Archive for September 2008


Getting a Colorado Mortgage Rate Quote

September 28th, 2008 — 12:33 pm
mortgage
If you are looking for a Colorado mortgage rate quote for a Colorado mortgage loan, then there are many places to go. Of course there are many ads for different Colorado mortgage lenders that are based in the state and around the country. But for a better, more personal Colorado mortgage, it is best to go with an in-state Colorado mortgage lending professional.

Getting a Colorado mortgage loan from an in-state Colorado mortgage lending company has advantages, the key being that Colorado mortgage lending institutions know Colorado the best.

Colorado is unique, with a particular mix of modest private homes, second homes, luxury homes and other types. Because of this, the needs of would-be borrowers who are looking for a Colorado mortgage quote are unique as well. That necessitates a knowledgeable Colorado lender who can work with a borrower and fir their needs with the best type of Colorado mortgage loan.

Looking For a Colorado Mortgage Quote Provider

While shopping for a Colorado mortgage quote, a borrower will hope for a Colorado mortgage lender with a low rate. But that shouldn’t be the only determining factor to be considered than that part of the Colorado mortgage rate quote. The lowest bidder is not always the best place to get a Colorado mortgage loan. When deciding on the best Colorado mortgage quote, consider these other factors:

•The fees for Colorado mortgage loans

•The closing costs, which can range widely between Colorado mortgage lending companies

•Product diversity in the Colorado mortgage loans.

There are many different kinds of loan programs to choose from for borrowers and it is best to look around before a borrower decides on their Colorado mortgage quote. Aside from the Colorado mortgage rate quote itself, its best to consider fixed vs. variable loans and the different lengths of terms

•The Colorado mortgage lending companies with the best customer service. When borrowers are looking for a Colorado mortgage quote, there should be an expectation that the company will have excellent customer service, answering calls and returning them

•A Colorado mortgage lending company with experienced and informed associates. The broker working up your Colorado mortgage quote ought to be able to explain all parts of the different types of Colorado mortgage loans. They need to be able to search and return with any questions you have about your Colorado mortgage rate quote

Finding a Colorado Mortgage Loan

There are brokers nationwide you want to give a borrower a Colorado mortgage quote. Borrowers see their ads all over the place — in the yellow pages or newspaper; radio or TV. There are also many lenders who can provide Colorado mortgage rate quotes online who can also be a great resource.

Online Colorado mortgage quote providers can help you if you are looking to get many quotes with limited effort and be able to make a choice between the many Colorado mortgage quotes available. But that should not come as a replacement from real people. A borrower needs to do research; search for referrals online, check on the company to find the best Colorado mortgage quote that best suits their needs.



By: 1st American Mortgage

About the Author:

This article is written by J.B. of 1st American Mortgage and Loan, LLC, a Colorado mortgage lender who offers access to information on obtaining a Colorado mortgage loan as well as other information on loans inColorado online mortgage quotes, and rates through his website TrueMortgageQuote.com http://www.truemortgagequote.com).



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How to Stop Repossession and Save Your Home From Foreclosure

September 16th, 2008 — 05:15 am
repossession
How To Make A Repossession Stop

There is really only one way to actually make a repossession stop, and that is to contact your creditors before the repossession process begins. In some areas and states the creditor has to legally notify you of a repossession, while in other’s they don’t. In the case of a home repossession, you will be notified regardless of what state you live in but a car or other item can be repossessed with just one skipped or defaulted payment, depending on the financing agreement and purchase contract that you signed.

Making a repossession stop usually includes being able to make a lump sum payment on the outstanding balance of the defaulted payments, paying off the loan in entirety or coming up with a schedule of repayment for the missed payments plus the future payments that the lender accepts. Using these options to make a repossession stop are the basic options, there may be others such as selling the item and paying the lender from the sale. In most cases in the “short sale” scenario the original borrower will still need to add in some cash to make sure that the loan is paid off in full.

Making a repossession stop, even if it means taking out another loan, often makes good sense if you have the ability to pay both the original loan as well as the second loan. A repossession is a huge negative on your credit score and rating and will remain on your credit record for seven years. Is some cases a repossession, especially on a large item such as a car or a house can prevent you from being able to get a loan for long after the seven years as it is likely that there have been other non-payments of loans on credit cards or other debts prior to the repossession which will often show up after the repossession occurs.

It is important under these situations that you acknowledge and proactively work towards preventing the repossession. Stop hiding or pretending that if you don’t open the letters from the creditors they will just go away. This is probably the biggest mistake that consumer’s make and it is easy to correct. Usually if you contact the creditor either before or immediately after the default in the payment they will be willing to consider your suggestions and work with you. If you allow the default payments to occur more than one payment period or simply don’t respond to their calls and letters the lender has little choice but to move towards getting their property or item back.

Getting the advice of a credit counselor, attorney or other financial expert is a great idea if you are worried about repossession. Often working with these professionals will help your lender understand you are serious about correcting the problem and have a plan for the future.

 

Where To Find Repossession Laws

When you are facing the possibility of any type of repossession it is always tough to calm down and do the research you need to find out what repossession laws apply to your specific situation. It is also common to resort to rely on information on repossession laws from family, friends and even co-workers who are not usually well informed and truly knowledgeable on the subject. In reality not all items are subject to the same types of repossession laws and each state has their own specific repossession laws.

It is not reasonable to think that repossessing a house would be the same as repossessing a car or a computer system that is not being paid for. Generally most states provide a longer grace period or resolution period for higher priced item such as houses and properties and shorter grace periods for cars and appliances or electronics. In addition the contact that you signed with the seller regarding the payment plans, fees and repossession terms are also considered as part of the legal issues around a repossession. In some contracts even one missed payment may be grounds for starting the repossession process.

Each state has their own specific repossession laws and legal requirements for seizing property or possessions. It is important, as the consumer, to understand what the repossession company can and cannot do to take back the item, as if they don’t do it right you may be entitled to compensation and damages. Ideally each consumer that is facing repossession or has had something repossessed should consult with a qualified and licensed attorney to find out what repossession laws apply in their situation and if any legal issues were breached during the process. Some states require that all repossessions be filed through the court and the borrower or consumer provided notice of a pending repossession.

Other states allow the lender to start the process immediately upon breach of the purchase and finance contract; without notification to the consumer. Knowing which option is legal in your state is simple, just use any search engine to look for sites using the search terms of your state name and the phrase “repossession laws”. In addition research books at your local library or contact the Better Business Bureau in your area that can provide specific information for your state as will as the type of property you are facing repossession on. It is critical to use only the information provided on repossession laws for your state and the type of item that is in default payments. If you have the incorrect information you are more likely to make poor decisions that may end up costing you more money in the long run.



By: Jeremy Lawrence

About the Author:

Jeremy Lawrence is an independent business person and Niche Marketer. See his website – http://bestwaytostopforeclosure.info - to download a free report on Everything You Always Wanted to Know to Stop Repossession



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Personal Finances – K.i.s.s.ing your Checking and Credit Card Accounts

September 15th, 2008 — 02:57 am
personal finance
My Dad and father-in-law were at both ends of the spectrum when it came to managing their checking accounts. Dad would spend hours, sometimes days, tracking down a two cent error in his checkbook register. It drove him bonkers when his checkbook didn’t balance to the penny with the account statement.

My father-in-law, on the other hand, didn’t even keep a checkbook register. He couldn’t be bothered with balancing his account. His philosophy was, “If I run out of money the bank will let me know.” That is a hands off approach that few of us can get away with, but, it worked for a person that was born and lived in a town of less than 800 people. The bank did, indeed, let my father-in-law know when he was overdrawn. They never, to my knowledge, charged him overdraft fees.

That approach can work in a small town in Northern Idaho. Most of us, however, do not have that kind of a relationship with our bank. In order for our personal finances to run smoothly, it is our responsibility to make the lifestyle choices, and do the work associated with managing our day-to-day finances. How we handle our checking account and credit card transactions is fundamental to keeping things running well.

My Approach Is Somewhere In The Middle

My approach to managing our family checkbook register is somewhere between the two parental extremes cited above. My wife, Lois, and I record all transactions in our register and, like clockwork, I balance our account every month. What I don’t do is spend an unnecessary amount of time trying to find errors when our account doesn’t balance with the statement. If the error is within comfortable limits, I adjust the account balance and then get on with my life. What’s a “comfortable limit?” That depends on the account balance. My error tolerance is directly proportional to how much money we have on hand when the error occurs. Balancing errors don’t happen very often. More often than not our checkbook balances to the penny. The accuracy can be attributed in some measure to the fact that I use personal finance management software.

The point is that personal finances do require some work, but, perfection may not be desirable. There are a lot of people involved in the processing of the various transactions each of us generates as part of our monetary lives. Those millions upon millions of transactions, large and small, are all subject to our own human error as well as the human errors that can be committed by all of those people behind the scenes who we rarely think about. It behooves us, therefore, to keep tabs on the pulse of our personal finances as recorded in our checkbook and credit card accounts. This ongoing monitoring can be psychotic or a normal, healthy part of our lives. It’s up to each one of us to decide where we stand on this issue. Will we adopt a fringe behavior like one of my parents? Or will we keep it sane and simple (K.I.S.S.)?

Using Tools Imposes Lifestyle Choices

Using a cash flow management tool forces you to make choices by imposing lifestyle traits that are required if the tool is going to work as intended. That may sound intimidating, but, for a well written, user friendly program, the required lifestyle traits are not an undue burden. For those of us who are sincerely interested in having “more money than month” instead of “more month than money,” developing a few, possibly new habits need not be a harsh adjustment. The payback in financial peace of mind is very well worth it.

Choices We Make Regardless

First, let’s take a look at those habits that will make your financial life easier regardless of whether or not you use personal finance software.

* Keep your checkbook register accurate. Your checking account is probably your primary money management tool. It just makes common sense, in my opinion, to keep your checkbook register up-to-date and accurate. If you are not used to writing every transaction (e.g. checks, ATM transactions, deposits) in your checkbook register, or balancing your checkbook every month, these are habits you may want to look at developing immediately. Should you decide to use a money management program, an accurate checkbook is imperative.

* Keep an accurate record of charge transactions. If you use charge cards, keeping an accurate record of your charges and returns is also vital to the success of your cash flow management efforts. In my opinion, not keeping track of charges is a main contributor to why many people get into trouble with charge card debt. I think it is vitally important that, starting today, you keep the receipts from all of your charge transactions for no other reason than for reconciling your monthly credit card statement. If you are using appropriate personal finance software, charge transactions are entered into the program as soon as convenient. The program will, with accurate charging information, keep you informed of where you stand on your charge card debt.

Choices Imposed By Software

The following issues are specific to the successful use of many personal finance programs.

* One checking account. How people manage their personal funds is very, well, personal. For a single person, the choices are simplified. Once a person takes on a partner, however, personal finances can become complicated depending on how much financial autonomy each partner requires. Regardless of how many savings and checking accounts each single or partnered person may have, at least one checking account is normally required for use with the software. This one checking account, coupled with the program, is used to plan for and pay bills; plan and pay for planned purchases; and to smooth out weekly living expenses. The intent is for the program and it’s associated checking account to encapsulate a person’s entire month-to-month financial records.

* Pay bills on a schedule. Instead of paying bills when you receive them or when you get paid, pay your bills on the same days each month. An appropriate schedule for most people would be on the 1st and 15th of each month. The mechanics of bill payment (e.g. check, cash, online, automatic withdrawal) are entirely up to you, but, sitting down twice a month and arranging for your bills to be paid on or before the date they are due will simplify and smooth the paying of your bills.

* Pay yourself on a schedule. “Paying” yourself a fixed amount of spending money the same day each week regardless of when you receive your income will smooth out your day-to-day expenses. How much weekly spending money you give yourself is entirely up to you as is the weekday on which you “pay” yourself. The trick is to find that amount of weekly spending money that is enough for day-to-day expenses, but not so much that you don’t leave yourself enough to pay bills. An appropriately written personal finance program will automatically include your personal “payday” in your month-to-month financial projection so you can easily see whether you have correctly set your weekly spending money amount.

* Keep accurate records. An appropriately written personal finance program gives you a “forward looking” projection of your month-to-month cash flow. When using such a tool, keeping your cash flow projection current is the key to giving you a continual picture of where you are and where you’re headed. You will, therefore, have to be consistent with keeping your month-to-month financial records current. With the right personal finance software, this does not have to be a big chore like keeping track of every penny you spend, or entering and categorizing every check you write. In an appropriately written personal finance program, most of your record keeping will consist of entering bills when you receive them, entering charges as you incur them, paying yourself once a week, reconciling bank and charge account statements, and paying bills. Typically, all of this financial activity will take two to four hours per month.

Paperwork Flow

There are a couple of habits that Lois and I have developed that simplify tasks like the keeping of accurate records. When any piece of paper is received on which is recorded a financial transaction, that piece of paper is placed in our “In” basket. While most of our financial transactions are handled electronically, there are still items like charge slips, magazine subscriptions and account statements that are printed. By placing all such printed items in one place, they get recorded in our computer records accurately and in a timely manner. It is unusual for one of our paper transactions to be forgotten.

Those pieces of paper that are needed for account reconciliation, like credit card receipts, are put into a “Hold” folder after having been recorded in our personal finance software. Those pieces of paper that are not needed after being recorded are shredded or burned. After reconciling credit card statements, all of the pieces of paper for transactions that have cleared are removed from the “Hold” folder and also destroyed.

It’s a simple system, but, it works for us. As long as everyone in a household knows the “paperwork flow,” and habitually uses that flow, the chances that transactions will be lost, resulting in potential financial errors, are greatly reduced.

Being Big Brother To Your Checking Account

Another habit that I have adopted is the close, online supervision of our checking account. I’m a big fan of online banking which gives me almost up to the minute information about the status of our checking account. As part of my computer startup procedure, I take a look at the activity in our checking account. This may sound a bit paranoid, but, I’ve been able to spot unexpected activity on several occasions. There has been nothing traumatic like identity theft, but, by keeping a close eye on checking account activity I’ve caught unexpected withdrawals shortly after they happened instead of being surprised on the next account statement. The most recent example involved automatic credit card payments that I thought I had cancelled. It took two months working with the credit card company’s customer service staff to straighten that one out. Had I not spotted the first unexpected payment when it happened, our checking account could have been short by $75.00 each of those two months. That may not be a large amount, but, it could have been enough to cause a potential, inconvenient problem if left undetected.

Financial Peace Of Mind

All of the discussed lifestyle habits are so firmly embedded in Lois and my everyday lives that we no longer even think about them. Consequently, our month-to-month finances are smooth with few interruptions. When we do have to discuss financial issues, it’s a discussion over known choices instead of fights over who is doing, or not doing what. Money is not a source of discord in our lives like it can be for couples. Lois and I have been enjoying financial peace of mind for most of the 40+ years of our marriage. This financial bliss can be attributed directly to the unique cash flow techniques upon which our personal finance management software is based.



By: George Gilbert

About the Author:

George Gilbert writes software for personal computers. One of his popular titles is myOwnPayday, an innovative approach to personal finance that was created out of practical necessity. Find out more about this innovative program at 2goodsoftware.com.



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When Bankrupting Is Worthwhile

September 12th, 2008 — 06:00 am
bankrupt
For many business owners bankruptcy seems scary but, sometimes, declaring bankruptcy is a worthwhile strategy. If you are considering the possibility of declaring bankrupting for your business, this article will review some key points you must know. Two of the most popular types of bankruptcy include Chapter 7 and Chapter 11.

Under a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, the judge gets rid of the business debts while under a Chapter 11 bankruptcy the owner must create a plan to repay debtors. While Chapter 11 bankruptcy allows the business to continue running, bankrupting under Chapter 7 forces the closing or selling of the business.

Although these laws may seem gloomy, occasionally they are the business owner’s most practical choice. A Chapter 7 bankruptcy is worthwhile when the business has no chance of making a future profit. It also makes sense if the company has no assets and the debts are insurmountable. In these cases, undergoing a bankruptcy may be the best decision the business owner can make.

Although bankruptcy is an option, it also has some negative outcomes. A business owner should always consider the legal fees associated with filing bankruptcy. They are often high for both Chapter 7 and Chapter 11. Some companies find themselves filing for bankruptcy only to close their business anyway to pay the legal fees. Remember that lawyers do not work for free. Get an estimate before you decide to file.

Recovering From Bankrupting Your Small Business

Small businesses owners bankrupting their companies should know that recovering from a Chapter 11 filing is possible. The goal of Chapter 11 bankruptcy is to place the company on more stable financial ground. While the courts relieve the company’s debts, they also help in reorganizing it. They hope is to make it more profitable in the future. While this outcome appeals to many small business owners, they must realize that bankruptcy puts them at the mercy of the United States Trustee. The Trustee now oversees all business transactions until the company emerges from bankruptcy. For many business owners this is troubling. They have lost the freedom associated with running their own business. Business owners who are not comfortable with this degree of oversight should not seek out a Chapter 11 bankruptcy to solve their financial problems.

Avoiding Bankrupting

There are many useful tips for avoiding the need for bankrupting but unfortunately even with the best of plans there is always the possibility that bankruptcy is necessary. In these cases, it is wise for the business owners to recognize the need for it early on. This helps them avoid compounding the company’s financial problems. In general the methods owners use to prevent bankruptcy are associated with to good, general business practices.



By: Kevin Muir

About the Author:

Our site BankruptingBusiness.com helps small business owners on the topic of bankrupting. For more information click bankrupting.



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Comment » | Management

What Happens if I Declare Myself Bankrupt?

September 1st, 2008 — 12:53 am
bankrupt
Bankruptcy is the debt resolution of last-resort in the UK, and still carries with it a stigma. It is also the debt solution that has the most devastating affect on your ability to get credit or a mortgage in the future. It is difficult to separate fact from fiction in the area of bankruptcy, so what happens if I declare myself bankrupt?

It is important to note at this point that declaring yourself bankrupt is not something that you should do lightly, and you should seek qualified advice.

A very important point concerns your home if you own it jointly. There may be steps that you can take to sell your share of your home to your partner/another family member which would remove the risk of it being sold. Get specialist advice on this.

You will need to get a form from your local court that you will have to present when you declare bankruptcy. You should also check at this point what the current fees are for declaring yourself bankrupt (485 at the time of writing, or possibly 335 if you are on income support). This form will need to be filled in before you petition for bankruptcy.

Before visiting the court you need to be aware that any bank accounts that you have an interest in will be frozen. You therefore need to make sure that you have enough cash to provide for your basic needs until you are next paid.

You would normally make an appointment at the court to declare yourself bankrupt. In actual fact if you turn up with the correct forms and the payment without an appointment during normal court hours you have to be seen, but normal practice is to make an appointment. You will need to take the bankruptcy fees in cash (no cheques accepted). The court appearance will normally be a formality, and you will then be free of your unsecured debt immediately.

After you are declared bankrupt your bank accounts will be frozen and you will need to attend an interview to discuss your financial situation and the reasons for your bankruptcy. The insolvency service will want to find out whether you have any assets that can be sold to pay money into your bankruptcy. Also, they will go through your budget to see if you can afford to pay any money from your earnings towards your bankruptcy. All of this detail needs to be discussed with a qualified adviser, but it is worth pointing out one key fact. If you are part of a couple, then the insolvency rules do not apply to your partner, i.e. they cannot insist that your partner pays anything towards mortgage/rent or utility bills etc. This is very important since if you fill in the forms showing that you pay half of the mortgage/rent this may result in you having a monthly excess. If so, you will be ordered to pay some of this money to your creditors for up to 3 years (continuing after your bankruptcy is discharged). If you don’t have any excess then you will be relieved of any responsibility for paying your creditors when you are discharged, which could be after only 6 months but certainly within a year.

The insolvency service will want to know if you have any assets that can be sold. They will only be interested in high value items such as your home, cars, boats etc. Current practice in the UK is that bankrupt’s homes are very rarely visited to assess whether there are any personal items that can be sold. The time and effort is simply not worth the small amounts of money that would be raised (unless your home is full of antiques).

Your car may be at risk of being sold unless you can prove that you NEED it for work (i.e. you cannot travel to work by public transport).

If you live with a partner/family and own your own home (and haven’t already taken steps to sell your share to someone else) then the insolvency service will not sell it for at least a year from the date that you are declared bankrupt. This can give time for your partner or another family to buy back your share.

Once your bankruptcy is discharged (normally in less than a year) you will be free to start re-building your life debt free. You will probably find it almost impossible to get unsecured credit for a number of years. Mortgages are more available, but the rates will be higher. It pays to shop around, because the rates on adverse credit loans can vary widely.



By: Neil Robertson

About the Author:

If you want more free information then visit my Debt Advice Free blog for advice on debt from someone that has been in a debt crisis situation and is now debt free. Would you declare bankruptcy? If so, visit my site to see what other options are available to you.



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Comment » | Personal Finance