Financial Future: How does filing bankruptcy affect future finances?

Depending on your situation, filing bankruptcy can either have a negative or a positive effect on future finances. Filing bankruptcy will no doubt show up on your credit report. This will cause many lenders to not lend money for a home, car, or to get a personal loan. Many creditors will ask if you have ever filed bankruptcy in the past. The answer to this question could mean the difference between getting a loan in the future or not. Of course, not all lenders will turn you down if you’ve had a bankruptcy in the past. It will depend on other things like how much money you put down and what the need is.

Negative

Business owners may be negatively affected by a bankruptcy because it can cause lenders not to give you a loan for business needs. This means if you are trying to start a business or restart one or get money for a business need, it may be difficult to get a loan from a lender with a bankruptcy on your credit report. However if you fail to file for bankruptcy, your future financial situation could be much worse.

Positive

Bankruptcy allows you to get your financial house in order if you are surrounded by debt and have no way to pay your debts. Instead of staying in the same situation and having your debts continue to mount. Bankruptcy will help you straighten your finances out and provide a new start. Bankruptcies don’t last forever. They don’t show up on your credit report forever. They drop off just like any other negative mark on your credit report. A chapter 7 bankruptcy will last for seven years on your credit report and a chapter 13 will last for 13 years on your credit report. Which one you choose depends on your individual situation.

Things to Consider

Many people think it’s the worse option available and try to do everything to avoid it. However, bankruptcy can actually be the best thing to do. It can be a lifesaver. And it can help turn your dire financial situation around. Bankruptcy acts as a shield between you and your debts.

For many people, it allows them a chance to start over again with their finances and gets things organized. You credit score will definitely be affected by a bankruptcy. It will lower it but it may not lower it as much as having a pile of unpaid or bad debt on your credit.

The Truth about Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy can be a bad thing to many people. Most people feel as if they have failed if they file bankruptcy. But bankruptcy does not mean you are a failure. Things happen unexpectedly that we are not able to control, such as job loss, income decreasing, health issues, and other personal issues that interrupt our normal lives and can cause serious consequences.

Good Bankruptcy Attorneys can help greatly in the process of filing for bankruptcy. Experienced attorneys can recommend a credit counseling or debt consolidation that’s better than filing bankruptcy or help you file a claim.

About the AuthorAshley Parker has written hundreds of articles on a variety of topics for more than seven years. Topics that she writes on include alternative energy, healthy living, home design, career advancement, travel, SEO marketing and website content.

Close That Sale: Second-Hand Purchase Checklist

English: Couple on a motorcycle in Rajasthan, India (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Most of us start a sale these days with lots of browsing online and, thankfully, we’re actually going into sales a lot more clued up than we ever have in the past. However, closing a second-hand sale isn’t an easy thing to do, and from introducing yourself to taking a test drive to handing over the cash, there are plenty of areas where a sale could go wrong. 
So to ensure that you end up making not just the right purchase, but the right purchase at the right price, here’s our step-by-step guide to closing a second-hand sale. 

1. Good Introductions

In most cases you’ll end up making an introduction online or over the phone but it doesn’t ever hurt to make a good first impression when meeting in person. Turn up on time, give forewarning and make it clear you’re interested in coming to a mutually good deal, not just getting as a low a price as possible. You don’t need to be overly outgoing, but don’t give your seller any reason not to give you the sale. 

2. Start with the Paperwork

Most of us are edging to get a look at our prospective new bike when we’re closing a deal, but it’s actually much better to start with a paperwork. You should be checking the logbook, the service history and whether it has any motorcycle insurance, MOT or tax left on it. Check that everything is present and correct first, but also make sure it adds up - do the addresses match, does the frame number match? If not, always ask why not - there could be a simple explanation. If there isn’t, the bike could be stolen. 

3. Visual Inspection

After checking the books have a quick look around the bike to check for condition. Of course you’ll want to be checking for scratches, dents and marks but also look for things like mismatched screws, uneven tyres and rust. Check, also, if your seller has fitted any aftermarket alarms and the condition of the locks; these are all points for negotiation after the test ride. 

4. Get Hands-On

Before taking the bike for a test ride just spend a moment getting hands on. Is it the right size for you, are the handlebars comfortable or are you struggling to reach. Your new bike will feel different to bikes you’ve had before, but it shouldn’t feel uncomfortable. Also check the suspension has a slow, smooth spring to it and that the bike starts up easily. Once it’s going, check to make sure the owner doesn’t thrash a cold engine (because they will always do this if they do it when selling!) and that the dials all read appropriately. 

5. The Test Ride

Licensing and insurance can be tricky when doing test rides so you may have to ride on the back or take the bike to an off-road area where you can give it a full test. If you have comprehensive insurance you should be able to take the bike out, but you will need to check the details. When you’re finally on the bike, do a few smooth gear changes, check the acceleration and, most importantly, check the steering alignment: it could indicate a head-bearing problem or even a buckled frame. 

6. Settling Up

So you’ve decided the bike works for you but, in most cases, they’ll be a few small issues. These are grounds for haggling, but stay clear of market-stall bartering, most sellers find it irritating. State that because of x fault or y problem you’re only willing to pay a certain amount and go from there. If this price isn’t right, leave your name and number and, hopefully, you’ll get a call-back...!
For motorbike insurance visit aquote bike.

Quick Insight into Top 4 Benefits of Online Share Trading

Investing in the share market is a great way to raise capital, given that you do the needed research and make the investment strategically. With the advent of Internet, today people can now easily access the markets and related information online, which were earlier only available through a broker. With such convenience, online share trading has slowly started replacing offline share trading due to its innumerable benefits. 

Online trading has given the modern traders of today the convenience, but this, in no way, means that they are investing in a smarter way. An increasing number of individuals opt to trade online as against offline trading today. People who learn to trade forex online today would never want to go back to the conventional method of offline trading. Let’s take a look at what has been attracting the investors towards this online trading strategy by understanding its benefits. 

Convenience

The first and foremost advantage of online share trading that has been appealing to investors is convenience. Traders can manage their investments online during any time of the day or night, which is extremely convenient to them. Such trading also lets the traders watch out their investments throughout and gain access to info that were earlier accessible only by brokers. Thus, online trading saves money and time by trading according to your convenience. You can trade from the flexibility of your home, office or internet café.

Apart from a computer and Internet access, the only other important thing that you need for online trading is a bank account for all your money transactions from time to time. Once you have the needed money in your account, you have the freedom to purchase your favorite stocks. Your share trading account and bank account will be linked to each other to enable you in purchasing shares online.

Diversity

The next benefit is the diversity of investments and assortments available. Few of the most popular online brokerages are AmeriTrade, Fidelity, and Scottrade. You will gain access to various markets like foreign bonds, and stocks based on the brokerage, which will open up your chances of making more money in the longer run.

Instant Access to Stock Markets

A trader gains instant access to his online share trading account and details pertaining to the stock market with just few mouse clicks. Further, he or she can avoid making decisions in haste since the investor can stay updated concurrently with the recent stock details and latest news about the firm in which they have invested or about any other potential firm they would want to invest in.

No Limit on Trading Hours

One more benefit of online selling and buying is that you can place your orders even during non-market hours. On the contrary, in offline trading buying and selling shares need to be done only during market working hours. The fact that there is no restriction with respect to market hours is an added advantage in online trading.

With these many advantages of online share trading at the fingertip of every online trader, there is no reason as to why any investor would want to ignore the convenience of online trading. So, become a smart trader, and leverage the power of Forex trading today.

Author Bio
Alisa Martin is an online share and stock market trader. She has been using this convenience ever since online trading was introduced in the market, and happens to be one of the veteran traders.

Don't Get Caught Out by These 3 Hidden Funeral Costs

A funeral is one of the single most expensive purchases you will ever make. It may seem like a fairly straightforward event, but there are so many small elements involved in the funeral process that grieving loved ones are often shocked by the final price tag. Knowing some of these hidden costs in advance can help you avoid being taken advantage of at a vulnerable time. 

Acknowledgement Packages

An acknowledgement package is a broad term used by funeral homes to cover small items like guest register books, funeral pamphlets and candles. Some funeral homes include this in a package price, but some do not. If you're aren't covered by a funeral plan, you can expect to pay a lot for these extras. 

This can be avoided by seeking out a package with these items included, or simply having family and friends assist you in creating or obtaining these items on your own. 

Caskets

It's all too easy to make an emotional decision when it comes to a casket out of a sense of duty to the deceased, and funeral home staff may try to take advantage of this by showing you expensive casket options first and banking on the fact that you will choose one impulsively. 

If lower-priced casket models aren't on display in a funeral showroom, insist on seeing them or asking for a catalog or price list with different options. Additionally, there is a host of online casket retailers with competitive prices, and they will be happy to ship a casket to your chosen funeral home. 

Cemetery Services

Many people don’t realize that they will have to pay for the labor performed at graveside services. This includes setting up chairs and awnings and lowering the casket into the grave. Opening and closing the grave can also be very expensive. 

One way to reduce the cost of the labor is by avoiding Saturday services. Labor costs tend to be more reasonable on weekdays than on weekends. Also, keeping the length of the graveside service to a minimum means that you will not be paying for multiple employees to wait at length in order to close the grave. 

Do not give in to pressure from funeral home staff when it comes to making these important choices. Have someone go to the funeral home with you to provide a voice of reason if need be, and always ask for a detailed list of what services you're paying for.

How Debt Consolidation Can Help You?

English: Day 3 of the protest Occupy Wall Street in Manhattan's Zuccotti Park. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What it Means

When dealing with debt consolidation, you’re taking out a big loan in order to pay off other loans of various proportions. Often enough this is done in order to help provide a smaller interest rate or help bring security to a fixed rate of interest. Consolidation can often occur in situations where:

• A company is about to go bankrupt
• Credit card debt needs to be paid off
• Student loans are required 

Most of the time it’s done simply to service a single loan entirely because multiple loans can lead to complications that most people tend to avoid. In addition, debt consolidation can also originate from the creation of unsecured loans that might go into yet another unsecured loan. Usually it takes place when secured loans go up against assets that may serve as a form of collateral (i.e. a house, a car, etc.) The loan’s collateralization give it much lower interest rate meaning the asset owner will then agree to follow foreclosure of the assets to help pay off the loan. 

Bankruptcy Savior

Another good reason to choose debt consolidation, especially if you’re part of a big company that handles a ton of finances, is for the amount of discount that can be gained towards the loan. When a severe situation such as bankruptcy occurs, debt consolidators will more often than not purchase the loan at a far greater discount than the usual base price. If a debtor is looking to be prudent with his or her loans, they can feel free to look around and shop for various consolidators across the countries that are able to pass these savings along. Debt consolidation can ultimately affect the abilities of the debtors and can go on to discharge these very debts while in bankruptcy. These are major business decisions that need to be thought out and considered before making any attempts at an execution. 

Credit Cards

Some people consider debt consolidation as the best choice for when it comes time to pay off a large credit card debt. Credit cards often have carried a very large interest rate, larger even than most unsecured loans that come from a local bank. The ones in debt who have large property such as a house or a car might be able to get lower rates from their loans as long as they are secured and are using a property as a measure of collateral. In this case, the gross interest and cash flow that gets paid towards the debt will be at a lower price. This allows debts to be paid off much sooner which also means less interest for the debtors to pay off over time.

Student Consolidation

Debt consolidation can also be a part of student federal loans. Existing loans are first bought by the Department of Education. Then, after consolidation, fixed interest is set based on the current rate of interest. If a student puts two or more loan types together into one consolidation loan, weighted average will establish the approximate rate in accordance with the current interest rates.

Most Profitable Location to Invest in Land (BC, Northern Ontario and Nova Scotia)

Harbour of Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia Français : Port de Peggys Cove, Nouvelle-Écosse (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In recent times, Canada has seen a rise in her real estate development, with a special focus on land investment. Visitors and residents alike have continued to show a lot more interest in this particular venture, taking their time to acquire lands for possible future property developments, be it for a personal home, commercial purpose or any other property venture. 

Though prospective investors still continue to be at a dilemma as to which areas to invest in land and be profitable, be it on a short term or a long term basis. On this note, 3 particular areas have been identified are being concentrated on due to their special attributes and this includes British Columbia (BC), Northern Ontario and Nova Scotia

Why you should have a land investment in British Columbia

British Columbia currently is one of North America’s most competitive and vibrant places to engage in business. The province is well known for high sustainable environmental standards which is a huge attraction for international markets. 

Deutsch: Boot in Nova Scotia (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Located on Canada’s pacific coast, British Columbia is strategically located such that the rest of the world is easily accessible; also having a land investment in BC puts you strategically to also locate other world markets in Europe, Asia as well as North America. You are also exposed to the opportunity in cross-border trade, thanks to the North American Free Trade Agreement which helps you to manage duty free access to other profitable markets in the United States and Mexico. 

BC is also known for a low tax system, modernized regulation which will definitely see you maximizing your profits with time. When it comes to ongoing research on technology advancement and innovations for the obvious betterment of people and the world as a whole, British Columbia has definitely taken the forefront; so why else would you not want to have a land investment in such a profitable area.

Why you should have a land investment in Northern Ontario

The first point you should take into consideration as a good reason for having a land investment in Northern Ontario is the fact that the cost of land for sale in Northern Ontario is relatively low, an attraction for any investor. 

Apart from acquisition, building costs as well as labor are equally quite low, competitive and just right for the land investor. With regards to doing business and access to a huge number of amenities, Northern Ontario has always been a preferred choice, because of its equally tactical location. 

The region has also grown its diverse economy such that there are now branches into advanced manufacturing and production, the information communication technology sector has also recorded tremendous growth with new innovations and implementations, which has given rise to the likes of alternative energy etc. 

This is a concept that is growing with progress on a daily basis and not to forget, the equal advancement of the health sciences. All of these advancement signals nothing more than profitability, so once again, why should you not take advantage and have your land investment in Northern Ontario.

Why you should have land investments in Nova Scotia:

Lighthouse of Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

First of all, Nova Scotia has shown quite immense popularity with the rest of the world in that its country-like presentation makes the place quite appealing. The area is also quite laid back and relaxed and is also gathering a lot of momentum with regards to business development. 

Acquiring land here is also affordable and easily done. As long you are planning to have a land investment, Nova Scotia presents a great choice of location as analysts and experts have predicted that the area, in a few years to come would definitely be a tropical paradise, a haven of real estate goodness.
In essence, you ought to take advantage of the opportunities presented in these three areas and invest now as you would undoubtedly profit immensely in a short time. 

The three locations discussed above continue to gain unrestricted popularity in the real estate world and if you really want to amass good business in land investment, then you should take action now. Economy now includes critical mass in advanced manufacturing, aerospace, information communication technology, alternative energy, and health sciences.

Author Bio
This article was written by David Darga, with his insight into where the best locations to invest in land currently are within Canada. Dignam.com is a great place to find and purchase vacant land within BC, Northern Ontatio and Nova Scotia