Business at It’s Best

Self-Directed IRA

Become Your Own Bank

The Self-Directed IRA (SDIRA) puts you in control of your qualified accounts such as IRA’s, 401(k)’s,  403(b)’s, Keogh’s, SEP’s and more. With a SDIRA you have the flexibility to invest in real estate, mortgages, businesses, franchises, tax liens etc.  This gives you, not Wall Street, discretionary control of investment options, whether traditional or non-traditional. A Self-Directed IRA is a retirement plan that allows the account owner to direct investment decisions on behalf of the retirement plan. Basically, an SDIRA is a unique hybrid tool that utilizes a self-directed IRA custodian and a specialized legal structure. With an SDIRA you will have a checkbook, a debit card and all the tools that come along with a business checking account.

The SDIRA owner can use his retirement funds for a multitude of investments providing a higher potential rate of return. All you need to know are the few things you cannot do and the rest is up to your imagination.

Asset-Based Lending

A New Revitalization of an Old Lending Practice

In the simplest meaning, asset-based lending is any kind of lending secured by an asset. This means if the loan is not repaid, the asset is taken. A home mortgage is an example of an asset-backed loan. More commonly however, the phrase is used to describe lending to business and large corporations using assets not normally used in other loans. Typically, these loans are tied to inventory, accounts receivable, machinery and equipment, but they can also include exotic things like the value of pharmacy script files, a trademark, or whole assets of intellectual property. For example, Midway Games took out a line of credit secured by its Mortal Kombat game. If it fails to repay, the bank then owns the  franchise and can sell the rights to it.

Check for Theft

Identity Theft

As your post-holiday credit card statements arrive in the mail, you´ll probably think about what you spent. But have you thought about how much of your personal and financial information was exposed? Sounds like the perfect time to check your Credit Report!

Identity theft

In the past you had to be careful of the carbons when they “swiped” your credit card. Today credit thieves have a whole new high tech and low tech bag of tricks. The only way to make sure you’re safe is to take precautions and regularly check your credit report for inaccuracies, you know, the key changes on your report that could either indicate identity theft or a reporting error.

Payday Loan Consolidation

Guest Speaker Angela Sanders

Earlier this month we posted an article about Payday Loans, and the possible pitfalls connected to this institution. This post was evidently compelling enough for a reader to ask to be a guest writer and post her own story. The following is from Angela Sanders, who writes a Blog of her own called A Financial Journal. We are always excited in bringing you the very best in information and calls to action on this blog. Here is Miss Angela…

Is it possible to consolidate your debts?

“The consumers take out payday loan to manage their emergency expenses at the middle of the month. When you apply for payday loan you are not required credit check so the interest on this loan is comparatively higher than other loan programs. Make sure that you pay off the owed amount on scheduled date to avoid the accruing interest on the principal balance.”

Learn About Money

Make learning about money a priority

There’s a lot to learn about money, and there’s plenty of free information available. The Federal Reserve education web site,  offers personal financial education information and links to many useful resources.

Money education

Look for organizations in your community that can help you learn more about setting financial goals, budgeting, saving, using credit wisely and getting the best deal. Whether you attend information sessions at different venues, read about money in books, magazines, newspapers, or online, learning how to manage your money is an important part of life.

Here are some other possibilities:

• Nonprofit credit counseling service.
• Library.
• Community college.
• Bank or credit union.
• Nonprofit community development corporation.
• Nonprofit housing organization.
• Religious organization.
• Senior citizen center.
• Employee assistance program.
• Cooperative extension service.

Understanding Your Credit Score Part Five

Applying For New Debt, or Inquiries

Accumulation of new debt is the remaining 10% of your credit score. It is comprised of how much new debt you are applying for. It takes into consideration how many accounts you currently have open, how long it has been since you opened a new account, and how many requests (Inquiries) you have for new credit within a 12 month time period. If you go out today and apply for credit, that creditor requests information from the Credit Bureaus. This counts as a Hard Inquiry on your report. If you have a lot of Inquiries in a short period of time, your scores will be impacted. If you request your own report, that is considered a Soft Inquiry and doesn’t count against your score, or show up on your report.

Understanding Your Credit Score Part Three

Length of Credit History

Length of credit history, or your “time in the bureau”, accounts for 15% of your credit score. The older you are, and the longer you have had credit accounts for, the higher the score. This is broken down into 3 sub categories:

•     Time since accounts opened.

•     Time since accounts opened, by specific    type of account.

•     Time since account activity.

Your credit history length is important when it comes to understanding your score as a longer credit history is looked upon more favorably than a shorter one. Someone with a credit history of 6 months isn’t going to look as impressive as someone with a history of 6 years. It takes time to establish a payment history. Those with longer credit histories typically have higher incomes as well.

Understanding Your Credit Score Part Two

Credit Utilization Ratio

The second largest factor in your credit scores is the amount you owe in relation to your high credit limits termed Credit Utilization Ratio, or CUR. This accounts for 30% of your score calculation. If you are carrying high credit card balances, you can actually hurt your credit scores almost as much as paying the account late every month. This aspect of your credit score has several different factors. The first factor is your relation of balances you owe on all of your accounts in relation to the high credit limits on those accounts. Once again, this takes into consideration balances on ALL of your accounts combined. Your credit score also takes into account balances in relation to high credit limits on your individual accounts also.

Peer-To-Peer Lending

With the credit markets tightening and banks implementing strict lending standards there has been a surge in alternative forms of borrowing money

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Alternative Lending Sources

What is the proper measure for creditworthiness in this day and age?

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