation simply because they could not quantify the damages. "Jurors want a specific loss that they can count, hold and see," says Key. "Their reasoning is that they need to know that it is genuine. They have a tough time awarding damages based on sympathy. In order for them to confirm authenticity of a claim, they want to see its quantification."
Measuring Loss of Creditworthiness
Assuring authenticity has been a sticky situation when it concerns measuring out-of-pocket loss for victims of credit damage - until now. Attorneys who represent victims of credit damage are now utilizing the Credit Damage Measurement method to recover out-of-pocket losses for their clients.
"CDM measures the actual out-of-pocket dollars reasonably expected from loss of creditworthiness, which includes higher down payments, higher points and costs on loans, higher interest rates, higher monthly payments, or outright denial of credit," says Key. "In addition, the CDM method also calculates the rates, costs and other terms applicable to the resulting credit rating by lenders and projects the results over the relevant number of years for the types of loans the client is likely to seek."
Key continues, "For example, if a client's credit was near perfect before a triggering event, and is subsequently damaged by the event, the CDM procedure can illustrate before and after analyses, calculating the cost of the same loans with the two different credit reports, Pre- injury credit compared to Post-injury credit." In many cases, CDM clients have already realized significant compensation. In one such case CDM was instrumental in recovering $56,000 for damaged credit reputation. "That calculation is the difference between what refinancing a $140,000 loan would have cost my client with their prior rating, and what it will cost them out-of-pocket with their damaged credit rating -measured over a seven-year period."
Isolated Compensation vs. Repeatable Compensation
The CDM method of measuring intangible credit loss is increasingly becoming the basis of recovery for victims of credit damage. It's changing the way judges and juries measure recoverable out-of-pocket loss, and then can compensate for loss of credit expectancy. Certainly there are still some skeptics, mostly defendants. Technically, credit damage measurement is intangible. However, CDM has proven an objective and practical procedure to calculate out-of-pocket damage for companies or families to compensate for their credit damage.
"To have this kind of measurement is an exciting complexity in our society," says Key. "CDM is very understandable and a rather simple way to come to a conclusion of loss for the victim. If you understand the math and are an expert at reading credit reports, the calculations and recovery are undeniable. It's a method of turning isolated compensation into repeatable compensation. It's changing the way jurors rule on these damaging cases. Because of this method, victims of credit damage can be more fairly and more completely compensated for out-of-pocket damage."
Georg Finder, president of CM Financial Services of Fullerton, California, wrote and presents the first State Bar accepted continuing legal education seminar on credit reports and credit damage. He can be reached at gfinder@creditdamage.com (714) 441-0900 or at http://www.creditdamage.com
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Alternatives to Credit Cards
Are you one of those people who only ever got a credit card for the convenience of being able to pay without cash, or because you weren’t aware of any other easy way to borrow money? Millions of us are, thanks to the unavoidable advertising of the credit card industry, and few people realise just how many alternatives to credit cards there are. Let’s take a look at a few.
Debit Cards.
Debit cards are often used in many European countries, but are relatively unheard of elsewhere. Basically, they’re just like credit cards and are accepted everywhere credit cards are accepted - the only difference is that they take any money you spend directly from your
bank account, instead of you getting a bill at the end of the month. You should be aware,though, that you aren’t as well-protected from fraud with a debit card as you would be with a credit card.
Pre-Paid Credit Cards.
These are cards that work just like credit cards, except that you can’t have a negative balance - you have to put money on the card before you can spend it. That means that you ‘top-up’ the card, like you would a mobile phone. This is good if you want to know how much you’re spending, not to mention that you can even give the cards to children. They’re also safer than debit cards, since someone who stole the card could only spend whatever money was on it at the time.
Bank Overdrafts.
A good bank overdraft, used together with a credit card, can be a far better way of borrowing money than using a credit card. Your overdraft limit is set by the bank according to how much you gets paid into your account each month, and you don’t need to pay it off until you want to.
Basically, it just gives your account the facility to go into minus numbers, if you want it to. Many banks charge relatively high interest rates for overdrafts, but rarely as high as a credit card - and they will give much better rates for good customers.
Real Loans.
When you’re buying one big thing at a fixed price (like a car), or you’re going to spend all the money on one type of thing (home improvements, for example), it’s worth budgeting it all out and going to a bank or another loan company. They’ll be able to lend you the money at a much better rate than a credit card would, simply because they know why you’re taking the loan and can set regular monthly payments for you to repay it.
Credit Unions.
Credit unions are like banks, only more local. They are co-operative, owned by their members and run by the community, and are a great place to borrow money. This is because there are limits in law on how much interest credit unions can charge, and they don’t need to make a profit for owners or shareholders, because they don’t have any. It’s well worth checking if there’s one in your area.
About the author:
Gordon Goh is the owner of www.Easy-Credit-Card-Guide.comoffering free credit card information for everyone. You can receive a free credit card at http://www.easy-credt-card-guide.comand free Credt Debt Repair Guide at http://credit-debt-repair.cogia.net
by: Gordon Goh
Circulated by Article Emporium
Debit Cards.
Debit cards are often used in many European countries, but are relatively unheard of elsewhere. Basically, they’re just like credit cards and are accepted everywhere credit cards are accepted - the only difference is that they take any money you spend directly from your
bank account, instead of you getting a bill at the end of the month. You should be aware,though, that you aren’t as well-protected from fraud with a debit card as you would be with a credit card.
Pre-Paid Credit Cards.
These are cards that work just like credit cards, except that you can’t have a negative balance - you have to put money on the card before you can spend it. That means that you ‘top-up’ the card, like you would a mobile phone. This is good if you want to know how much you’re spending, not to mention that you can even give the cards to children. They’re also safer than debit cards, since someone who stole the card could only spend whatever money was on it at the time.
Bank Overdrafts.
A good bank overdraft, used together with a credit card, can be a far better way of borrowing money than using a credit card. Your overdraft limit is set by the bank according to how much you gets paid into your account each month, and you don’t need to pay it off until you want to.
Basically, it just gives your account the facility to go into minus numbers, if you want it to. Many banks charge relatively high interest rates for overdrafts, but rarely as high as a credit card - and they will give much better rates for good customers.
Real Loans.
When you’re buying one big thing at a fixed price (like a car), or you’re going to spend all the money on one type of thing (home improvements, for example), it’s worth budgeting it all out and going to a bank or another loan company. They’ll be able to lend you the money at a much better rate than a credit card would, simply because they know why you’re taking the loan and can set regular monthly payments for you to repay it.
Credit Unions.
Credit unions are like banks, only more local. They are co-operative, owned by their members and run by the community, and are a great place to borrow money. This is because there are limits in law on how much interest credit unions can charge, and they don’t need to make a profit for owners or shareholders, because they don’t have any. It’s well worth checking if there’s one in your area.
About the author:
Gordon Goh is the owner of www.Easy-Credit-Card-Guide.comoffering free credit card information for everyone. You can receive a free credit card at http://www.easy-credt-card-guide.comand free Credt Debt Repair Guide at http://credit-debt-repair.cogia.net
by: Gordon Goh
Circulated by Article Emporium
Friday, January 19, 2007
Improving Your Financial Situation With Investments and Business Ideas
With financial information and virtual business transactions just a click away, people are finding themselves more financially savvy and in the know on how to fatten up their financial portfolios.
While most people rely on banks and properties to secure their retirement days, others who are smart enough and worldly enough with the affairs of the green buck opt for more lucrative financing opportunities. They do not just let their money sit idly inside a bank vault and wait for the interest to add up. A few actually roll their money and invest them in the high stakes of stocks, bonds and currency.
Stocks can be very risky but if you start small and give yourself time to get the hang of it, you may enjoy it and may even discover that you have the gift of foresight. Watch for stocks that are just on the rise. These are often companies that are very promising. Their value will still be relatively small compared to blue chips so you really don’t have to shell out much. If you want to risk more, you can actually buy blue chips or those stocks that established companies offer to the public. Examples are Microsoft and Dell.
Bonds on the other hand may have modest returns but they are probably the best and most secure of financial investments. Bonds come highly recommended and should not be absent in any financial portfolio.
Currencies are trickier to deal with as their value are affected by so many forces, local or within the country involved, regional and global. Though banks also offer currencies, most have high exchange rates. Others just buy but they do not sell, choosing to keep the currencies within the financing institution.
Debt is perhaps the single worst thing that you can do to damage your financial portfolio. Do not get the wrong idea, debt can be good when used the right way. In fact, successful businessmen have debts too. This is because they have their money tied up in other ventures that have a higher return of investments than the interest of the loans. After all, you cannot make money without having some money to begin with. So, if you feel that you can yield more money using the money that you got from a loan, then by all means, get a loan!
What should be avoided are debts that come from credit cards. Credit cards hold the highest interest rates in debts perhaps because the whole debt business is risky. Getting into deep credit card debt can mean paying a lifetime for the interest without even touching the principal. It is important that when you use the credit card, make sure that you pay on time and that you pay for the whole amount. Otherwise, you would find yourself slowly falling into a financial trap.
It will be risky but the fastest way you can earn big money is to venture on a business. Even something as small as operating a cafeteria in a factory or school or engage in buying and selling of goods over the Internet, can be a great start. With the advent of technology, it is even easier now than before, not to mention faster, to conduct financing and business transactions. You don’t even have to meet face to face. You just have to learn to communicate through emails and mobile phones.
This is not intended to give financial advice and professional advice is suggested before investing.
by: David Arn�ld Livingston
About the author:
David Arnold Livingston is an entrepreneur with many years of successful business experience. For financing options, he recommends you visit: http://www.financingltd.com/
While most people rely on banks and properties to secure their retirement days, others who are smart enough and worldly enough with the affairs of the green buck opt for more lucrative financing opportunities. They do not just let their money sit idly inside a bank vault and wait for the interest to add up. A few actually roll their money and invest them in the high stakes of stocks, bonds and currency.
Stocks can be very risky but if you start small and give yourself time to get the hang of it, you may enjoy it and may even discover that you have the gift of foresight. Watch for stocks that are just on the rise. These are often companies that are very promising. Their value will still be relatively small compared to blue chips so you really don’t have to shell out much. If you want to risk more, you can actually buy blue chips or those stocks that established companies offer to the public. Examples are Microsoft and Dell.
Bonds on the other hand may have modest returns but they are probably the best and most secure of financial investments. Bonds come highly recommended and should not be absent in any financial portfolio.
Currencies are trickier to deal with as their value are affected by so many forces, local or within the country involved, regional and global. Though banks also offer currencies, most have high exchange rates. Others just buy but they do not sell, choosing to keep the currencies within the financing institution.
Debt is perhaps the single worst thing that you can do to damage your financial portfolio. Do not get the wrong idea, debt can be good when used the right way. In fact, successful businessmen have debts too. This is because they have their money tied up in other ventures that have a higher return of investments than the interest of the loans. After all, you cannot make money without having some money to begin with. So, if you feel that you can yield more money using the money that you got from a loan, then by all means, get a loan!
What should be avoided are debts that come from credit cards. Credit cards hold the highest interest rates in debts perhaps because the whole debt business is risky. Getting into deep credit card debt can mean paying a lifetime for the interest without even touching the principal. It is important that when you use the credit card, make sure that you pay on time and that you pay for the whole amount. Otherwise, you would find yourself slowly falling into a financial trap.
It will be risky but the fastest way you can earn big money is to venture on a business. Even something as small as operating a cafeteria in a factory or school or engage in buying and selling of goods over the Internet, can be a great start. With the advent of technology, it is even easier now than before, not to mention faster, to conduct financing and business transactions. You don’t even have to meet face to face. You just have to learn to communicate through emails and mobile phones.
This is not intended to give financial advice and professional advice is suggested before investing.
by: David Arn�ld Livingston
About the author:
David Arnold Livingston is an entrepreneur with many years of successful business experience. For financing options, he recommends you visit: http://www.financingltd.com/
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Do You Need Bad Credit Help
? Are you one of thousands with no
credit and no collateral to help secure approval, or you just
have extremely bad credit and no one wants to help you, and all
you hear is stories and more stories?
Bad credit is a term used to describe a poor credit rating.
Common practices that can damage a credit rating include making
late payments, skipping payments, exceeding card limits or
declaring bankruptcy. Bad Credit can result in being denied
credit.
Bad credit can result in a negative rating from the credit
reporting agencies. Many factors can contribute to someone
getting a "bad credit" rating, among these are non-payment of an
account or late payments over an extended length of time.
Whether non-payment of an account is willful or due to financial
hardship, the result can be the same, a negative rating which
will result in a low credit score. However, lenders are more
willing to work with individuals if the person contacts the
lender to let them know they are having problems meeting their
commitment to pay. 100% Online Debt Relief! No Phone Calls! You
must have at least $2,500 of total debt over two or more
accounts to qualify for our Help. Name, email, and Zip Code are
required. US Residents only. No phone call required - all
customer interaction is done online!
Christian Debt Consolidation Services Professional Debt
Consolidation with a Christian perspective. Lower monthly
payments. Reduce or Eliminate High interest rates. Apply now for
a FREE NO-OBLIGATION QUOTE!
Fast Loans Online by DrCredit We are currently able to provide
auto loans, mortgage loans, debt counseling, home equity,
refinance loans, debt consolidation loans, personal loans and
much more...
A credit score is defined as a statistical method of assessing
an applicant's credit worthiness. An applicant's credit card
history; amount of outstanding debt; the type of credit used;
negative information such as bankruptcies or late payments;
collection accounts and judgments; too little credit history,
and too many credit lines with the maximum amount borrowed are
all included in credit-scoring models to determine the credit
score.
Raising your credit score is possible. It's a well known fact
that lenders will give people with higher credit scores lower
interest rates on mortgages, car loans and credit cards. If your
credit score falls under 620 just getting loans and credit cards
with reasonable terms is difficult.
Here are five things that you can use to raise credit score.
1. Correct obvious mistakes.
Your credit score is what shows up in your credit report. Review
your reports from all three credit bureaus for accuracy once a
year as well as several months before applying for a loan.
Changing a mistake on your report can take 30 days to three
months, or more. Get Your credit report from the three major
bureaus: Experian, Trans Union and Equifax.
2. Pay Your Bills On Time
Your payment history makes up 35% of your total credit score.
Your recent payment history will c�rry much more weight than
what happened five years ago.
Missing just one payment on anything can knock 50 to 100 points
off of your credit score.
Paying your bills on time is the best way to get started
rebuilding your credit rating and raising your credit score.
3. Reduce your credit card balances.
A heavily weighted factor in your FICO score is how much money
you owe on your credit cards relative to your total credit
limit. Generally, it's good to keep your balances at or below 25
percent of your credit card limit, said Jeanne Kelly, founder of
The Kelly Group in Brookfield, Conn., which helps clients
improve their credit scores.
4. Don’t Close Old Accounts
In the past people were told to close old accounts they weren’t
using. But with today's current scoring methods that could
actually hurt your credit score.
Closing old or paid off credit accounts lowers the total credit
available to you and makes any balances you have appear larger
in credit score calculations. Closing your oldest accounts can
actually shorten the length of your credit history and to a
lender it makes you less credit worthy.
If you are trying to minimize identity theft and it's worth the
peace of mind for you to close your old or paid off accounts,
the good news is it will only lower you score a minimal amount.
But just by keeping those old accounts open you can raise credit
score for you.
5. Avoid Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is the single worst thing you can do to your credit
score. Bankruptcy will lower your credit score by 200 points or
more and is very difficult to come back from.
Once your credit score falls below 620, any loan you get will be
far more expensive. A bankruptcy on your credit record is
reported for up to 10 years.
The reality of a bankruptcy is it will limit you to
high-interest lenders that will squeeze out high interest rate
payments from you for years.
It is better to get credit counseling to help you with your
bills and avoid bankruptcy at all costs. By getting credit
counseling instead of declaring bankruptcy you can raise credit
score over a much shorter period of time.
by: Jeff Schuman
credit and no collateral to help secure approval, or you just
have extremely bad credit and no one wants to help you, and all
you hear is stories and more stories?
Bad credit is a term used to describe a poor credit rating.
Common practices that can damage a credit rating include making
late payments, skipping payments, exceeding card limits or
declaring bankruptcy. Bad Credit can result in being denied
credit.
Bad credit can result in a negative rating from the credit
reporting agencies. Many factors can contribute to someone
getting a "bad credit" rating, among these are non-payment of an
account or late payments over an extended length of time.
Whether non-payment of an account is willful or due to financial
hardship, the result can be the same, a negative rating which
will result in a low credit score. However, lenders are more
willing to work with individuals if the person contacts the
lender to let them know they are having problems meeting their
commitment to pay. 100% Online Debt Relief! No Phone Calls! You
must have at least $2,500 of total debt over two or more
accounts to qualify for our Help. Name, email, and Zip Code are
required. US Residents only. No phone call required - all
customer interaction is done online!
Christian Debt Consolidation Services Professional Debt
Consolidation with a Christian perspective. Lower monthly
payments. Reduce or Eliminate High interest rates. Apply now for
a FREE NO-OBLIGATION QUOTE!
Fast Loans Online by DrCredit We are currently able to provide
auto loans, mortgage loans, debt counseling, home equity,
refinance loans, debt consolidation loans, personal loans and
much more...
A credit score is defined as a statistical method of assessing
an applicant's credit worthiness. An applicant's credit card
history; amount of outstanding debt; the type of credit used;
negative information such as bankruptcies or late payments;
collection accounts and judgments; too little credit history,
and too many credit lines with the maximum amount borrowed are
all included in credit-scoring models to determine the credit
score.
Raising your credit score is possible. It's a well known fact
that lenders will give people with higher credit scores lower
interest rates on mortgages, car loans and credit cards. If your
credit score falls under 620 just getting loans and credit cards
with reasonable terms is difficult.
Here are five things that you can use to raise credit score.
1. Correct obvious mistakes.
Your credit score is what shows up in your credit report. Review
your reports from all three credit bureaus for accuracy once a
year as well as several months before applying for a loan.
Changing a mistake on your report can take 30 days to three
months, or more. Get Your credit report from the three major
bureaus: Experian, Trans Union and Equifax.
2. Pay Your Bills On Time
Your payment history makes up 35% of your total credit score.
Your recent payment history will c�rry much more weight than
what happened five years ago.
Missing just one payment on anything can knock 50 to 100 points
off of your credit score.
Paying your bills on time is the best way to get started
rebuilding your credit rating and raising your credit score.
3. Reduce your credit card balances.
A heavily weighted factor in your FICO score is how much money
you owe on your credit cards relative to your total credit
limit. Generally, it's good to keep your balances at or below 25
percent of your credit card limit, said Jeanne Kelly, founder of
The Kelly Group in Brookfield, Conn., which helps clients
improve their credit scores.
4. Don’t Close Old Accounts
In the past people were told to close old accounts they weren’t
using. But with today's current scoring methods that could
actually hurt your credit score.
Closing old or paid off credit accounts lowers the total credit
available to you and makes any balances you have appear larger
in credit score calculations. Closing your oldest accounts can
actually shorten the length of your credit history and to a
lender it makes you less credit worthy.
If you are trying to minimize identity theft and it's worth the
peace of mind for you to close your old or paid off accounts,
the good news is it will only lower you score a minimal amount.
But just by keeping those old accounts open you can raise credit
score for you.
5. Avoid Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is the single worst thing you can do to your credit
score. Bankruptcy will lower your credit score by 200 points or
more and is very difficult to come back from.
Once your credit score falls below 620, any loan you get will be
far more expensive. A bankruptcy on your credit record is
reported for up to 10 years.
The reality of a bankruptcy is it will limit you to
high-interest lenders that will squeeze out high interest rate
payments from you for years.
It is better to get credit counseling to help you with your
bills and avoid bankruptcy at all costs. By getting credit
counseling instead of declaring bankruptcy you can raise credit
score over a much shorter period of time.
by: Jeff Schuman
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Consumer Advice: Unwanted credit cards
If you receive a credit card in the mail that you didn't order, here, according to information on Industry Canada's Consumer Information Gateway website, is what you should do:
Consumers are not liable for a credit card they did not request. However, you should destroy any unsolicited credit cards immediately. Using the credit card constitutes acceptance of the card. If you use the card, you will have to pay the bill. Similarly, do not cash small cheques that are sent to you without reading the small print. Doing so often locks you into paying for products or services you may not wish to buy.
For more information on unwanted credit cards, and other questionable marketing practices, visit ConsumerInformation.ca . It's a Web site created by federal, provincial, territorial governments and their partners specifically to provide Canadians with convenient, one-stop access to hundreds of objective, reliable, current consumer information sources.
- News Canada
Consumers are not liable for a credit card they did not request. However, you should destroy any unsolicited credit cards immediately. Using the credit card constitutes acceptance of the card. If you use the card, you will have to pay the bill. Similarly, do not cash small cheques that are sent to you without reading the small print. Doing so often locks you into paying for products or services you may not wish to buy.
For more information on unwanted credit cards, and other questionable marketing practices, visit ConsumerInformation.ca . It's a Web site created by federal, provincial, territorial governments and their partners specifically to provide Canadians with convenient, one-stop access to hundreds of objective, reliable, current consumer information sources.
- News Canada
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
Enjoy interest-free credit cards -- but carefully
0% credit cards are useful, but read the fine print with a magnifying glass
Last Update: 9:08 PM ET Jan 2, 2007
LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Holiday sales for 2006 are projected to total about $435.3 billion, according to the National Retail Federation. Most of those purchases will be via credit cards.
November and December are your hottest spending months. You are running up charges for gifts, entertainment, travel to see families, going on vacations and more. Your credit card is especially active during the week after Christmas buying up all the electronic equipment and supplies for your business at drastically reduced sale prices (after all, you want to take advantage of that special year-end tax window: buy on credit card now, take the deduction now, and pay later!).
Soon, you'll be sitting there, in stunned silence, looking at those credit card statements with balances much higher than you expected. Unfortunately, all those charges are your own. You can't blame identity theft.
So what's a good consumer to do? Reach for your trusty 0% credit card, of course.
What's nothing good for?
Interest-free credit cards are really handy offers to help you manage your finances in a variety of ways. For instance, you can use them for the short-term to avoid paying interest on your holiday purchases.
Also, interest-free loans are a wise move for larger purchases that you know you can pay off during the no-interest offer period. For instance, equipment or expansions for your business, which you'll be able to pay off from business income over the coming year; purchasing a vehicle after an accident, when you're expecting an insurance settlement in a few months; or home improvements that you know you'll be able to pay off over the nine to 15 months of the offer, from your monthly income stream.
For those who have access to safe, lucrative returns on your money, this is a great way to get some quick cash for investments. A 12-month CD at 5% could net you an easy $1,000 with no risk. Beware: If you use that money to invest in anything risky and you lose it, this could become an expensive loan.
Read the fine print
There are basically three types of 0% offers:
1. 0% on all purchases for a specified period of time. Use these offers to make new charges while you pay off your other, interest-bearing credit cards.
2. 0% on all transfers during a specified period of time. If you use this, don't make any other purchases on the card. They will be subject to the regular interest rate.
3. 0% on all transfers and purchases during a specified period of time. Look for this among your offers. This is the best offer of all.
Interest-free may be expensive
There's always a catch. To ensure that you really pay 0% for that money, or as little as possible, you're going to have to do some fine-print reading. It's apt to require a magnifying glass.
You're looking for the following information:
1. The fee charged for transfers or cash advances. They come in three flavors:
* No fee at all. Often, this will be offered by a credit card you already have; rarely will you get this from a new card solicitation.
* A percentage, up to a maximum dollar amount. They tend to range from 2% to 5% of the money drawn, with ceilings of $35 to $100.
* A percentage, with no maximum dollar amount. They tend to range from 2% to 5% of the money drawn. Without a limit, they can end up being quite expensive. After all, 5% of $20,000 is $1,000.
2. The length of time 0% is in effect on your account. When the offer has no advance fee, they'll display that prominently. When there is a fee, it's generally hidden in the fine print. You'll really have to search for this information.
The offer may end on a specific date, regardless of when you sign up, so be careful not to draw money on an offer that will run out in two or three statements. Imagine if you had to pay a 5% advance fee of $1,000 and suddenly learned the rate expires in two months because you forgot to check. That 0% card has now cost you 30% per annum.
Or the 0% may be for a specific number of months (or statements). Look for those that will run for at least nine months. Odds are, if you do a little searching, you're going to find offers for 15 months.
3. The interest rate you'll be charged if you miss a payment or you're late. Typically, those rates are in the 14% to 22% range on new card offers. Your existing cards will have rates closer to 10% or prime plus 1% to 3%. You will usually find this in the disclosure box on the back of the offer.
4. Beware! Even if you faithfully make all payments on time, the fine print may include a note that your 0% offer will end -- and the high interest rate will go into effect -- if you miss payments on other credit cards.
Don't use the card again
Once you've drawn money on a 0% card, don't use it for anything else. Put the card away where you won't accidentally pull it out and drop it into your wallet or purse.
Why? Because, unless the card provides for a 0% rate on all purchases during this offer period, you'll be charged the top rate for all your purchases.
That doesn't apply to you, you say? You pay off all the new charges as soon as you get the bill? Of course you do! But if you read the very fine print, you'll learn that the credit card company will apply all your payments to the cash advance first, not to your purchases. So, as you use your card, you'll be building up a balance of charges subject to interest.
Imagine you've drawn $15,000 on a 15-month interest-free offer. If you only run up $250 per month in charges, by the end of the year, even if you pay the $250 and $1,000 per month, you will have accumulated a balance of $3,000 at 10% to 22% (depending on the card) alongside your $3,000 balance at 0%, still good for another three months.
So, don't use these cards again once you've drawn the cash advance or transfer.
Mark your calendar
The expiration dates on these offers come up sooner than you expect, even when you have 15 months. So put reminder notes on your calendar 60 days and 30 days before it expires. Either have the money on hand to pay off the rest of the balance before the interest jumps high, or have another 0% offer handy to replace the first.
A final tip
If you don't use the offers coming in your mail, don't just throw them in the trash. Your trash is fair game for anyone who wants to root around in your trashcan. The courts have confirmed this repeatedly.
Be sure to shred them completely. Purchase a cross-cut shredder you can keep handy to shred all offers and catalogs with your name and credit line information in them. End of Story
Eva Rosenberg is the founder of TaxMama.com and an enrolled agent licensed to represent taxpayers before the IRS. She is the author of the book "Small Business Taxes Made Easy."
By Eva Rosenberg, MarketWatch
Last Update: 9:08 PM ET Jan 2, 2007
LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Holiday sales for 2006 are projected to total about $435.3 billion, according to the National Retail Federation. Most of those purchases will be via credit cards.
November and December are your hottest spending months. You are running up charges for gifts, entertainment, travel to see families, going on vacations and more. Your credit card is especially active during the week after Christmas buying up all the electronic equipment and supplies for your business at drastically reduced sale prices (after all, you want to take advantage of that special year-end tax window: buy on credit card now, take the deduction now, and pay later!).
Soon, you'll be sitting there, in stunned silence, looking at those credit card statements with balances much higher than you expected. Unfortunately, all those charges are your own. You can't blame identity theft.
So what's a good consumer to do? Reach for your trusty 0% credit card, of course.
What's nothing good for?
Interest-free credit cards are really handy offers to help you manage your finances in a variety of ways. For instance, you can use them for the short-term to avoid paying interest on your holiday purchases.
Also, interest-free loans are a wise move for larger purchases that you know you can pay off during the no-interest offer period. For instance, equipment or expansions for your business, which you'll be able to pay off from business income over the coming year; purchasing a vehicle after an accident, when you're expecting an insurance settlement in a few months; or home improvements that you know you'll be able to pay off over the nine to 15 months of the offer, from your monthly income stream.
For those who have access to safe, lucrative returns on your money, this is a great way to get some quick cash for investments. A 12-month CD at 5% could net you an easy $1,000 with no risk. Beware: If you use that money to invest in anything risky and you lose it, this could become an expensive loan.
Read the fine print
There are basically three types of 0% offers:
1. 0% on all purchases for a specified period of time. Use these offers to make new charges while you pay off your other, interest-bearing credit cards.
2. 0% on all transfers during a specified period of time. If you use this, don't make any other purchases on the card. They will be subject to the regular interest rate.
3. 0% on all transfers and purchases during a specified period of time. Look for this among your offers. This is the best offer of all.
Interest-free may be expensive
There's always a catch. To ensure that you really pay 0% for that money, or as little as possible, you're going to have to do some fine-print reading. It's apt to require a magnifying glass.
You're looking for the following information:
1. The fee charged for transfers or cash advances. They come in three flavors:
* No fee at all. Often, this will be offered by a credit card you already have; rarely will you get this from a new card solicitation.
* A percentage, up to a maximum dollar amount. They tend to range from 2% to 5% of the money drawn, with ceilings of $35 to $100.
* A percentage, with no maximum dollar amount. They tend to range from 2% to 5% of the money drawn. Without a limit, they can end up being quite expensive. After all, 5% of $20,000 is $1,000.
2. The length of time 0% is in effect on your account. When the offer has no advance fee, they'll display that prominently. When there is a fee, it's generally hidden in the fine print. You'll really have to search for this information.
The offer may end on a specific date, regardless of when you sign up, so be careful not to draw money on an offer that will run out in two or three statements. Imagine if you had to pay a 5% advance fee of $1,000 and suddenly learned the rate expires in two months because you forgot to check. That 0% card has now cost you 30% per annum.
Or the 0% may be for a specific number of months (or statements). Look for those that will run for at least nine months. Odds are, if you do a little searching, you're going to find offers for 15 months.
3. The interest rate you'll be charged if you miss a payment or you're late. Typically, those rates are in the 14% to 22% range on new card offers. Your existing cards will have rates closer to 10% or prime plus 1% to 3%. You will usually find this in the disclosure box on the back of the offer.
4. Beware! Even if you faithfully make all payments on time, the fine print may include a note that your 0% offer will end -- and the high interest rate will go into effect -- if you miss payments on other credit cards.
Don't use the card again
Once you've drawn money on a 0% card, don't use it for anything else. Put the card away where you won't accidentally pull it out and drop it into your wallet or purse.
Why? Because, unless the card provides for a 0% rate on all purchases during this offer period, you'll be charged the top rate for all your purchases.
That doesn't apply to you, you say? You pay off all the new charges as soon as you get the bill? Of course you do! But if you read the very fine print, you'll learn that the credit card company will apply all your payments to the cash advance first, not to your purchases. So, as you use your card, you'll be building up a balance of charges subject to interest.
Imagine you've drawn $15,000 on a 15-month interest-free offer. If you only run up $250 per month in charges, by the end of the year, even if you pay the $250 and $1,000 per month, you will have accumulated a balance of $3,000 at 10% to 22% (depending on the card) alongside your $3,000 balance at 0%, still good for another three months.
So, don't use these cards again once you've drawn the cash advance or transfer.
Mark your calendar
The expiration dates on these offers come up sooner than you expect, even when you have 15 months. So put reminder notes on your calendar 60 days and 30 days before it expires. Either have the money on hand to pay off the rest of the balance before the interest jumps high, or have another 0% offer handy to replace the first.
A final tip
If you don't use the offers coming in your mail, don't just throw them in the trash. Your trash is fair game for anyone who wants to root around in your trashcan. The courts have confirmed this repeatedly.
Be sure to shred them completely. Purchase a cross-cut shredder you can keep handy to shred all offers and catalogs with your name and credit line information in them. End of Story
Eva Rosenberg is the founder of TaxMama.com and an enrolled agent licensed to represent taxpayers before the IRS. She is the author of the book "Small Business Taxes Made Easy."
By Eva Rosenberg, MarketWatch
The Key To Increasing Your Customer Base: Accept Credit Cards
Here is a tactic you should heed for your online business… accept credit cards. Whether you’re selling digital products or tangible goods through online channels, your business should be able to accept credit cards to ensure the widest customer base possible. The importance of the ability to accept credit cards cannot be denied. Being able to accept credit cards makes your online business more accessible to a greater number of potential clients and customers.
World Of Benefits When Your Online Business Accepts Credit Cards
Credit cards have been tagged as plastic money because they have become accepted as a good alternative to actual cash. A lot of people actually prefer real world establishments who accept credit cards. They would rather shop in stores that accept credit cards rather than those that don’t accept credit cards.
The same principle applies in online transactions. People would look for eCommerce sites that accept credit cards, particularly those that accept credit cards which they own. I you would be able to accommodate these people by designing your online business to accept credit cards, you’d be able to increase the number of potential customers you could gain.
Additionally, by building an online enterprise that could accept credit cards, you will be able to secure payment in a more convenient and safe manner. If your online business would accept credit cards from paying customers, you’d be empowering them to spend for your products.
Overcoming An Important Hump When You Accept Credit Cards Online
Sad to say, however, that there are quite a number of people who are afraid of online transactions, even if your business would accept credit cards. There have been tales of so many scams and fraudulent dealings on the Internet, and legitimate businesses which accept credit cards are the ones that have to suffer such stigma.
To help stem the tide of this fear, businesses that accept credit cards should ensure the following things:
* A business that would accept credit cards should make sure that its payment processing page is embedded with Secure Socket Layers (SSL) of at least 128 bit.
* A business that would accept credit cards should also make sure that such SSL encryption appears on the lower right side of the user’s browser window, in the form of a lock icon.
* A business that would accept credit cards should establish a responsive customer support system that would answer the needs of your clients when it comes to transactions involving the acceptance of credit cards.
Allowing your online business to accept credit cards could only expand your customer base and provide good profits for you for many years to come.
by: Jeff Usher
World Of Benefits When Your Online Business Accepts Credit Cards
Credit cards have been tagged as plastic money because they have become accepted as a good alternative to actual cash. A lot of people actually prefer real world establishments who accept credit cards. They would rather shop in stores that accept credit cards rather than those that don’t accept credit cards.
The same principle applies in online transactions. People would look for eCommerce sites that accept credit cards, particularly those that accept credit cards which they own. I you would be able to accommodate these people by designing your online business to accept credit cards, you’d be able to increase the number of potential customers you could gain.
Additionally, by building an online enterprise that could accept credit cards, you will be able to secure payment in a more convenient and safe manner. If your online business would accept credit cards from paying customers, you’d be empowering them to spend for your products.
Overcoming An Important Hump When You Accept Credit Cards Online
Sad to say, however, that there are quite a number of people who are afraid of online transactions, even if your business would accept credit cards. There have been tales of so many scams and fraudulent dealings on the Internet, and legitimate businesses which accept credit cards are the ones that have to suffer such stigma.
To help stem the tide of this fear, businesses that accept credit cards should ensure the following things:
* A business that would accept credit cards should make sure that its payment processing page is embedded with Secure Socket Layers (SSL) of at least 128 bit.
* A business that would accept credit cards should also make sure that such SSL encryption appears on the lower right side of the user’s browser window, in the form of a lock icon.
* A business that would accept credit cards should establish a responsive customer support system that would answer the needs of your clients when it comes to transactions involving the acceptance of credit cards.
Allowing your online business to accept credit cards could only expand your customer base and provide good profits for you for many years to come.
by: Jeff Usher
Monday, January 1, 2007
How to Find the Best Low APR Credit Cards
Low APR credit cards are much more prevalent than in years past. Competition is stiff and credit card financial institutions offer many nice perks, rewards, points, low annual percentage rates (APR) and other inducements. They want to capture new customers who've never had a credit card but also those who already have a credit card and might like to save money by transferring that card's balance on to their new low APR credit cards.
Of course, there is nothing lower in an APR than zero - and those exist too, although sometimes for a limited time period. It may be that the lowest, or even the zero percentage APR is for an introductory period, after which the rate is higher. The permanent APR is what you want to watch out for, of course. Although if you're not opposed to doing a lot of switching, you can always purchase a low APR credit card, or zero percentage APR credit card, transfer the balance from your current high APR credit card, and then, once the introductory time period has expired and the APR is about to go up on your newest credit card, transfer the balance yet again to a brand new low APR credit card.
Let's look at a few of the low APR credit cards out there, so you know what kinds of options are typically available to you.
Citibank, for example, offers low APR credit cards that give you five percent cash back on any purchase you making at grocery stores and gas stations with your low APR credit card, and one percent back for any purchase elsewhere. The APR on transfers is zero for the first year. If your transfer transaction is at least $1500 you will earn $5 cash back with the low APR credit card. There is no annual fee and the APR after the first year is 12.24 percent.
Discover has a platinum clear card whose low APR is continual. The first year the APR is zero, but after the first year it's still a very competitive 9.99 percent. And there is no annual fee. With these low APR credit cards you earn a five percent cash back bonus on purchases made from hardware and home improvement retailers, restaurants, book vendors, and gas stations. If the retailer doesn't qualify you for the five percent discount you will always get one percent back no matter what you buy and from where with this low APR credit card.
Chase Bank offers low APR credit cards as well. Its zero percent APR is good for six months, after which you will pay 10.49 percent. These low APR credit cards have no annual fee, and offer rewards at the rate of one point for every dollar spent with your Chase card. You can get free airline flights and hotel rooms, as well as cruises and auto rentals. This card also provides $500,000 worth of travel insurance for worldwide vacationing. You can also take advantage of a fifteen percent discount off a Hertz car rental with these low APR credit cards.
by: Morgan Hamilton
Of course, there is nothing lower in an APR than zero - and those exist too, although sometimes for a limited time period. It may be that the lowest, or even the zero percentage APR is for an introductory period, after which the rate is higher. The permanent APR is what you want to watch out for, of course. Although if you're not opposed to doing a lot of switching, you can always purchase a low APR credit card, or zero percentage APR credit card, transfer the balance from your current high APR credit card, and then, once the introductory time period has expired and the APR is about to go up on your newest credit card, transfer the balance yet again to a brand new low APR credit card.
Let's look at a few of the low APR credit cards out there, so you know what kinds of options are typically available to you.
Citibank, for example, offers low APR credit cards that give you five percent cash back on any purchase you making at grocery stores and gas stations with your low APR credit card, and one percent back for any purchase elsewhere. The APR on transfers is zero for the first year. If your transfer transaction is at least $1500 you will earn $5 cash back with the low APR credit card. There is no annual fee and the APR after the first year is 12.24 percent.
Discover has a platinum clear card whose low APR is continual. The first year the APR is zero, but after the first year it's still a very competitive 9.99 percent. And there is no annual fee. With these low APR credit cards you earn a five percent cash back bonus on purchases made from hardware and home improvement retailers, restaurants, book vendors, and gas stations. If the retailer doesn't qualify you for the five percent discount you will always get one percent back no matter what you buy and from where with this low APR credit card.
Chase Bank offers low APR credit cards as well. Its zero percent APR is good for six months, after which you will pay 10.49 percent. These low APR credit cards have no annual fee, and offer rewards at the rate of one point for every dollar spent with your Chase card. You can get free airline flights and hotel rooms, as well as cruises and auto rentals. This card also provides $500,000 worth of travel insurance for worldwide vacationing. You can also take advantage of a fifteen percent discount off a Hertz car rental with these low APR credit cards.
by: Morgan Hamilton
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