INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('290','40','<p>It is an old saying &quot;Health is Wealth.&quot; The most important step to maintain this wealth is to get a health insurance policy for you as well as your family. But, sometimes the premiums of such policies can leave you in and out of the budget situation. Can you really do something to bring down your premium? Read on to learn about the 5 quickest ways to lower your health insurance premium. </p>\r\n<ol>\r\n    <li>Adopt a healthy lifestyle </li>\r\n</ol>\r\nLiving a healthy life has many benefits. Your healthy lifestyle can easily help you in bringing down the health insurance premium. Exercise regularly, eat healthy diet, avoid smoking and heavy drinking and your visits to the doctor will surely be minimized. The healthier you are, the lesser you are represented as a risk for the insurance company.\r\n<ol>\r\n    <li>Shop for the best available price </li>\r\n</ol>\r\nOne of the best options to keep your premium lowest is to go out and shop around for the health care policy. This will ensure that you find the best available policy that fits in your budget. Do a thorough research before investing in any policy. You can get information from your friends and relatives or even Internet.\r\n<ol>\r\n    <li>Take up plans with higher deductibles </li>\r\n</ol>\r\nInsurance plans with higher deductibles tend to have lower premiums. Typically, deductible is the amount you are expected to pay toward hospital, doctor, and other medical bills. Taking up a plan with a higher deductible may not be a universally applicable idea. If you\'re generally healthy and do not fall ill very frequently, then you can take up this plan. This way you can keep your premium at a lower rate and avail basic health care facilities as well. But, if you have a history of some major consistent illness, avoid taking this plan. #p##e#\r\n<ol>\r\n    <li>Take up a policy early in your life </li>\r\n</ol>\r\nThe premium varies to a great extent with the age of the person. Try and get a policy as early in your life as you can. For example, if you buy a policy at the age of 25, then you\'ll have to pay lesser premium but, if you go for the same policy at the age of 50 you\'ll end up paying a raised premium amount.\r\n<ol>\r\n    <li>Get in touch with independent insurance agents </li>\r\n</ol>\r\nYou can take help from independent insurance agents. These agents represent several insurance agencies and can guide you to pick the right kind of health insurance policy and then plan your premiums at an affordable rate. Since independent agents will compete to get the business - so you\'ll get serious offers quickly.\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('291','40','<p>Are you scouting for auto insurance? Be careful and make your decisions prudently, as chances are your Auto Insurance Company is scamming you. Most of us believe that it is only people who scam auto insurance companies, but there have been cases where citizens have been defrauded by these insurance agencies. Protecting yourself from auto insurance scam would save you from higher premiums in the long run. For your sake, we have listed 3 ways your auto insurance company could scam you: Playing on your ignorance - Most people don\'t clearly understand their insurance needs and are also unaware of different products floating around in the market. This ignorance exposes them to scamming by dubious insurance companies and agents. Most insurance companies play on your instinct and coax you to choose a plan with the lowest deductible possible, thus, extracting a much higher premium amount. Also, since the paper work is so cumbersome, many people don\'t bother to go through the fine print. This is where insurance companies play it smart. You could end up paying more for a coverage you never sought. Low Balling - There is a burgeoning segment of insurance agencies, with in-your-face TV and radio advertisements, claiming to offer you the cheapest possible insurance deal. These agencies scam you in the most obvious way; they resort to &quot;Low Balling&quot;. Once you have signed in for their insurance scheme, a letter would follow stating that you were under charged due to a &quot;Company Rate Error&quot;. In such a case, you would most often than not, pay-up, as not paying would mean that you lose whatever premium you have already paid. Coaxing you to pay Cash\' - The greatest tip we can offer is &quot;Do Investigate&quot;. The biggest scamming cases involve fraudulent insurance agencies and agents. Usually, the modus operandi followed by these entities is to hard-sell their schemes to unassuming citizens and coax them to pay the premium in cash. Once they receive the cash, you are left high and dry, without an insurance cover. The loop-hole is that if you procure insurance from an unlicensed agent, then you are not protected.</p>\r\n<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('292','39','Part 1: Structure and the PBGC\r\n<p>A <em>401(k)</em> retirement savings plan is structured as a defined contribution plan. The plan defines the amount of money that you can put into it and how much your employer will match, if any. You can usually choose relatively safe, fixed-rate investments for your funds, or you can opt for somewhat riskier alternatives. </p>\r\n<p>In much the same manner, a <strong>pension</strong> which is structured as a <em>defined benefit plan</em> provides a predictable, secure amount of money to you for the rest of your life, beginning at a specified age. Normally, the employer is responsible for making the required contributions to the plan so that it&rsquo;s funded sufficiently to make the appropriate benefits available when required. As such, the employer decides where the funds will be invested. With a defined benefit pension, the longer you remain with the company, the larger your pension will be. </p>\r\n<p>You&rsquo;ve no doubt recently heard or read about numerous large corporations whose pension plans were underfunded. The federal government has an agency in place, called the <strong>Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC)</strong>, which is charged with insuring corporate pension plans. If a corporate plan defaults, the PBGC will pick up the appropriate payments, subject to certain limits; in other words, larger pensions may not necessarily be protected. You can probably understand why when you realize that the PBGC is currently operating with a $23 billion deficit. </p>\r\n<p>Although the PBGC attempts to encourage companies to offer defined plans so that their employees can know and plan for the amount of money they&rsquo;ll receive upon retirement, the trend is moving away from defined benefit plans. There has been a significant drop in the number of defined plans that the agency insures, from 95,000 plans in 1980 to around 40,000 today. Also, in the last thirty years, the PBGC has been forced to take over more than 3,400 defaulted pension plans. </p>\r\n<p>As a very prudent hedge against such alarming statistics, some workers are taking more direct responsibility for their financial planning and the funding of their retirement. But while a number of people have millions of dollars in their accounts, the average amount of money in a 401(k) is $29,000 while the median level is only about $10,000. That&rsquo;s not likely to help much if it&rsquo;s the only money you&rsquo;ve saved for retirement and don&rsquo;t have a pension. To put it plainly, most employees simply aren&rsquo;t saving enough. </p>\r\n<p>Also, many people are not aware of just how their pensions are calculated. With most pensions, the benefit depends upon such factors as the employee&rsquo;s earnings, length of employment, the age when he or she begins collecting benefits, and the formula which the plan utilizes. For instance, the formula might use an average of your pay in the final three- to five years of employment. With the current climate surrounding the state of corporate pension plans, it behooves you to understand exactly how your pension is calculated to ensure that you&rsquo;ll receive all of the benefits due you. #p##e#</p>\r\n<p>Some companies now offer <em>cash balance</em> pensions. With this type of structure, the employer typically puts five percent of the employee&rsquo;s pay into the individual&rsquo;s pension account each year. The employer also pays interest on the account&rsquo;s balance. When the employee leaves, the funds in the account may be rolled into an IRA or a new employer&rsquo;s retirement plan. </p>\r\n<p>In Part 2 of this series, we&rsquo;ll look at pension vesting and your distribution options.</p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('293','39','<p>If you qualify, there&rsquo;s a way in which you can pay for some of your health expenses on a tax-free basis. It&rsquo;s called a <strong>Medical Savings Account</strong>. Also known as an <em>Archer MSA</em>, it&rsquo;s generally available to self-employed individuals or people who work for small companies that have fifty or fewer employees and offer no group health insurance. Your company can provide the MSA or you can set one up for yourself. It can be somewhat more expensive, however, when compared to group insurance bought through an association or an individual major-medical health plan. </p>\r\n<p>An MSA operates in this manner: you must first buy a <em>high-deductible health plan (HDHP)</em>. For an individual plan the deductible can range from $1,700 to $2,650 per year. Family-plan deductibles must be at least $3,500 to a maximum of $5,250 yearly (the <em>deductible</em> is the amount that you pay out-of-pocket before the insurance picks up the coverage and begins to pay). You may also have to pay a percentage of each medical bill. However, annual out-of-pocket expenses are capped at $3,500 for individuals and $6,450 for families. (All of these amounts are indexed to inflation.) </p>\r\n<p>Once you have the HDHP, you open a tax-deductible medical savings account. Each year you&rsquo;re allowed to deposit up to seventy-five percent of your deductible amount for a family plan (sixty-five percent for the individual plan) into the account. The funds are held by a custodian -- usually a bank or the insurer. Or, your employer can make deposits on your behalf. In this case, the money is free of <em>Social Security</em> tax. Either way, you earn tax-deferred interest on the deposited money. However, if your employer deposits less than the maximum allowable amount, you cannot add to it. You and you employer can&rsquo;t both make deposits into your account during the same year. </p>\r\n<p>Whenever you have a qualified medical expense, you use the funds in your MSA to pay for it. Any money not spent during the year carries over to future years. You can also use your MSA for expenses not covered by your insurance, such as eyeglasses or vanity cosmetic surgery. But money for uncovered items or procedures won&rsquo;t count toward your deductible. </p>\r\n<p>Funds in your MSA can be used for nonmedical reasons, as well. But if this happens, you must report the expenditure as taxable income. You&rsquo;ll also owe a fifteen percent penalty unless you&rsquo;re at least 65 years old or are disabled. </p>\r\n<p>Your MSA is portable, which means that if you change employers your account goes with you. But if your new company isn&rsquo;t eligible to have medical savings accounts, you&rsquo;ll no longer be able to make contributions. You can, however, still use the money already deposited to pay for qualified medical expenses tax-free. Or, you can allow the funds to continue to build until retirement on a tax-deferred basis. </p>\r\n<p>For healthy people with plenty of money, MSAs can be a great savings tool. They can be somewhat risky, however, for those on a tight <em>budget</em>. With high deductibles and stiff penalties for using the money for nonmedical needs (even financial emergencies), many people may see very little advantage to them.</p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('294','39','<p>Estate tax planning is a subject which all parents should concern themselves with. Its fundamental goal is to pass as much of your estate on to your family and loved ones on a tax-free basis as possible. One simple but very effective tool to help you accomplish this is the <strong>Roth IRA</strong>. </p>\r\n<p>The Roth IRA is an after-tax retirement fund which can produce substantial tax savings because all of its distributions are made tax-free. With the Roth, contributions into the fund are not deductible as they are with traditional IRAs or <em>401(k) plans</em>. Instead, Roth contributions are made with after-tax dollars. However, once the individual reaches the age of 591/2, all of the fund’s distributions are made tax-free. Let’s take a look at it by running a few numbers. </p>\r\n<p>Of course, the biggest ally of any retirement planning is the abundance of time. The more years that you save toward your retirement, or put more plainly, the earlier that you start saving, the larger your retirement bundle will be when that time comes. You can transfer relatively small amounts of money to you child right now. For example, if you were to open a Roth IRA with $4,000 for your 16 year-old child, it will have an opportunity to grow tax-free for forty-three years. Assuming ten percent annual growth, the value of the account at your progeny’s retirement would be around $200,000, and that full amount would be distributed on a tax-free basis. </p>\r\n<p>But before you rush out and open up a Roth for Junior, you’ll need to make some determinations. As a parent, it’s very important to the healthy development of your children that you begin to teach them the value of money. They must be taught what money is used for as well as what it should not be used for. The concept of saving and investing for future good should be instilled. Of course, these will not necessarily be the easiest lessons in the world to get over to them, but be persistent. It’s crucial to their overall well-being. </p>\r\n<p>There is also a practical application for these lessons. You’ll need to ensure that your child is mature enough to be able to handle the responsibility of a long-term investment account. This is because the Roth IRA must be opened in their name. Your child will have the legal right to use the account in whatever way he or she chooses to. That’s why you must make clear the advantages of using the account correctly as well as the consequences of using it unwisely. They have to understand that withdrawing money unnecessarily will result in taxes and penalties which they will be responsible for, not to mention robbing the retirement nest egg that the account was opened for initially. Be objective, but be sure beforehand; once it’s opened, the decision on how to use the account rests solely with them. </p>\r\n<p>Opening a Roth IRA for your child can be a very effective means of transferring wealth as well as teaching important financial lessons. If your child acts responsibly with regard to it, your small Roth contributions can grow into a very substantial retirement amount.</p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('295','39','<p><strong>Medicare Managed Care Plans</strong>, also known as <strong>Medicare Advantage Plans</strong> or simply <strong>Medicare Part C</strong>, fill gaps in basic <em>Medicare</em> coverage, as do <em>Medigap</em> policies. But the two systems are quite different. Whereas Medigap works in conjunction with Medicare (medical bills are sent to both Medicare and the Medigap insurer, and each pays a portion of the approved charges), Medicare Advantage provides all of the insurance itself, including all basic Medicare coverage along with other services to fill the gaps in Medicare. And unlike the mandated coverage of Medigap, the federal government doesn\'t regulate Medicare Managed Care Plans except to direct that the plans offer at least standard Medicare benefits. The extent of coverage offered beyond basic Medicare &ndash; as well as the premiums and co-payments charged &ndash; is determined entirely by the managed care plan itself. </p>\r\n<p>If you join a Medicare Advantage plan, you leave the Medicare program altogether. The insurance company that runs the managed care plan receives a monthly payment from Medicare on your behalf. The plan then directs all of your medical coverage. If coverage is denied for a particular service or treatment, it also rules on any appeals that you may decide to make. If you determine that a managed care plan isn\'t for you and decide to withdraw from it, you\'re always permitted to rejoin traditional Medicare. </p>\r\n<p>The basic premise of managed care is that the plan member agrees to receive care only from specific doctors, hospitals, and others (in other words, a <em>network</em> of providers) in exchange for reduced overall healthcare costs. There are several varieties of Medicare Advantage plans. Some place rigid restrictions on consulting with specialists or seeing providers outside the network. Others provide their members with more freedom to choose whom they would consult for treatment. Generally speaking, however, more choice means higher cost. </p>\r\n<p>The <em>Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)</em> is the least expensive and most restrictive Medicare Managed Care plan. Each HMO maintains a list of network doctors and health care providers. The HMO member must receive care only from a provider in the network, except in emergencies. If a provider from outside the network is used, the plan pays nothing toward the bill. And because the plan member has technically withdrawn from traditional Medicare by joining the Advantage plan, Medicare will pay none of the bill, either. The member becomes financially responsible for entire cost. However, federal law does require that all plans cover emergency services nationwide, regardless of the restrictions that are placed on the use of providers for routine care. The law also stipulates that plans pay for covered services that members receive from non-plan providers if the treatment was urgently needed while the member was temporarily outside of the plan\'s geographic coverage area. </p>\r\n<p>The HMO member must select a <em>primary care physician (PCP)</em> from the plan\'s network. This is the doctor who directs and coordinates all of the member\'s medical care. The member cannot see other doctors or providers &ndash; even from within the same plan network &ndash; or obtain other medical services without a referral from his or her primary care physician. The intent is to encourage the primary care physician to handle medical problems that don\'t absolutely require a specialist. It also discourages the plan member from seeking specialist care. This restriction is a significant reason that managed care is less expensive for insurance companies than traditional fee-for-service policies. However, since lots of seniors require specialist care, it\'s also a reason that many of them decline HMO coverage in favor of Medigap insurance or less restrictive types of managed care. #p##e#</p>\r\n<p>Some HMO plans offer what\'s known as a <em>point-of-service (POS)</em> option. This feature allows a member to see physicians and other providers who are not in the HMO\'s network, and to receive services from specialists without first going through the primary care physician. If the member uses this option, the plan pays a smaller portion of the bill than if the member had followed the normal HMO procedure. The member also pays a higher premium for this option, along with a higher co-payment each time the option is exercised. </p>\r\n<p>The <em>Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)</em> works in the same manner as the HMO with point-of-service option. If a member receives services from a caregiver in the PPO\'s network, the cost to the member is lower than if he or she had seen a non-network provider. Although they tend to be more expensive than standard HMOs, many people find that the extra flexibility afforded by PPOs in choosing doctors is an important factor to them, and therefore worth the extra cost. </p>\r\n<p>The <em>Provider-Sponsored Organization (PSO)</em> is a group of medical providers (usually made up of doctors, clinics, and a hospital) that circumvent the insurance company middleman and contract directly with patients. As with an HMO, the member pays a premium, along with a co-payment each time a service is used. Within the first six months of enrolling in Medicare, you have an unqualified right to join any Medicare Managed Care plan that operates in the county of your primary residence. In other words, the plan must accept you without any medical screening and on the same terms and conditions as anyone else of your age, regardless of your medical history or physical condition. Additionally, every Medicare Advantage plan must provide at least one month annually of \'open enrollment\', which means that during that time anyone who\'s eligible for Medicare can join the plan regardless of his or her medical history or condition. Many plans designate November as their open-enrollment month, with coverage beginning the following January 1st. Some plans have more than one open-enrollment month per year; others even offer continuous open enrollment. </p>\r\n<p>Like all managed care systems, Medicare Advantage plans can be an economical way to administer health care. But they can also be quite restrictive with regard to the patient\'s choices concerning his or her own health care services. If you\'re considering a Medicare Managed Care plan, you must decide whether any of the offerings available in your area offer coverage that\'s adequate for you at an affordable cost. For more detailed information about Medicare Advantage healthcare plans, please visit <strong>Medicare\'s</strong> website.</p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('296','39','<p>Here’s a list of things that you can do to make life a little easier for yourself and your health care budget: </p>\r\n<ul>\r\n    <li>First things first: lose weight; quit smoking; eat healthily; wear seat belts; exercise. Doing this first step may very well wipe out the necessity for several of the items that follow. After all, the cheapest doctor bill is the one that doesn’t need to be paid. </li>\r\n    <li>Join a <em>Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)</em> and use only the service providers on the network list. Going outside of the network will cost you a larger slice of the bill. </li>\r\n    <li>If you’re on Medicare, go only to doctors who accept assignment, which means that they’ll charge no more than what Medicare will pay for a given procedure. You must still pay your deductible and appropriate percentage share of the bill, but you won’t have to pay any excess charges. Most doctors today accept assignment; if yours doesn’t, the local <strong>Social Security</strong> office should have a list of participating Medicare physicians. Your insurer may also have the information. </li>\r\n    <li>In <em>fee-for-service plans</em>, ask your doctors to limit their fees to whatever your insurance will pay. They could very well say yes. </li>\r\n    <li>Have your old X-rays sent to your new doctor or dentist; it will cut down on the cost and risk of being x-rayed again. </li>\r\n    <li>Use generic drugs unless there’s a good reason not to. </li>\r\n    <li>Get advice by telephone from your doctor or nurse; it’s much less costly than an office visit. </li>\r\n    <li>If you’re paying a portion of a doctor or hospital bill, be sure to get it itemized. Hospitals have been known to bill for treatments which you didn’t use. Some of their services will be listed in code, but you can get assistance in checking them. Visit the billing office and ask them to decipher anything you don’t understand, and itemize any lump sum charges labeled “pharmacy? “miscellaneous? etc. Don’t pay for anything which cannot be accounted for. </li>\r\n    <li>Get a copy of your doctor or hospital bill to see the amount that was actually paid. Your insurer may have received a discount. If you owe a percentage of the bill, it should be figured on the discounted amount unless your policy specifically states otherwise. Some insurers overcharge by billing you for a percentage based on the full price. </li>\r\n    <li>If there’s a 24-hour emergency clinic in your area, check their prices. They’re usually less expensive than a hospital emergency room. </li>\r\n    <li>If you’re in the hospital, tell them that you want to use your own aspirin, sleeping pills, or other routine medications as long as they don’t conflict with your treatment. Hospitals can charge $3 or more for a single pill that you may already have yourself. </li>\r\n    <li>Compare drug prices at several pharmacies; you’re likely to find substantial price differences. Also, many HMOs run their own low-cost mail-order pharmacies. </li>\r\n    <li>Try store-brand over-the-counter medications. They’re less expensive than their brand-name counterparts and often just as effective. </li>\r\n    <li>Check yourself regularly for breast cancer. </li>\r\n    <li>Learn how to take care of some illnesses yourself and follow your doctor’s directions to the letter.</li>\r\n</ul>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('297','39','<p>When shopping for car insurance, you must take a number of factors into consideration in order to obtain the best coverage for your needs at a reasonable price. For instance, how much is your vehicle worth? Is it new? Is it financed? What state do you live in? And your assets; do you have a lot to protect? All of these questions must be answered as you search for the right policy. Listed below are the most common types of auto insurance offered. Some are required; others are not. Most allow you to choose the amount of coverage and deductible that suits your needs. A good insurance professional can be of enormous value in helping to explain the choices and options available to you. </p>\r\n<ul>\r\n    <li><strong>Bodily injury liability</strong> - A required coverage, bodily injury liability protects you if you&rsquo;re sued for injuring someone in an accident, including pedestrians and passengers riding with you. The policy pays the victim&rsquo;s medical costs, loss of earnings, and pain and suffering. It also covers you if someone is injured by a family member who&rsquo;s driving your car, a friend driving your car with permission, or a family member who is driving someone else&rsquo;s car with permission. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Property damage liability</strong> - Also required, this liability insurance pays for any damage you do to someone else&rsquo;s property. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Medical payments</strong> - This coverage, offered in <em>fault states</em> but not a requirement, pays the medical and funeral bills of anyone injured in your car, without regard to who caused the accident. It also covers your family members if they&rsquo;re hurt as pedestrians or while riding in someone else&rsquo;s vehicle, including a bus or taxi. Generally, medical payment insurance will only cover the bills that regular health insurance doesn&rsquo;t pay. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Personal-injury protection (PIP)</strong> - PIP, a no-fault item, covers your personal medical bills up to a stated limit, part of any lost wages, funeral expenses, and in some states, replacement services (a babysitter while a mother is hospitalized, for example). </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Collision</strong> - This portion of your policy covers repairs to your own vehicle, no matter who caused the accident. If your vehicle is financed, the creditor will require that you carry this type of insurance as long as the loan is in effect; if you own the car free and clear, this coverage is optional. The price of collision coverage depends on the type of vehicle and the size of the deductible, which can range from $100 to $1,000. The higher the deductible that you choose, the lower your cost for this coverage. If involved in an accident which wasn&rsquo;t your fault, your deductible may be covered by the at-fault driver&rsquo;s insurance policy. Collision is typically written to cover your vehicle&rsquo;s fair market value only, which generally drops over time. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Comprehensive</strong> - As with collision coverage, if your car is financed, the lender will require comprehensive insurance. If owned outright this coverage, too, is optional. Comprehensive pays for random damage to your car from fire, flood, earthquake, hail, vandalism, and road debris. It also covers theft and, perhaps, the use of a rental car after a theft. Deductibles can range from $100 to $1,000; the higher the deductible you choose, the lower your comprehensive premium. Windshields may be insurable separately, with no deductible at all. Comprehensive will pay up to your vehicle&rsquo;s fair market value, and no more. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Uninsured and underinsured motorist</strong> - Required in many but not all states, uninsured- and underinsured motorist coverages pay the cost of your injuries and those of your passengers if you&rsquo;re hit by an uninsured driver who&rsquo;s at fault, an at-fault driver whose insurance policy won&rsquo;t cover all of your damages, or a hit-and-run driver. It also covers lost wages and, in some states, reimbursement for damages to your car. In <em>no-fault states</em>, this coverage kicks in if you&rsquo;re injured badly enough to sue. You can collect from this insurance on top of your no-fault personal injury protection. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Towing and service / rental car reimbursement</strong> - This optional coverage pays for towing and labor charges for repairs if you have an accident or your car breaks down. However, if you belong to an auto club, you probably already have these benefits. </li>\r\n</ul>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('298','39','<p>The creativity of the insurance industry over the last few decades has proven to be absolutely astounding in its ability to separate the buying public from their money. Although insurance is a vital part of the financial portfolio of most prudent people, <em>all</em> insurance products are not useful. One way to decide whether or not you need a new insurance product is to stay focused on what the <em>core purpose of insurance</em> is: to restore the insured (or the insured\'s beneficiaries) to their original financial position, not to provide an opportunity for making a large profit. You might also consider whether or not the insurance coverage is so narrow (for example, flight insurance) that the money spent protecting yourself against such an unlikely event isn\'t worth the benefits your survivors would receive. Some of the offerings that are widely suggested by consumer organizations and financial planners to be quite unnecessary and are listed below: </p>\r\n<ul>\r\n    <li><strong>Children\'s life insurance policies.</strong> When a baby arrives, insurance agents trying to sell life insurance for the offspring typically bombard new parents. The sales pitch usually touts the huge advantages of the policy because it can provide a college fund through an increase in cash value. But there are far better <em>investments</em> that can be used to supply a college fund than this. Again, the purpose of insurance is to restore the family to its original financial position -- in this case by protecting against the loss of a family member\'s income. Unless you\'re the parents of a child star, this policy really isn\'t necessary. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Credit life insurance.</strong> This offer, typically made to new customers of <em>credit card</em> companies, finance companies, and car dealerships, offers to make your monthly account payments for you should you become disabled or unemployed (it will also pay your account fully if you die). There are, however, a few catches. First, the premiums are usually quite expensive for the dollar-amount of coverage provided. Next is the fact that -- and this is only stated in the fine print, which you should <em>always</em> read -- the insurer will only pay the monthly minimum toward your balance, and often for not more than a year. Meanwhile, interest continues to compound and the balance grows. Rather than buying this type of policy, it would be wiser to deposit more funds into your <em>emergency savings</em> coffers. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Mortgage protection insurance.</strong> Similar to credit life (but in no way to be confused with <em>PMI</em> or <em>MIP</em>), the insurer promises to make your mortgage payments for six- to twelve months in the event of disability or unemployment. And like credit life, the same drawbacks exist. The length of time that payments are made is limited and the policy is outrageously expensive, up to four percent of your annual mortgage amount. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Dread-disease insurance.</strong> With this insurance, coverage is provided if you should contract a particular catastrophic disease, such as cancer. However, the payouts on these policies are typically just 50 cents or less on each premium dollar spent. You\'d be much better off investing in a policy that covers all diseases. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Flight insurance.</strong> Flatly stated, the cost is high when you consider that statistics show you\'re many times more likely to be killed in a car accident than a plane crash. Not exactly a high note to end on, but you get the picture. Your money\'s more wisely spent elsewhere.\r\n    <p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n    </li>\r\n</ul>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('299','39','<p>When you rent a car, the rental agency will usually offer to sell you insurance to cover accidents while on your trip. In most cases, you&rsquo;re safe to decline it. You can get the same or better protection from your personal automobile insurance or possibly the rental-car insurance provided by the credit card that you use, and at a substantial savings. But there may be holes in your personal or credit-card coverage. If you don&rsquo;t understand the rules, you could be driving your rental uninsured. </p>\r\n<p>Generally, you&rsquo;ll likely want to decline the coverage offered by the agency if you can. It&rsquo;s incredibly expensive. For instance, a package covering collision or theft of the rental car, $1 million in bodily injury coverage if you hit someone, and relatively low amounts of property damage and medical payments coverage could, in some states, cost you from $140 to $200 or more for a one-week excursion. </p>\r\n<p>In order to avoid this expense, check with your auto-insurance agent to see if your personal policy covers you when you drive a rental car. If it does, ask about any limitations of the coverage (but don&rsquo;t take the agent&rsquo;s word for it; double-check them in your copy of the policy). For example, there may be no collision or theft coverage if you don&rsquo;t buy it for your own car as well. And rental coverage generally doesn&rsquo;t extend to foreign countries. Some policies don&rsquo;t cover rental cars at all, or only cover them when your car is being repaired. In addition, the coverage may only last for fifteen- to thirty days. If you have an accident in the rental car on, say, day 12 but don&rsquo;t turn it back in to the agency until day 31, you won&rsquo;t be covered. If you&rsquo;re going to hold onto the car for a long period of time, see if the rental agency offers any special deals. </p>\r\n<p>If you&rsquo;re driving a rental car on company business, your company probably insures you. But ask to be sure. The company may refuse to pay if you have an accident while using the car for other-than-business purposes. </p>\r\n<p>If your personal or company policy doesn&rsquo;t cover your rental car, you may have another option. Certain credit cards will protect you against damage or theft for a limited number of days if you use that card to secure and pay for the rental. They may also cover any deductibles under your personal auto insurance. </p>\r\n<p>But again, read the fine print because there are limitations. <em>Visa</em> only covers gold-card holders. <em>MasterCard</em> offers it on their gold card and a few standard cards. <em>American Express</em> usually covers all of its United States cardholders. The coverage is typically limited to standard- or smaller-size cars and minivans. If you have an accident, you&rsquo;re required to follow certain procedures or risk losing your credit-card coverage. You must contact the card company (not the issuing bank, but the card company itself) using a special phone number within a limited amount of time. </p>\r\n<p>Be sure to acquaint yourself with the rental-car insurance rules, both of your personal insurer and your credit card company. And check back with them from time-to-time, just in case they&rsquo;ve made any changes. Stay abreast; it could save you a tremendous amount of money.</p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('300','39','<p>The <strong>Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act</strong> (also known as <strong>COBRA</strong>) is a federal law that requires companies employing at least 20 people to provide for a continuation of benefits for former employees and their families under the company\'s group health insurance plan. COBRA makes it possible for those employees (and other qualified family members) who would otherwise lose their insurance coverage due to the occurrence of a qualifying event to continue their coverage at specified group rates, for a period of eighteen- to thirty-sex months, at their own expense. COBRA specifies the rates, coverage, qualifying events and beneficiaries, notification of eligibility procedures, and time of payment requirements for the continuation of coverage. </p>\r\n<p>A <em>qualifying event</em> is an occurrence that activates an insured individual\'s protection under COBRA. Qualifying events can include the death of a covered employee, termination of employment or reduction of work hours, <em>Medicare</em> eligibility for the covered employee, divorce or legal separation of the covered employee from his or her spouse, the termination of a child\'s dependent status under the terms of the group insurance plan, and the bankruptcy of the employer. In other words, a qualifying event occurs when the employee (or the spouse or dependent child) becomes ineligible for coverage under group contract. However, if termination is the result of gross misconduct by the covered employee, it is <em>not</em> a qualifying event. </p>\r\n<p>A <em>qualified beneficiary</em> is defined as any individual covered under the group health plan on the day before a qualifying event occurs. This generally includes the covered employee and his or her spouse and any dependent children. Amendments made in 1996 expand the definition of &quot;qualified beneficiary&quot; to include children born or adopted during the 18-month coverage period. </p>\r\n<p>Employers must provide <em>notification</em> statements to individuals who are eligible for coverage continuation under COBRA. This notification must be made when an insurance plan becomes subject to COBRA, when an employee is covered by a plan that\'s subject to COBRA (such as a new hire), or when a qualifying event occurs. Additionally, the initial notification made to the spouse of an employee, or to his or her dependents, must be made in writing and sent to the last known address of the spouse or dependent. The eligible individual has 60 days following notification in which to elect the continuation of coverage; if he or she fails to do so in that time period, the option is forfeited. </p>\r\n<p>The rationale behind COBRA is to provide transitional health care coverage until the employee or family member secures coverage or employment elsewhere; thus, an employer is only required to make continuation coverage available temporarily. The maximum period of coverage continuation for termination of employment or a reduction in employment hours is 18 months. For all other qualifying events the maximum period of coverage continuation is 36 months. There are also certain disqualifying events that can end coverage before the specified time periods, such as the first day that a premium payment is missed, if the employer drops the group health plan (however in most states, if an employer discontinues its group plan, employees must have the opportunity to convert to individual insurance without a medical examination or other evidence of insurability), the first day the covered individual obtains replacement coverage, or the date that the covered individual becomes eligible for Medicare.</p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('301','39','<p><em>Life insurance</em> cost comparison methods are used to evaluate the cost of one life insurance policy in relation to another so that consumers can be better informed when shopping for the most competitively priced offering for their particular needs. Although the cost of life insurance depends largely upon an individual\'s specific circumstances and requirements, cost estimates are nonetheless useful so that the consumer has the opportunity to consider every factor when making a buying decision. </p>\r\n<p>When evaluating different policies, it\'s not enough to simply compare premiums. A lower premium does not automatically mean a lower-cost policy. To that extent, <em>cost indexes</em> have been developed to help in the process of measuring an insurance policy\'s actual cost. These indexes use <em>compound interest</em> factors to produce &quot;interest-adjusted&quot; cost and payment figures. </p>\r\n<p>Policy illustration information normally includes a Surrender Cost Index and a Net Payment Cost Index. These two indexes show average annual costs and payments per $1,000 of coverage on a basis which recognizes that $1 payable today is worth more than $1 payable in the future (in other words, inflation is taken into consideration). They also assume that the insured individual will live and pay premiums for a particular period of years. Most insurance companies provide these index numbers on both a guaranteed and an illustrated basis. </p>\r\n<p>The <em>Surrender Cost Index</em>, also known as the Traditional Net Cost Method, uses a complicated calculation formula, but the basic process works in this manner: the policy\'s premiums and dividends are accumulated over a period of years (ten or twenty, for example) at an assumed annual rate of interest, often four- or five percent. The total accumulated dividends are then added to the policy cash value at the end of the period, and this total is subtracted from the accumulated premium payments. In other words, the projected total cash value of the policy at some point in the future is subtracted from the total premium payments accumulated to that same future point, in order to determine how much the policy actually costs. This net cost is then averaged over the number of years in the period to arrive at the <em>average cost-per-thousand</em> for a policy that is surrendered for its cash value at the end of the period. </p>\r\n<p>The <em>Net Payment Cost Index</em>, also called the Interest-Adjusted Cost Method, is determined in the same manner as the Surrender Cost Index; with the exception that it doesn\'t assume that the policy will be surrendered at the end of the period. The same formula is used, but the cash value element is omitted. Instead, this index provides an estimate of the <em>average annual out-of-pocket net premium</em> expenditure, again adjusted for the time value of money. </p>\r\n<p>Cost indexes can be quite valuable when shopping for life insurance. It\'s important, however, to understand that when using them, the consumer should compare index numbers only for similar types of plans and only for the category of policy appropriate for the consumer\'s age and the amount that he or she intends to buy. Additionally, policy features and customer service should also be weighed, because such advantages or disadvantages could serve to offset small differences in index comparisons. In short, cost index comparisons ?as well as various other elements ?must be objectively considered when choosing the best policy for your premium dollar.</p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('302','39','<p><em>Whole life insurance</em> is designed to provide protection for the entire life of the person insured. Cash values accumulate within the policy, money that the policy-owner can borrow against if desired. Also known as <em>permanent-</em> or <em>ordinary insurance</em>, these policies pay their <em>face amount</em> upon the death of the insured or when he or she reaches the age of 100, whichever happens first. Insurance companies consider this age to be the \'whole life\' of an individual (thus the policy\'s name). Below are several common types of whole life policies. </p>\r\n<p><strong>Continuous premium whole life</strong> is the most common type of whole life insurance sold. As the name implies, these policies stretch the premium payments over the whole life of the insured (up to age 100). This type of policy is also routinely referred to as <em>straight life</em> insurance. </p>\r\n<p><strong>Limited payment whole life</strong> insurance affords the policy-owner the same full lifetime protection of continuous premium whole life, but without the perpetual payments. In other words, the policy-owner simply pays for the entire policy in a shorter period of time. (The premium for any whole life policy can be broken down into any desired number of installments.) Because the limited payment policy is fully paid sooner than a straight life policy, logic dictates that its annual premiums are higher than those of the straight life plan. With the accelerated premiums, the cash values of limited payment policies also build at a faster rate. This means that the loan value for a limited payment policy would be more than that of a straight life policy owned for the same amount of time. </p>\r\n<p>Some common forms of limited payment whole life include 20-payment life (which means that premium payments are spread out over 20 years), 30-payment, and life paid-up at age 65 (the premiums are fully paid at age 65, but the policy continues to provide lifetime coverage). These policies <em>mature</em> (or pay out) at age 100 or upon the death of the insured, whichever occurs first. </p>\r\n<p><strong>Single premium whole life</strong> is a very specialized and extreme version of the limited payment plan, paying for the full policy with only one premium. Of course, this single payment could very well be many thousands of dollars. The advantage offered by a single premium policy is that the policy-owner pays less than if the premiums were stretched over many years. On the other hand, the risk of this type of policy is that the person insured could die shortly after the single premium was paid, thus making the cost of the insurance coverage much higher than it might have been had the premiums been scheduled over a long period of time. </p>\r\n<p>Single premium whole life policies fall into the category of <em>Modified Endowment Contracts (MECs)</em>. There are major tax consequences to be considered when purchasing a single premium policy, or any type of MEC. </p>\r\n<p><strong>Current assumption whole life</strong> policies (also known as <em>interest-sensitive whole life</em>) offer flexible premium payments that are indexed to the movements of current interest rates. The insurance company can increase or decrease the policy\'s premium within a certain range depending upon the fluctuation of market rates. During periods of relatively high rates, premiums could be reduced. In times of low interest rates, premiums could be increased within certain limits. Premium adjustments are generally only made on an annual basis, however.</p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('303','39','<p>Insurance policies are some of the most important purchases that you will make in your life. The most effective way to ensure that you get the most value for you money is to study the industry and compare products. Here’s a list of common insurance terms that you’ll come across frequently as you comparison shop. Be sure to familiarize yourself with them: </p>\r\n<ul>\r\n    <li><strong>Actual Cash Value</strong> - The replacement cost of property damaged or destroyed at the time of loss, with deduction for depreciation. Actual cash value cannot exceed the applicable limit of liability shown in the declarations of the policy, nor the amount it would cost to repair or replace such property with material of like kind and quality within a reasonable amount of time after a loss. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Aggregate</strong> - A limit in an insurance policy stipulating the most it will pay for all covered losses sustained during a specified period of time, usually one year. Aggregate limits are commonly included in liability policies. While not often used in property insurance, aggregates are sometimes included with respect to certain catastrophic exposures, e.g., earthquake and flood. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Attained Age</strong> ?The insured\'s age at a particular time. For example, many term life insurance policies allow an insured to convert to permanent insurance without a physical examination at the insured\'s then attained age. Upon conversion, the premium usually rises substantially to reflect the insured\'s age and diminished life expectancy. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Benefit Period</strong> - In health insurance, the number of days for which benefits are paid to the named insured and his or her dependents. For example, the number of days that benefits are calculated for a calendar year consist of the days beginning on Jan. 1 and ending on Dec. 31 of each year. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Binder</strong> - A legal agreement that serves to effect insurance coverage for a specified period of time until the actual insurance policy can be issued. A binder can be issued by either an insurance agent or company and must contain the name of the insured, the name of the insurance company, the type of insurance coverage, the covered perils, and the limits of the insurance. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Claim</strong> - A demand made by the insured, or the insured\'s beneficiary, for payment of the benefits as provided by the policy. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Coverage</strong> - The scope of protection provided under an insurance policy. In property insurance, coverage lists perils insured against, properties covered, locations covered, individuals insured, and the limits of indemnification. In life insurance, living and death benefits are listed. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Convertible</strong> -Term life insurance coverage that can be converted into permanent insurance regardless of an insured\'s physical condition and without a medical examination. The individual cannot be denied coverage or charged an additional premium for any health problems. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Copayment</strong> - A predetermined, flat fee an individual pays for health-care services, in addition to what insurance covers. For example, some HMOs require a $10 copayment for each office visit, regardless of the type or level of services provided during the visit. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Death Benefit</strong> - The limit of insurance or the amount of benefit that will be paid in the event of the death of a covered person. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Deductible</strong> - Amount of loss that the insured pays before the insurance kicks in. #p##e#</li>\r\n    <li><strong>Elimination Period</strong> - The time which must pass after filing a claim before policyholder can collect insurance benefits. Also known as a &quot;waiting period.&quot; </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Grace Period</strong> - The length of time (usually 31 days) after a premium is due and unpaid during which the policy, including all riders, remains in force. If a premium is paid during the grace period, the premium is considered to have been paid on time. In Universal Life policies, it typically provides for coverage to remain in force for 60 days following the date cash value becomes insufficient to support the payment of monthly insurance costs. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)</strong> - Prepaid group health insurance plan that entitles members to services of participating physicians, hospitals and clinics. Emphasis is on preventative medicine, and members must use contracted health-care providers. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Indemnity</strong> - Restoration to the victim of a loss by payment, repair or replacement. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Insurable Interest</strong> - Interest in property such that loss or destruction of the property could cause a financial loss. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Living Benefits</strong> - This feature allows you, under certain circumstances, to receive the proceeds of your life insurance policy before you die. Such circumstances include terminal or catastrophic illness, the need for long-term care, or confinement to a nursing home. Also known as &quot;accelerated death benefits.&quot;&nbsp; </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Noncancellable</strong> - Contract terms, including costs that can never be changed. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Out-of-Pocket Limit</strong> - A predetermined amount of money that an individual must pay before insurance will pay 100% for an individual\'s health-care expenses. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Point-of-Service Plan</strong> ?A health insurance policy that allows the employee to choose between in-network and out-of-network care each time medical treatment is needed. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Policy</strong> - The written contract effecting insurance, or the certificate thereof, and including all clause, riders, endorsements, and papers attached thereto and made a part thereof. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Pre-Existing Condition</strong> - A coverage limitation included in many health policies which states that certain physical or mental conditions, either previously diagnosed or which would normally be expected to require treatment prior to issue, will not be covered under the new policy for a specified period of time. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)</strong> - Network of medical providers who charge on a fee-for-service basis, but are paid on a negotiated, discounted fee schedule. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Umbrella Policy</strong> - Coverage for losses above the limit of an underlying policy or policies such as homeowners and auto insurance. While it applies to losses over the dollar amount in the underlying policies, terms of coverage are sometimes broader than those of underlying policies. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Underwriting</strong> - The process of selecting risks for insurance and classifying them according to their degrees of insurability so that the appropriate rates may be assigned. The process also includes rejection of those risks that do not qualify. </li>\r\n</ul>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('304','39','<p>There are a number of life insurance polices that have been designed to meet the needs of special situation or circumstances. These plans are actually combinations or modifications of <em>whole</em> and <em>term life</em> policies. Some of the more common programs are listed below. </p>\r\n<p>The <strong>family protection policy</strong> provides coverage for each of a family\'s members at the time the policy is issued. This combination policy usually provides coverage for the principal wage earner equal at four times the spouse\'s and five times the children\'s coverage amounts. For example, the Smith\'s family policy might provide $100,000 of coverage for Mr. Smith, $25,000 for Mrs. Smith and $20,000 on each child. In this example, the wife and children\'s coverages would ordinarily consist of term insurance while Mr. Smith\'s would be a permanent policy. These <em>additional coverages</em> are commonly known as <em>spouse term-</em> and <em>family riders</em>, respectively. </p>\r\n<p>Under a family policy, term coverage is provided at no additional cost for children born or adopted after the policy is issued. This coverage expires on each child as he or she reaches a specified age ?usually18 or 21, but sometimes as late as 25. The term coverage on children is usually convertible to any permanent insurance without evidence of insurability. </p>\r\n<p>The <strong>retirement income policy</strong> accumulates a sum of money for retirement while providing a death benefit. Upon retirement, the policy pays an income such as, for example, $10 per $1,000 of life insurance for the insured\'s lifetime or for a specified period. Retirement income policies are expensive, and cash value accumulation is high to pay for the monthly income. It must also be noted that once the accumulated cash value approaches the policy\'s face amount, the face amount must be increased to maintain the policy\'s status as life insurance. </p>\r\n<p>A <strong>joint life policy</strong> insures the lives of two or more people. This plan may pay the face amount upon the first death among the persons covered by the policy or upon the last death among the persons covered. Under a \'first-to-die\' joint-life policy, the death benefit is paid and the contract comes to an end at the first death and there is no further insurance protection for the other person or persons covered by the policy. </p>\r\n<p>\'Second-to-die\' (or survivor) life insurance covers two lives and provides payment only when the second insured dies. Premiums ?which can be significantly less than if the two lives were insured separately ?usually continue to be payable until the second death. Second-to-die policies are very useful in estate planning. When a surviving spouse dies, the policy can provide money to pay taxes on assets that may have been sheltered at the first death by the <em>marital deduction</em>. </p>\r\n<p><strong>Juvenile policies</strong> can consist of whole life or term insurance, depending on the purpose of having the policy. The criterion for juvenile insurance is that it be written on the life of a person who is not yet considered an adult for life insurance purposes. In most areas, this includes anyone who\'s under the age of 15. One of the more popular juvenile plans that parents purchase for their children is called the <em>jumping juvenile policy</em>. Initially, the face amount of this policy may be as little as $1,000. However, when the child turns 21, the policy\'s face value automatically \'jumps\' to a level that\'s usually five times greater than the original face amount with no increase in premium and no evidence of insurability required. #p##e#</p>\r\n<p>Using a <strong>modified premium plan</strong>, an ordinary life insurance policy\'s premium payments are redistributed. Premiums are lower during the first three- to five years of the policy, usually comparable to the amount that would be paid for a level term policy of the same length of time. After this initial period, the premiums go up so that they\'re somewhat higher than would normally be paid for an ordinary whole life policy. The advantage of this plan is that it allows a person to purchase permanent insurance at a time when his or her income might otherwise not permit it, and transfers much of the cost to a later time when the policyowner\'s income can be expected to be higher. </p>\r\n<p>The <strong>graded premium plan</strong> is similar to the modified plan listed above in that the initial premiums are very low. Like the modified policy, it\'s also designed to allow the policyowner to purchase a version of whole life insurance without the initial higher cost. However, unlike modified life (which has one increase to a higher, level premium for the remainder of the contract), graded premium plans provide for an annual increase in premium for each of the first five- to ten years of the policy. At the end of this \'stepped\' premium period, the premium remains level for the life of the policy. </p>\r\n<p>Both graded premium and modified life policies build cash value, but the amount accumulated is invariably less because of the smaller premium payments. Typically, a graded policy will have very little, if any, cash value during the graded premium period. <strong>Multiple protection policies</strong> are combinations of whole life and term insurance whereby the amount of protection is higher in the early years of the policy and less in the later years. For example, a multiple protection policyowner\'s current death benefit might be described as equal to two times the benefit at age 65 (this, of course, would be known as double protection). If the age 65 (and older) benefit is $25,000, then the insured has $50,000 of current protection up to that age. In essence, the additional death benefit prior to age 65 is term insurance. </p>\r\n<p><strong>Pre-need funeral insurance</strong> is a type of life insurance used to pay for an insured\'s funeral at a particular funeral home. In actuality, this type of insurance is simply a contract to provide a pre-planned funeral and cemetery services funded by a life insurance contract. Typically, the funeral home requests that the insured buy a life insurance policy naming the funeral home as the beneficiary. The funeral home is often paid a commission on the sale of the policy as well. The policy purchased may have an increasing face amount so that the funeral will be fully funded even if burial costs increase.</p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('305','39','<p>In the article <em>History of Insurance</em>, we examined the concept of <em>risk</em>, which is the possibility of loss. For a life insurance policy, however, the element of risk is somewhat different. When an insurance company writes, for example, a homeowners?policy, it hopes that nothing happens to the property and a claim will never be filed. When an insurance company issues a life policy, it knows that it will someday be faced with paying a claim upon that policy, because every person eventually dies. </p>\r\n<p>The basic premise of all life insurance is the same: to provide a benefit to ease the financial burden of the beneficiaries upon the loss of the insured person. This <em>death benefit</em> is universal. There are, however, several ways in which life insurance is structured to provide this benefit. All life insurance can be categorized under one of three general types: <strong>whole life insurance</strong>, <strong>term insurance</strong>, or <strong>flexible insurance</strong>. </p>\r\n<p><strong>Whole life</strong> insurance is designed to provide protection for the whole life of the insured person. Also known as <em>permanent</em> or <em>ordinary</em> insurance, this type of coverage accumulates cash value over the life of the policy. This cash value is guaranteed to the policy owner. If he or she decides to stop paying the policy premiums, they may “cash in?the policy and receive the cash value that is available at that time. The face value (or, the amount of coverage) of whole life insurance remains the same. Policy premiums (the amount that you pay for coverage) also generally remain level. </p>\r\n<p>The accumulated cash value of a whole life policy can also be borrowed against by the policy owner, who may or may not elect to repay the loan. If he or she elects not to pay it back, then the amount is called a withdrawal and is subtracted from the cash value available as well as the face value of the policy. For instance, if an insured person dies with a $50,000 whole life policy, but previously withdrew $5,000 for a vacation, the payable death benefit would be reduced to $45,000. If the policy owner elects to pay the borrowed amount back, it is payable with interest. </p>\r\n<p><strong>Term</strong> life insurance is designed to provide protection for a limited period of time, which is the <em>term</em> of the policy. However, if the insured does not die during the term that the policy is in force, the face value nor premium are refunded. Term insurance is used to provide economical insurance coverage at times in the life of the owner when it may be more advantageous to have additional coverage. For example, more coverage may be required by the parents when children are born, until the time when they are grown up and out on their own. The face value of the policy may remain the same during the term of the policy (Level Term), decrease (Decreasing Term), or increase (Increasing Term). Term policies are discussed in more detail in the article <em>Term Life Insurance</em>. </p>\r\n<p><strong>Flexible</strong> life insurance policies include <em>adjustable life</em>, <em>universal life</em>, and <em>variable life</em> insurance. Although each of these has its own unique characteristics and features, the one common factor that they have is flexibility, giving the policy owner numerous options in terms of premiums, face amounts, and investment objectives. He or she can change these components of the policy in response to changing needs and circumstances. For a more in-depth discussion of flexible insurance, please read the article <em>Flexible Life Insurance Policies</em>. </p>\r\n<p>There are many different individual policy types. Consider where you are in life, and what your financial needs consist of. Should anything happen to you, what will it take to maintain your family’s quality of life? These are not pleasant questions to ask, but they are prudent ones. Proper answers and sound knowledge are the keys to making the best financial choices for your situation.</p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('306','7','<p>In the field of <strong>life insurance</strong> there really aren\'t any \'standard\' policies per se; each agreement can vary significantly in order to meet the individual needs of the person insured. However, many states have provisions that are required of all life insurance policies so that they have become, for all intents and purposes, standard inclusions in such policies. Several of the more notable ones are outlined here. </p>\r\n<p>The <strong>free look</strong> provision allows a new policyholder an opportunity to review the entire insurance contract in order to reevaluate his or her purchase decision. Most states mandate that no individual life insurance policy may legally be issued or delivered unless it includes a notice or attachment stating in essence that during a period of ten days (some insurance companies give twenty) from the date that the policy is delivered to the policyholder, it may be surrendered back to the insurer along with a written request for cancellation; and in such an event the policy will become void from the beginning and the insurer must refund any premium paid. </p>\r\n<p>The <strong>incontestability clause</strong> states that after the policy -- whether it be <em>term</em> or <em>whole life</em> -- has been in force for a certain length of time, the company can no longer contest or void it except for nonpayment of premiums. This length of time is typically two years (although it\'s one year in a handful of states). </p>\r\n<p>If the insurance company discovers any grounds to void the policy during the contestable period, it\'s allowed to take such action. But once the policy has been in force for the specified period -- even if fraud is discovered -- the company can no longer void the policy. The policy therefore becomes <em>incontestable</em> after the mandated period of time. This provision makes the insurance contract somewhat different from other types of contracts. As a general rule, contract law specifies that if a fraudulent contract has been initiated, it can be voided or cancelled at any time; but after the expiration of the incontestable period this is specifically prohibited with regard to life contracts. </p>\r\n<p>The <strong>suicide clause</strong> is designed to prevent people who are contemplating taking their own lives from obtaining life insurance. To accomplish this, the clause states that if the insured commits suicide within a specified period of time, the policy will automatically be voided. The amount of time varies, but it\'s usually the same length as the incontestable period: one or two years. The clause applies whether the insured is sane or insane at the time of the act. </p>\r\n<p>Once the mandated period of time has elapsed, the insurance company must pay the claim even if the insured commits suicide. However, if suicide occurs while the time limit is still in effect, the company will usually only refund any premiums that the policy-owner has paid for the coverage. Accrued interest on the premiums typically won\'t be refunded, as the company will use it to offset part of its costs in initially setting up the policy. </p>\r\n<p>Although some states may not specifically mention the suicide clause in their laws, insurance companies generally use the silence as tacit permission to include the clause in their policies.</p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('307','7','<p>Taxation is the price you pay for being successful in your financial investments. Dividends and interest earned are taxable as ordinary income. Trading in stocks, bonds and mutual funds has many advantages, but the turnover of securities within your portfolio often causes the realization of <em>capital gains</em>, the profits from a security’s selling price that are above the price at which the security was purchased, which are also taxable. It’s very important that you develop an investment strategy that is as tax-efficient as possible. </p>\r\n<p>Publicly held corporations will tell you whether or not their distributions to you are taxable. Taxable dividends paid to you are reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on Form 1099-DIV, a copy of which must be sent be sent to you. Taxable interest that’s paid to you is reported on Form 1099-INT. </p>\r\n<p>Below you can see the impact of federal taxes on various types of investment distributions and capital gains: </p>\r\n<ul>\r\n    <li><em>Cash dividends.</em> Cash dividends you receive that are paid out of current or accumulated earnings of a corporation are taxed as ordinary income. </li>\r\n    <li><em>Stock dividends and stock splits.</em> If you own common stock and receive additional shares of the same company as a dividend, the dividend is not generally taxed. A stock dividend is taxed if you choose to receive cash instead of stock or if the stock you receive is that of another company. Preferred shareholders are generally taxed on stock dividends. Stock splits are similar to the receipt of stock dividends, but they are not dividends. If you receive additional shares of stock as part of a stock split, the new shares are not taxable due to the fact that even though you own more shares, your ownership percentage in the company hasn’t changed. </li>\r\n    <li><em>Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) dividends.</em> Ordinary dividends from a REIT are fully taxable. Dividends designated by the REIT as capital gain distributions are reported as long-term capital gains regardless of the length of time you’ve owned your trust shares. </li>\r\n    <li><em>Money-market fund distributions.</em> Distributions paid by money-market funds are reportable as dividends. </li>\r\n    <li><em>Interest on corporate bonds.</em> Interest is taxable when you receive it or when it’s made available to you. #p##e#</li>\r\n    <li><em>Interest on U.S. Treasury obligations.</em> Interest on securities issued by the federal government is fully taxable on your federal income tax return in the year that it’s received. It is not subject to state or local taxes, however. On a Treasury bill held to maturity or disposed of prior to that time, you report as interest the difference between the discounted price you paid and the amount you receive upon redemption or sale. </li>\r\n    <li><em>Interest on state and local government obligations.</em> Generally, you pay no federal tax on the interest on bonds or notes of states, cities, counties, the District of Columbia, or possessions of the United States. </li>\r\n    <li><em>Capital gains and losses.</em> Net capital gains (capital gains less capital losses) are added to your other income and are subject to capital gains tax rates. Capital losses are deductible from capital gains and are deductible from as much as $3,000 of your ordinary income, with a carryover to subsequent years of losses in excess of $3,000. </li>\r\n</ul>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('308','7','<p><em>Disability insurance</em> is designed to protect an individual\'s ability to earn an income. By protecting against the loss of income during periods of incapacity, disability coverage enables the insured to continue to provide for the basic necessities of life. However, the application and use of this type of coverage is not confined solely to individuals; it\'s also used extensively in the business world. <em>Businesses typically use life insurance</em> to protect themselves in the event of the death of an owner or key person of the organization. A similar concept is used with regard to the disability of an important individual. Disability benefits are used to shield the company from the financial impact of the functional loss of key company personnel, which could seriously jeopardize the organization\'s continued existence and profitability. Several types of disability insurance normally used by businesses are described below. </p>\r\n<p><em>Key person disability income insurance</em> serves the same purpose as <em>life insurance for key business personnel</em>: it indemnifies the business for the lost services of the key individual. The business is the owner of the policy and pays its premiums. The policy pays a monthly benefit to the business in order to cover the expenses for additional help or outside services when the essential person becomes disabled. The key person could be a partner, working stockholder, or an individual who performs a vital management function for the company, such as a sales or operations manager. </p>\r\n<p>The key person\'s financial value to the business is determined according to the potential loss of business income which could occur because of the individual\'s incapacity, as well as the expense of hiring and training a replacement. This value then becomes the disability benefit amount that would be paid to the business. The benefit can be paid in a lump sum or in monthly installments. The benefit period may be from one- to two years, with an <em>elimination period</em> of thirty- to ninety days generally being applied. </p>\r\n<p>Businesses often use a <em>buy-sell agreement funded with life insurance</em> to buy out the interest of a deceased owner or partner. Such agreements usually also contain a provision for the buyout of the owner\'s interest in the event of his or her disability. Naturally, this disability provision is funded with <em>buy-sell disability income insurance</em>. The business usually owns and pays the premiums for these policies. </p>\r\n<p>One of the most important factors that a company must consider when implementing this type of policy is its elimination period. Once the elimination period is satisfied, benefits payments are made to the company for the purpose of buying out the interest of the disabled owner or partner. However, once the buyout process begins, it generally can\'t be stopped. For this reason the company does not want to buy out the disabled partner\'s interest too soon for fear of the possibility that a recovery from the disability would leave the individual with no job and no business interest. Therefore, elimination periods for disability buy-sell insurance normally run from one- to two years. The value ?or a method of determining the value ?of the partner\'s business interest is specified in the buy-sell agreement. This value is paid to the business following the elimination period. As with key person disability, benefits are payable in either a single lump sum or monthly installments. If the policy pays a monthly benefit, the payment period usually will not exceed five years. The company uses the proceeds of the policy to buy out the interest of the disabled person. </p>\r\n<p><em>Business Overhead Expense (BOE) insurance</em> is designed for the small business owner. In fact, most insurers limit their BOE policy coverage to small businesses. The purpose of BOE insurance is to pay for certain overhead expenses that continue after the business owner becomes disabled. The policy indemnifies the business (<em>not</em> the owner) for such expenses as rent, taxes, insurance premiums, utility bills, and employees\' compensation (the owner\'s salary is not covered, however). By paying for these expenses when the owner is disabled, the business is given the opportunity to keep its doors open and continue to function. </p>\r\n<p>The rationale behind BOE insurance is that because the small business owner is so important to the business\' operation and profitability, when he or she becomes totally disabled the organization cannot help but suffer economically and could even be forced to close down. A single doctor in a private practice is a prime example of this type of situation. If the doctor became disabled and could not work in his or her profession, the business\'s income would almost certainly be weakened and the employees working in the office would likely eventually lose their jobs. As the income slows, however, the bills generally do not, and the employees still have to be paid. BOE coverage is designed to handle these issues. #p##e#</p>\r\n<p>BOE policies generally have elimination periods of fifteen- to thirty days and benefit periods of one- to two years. The average eligible overhead expenses of the business determine the policy\'s benefit amount. If the business owner becomes disabled, the business will receive proceeds from the policy equal to the actual overhead expenses incurred during the period of the owner\'s disability. </p>\r\n<p>Business owners often incur loans or other financial obligations that require monthly repayment amounts. Unfortunately, the monthly payments can only be made as long as the business owner is well and able to run the business ?in other words, as long as the owner is <em>not</em> disabled. To protect such financial obligations, and the assets that might be lost in the event of default, the business can purchase <em>disability reducing term insurance</em>. Should the owner become totally disabled, this coverage would provide a monthly benefit amount sufficient to cover the monthly financial obligation until it\'s paid off. The business is the owner and purchaser of the policy as well as the beneficiary, while the owner of the business is the insured party. In this coverage \'reducing term\' refers to the fact that the monthly benefit amount is payable only for the remaining period of indebtedness or obligation.</p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('309','7','<p>The effectiveness in protecting income from taxation is the true test of any tax shelter. Most real estate is purchased, at least in part, because of the tax benefits that accrue for the owner. Ownership of real estate can produce substantial tax savings that can transform a fair investment into a very good one. The goal is to protect large amounts of income ?accruing from the property itself or from other sources ?from taxation. Investment real estate can be very effective at doing this. Deductions that are available for most real estate investments include the following: </p>\r\n<ul>\r\n    <li><em>Mortgage loan interest</em> can be deducted to offset an equal amount of income. Borrowing $50,000 at 9% interest will yield an interest deduction of $4,500 during the first year of the loan, which can be used to offset $4,500 of income that would ordinarily be subject to income taxes. Regarding its effect on taxes, the interest deduction for investment real estate is the same as the interest deduction for a home mortgage. </li>\r\n    <li><em>Property taxes</em> levied against investment real estate and paid to state or local governments can also be deducted from taxable income. The deduction for property taxes you pay on investment real estate is treated in the same manner as the property taxes paid on your home, if you itemize deductions. The higher the property taxes you pay, the greater the tax savings you can achieve. </li>\r\n    <li><em>Insurance premiums</em> for coverage of real estate investments are deductible from taxable income. Insurance premiums are not deductible for homeowners. </li>\r\n    <li><em>Maintenance expenses</em> are fully deductible in calculating the tax liability for a real estate investment. Expenses you incur for repairing rotting wood around the water heater or painting the deck are examples of costs that can be deducted from your other income, thus arriving at a lower tax bill. Maintenance costs can be quite substantial, especially for older properties (or properties that might be rented to college students, for example). Being able to deduct those expenses is a very important benefit of owning investment real estate, one which is not available to homeowners.\r\n    <p>Improvements that prolong the life or increase the value of the real estate are treated differently from maintenance costs, however. While maintenance expenses can be deducted in the year that they’re incurred, improvement costs must be used to increase the cost basis of the real estate, thereby reducing any gain or increasing any loss when the property is eventually sold. </p>\r\n    </li>\r\n    <li><em>Depreciation</em> accounts for the decline in value of an asset over time, including most real estate. Depreciation decreases the accounting value (the value of the property as shown on financial statements) of real estate and at the same time offsets an equal amount of income from taxation, yet does not affect the market value of the property. Investors generally obtain maximum tax benefits by depreciating real estate as quickly as possible. Rapid depreciation offsets income and saves taxes sooner. Residential rental property currently must be depreciated equally over twenty-seven and one-half years, while commercial investment property must be depreciated over thirty-nine years.</li>\r\n</ul>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('310','7','<p><strong>Flexible</strong> life policies include <em>adjustable life</em>, <em>universal life</em>, and <em>variable life</em> insurance. Although each of these has its own unique characteristics and features, the one common factor that they have is flexibility, giving the policy owner numerous options in terms of premiums, face amounts, and investment objectives. He or she can change these components of the policy in response to changing needs and circumstances. </p>\r\n<p>An <strong>adjustable life</strong> policy gives the policy owner the options to adjust the face value, premium, and length of coverage without having to change policies. It also offers the flexibility to convert to any form of insurance (from <em>term</em> to <em>whole life</em>, for example). The amount of premium that the policy owner can afford to spend is used to determine what type of insurance will best meet his or her needs. </p>\r\n<p>For instance, a young married person with two small children and a large mortgage would undoubtedly need a large amount of life insurance. The premium that is paid could be used to purchase several hundred thousand dollars of term insurance. In later years, this same individual&rsquo;s needs may have change. In planning for retirement, the same premium amount could now be used to pay for some form of whole life insurance with guaranteed cash values. The temporary protection of the term insurance is changed to permanent coverage, and the face value would be reduced based on the insured&rsquo;s age and premium payment. </p>\r\n<p><strong>Universal life</strong> is a flexible premium, adjustable death benefit (face value) insurance which accumulates cash value. It was designed for people who need flexible coverage over the course of their lifetime. Premiums paid into a universal policy accumulate and, together with interest paid by the insurer, make up the policy&rsquo;s cash value. Once enough cash value has accumulated, the policy owner has considerable flexibility with regard to subsequent premium payments, which may be paid, for example, directly from the cash value account of the policy. </p>\r\n<p>The policy owner may choose one of two options regarding the death benefit payable under this type of policy. <em>Option 1</em> provides for a level death benefit equal to the policy&rsquo;s face value. As a result of this choice, more of the premium is placed in the cash account, making the cash value rise more quickly. <em>Option 2</em> provides for an increasing death benefit equal to the face value of the policy plus the cash account. Cash value does not increase as quickly because more of the premium is applied to the higher cost of the increasing death benefit over the life of the policy. </p>\r\n<p>Withdrawals and loans may be made against the cash value account. The policy owner can also surrender or &ldquo;cash in&rdquo; the universal life contract for its current cash value whenever he or she wishes. </p>\r\n<p><strong>Variable life</strong> is a securities-based whole life insurance. Agents selling variable life must have a valid life insurance license, as well as be registered with the <strong>National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD)</strong> through a Series 6 exam. Variable life is designed to protect the policy owner and beneficiaries from the erosion of their life insurance dollars due to inflation. </p>\r\n<p>Premiums paid for variable life insurance are placed in a separate account consisting primarily of common stock. Thus, there is considerable risk to the policy owner&rsquo;s investment. Due to this risk, variable insurance contracts are mandated by the federal government to be securities, and thus regulated by the <strong>Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)</strong>, the NASD, and other federal entities. #p##e#</p>\r\n<p>Federal law requires that a <em>prospectus</em> of the variable life product be given to prospective buyers at or before the point of sale, along with a 45-day &ldquo;free-look&rdquo; period. The policy owner must also be permitted to convert to a traditional whole life insurance contract within 24 months of policy issuance. </p>\r\n<p>A variable life policy provides cash values which may be withdrawn or borrowed against. The policy owner may also surrender the policy for its current cash value. </p>\r\n<p>There are basically two types of variable life insurance: scheduled premium variable life and flexible premium variable life. <em>Scheduled premium</em> variable life requires a periodic level premium to be paid to keep the policy in force. <em>Flexible premium</em> variable life, also known as <strong>variable universal life</strong>, provides for variable premiums. It combines the flexibility of universal life insurance with the hedge against inflation of variable life.</p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('311','7','<p>Saved money is earned money. One of the secrets of the rich is that they&rsquo;ve found ways to keep more of their money. With that principle in mind, here are 10 tips to help you do the same thing, and keep you on the road to your first (or second) million:</p>\r\n<ol>\r\n    <li>For goodness sakes, get organized! Replace that shoebox with a real tax file. Develop a simple filing system; by dates, types of purchase, whatever works for you. Anytime you conduct a transaction that may have tax implications, deposit the receipt in the file. Also, highlight any purchases in your checkbooks throughout the year that may be of tax consequence. </li>\r\n    <li>Kids are deductible. If you have qualifying children, make sure that you&rsquo;re taking the <em>Child Tax Credit</em>. And don&rsquo;t forget the <em>Dependent Care Credit</em> if you&rsquo;re both working. </li>\r\n    <li>If you&rsquo;re married, fund two IRA&rsquo;s. Even if only one spouse has a job, a <em>Spousal IRA</em> allows the nonworking spouse to defer taxes on money contributed to it. Also, if at all possible, increase your retirement contributions to the maximum allowable, which will further decrease your taxable income. In addition, you may also qualify for the <em>Retirement Tax Credit</em>. </li>\r\n    <li>If you&rsquo;re planning a large charitable contribution, make it in the year that you expect the most income. The higher your tax bracket, the more you&rsquo;ll benefit from the deduction. </li>\r\n    <li>Staying in the &ldquo;charity begins at home&rdquo; vein, go through your belongings for any unused clothing, appliances, furniture, luggage, even cars to donate to charity. If you itemize, these <em>noncash charitable contributions</em> are very deductible. Don&rsquo;t overvalue them, but don&rsquo;t undervalue them, either. And be sure to get receipts for every noncash donation. </li>\r\n    <li>Be aware of the <em>Alternative Minimum Tax</em> (the dreaded AMT). This one applies to more and more people yearly as the AMT snags people in lower and lower income brackets. Be proactive. Look at your tax liability throughout the year, not just at the end, to determine if you&rsquo;re in danger of being hit with this tax. If you are, you may want to reconsider any accelerated mortgage payments or the like. Many regular tax deductions are not included on the AMT side, which could dramatically increase your tax liability. </li>\r\n    <li>As much as you can, bundle together all your major medical procedures in the same year. To be deductible at all, these expenses must exceed 7.5% of your <em>adjusted gross income (AGI)</em>. If the kids&rsquo; braces put you close to that threshold, then consider getting that laser eye surgery you&rsquo;ve been thinking about during the same tax year to maximize your benefit. And don&rsquo;t forget about your health insurance premiums; they&rsquo;re deductible too. </li>\r\n    <li>Turn your nondeductible interest into deductible interest with a home equity loan. Use the proceeds to pay off your car, credit cards, or any interest that you&rsquo;re paying which can&rsquo;t be deducted. </li>\r\n    <li>If you refinance your home, don&rsquo;t forget <em>old</em> points. <em>All</em> unamortized points of an old refinance can be deducted in the year of a new refinance. For example, if you refinanced in April of 2005 and again in April of 2006, you can deduct all of the remaining points of the 2005 loan on your 2006 taxes, along with the amortized points of the new loan. </li>\r\n    <li>Don&rsquo;t forget about unreimbursed employee business expenses, which are allowed as itemized deductions, provided that they exceed 2% of your AGI when bundled with other miscellaneous expenses. Just keep careful records of all of your expenses. </li>\r\n    <li>(Because you deserve more) Don&rsquo;t neglect the information that the <em>IRS</em> makes available to you at their website. All forms, booklets, and details on any tax changes are there. Get it &ldquo;straight from the horse&rsquo;s mouth&rdquo;. You may even qualify for free electronic filing. </li>\r\n</ol>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('312','7','<p>Before enrolling in a new managed care health plan, you need to be sure that you’re comfortable with the services that it will provide. Sometimes your employer will pick a plan for you, in which case you should be aware of its rules. Sometimes you can choose a plan yourself, but not without answers to some pointed questions which you should pose. Here are ten questions (and some appropriate answers) to help you choose the right plan. </p>\r\n<p><em>Which doctors can I choose?</em> A managed care network can’t be any better than the doctors and other service providers that it uses. Check to see if you recognize any of the providers?names on the network list. You’re generally allowed to pick whichever primary-care doctor that you want, and to change to another if you’re not satisfied. Keep in mind, however, that a long list of doctors does not necessarily equate to a better healthcare network. Plans with high-quality reputations are often those with a central clinic and a closely-knit group of salaried doctors working together for their patients?best treatment course. </p>\r\n<p><em>Will the doctor treat me by phone?</em> Will the doctor make you come in and wait for every minor illness, or can it be done over the phone for your convenience? </p>\r\n<p><em>Does my primary doctor see patients from several care plans?</em> If not, you may have to switch doctors if you change jobs. Different employers offer different plans. A change of jobs may require everyone in your family to start new medical relationships from scratch. </p>\r\n<p><em>How easy, or difficult, is it to see a specialist?</em> Generally, you must see your primary-care provider first so that he or she can assess the problem. If the doctor feels that a specialist is needed, a referral will then be given. Some doctors, however, will refer you over the phone, which is a substantial time-saver. A few <em>HMOs</em> will even let you see a specialist in the network without prior permission. </p>\r\n<p><em>To what extent does the managed care plan control the drugs that my doctor can prescribe?</em> HMOs and other managed care providers have formularies, which are lists of drugs its doctors are allowed to prescribe. Some lists are broad; others are quite limited. If you’re on a maintenance drug, for example, ask if it’s on their list. If it’s not, you need to know what the health plan is going to do about it. </p>\r\n<p><em>Which hospitals are on the network list and do I have a choice of which I can use?</em> Plans will usually list the best hospitals in the area, although they won’t necessarily let you go there all the time. The best hospitals may be reserved for the most serious illnesses, and you may find yourself in a less-costly place. </p>\r\n<p><em>How convenient are the hospitals, doctors, and other service providers?</em> You probably won’t want to go all the way across town when there are perfectly good services nearby. #p##e#</p>\r\n<p><em>How does the health plan handle preexisting conditions?</em> Inquire if you and your family are immediately covered for illnesses that you may have recently had. There may or may not be a waiting period. People with chronic illnesses or disabilities should find out who the specialists are and how their illnesses will be handled by the plan. </p>\r\n<p><em>What is the managed care plan’s policy on very expensive treatments such as organ transplants?</em> They’ll probably tell you that it’s covered if it’s appropriate. And, of course, they will decide what’s appropriate at that time. Most plans won’t pay for treatments deemed to be “experimental? This one may be difficult to get a definitive answer for; a doctor you trust might be able to give you some insight into how the plan will handle those circumstances. </p>\r\n<p><em>What does the plan pay for mental illness and substance abuse?</em> All health plans have sliced coverage in these areas, but mental health professionals have stated that HMOs have gotten especially tight. Patients with serious problems may only be given a handful of covered visits to a psychologist or psychiatrist. For a drug or alcohol problem, coverage may be pared down to as little as a week in a treatment program. </p>\r\n<p>After a representative has answered all of these questions for you, make sure that they can provide the answers that they’ve given to you in writing. Remember, it’s only binding if it’s in black and white.</p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('313','7','<p>Did you know that any money you spend to directly pay for someone\'s medical bills or school tuition is not subject to federal gift- or estate taxes, no matter what the amount? That\'s right. This exemption is above and beyond the $12,000 annual gift tax exclusion. It\'s a fantastic way to give loved ones and friends (the recipient need not be a relative) the help they need while simultaneously reducing the size of your taxable estate. </p>\r\n<p>In order to qualify for this tax exemption, the money must be paid directly to the school or provider of the medical service. If you give the money to the student or person in need of the medical care who then pays the bills, your gift will not be tax-exempt. </p>\r\n<p>For example, you give your nephew $15,000 to pay for unexpected medical bills that his insurance won\'t cover. You write him a check which he deposits into his account. The same day he writes two checks totaling $15,000 to pay his doctor and the hospital for their services. Because you gave it directly to your nephew, your gift isn\'t tax-exempt. The $3,000 that exceeds the $12,000 annual <em>gift exclusion</em> is subject to the gift tax. </p>\r\n<p>Likewise, if you give money to a trust for the purpose that it be used to be used to pay for your grandchildren\'s tuition, your gift is not tax-free. The trust, not the educational institution, is the recipient. Savings accounts and tuition pre-payment plans are treated the same way -- they don\'t qualify as tax-free gifts. And reimbursing someone who has already paid a tuition- or medical bill is also not allowed as a tax-exempt gift. But if you actually pay their bills (even their health insurance premiums), your payments won\'t be subject to the gift tax, regardless of the cost. </p>\r\n<p>Medical care spending can include money used to pay for the following services: the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, or for the purpose of affecting any structure or function of the body; any transportation primarily for and essential to medical care; insurance that covers medical care; and lodging while away from home (within certain limits ?the lodging can\'t be extravagant) primarily for and essential to getting the medical care, and the care must be provided by a physician in a hospital or equivalent facility. Additionally, the <strong>IRS</strong> says that there can be no significant element of personal pleasure or recreation associated with the travel. Cosmetic surgery and similar procedures aren\'t allowed unless they\'re medically necessary. </p>\r\n<p>If you pay for someone\'s medical care and their insurance later reimburses them, your gift no longer qualifies for the exclusion, to the extent of the reimbursement. The IRS will treat your gift as if it were given on the date that the recipient received the reimbursement, even if you didn\'t know that any expenses would be reimbursed. </p>\r\n<p>Concerning education, only payments for tuition are tax-exempt (other costs, such as room and board, books, or supplies can\'t be claimed as tax-exempt gifts). Tuition payment applies to any level of schooling ?from nursery to graduate. The student may be enrolled full- or part-time. And it\'s not limited to traditional academic institutions such as colleges and universities. Any educational organization with a regular faculty and curriculum and a student body that meets on a regular basis at a certain place will generally qualify. Just remember, you must pay the school directly in order to take advantage of the tax break.</p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('314','7','<p>If you own a business ?or are thinking of starting one ?you need to be aware of the tax ramifications of your endeavor. Business taxation carries its own set of rules and terms. Here are 15 common business tax terms that you should become familiar with, because you’ll be using them regularly: </p>\r\n<p><strong>Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)</strong> - The total of all the income you received over the course of the year such as wages, interest, dividends and capital gains minus things such as business expenses, contributions to a qualified IRA, moving expenses, alimony and capital losses. The adjusted gross income is used to calculate federal income tax due. </p>\r\n<p><strong>Accelerated depreciation</strong> - A bookkeeping method that allows an owner to deduct a greater portion of the cost of depreciated property in the years immediately after it is acquired. </p>\r\n<p><strong>Accounting method</strong> - The method used by a business or individual to keep records. Most individuals and small businesses use the Cash method, although businesses that maintain inventory are required to use the Accrual method. </p>\r\n<p><strong>Accrual method</strong> - Business accounting in which you report income in the year you earned it and expenses in the year you incur them, rather than reporting income and expenses when you receive payment or when you pay the expenses. If you own a business that maintains an inventory, you are required to use the Accrual method for tax purposes. </p>\r\n<p><strong>Business interest expense</strong> - Interest incurred in the operation of a business, deductible as a business expense. </p>\r\n<p><strong>Cafeteria plan</strong> - An arrangement whereby an employer offers workers a choice of nontaxable fringe benefits from which to select. The plan may be funded with employer contributions, employee contributions (usually through salary reduction agreements) or a combination of both. Also known as a Section 125 plan or a Flexible spending account. </p>\r\n<p><strong>Capital</strong> - Money that is used to make money; for example, to buy rental property or a business. </p>\r\n<p><strong>Cash method</strong> - The form of accounting in which you report income in the actual year you receive it and deduct expenses in the year you pay them. #p##e#</p>\r\n<p><strong>Chapter 11</strong> - A reorganization bankruptcy, usually involving a corporation or partnership. A Chapter 11 debtor usually proposes a plan of reorganization to keep its business alive and pay creditors over time. People in business and individuals can also file for Chapter 11. </p>\r\n<p><strong>Commingling</strong> - The mixing of money from different sources so that the sources can\'t be distinguished; for example, a business owner’s personal funds and business funds. </p>\r\n<p><strong>Depreciation</strong> - The gradual loss of value of a building or other property because of age or natural wear. With regard to taxes, this is the deduction you are allowed for the wearing away and expensing over time of such items as office equipment, vehicles, buildings and furniture. The IRS determines the amount of time such material is expected to last, and you depreciate, or spread the cost of, the asset over its estimated useful life rather than deducting the entire cost in the year that you acquired it. </p>\r\n<p><strong>Employer Identification Number</strong> - A nine-digit number assigned by the IRS for businesses, estates and trusts. </p>\r\n<p><strong>Estimated tax payments</strong> - Quarterly tax payments made to the IRS if the amount you pay through paycheck withholding is not enough to cover your annual tax liability. This method is generally is used by persons who receive income from sources other than paychecks, such as interest or dividend payments, business ownership or income from a second, freelance job. </p>\r\n<p><strong>Expensing</strong> - The method allowed under Tax Code Section 179 to claim an immediate deduction for the cost of business property. </p>\r\n<p><strong>Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA)</strong> - The law under which employers pay tax to fund unemployment compensation programs. </p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('315','7','<p>So, you\'ve gotten an <strong>IRS</strong> tax bill and not only does it state that you owe more taxes than you think you should, but it\'s tacked on additional fees as well. These are <strong>penalty and interest fees</strong>, and they\'re standard IRS procedure. But is there anything that you can do about them? Well, yes, there is. You can simply request that they be <em>abated</em>; or, in plain English, that they be reduced or eliminated altogether. You may not have been aware that about one-third of all levied penalties are eventually abated. </p>\r\n<p>But you must show \'reasonable cause\', which simply means a good excuse. IRS agents are specifically instructed to carefully analyze any sound reason that you may have which could have led to your delay in filing or paying the proper tax. As a matter of fact, the Internal Revenue Manual lists seven categories of excuses for abating any tax penalty except fraud: </p>\r\n<ol>\r\n    <li>Death or serious illness of the taxpayer or immediate family. </li>\r\n    <li>Unavoidable absence. </li>\r\n    <li>Destruction of the business or records by fire or other casualty. </li>\r\n    <li>Inability to determine the tax because of reasons beyond the taxpayer\'s control. </li>\r\n    <li>Civil disturbances. </li>\r\n    <li>Lack of funds, but only when the taxpayer can demonstrate the exercise of ordinary business care and prudence, and </li>\r\n    <li>Other reasons establishing that the taxpayer exercised ordinary business care but could not comply within the prescribed time limits. </li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<p>As soon as you receive a tax notice that includes penalties, request an abatement in writing. Briefly state that you\'re requesting an abatement of penalties, identify the tax bill and explain what your reasonable cause is. Attach a photocopy of the IRS notice showing the penalty, along with any documentation supporting your request. Keep several copies of your letter and attachments (as you should routinely do with all correspondence to the IRS). Most penalties are imposed by the IRS Service Center that sent you the tax bill, so mail your abatement request there ?not to your local IRS office. </p>\r\n<p>If the IRS rejects your request, it will send you a written notice of its decision. To further contest the fees, your next course of action should be one of the following: </p>\r\n<ul>\r\n    <li>Write back to the IRS asking for penalty appeals consideration. There\'s no standardized form for this; simply write a letter clearly stating your disagreement with the penalty and your reasonable cause. Title the letter &quot;Penalty Appeal&quot;. Attach the appropriate tax bill and any supporting documentation that you may have. </li>\r\n    <li>Call or visit your local IRS office and speak with a collection employee. They\'re generally authorized to consider \'reasonable cause\' applications and cancel penalties. However, do <em>not</em> mention that a Service Center has rejected your request. If you\'re turned down again, ask orally and follow up in writing that they forward your case for <em>appeals</em> consideration. </li>\r\n    <li>File an <em>Offer in Compromise</em> on IRs Form 656 based on doubt as to your liability for the penalty. This is a formal procedure for negotiating any unpaid IRS bill, including penalties. Be sure not to offer any money when contesting the penalty, because you\'re claiming that you don\'t owe it. </li>\r\n    <li>Pay the penalty and then file IRS Form 843, Claim for Refund and Request of Abatement. #p##e#</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p>If your claim is still refused, technically you can sue in <strong>U.S. District Court</strong> or the <strong>Court of Federal Claims</strong> for a refund. Practically speaking, however, tax penalties are rarely large enough to justify the time and expense of such a lawsuit. </p>\r\n<p>Getting interest removed from a tax bill can be even more difficult, unless it resulted from an IRS error. But there are some circumstances in which you could be successful: </p>\r\n<ul>\r\n    <li>Of course, if a tax or penalty is abated, then interest on that amount should be canceled, as well. The IRS computer should do this automatically, but always check a tax bill to verify that the excess amount was removed. </li>\r\n    <li>If interest charges resulted from delays by the IRS, you shouldn\'t have to pay them. For example, you settled an <em>audit</em> agreeing to pay more tax, but the IRS didn\'t send you a bill until a year later. That year\'s interest should be canceled. However, you can\'t get interest abated if it accumulated while you were challenging an IRS bill in an audit appeal or in court, unless the challenge proves successful. </li>\r\n    <li>If the IRS concludes that you will never be able to pay the tax and interest charges, it may accept less in an Offer in Compromise. </li>\r\n    <li>Tax owed, along with interest and penalties, may be reduced or eliminated through <em>bankruptcy</em>. This should, needless to say, be a last-resort effort. </li>\r\n</ul>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('316','7','<p>As tax season rolls around the vast majority of us look ahead to April 15th as the great doomsday. And instead of thinking and planning for this time of year during the other 11 months, we procrastinate, hedge and fidget until we only have a few days left. Then we scramble and try to gather all of our records and receipts together so that we can get this painful chore out of the way as quickly as we can. And, alas, we make silly mistakes that at best can cost time, and at worst can cost time <em>and</em> more money. </p>\r\n<p>If this sounds a lot like you, take heart. You certainly aren’t alone. There are literally scores of people in the very same boat. And they make the same mistakes. But this year, and this is just a thought…don’t wait until the last minute to make that mad dash. Start now by getting just a little bit more organized. Begin to keep all of your records and receipts in one spot. And keep an eye out for these five very basic, very common, and very preventable mistakes that so many people make: </p>\r\n<ol>\r\n    <li>Missing the deadline and asking for an extension. C’mon. You’ve only been waiting for it for 364 days. Now you may have to pay late penalties as well as interest. If you have a legitimate problem you’ll need to submit <em>Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File U.S. Income Tax Return</em> by the April deadline in order to get an extension. </li>\r\n    <li>Calculation errors. They’re usually very simple, a misplaced comma or an addition or subtraction miscue. Always check and recheck. Go through the numbers patiently, and then go through them again tomorrow. Or, ask a family member or friend to double-check your figures. Consider using tax software programs; these will do the math for you. </li>\r\n    <li>Forgetting to submit all relevant forms like W-2s, 1099s, or other schedules necessary for your particular situation. Again, many tax software programs can now alleviate this problem. </li>\r\n    <li>Benefits claimed (or not claimed) pertaining to dependent children. Often if you don’t know the allowed exemptions you may fail to make a correct claim or make an incorrect one. Know who your dependents are! (<em>chuckle</em>) </li>\r\n    <li>Forgetting to sign and date the forms. Yep. And this mistake will keep the IRS from processing your return. Be sure to check all the pages carefully and ensure you haven’t missed anything. Another common omission is the Social Security or Tax ID number.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<p>The IRS has modernized its systems and many of these silly mistakes can be avoided simply by filing electronically. Last year about 50% of all tax returns were done with e-filing. There are many advantages. Most software programs provide all of the necessary forms, they walk you step by step through the forms and the filing process, the electronic calculators rarely make mistakes, and you almost always get your refund much faster. For information on e-filing, available tax preparation software, or general tax questions, don’t hesitate to visit the IRS?website.</p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('317','7','<p><em>Tax credits</em> are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of tax that\'s owed, which means that they can be very valuable at filing time. Don\'t neglect any for which you may be eligible. Although certainly not all-inclusive, some of the more common tax credits are listed below. More in-depth information about them can be found at the <strong>IRS\'</strong> website. </p>\r\n<ul>\r\n    <li><strong>Adoption Credit</strong> - The adoption credit may be taken for qualifying expenses paid to adopt an eligible child. The credit may be increased for the adoption of a child with special needs. In addition to the credit, certain amounts reimbursed for qualifying expenses by an employer may be excludable from the taxpayer\'s gross income. See Publication 968, <em>Tax Benefits for Adoption</em> for more information. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Child and Dependent Care Credit</strong> - This credit is used to offset expenses incurred for the care of children under the age of 13, or for a disabled spouse or dependent, so that the taxpayer could go to work. The total amount of qualifying expenses is limited, with the credit being a percentage of those applicable expenses. Publication 503, <em>Child and Dependent Care Expenses</em>. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Child Tax Credit</strong> - This credit is given to the taxpayer for each dependent child who is under the age of 17 at the end of the tax year. A maximum of up to $1,000 can be claimed for each qualifying child; the credit can, however, be limited by the taxpayer\'s <em>adjusted gross income (AGI)</em>. Publication 972, <em>Child Tax Credit</em>. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Credit for the Elderly and Disabled</strong> - This tax credit is available to citizens and resident aliens who were age 65 or older at the end of the tax year; or were under the age of 65 and retired on permanent and total disability, received taxable disability income, and had not yet reached mandatory retirement age at the beginning of the tax year. Eligibility is also based on the individual\'s income. Publication 524, <em>Credit for the Elderly or the Disabled</em>. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Earned Income Tax Credit</strong> - The EIC is a refundable credit for low-income working individuals and families. (A <em>refundable credit</em> is one which isn\'t limited by the amount of tax that\'s owed. In other words, even if no tax at all were owed, the filer(s) would still receive the tax credit as a refund.) The amount of this credit is dependent upon the taxpayer\'s income and family size. Publication 596, <em>Earned Income Credit</em>. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Education Credits</strong> - There are two credits available for tuition and related higher education expenses, the Hope Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit. The <em>Hope Credit</em> can be utilized for the first two years of post-secondary education of an eligible student whom the taxpayer claims as an exemption. The education must also be in the pursuit of an accredited degree. The <em>Lifetime Learning Credit</em> is available for all post-secondary education for an unlimited number of years. Both credits cannot be claimed for the same student during the same tax year. Publication 970, <em>Tax Benefits for Education</em>. </li>\r\n    <li><strong>Retirement Savings Contribution Credit</strong> - This credit may be taken based on a percentage of the taxpayer\'s qualified retirement savings contributions. To be eligible, the individual must be at least 18 years of age at the end of the tax year and not enrolled as a full-time student, and cannot be claimed as an exemption on someone else\'s tax return. AGI limits may also affect the taxpayer\'s eligibility. Chapter 5 of Publication 590, <em>Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs)</em>. </li>\r\n</ul>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('318','7','<p>The application of the old clich&eacute; about death and taxes is certainly appropriate for today&rsquo;s article. Because the issue of taxation invariable arises when the subject of estate planning is discussed, it&rsquo;s wise to educate yourself about the ramifications of one upon the other. Here are a few of the most basic and frequently misunderstood tax-related facts to keep in mind as you consider your own estate planning situation: </p>\r\n<ul>\r\n    <li>Estates with a gross value of under $2 million are exempt from federal estate taxes (for deaths occurring in 2006, 2007, and 2008). In 2009, the exemption amount will rise to $3.5 million. </li>\r\n    <li>Benefits paid from <em>life insurance</em> do count in calculating your estate\'s total value. The beneficiary (for instance, your surviving spouse) won\'t have to pay income tax on life insurance benefits, but if your estate exceeds the exempt amount stated above, estate taxes will be levied against the total, including life insurance. </li>\r\n    <li>Federal estate taxes are levied at high rates, up to 46 percent for the highest tax brackets. Be sure that you know the total value of your estate, so that if it&rsquo;s likely to be greater than the exempt amount, you can take steps to protect it. When life insurance, real estate, and perhaps a small business or other assets are combined, a seemingly modest estate can quickly exceed the exempt amount. <em>Trusts</em> and other plans to avoid or lower estate tax liability can be instituted for relatively little time and cost, and can potentially save your heirs bundles of money. </li>\r\n    <li>A <em>living trust</em> does not affect the value of your estate for purposes of calculating estate taxes, though it can help in lessening <em>probate</em> costs. Other types of trusts can be established to help you avoid or ease the estate tax bite. </li>\r\n    <li>Making gifts during your lifetime (also known as <em>inter vivos</em> giving) up to the gift tax exempt amount, which is $12,000 per year to each recipient for the 2006 tax year, can be an effective way to avoid <em>capital gains</em> tax and certain other tax hits. But if you make gifts greater than the exempt amount, the value of the gift above the exempt amount -- minus any gift tax that you paid -- may be added to the total value of your estate for the purpose of calculating whether and how much estate tax will be levied. </li>\r\n    <li>The beneficiaries of your estate won\'t be required to pay federal income tax on what they receive, but a number of states do charge <em>inheritance taxes</em>. Some states\' inheritance taxes are structured in such a way that they will only apply to estates that are subject to federal estate taxes and may be deducted from any federal taxes paid; so there is, in effect, no additional charge beyond the federal estate taxes. Other states&rsquo; inheritance taxes are applied differently and do amount to an additional tax burden. </li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p>Be assured that many other issues may arise depending upon your particular familial circumstances and estate plan. The advice of an experienced <em>planner</em> can aid you and your heirs immeasurably.</p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('319','8','Running a business successfully can be an overwhelming experience if you do not have the right people handling the different aspects of work. It rarely happens that a person who is setting up and running any kind of business is also a qualified accountant and that is why you need to make sure that you hand over the accounting work of your business to a person who is qualified to handle this. Accounting is a tough work and the ultimate success or the failure of any project depends on how this is being handled. Hiring an accountant can be pretty expensive, but you need one for handling the accounts of your business. Therefore, in such a scenario the best thing for you to do will be to hire the services of an accounting professional from the different firms that offer accounting outsourcing services to clients. <br /><br />Several vendors in the city of New York offer accounting New York services and all you need to do is find out which company offers the best services to you. For this, you will have to take some time out of your busy schedule and do some researches on the firm from where you are going to hire the accountants. It is always better to check the references provided by the clients and find out how genuine are the claims made by them. Accounting is a task that requires special qualifications and all the accounting New York professionals working in these firms are qualified to handle this work. If you are really serious about your business and want to make it successful, you must make sure that you have professionals handling the accounting and other work of your business. <br /><br />Keeping the accounts of your business in proper order will help you out several ways. First, you will know exactly where you stand in terms of earnings from your business, so if you have the accounts in proper order you can do this by just taking a glance at the records. Therefore, the next time you wish to make a new business deal you will not have to spend lots of time in trying to figure out what is the financial condition of your business. You will benefit the most from the services of a professional accountant at the time of paying taxes. During this time, you must have all the accounts in proper order so that you know exactly what amount you have to pay as taxes. Last minute hassles in calculating the tax amount is very frustrating and this is where the accounting New York professionals can help you out. <br /><br />When you hire the services of an accountant from an accounting firm in New York or any other city in the world, you stand to benefit in many ways. First, you can hire the services at a much lesser amount than you would need to pay for hiring an accountant in-house and this can help you in saving lots of money. In addition, you can get the work done in just the way you want it to be done, so just make sure that you are working with efficient accountants.<br /><br />Peter Terry has extensive knowledge about bookkeeping and knows the importance of this for running a successful business.To know more about Accounting firm NYC,NYC bookkeepers, Bookkeepers New York, Bookkeeping NY and <a href=\"http://www.nycbookkeepers.com/ourservices.html\">Accounting New York</a> visit <a href=\"http://www.nycbookkeepers.com\">http://www.nycbookkeepers.com</a>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('320','8','Copyright 2006 The Janitorial Store<br /><br />Finding a good accountant who you feel comfortable working with is important to your cleaning business. It\'s his responsibility to stay on top of all the ever-changing tax laws, plus he can give you financial advice that will help guide you in the growth of your business.<br /><br />Perhaps you\'re a sole-proprietor who is thinking of incorporating your business. Your accountant will be able to advise you about how this move would affect your taxes and business growth. Or maybe you have questions on whether you should buy or lease a new truck for your business. Once again, your accountant will be able to help.<br /><br />So how do you go about finding an accountant who is a good fit for you and your cleaning business? Here are a few tips:<br /><br />* Ask other business owners for references. Find out who their accountants are and how happy they are with the services their accountant provides.<br /><br />* If you can\'t get any references, go to the yellow pages and search the listings for several firms to contact. Call their offices and ask for the names of accountants who are familiar with cleaning businesses. Call four or five of the accountants on your list and ask them to tell you about their experience with working with clients in your industry and about their fees. From that information, narrow down your list to two or three accountants to interview in person.<br /><br />* Prepare a list of questions to ask at the interviews, including:<br /><br />- Do you have experience working with cleaning companies? (As a cleaning business you have unique expenses, including cleaning supplies and equipment, so it\'s helpful to find an accountant who understands your business.)<br /><br />- How long have you been an accountant?<br /><br />- What certifications do you hold?<br /><br />- What continuing education or workshops do you attend?<br /><br />- What is the hourly billing rate and what are the charges for extra services such as completing tax returns or helping with payroll?<br /><br />- Who will I be working with and will I always be working with the same person?<br /><br />- How accessible will my contact person be? Can he be reached by phone and e-mail? If I have to leave a message, how soon will he return my call? Will I be charged for every phone call?<br /><br />- What other services do you provide and at what fees?<br /><br />- If my cleaning business is audited, what are your responsibilities?#p##e#<br /><br />- What type of insurance do you have? (They should carry liability and errors and omission insurance.)<br /><br />- Look for an accountant who is forward thinking. Ask what problems he might foresee and what he would do to correct those problems.<br /><br />- Also remember to ask for references and then be sure to call those references.<br /><br />* Meet with several prospective accountants and ask your questions. An accountant should be willing to meet with you for a brief &quot;get to know you meeting&quot; at no charge. A face-to-face meeting will help you to assess if you are comfortable with him or her and if you can establish a long-term relationship. As you are asking the accountant your questions, watch their body language. Do they seem interested in you and your business? Have they communicated with you in a language that you understand and not used accounting language jargon?<br /><br />Service is important. If the accountant doesn\'t seem interested in you and your business or takes calls during the meeting, it might be best to move on to the next candidate who will devote his full attention to you and your business.<br /><br />After interviewing several candidates sit down and decide which one you are comfortable with and that you are confident has the knowledge and abilities to keep your business finances on track. Once you have decided on who you want to work with request a written estimate of costs that spells out what your responsibilities are and what your accountant\'s responsibilities cover. Knowing what you will be doing and what your accountant will be doing can eliminate confusion and save you time and money.<br /><br />Remember, your accountant should be more than just someone who prepares your tax return. He or she should be able to help you in making important financial decisions that guides your business and makes your business profitable. Spending time and effort in finding the right accountant when starting your business can help to assure your cleaning business is successful in the long run.<br /><br /><br />------<br /><br />Steve Hanson is co-founding member of <a href=\"http://thejanitorialstore.com/\">TheJanitorialStore.com</a>, an online community for owners and managers of cleaning companies who want to build a more profitable and successful cleaning business. Sign up for Trash Talk: Tip of the Week at <a href=\"http://www.thejanitorialstore.com/\">http://www.TheJanitorialStore.com</a> and receive a Free Gift. Read cleaning success stories from owners of cleaning companies at #p#ҳ#e#<a href=\"http://www.cleaning-success.com/\">http://www.cleaning-success.com/#p#ҳ#e#</a> .<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('321','8','When a business comes into existence, there is a group of people who become involved with the performance of the business in its various aspects. The investors, the customers, shareholders, decision-makers as well as the comparatively unrelated tax authorities, all form a part of this group. It is no wonder; therefore, that all of these groups will have an interest in the financial records of the company as well. It is therefore crucial for the business to maintain accurate accounts of all business transactions and also reveal the accounts to these concerned groups to ensure complete transparency of operations. The accounting division of any business is therefore one of the most crucial departments employing a lot of the companya??s resources. Accounting outsourcing as a substitute to hiring in-house staff for accounting is also gaining a lot popularity across the globe.<br /><br />Accounting outsourcing involves hiring a vendor either nationally or internationally and handing over the accounting work to the vendor. The accounting outsourcing team of the hired vendor will then maintain the daily accounts for the business, keeping a track of the each transaction that takes place. The people working on a clienta??s account through the accounting outsourcing process are qualified professionals who have the necessary competence to maintain accurate financial records through compilation of data. In addition, the vendor takes on the responsibility of maintaining the confidentiality of the financial data that the accounting outsourcing team handles for the client.<br /><br />The accounting outsourcing services offered by the vendor helps the client to save on the companya??s resources both financial and human. The amount that is paid to the accounting outsourcing vendor is much less compared to the salary that would have to be paid to the in-house accounting staff. In addition, when hiring the accounting outsourcing services a business can be sure of getting accurately maintained data regarding the current financial status of the business. The accounting outsourcing professionals are quite competent in handling the latest accounting softwares that are available in the market. It ensures that the accounting outsourcing work can continue using similar software and procedures. <br /><br />Accounting outsourcing also ensures that crucial data relating to a companya??s finance is recorded and processed on a daily basis, enabling the decision-makers to judge the position of the company before moving ahead with any decisions or creating any new policies and procedures. The clear financial picture that accounting outsourcing presents to the client is a big help in this world of cutthroat competition. Accounting outsourcing also plays a crucial role for the business during the time of taxation. Filing for taxes requires all company accounts to be in perfect order and the tax auditora??s are very thorough with their audit investigations. A firm that has an accounting outsourcing vendor to handle all the financial records and maintain them in perfect order can have a great burden removed from their shoulder. The trend of hiring international vendors for accounting outsourcing is therefore fast catching on among businesses across the globe and more and more companies are now going in for accounting outsourcing solutions.#p##e#<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Alvis Brazma gives advice to business owners about how to manage their business efficiently without any hassles. To know more about Accounting outsourcing services,Small business accounting,Retail accounting, <a href=\"http://www.impacctusa.com\">Accounting outsourcing</a> visit this leading internet source: <a href=\"http://www.impacctusa.com\">www.impacctusa.com</a><br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('322','8','With all the hype about IP Centrex, you\'d think that every business in American had switched to IP telephony. Analyst firm Ovum estimates that IP Centrex and hosted VoIP revenues will amount to around US $6.6 billion worldwide by 2008, up from US $255 million this year. Frost &amp; Sullivan puts a US $7.9 billion valuation on the market by 2009. It expects, conservatively, that IP Centrex will account for at least 15 percent of all business lines by the turn of the decade, double the size of the current Centrex market.<br /><br />Many end-users no longer want to have the headache of managing the PBX and its services, and service providers can manage these devices remotely on behalf of customers. This reduces the burden on the IT function within the company and, with financing deals, can even reduce capital expenditure.<br /><br />How do you know if IP Centrex is right for your company? It\'s not just about the money, but rather how the features, functionality, and system control play a significant role in making the right choice. It can be relatively risk free ? assuming the service provider can provide adequate service and accurate billing along with all those IP benefits. And as businesses view data as an equally essential method of communications and see their workplaces becoming virtual entities, stretched across multiple locations, IP Centrex becomes more desirable than ever before.<br /><br />One of the issues with IP Centrex is the <a href=\"http://www.telsoft-solutions.com/ctvoip.html\">IP billing</a> capability of the provider. Every outsourced telecom provider should be able to offer:<br /><br />-- Bucket billing plans (like cellular billing)<br />-- Unlimited billing rates or plans<br />-- Taxes (up to 10 levels)<br />-- Real-time or web based call reports for end users <br />-- Staggered billing <br />-- QuickBooks Interface<br />-- -- Cost &amp; Charge - Basic Cost Allocation/Billing Software Module<br />-- -- Billing of one-time and recurring charges<br /><br />If you are considering an IP Centrex system, make sure your provider has all the <a href=\"httpwww.telsoft-solutions.com/callaccount.html\">call accounting</a> and IP Billing systems in place.<br /><br />---<br /><br />Author, Karen Ritz, Vice President, Business Development for TelSoft Solutions, writes on the benefits of call accounting solutions. More information can be found at www.telsoft-solutions.com.<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('323','8','Of late, India has become the center of attraction for various companies and businesses worldwide. Every one, including a small, large or big business, wants to hire outsourcing services from India. Several global companies therefore, are making beeline for hiring India outsourcing accounting services for various financial benefits and convenience that it offers to its clients. Hence, India has become the hub of outsourcing various business services for its easy access and economical reasons. <br /><br />The main objective of India outsourcing accounting is to maximize profits and reduce monetary losses due to the investment in maintaining accountants by several companies. It is at the same time fulfilling as a responsible entity within the society. India outsourcing accounting offers a variety of management services for marketing, finance, human resource and administrative divisions that are crucial for every business need. As a result, the accounting needs of any business are of significant importance as they keep a track of every transaction that takes place in the organization. An accurate record needs to be maintained so that the decision-makers have a ready access to financial data of the company at any given day and time. That is the reason why more and more companies are going in for accounting outsourcing to ensure the smooth progress of this crucial job. <br /><br />Thus, India outsourcing accounting has become a popular destination for all companies looking for professional and expert advice for maintaining its large accounts. All this is happening due to the advancement, invention and discoveries of various information technology software and applications. This has certainly given an edge to India over many other countries due to cheap labor, flexible working hours and manpower resources. India has lately ventured into the field of outsourcing accounting. In addition, India outsourcing accounting takes off a major chunk of responsibility from the companya??s shoulders and allows them to concentrate on their core business and growth prospects. In fact, India outsourcing accounting also provides assistance for the companies to expand their areas of expertise, as it cuts down ample of time that was being utilized by the companies in maintaining its accounts. <br /><br />India outsourcing accounting is gaining popularity worldwide for such accounting projects. India as a country has many qualified professionals who can aptly handle the accounting software in use by the client and can maintain detailed, accurate accounts in a manner which is both user-friendly and informative. Additionally, India outsourcing accounting also makes perfect business sense to various countries, especially the western world, as they get a detailed accounting record that has accuracy along with confidentiality. India outsourcing accounting therefore turns out to be a blessing for the countries involved and is profitable for both the client and the vendor. India as a country has come a long way as it supplies a number of educated and computer literate workforces and therefore offers the most practical solution through outsourcing accounting options. In addition, the services offered are customized and most reputed vendors offer round the clock facilities that ensures hassle-free services for receiving the accounting data. India outsourcing accounting has gained popularity due to accounting services.<br /><br />Allies Harbor is a writer and writes articles on various topics including outsourcing. To know more about Accounting outsourcing,Business Process Outsourcing, Benefits of SEO outsourcing India,Software Outsourcing India,Offshore Data Entry, <a href=\"http://www.ifrstaffing.com/accounting_outsourcing_india_tn.html\">India Outsourcing Accounting</a> visit <a href=\"http://www.ifrstaffing.com\">www.ifrstaffing.com</a><br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('324','8','Both accounting and finance can be said to be the back bone of any business organization. If both or even one of them does not function properly then it can very safely be concluded that the performance of that particular organization wouldn\'t be up to the mark. In this regard it would not be out of place to first know what accounting and finance is. Well, accounting can be defined as systematic recording, reporting, and analysis of financial transactions of any business.<br /><br />This definition in itself makes it amply clear as to why accounting is considered to be so important for any business organization. After all every business outfit need to have a detailed and systematic record, report, and analysis of all financial transaction. If accounting is so important and has such an important sway on business establishment then wouldn\'t it be proper that people who want to take it up as a carrer, study it well, learn every aspect of it and then join this profession. It would make them a real asset in their organization.<br /><br />Same thing can be said about finance as well. Its value is easy to understand. After all a business can function properly only if its finances are properly taken care of. Any mismanagement in this regard will seriously affect the smooth functioning of the organization. Finance after all involves planing of the use of funds, which includes raising funds, salary of the employees, investments, cutting costs and various other big and small issues that keep cropping up in an organization from time to time. One should be adept in understanding the various aspects of finance. And what better way of doing this then to take up a course in finance and understand every aspect of it. It is very important for people to have a complete understanding of the subject, for any error here can lead the company into serious trouble.<br /><br />However it would be beneficial for aspirants to take up online courses run by various universities. In this busy world no one really has time to spend hours in a classroom, more so when the same thing can be done sitting in the comfort of your home. Not only is this convenient and saves lot of time, but it also allows one the luxury to carry on with the work which one might be doing. However one must understand that whether one takes a regular course or get enrolled in any of the online courses he will have to work very hard to gain mastery in the above subjects and if that happens then only sky can be the limit for such people.');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('325','8','Running a business is not a childa??s play. In fact, not every one can run a successful business. Running a successful business requires a lot of skill, expertise and coordination. In fact, the person who is running the business needs to understand how to allocate work within his firm and how he can get the best revenue from his business. After all, earning great revenues is something that all business owners want to do. The success of a business is complemented by the rate of profit it earns. A business is known by the profit and loss it incurs. However, we all know that accounting is a tedious process and at the same time requires a lot of expertise on the part of the person who does it. Moreover, one has to be highly accurate to do the accounting work.<br /><br /><br />Whether a business is small or big, accounting is one aspect that it just cannot overlook. Accounting is essential to both large as well as small-scale business. One cannot ignore the accounting aspect of their business, as the main motive behind running a business is to earn profit. However, as I already specified that accounting is not everybodya??s cup of tea and in this case hiring a professional from a small business accounting firm can be the best option. If you run a small-scale business then you can easily hire the services of a professional from a <a href=\"http://www.impacctusa.com\">Small Business Accounting</a> firm that offers services to small-scale businesses. <br /><br /><br />There are n numbers of small scale accounting firms that offer their services to businesses. However, you will have to make sure that these firms cater to all the accounting needs of your business. The accounting needs of a business include the creation of ledger accounts, maintaining the debits and credits of the business, maintaining the statement of profit and loss and many more things. In fact, many other minute details also need to be maintained so that one can easily come to know about the various transactions that the business had to incur at any point of time. Maintaining a record of all these things will require a lot of expertise and a professional from a small business accounting firm will be the best person to do these things as he has specialized in accounting. <br /><br /><br />There are many firms that offer small business accounting services and all you will need to do is look out for the one who caters the best to your business needs. For this, you will have to do a bit of research as in look into the details of the small business accounting firm from whom you will outsource the service and then see its success ratio. If you feel that the small business accounting firm is the best option for your business then you can go ahead and hire it. Yes, you will have to make sure that you make the professional understand the nature of your business and give out all the financial details so that the work becomes easier and even more defined for the professional.<br /><br /><br />Alvis Brazma gives advice to business owners about how to manage their business efficiently without any hassles. To know more about Accounting outsourcing services,Bookkeeping help,Real estate accounting,<a href=\"http://www.impacctusa.com\">Small Business Accounting</a> visit this leading internet source: <a href=\"http://www.impacctusa.com\">www.impacctusa.com</a><br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('326','8','Don\'t we just love those long, hot summer days in the sun? Keep in mind, however, that the high temperatures and excessive humidity can pose dangers. One of the dangers to be aware of is that of heatstroke. Heatstroke occurs as a result long, extreme exposure to the sun. When a person does not sweat enough to lower body temperature core temperature rises quickly and heatstroke occurs.<br /><br />The first aid tips in this article in no way precludes immediate medical attention. Heatstroke can be extremely damaging to you health. It progresses very quickly and is life threatening. While there are first aid measures that can be taken, heatstroke is a medical emergency. Time is crucial and help should be summoned immediately.<br /><br />Infants and the elderly are among the group at high risk for heatstroke. Also vulnerable are the obese, alcoholics, persons taking certain medications, or those with cardiovascular disease. <br /><br />Another group that may be at risk is the summer athlete. As with any prolonged physical activity, summer sports can be potentially dangerous. An excellent source of information on heat stroke and how it relates to summer sports can be found at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute online. At<br />www.gssiweb.com/reflib/refs/597/SSE86.cfm?pid=96 there is an comprehensive article about prevention and treatment of heatstoke in summer sports.<br /><br />Some risk factors for heat stroke include dehydration. alcohol use, cardiovascular disease, and medications. <br />The important thing to remember is that when high temperatures and humidity are present conditions are right for heat stroke. There are some preventive measures you should take if you are going to be in the heat for extensive hours. This is especially necessary if you are planning prolonged physical activity.<br /><br />Have plenty of water and/or sports drinks on hand to prevent dehydration. Wear clothing that allows you to sweat and will prevent overheating. Heat stroke results from the body\'s inability to sweat and keep itself cool. Take breaks and sit in a shaded area to cool down. <br /><br />Some early warning signs of heatstroke may include a rapid rise in body temperature (104&deg; F or higher), irritability, confusion, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, hot, dry red skin, hallucinations, and rapid heart beat. There may even be be loss of consciousness.<br /><br />If you suspect someone has heat stroke take action quickly. Have someone call 911 for help. Get the person out of the sun into a shaded or air-conditioned area. <br /><br />If possible immerse the person in a tub of ice water, or spray them with a garden hose. If nothing else wrap them in cool sheets. Whatever means you have, the objective is to cool them down as quickly as possibly. Monitor them closely. Cool the person until their body temperature drops to 101-102&deg;F.<br /><br />Move quickly, if not treated, heat stroke can be fatal in with-in the hour. If medical assistance does not arrive after you have cooled them down, call a hospital emergency room for further advice.#p##e#<br /><br />In conclusion, when enjoying the intense heat and humidity of summer remember to wear lightweight, breatheable clothing. Keep plenty of water and sports drinks on hand. Schedule heavy physical activity for cooler hours of the day. Acclimate yourself to the sun and heat by spending short times in the sun at first. With these few steps in mind may you all have a wonderful summer whenever it comes to your part of the globe.<br /><br />----------------------------------------<br />For more articles on health issues visit Doran\'s websites. It\'s your health, know the facts.<br />http://backpain-facts.healing-truths.com <br />http://cancer-facts.healing-truths.com<br />http://natures-way.healing-truths.com<br />http://backpain-facts.healing-truths.com');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('327','8','As the tax session is approaching and your accounting work is essential for filing tax you need someone who can manage your accounting and financial records that are in mess. When everybody is in hurry of lightening the burden of taxation, you must not left behind and should clear all doubts regarding tax filing. If you a resident of New Jersey then things are very easy for you as accountant New Jersey is there to help you out in filing tax and maintain accounts properly.<br /><br /><br />Accountant New Jersey is the right person who can make your tax filing convenient and less time consuming. This is the time when you need assistance of a proficient accounting professional. You can leave your account-managing task on an accountant New Jersey even if you need only advice and can manage your records yourself then also you can get benefit from him/her. You can get guidance regarding tax filing and account managing from that accountant. However, it may be difficult to get services of an accountant in tax season but internet is there to make this easy. You can search for such accounting professionals who can complete the task of taxation right from assumption of taxable income to calculating the reasonable tax amount. He or she will tally your entire accounting document and will calculate the taxable income you can also get suggestions regarding saving tax. This task is tedious and requires a lot of concentration and accuracy so it becomes your responsibility to provide him/her lucid statements. <br /><br /><br />If you are a busy professionals and cannot give much time to accountant then also you can have best services from accountant New Jersey, you just need to give him proper details and statements. On the whole, an accountant New Jersey would be capable of handling all problems; he will be very well versed with terms like assets and liabilities, profit and loss, gross profit, tax rebate and taxation laws. He/she will the reliable whom you can trust and can hand over your confidential documents. An accounting New Jersey has to be expert and well qualified so that he may successfully handle complex cases. The only thing that you must consider when you search for a accountant New Jersey that he should be a certifies and authorized person to offer accounting services. <br /><br /><br />If you are facing difficulty in finding an appropriate person to accomplish your task then internet is the best medium. You will just have to search the directory where the information about accountant New Jersey is stored. Select the suitable one and fix an appointment. It is not so easy to make your accounting and taxation process easier? By this way, you can also check out the available options to hire accounting services. After all, you are the one who is spending money on them so you may fully utilize your hard-earned money. As taxation and account management is concerned, you can never get a better option than hiring an efficient qualified and established accountant New Jersey.<br /><br />Peter Terry has extensive knowledge about bookkeeping and knows the importance of this for running a successful business.To know more about New Jersey tax accountant,<a href=\"http://www.jerseybookkeepers.com/ourservices.html\">Accountant New Jersey</a>,New Jersey Bookkeeping and Jersey bookkeepers visit <a href=\"http://www.jerseybookkeepers.com\">www.jerseybookkeepers.com</a>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('328','8','Understanding the Balance Sheet<br /><br />A Balance Sheet provides a financial snapshot of a company at a specific date. This statement details the company\'s assets, liabilities and owner\'s equity.<br /><br />Assets are things, that a company owns, that have value. An asset is also that which is owed to a company such as accounts receivables. Assets include tangible items such as buildings, vehicles, equipment, tools and inventory. However, tangible property is not the only thing that can be classified as an asset; intangibles such as trademarks, patents, research and development, and goodwill are also included in the category of asset. Remember that cash is an asset. So, anything of value that is owned or due to the business should be included as an asset on the Balance Sheet.<br /><br />A liability is everything that a company owes others. This includes money that a company might owe a supplier, payroll that is owed to employees, taxes owed to local, state and federal tax agencies, and money owed to banks or other lending institutions for loans or credit card balances. This list is not all-inclusive as there are many financial obligations that fall in the liability category on the balance sheet. I have just included a few of the most common ones found on balance sheets of small businesses. <br /><br />In a nutshell, Owner\'s Equity represents the money that would available to all the owners if the company sold all of its assets and paid off all of its liabilities. Equity increases when owners invest money into the company and/or when the company shows a profit and retains those earnings in the company instead of paying those earnings out in a dividend. Equity is often called owner\'s equity, shareholder\'s equity, capital or net worth. <br /><br />The following formula represents the balance sheet:<br />Assets = liabilities Owner\'s Equity<br /><br />Understanding the balance sheet and monitoring its changes will help a business owner understand important trends in the business and help he/her make better decisions.<br /><br />Luke Adams ? President InFront Finance 8/23/06<br />https://www.infrontfinance.com');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('329','8','Running a successful business is not at all an easy task and it is a known fact that running a successful business takes in a lot of effort and a lot of expertise. At the same time, another known fact is that the accounts department of any firm, large scale or small scale is the most important and the most sorted after department. Going through all the financial records of an organization is not at all an easy task and this demands the involvement of highly specialized accounts professionals who know their work in and out and can make the most out of the given time to give the best results to the organization. Along with best results, the organization heads also demand the accurate financial records of the organization. When it is the question of keeping an accurate track of the financial records of the company a professional from a New York accounting firm can offer your company the best and the most accurate services. <br /><br /><br /><br />Moreover hiring a professional from a New York accounting firm can help you to avoid all the unwanted problems and can help you relax while they will handle the accounting work of your firm. Every professional from a New York accounting firm works towards the benefits of their clients and they keep on having a close watch over all the financial transactions. In fact, they work with a lot of expertise and as they are highly qualified with their work, they know that they cannot afford to miss any of the details as this can lead to a major problem for the organization. <br /><br /><br /><br />Hiring a professional from a New York accounting firm helps you to understand the work and you can get the work done without having to toil around a lot for it. Many accounting vendors in New York provide accounting outsourcing services to both large scale as well as small-scale business. All you will need to do is look out for a vendor whose services will suit your business needs. Once you decide to hire the services of a professional from a New York accounting firm you will have to give out all the financial information about your organization to the person who shall take over all the accounting work of your firm. <br /><br /><br /><br />Handling accounting task is basically concerned with the checking of invoice generation, billing statements, payments records, trial balance, profit and loss account, balance sheet, debit and credit entries and many more. It is only a qualified and experienced accounting professional from a New York accounting firm who can handle the task of accounting carefully and accurately. However, handing over the work to a professional from a New York accounting firm does not finish your involvement. You will also have to look through the work of the professional whom you have hired for your firm. You will have to cross check his work and make sure that he is looking through all the financial transactions of your firm. A professional from a New York accounting firm can be the best support to your business and you can be relaxed.');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('330','8','Dietitians are experts in food and nutrition. They help promote good health through proper eating. They also supervise the preparation and service of food, develop modified diets, participate in research, and educate individuals and groups on good nutritional habits. The goals of the dietary department are to obtain, prepare, and serve flavorsome, attractive, and nutritious food to patients, family members, and health care providers.<br /><br /><br />Nutrition professionals include registered dietitians (RD) and dietetic technician, registered (DTR). Some RDs or DTRs call themselves nutritionists. However, some people who may call themselves a nutritionist are not registered dietitians. Sometimes the word dietitian is spelled as dietician.<br /><br /><br />Only certain countries, such as America have dietetic technicians. Dietetics technicians are not the same as dietitians in terms of responsibilities and qualifications.<br /><br /><br />The majority of dietitians are clinical, or therapeutic, dietitians. Clinical dietitians review medical charts and talk with patients\' families. They work with other health care professionals and community groups to provide nourishment, nutritional programs, and instructional presentations to benefit people of all ages, and with a variety of health conditions. This is accomplished by developing individual plans to meet nutritional needs. These plans include nourishment, tube feedings (called enteral nutrition), intravenous feedings (called parenteral nutrition) such as total parenteral nutrition (TPN), diets, and education. Clinical dietitians provide individual and group educational programs for patients and family members about their nutrition and health.<br /><br /><br /><br />A qualified registered Dietitian can undertake roles such as;<br />Clinical dietitians work in hospitals to provide medical nutrition therapy to patients according to the disease processes provides individual inpatient and outpatient dietary consultations to patients and their family members and also conduct group educations for other health workers, patients and the public. They work as a team with the physicians, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, social workers and nurses to provide care to the patients.<br /><br /><br />Community dietitians work with wellness programs and international health organizations. These dietitians apply and distribute knowledge about food and nutrition to specific life-styles and geographic areas. They coordinate nutritional programs in public health agencies, daycare centers, health clubs, and recreational camps and resorts. Some community dietitians carry out clinical based patient care in the form of home visits for patients who are too ill to physically attend consultation in health facilities.<br /><br /><br />Foodservice dietitians or manager are responsible for large-scale food planning and service. They coordinate, assess and plan foodservice processes in health care facilities, school food service programs, prisons, cafeterias, and restaurants. They direct and manage the operational and nutrition services staffs such as kitchen staffs, delivery staffs and dietary assistants or diet aides.<br /><br /><br />Research dietitians are mostly involved with dietary related research in the clinical aspect of nutrition in disease states, public aspect on primary, secondary and sometimes tertiary health prevention and foodservice aspect in issues involving the food prepared for patients. Research Dietitians normally work in a hospital or research facilities. It should be noted that some Clinical dietitian\'s role also involve research other than the normal clinical workload. Quality improvement in dietetics services is also one area of research.#p##e#<br /><br /><br />Administrative, or management or Director of Dietetics Department or Nutrition Services, sometimes also known as Manager instead of Director depending on the size, number of dietitians in the department and also the organizational structure adopted by the Health facilities or Hospital. Director or Manager acts as head of the dietitians. They also hire, train, direct, supervise employees and manage dietary departments<br /><br /><br />Business dietitians serve as resource people for the media. They work as sales representatives for food manufacturing companies that provide nutritional supplements and tube feeding supplies.<br /><br /><br />Consultant dietitians work under private practice. They contract independently to provide nutrition services and educational programs to individuals, nursing homes, and in health care facilities.<br /><br /><br />Apart from qualified registered Dietitians, other nutrition workers in a Nutrition department are;<br />Dietary Aides or Dietary Assistants are responsible for assisting and carrying out the medical nutrition therapy prescribed by the Dietitians and to ensure that food for the patients as instructed by the Dietitians are carried out correctly by checking menus against recent diet orders before tray assembly begins and being physically present in the kitchen plating-lines at meal hours. Dietary aides in some countries might also carry out a simple initial health screening for newly admitted patients and only inform the Dietitians if any screened patients require a Dietitian\'s expertise for further assessments or interventions.<br /><br />Dietary clerks perform clerical tasks such as entry and maintenance of dietary requirements to a database. They also track financial information, such as the number of meals served each day.<br /><br /><br />Dietary managers are responsible for retail, catering, and tray lines. If an operation is large, there may be one or more managers to help in directing the dietary workers.<br /><br /><br />Dietary workers prepare the food and meal trays in the kitchen. They check for accuracy and completeness. They also maintain the storage area for food supplies and ensure practice of sanitary procedures. Dietary workers are trained on the job and can work in any commercial kitchen.<br /><br /><br />Dietary hosts or hostesses deliver and bring back the meal trays to patients. They distribute and collect menus and help the patients to make complete selections.#p##e#<br /><br /><br />A Dietitian\'s education in Health science involves significant scientific based knowledge in Anatomy, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, Physiology, Nutrition &amp; Medical Science. It is these strong foundations in advanced scientific knowledge equipped with counseling skills and aspects of psychology which enables a Dietitian to assess, analyze, intervene and educate a patient in relation to the diet and disease.<br /><br /><br />It can be said that in an Interdisciplinary team (consisting of the Physician, Dietitian, Speech Therapist, Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist, Social worker and Nurses), the Physician and the Dietitian are the two health professionals with the most well rounded knowledge on human biochemistry and physiology.<br /><br /><br />There are a few different academic routes to becoming a fully qualified Dietitian;<br />A professional undergraduate Bachelor degree in Dietetics which requires four years of studies or A Bachelor of science degree and a Postgraduate diploma in Dietetics or A Bachelor of science degree and a Masters in Dietetics. <br />Besides academic education, a Dietitian has to undertake an hospital internship before they are qualified as Dietitians.<br /><br /><br />All the above qualifies a Dietitian on the same professional level upon graduation. Different grades or level comes with experience and working as a Dietitian for periods of time.<br /><br /><br /><br />Freelance writer for over eleven years.<br />Dietitian Uniforms Chef Uniforms Dickies Medical Uniform Scrubs<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('331','8','To succeed in the business world is tough and especially if you are not too familiar with the different strategies which are needed to make a business successful. Well if you cannot make a success story out of your business, there is simply no use of running a business of any type. Accounting, bookkeeping, promotion, marketing, production and manufacturing are some of the strategies that you need to undertake for running a business successfully. Now what a business owner needs to do is prioritize what needs to be done and this will differ vastly from business to business. Accounting help is something that any business needs to undertake, especially if you are running a large scale business. If a person is running or looking after a small scale business, they can easily handle the accounting work without getting professional accounting help from a third party. <br /><br />Now accounting help is something that you cannot avoid and so you must make sure that you get the best professionals to do the work for you. There are several firms that provide accounting help along with other bookkeeping and accounting services to business owners and individuals who are looking out for these services. If you look at the global accounting help outsourcing statistics, you will find that an increasingly large number of orgnaiztaions are undertaking this strategy for their business. Therefore, if your name is yet to figure in those statistics, it is high time for you to undertake accounting help for your business. The benefits of outsourcing the <a href=\"http://www.impacctusa.com\">accounting help</a> aspect of your business are many, and this is the reason why there is a huge surge in the number of business owners and entrepreneurs opening up to the idea of outsourcing the work. <br /><br />Accounting help is to help a business or organization keep a proper record of all the financial aspect of the business. Each business or for that matter every individual needs to keep a record of all the finical dealings that they do on a daily basis as this is the only thing which will help in determining how well of how bad their business is doing. Often it happens that and especially with small and mid sized organizations that the person handling the accounting or the financial aspect of the business does not make it a habit to maintain all the financial records, especially the small transactions that are done on a daily or weekly basis. It is very important to have all the things documented and if you are of those who forget things, it will be best if you keep these things written down. <br /><br />The strategy, which will be needed for maintaining the accounts of your business properly, is different for every business. Therefore, the professional who is offering accounting help to your business must make sure that he is fully aware about all the different aspects of your business, and based on that decide what will be the best way to handle the accounts and finance of your business. Accounting help can do wonders to your business when doe in the correct way.<br /><br />Alvis Brazma gives advice to business owners about how to manage their business efficiently without any hassles. To know more about Accounting outsourcing services,Small business accounting,Real estate accounting,Retail accounting, <a href=\"http://www.impacctusa.com\">Accounting help</a> visit this leading internet source: <a href=\"http://www.impacctusa.com\">www.impacctusa.com</a>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('332','8','Whether you are in a new business or established one, you might have find accounting the toughest job. You have to be busy in handling and studying your company accounts even when you are not willing to do so. It is really irritating to do the unwanted work when you can better utilize your time in making new plans and strategies for the growth of your company. If you really want to put off that over burden of accounting work Accountant New Jersey can help you in lighten your burden of accounting and taxation activities. <br /><br /><br />Accountant New Jersey provides your business those highly qualified accounting and finance professionals who have expertise in managing accounts and financial records. Accountant New Jersey works for the benefit of their clients and provides them the facility to manage financial transactions and tax return. The services an accountant New Jersey provides will surely give a support to you and help your business to flourish. In every business, finance or accounting department plays a vital role as it reflects the actual level of business. An account New Jersey is the best professional accountant who can offer you the best services that will be of great benefit to your business. Accounting professional in New Jersey are very easy to hire, you can hire them from any accounting firm. <br /><br /><br />You will just have to analyze your requirements and decide what kind of accountant New Jersey can meet your requirements. You can also search them with the help of World Wide Web, there you can get a list of all accounting firm which provide the facility to hire qualified accounting professionals. The accountant New Jersey who work for such firms, possess high qualification and ability to provide the best services to your business.<br /><br /><br />Management of accounting activities are on the whole concerned with checking invoice generation, billing statements, payments records, trial balance, profit and loss account, balance sheet, debit and credit entries and many more. Only a qualified Accountant New Jersey can successfully handle these tasks so that there chances of mistake ban be minimizes as it directly affects onea??s business. At the time of tax return everybody is in a hurry to know the exact amount of tax so it becomes important that the work must be completed on time for carrying out the business process without any hassles. Now at the time of taxation you dona??t need to search for a professional of tax return as Accountant New Jersey is there to assist you in filing the tax on time. <br /><br /><br />Be it a small business organization or big business house, accounting task has to be done with complete concentration. Accountant New Jersey does every task with concentration and records each and every transaction and updates it on daily basis and never leaves any work pending so that other growth aspects may not suffer. Selection of an accountanta??s service is one of the most important decisions an individual or businesses can make. So make a wise decision and let accountant New Jersey bother for your accounting hassles.');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('333','8','It is a known fact that accounting or bookkeeping is one of the most tedious, time consuming and one of the important aspects of a business, and the business can be a small scale business as well as a large scale business. Accounting is not an easy task and it requires a lot of expertise on the part of the accountant or the person who will be managing the accounts of the company. And if you feel that your organization needs the help of some expert accountant you can always hire a professional from an accounting New York firm. And if your organization is located in New York, you can easily hire a professional from an accounting New York firm. <br /><br /><br />Running a business is not a childa??s play and it requires a lot of management and expertise. One has to look after almost every aspect of the business and in this case keeping a track on the accounting aspect of the business is literally impossible. In fact accounting is one of the most important aspects of any business and only if one manages to maintain accurate accounting records, they can easily understand the profit or the loss that the organization is generating. In fact one needs to maintain a daily record of all the financial transactions of their business as this helps them to draw conclusions about the financial status of their business. When you hire a professional from any accounting New York vendor you can rest assured that all the records of the financial aspects of your business will be properly maintained and that you will get the best from these professional accountants of an accounting New York organization. <br /><br /><br />A professional accountant that you hire from an accounting New York firm works towards the profits of the clients whom they are serving. As they are highly professional they have tremendous expertise in their work and know everything about accounting and bookkeeping. These professionals from an accounting New York firm make sure that they provide you with all the accounting details of all the transactions that your firm had to bear in a particular time period. Handling accounting task basically concerns keeping a check on the invoice generation, billing statements, payments records, trial balance, profit and loss account, balance sheet, debit and credit entries and many more. Accounting is in fact one of the most tedious processes of any business and the accounts department is one of the most efficient departments of a business and this is the one department that has to be constantly conscious and alert about any transaction that the company bears. <br /><br /><br />In this case where accuracy is the key word, it is only an expert professional who can handle such tedious tasks of maintaining the accounts of a firm and in this scenario it is a professional from an accounting New York firm who can be of utmost help to a business. Hiring a professional from an accounting New York firm not only helps your business to get the accurate accounting details but also helps you to relax and have an eased out accounting session.<br /><br />Peter Terry has extensive knowledge about bookkeeping and knows the importance of this for running a successful business.To know more about Accounting New York,NYC bookkeepers,Bookkeepers New York visit www.nycbookkeepers.com/<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('334','8','Running a business organization of any stature in UK necessitates the maintenance of a <strong>registered office</strong>. This is regarded as the official address of the business farm. This type of office is necessary for any organization that runs its operation in UK. Legal farms also need to have such an office to function in the United Kingdom.<br /><br />However, it is not mandatory that the registered office of a business farm or an organization must be in the place where the company runs its business. This does not mean that one can have such offices anywhere he likes. Some places are legally authorized for the purpose of this type of office. One can have this office only in those places. <br /><br />Since it is not necessary that the registered office of a company should in its place of business, it is not unusual for accountants or agents to provide services on this type of office. The fact that only an address is necessary for the maintenance of such an office makes it easy for agents to offer this service. <br /><br />They do not require giving the whole building or the flat for the purpose. Simply allowing the company to use the address is sufficient for the purpose. Hence it opens an avenue for anybody to earn some extra money if he has the intention of offering his address to be used as registered office. Of course, the address he offers must be within a legally valid place.<br /><br />Since, offering <a href=\"http://www.smallfirmsservices.com/registered-office-service.asp\">registered office</a>. service has become a trend, any one can start and run a business in UK. If all the other things are ready from his part then getting an address for official correspondence will be taken care of by these agents. He can get in touch with these agents or farms through the internet as they have online presence.');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('335','8','It is a known fact that accounting or bookkeeping is one of the most tedious, time consuming and one of the important aspects of a business, and the business can be a small scale business as well as a large scale business. Accounting is not an easy task and it requires a lot of expertise on the part of the accountant or the person who will be managing the accounts of the company. And if you feel that your organization needs the help of some expert accountant you can always hire a professional from an accounting New York firm. And if your organization is located in New York, you can easily hire a professional from an accounting New York firm. <br /><br /><br />Running a business is not a childa??s play and it requires a lot of management and expertise. One has to look after almost every aspect of the business and in this case keeping a track on the accounting aspect of the business is literally impossible. In fact accounting is one of the most important aspects of any business and only if one manages to maintain accurate accounting records, they can easily understand the profit or the loss that the organization is generating. In fact one needs to maintain a daily record of all the financial transactions of their business as this helps them to draw conclusions about the financial status of their business. When you hire a professional from any accounting New York vendor you can rest assured that all the records of the financial aspects of your business will be properly maintained and that you will get the best from these professional accountants of an accounting New York organization. <br /><br /><br />A professional accountant that you hire from an accounting New York firm works towards the profits of the clients whom they are serving. As they are highly professional they have tremendous expertise in their work and know everything about accounting and bookkeeping. These professionals from an accounting New York firm make sure that they provide you with all the accounting details of all the transactions that your firm had to bear in a particular time period. Handling accounting task basically concerns keeping a check on the invoice generation, billing statements, payments records, trial balance, profit and loss account, balance sheet, debit and credit entries and many more. Accounting is in fact one of the most tedious processes of any business and the accounts department is one of the most efficient departments of a business and this is the one department that has to be constantly conscious and alert about any transaction that the company bears. <br /><br /><br />In this case where accuracy is the key word, it is only an expert professional who can handle such tedious tasks of maintaining the accounts of a firm and in this scenario it is a professional from an accounting New York firm who can be of utmost help to a business. Hiring a professional from an accounting New York firm not only helps your business to get the accurate accounting details but also helps you to relax and have an eased out accounting session.<br /><br />Peter Terry has extensive knowledge about bookkeeping and knows the importance of this for running a successful business.To know more about <a href=\"http://www.nycbookkeepers.com/ourservices.html\">Accounting New York</a>,NYC bookkeepers ,Bookkeepers New York visit <a href=\"http://www.nycbookkeepers.com\">www.nycbookkeepers.com/</a>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('336','8','Accounting is one of the most intimidating subjects around and a lot of people steer clear of it. Anytime you mention debits and credits or balance sheets to someone, their eyes seem to glaze over. Professionals in the field of Accounting are perceived as a bean-counting, calculator pushing, group of people. In college, business students dread taking introduction to Accounting unless they are prospective accounting majors. The truth is, ita??s not all that bad once you get the understanding of it. Honestly, Accounting is an acquired taste. You either like it or you dona??t.<br /><br />High school accounting students and undergraduate business students who are not accounting majors, tend to find Accounting very frustrating. That could be due to the fact that they cana??t get the help they need when they need it. If you have a few accounting geniuses in the class, you may get them to help you if they arena??t too involved in their own lives. The professors arena??t always immediately available either. There have been times when Ia??ve been up studying late and had questions in the middle of the night. You cana??t just pick up the phone and call one of your classmates in the middle of the night; that wouldna??t be very polite. But since practically a majority of students use the internet now whether to do homework or just to pass the time away, it has become a must-have. <br /><br />The benefits of using online tutoring with Accounting or any subject are:<br /><br />1.Tutors are generally available around the clock. Some tutoring companies may only be available when students are more likely to be studying. That can be from early afternoon to 1 in the morning.<br /><br />2.There may be less intimidation on the part of the student. Some people are very uncomfortable with face-to-face interaction. Also, it can raise confidence when the student just a??cana??t get ita??. <br /><br />3.Teachers may be in class or in bed when the student needs help the most. It also cuts down on the need for office hours. Tutors are typically only an email away. <br /><br />4.Tutors arena??t merely in a hurry because they have somewhere else they need to be. The job of the tutor is to make sure that your needs are met and that you get all the information that you need.<br /><br />Some people may not prefer tutors because of the extra costs. Online tutoring is generally cheaper than meeting with a private tutor in person. Cost for a private in-person tutor can range from an average of $15-$25 per hour. Online tutors are priced a little differently; they may charge by the question or by the hour. Tutors come in handy for those who work during the day and then go to school at night. By the time they get home at night, teachers arena??t always readily available. Hence, the student prefers to just pay the extra money to get what they need. Frankly, privately tutored students generally end up doing better because they have a chance to really learn the material and to increase their confidence when ita??s time to take the exam.<br /><br />Online tutoring is still a growing resource but ita??s highly valuable in this information age. Not everyone can just go to the nearest coffee shop or to a learning center to meet a tutor. This is particularly true for moms and dads who are attending college online but need to stay home with the children. All in all, ita??s a wonderful asset. <br /><br /><br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('337','9','Liquidation is basically the process of turning a companya??s hard assets such as buildings, furniture, patents, and copyrights into cash. This process is done so that the company can use the cash to either pay off existing debt or to reap a personal benefit. There are three different types of liquidation that include membersa?? voluntary, creditorsa?? voluntary, and compulsory liquidation. <br /><br />Membersa?? voluntary liquidation happens when the shareholders of the company decide to put it into liquidation and the assets positively outweigh the debts, which means the company is solvent. Creditorsa?? voluntary liquidation is when the shareholders of the company have decided to put it into liquidation and the debts outweigh the assets, this means that the company is insolvent. This is one of the most common types of liquidation. <br /><br />The last type of liquidation is compulsory liquidation which is when a court orders a receiver or liquidator to analyze a companya??s assets and decide which is the most fair way to divide in order to pay off debts. Before a company goes in to liquidation it is important that the director insures that all trading has ceased so that the company does not get in to even more credit issues. <br /><br />Directors are required to hand over control to official receivers (ORs) or liquidators who are able to tell a companya??s creditors and contributors including shareholders that the company is being liquidated. Liquidation is usually not a good sign but it doesna??t always mean the end. There are some alternatives that may be available instead of liquidation so explore your options. <br /><br />Bankruptcy is generally a term that is used for individuals while insolvency is more often applied to businesses. If an individual or business is unable to meet the financial obligations and is no longer able to function because their cash flow has reached a point where their liabilities are greater than their assets. <br /><br />Written by Carlos Sternson. Find the latest <a href=\"http://www.wilsonfield.co.uk/\">Insolvency</a> or find out more information on <a href=\"http://www.wilsonfield.co.uk/\">Liquidation URL</a>.<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('338','9','Let\'s begin your life after bankruptcy?now!<br /><br />Ok, so you just received your discharge papers from the bankruptcy court. Now what? Are you going to go into the corner and hide? Or are you going to see this situation as the most liberating opportunity you have had in years. I suggest the latter?and for one reason?I have seen literally thousands of people begin their life after bankruptcy with greater opportunities than ever before. Let me explain.<br /><br />Beginning your <a href=\"http://www.creditiskey.org\">life after bankruptcy</a> can sometimes seem a little daunting, but I am here to tell you that you are immediately going to recognize that you are in a much better situation then you might imagine.<br /><br />First, you are not likely to fall into many of the same traps that you fell into before?this I am sure of, as we have interviewed literally tens of thousands of individuals that have gone through a recent bankruptcy. The reaction we hear most from individuals that have recently discharged and bankruptcy?and are about to begin their life after bankruptcy?is, &quot;I have learned so much through this process?I can\'t imagine ever going through that again.&quot;<br /><br />I mean seriously, the education alone of going through that situation is enough to keep all of us on the &quot;straight and narrow&quot; in building our life after bankruptcy as stable as possible.<br /><br />Next, you have most likely learned quite a bit about sacrifice and &quot;how to trim the fat.&quot; Often times we find ourselves adding an expense here and an expense there and before we know it, we are in a bit over our heads. Then, to compound matters, we begin to rob Peter to pay Paul, driving us now into debt that we can not get out of without some miracle from above.<br /><br />In speaking to those that are building their life after bankruptcy, one of the most common things I hear is &quot;I will NEVER buy another subscription, apply for another department store credit card, or cave in to the temptation of a pay day loan in order to get something I want now.&quot; People have learned sacrifice and patience in a world of immediate gratification?and this is worth its weight in gold.<br /><br />Finally, for those that are rebuilding <a href=\"http://www.creditiskey.org\">life after bankruptcy</a><a> that came down that result of unforeseen circumstances, such as medical bills, an accident, unemployment, etc, this is a group of people that has also learned more than they could ever imagine. In our discussions over the years with this group, one thing is clear, these people will never fall prey to these circumstances ever again. Why do I say that?well?this is what I hear.#p##e#<br /><br />&quot;I put myself into a situation where I was uninsured, and now that I have been through a bankruptcy because of this situation, I will never be uninsured again.&quot; And, &quot;I went through a period of unemployment, now I have gone back to school to become more marketable and now have a job paying $4 more per hour. Life has become so much more enjoyable.&quot; Or, &quot;I was injured on the job last year, and with the small amount of money you receive from Workers Compensation, I just wasn\'t able to make ends meet. I now have cut 100% of all &quot;stupid&quot; expenses and have begun a serious savings account. I now have 3 months of my monthly expenses safely tucked away?I will never let this happen to me again.&quot;<br /><br />You know, many times when I am talking to people they actually say that going through bankruptcy was the best thing that ever happened to them. I believe it?really I do.<br /><br />Begin your life after bankruptcy today, with a totally new lease on life!<br /><br /><br />About The Author:<br /><br />Subscribe to credit is keys phenomenal 7 lesson series that is sure to get you on the fast track to credit restoration, </a><a href=\"http://www.creditiskey.org\">life after bankruptcy</a>. Simply click the link and begin your life after bankruptcy.');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('339','9','Today there are many people dealing with financial struggles. For this reason there are many options that are available to you that can help you deal with these stressful issues. Liquidation is one such option that is the process of turning a companya??s hard assets including buildings, furniture, patents, and copyrights into cash. <br /><br />The cash that is accumulated from liquidation is used to pay off existing debt or to reap personal benefit. There are three main types of liquidation including membersa?? voluntary creditorsa?? voluntary, and compulsory liquidation. Membersa?? voluntary liquidation is when the shareholders of a company decided to put it into liquidation and the assets positively outweigh the debts, meaning the company is solvent. <br /><br />Creditorsa?? voluntary liquidation is when the shareholders of the company decided to put it into liquidation and the debts of the company outweigh the assets, meaning the company is insolvent. This is the most common type of liquidation. <br /><br />The last type of liquidation is known as compulsory liquidation which is when a court orders a receiver or liquidator to analyze a companya??s assets and decide what is the best order to pay off debts. When a company is going in to liquidation it is important that the director insures that all trading has ceased so that the company doesna??t get into further credit problems. <br /><br />It is required that directors hand over their control to official receivers (ORs) or liquidators who are able to tell a companya??s creditors and contributors (such as shareholders) that the company is being liquidated. Liquidation does not mean the end is near for a company. There are also some possible alternatives to liquation that may be helpful for your companya??s current financial situation. <br /><br />Some may still be confused about what the differences are between bankruptcy and insolvency. Bankruptcy is more commonly used for individuals while insolvency is more commonly used when regarding a business.<br /><br />Written by Carly Sternson. Find the latest <a href=\"http://www.wilsonfield.co.uk/\">Insolvency</a> or find out more information on <a href=\"http://www.wilsonfield.co.uk/\">Liquidation</a>.<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('340','9','Bankruptcy is a legal term that all of us have heard over and over again. We usually think that a person has become poor when they are bankrupt however that is usually not even close to the case. We have this pre-conceived notion that in order for us to be bankrupt, we are irresponsible and lazy. In the real world, it can be one of the most responsible actions that a person can choose to take when it is really necessary. It is not an easy decision for most people to make, but it is the best one for certain situations.<br /><br />When you start declaring that you are bankrupt, what you are basically saying to your creditors is that you cannot possibly ever repay all of your debt. You will have to declare bankruptcy through a lawyer. If it so happens that your situation is a valid one, you are then freed of your debt. All the companies that you owe money now have no right to ask for it. This may sound awesome at first; however, it does have its draw backs as well.<br /><br />Let me tell you one thing though, having something like a bankruptcy appear on your credit report for the next six to 10 years will not be even close to beneficial to you. It will sit there in big, bold, red letters in your credit report for a very long time. Because of it, you will have trouble getting credit cards, loans or making big purchases even though ironically, these may the very things that cause you to declare bankruptcy in the first place. If you can prove that you are making some real strides with your financial situation, you could find it less difficult to get financing but not very. However, it is a very good way to take financial responsibility of your own life. Not to mention, you will feel a great big burden being lifted off your shoulders.<br />Credit card companies and other creditors where you owe money really do have the right to say no to your bankruptcy claim. There are certain situations when they are very likely to do this too. If you just went on a vacation, made a big purchase, used a credit card when unemployed or spent money after consulting with a lawyer, you will look suspicious in their eyes and will likely be denied. It is always best to consult a lawyer or debt counselor before you really take the plunge and declare bankruptcy.<br /><br />Author: http://www.researchfor.com');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('341','9','Should married couples be in business together?<br /><br />So you recently got married, or youa??ve been married for a while. One day you turn about and look at each other and decide that building a business together would make your lives better. If you havena??t taken that fateful step yet, WAIT!!!!<br /><br />My wife and I have been in business for 8 years. We were in business together before we started dating seriously. If you are happily married, you may be under the misguided belief that you can work together successfully. Wea??d like for you to take a moment and assess your situation before moving forward. Ask yourselves a few questions.<br /><br />1. Do I like this person enough to be around them 24 hours a day?<br /><br />Dona??t get us wrong. We know that you love each other, but do you like each other. Many of us love our immediate family, but we dona??t like to spend more than Thanksgiving dinner with them. Remember that you will be spending almost every waking moment with your spouse. Having the ability to laugh together will help you get through the great and the not so great moments. <br /><br />2. Do you have the same financial views?<br /><br />This one can make or break your business and marriage. Who in the relationship will manage the finances? How will financial decisions be made for the business? Sit down, and speak about these issues. In the beginning, ita??s one for all, and all for one. When revenue starts to come in, someone needs to be fiscally responsible. Your personal views on money will play an important role in your business. Be honest about how you both see that wonderful piece of paper that we call money. <br /><br />3. How much of a time commitment can you both make to your new business?<br />It took us a few years to get used to each others work schedules. Shani is up with the sun (5, or 6am) and ready to get the day going. She will work all day, but after 10pm, she becomes a pumpkin. I work best between the hours of 10am, and 4am. Her best ideas show up in the morning. My best ideas also show up in the morning. It just happens to be 1, 2, 3, or 4 in the morning. For years we tried to work on the same schedule. It never worked. We finally accepted the fact wea??ll never have a 9-5 schedule. There are only a few hours in the day when we know that we can both get a ton of work done. No more statements like, a??You dona??t get up early enough.a??, or a??Why is it when Ia??m just getting on a roll, you want to go to sleep?a??. We work well independently, but we make sure to keep each other informed of new ideas, and new developments in our business. <br /><br />If you are just starting out, your venture may be a part time venture. Maximize the hours that you put into your business. It does not matter whether ita??s one hour, or 9 hours a day. #p##e#<br /><br />4. Who will play what role?<br /><br />This is one of the times in your relationship where honesty is the best policy. I know, we should be honest all the time. a?o Many of us have an over developed sense of what our abilities are. Dividing responsibilities, and staying out of each others way is the surest way to get on the road to success. My best skill is sales and marketing. My wife, Shani, is great at keeping the books, and the financial portions of our business. She deals with vendors better also. She is also the CEO of one of the companya??s that we own. When we first started out together, I wanted to handle everything financial. She let me. She hated making cold calls, and I loved it. I hated paying bills, and balancing accounts. Shani found some kind of joy from those activities. Many of our responsibilities overlap, but there are some areas that we let the other run on their own. Understanding your a??rolesa?? will allow your business to grow successfully. I know that some of this sounds simple, but for many couples this subject becomes a source of contention. It took us a little while to get into a smooth business groove. <br /><br />5. Are you passionate about the business you are starting?<br /><br />Leta??s face it. If you just want to bring some extra money into your home, both of you can take on a part time job. If you want to create a life worth living, you have to be passionate about what you do. We have owned businesses in the past that made us a lot of money. Unfortunately, we were not always passionate about them. We have been fortunate enough to turn one of our biggest passions (travel) into a business that we love. We are having a ton of fun with the business, and each other. We look forward to every day now. In the past, each day was a pain in the butt until a deal closed. It seemed like we closed deals so that we can go on vacations. Now that we have turned a passion into a business, life has not become easier, but is sure is more fun. <br /><br />Should married couples be in business together? My answer will obviously be biased. I think that any couple that loves spending time with each other, and want to create financial freedom, should consider starting a business together. There are always going to be ups and downs. Being in business together has been great for us. We have three wonderful daughters that we get to work with and play with. We actually get paid to go on vacations now. Find your passion, and start working with each other today. <br />Sam and Shani Leccima are a married couple that run an online travel business a?? www.marriedmillionstravel.com. The purpose of their blog, www.marriedmillionsblog.com is to provide business and personal resources for other married couples seeking financial freedom together. <br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('342','9','Bankruptcy ? the word itself is enough to send shivers down your financial spine. But in a world where perfection is all, and the visual expression of that perfection comes in the amount of possessions we can amass, bankruptcy is becoming an option for more and more of us. With an estimated one and a half bankruptcy cases taking place in 2005 alone, it seems that we are head for the courts in our droves in some attempt to get our finances back on track. But if you are struggling financially, how can you tell whether bankruptcy is the right choice for you? <br /><br />So many of us are feeling the pressure to keep up in this modern world by enjoying all the luxuries our paycheck can afford. The problem is that for many of us, we can\'t afford this way of life at all, and buy now thinking that we\'ll worry about the cost later. Financial responsibility, it seems, doesn\'t come easy to us, so much so that we are choosing what should be a last resort all too easily. But beware ? bankruptcy might offer the financially troubled a clean slate, but it doesn\'t mean there\'s not a price to pay. <br /><br />There are a number of different types of bankruptcy, which involve either the liquidation of your assets or participating in a repayment scheme. While it is true that a portion of your debts will be written off, you will be held accountable for certain debts, which will be included in your repayment plan. Bankruptcy does allow a certain amount of flexibility in the way that this is done, but it should not be thought of as a get-out-of-jail-free card that comes without consequences. <br /><br />Bankruptcy also has implications for your credit future. The fact of your bankruptcy is likely to be listed in your credit reports for ten years, during which time you may find acquiring credit to be quite difficult. Renting apartments or leasing other items may become more difficult to those with a bankruptcy behind them. On the other hand, because you are now prohibited from declaring bankruptcy for some years, some creditors may be more keen to take you on, as you have no way of escaping your debt. This can help recreate the cycle of debt that led you to declare bankruptcy in the first place. <br /><br />Bankruptcy can be a useful tool in regaining financial control, but it is not a decision to be undertaken lightly. Weigh all your other options before you proceed, and avail of financial counselling if you can to help you to be more careful next time around.<br /><br />Dave is the owner of http://www.types-of-bankruptcy.info and http://www.bankruptcy-alternative.info websites providing information on bankruptcy.<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('343','9','The first order of business...eliminate the problem that led you to file in the first place. Unlike the governmenta??who can print more money when they get in a binda??we don\'t have that luxury to get out of our dilemma.<br /><br />This first step to bankruptcy recovery can be tough for most people. It was tough for me and my wife, Michelle. We had to come to the realization that the way we managed money didn\'t work.<br /><br />I wanted all the toys and luxuries everyone else had, even though we couldn\'t afford them. But of course, this didn\'t prevent me from buying expensive items we really didn\'t need.<br /><br />This got us into financial problems. Michele and I eventually agreed I was the problem. When our Jeep Grand Cherokee and furniture were repossessed, it was my wake-up call. I still remember helping the repossessors load our new furniture in their trucka??and Michele crying on the front porch.<br /><br />Obviously, we were doing something wrong with our money.<br /><br />Instead of asking someone else to fix our finances for us, Michele and I were determined to manage our money wiselya??in order to create a foundation to build on.<br /><br />So we started with common sense. We asked friends and family who were good with money how they managed their finances.<br /><br />We quickly learned that we couldn\'t have luxuries and money while we were rebuilding our credit. We needed to choose one.<br /><br />Here are some of the steps Michele and I took to recover from bankruptcy:<br /><br /><strong>Began paying our bills early...worst-case, on time</strong><br /><br />We stopped paying our bills late. We drew a line in the sand and said...&quot;No more! All bills from this point on will be paid early...worst-case, on time.&quot; It was amazing how much we saved in late fees and overdrafts...not to mention the satisfaction of being responsible. Initially it wasn\'t easy. But the short-term sacrifices were worth long-term financial stability.<br /><br />This is easier today than it was for us many years ago. Today you can take advantage of online bill-pay or automatic bill-pay.<br /><br /><strong>Avoided finance companies</strong><br /><br />It\'s easy to get loans or credit after bankruptcy from a finance company. And some (misinformed) people will actually tell you this is good. Credit from a finance company is not good. Not only is it very expensive, having finance companies appear on your credit reports lowers your FICO credit scores (which makes everything else more expensive).<br /><br />Finance companies are the lenders of last resort. You have to stay away from them at all costs...unless you don\'t mind paying 25% interest and working with lenders who are friends with the Mafia.<br /><br /><strong>Just said, &quot;No,&quot; to co-signers</strong><br /><br />Bankrupt people often think, &quot;The only way I can get new credit is to have a co-signer.&quot; Whether that\'s from a parent, brother, sister, relative, friend...whatever...you don\'t need that kind of help reestablishing credit.#p##e#<br /><br />Bottom line: you don\'t want to have co-signers for several reasons.<br /><br />First, it\'s not a wise thing to do. It even says not to co-sign in the Bible. You put the co-signer\'s credit on the line if something goes wrong. If you don\'t make the payment, guess who they come after? Yupa??the co-signer. Can you say, &quot;Friendship over,&quot; or, &quot;Relationship strained?&quot;<br /><br />In addition, having co-signers appear on your credit reports weakens your position with future lenders. When a new lender sees you\'ve had a co-signer, they\'ll consider you a greater risk and they may ask for a co-signer for their loan as well. In other words, once you get a co-signer for one loan, you start a vicious cycle that is hard to break.<br /><br /><strong>The word &quot;no&quot; meant nothing</strong><br /><br />You must understand...most of the lenders you come into contact with after bankruptcy have no interest in helping you recover. You\'re going to hear the word &quot;no&quot; a lot.<br /><br />You\'ve got to get in your head that the word &quot;no&quot; means absolutely nothing. So if a car dealer tells you, &quot;There\'s no way you\'ll be able to get financed, you shouldn\'t believe him. If a mortgage broker laughs at your goal of owning your first home instead of renting...laugh right back at her.<br /><br /><strong>Discovered the power of asking open-ended questions</strong><br /><br />When a lender tells you, &quot;No,&quot;...don\'t stop there! You\'d be missing out on the best part of the experience. You need to ask some very important questions, like...<br /><br />&quot;What would you do if you were me?&quot;<br /><br />&quot;Since you can\'t help me, where would you go if you needed to get financed?&quot;<br /><br />Asking open-ended questions like these helps you find the people you should\'ve been talking to in the first place. That\'s how we found the car dealer that financed our first car after bankruptcy with very little money down (and that was a post-dated check) at 2.9% interest.<br /><br />Of course, now I think that\'s a so-so deal.<br /><br />All you need to do is know where to go...be prepared...know which cars have the best incentives...and know what questions to ask. Most importantly, always be ready to walk away from the deal, no matter how much you want that new car.#p##e#<br /><br /><strong>Establish the right kind of accounts.</strong><br /><br />Overall I encourage people to rebuild their credit after bankruptcy by establishing these types of accounts:<br /><br />1. Checking and savings accounts at a bank or credit union<br />2. A few secured bank cards<br />3. One or two retail credit cards (just don\'t go crazy)<br />4. A few secured bank loans.<br />5. A car financed through a bank, credit union, or captive lender (that reports to all three national credit reporting agencies).<br />6. A home mortgage.<br />7. A refinanced mortgage.<br />8. A home equity loan (not a home equity line of credit).<br />9. Real estate investment: Your current home becomes your first investment property and you shop for a new home.<br /><br />Obviously this doesn\'t happen all at once. And the order changes depending on what you need. This is pretty much the order in which we did things after our bankruptcy.<br /><br />Notice I don\'t have any finance company or Crapital One accounts listed above. Sometimes knowing what accounts to avoid is as important as knowing which accounts to establish.<br /><br />You\'ll also notice I don\'t have a personal loan listed above. I spent too much time looking for loans after I went bankrupt. I figured if I could just get a big enough loan, I\'d pay off all my debts. Of course, it didn\'t occur to me that I\'d still need to pay off the loan. Duh!<br /><br />It\'s like a disease. (Hi, I\'m Stephen, and I\'m a loanaholic.)<br /><br /><a href=\"http://www.afterbankruptcy.org/stephen-snyder.html\">Stephen Snyder</a> is the founder of the <a href=\"http://www.AfterBankruptcy.org\">After Bankruptcy Foundation</a> a non-profit organization that provides free bankruptcy information and recovery steps. Stephen also writes a free weekly newsletter on <a href=\"http://www.LifeAfterBankruptcy.com\">bankruptcy recovery</a>. <br /><br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('344','9','You are laden with debt and experience grave difficulties in paying up. You work from dawn till dusk and hold two jobs, but your income is still inadequate to pay off your outstanding credit card balances. You feel like you are left with no choice but to declare bankrupt and get your debt wiped out. At least you can start on a clean slate and be more careful with your spending next time.<br /><br /><br />Before you file for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13, it pays to evaluate the consequences of declaring bankrupt. Although it may seem like the best option you have at the moment, it pays to consider the future consequences of going bankrupt.<br /><br /><br />For one thing, being bankrupt will leave mark on your credit history. If you had filed under Chapter 13, your bankruptcy record will usually remain for 7 years, while Chapter 7 will result in a bankruptcy record for between 7 and 10 years. This means that you will face much restriction on your finances at least for the next 7 years. <br /><br /><br />Although you may still be eligible for credit cards, your tarnished credit history will result in credit card companies charging you sky-high interest rates. You are of high credit risk to them, and they have every right to charge you a higher cost of offering you credit.<br /><br /><br />If you are thinking of getting a car loan, you will also be charged high interest rates. Does this mean that you will walk to work for the next 7 years? As cars are usually a necessity, you would probably have to bear the additional interest costs until your term is up. Of course, there have been circumstances where you can engage a car loan lender to negotiate for better terms with financing companies.<br /><br /><br />Another controversial consequence of a bad credit history has to do with your future employment possibilities. There have been cases where employees have been dismissed from well-paying jobs due to their credit history. This happened as these employees have been labeled a credit risk to the company they are working for. With their bankruptcy history, they are considered to be easier to bribe as compared to other employees.<br /><br /><br />With all these consequences laid out, it truly pays to think it through before taking the easy way out. Declaring bankrupt may not always be your only choice, as there are better ways for you to deal with your debt. These could include borrowing from friends and family to finance your debt, implement better budgeting strategies or refinancing your home to acquire funds at lower interest rates to pay off your debt. <br /><br />Alan Bernstein recommends Find Credit Cards to <a href=\"http://www.findcreditcards.org/issuer/advanta.php\">apply for an Advanta credit card</a> today.');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('345','9','How to recover from bankruptcy if filed?<br /><br />How to improve credit score once declared bankrupt?<br /><br /><br />The first thing to do is avoid bankruptcy as much as possible. a??Bankruptcy is the best option solution to become debt freea?? Many people think but sorry to say this is not the solution which brings long lasting negative effects to your credit score for up to 10 years and it becomes quite impossible to get further financial assistance at low interest rates and easy repayment periods. You will find your friends and relatives moving away and start avoiding you.<br /><br /><br />How can you avoid bankruptcy? Few Things to Consider<br /><br /><br />Don not try to make quick decisions and dona??t make bankruptcy the ultimate solution. Think carefully of your budget and the amount of debt you owed.<br /><br /><br />- Call your creditors and try your best to find out better solutions to your problems, ask them you really want to come out of this problem.<br /><br /><br />- Search online for the best Debt consolidation plans which really can help you. It doesna??t mean any debt consolidation programs, get professional advices first and then make further decisions.<br /><br /><br />- Try to save as much as you can more you save better it will be for you. Try Improve your income<br /><br /><br />- Dona??t try paying off old debt creating new one, because it will further create problems to your financial conditions.<br /><br /><br />So Bankruptcy is not the ultimate solutions which brings bad social stigma to your credit score.<br /><br /><a href=\"http://spotloans.co.uk\">secured home loans</a>, <a href=\"http://spotloans.co.uk\">any purpose loans</a><br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('346','9','What you are about to read may stop you making the biggest mistake of your financial life.<br /><br />In today\'s debt ridden society many people are in severe financial difficulties, often for reasons outside their control. Bankruptcy for many, is the last step in a long road of financial pressures but many opt for this solution too early and without considering suitable bankruptcy alternatives. Whilst bankruptcy may get rid of the immediate pressures it isn\'t necessarily the end of the problems.<br /><br />When you file for bankruptcy your life becomes an open book for the court appointed bankruptcy officials. They will pry into all aspects of your life and you will be required to provide all your financial information, including bank accounts, savings, investments and assets. Anything that can be sold or converted to cash, including your family home and any valuable contents, will be disposed of and you may still have part of your income deducted from your salary to pay some of your debts.<br /><br />But there are bankruptcy alternatives that may be less painful for many. Here I\'ve listed 5 bankruptcy alternatives <br /><br />1. Negotiate with your creditors.<br /><br />When you get into difficulties you should contact your creditors as soon as possible. Contacting them sends a signal that you want to repay them.<br /><br />Lenders are anxious to get their money back and sometimes they will go to great lengths to help you. They may be prepared to re-finance your debt to have it paid over a longer period with lower installments. <br /><br />They will often be prepared to reduce or freeze the interest rate and will even cut the balance owing, sometimes up to 75%.<br /><br />2. Refinance your mortgage.<br /><br />If you have a property, which you own outright or on a mortgage, there is the real possibility of you being able to refinancing your debts using a secured mortgage or re mortgage.<br /><br />Refinancing your debts involves taking out a new mortgage, or an additional mortgage. Some lenders will lend up to 125% of the property value allowing you to pay all your outstanding debt and may even have some spare cash to treat yourself. <br /><br />As the new loan is repayable over a long period of time (often 25 - 35 years) the monthly repayments are significantly lower than with short term debt and should be far more manageable<br /><br />3. Refinance your debts using a debt consolidation loan.<br /><br />Debt consolidation is where you take a new unsecured loan and use the funds to pay off your outstanding debts. Debt consolidation loans are repayable over a longer term at a relatively low interest rate and as a result the monthly repayments are lower. If the loan is secured on your property then the interest rate and payments may be even lower. <br /><br />4. Sell your home and downsize.<br /><br />One of the easiest ways to get out of debt is to sell your house or apartment and downsize or move into rented accommodation. The surplus cash can then be used to pay your debts and you can continue with your life without the pressure. <br /><br />Selling up and moving home is, however, a difficult and often painful option. If you do sell however. you can determine the price and remain in control. If the house falls into bankruptcy, you lose control and the house may be sold by<br />your mortgagor at auction for a price often considerably less than the price you can obtain in a normal sale.#p##e#<br /><br />5. A formal arrangement with your creditors.<br /><br />A formal arrangement with your creditors can often be negotiated by specialist debt management companies and is filed with the courts. These arrangements are for 5 years. You pay an agreed amount each week or month to the debt management company and it is then divided between your creditors. While you continue to pay they are prevented from approaching you.<br /><br />After the 5 year period is over any balance still owing is wiped out and you are free to live your life free of debt. If however you break the arrangement the normal result is bankruptcy.<br /><br />As you can see, there are several sound bankruptcy alternatives for you to choose from. Everybody is under financial pressure from time to time, however you should not compound your problems by declaring bankruptcy too soon. Instead, choose the bankruptcy alternative that sounds the best for your particular situation and start working to repair your credit now. <br /><br />Using a bankruptcy alternative means that in a few years you will have rebuilt your credit and will be back on track, whereas with bankruptcy it could be ten years before you can get back to normal.<br /><br />About the Author<br /><br />John Edmond worked for many years in insurance and finance and now writes on credit card management at <a href=\"http://www.card-debt.net\">Credit Card Debt</a>. Go to and <a href=\"http://www.card-debt.net/seven-ways-get-out-of-credit-card-debt.php\">Seven ways to get out of credit card debt</a>&nbsp;for another article on credit card debt.');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('347','9','Many who file for bankruptcy use home equity in their settlement arrangement. Bankruptcy does not remove any liens on a home such as a mortgage. But if there is more home equity built up than is required to cover the loan, it is an asset that can be tapped into for needed cash in accordance with the rules of the type of bankruptcy a person has filed.<br /><br />Bankruptcy is a legal proceeding where a debtor declares an inability to pay debts as they become due. Since the Bankruptcy Abuse Protection and Consumer Protection Act of 2005, personal bankruptcy filings for the year ending June 30, 2006, fell 9.46 percent to 1,453,008. <br /><br />The two most popular bankruptcy options are:<br /><br />Chapter 7 - Its purpose is to achieve a fair distribution of the debtora??s available non-exempt property. Unsecured debts not reaffirmed are discharged, providing a fresh financial start. <br /><br />Chapter 13 - Available only to someone with regular income whose debts do not exceed specific amounts. It is used to budget future earnings under a plan to pay unsecured creditors.<br /><br />In a chapter 7 bankruptcy, every state has its own laws regarding the type and amount of property a person can keep. Under chapter 13, a person does not have to surrender any property.<br /><br />a??Ita??s important to have competent counsel advise you,a?? says Ted Janger of The American Bankruptcy Institute; a??both about the choices among chapters and about how best to make sure that bankruptcy operates to solve your financial difficulties, rather than just as a hiatus.a??<br /><br />Bankruptcy negatively impacts your credit in the short and medium term because it remains as a black mark on your credit report for up to ten years. However, some creditors offer new loans to bankruptcy debtors because they cannot file bankruptcy again for many years. <br /><br />To view a Bankruptcy Checklist from The American Bankruptcy Institute, or to see if a <a href=\"http://www.badcreditmortgagerefinancingnow.com/articles/YM70P/bankruptcy-home-equity-loan.html\">bankruptcy home equity loan</a> makes sense in your particular situation, you can complete the no-obligation loan request at <a href=\"http://www.badcreditmortgagerefinancingnow.com\">Bad Credit Mortgage Refinancing Now</a>.');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('348','9','All too often when you first get into debt you start off unable to believe that it is really happening to you. You cana??t understand how you could have got into this situation and therea??s a real temptation to hide away and hope that your problems will take care of themselves.<br /><br />Then you may start to receive threatening letters from your creditors. Again, it can be very tempting to bury your head in the sand by shoving them under a pile of papers and hoping they disappear. Or maybe you dona??t even open them; after all, if you havena??t read them then they dona??t really exist.<br /><br />However, as the letters start to pile up and you begin to feel harassed by phone calls, you might decide that ita??s time to do something about your problems. <br /><br />The decision to seek help is a really big step to becoming debt free and one that many people who havena??t been in debt underestimate. It takes real courage to make that first phone call to a support line and admit to someone else that youa??re in trouble.<br /><br />What people also dona??t understand is that, to begin with, you might just want to know what your options are without being obliged to take matters further. <br /><br />Clear Start is a national and independent organisation that understands what being in debt is all about. Clear Start offers free debt advice and support to people in serious debt and has already helped thousands of people to become debt free. <br /><br />Their specially trained team of debt experts is able to help you in a number of ways from advising you on the best solutions to your problems, such as debt management, debt consolidation and IVAs as well as simply providing monthly budgeting advice.<br /><br />Importantly though, all the advice they give you is entirely free and without obligation. In other words it is completely up to you whether or not you choose to follow it.<br /><br />Clear Starta??s <a href=\"http://www.clearstart.org\">National Debt Helpline</a>, prides itself on offering an ethical and professional service that people can rely on. The feedback from happy clients and messages posted across the internet are testament to the service that the organisation provides. <br /><br />You can speak to a specially trained advisor on any <a href=\"http://www.clearstart.org/debt-settlement-services.php\">debt matters</a>, and with no obligation, simply by calling their freephone number.<br /><br />Call Clear Start on 0800 138 5445 <br /><br />Visit us at <a href=\"http://www.clearstart.org\">www.clearstart.org</a><br /><br />E mail us at info@clearstart.org <br /><br />For further information about Individual Voluntary Arrangements, please visit <a href=\"http://www.clearstart.org/iva.php\">IVA</a> Advice Service<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('349','10','When we become the ultimate empathizer, we are able to identify with, understand, and respond to other\'s experiences.<br /><br />This has had untold benefits in my persuasion for years and now I\'m sharing it with you.<br /><br />The following exercise can be used on a new affluent prospect or anyone at all. . .<br /><br />This is about understanding and being responsive of your client or prospect\'s experiences and reality. You\'re going to have the experience of being them.<br /><br />When you build up this kind of trust with someone, you\'re building rapport.<br /><br />By employing this technique, you\'ll be able to naturally understand and gain deep rapport with someone you don\'t know very well.<br /><br />You will need a role play partner for this one.<br /><br />It\'s this simple: Ask your role play partner to think of something. A book. A friend. An experience. A news story. Whatever. This thought will be called \'A\'. As they think this thought, really notice their physicality. What does their body look like? How is their posture? Notice their breathing and their muscle tension. What kind of gestures are going along with this thought? As they think of \'A\', you\'ll take a mental snapshot of them. This is how they represent \'A\'.<br /><br />After you\'ve got your mental snapshot, break their state by having them look around the room or walk around and name three things they can see. This helps them to reorient, get their mind off \'A\' and return to their normal state.<br /><br />Next, have them think of something different from \'A\'. Call this \'B\'. It doesn\'t have to be the opposite, but just something completely different.<br /><br />[NOTE: When you first do this exercise thinking of the opposite may make it easier, but I encourage you to develop your skills and not use something opposite once you\'ve got the hang of it.]<br /><br />Have them break this state.<br /><br />Here\'s where things get interesting. Have them think of either \'A\' or \'B\'. They\'re not supposed to tell you which, but you are to figure this out by looking at their expressions, their snapshot.<br /><br />Give them a turn. Let them try this out on you.<br /><br />Obviously, you\'re not going to sit down with a prospect and say, \'Let\'s practice this persuasion technique I just learned so that I can better understand you. . .\' You\'re going to practice this with friends, family or maybe even a co-worker. This will really fine-tune your observation skills.#p##e#<br /><br />As you get better at this, you\'ll eventually be able to recognize changes in their states, even small changes, as you talk about certain topics.<br /><br />The feelings this will elicit in your prospect and client might not be easily pinpointed, but they will feel a real connection to you.<br /><br />Why bother? Well, this is simply another way to gain rapport quickly and powerfully. It also puts your prospect into a state where they are feeling really understood.<br /><br />Another use for this. . . this can help you determine if you are being lied to.<br /><br />Say you have a prospective client, you\'re a financial adviser, and you ask them how their finances are. Well, they may say they\'re &quot;great&quot; but their body language says differently. These verbal and nonverbal clues give away the prospect\'s real situation.<br /><br />You can use this along with other persuasion strategies to gain that deep sense of trust and rapport with your prospects getting to the heart of their needs, wants and desires, with your product or service becoming the answer they were looking for.<br /><br /><strong>Kenrick Cleveland</strong> teaches techniques to sell to affluent clients using <a href=\"http://www.maxpersuasion.com\">persuasion strategies</a>. He runs unique public and private seminars and offers home study courses, audio/visual learning tools, and coaching programs in <a href=\"http://www.maxpersuasion.com\">persuasion techniques</a>. Find more free articles at <a href=\"http://www.MAXpersuasion.com/blog\">www.MAXpersuasion.com/blog</a>. Be sure to sign up for his free report entitled &quot;Yes! Persuasion.&quot;');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('350','10','Many people already know about all of the free business card offers from Vistaprint. What many people don\'t know is that you pay a little for shipping, but then they add their logo and text to the back of your business card! So instead of promoting you and your business through your business cards, you\'re promoting Vistaprint as well!<br /><br />There is a better way. Instead of getting free business cards, check out websites that offer free business card templates. You can download these free templates, change the name, address and other details then send them to your favorite printer to have them printed. Not only are you getting custom business cards, but you don\'t have to advertise for anyone but yourself.<br /><br />What makes this deal worthwhile is that, while Vistaprint claims &quot;free business cards&quot; you\'re actually still paying for shipping. With free business card templates, you download the templates and do whatever you would like with them. That means that they\'re actually free.<br /><br />Another wonderful thing about free business card templates is that many sites will even customize these free templates for you. Sometimes they will charge a small fee, but other times they will edit their free business card templates to fit your needs at no charge to you.<br /><br />Websites offer free business card templates so they can spread the word about their website and designing. Many people often have paid business card templates for sell along with their free business card templates. Some people just enjoy designing business cards and have no great reason for giving them away. These are the people you want to look for. Someone who gives everything away at no charge. You\'ll be able to spot these websites because they don\'t have a shopping cart built into their site.<br /><br />Next time you\'re ready to buy business cards remember to browse for free business card templates and see if you can\'t find something that matches what you need, and for free!<br /><br /><strong>FreeBusinessCards.info</strong> designs <a href=\"http://www.freebusiness-cards.info\">free business card templates</a> at no cost. You can download all of the designs at <strong>http://www.FreeBusinessCards.info</strong>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('351','10','&quot;The sad reality is that there are always people out there that are looking for people they can take advantage of. In most cases, scammers will take advantage of those that are already down because those that are already on hard times tend to be more desperate. Since desperation often leads to gullibility, scammers are more than happy to prey upon them in order to make a quick buck.<br /><br />Whether you are in a desperate situation or not, you are always at risk of being taken advantage of by a scammer if you do not remain continually alert. Therefore, it is best to follow these simply tips to avoid being scammed when investing in real estate.<br /><br /><br />1. Never send money to an a??interested buyer.a?? One of the most common real estate scams is selling to a person in another country. With this scam, the scammer claims to live in another country and says he would like to buy your real estate. There is only one problem: he needs you to send some money his way to pay for travel expenses or some other expense that is standing in his way. Once you send the money to the scammer, he seemingly drops off of the face of the earth.<br /><br />Remember, you should only be receiving money when you sell your real estate. <br /><br />2. Never turn over mortgage documents to an a??interested buyer.a?? Identity thieves will sometimes pose as an interested buyer and will then request to see mortgage documents. Since these documents often contain personal information such as your social security number, you are essentially handing over your identity when you hand over the papers.<br /><br />Remember, you should never hand over your personal real estate documents to anyone other than a lawyer.<br /><br />3. Never continue negotiations with someone that has never seen your real estate. Some scam artists will claim to be interested in purchasing your real estate without ever having seen it. This is simply a ploy to win over your trust so you can be taken advantage of later.<br /><br />Remember, no honest person is going to invest a large amount of money into real estate without having seen it first.<br /><br />4. Never complete a deal without the help of professionals. Even if you are dealing with a person on a face-to-face basis, you can still be taken advantage of if you are not careful. Therefore, be sure to enlist in the help of a number of different professionals when investing in real estate. Before you sign any contracts, run them past an experience real estate attorney. Enrolling in a real estate club will also put you in contact with a number of legitimate professionals that can help steer you in the right direction.<br /><br />Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Use the help of professionals in the real estate field to make sure you are not being taken advantage of.<br /><br />5. Never put your trust in a handshake. Unfortunately, a persona??s word and handshake is not enough to keep you out of trouble in the world of real estate investment. Make sure to get everything that you agree upon in writing and dona??t assume the other person will make good on anything that was agreed upon verbally.#p##e#<br /><br />There are plenty of ethical people working within the real estate investment field that will buy and sell real estate honestly and professionally. At the same time, there are some people that are just waiting to take advantage of another persona??s misfortune. Be cautions and follow these few simple tips and you will not find yourself falling victim to a scam.&quot;<br /><br />Kinan Beck is the Broker and co-owner of One Source Realty in Austin Texas. Visit Kinana??s <a href=\"http://www.onesourcelakeway.com\">Lakeway Real Estate</a> Guide, visit his <a href=\"http://www.ericbramlett.com/steinerranch.php\">Steiner Ranch real estate</a> companya??s website, &amp; his <a href=\"http://www.onesourceaustin.com/averyranch.php\">Avery Ranch real estate</a> website. He has seen considerable success in real estate, and looks forward to many more years in the business.<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('352','10','In this article I will introduce you to 2 amazing concepts, which when coupled together explodes your net worth. More millionaires are created through Network Marketing and Network Marketing than any other kind of business or business model in the America. Multiple Sources of Income is your key to wealth, and as you read this article, you will know these wealth secrets also.<br /><br />Network Marketing or Network Marketing as it is sometimes known is a model of business where the actual marketing is done through individuals. So each individual is basically running his own business. A lot of people shun away from such things as it means they have to sell. Though that\'s not the case, especially with the top 6 figure earners.<br /><br />Your Network Marketing company of choice should be one with your own interests. As I always say, and will keep saying \'do what you love and the money will follow\'. Follow your bliss. You don\'t want to get into a Network Marketing system only to sell something you don\'t like just to make money. It won\'t come or you\'ll get bored with the Network Marketing company, and system, and will end up failing and blaming the Network Marketing company or worse the whole subject of Network Marketing and Network Marketing.<br /><br />::: So what is Multiple Sources of Income? :::<br /><br />It always rings up a stir, and gets people excited, as well as successful and wealthy people who employ it as many times as possible.<br /><br />Multiple Sources of Income or MSI is a way of having income from several sources rather than one. Now you may be thinking I have a job, so how does this apply to me? Multiple Sources of Income can apply to all people, even if you have a job. Your savings which pays interest is a Multiple Stream of Income, and so are stocks.<br /><br />So we have an idea of what Multiple Sources of Income are. Imagine having several of these which bring in huge amounts of money. You will have the ability to increase your wealth more then the people around you with just a job. What is needed is a shift in mind set. Your current job is only a stream of income. Some have several jobs, so they are several streams of income, making them Multiple Sources of Income.<br /><br />So how can Network Marketing coupled with Multiple Sources of Income make you a nice fortune (remember happiness like anything only take places when you make the effort consistently).#p##e#<br /><br />Let\'s look at an example. Let\'s say you\'re into Personal Development and happiness. Then a program such as Wealth Champions can be a goldmine, and the reason why, is that your likely know people who are also interested in Personal Development. And introducing them to what\'s on offer is amazing. As you are using the product and love it with passion, and your friends love the subject so it\'s a match.<br /><br />What ends up happening when you get this mentality is that you will get more checks coming in the mail. You will be able to maximize your time, and produce more. Network Marketing is a phenomenal way to an extra source of income. It does take time to grow. However, imagine finding a friend who you thought wouldn\'t be able to do it; they get in the game, and produce an amazing team beneath you. You have earned a substantial amount. And most of the time this money flows and flows month after month. See my previous articles to find how residual income is a key to your happiness.<br /><br />May this information help you break out and achieve wealth. It works every time, and it can work for you. All that is required to get Multiple Sources of Income in your life, is to start today. You can employ Network Marketing, you can employ stocks and shares. In fact there are so many ways to employ Multiple Sources of Income whatever your current financial state is.<br /><br />\r\n<p><strong>Have Kozan Huseyin personally coach you!</strong></p>\r\n<br />\r\n<p><em>Want FREE info</em> books on success, personal development, MLM Marketing, <em>unlisted gifts worth over</em> <strong>$1,790 </strong><strong>FREE</strong> , and get help from a MLM Marketing Expert? Visit <a href=\"http://www.successu.co.uk\">MLM Marketing </a>Only 10 people on this site will get unlisted gifts, <strong>ACT NOW</strong>.</p>\r\n<br /><a href=\"http://www.ebaykings.co.uk\">MLM Marketing Articles</a>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('353','10','&quot;If you are interested in becoming involved with real estate investment, joining a real estate investment club can be a great first step. Although you will likely be expected to pay membership fees and may have to pay additional dues into the club, there are many advantages to joining a real estate club.<br /><br />Get Educated by a Real Estate Investment Club<br /><br />One of the biggest benefits associated with joining a real estate investment club is the fact that you can learn a great deal about real estate through your membership. You wona??t sit around and read books together at these clubs. Rather, you can get real life education by talking with other members and learning from their experiences. As a result, you can implement some of the same steps they took to find success in real estate. At the same time, you can avoid some of the mistakes they had to endure.<br /><br />By talking with other investors that are members of the real estate investment club, you can get meaningful advice that is specific to your needs. These tips and tidbits if information can prove to be invaluable down the road.<br /><br />Make Connections with a Real Estate Investment Club<br /><br />Another perk to being a member of a real estate investment club is the fact that it allows you to network with other professionals. This can lead to finding better deals and can also help you avoid scams. In addition, other members can suggest specific people for you to do business with. For example, you might learn through your real estate investment club that there are one or two inspectors or property managers in your area that are particularly good to work with.<br /><br />Find Partners within a Real Estate Investment Club<br /><br />When you join a real estate investment club, you will also find yourself surrounded by like-minded individuals. As such, you might find one or more members that are interested in partnering with you so you can both get rich off of real estate investment. By combining your resources, you may be able to achieve a level of success that you could not have achieved on your own.<br /><br />Save Money on Your Investments<br /><br />Since many of the other members of the real estate investment club most likely own one or more investment properties, you might also be able to get a good deal on a piece of real estate. Often times, the members of these clubs bypass working with a realtor and sell their real estate directly to other members of the clubs. This helps the other member avoid paying a commission and helps you purchase a property for less. It is a win-win situation for everyone involved.#p##e#<br /><br />Grow Your Business by Joining a Real Estate Investment Club<br /><br />Even if you are not interested in investing in real estate, you still might be interested in joining a real estate investment club. If you have a business that is related to real estate in any way, such as a landscaping business or a contractor business, you might want to consider joining one of these clubs. After all, many of the members are purchasing a??fixer uppersa?? as an investment and will need someone to help improve the value of the property for resale.<br /><br />There are many reasons to join a real estate investment club, even if you are not interested in investing in property. If you are looking to make money from property in any way, joining one of these clubs is a very good idea.&quot;<br />Kinan Beck is the Broker and co-owner of One Source Realty in Austin Texas. Visit Kinana??s <a href=\"http://www.onesourcetulsa.com/jenks.php\">Jenks Real Estate</a> Guide, visit his <a href=\"http://www.ericbramlett.com\">Austin Real Estate</a> companya??s website, &amp; his <a href=\"http://www.onesourceaustin.com/laketravis.php\">Lake Travis real estate</a> website. He has seen considerable success in real estate, and looks forward to many more years in the business.');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('354','10','No matter how simple or ambitious your printing projects might be, you can still cut down your printing cost. While it may seem, at times, that you arena??t really saving or you dona??t feel that your efforts amount to nothing, think again.<br /><br />Saving on your window signs can be done in numerous ways. There are avenues that you can charter in order for you to pinch pennies. After all, a penny saved is a penny earned. <br /><br />But before you start comparing printing quotes from one online printing company to another, know that stretching your dollar isna??t just about getting the lowest print prices on the market for window signs. There is more to saving on your printing costs than just earning yourself more pennies. <br /><br />The Anatomy of Window Signs<br />Window signs are versatile print material or media you can use on store front windows or glass. Saving on window signs is done on many occasions a?? with the proper use and care you give it. Herea??s an examination on how you can truly save.<br /><br />1. Window signs adhere to smooth surface, most ideally and effectively on glass. Through this, you can maximize your space and you wona??t have to rent areas to advertise. You wona??t be needing other accessories as well, like banner stands and the like.<br /><br />2. You can do three things all at once with window signs. These can serve as decorations that will liven up your space and add to its identity. You can advertise as well because window signs can be very prominent materials. <br /><br />Lastly, you can make your store or shop stand out because window signs can serve as signage material. Imagine, you can do all three without largely spending for any other media at all.<br /><br />3. Window signs as decorations add interest to your space. They can also enhance the atmosphere. Imagine, you can improve the interior design of your shop or space without spending for too much.<br /><br />4. Window signs, also known as static cling, are non-permanent materials. You can re-align them or position them so you wona??t have to worry about ruining your prints.<br /><br />5. Window signs, also know as window cling, do not have adhesives. You need not buy solvents to clean your windows. Window signs do not leave residues, so you do not waste undue time and effort cleaning up anything.<br /><br />6. By taking proper care of your window signs, you can use them on months on end and can last for years. You wona??t have to print new ones until you truly need them.<br /><br />7. Window signs can be clear or opaque. You can take your pick from these two selections without paying for any additional charges. #p##e#<br /><br />8. Window signs can be used for indoor or outdoors. And with a clear window sign, your designs can effectively decorate both sides of the glass. <br /><br />9. There are printing companies who offer free ground shipping for window signs. Be sure to take up on this offer, especially if you are way ahead of your deadline. This can contribute to reduced printing costs.<br /><br />10. With a next day turnaround time for most short run orders, you can now work on something else and focus your energy on that. You dona??t have to waste time worrying over it. <br /><br />Make your window signs printing not only cost-effective, but simple and convenient. Enjoy savings that are truly practical too if and when you use window signs. <br /><br />More on <a href=\"http://www.largeformatposters.com/Window-Signs.html\">window signs</a> tips and guides can be found at <a href=\"http://www.largeformatposters.com/\">Large Format Posters</a>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('355','10','&quot;If you are not at the point in your life that you are looking to buy a home or a condo, you are likely looking for a great apartment that you can call home. Once you find a great apartment, however, there are a few things you need to keep in mind before you sign a lease and officially accept the apartment as your new residence.<br /><br />Consider the Location of the Apartment<br /><br />While the apartment you are considering buying may be absolutely beautiful, you also need to consider its location. Look for an apartment that is near to the right highways, bus lines, or train lines before you commit yourself to living in the apartment for the next several months. The inconveniences of getting to work or participating in special events simply will not be worth it if the apartment is located too far from the routes you need for community.<br /><br />Read the Lease Carefully and Ask for Changes when Necessary<br /><br />If the landlord has developed his or her own lease, there may be a few stipulations in it that you are uncomfortable with. Before you sign the lease, ask for these stipulations to be changed. While you likely will not get the landlord to change certain stipulations, such as not allowing pets to live in the apartment, you may be able to get other aspects of the lease changed.<br /><br />Consider Your Safety<br /><br />While the apartment may look beautiful and well-kept, there are a few safety issues you should consider before signing a lease. For example, you should ask the landlord to describe the security measures that are in place on the grounds. This may include a parking garage available to those living in the apartment complex, security cameras and more. If the landlord does not already provide security, you might want to add this to your lease to make sure something is provided.<br /><br />Another safety issue revolves around the maintenance of equipment on the apartment grounds. For example, if the apartment complex has an elevator, you should look into how often it is inspected and you should find out if there is a number you can call if you have problems with the elevator. In addition, you should find out if the landlord provides a guaranteed turnaround time if equipment such as the elevator should fail. After all, it could fail tomorrow and you could find yourself stuck in a lease and walking 20 flights of steps to your apartment every day.<br /><br />Find Out About Special Services<br /><br />Some apartment buildings include special services in the cost of rent while others do not. Before you get yourself tied into a lease, find out what services are included. For example, how do tenants dispose of their garbage? Is there an incinerator, are there garbage receptacles throughout the building, is there regular clean up to keep vermin away?<br /><br />Know Where Your Money Stands#p##e#<br /><br />More than likely, you will be asked to pay a security deposit before you can take over the apartment. Make sure you are comfortable with the terms surrounding the security deposit before you sign a lease. Also, be sure to find out when you will get it back after you move. Similarly, if you think you might move out before the terms of your lease are complete, find out if the landlord allows subleasing of the apartment or what will happen if you move out while still paying your rent. Some landlords will allow you to move back in if you vacate the apartment while still paying rent whereas others will seize the apartment, cancel your lease, and impose penalty fees.<br /><br />For many people, renting an apartment is a wise decision that fits nicely into their lifestyle. Before committing to a lease, however, it is important to take several things into consideration in order to make sure you are properly protected.&quot;');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('356','10','A poster printing client may have simple or complex demands. Whichever way it may be, a printing company should be prepared and should have adequate knowledge and capability to accommodate requests and the like. <br /><br />With the advent of technology and the internet, printing has never been easier and more convenient. To this, it is only realistic for clients to want nothing but a purely simple or well rounded printing experience.<br /><br />To answer this demand is quite ambitious for every clienta??s need is different. Nevertheless, a client should never underestimate a poster printing companya??s abilities. It can and will aptly deliver the needs of the market as the demand for such services rises.<br /><br />Printing Tools and Features<br />There are plenty of printing tools and features which online printing has innovated. As it opened more doors of possibilities, printing has become a cinch with all there user-friendly programs and services.<br /><br />Just what are some of these tools, you might wonder? Well, from the most practical and sensible features to ones that seems to utterly spoil the clients are available. Many of these features can be found in printing companies, and it isna??t impossible to find one that houses them all.<br /><br />1. Templates<br />Templates can come in two forms. First, these templates are these downloadable items that serve as a guide in your printing project. It gives you the exact material of a certain product, with the orientation of the pages and how you should submit them.<br /><br />It indicates where you need to put the front or back, inside pages and outside. It also shows you the right size of your chosen product including the bleeds.<br /><br />Other than these, the templates have guidelines that show you where to place important text and graphics that it may not be accidentally cut off. Through this, you can visibly see the trim area and the safety zone. Also, you can center your work perfectly without guess work with the other guidelines present in it.<br /><br />2. Templates or Design Samples<br />These designs or template are available for use when you want a ready made design without acquiring the assistance of a graphic artist. You can easily use the design, download it and use it as you like for your prints.<br /><br />Designs come in various categories which range from animals to weddings. You can find a design that will fit your field of work or interest.<br /><br />3. Design Tools<br />Along with these templates, online design tools are also available. You need not study complicating design software as most online design tools only use the most common command buttons you use in software programs, like in MS Word.<br /><br />Other than this, what makes them utterly manageable is that you can input the detail you need such as your name and the like, and it will instantly appear on the product such as the business card or postcard. The layout for these and the fonts used are also pre-programmed.<br /><br />But other online design tools are much crafty because you can change the layout and the fonts with a click and drag motion. Double click and you edit your entry. Press a button and you can change the font. You can even upload the images you want<br /><br />These services are of free use. However, take note that some template designs cannot be uploaded and will only be of use to you when you use the online design tool as well. There are other online features that can assist you in your poster printing project so read on and wait for the next chapter. <br /><br />To find more relevant topics on <a href=\"http://www.digitalroom.com/Poster-Printing.html\">poster printing</a> design tools please feel free to visit <a href=\"http://www.digitalroom.com/\">Digital Room</a>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('357','10','Beach has been the theme of many an advertisement and ad campaign. But ask any photographer, and you will get to hear stories about how disappointing it is when you click beautiful pictures at the beach from various positions and with different focus, only to come back and develop them to see real bad quality images.<br /><br />Usually, the problems that <strong>advertising photographer</strong> faces with pictures taken on the beach are related to the \'lighting\'. The sand and the sea reflect so much light which spoils an image completely. What looks good to the naked eye may not look good on the pictures. And this is generally a problem with pictures shot in broad daylight in harsh sun light casting deep and heavy shadows.<br /><br />The problem also occurs due to the film chosen for the shoot. A film in camera requires a certain range of light that would ensure sufficient exposure. This would not be very bright, nor would it be too dark a?? just right for the film to understand the light perfectly in the instance of the opening and closing of the shutter. Even a small imbalance in the perfect exposure of light between the diaphragm and the shutters would lead to too much light or not sufficient light and hence spoil the image quality. <br /><br />To capture beautiful moments at the beach, you should avoid the ISO 400 film. ISO 100 and ISO 200 would suit just fine for clicking the beach and its hues on a bright sunny afternoon. These films are less grainy and are better for you when you need lively and multi-coloured pictures. They are also good for <a href=\"http://www.john-turner.co.uk/\"><strong>Advertising photography</strong></a> when you need great enlarged pictures.<br /><br />Also, be careful when you get the pictures developed. Use a new chemical when you wash the pictures for advertising photography, lest you end up with your lovely model looking too red for an SPF formula product.<br /><br /><br /><strong>About The Author: </strong>Jack White is a specialist in <a href=\"http://www.john-turner.co.uk/\">Advertising photography</a> and other kinds of photography. He has worked in close coordination with many an expert commercial photographer of UK and other countries. In his works he is presenting some of his observation on the role of commercial photographer in advertising photography.<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('358','10','If you dona??t have the initiative, time or patience to set up your own company and build a reputable company name for yourself then buying an existing company could be the answer to your problems. Many people would rather buy a company that is already established, making profit each and every month. There are certain factors that you should look out for to ensure your investing in a decent company that has potential.<br /><br />Dona??t think that if you buy a company you can sit back and relax, watching the money roll in. More times than not this will be a dream unless you spend a lot of money on the company, plus if the company is doing so well the owner will be more reluctant to sell it in the first place. Always make a business plan so that once you get your hands on the company your ready to go, promoting it further making it become a successful business making you money.<br /><br />If you know what type of business you want then it will be a lot easier to find it, if not you can always use the search engines such as Google, Yahoo and MSN to find one. Use keywords such as a??businesses for salea?? you can go that one step further and add your area so that only relevant sites come back. If you want to buy an internet company then it wouldna??t matter about the area as you will be able to run it from anywhere in the world.<br /><br />If you have found one that catches you eye, be sure to research it to guarantee that it does have potential of making money. Many business men might see the pitfalls of the company and will want to get rid of it before the market becomes too saturated or before the company goes broke. You can hire professional guidance which will be able to point you in the right direction and may spot any flaws in companies your interested in. This service can be costly but if youa??re playing around with a lot of money it could save you thousands if you invested into a company with no prospects. As long as you dona??t rush into anything you will be able to find that company that will set you up for life, just be ready to put hard work and money into the business to get the full potential out of it!<br /><br />Andy Tao<br /><br />My website Startlogicreview.org is about <a href=\"http://www.startlogicreview.org/\">startlogic</a> web hosting and <a href=\"http://www.startlogicreview.org/startlogic/startlogic-review/\">startlogic review</a> <br /><br />You can find more startlogic review and user reviews at startlogicreview.org/startlogic/startlogic-review');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('359','10','Business card printers have different ways of doing things. They may approach business card printing using either time-tested tradition, technology based processes and a combination of other things. However, the most important thing to remember is that you end up with the business card you really wanted in the first place.<br /><br />While the steps, ideas, and approaches differ, the constant thing should always be the outcome of your business cards, its quality and the value you get from it.<br /><br />Is it safe to say then that you should wholly trust your printer?<br />If youa??re printer is really reliable, trustworthy and professional, they should be able to clearly explain the consequences or predict the outcomes of different scenarios for your business card. This empowers you to make the right decision for your printing project. <br /><br />How do I know that I need to find another business card printer?<br />When you begin doubting your business card printer, then there is a problem. It is only normal to come up with questions such as these:<br />a? Does it seem like you have been paying for printing services that should have come as free?<br />a? Do you often question the value of your business card with the price tag? <br />a? How is the outcome of your business cards opposite other business cards? Opposite your own idea or image of what the business card should have looked like?<br /><br />Try to talk to your printer and have them answer your questions. If you are not fully satisfied, it is probably about time to look for your answers elsewhere and find a suitable printing company that will fulfill your printing demands.<br /><br />How do I know if the business card printer is better than the last one?<br />It may take quite some time to know if you have been better off with a new business card printer or with the old one. Then again, you may find out sooner, depending on how one delivers the prints you need, is it the convenience, the quality, the short turnaround times? <br /><br />While it may be limiting to measure a printing companya??s worth based on a business card (after all, business cards are just one of the many print products out there) it would serve you well if you regularly need business cards printed out. <br /><br />It is always useful to make list of pros and cons. And make another lists of expectations to gauge just the performance you need in a business card printer. <br /><br />Always be specific with what you want whenever you print. There is no single best way to print business cards as your needs may vary. You can have UV coated business cards that are highly impressive but will be of little use to you if you are in the habit of adding details and writing on your business cards.<br /><br />As another example, the best business card your printer might be thinking of is one that is practical for you and your budget. To this, a printing company may give you offer you a business card that is different from your expectations. #p##e#<br /><br />Carefully illustrate your needs. Focus not only on the style but on the materials as well. It is well to do some research so you know fully well what to expect of your business cards and how you intend for it to function or perform. <br /><br />Always study your options in your business card printing. If you have doubts, it is best to raise them early on. Searching for a better printing company may take time, so plan well. It can be fruitful or you may well end up settling for less. Use these ideas to guide you for a successful business card printing.<br /><br />More information about <a href=\"http://www.digitalroom.com/business-cards-printing.html\">business cards printing</a> can be found at <a href=\"http://www.digitalroom.com/\">4 Color Digital Printing and Business Cards - Digital Room</a>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('360','10','<p>More than your <a href=\"http://www.printplace.com/printing/booklets.aspx\">catalog printing</a> content and listing of your products and services, what attracts your target readers to your catalog printing project are the photos and illustrations you decide to include in your print marketing materials.<br /><br />A picture paints a thousand words. That is why in your <a href=\"http://www.printplace.com/printing/booklets.aspx\">catalog printing</a> project, you have to make sure that your photos and pictures paint a pretty picture when it comes to promoting your business.<br /><br />When hiring a graphic designer and photographer to work for the elements in your catalog printing project, hire someone who knows everything there is to know about photography because it can make or break your target readersa?? reaction to your print catalogs. Or if you decide to do it yourself, here are a few suggestions to help you get the most of your catalog printing photography experience:<br /><br />Product/Service is king.<br />You always have to remember that without your products and services, your catalog printing project is nothing. You only have your catalog printing pieces because of one reason: to promote your products and services.<br /><br />No matter what the style, design or layout of your pictures and photos, the bottom line is to highlight your products and services.<br /><br />The most popular catalog printing photos are often featured in bold and brilliant colors, with clear and concise format, no background, but with a soft drop shadow. This makes it easy for your target readers to know whata??s in store for them.<br /><br />By using no added element to enhance your products and services in your catalog printing photography, it produces better pictures by:<br /><br />making the feature products seem like theya??re ready to jump off the page;<br />creating much larger photos;<br />providing the easy transition between the product edges and the page, which is done by the drop shadow effect; and<br />creating much flexible product photos and pictures.<br /><br />Group Shots: Avoid Like The Plague<br />Although your catalog printing project includes many of your products and services (in fact, all of them), it doesna??t mean that you have to get them in groups to maximize your space. You put them all together in groups to help you give equal exposure to each one of your products.<br /><br />However, studies have shown that instead of giving each of your products the proper exposure, group shots only make it less favorable to the eyes of your target readers. More than anything else, your group shots of your products help in decreasing your productsa?? sales opportunity in your catalog printing project. Better to just do them individually.#p##e#<br /><br />Always get full ownership rights.<br />Most photographers charge you per photo done. In addition, they retain the ownership of the photo rights. In order to avoid this, you might want to look for a catalog printing photographer who charges by the hour and lets you negotiate with them regarding the unlimited use of your catalog printing photos or even outright ownership.<br /><br />And as always, the bottom line is to get a catalog printing photographer that is willing to work with you to achieve what you have in mind for your catalog printing project.<br /><br />Every person you let in to help you come up with an award winning catalog printing (for your target readers, that is) should act and do their tasks like family a?? caring for the project and wanting the same things that the owner dreams for his or her business. Only when you find these persons that youa??ll be guaranteed to achieve your dreams for your business.<br /><br /><br />For more information, you can visit this page on <a href=\"http://www.printplace.com/printing/booklets.aspx\">Catalog Printing</a> </p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('361','10','Podcasting is the distribution of an audio file via the internet, often using RSS feeds to make it available for a wide audience to pick up and listen to.<br /><br />The best known sites for downloading podcasts are iTunes and the fairly new podcasts.yahoo.com, and making your content available here exposes you to a potentially huge audience. Visibility is the key if you are to reach the market who will be interested in what you have to say.<br /><br />Don??t overlook lesser known podcast directories either. You will be asked to list your podcast in a specific category, so make sure you pick the most appropriate one in order to reach your target market.<br /><br />Creating a good podcast will be easier if you plan ahead and write a script for yourself. The best business podcasts have a single focus and are packed with useful information that will leave the listener itching to come back for more. Remember to speak slowly and clearly when recording, and ensure there is no irritating background noise.<br /><br />??How to?? angles are extremely popular, as they are specifically designed to help people achieve something. If the subject of your business warrants it, try and plan a series of podcasts to encourage repeat listeners. Each podcast should be complete in itself, but should also be worth more when listened to as part of a whole package. Think of each one as a separate chapter in a non-fiction book.<br /><br />Podcasts are like gold for internet marketers, as they allow you to build better relationships with your audience. Instead of just being a face on a website, represented by written content, they can hear you speak. If you have real enthusiasm for your subject they will be carried along with it and will lap up every podcast you produce in the future.<br /><br />Podcasts have long term appeal as well. They can be downloaded onto an MP3 player and listened to while on the train, out jogging or wandering round the shops. They provide a much more intimate way of getting in touch with your target market ?? and the very nature of them means you will have your listener??s undivided attention. It??s a powerful medium to master.<br /><br />A podcast is also perceived as being of high value. This in turn gives people a positive view of you and your business, and if the content of your podcast is of high quality, your listeners are much more likely to explore the products and services you have to offer.<br /><br />To get the most from podcasts you need to view them as a long term venture. One single podcast won??t do the trick if you are looking to build credibility. Make them a regular part of your marketing arsenal and you will open yourself up to a whole new audience.<br /><br />Web Profits specialises in search engine optimisation, online marketing &amp; web design, helping businesses generate profits from the Internet. For a free report on \'The Secrets of Online Marketing for Offline Businesses\' visit <a href=\"http://www.webprofits.com.au/web_marketing.html\">Online Marketing</a>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('362','11','Equity release for many of the older generation can be a nightmare if they\'re not setup and researched properly. This is not meant to scare because Equity Release done right can offer major benefits. But <strong>RESEARCH</strong> and <strong>UNDERSTANDING</strong> are the key. Thankfully not only is the government planning to regulate Equity Release but institutions such as the Actuarial Profession have come out with guidelines in a very detailed report - Click Here for more details (PDF - opens new window) <strong>An Important Point</strong> Reading between the lines of the report the Actuarial Profession are not the greatest fans of Equity Release and do mention that \'trading down\' (selling a property for say &pound;250k, moving to a property worth &pound;150k and utilising the cash windfall) for most people is a far better plan of financial attack. Basically by trading down you remain <strong>debt free</strong>. <strong>TOP EQUITY RELEASE SEARCHES </strong><strong>Equity Release Providers</strong>\r\n<li type=\"disc\">Cus4 Equity Release </li>\r\n<li type=\"disc\"><strong>All Equity Release Providers</strong> <strong>Equity Release Information</strong> Age Concern\'s Free Guide FSA\'s Guide to Equity R. SHIP <strong>BBC Information</strong> E-R - Your Questions What are the pitfalls? Important questions to ask <br /><strong>The Actuarial Professions 4 Key Equity Release Guidelines</strong>\r\n<ol>\r\n    <li>Consider <strong>all</strong> the other options to equity release, e.g. have a &quot;benefits check&quot; to see if there are any state benefits they are entitled to but not claiming; investigate trading down, use of savings, or the sale of other assets </li>\r\n    <li>What is your view on leaving any major inheritance. Equity Release is likely to leave no value in your property to bequeath to your family so always involve them in any financial decisions </li>\r\n    <li>Seek advice from a properly <strong>qualified advisor</strong> and make sure the advisor has considered <strong>other alternatives</strong>. This point is <strong>CRITICAL</strong> and the report on page 5 goes into more detail so make sure you read it - click here - PDF - opens new window </li>\r\n    <li>Make sure you fully understand the contract you are entering into and before committing <strong>go to an independent solicitor</strong> to have the legal contracts fully explained. Again more detail on page 5 of the report - PDF - opens new window </li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<strong></strong></li>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('363','11','Of recent years, no business model has appealed to the general populous to the extent of the buy to let. With a strong and stable economy, and snowballing property prices, the buy to let market has become an industry in its own right, and has given rise to untold fortunes for those brave enough and savvy enough to use this method of finance to best effect. Obviously, as with any business, the buy to let has its own risks, and these are increasing as the market becomes more and more saturated, yet there is still a great deal of money to be made through sensible, planned borrowing and property investment. <br /><br />The buy to let business model runs on the basis that the borrower is buying a property to let it out, rather than to live in it as with a traditional mortgage. In this sense, banks are more willing to lend money knowing that the property will generate an income to pay off the mortgage a?? if the lender can demonstrate that there will be sufficient payments each month to cover the cost of the mortgage, the bank will bend over backwards to offer a &lt; a href=http://www.librafinancialplanning.co.uk&gt;buy to let mortgage, which can often cover up to 95% of the value of the property. With an income above mortgage payments every month, and a property at the end of it, buy to let is naturally an attractive option despite the many pitfalls that surround the nature of the business. <br /><br />The first and main problem with buy to let is finding tenants. You have to find tenants for your property and quickly in order to meet the mortgage repayments. The longer your property is left empty, the longer you have to keep paying the mortgage from your own pocket. The key to a successful buy to let is finding the right tenants quickly; tenants that will pay the rent on time every time to protect the delicate business of buying to let. Without good tenants, the buy to let can be very problematic, and can end up costing you significantly more than you bargained for. <br /><br />Another major problem with letting any property is that as landlord, you have numerous legal responsibilities and duties to perform, and this burden is increasing year on year. From repairs to safety checks through to the proper process for termination, the law favours the tenants rather than the landlords, and at times it can seem to be quite problematic and awkward. Despite that, the buy to let model can be highly profitable and can present a great return on investment over the long term. By providing an income whilst buying a capital asset, buy to let has the potential to make you very rich, but it won\'t come easy. Mastering buy to let is definitely a skill that takes time and can be quite costly if you make mistakes along the way, yet for those with the business sense to manage finance and a large scale project, this can be a great way to provide a better quality of life for you and your family.<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('364','11','The word \'flexibility\' is so important when dealing with all financial products and this is especially so with Equity Release schemes. Flexibility simply gives you options, and when money is involved it\'s often the case that your financial situation today is different from that of a few years later. So why sign yourself up to something that is \'inflexible\' and can\'t bend or deviate with your needs? Two new equity release plans by the Prudential and Just Retirement are therefore welcomed because they offer folk just this concept of flexibility, whereas other firms selling ER do not.\r\n<ul>\r\n    <li type=\"square\">If you need to know more about Equity Release then please see the LearnMoney main ER section </li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>What Exactly Is \'Flexibility\' With Equity Release</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">Basically it means that you don\'t have to draw down all the money at once </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">For example, with the Prus scheme you take an initial lump sum of a minimum $20,000 and can drawdown payments over time of $5,000 up to an agreed limit </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">Before this kind of flexibility people could only take a lump sum and were generally drawing down too much for safety reasons </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">What made matters worse was than some unethical equity release advisors then advised clients that the excess money should be invested, often at a lower interest rate than the interest being paid on the original ER scheme </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">Of course as you\'d expect the \'advisors\' then made juicy commissions from all of this </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">The flexibility angle therefore combats these kinds of problems </li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>What\'s The Difference Between The Prudential\'s &amp; Just Retirement\'s Equity Release Plans</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">The main different is the interest rate charged on the loan, Pru\'s is 6.45% and Just Retirement\'s a more competitive 5.99% </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">And significantly both rates are far cheaper than most other ER plans being sold which offer zero flexibility </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">For this reason both of the these deals are probably the best on the market right now, but it\'s also a \'hot sector\' so look for better deals over the coming year </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">Obviously the charges vary between the two ER plans so make sure you study and compare these in detail </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">But the main focus on any financial deal where you\'re borrowing a large amount of money must be the interest rate. Although this doesn\'t in any way that charges are irrelevant #p##e# </li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Also Consider These Products</strong> The Prudential and Just Retirement ER plans are called \'lifetime mortgages\'. There are however some other options open to people who want to release capital tied up in their homes -\r\n<ul>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\"><strong>Home Reversion Schemes</strong> - Sell say 50% of the value of your $250,000 home via a Home Reversion scheme (HRS), but depending on your age you\'ll only receive a percentage of the $125,000 say $75,000 </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">This amount can either be paid in a lump sum or as an income every month </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">You will be able to live in the house till you die, even if you live a very long time (this includes the surviving spouse) </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">Say the husband dies first, then the wife, the house will be sold and the 50% share that was initially released will be paid to the HRS company </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">But the other 50% can be left to your children, relatives or whoever you so choose </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">HRS schemes work best when a property is valued at more than $200,000 </li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\"><strong>Interest only mortgage</strong> - Take out a loan which pays either a lump-sum or income </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">The loan is secured against the value of the home </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">You pay interest on just the loan and no repayments of the principal </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">The principal is paid pack when the home is eventually sold </li>\r\n</ul>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('365','11','Over the last 18 months here on the east coast of cyprus, we have had a major increase in the amount of property owners looking to rent out cyprus property that they have invested in. The potential to earn excellent financial rewards from their cyprus rental property is increasing the amount of owners we here at east coast cyprus villas, are receiving contact from.<br />Protaras is one of the main tourist areas on the east coast of cyprus, near the famous Fig tree bay area, and continues to offer excellent buy to let potential. Our villas are exceeding the 20 weeks per year rental turnover. Protaras villas with private swimming pools are excellent investments , and when managed by a quality property management company, and with the assistance of a good rental agent , will bring excellent financial rewards. Ayia Thekla also on the east coast is another very popular holiday resort , near the famous Ayia Napa. This area of Ayia Thekla is becoming very popular with the brits, who know a good investment when they see one!! <br />Buy to let property in 2007 for that perfect investment in cyprus property. protaras and ayia thekla are sure fire winners in the location location stakes!');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('366','11','<em>December 2005</em> Fierce competition is starting to break out between the providers of lifetime mortgages (a form of Equity Release) - Not sure what Equity Release is? Read our guide) This is having a dramatic effect of cutting costs for the older generation of homeowners seeking to unlock capital tied up in their homes. Until recently the Equity Release (ER) sector was characterised by two negatives, firstly the market was not regulated and secondly costs (ie the interest rate charged) was expensive. But these problems are now generally sorted great news for consumers. <strong>Simple Definition of a Lifetime Mortgage</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">The homeowner retains full ownership of their property </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">A loan (the lifetime mortgage) is secured against it </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">The loan is received as either a lump sum or it can be used to buy a stream of monthly income such as an Annuity </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">The loan lasts until you, or if married the last survivor dies or sells the home </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">Most lifetime mortgages come with a \'<strong>no negative equity</strong>\' guarantee which means that if you live till 110 and the interest bills on the original loan are greater than the value of the home you can\'t be kicked out -<strong> This is a CRITICAL point</strong> </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">These style of loans tend to be more expensive than traditional mortgages because the lender faces the risk that over a long period of time the rolled-up interest charges can be more than the property is worth </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">From Oct 2004 the Financial Services Authority has regulated all forms of Equity Release including lifetime mortgages this means that consumers not only have a watchdog but also can be sure that they are not dealing with cowboys as in the past </li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>So Who\'s Cutting Their Costs Of Lifetime Mortgages</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">GE Life a subsidiary of the mega American corporation General Electric has reduced its fixed rate to <strong>5.89% from 7.19%</strong> which is the lowest rate quoted in the UK market </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">Bristol &amp; West has cut their interest rate from <strong>6.65% to 5.95%</strong> </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">Northern Rock from <strong>6.59% to 6.05%</strong> </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">Portman Building Society now quotes <strong>6.15%</strong> and Just Retirement at <strong>6.19%</strong> #p##e#</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>SHIP Plans For Total Price of Mind</strong> SHIP stands for Safe Home Income Plans and was launched to protect the consumer. Not all ER providers have signed up for SHIP (most have though) and it is therefore in the consumers advantage to look for the SHIP logo when considering doing business with any ER company. A ER plan or a lifetime mortgage utilising SHIP will carry the following guarantees -\r\n<ul>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">You retain the right to remain in your home for as long as you choose </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">You have the financial freedom to move to another property, without financial penalty </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">You are guaranteed a cash lump sum payment or a regular income </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">You will never fall into negative equity should house prices drop in the future </li>\r\n</ul>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('367','11','The Inland Revenue have backed off on charging excess tax to pensioners who want to raise money on their property. Now those who sell part of their property under home reversion schemes will pay stamp duty <strong>only</strong> on the money released and not as was feared the entire property\'s value. A home reversion scheme is a plan where you sell all or part of your home to a company which then gives you a tax-free lump sum. This money can then be used for anything including living expenses, home improvements or just having some liquid cash in the bank. However the lump sum is at a discount to the property\'s true value. With the home reversion scheme in place you are given the right to live in the property rent free until you die or decide to move. When the property is finally sold the proportion of the property\'s value goes to the company. <strong>TOP EQUITY RELEASE SEARCHES </strong><strong>Equity Release Providers</strong>\r\n<li type=\"disc\">Cus4 Equity Release </li>\r\n<li type=\"disc\"><strong>All Equity Release Providers</strong> <strong>Equity Release Information</strong> Age Concern\'s Free Guide FSA\'s Guide to Equity R. SHIP <strong>BBC Information</strong> E-R - Your Questions What are the pitfalls? Important questions to ask <br />In the March 2005 Budget the Chancellor proposed changing the basis for calculating stamp duty. He stated that it should be on the whole property\'s value rather than just the percentage sold. This would have meant that if a couple released &pound;120k from a property worth more than $250k 3% stamp would have been charged. But with the new rules there would be <strong>no</strong> stamp duty to pay. This is because the first level of stamp duty is just 1% on a value up to &pound;120k. <strong></strong></li>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('368','11','<em>August 2005</em> Saga has just reduced the cost of its lifetime mortgages (a form of Equity Release) by 0.65% to 6.39% fixed for the lifetime of the loan. This means that the competition is hotting up within the Equity Release sector especially if you take on board the news that the Prudential is about to enter the fray. <strong>The Financial Regulator Has Highlighted Problems With Equity Release</strong> The Pru will soon be selling Equity Release plans which is claims addresses the concerns raised by the regulator on how these products are sold. The Regulator\'s main problems with Equity Release are;\r\n<ul>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">ER schemes have generally been sold on the back of poor advice from salesman </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">It found that in 70% of the cases which it investigated financial advisors had failed to gather significant information about their customers before selling them a plan (<strong>LM Comment:</strong> Wouldn\'t be surprised if the motto of the average financial product salesman was \'<em>don\'t let the facts get in the way of generating commissions</em>\'!) </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">One of the most dramatic discoveries the FSA made was that many advisors had suggested that homeowners take out a lump sum (from their property) and reinvest this in a bond, taking 5% withdrawls from the bond to income purposes </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">This is actually frightening because it\'s a clear case of more and more money being skimmed off to pay for extra commissions and fees </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">And the final problem that the FSA found with Equity Release is that it\'s an <strong>expensive way to generate an income or capital</strong> </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">Far better to trade down the property value and remain <strong>debt free</strong>. </li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>The Prudential\'s Equity Release Plan</strong> The Pru from September will start marketing it\'s own Equity Release scheme called the <strong>Property Value Release</strong> which it hopes will entice the market as it argues it\'s far more flexible.\r\n<ul>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">The Property Value Release will be a Lifetime mortgage - Click Here for an explanation on Lifetime Mortgages </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">Gives homeowners the option of drawing down the loan in stages </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">First stage has to be a minimum of &pound;20,000, then lump sums of up to &pound;5,000 a time </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">Pru argues that customers will only have to draw down what they want/need </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">The Lifetime Mortgage is guaranteed against the property\'s value but unlike a normal mortgage no monthly payments are due </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">Monthly payments are therefore rolled up (with interest levied) and the final amount is settled when the property is sold #p##e# </li>\r\n</ul>\r\nOn paper the Prudential\'s Equity Release plan looks like an excellent product with the main emphasis being on \'<em><strong>flexibility</strong></em>\' which is sadly lacking in most equity Release plan at present. However the company has so far not yet announced what the interest rate will be apart from the stupid quote of \'<em>it will be within 0.5% of the market leader</em>\'. So with Northern Rock\'s Equity Release scheme being the present best buy at 5.99% we would suggest that the Pru\'s interest rate will be 6.5% so making it <strong>very uncompetitive. </strong><strong>Flexibility Versus Interest Rate</strong> The Pru\'s plan for Equity Release seems simple, offer the most flexible plan but at an uncompetitive rate. Whereas Northern Rock\'s Equity release scheme offers not as much flexibility but at the best interest rate. So which one, flexibility or interest rate is more desired? Flexibility is very important when dealing with all financial products but whenever you\'re borrowing money the interest rate is normally more critical. This is especially the case with Equity Release where interest is charged on interest and nothing ever gets paid back (until the property is sold). Remember that an Equity Release loan of &pound;50k taken out today will be around &pound;100k in 10 years, $200k in 20 years and a crazy $400k in 30 years.');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('369','11','For anyone looking to invest in the property market, the options are galore. You can either invest into commercial properties or residential properties. Most people buy real properties like homes and buildings and then put them back into the market for sale at a price higher than the one they paid for buying it initially. Another kind of property investment that is known to reap great returns is that of buy to let investment.<br /><br />Buy to let investment entails buying a particular property with the intention of letting it out. Often investors of such rental properties are known to earn great profits via rental incomes. But the question is how will you purchase this property? The answer is quite simple: by availing a buy to let mortgage.<br /><br />A <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http://www.seek.uk.com/mortgages/buy-to-let-mortgages.html\"><strong>buy to let mortgage</strong></a> is a sort of secured loan that allows you to buy a particular property with the purpose of letting it out on rent. This mortgage is basically availed against the property that you are buying, thus giving your lender a legal claim on it. There are several factors that lenders look into before lending you this mortgage. Various factors like the stability of your job, your credit history, value of the property you are buying etc. will determine whether your mortgage gets approved or not. Most lenders also look into your income to ascertain whether you are going to completely depend on your rental income for your installments or you have a back up.<br /><br />In all probability you will be able to finance 85% of the property\'s value via the mortgage, with you being expected to pay 15% of the value. The market is abounding with choices when it comes to buy to let mortgages. Since the competition in the mortgage business is so fierce, you will find a good number of lenders hankering after your business. This increases your chances of getting a low rate of interest for your buy to let mortgage.<br /><br />A word of caution for all buy to let mortgage seekers. Before you take your business to a particular lender, you must ensure the following points:<br /><br />. Is the lender or the lending institution FSA authorised? You can check with FSA\'s register on its website.<br />. Does your lender have access to a lot of different buy to let mortgage products?<br />. Are they able to arrange a buy to let mortgage for you within a span of 10 days?<br /><br />Although, there is a system in place, which you can approach in case anything goes bust; yet it is not fool proof. Financial Services Compensation Scheme will not cover buy to let properties unless the borrower uses 40% of the property for residential purposes. So, remaining alert is always the best thing to do.');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('370','12','Recently my client Michelle Tribble was featured on CNN\'s cable show Anderson Cooper 360. The story addressed how insurance companies take advantage of legitimate accident victims by intentionally undercutting settlement offers and essentially forcing innocent victims to file expensive and time-consuming lawsuits just to recover their medical bills.<br /><br />I was contacted by CNN about a case that I handled a few years ago against Allstate Insurance Company on behalf of my client Michelle Tribble. Michelle had been injured in two separate accidents occurring just 10 weeks apart. She was not at fault for either accident. Michelle received two herniated discs in her cervical spine. In the first accident handled by Safeco Insurance Company, Michelle was rear-ended and suffered whiplash. In the second accident Michelle was T-boned by an uninsured motorist so she filed a claim with her own auto carrier Allstate. Safeco agreed to pay for its portion of the medical bills caused by the minor first accident. But Allstate refused to pay Michelle\'s medical bills attributed to the more serious second accident.<br /><br />Due to Allstate\'s hardball position, Michelle was forced to file a lawsuit against Allstate and the other driver in the first accident. The case was transferred to mandatory arbitration. The arbitrator ruled that Allstate was responsible for paying $35,000, which included past and future medical bills and some wage loss. Safeco\'s insured was ordered to pay as well.<br /><br />Although Safeco was willing to accept the arbitrator\'s ruling, Allstate was not. Instead Allstate appealed the arbitration award and requested that Michelle try her case in court before a jury of 12 persons. This made little sense because the arbitrator\'s award of $35,000 was still well below Michelle\'s $50,000 insurance policy that she purchased from Allstate. It wasn\'t as if Allstate was ordered to pay a windfall, in fact far from it compared with the amount of the policy.<br /><br />When I tried to settle the case with Allstate after it appealed the arbitrator\'s ruling, the most it would offer was $12,000 - an amount far less than Michelle\'s damages caused by the 2nd T-bone collision. Had Michelle accepted this offer she would have ended up owing several thousands of dollars for an accident she did not cause. To her credit, Michelle wasn\'t going to be bullied. She told me to fight on her behalf.<br /><br />We managed to settle with Safeco and then proceed against Allstate only. The trial against Allstate lasted about 5 days. Allstate hired 2 doctors to testify against Michelle. They told the jury that Michelle suffered a simple soft tissue whiplash injury that should have resolved in a few months. They explained away the 2 herniated discs on the MRI scan by saying that they existed before the T-bone collision. Allstate\'s doctors also told the jury that Michelle had psychological issues and that she had a pre-existing back problem before the two accidents (she visited a chiropractor a few times a year earlier). Michelle\'s treating doctors said that she received legitimate injuries and that the herniated discs were most likely suffered in the second T-bone collision that was caused by the uninsured motorist.#p##e#<br /><br />The jury agreed with Michelle Tribble and awarded her damages of more than $370,000 against Allstate. Then Allstate appealed the jury\'s award to the court of appeals. The appeal lasted almost two years. The appellate court then ruled that the jury\'s verdict should be reduced to the amount of Michelle\'s insurance policy issued by Allstate - $50,000.<br /><br />Michelle incurred court costs of more than $17,000 and attorney fees that exceeded $60,000. Fortunately the appellate court ordered Allstate to pay for these expenses. But not before Allstate dragged Michelle through the system for more than 4 years.<br /><br />Washington state legislators enacted a law to combat the unfair settlement practices utilized by Allstate Insurance Company in the Tribble case. The insurance industry then spent millions to turn the law into a referendum to be decided by voters this November. If you believe that insurance companies should not be allowed to drag innocent accident victims through the courts and cause unnecessary expense and delays, then you should vote &quot;YES&quot; on Referendum 67.<br /><br /><br />------<br /><br />Christopher M. Davis is the managing partner of Davis Law Group. He brings over 15 years of practical yet innovative experience to personal injury cases. He practices law in Seattle, WA. You can learn more about Mr. Davis at <a href=\"http://www.InjuryTrialLawyer.com\">http://www.InjuryTrialLawyer.com</a>. You can see the CNN story &quot;Keeping them Honest: Insurance Battle&quot; at: <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvPW087RiJ8\">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvPW087RiJ8</a>.');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('371','12','The impact of a road accident can be huge. Road accidents claim not only lives and health through whiplash injuries, spinal injuries, and host of other serious personal injuries, but also have a significant and sometimes devastating impact on the lives of those closely involved.<br /><br />That road accidents claim happiness and cause wider distress and psychological trauma is clearly evident in the number of charities set up with the aim of supporting the friends and families of road accident victims. Brake, SCARD and RoadPeace are just three of a number of national charities devoted to helping people for who road accidents claim a large amount of happiness and normality from their daily lives.<br /><br />The impact fatal road accidents claim on families<br />In a fatal road accident the consequences are obviously far-reaching. There is grief and bereavement, and a real sense of bewilderment and despair at the senselessness and randomness of a road accident.<br /><br />Less commonly reported is the fact that road accidents claim family members\' confidence to go out onto the road. The fear can be truly paralysing, as one woman widowed by a car accident so movingly puts it, &quot;Since Brian died I don\'t go out in the car if I can avoid it. On the rare occasion that I do, I sometimes panic and have to pull over and collect myself.<br /><br />&quot;It makes life really difficult. I don\'t even visit my son anymore because of the fear. He suffered a whiplash injury coming to see me once, so I worry for his safety as well. I worry so much that I even tell him not to come and see me.&quot;<br /><br />Road accidents claim other aspects of emotional health too. Sadness and anger are both common responses to the grief of a car accident. Brake advise the bereaved to contact professional help from GPs and Psychotherapists as these are often symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).<br /><br />Often grief from a fatal road accident claim cognitive ability too. It is not unusual for a bereaved person to find they have difficulty in speaking, remembering and even formulating their own thoughts.<br /><br />The impact serious but non-fatal road accidents claim on families<br />Serious personal injuries such as whiplash can effect the very fabric of a family unit. Suddenly partners and even children can find themselves placed in the position of carers. Many families find it necessary to make a road accident claim for compensation because they find themselves deprived of an income and facing hefty medical bills.<br /><br />One 18-year-old boy from Scotland spoke with frankness and honesty about his experience of his father\'s personal injuries after a serious car accident, saying, &quot;I was doing my A-levels when dad suffered the spinal injury. Things went downhill as he couldn\'t work and needed care 24-7. But we needed mum\'s income, so I had to miss a lot of school. It really affected my study.#p##e#<br /><br />&quot;We eventually contacted a personal injury solicitor on Dad\'s behalf. He was too depressed to do it himself. It was such a relief to us all when the no win, no fee road accident claim came good. Even dad was celebrating. Now he\'s getting his life back on track.&quot;<br /><br />Just as a fatal road accident claims the confidence of the deceased person\'s family so too does an accident involving serious personal injury. The worries inherent in this situation are well illustrated by a father from Birmingham, &quot;After June suffered the injuries I just didn\'t want to go out in the car. I mean, what would happen if I got injured in a car accident too? Who would look after the kids?&quot;<br /><br />The impact road accidents claim on witnesses<br />Witnessing a car accident can be a horrifying and helpless experience. The sight of colliding crumpling vehicles can be impressed on the memory forever.<br /><br />Being called as a witness in a road accident claim or whiplash injury compensation claim can compound the traumatic experience, though some do report finding it a cathartic experience.<br /><br />Just as for family members of people who\'ve been involved in car accidents, often road accidents claim witnesses\' driving confidence. <a href=\"http://www.car-accident-claim.com\">http://www.car-accident-claim.com</a> <br />--<br />Simon Jacobs, Car Accident Advice Line <a href=\"http://www.car-accident-claim.com\">http://www.car-accident-claim.com</a> helps people to claim compensation after they have been injured in a car accident that was not their fault. You can call us now on 0808 143 43 42');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('372','12','Ita??s been 110 years since the first death due to a road accident, now more than a century on we are seeing more and more injuries due to road traffic accidents, mostly involving car accidents, which comes as no surprise when you take into account the amount of congestion on Britaina??s roads today.<br /><br />Road traffic accidents not only refer to collisions between vehicles, be it car or motorcycle but also to collisions with buildings, trees and even people.<br /><br />Injuries sustained from road traffic accidents can range from minor whiplash to fatal injuries. An estimated 1.2 million people worldwide are killed each year on the road with more minor injuries being about forty times this number. <br /><br />If you are unfortunately involved in a road traffic accident you should always stay at the scene and decide on the emergency services that you need by taking into account things like, is the road blocked? If so you need the police, are people injured? Then an ambulance. As well as these essentials you should always exchange details with the other driver so repairs and insurance claims can be sorted out quickly to get you back on the road in no time.<br /><br />One other thing you are able to do after a road traffic accident is claim compensation. You can do this as a driver, passenger or pedestrian if the accident wasna??t your fault. <br /><br />With most people travelling in cars or on motorbikes to work and some even driving as a living, the risk of becoming a victim of a road traffic accident is a very high one. Legislations have been put in place to reduce the amount of road traffic accidents, with the focus being put heavily on young and inexperienced drivers, who are believed to be by far the most likely to be involved in a car crash. These legislations include proposals such as to introduce a curfew to young drivers, stopping them from driving late at night and a Zero tolerance on alcohol. <br /><br />Although it is believed most crashes are a result of poor care and attention, there are times when factors such as road conditions and mechanical failures take over. Making it hard to safely stop the car.<br /><br />A road traffic accident is a frightening experience and one that you would not like to repeat, leaving me feeling is enough really being done to prevent them?<br /><br />Accident Consult is a leading UK Accident Claim firm who are experts dealing with <a href=\"http://accidentconsult.com/roadtrafficaccidents.php\">Road Traffic Accidents.</a><br /><br />This article is free to republish provided this resource box remains intact.<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('373','12','Divorce and Marriage Records: You can find a lot out about a person simply through court divorce records. A registry of criminals doesn\'t exist. It would be wonderful if it did. Anytime you wanted to learn more about the new neighbor that acts so creepy or the guy at work that keeps bugging you for a date you could just scroll down the list for their name and find out if they have a criminal past. Unfortunately that list is not real, but the information it would contain does exist and is available for public reading. Massive Government Public Records at <a href=\"http://www.divorcerecordusa.info/public-divorce-record-faq/index.html\">divorce records</a><br />In order to find that information you have to find court divorce records about the person you are interested in learning about.. Public records are created by the government (vital records real estate records driving records divorce records etc. <br /><br /><br /><br />You could do a background check on a child care provider before trusting your children to his or her care. Developing and maintaining the kind of information to help you find someone or something is time consuming and expensive. That\'s why organizations like theirs must charge a fee. If you value your time at all, we feel their services are well worth it. If your public divorce records search is not timely or is just to avoid using the phone book, we recommend you try your local state or county websites. But if your search is urgent and challenging, take a few minutes to explore the sites mentioned above. Each public divorce records resource we\'ve sited comes highly recommended and provides information on other research resources. . Search from over 1 Billion Official US Government Records: http://www.divorcerecordgov.info<br /><br /><br /><br />Thanks to the Internet free access to public records is now more convenient. As you search through the census divorce records on Ancestry.com be sure to recognize that the census indexes do not include the complete census data, but they provide sufficient information to locate the individual in the original divorce record. Massive Government Public Records at <a href=\"http://www.marriagerecordgov.info\">marriage records</a><br />This can save considerable research time. Most census indexes include the name of the head of the household, the location where they were living during the census year, and the page where their entry can be found on the original census divorce record. You can start your search by visiting Search Census Divorce records. Searching through census divorce records can be a great way to find that long lost great-grandfather or learn more about how your ancestors lived during a certain decade.. <br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('374','12','As divorce rates continue to rise, more and more children are growing up in a single parent household. Despite the fact that a divorce legally separates the parents from one another, it is important that both remain active in their child\'s life. Because the welfare of a child becomes the focal point of all child custody cases, it is essential that you hire a qualified divorce attorney who specializes in this area and will work hard to see that the child\'s best interests are met.<br /><br />Current divorce laws differ from one state to the next, but there are several basic guidelines that each follows in an effort to achieve a fair custody arrangement for all involved. An experienced divorce attorney will be able to answer any questions that you may have regarding local child custody laws, divorce laws and how to prepare for your case.<br /><br />Child custody may be granted to either spouse but, in most cases, joint custody is sought and approved for those capable of sharing the responsibilities and decision-making aspects of parenthood. Under these circumstances, it is important to understand the different types of child custody and what they mean to you. Temporary custody, which is most commonly agreed upon in the beginning stages of a marriage separation, is reached amicably by both parents and provides for a temporary resolution to issues surrounding visitation without court involvement. During this stage, the court will typically intervene only if one or both parents are deemed to be unsuitable.<br /><br />In divorce court and/or divorce mediation, there are basically two types of custody, including legal custody and physical custody. Legal custody involves the rights for making legal decisions for a child, such as those relating to education, healthcare and other important factors that will influence the child\'s general well-being. Sole legal custody occurs when only one named parent retains the right to make legal decisions for the child, whereas joint legal custody allows for both parents to handle legal decisions without one having superior rights over the other. Physical custody refers to the child\'s actual residence and is either granted as sole, which means the child lives with one parent, or joint, which means that the child resides with both parents separately for a considerable amount of time during each calendar year.<br /><br />When it comes to child custody cases, the court will attempt to reach an arrangement that is in the best interest of the child. Although the court will often consider the child\'s wishes, the final decision is made by a judge after a full review of the case. After a decision is reached in child custody cases, it is widely believed that the child has the right to enjoy an ongoing relationship with both parents, receives continuing care and guidance from both the mother and father, is not influenced by one parent to view the other differently and is able to express his/her feelings and feedback without being made to feel ashamed about said emotions.<br /><br />When it comes to the custody of your child, it is essential that you consult with and research several different divorce lawyers before making a final decision as to your legal representation. The pursuit of child custody is one of the most important of your life and you will value the advice on divorce as offered by your divorce attorney.<br /><br />The information contained in this article is designed to be used for reference purposes only. It should not be used as, in place of or in conjunction with professional legal advice regarding divorce, child custody, child custody laws and/or divorce laws. If you are in need of divorce advice or are considering a marriage separation, consult with a professional divorce lawyer in your area for further information and/or divorce advice.<br /><br />Andrew Daigle is an author and creator of many informational websites including <a href=\"http://www.divorce-attorney-search.com/\">Divorce Attorney Search</a>, <a href=\"http://mesothelioma-attorney-search.com/\">Mesothelioma Attorney Search</a> and many more.');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('375','12','What Is Your Car Accident Case Really Worth?<br /><br />There is no magic formula or process by which someone can predict with certainty the amount of money that a personal injury case may be worth. If there were, then society wouldn\'t have a need for personal injury lawyers. One could simply apply the &quot;formula&quot; to come up with the value of a case. And if this happened there would be no need for a trial. Yet we know that trials are necessary when the two sides cannot agree on the value of a case.<br /><br />Generally speaking, a case is worth the amount of damages inflicted on the person who has been injured. These damages may be easy to calculate, like past and future medical charges, lost earnings, lost earning capacity, and property loss. But the law also states that the injured person has the right to recover compensation for other &quot;intangible&quot; harms. It is these &quot;intangible&quot; harms that are more difficult to calculate, and they usually include pain, agony, disability, loss of enjoyment, inconvenience, and mental anguish. The intangible harms are purely subjective, difficult to determine and often vary among the people (or jurors) who are deciding the case. Ultimately, the value of a case is determined by the jury (or judge if the case is tried to the court). After a case arises, the injured person\'s attorney and the at-fault person\'s insurance company (and the defense attorney if the case is in litigation) are continually trying to evaluate how a jury might see the case and how much money a jury might award. Then each side will assign a value or a value range, and try to negotiate a settlement close or above each side\'s own range.<br /><br />Often times it may take many months or years before the value of a case can be adequately assessed. One reason for this is because of the slow progress of the person\'s recovery or rehabilitation. Another reason is due to the complexity of the injury or condition which may cause a significant delay in a firm diagnosis by the treating physician. In many instances a case should not be settled or resolved until the person obtains maximum improvement following the accident, and this can also contribute to the delay of achieving a reasonable resolution of the case.<br /><br />In many instances the value of a case is driven primarily by the extent and severity of the person\'s injuries. Other important factors to consider include the type, extent and frequency of past medical treatment and the need for future treatment. When I evaluate a case, I also rely on several other factors to help me determine the case value. These factors may include, but are not limited to, the client\'s likeability3 as a witness and his or her credibility, the facts of the accident giving rise to the case, the extent and permanency of the injuries, the client\'s age, whether the client missed time from work, the identities of the at-fault insurance company and its defense attorney, specific legal or evidentiary issues involved in the case, the county or venue where the case has been or will be filed, and the amount of settlements and verdicts for similar types of cases that I and other lawyers have handled in the past.<br /><br />You should note that no two cases are alike, even if the accident and/or injuries involved are nearly identical. This means that the evaluation of two cases which appear to be similar on the surface may actually produce widely different evaluations due to the other factors listed above. Evaluating personal injury cases takes a lot of knowledge, experience and some hard-earned intuition. Without these traits you may be at a serious disadvantage when negotiating with the insurance adjustor. And unless you are in the business of evaluating and settling personal injury cases for a living, you should look to an experienced personal injury attorney for guidance.#p##e#<br /><br />Mr. Davis is the founder and CEO of the Davis Law Group. He brings over 15 years of practical yet innovative experience to personal injury cases. He practices law in Seattle, WA. <a href=\"http://www.injurytriallawyer.com/\">http://www.InjuryTrialLawyer.com</a> . Mr. Davis is the author of &quot;The Ten Biggest Mistakes That Can Wreck Your Washington Accident Case&quot; comlimentary copies are availalbe at <a href=\"http://www.washingtonaccidentbook.com/\">http://www.washingtonaccidentbook.com</a><br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('376','12','Do you think George Bush knows how much a bus pass costs? When was the last time you think Dick Cheney pulled out an envelope full of coupons to save a few bucks at the grocery store? Does he even know what a grocery store is? I do not want to bash the President. But what I want to do is explain why so many of our national politicians aren\'t ready to tackle the everyday problems the average American faces ??? simply because they have no idea what they are.<br /><br />During my Illinois mayoral campaign this year, I held seven town hall meetings with topics ranging from improving education to accessing the healthcare system. Two trends stood out to me as I listened to the American people. First, I talked to people who had not voted in twenty years because they felt like they did not have anyone for whom to vote. These Americans felt voiceless in this local democratic system.<br /><br />This sense of hopelessness and voicelessness caused me to reflect on what would cause a person not to exercise the right to vote for twenty years given the fact that Americans gave their lives for the right to vote. I quickly concluded that it must be more than apathy as described by many people. As I continued talking to people during my seven town hall meetings and on the campaign trail, I concluded that the reason for what we call apathy is actually disconnection. American citizens are disconnected from the democratic process because our leaders are disconnected from the American people.<br /><br />The second trend I observed during my campaigns was the citizens\' inability to see the connections between local, regional and national elections. The local leaders of today become the national leaders of tomorrow. If they are disconnected from the people today, what can we expect tomorrow? The American people have a responsibilityto ensure that this does not continue. We have been too passive. It should not take an electoral crisis to bring people out to the polls. A crisis usually means something of value has already been lost. We can and must be more proactive with the future of our nation.<br /><br />Disconnection does not eliminate men and women with sincere desires to serve in a servant leader capacity but it means two things. First, it means that we have to challenge each of them to reconnect. Second, disconnection requires what I call an &quot;intentional leadership style &quot;An &quot;intentional leadership style&quot; requires three things:<br /><br />1.Continuous self assessments asking, &quot;Am I connected to the American people? If not, what can I do to reconnect with the American people?You cannot be honest with yourself until you are honest with the American people. Are you personally aware of my struggle or just aware of my struggle through statisticians?<br /><br />2.Create diverse ideological cabinet/team. You want someone who will disagree with you respectfully. Healthy dialogue is the birthplace of creativity. The phenomenon of group think creates unhealthy and disconnected policy.<br /><br />3.In addition to ideological diversity, maintain fluid teams to ensure you have the best possible people during the life cycles of your public leadership. This means change is necessary. Stagnation breeds nothing but death.<br /><br />We have a responsibility to our children and to the future of America to move pass name recognition generated by family legacy and wealth as the determining factors in our choices if we even decide to make a choice see and as a result of disconnection and frustration. Many have walked away from the democratic process and continue to walk away from the process in frustration or even worst did not feel invited into the process by the hypocrisy we now see. A last name does not make you a president and wealth does not prove to me of your ability to lead the country. It means you are a fundraiser.<br /><br />Yes, the presidential candidates are disconnected from the American people? However, there are degrees of disconnection. The candidates do not have the same degree of disconnection from the American People. In response to what I heard from the America people as a two time mayoral candidate, I have developed a tool to begin to evaluate how connected our leadership is to the American people. I call this evaluation tool, the &quot;Ten Degrees of Disconnection.&quot; The &quot;Ten Degrees of Disconnection&quot; is a ten question litmus test. The ten questions are available at the virtual town hall meeting website.#p##e#<br /><br />In response to this disconnection, I have also launched a virtual town hall meeting to share with you what I see and to hear from you about your experience so we can support each other in making stand in our individual neighborhoods and communities and to make a national stand in our nation. Log onto the virtual website to reserve your virtual seat for the next national discussion.<br /><br />Dr. Jessica Davis, political commentator and two-time nonpartisan mayoral candidate, ran for mayor of Baltimore, Maryland in 1999, and Carbondale, Illinois in 2007. She is currently a law director at Southern Illinois University School of Law, and virtual host of #p#ҳ#e##p#ҳ#e#<a href=\"http://www.virtualtownhallmeeting.com/\">http://www.virtualtownhallmeeting.com</a> and is the author of AMERICAN SOCIAL JUSTICE REPORT: Creating a Beloved Community.<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('377','12','You are not paid what you are worth and you have skills that lawyers would pay big bucks for! The fact that you speak 2 languages fluently and that you have ties to an ethnic community proves that with a little effort, you can have a good part time income on your days off. All day long you hear your clients talk about their problems. Some of them want to divorce but don\'t know who they can trust. They trust you and if you can introduce them to a divorce lawyer, all of you can benefit.<br /><br />Do you know how many couples stay together because they are so intimidated by divorce court? They have heard the horror stories about nasty divorces and they don\'t want to get involved in an ugly court fight. Those kinds of couples are PERFECT for mediation. If you don\'t know those people, you want to find them. You want to ask around the community and see who fits this description. The last step is to find a mediator you want to work with.<br /><br />Mediators can usually be found in the phone book under Divorce Assistance. Call around and interview the lawyers. Tell them that you are looking to establish a referral relationship with a great mediator. Ask how many couples they have helped with mediation and what percentage of those cases have settled. Ask them how long a mediation usually takes and how much they charge. You will want ot know if the majority of their practice is mediation or if they are really litigators in sheep\'s clothing. Ask them if it would be worth $250 for you to bring them a couple and do the translation for the day. You may have to negotiate your translation fee but you are worth at least $150! So that you can compare their answers to mine, I have 100% success rate with over 185 couples. I only do mediation, nothing else. On average it takes me between 4-7 hours to do a mediation. I have very special skills that most lawyers don\'t have in that I was a special education teacher for many years and have a Masters in teaching severely emotionally disturbed children, so I have yet to meet a couple I couldn\'t work with. But there are a lot of skilled mediators who are dying for new business. It is best to work with a lawyer who is a mediator, that way they can do all the legal forms and get everything done for the couple. But you need to watch out for lawyers who say they are mediators but are really just trying to cash in on a good thing. It is important that at least half their practice involves mediation. With just a little work, you can have a steady stream of clients to translate for and you can help others and yourself at the same time.<br /><br /><br />------<br /><br />Ms. Rachman has been a family law attorney since 1996 and has become so disheartened by our adversarial legal system that she walked away from a successful law practice and now only works with couples doing mediation. She is interested in hearing from bilingual translators and will pay top dollar for their services. For more information on how mediation works and what kind of couples do best in mediation listen to an audio on the differences between litigation and mediation at<br /><a href=\"http://www.divorce-inaday.com/\">http://www.divorce-inaday.com</a><br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('378','12','Life is one thing that is very unpredictable. No one knows what is in store for him or her and what can hit them the very next moment. Life is again full of surprises. These surprises can be beautiful and at the same time, these surprises can get equally ugly. One such ugly surprise can come in the form of an accident and especially, when the person has been the victim of a mistake committed by some other person. In this case, the victim is not at fault and therefore, he can easily sue the person or in any special case, the organization that has got him into the trouble. In this case, the best person to be approached is a personal injury lawyer. <br /><br />If you are a resident of New York City or stay in nearby regions, then you can easily consult with a <a href=\"http://www.pulversthompson.com/personal_injury.html\">personal injury lawyer New York</a> to help you solve any legal matter connected to this. If any of your relatives or any friend of your has become the victim of an accident caused by a third party, then you can easily take the help of a personal injury lawyer to fight out the legal case against the main culprits. Having to go through an accident is not only a physical trauma but is also a huge mental set back. The one who undergoes the trauma exactly knows what he or she has gone through. Even his or her family members also face a lot of trouble, right from the rounds at the hospitals to getting the medicines. In this case, fighting a legal case against the culprit would again mean a lot of hassle. However, a legal expert can definitely help to ease out things.<br /><br />Fighting a legal case needs a lot of patience, time and at the same time expertise on the part of the person who is fighting the case. Therefore, when you think you want to hire a personal injury lawyer, you will have to make sure that you do some research before you fix any lawyer to fight your case. You will have to make sure that the lawyer you hire is good at his work and has enough expertise in his field. Moreover, you will also have to see that he has a good success ratio because it is on him to win the case for you. Yes, you too will have to give him some inputs like when the accident happened and how it happened and every small detail. This information will help the personal injury lawyer to prepare a note and a history of the case, which will further help him to have an upper hand in the case. <br /><br />A personal injury lawyer of the New York City can not only help you to win the case but also provides you with a metal support that is very much needed in a case of trauma. A personal injury lawyer actually helps t o become your best friend, helps you to recover, and at the same time helps you to get justice.<br /><br />Hadiya Robins is a legal expert.She gives advice to clients who are looking for New york lawyer,<a href=\"http://www.pulversthompson.com/personal_injury.html\">Personal injury lawyer New York</a>,Highest rated personal injury lawyer, New York Personal Injury Lawyer.For legal advice and to get services of a Lawyer in New York visit <a href=\"http://www.pulversthompson.com\">www.pulversthompson.com</a>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('379','12','Once a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case is filed, an impartial case trustee is appointed by the office of the United States Trustee. (In Alabama and North Carolina, the trustee is appointed by the court). The primary function of the Chapter 7 trustee is to administer the case and liquidate your non-exempt assets. In most cases, your assets are completely exempt and there is no property for the trustee to administer. The trustee will liquidate your non-exempt assets in a manner that maximizes the return to your unsecured creditors. The trustee can also pursue causes of action that you may have at the time your bankruptcy case is filed. A common cause of action is one to recover money or property that is owed to you.<br /><br />The trustee also has strong avoiding powers. This allows a trustee to set aside preferential transfers made to creditors prior to your bankruptcy filing. This avoiding power may result in proceeds being distributed to unsecured creditors.<br /><br />In addition to liquidating any non-exempt assets, the trustee has the duty of making sure that you have complied with the numerous bankruptcy laws that are enumerated throughout the Bankruptcy Code.<br /><br />The trustee is often a local bankruptcy attorney; however, a trustee is not required to be an attorney. You can rest assured that the trustee will be a person who is very knowledgeable about Chapter 7, the court process and all of the necessary procedures to administer a case.<br /><br />The trustee is mostly interested in what property you own, whether it can be exempted under the Federal or State laws and whether or not it can be administered for the benefit of creditors. The trustee has a vested interest in the property because he is partially paid on commission. That\'s right; the trustee may receive 25% of the first $5,000.00 administered, 10% of any amount between $5,000.00 and $50,000.00, and 5% of any additional amounts administered.<br /><br />Many debtors wonder whether or not the trustee will want to search their homes for property. Although this is possible, it is highly unlikely. The trustee would have to believe that the debtor was not being truthful in his schedules or otherwise not complying with the trustee\'s requests.<br /><br />The Chapter 7 Trustee\'s Work<br /><br />The trustee will review the petition and schedules that you filed. He will review the exemptions to see if there is any property that can be administered. He will check your statement of intentions with regard to secured property and to leases. At the meeting of creditors, the trustee will investigate your financial affairs.<br /><br />He will review your attorney\'s fees to see if they are in compliance with local standards for fees. If the fee paid by you was excessive, the trustee may bring a motion to have those fees reviewed by the court. To the extent that the fee is determined to be excessive, the court may order cancellation of the fee agreement or order that a portion of the fees be refunded to you.<br /><br />He will check your state issued I.D. as well as your social security card. If there is a problem regarding those items, the trustee will report same to the United States Trustee.<br /><br />If you miss your required meeting of creditors, the trustee may set a continued date or he may move to have your case dismissed.#p##e#<br /><br />Don\'t be alarmed by what the trustee does and what the trustee can do. In the majority of cases, the debtor\'s dealings with the trustee are limited to the relatively short meeting of creditors.<br /><br /><br />------<br /><br />David M. Siegel is the author of Chapter 7 Success: The Complete Guide to Surviving Personal Bankruptcy. He is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute and currently practices bankruptcy law in Chicago and its surrounding suburbs. Additional information is available at <a href=\"http://www.bankruptcy-lawyers-losangeles.com/\">http://www.bankruptcy-lawyers-losangeles.com</a> .<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('380','12','Health care has reached the crisis point in our country. Rising insurance costs are placing untenable burdens on workers and employers alike. Millions of Americans can\'t afford any health insurance.<br /><br />Poor Americans receive Medicaid, but too many experience inferior medical care. Also, lots of health care providers and doctors don\'t want to accept Medicaid payments, which attempts to place limits on medical charges.<br /><br />Retired Americans depend upon Medicare to meet medical needs, but there are serious gaps and limitations in the coverage. Retired citizens who are middle class can not afford to pay for long term care services available in nursing care homes or residential care facilities.<br /><br />Many of our hospitals are poorly run, have high mortality and infection rates, and are in fact terrible places in which to die. The quality of our health care in this nation seems to be totally dependent on one\'s ability to pay.<br /><br />But prescription costs, doctor visits, mental health services, and surgical care are starting to place a huge financial burden on all of us.<br /><br />The rich are well cared for, the middle class experiences inconsistent care, and the poor have mostly inadequate care-based upon what they get in our emergency rooms.<br /><br />Unfortunately, too many doctors and hospitals have become so busy that human emotions, compassion, and sensitivity have become lost in the shuffle.<br /><br />Too often, pills, computers, and specialized machines have become substitutes for the health care professional\'s time and attitude of tender loving care. It is time that we do something positive to reform are whole health care system.<br /><br />Now that we have been honest and open about the problem, let\'s go to the next steps on The Emotional Recovery Card. (EMC is my unique life coaching approach to personal and social change.)<br /><br />Stop and Think:<br /><br />Let\'s stop approaching health care from the point of view of one\'s ability to pay or as some simple commodity at the whims of our market economy. Health care should become a basic human right. So, let\'s stop and think more about that.#p##e#<br /><br />Face Triggers:<br /><br />We need to face our red flags, and see the private health insurance industry for what it really is: a business that seeks to make a profit from healthy people who don\'t need it very often.<br /><br />These corporations just keep striving to reduce coverage for &quot;pre-conditions&quot;, and they lobby against legislation to extend national coverage to the sick, poor, and elderly.<br /><br />Some hospitals are red flags, because they are corporations who profit from becoming more specialized, bureaucratized, mechanized, and computerized.<br /><br />Then there are the doctors who become red flags. Some embrace their dark secret of unlimited income, rather than remembering their oath to do no harm to those who suffer and need relief from pain.<br /><br />Our government is a red flag because for too long it has submitted to the will of medical lobbyists, insurance corporations, and pharmaceutical companies.<br /><br />Why can\'t government be more sensitive to the needs of a majority of Americans buckling under the strain of our health care crisis?<br /><br />Face Feelings:<br /><br />Possibly, the healthcare industry and our own federal government are simply too fearful to try new approaches to reform and change.<br /><br />I assume they don\'t want to lose money, power, or influence. It makes me angry to sense they refuse to face their own dark secrets.<br /><br />They claim a national health care system would decrease the quality of health care by taking away the profit motive. Of course, they avoid facing the fact that the profit motive is precisely the cause of our health care crisis.<br /><br />It is sad to think that CEO\'s of these corporations are making six figure incomes off the suffering of more than 47 million Americans who don\'t have any health care coverage. How do you really feel about that?<br /><br />And why do our political and business leaders seem so reluctant to look at the pros and cons of national health systems in Canada, the Netherlands, England, Germany and other European nations?#p##e#<br /><br />Can we forgive ourselves for thinking, believing, and pretending that our health care system based on profit is better than theirs?<br /><br />Admit Powerlessness:<br /><br />We do have a sense of being powerless to change the system. We remain at the mercy of the insurance companies who cancel our coverage because we have AIDS, Cancer, or some other expensive and catastrophic illness.<br /><br />We can\'t seem to budge certain hospitals that have turned medical care into assembly lines for beds, and patient charts, rather than a haven for love, compassion, and healing.<br /><br />Many of us are powerless to change the medical profession and pharmaceutical industry, which say the market economy must determine the price for all health care costs.<br /><br />At times, we can become hopeless or apathetic about professional politicians who are dependent on political contributions from the health care industry to get the money they need to stay in office.<br /><br />I will complete our discussion of healthcare reform in my next article: The Dark Secret About Healthcare Part II.<br /><br /><br />------<br /><br />Mr. Eby currently works as a therapsit and counselor at Options for Southern Oregon, the local mental health agency. He is a Master Social Worker with more than 37 years of professional experience. For more information visit:<br /><a href=\"http://www.challengedarksecret.com/\">http://www.challengedarksecret.com</a> .<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('381','12','Hiring a <a href=\"http://www.personal-injury-lawyers.ws/texas/buffalo/8903/personal-injury-lawyer.html\">personal injury lawyer</a> requires the fulfillment of certain factors. This is necessary to ensure the outcomes of the case.<br /><br /><strong>What Is Personal Injury?</strong><br /><br />In a neglect case battle, personal injury is a term that is used to define any harm that is caused to an individual. This can include broken bones, cuts, contusion or basically any bodily damage. It is also used to define any incursion of a personal right, inclusive of mental anguish and counterfeit incarceration. There is a high chance that in the case of an injury, the attorney would be able to secure far more damages than an individual on his own. On the other hand, the field itself is of a specialization and only certain attorneys are capable of managing these cases. For instance, a corporate attorney whose specialization is corporate law might not be able to handle a case of personal injury.<br /><br /><strong>Choosing A Personal Injury Lawyer</strong><br /><br />Here it is necessary to note that certain circumstances need to be taken into consideration when choosing a personal injury lawyer. Even though the fact remains that all attorneys attend law schools and have to pass the bar exam, but this in no way qualifies them to fight a case of personal injury.<br /><br />The factors that should be taken into consideration are: <br /><br />\r\n<ul><br />\r\n    <li>The time period of the attorneys practice<br /></li>\r\n    <li>Whether he or she has experience in a similar case<br /></li>\r\n    <li>His previous record<br /></li>\r\n    <li>Whether he or she is ready to take a case on contingency basis as well as the resources he/she has<br /></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p>Victims of personal injury who have a strong case at not have to pay any out of pocket expenses. Any legal representative would be ready to deal with such a case on a contingency basis. By contingency basis it is meant that all expenses that occur during the trial are the responsibility of the attorney and he or she would take his fee as a fixed percentage from the recovery that he attains. Usually, the percentage lies between 1/3 to ?? of the damages that had been caused.<br /><br />Hence, personal injury lawyers should be hired on the basis of the aforementioned factors. They deal with personal injury cases on the bases of contingency.<br /><br />Amy Hughes writes for http://www.personal-injury-lawyers.ws - A comprehensive searchable directory of all <a href=\"http://www.personal-injury-lawyers.ws/\">personal injury lawyers and attorneys</a> across the United States. </p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('382','12','Dwight Eisenhower warned against the United States becoming predominately dependent on military power as a means for its security. The biggest change in American democratic history came about as a result of World War II and the introduction of the nuclear bomb. From the mid 40\'s to the early 50\'s two different directions became available for our government to choose from.<br /><br />One direction was for our government to embrace the principles of the newly formed United Nations, which was originally handed all the tools necessary to civilize this world through a system of International Law and Order based on the establishment of an International Bill of Human Rights.<br /><br />After the devastation of World War II the world came to realize future wars using nuclear weapons could destroy this world and a new system for providing a more peaceful and civilized existence in this world was needed, thus the United Nations was formed.<br /><br />The other direction governments could take was to pursue military expansionism with nuclear weapons to ensure their defense.<br /><br />Once one single country pursued this path others were forced to follow and the overall purpose of the United Nations was nullified.<br /><br />Today the American people have become oppressed slaves to their military power and have been forced to give up their democratic rights and freedoms for their security.<br /><br />Ben Franklin stated, once you give up your liberty and democratic rights for your security, you deserve neither. The cost the American people have had to pay for their military power is being a constant target always having to defend itself from those who wish not to be militarily dominated by the U.S. government.<br /><br />The American people and their democracy has been oppressed and dominated by fear as a result of their military power and expansionism.<br /><br />The United States government is now the most barbaric, brutal, and uncivilized country in the world and has been responsible for more deaths (approximately seven million people killed) then any other country since the mid 1950\'s.<br /><br />The strange thing is the American people act shocked when someone attacks their country (911, the USS Cole, etc) and can\'t understand why.<br /><br />We have been conditioned to believe a strong military is the best way to defend our country, but when that military power jeopardizes our security and safety because our leaders are abusing it for purposes other then to defend our country, we should not be surprised.<br /><br />Being civilized and living in Peace is the sacrifice we have made for military power.#p##e#<br /><br />They say when you live by the sword you die by the sword and we now live totally by the sword.<br /><br />There was a time when it was patriotic to defend our country and democratic way of life, which was back when our democracy was one that was by the people, for the people, and of the people.<br /><br />Today, our government is corporate controlled, which means we have sacrificed our democratic rights, freedoms, security, and safety to defend a government, which is by the corporations, for the corporations, and of the corporations.<br /><br />This was not part of the original deal when our democracy was formed. Nowhere in our Constitution, Declaration of Independence, or Bill of Rights does it mention the American people must yield their democracy to the corporate powers.<br /><br />The reason our democracy was formed was to be self- governing and get away from totalitarian rule. The first paragraph of the Declaration of Independence states clearly the obligation to preserve our democracy rest squarely with the American people, yet the American people are so oblivious to their democratic responsibilities they have allowed their democracy to fail. A democracy is only as strong as the people who participate in it.<br /><br />Thomas Jefferson stated; this democracy would only last about two hundred and fifty years before the people must decide to rebuild it or let it revert back to totalitarian rule. We have been at it for two hundred and thirty four years now, with sixteen years left to decide.<br /><br />If the American people are satisfied with being oppressed by fear as a result of our their military power, which is controlled by a corporate run government then they should do nothing, but they should understand it was they who failed their democracy and they have no one to blame but themselves.<br /><br /><br />------<br /><br />The group at the We Want World Peace Organization have an actual plan for World Peace. It\'s simple, replace war with a system of international law and order based on human rights not just the rights of other governments like the United Nations currently supports.To learn more about this plan go to the <a href=\"http://www.wewantworldpeace.com\">We Want World Peace Organization</a>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('383','12','Confused by scores of yellowpage ads for attorneys? Turned off by lawyer TV ads? Don\'t know how to find the right attorney for your accident case? Here are some guidelines, which if followed, should make your search easier and also relieve some anxiety.<br /><br />*Choose an attorney who specializes in personal injury. There are many attorneys who represent personal injury clients in addition to other practice areas, such as divorce, criminal defense or real estate. You should pick an attorney whose practice is devoted 100% to personal injury law. The field of personal injury is too complicated for a &quot;generalist&quot; or &quot;part-time&quot; lawyer to master. If you needed surgery on your shoulder, would you rather see a &quot;general&quot; surgeon who performs surgery on many different areas of the body, or a surgeon who only does &quot;shoulder surgery?&quot; Most people would choose the specialist. Don\'t take chances with your personal injury claim by hiring a &quot;generalist.&quot;<br /><br />*Choose an attorney who demonstrates expertise in the field of personal injury law. There are too many different types of the law for any one attorney to claim specialty in multiple areas. No one can do everything well. Most people want to see a specialist. The same is true for lawyers. The field of personal injury law is complex with subtle nuances that could mean the difference between recovering a few hundred dollars versus several thousands of dollars. The attorney you choose should limit his or her practice exclusively to personal injury law. Does the attorney write about personal injury? Is the attorney frequently asked to lecture and/or teach on personal injury topics? If yes, these are good signs that the lawyer is a personal injury specialist.<br /><br />*Choose an attorney who understands the medicine involved in your case. This is a no-brainer, right? But you would be very surprised at how many attorneys who claim specialty in personal injury have little understanding of the medicine and treatment involved with the client\'s injury. For example, take a case involving neck and back injuries. These types of injuries can be difficult to prove in court because spine medicine is extremely complex and the diagnostic imaging may show very little or nothing at all. Yet, this area of medicine has also undergone enormous strides and advances just in the last ten years. There are now new diagnoses in the area of spine medicine that literally did not exist a few years ago, not to mention new treatments and minimally invasive procedures that have been created due to advancements in technology. If you have a neck or back injury claim, you obviously want an attorney who understands spine medicine so proper treatment and diagnoses can easily be pursued or presented to the insurance company in negotiations, or made part of a persuasive presentation to a jury on your behalf. You would be surprised at how few personal injury attorneys really understand this area of medicine yet neck and back injury claims make up the bulk of accident cases that exist in Washington.<br /><br />*Choose an attorney who actually goes to trial. I know, I know. If you\'re like most people who have a claim for injuries, you\'d rather not have to go to trial. So why pick an attorney who actually does regularly try injury cases? To understand why this is such an extremely important factor when choosing an attorney you have to understand the business of insurance and why claims are settled. Essentially, the insurance company is in the business of &quot;risk.&quot; That is, it accepts your money with the promise that it will pay you money if you encounter certain risks of harm or damage. The risks are usually low, which is why the insurance company can earn enormous profits. When it comes to paying a claim, the company only pays a &quot;settlement&quot; if there is a &quot;risk&quot; that the company may have to pay more if the person files a lawsuit and goes to trial. Attorneys who regularly win at trial increase the insurance company\'s &quot;risk&quot; that it might have to pay much more money if the jury awards more than the last settlement offer. Insurance companies regularly keep lists of the personal injury attorneys who do go to trial. #p##e#These are the attorneys who can command premium settlement offers compared to attorneys who do not go to trial. Simply put, the insurance company will pay more money to settle a case if there\'s a greater chance that the attorney will try the case in court. That is why you can actually avoid going to trial if your attorney has a reputation for winning.<br /><br />*Choose an attorney who wins at trial. This goes without saying. An attorney who gets results at trial is the insurance company\'s worst nightmare. The insurance company will pay much more money to settle a case if the injured person\'s attorney has a winning record than if the attorney does not. Choose an attorney that wins.<br /><br />*Beware of attorneys who actively solicit you. You should be cautious of attorneys who contact you in writing just after you or a loved one has been injured, maimed or killed in an accident. Most state bar associations have rules against attorney solicitation, or at least have very stringent limitations on this sort of activity. I have no respect for attorneys who feel the need to cross the line by actively soliciting clients right after the accident. If an attorney engages in this sort of unethical behavior it may give some indication how that attorney might perform in your case.<br />*Be cautious of attorneys who advertise on T.V. or take out big flashy ads in yellow pages or other publications. Did you know that many of the T.V. and yellow page ads for lawyers are paid for by attorneys who have never actually tried a personal injury case in court? In fact, some of these advertisements are created by law firms that have a &quot;policy&quot; of always settling their cases without ever filing a lawsuit! If you were an insurance adjustor who knew that a particular attorney or law firm always settled short of trial, would you ever increase your offer for fear that a jury might award more?<br /><br />*Understand how the bar association referral lists work. Many local bar associations operate a &quot;referral list&quot; where consumers can get the name of an attorney. Just understand that the lawyer has signed up and paid a fee to be included on the referral list. Some but not all of these referral lists don\'t bother to check or verify the attorney\'s experience with the type of case that is being referred.<br /><br />*The likeable lawyer is not enough. There are many people who choose to hire an attorney based solely on whether the attorney is likeable. I know of some very personable and likeable lawyers who claim to do personal injury law, but whom I would never recommend based on their limited experience and expertise. Would you let a likeable surgeon operate on your body if you knew the doctor rarely made it to the operating room? It is important that you like your attorney, or at least respect him or her, but it should not provide the only basis for your hiring decision.<br /><br />*Choose an attorney who you feel comfortable with. You should feel comfortable with the lawyer and his or her ability to communicate with you. Does the attorney seem credible and trustworthy? Does the attorney explain everything to your satisfaction, or does he explain why an answer to a particular question can\'t be given at that time? You should feel comfortable with the lawyer. You should also understand how the two of you will be working together on your case.<br /><br /><br />------<br /><br />Learn more about Davis Law Group at <a href=\"http://www.injurytriallawyer.com/\">www.InjuryTrialLawyer.com</a>. Get a copy of Mr. Davis\' book at <a href=\"http://www.washingtonaccidentbook.com/\">www.WashingtonAccidentBook.com</a>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('384','13','Introducing the Citi Diamond Preferred Rewards Card, the credit card with the flexibility to earn the rewards you really want. You can earn anything from airline travel to gift certificates to statement credits and more.<br /><br />You earn 5 ThankYou points for every $1 spent on purchases at gas stations, drug stores and super markets. For almost all other purchases you earn 1 ThankYou point. After the first 12 months that you are a card holder, all purchases earn one ThankYou point, including at gas stations, drug stores and super markets. Purchases at warehouse clubs, discount stores and convenience stores are not eligible for points.<br /><br />The Citi ThankYou Network offers:<br /><br />Rewards from many of your favorite merchants<br />More than 1,000 rewards items to choose from<br />Many rewards starting at just 1,000 ThankYou Points<br /><br />You can redeem your points for things like:<br /><br />Gift certificates for some of the finest stores and restaurants<br />Retail merchandise, from the latest DVDs to sporting equipment<br />Travel on any airline you choose, with no blackout dates (Round-trip tickets start at just 25,000 Points)<br />Hotel stays, car rentals and vacation packages<br />Statement credits toward your billing statement<br />If therea??s a reward you want thata??s not in our collection, wea??ll work to find it for youa??we call it &quot;Your Wish Fulfilled&quot;<br /><br />So you can earn points towards the rewards you want the most. It makes using your credit card exciting when you know it is getting you closer to your ideal reward. You may not be able to justify that new barbeque or a vacation, but what if your credit card could give you that?<br /><br />Now when you apply you also get 5000 bonus ThankYou points after your first purchase. Unlike many rewards credit cards, there is no annual fee and the rewards program is free. Also there is a 0% introductory rate on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months.<br /><br />The Citi Diamond Preferred Rewards Card is perfect for someone looking for a flexible rewards program. Choose the reward you want and easily earn it with your credit card.<br /><br />Find the best <a href=\"http://www.gasolinecreditcards.net\">gas credit cards</a> at gasolinecreditcards.net, including the <a href=\"http://www.gasolinecreditcards.net/gascreditcard.php?name=Citi?Diamond Preferred?Rewards Card\">Citi Diamond Preferred Rewards Card</a>. Also click for more <a href=\"http://www.lowinterest-creditcards.net\">low interest credit card application</a>.');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('385','13','<p>Vat is a tax payable by any taxable person or business on sales income unless exempted or zero rated when the annual level of sales reaches the vat threshold limit, raised to ?$64,000 p.a. from 1st April 2007. Vat output tax is payable on total sales whether a business has registered for vat or not and it is therefore important to register for vat when the vat threshold is reached to enable full credit to be claimed by the vat input tax paid on purchases.<br />Minimise vat liability with vat scheme.<br /><br /><br /><br />Vat Registration<br />Businesses become liable for vat when sales reach the vat threshold set on 1st April 2007 at ?$64,000 p.a. regardless of whether that business has registered for vat purposes.<br />Businesses whose customers are vat registered should consider opting for voluntary registration as sales would not be affected by registration and registering would permit that business to also reclaim vat inputs on purchases. Businesses with mainly non vat registered customers may wish to delay registration until the point is reached at which liability to vat becomes inevitable. Consideration should be given to maintaining sales below the vat threshold provided this does not result in a significant loss of profit. When the vat threshold of ?$64,000 p.a. is exceeded Customs &amp; Excise should be advised. It may be possible to delay registration if sales breached the vat threshold due to an abnormal sales period that may not necessarily be repeated in the foreseeable future.<br />Having reached the point of vat registration consideration should be given to the various vat schemes which are available to either simplify the vat calculation or smooth the vat liability.<br /><br />Choose the right vat scheme for your business<br />Unless a vat scheme is adopted then the standard inputs and outputs vat scheme would be applied. This involves charging all customers vat on sales known as output vat and paying this amount to the Vat office each quarter. Vat Registered businesses can also deduct from the vat liability the input vat on purchases that suppliers have charged the business. It is important to ensure all sales and purchase invoices are retained and an audit rail from the individual transactions to the vat liability is maintained as Customs &amp; Excise do inspect vat records, the frequency of those visits, often once every three years can increase dramatically if the records are considered inadequate. Accounting Software can provide a solution to record keeping and DIY Accounting produce automated vat calculations from the basic data entry of sales and purchases on excel spreadsheets.<br /><br />Vat Schemes<br /><br />Vat Flat Rate Scheme<br />The vat flat rate scheme can be adopted by businesses that have an annual turnover excluding vat of under ?$150,000 p.a.#p##e#<br />Instead of paying the difference between vat on sales and vat on purchases businesses that have adopted a flat rate scheme pay vat at a percentage of sales in line with the average for that trade sector. Vat is not reclaimable on purchases. The Customs &amp; Excise website contains details of the percentages for each sector.<br />Customers are charged vat at the normal vat rate, 17.5% if standard rated goods. The actual vat payable is then calculated at the appropriate percentage of the total sales figure including vat. An adjustment to the accounts would then be required to adjust for the difference between the vat paid and the amount payable if an inputs and outputs basis had been used. DIY Accounting software automates this flat rate calculation by automatically calculating the vat on sales at the flat rate and expensing the vat input to the purchase accounts.<br />Businesses in their first year of vat registration also receive a 1% reduction in the flat rate for their trade sector.<br />Annual Vat Accounting Scheme<br />Not suitable if you receive repayments of vat, the annual accounting scheme is based upon an annual estimate of the vat bill which is then paid in monthly or quarterly instalments throughout the year with the balance payable or received at the end of the year when the annual vat return has been submitted.<br />The vat threshold for this scheme is businesses with a sales turnover not expected to exceed ?$1.25m.<br />The main benefit of the annual accounting scheme is to smooth the vat payments over the year.<br />Vat Cash Accounting Scheme<br />Under the vat cash accounting scheme the vat return and liability to pay vat is based upon the date sales were received and the date purchases were paid rather than the invoice tax points.<br />The vat threshold for the cash accounting scheme is businesses with a sales turnover excluding vat of under ?$1.35m.which can be extended for existing users to a turnover of ?$1.6m and left in place for up to 6 months after the vat threshold has been breached.<br />Accounting for vat using the Cash Accounting Scheme may require businesses to record sales and purchases on cash received and paid basis and adjust accounting records for accruals. Alternatively, sales and purchases can be entered into the Accounting records based upon the invoice tax points and a quarterly adjustment made for debtors and creditors at the beginning and end of each quarter. Such accounting adjustments would not be suitable for everyone.</p>\r\n<p>Vat Retail Schemes<br />Retailers selling to the general public may not easily be able to produce vat sales invoices to individual customers and there are various vat retail schemes available on the Customs &amp; Excise website that retailers can adopt.<br />The main benefits of the vat retail schemes are to dispense with every customer being issued a vat invoice unless requested.<br />Vat retail schemes can be used in conjunction with both flat rate schemes and the annual vat accounting scheme.<br />Terry Cartwright provides automated Vat Accounting Software at <a href=\"http://www.diyaccounting.co.uk/index.htm\">DIY Accounting</a> for Self employed at <a href=\"http://www.diyaccounting.co.uk/selfemployed/vat.htm\">DIY Accounting Vat Software</a> and small companies at <a href=\"http://www.diyaccounting.co.uk/Limited/vat.htm\">DIY Accounting Company Vat </a></p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('386','13','Even if your best friend owns a top publishing company, giving you an immediate &quot;in,&quot; this does not guarantee publishing success. First, you have to write a quality book that has a clear target audience. And your book must answer a common problem or need that audience shares. Then you have to develop a marketing plan, and stick to it for at least two years.<br /><br />Let\'s begin with the process that should commence before you write your first word. Begin by reading A LOT. Read both books you passionately love and books you can\'t seem to make it past page five. Then figure out what the author did in the book you loved, and what was wrong with in the book you couldn\'t finish. Write down these points so they are crystal clear to you. Read other people\'s books for inspiration and to discover what you should avoid as a writer.<br /><br />Write your book and then revise it. And then revise it again. And perhaps again. Of course, writing is extremely hard, and writing a book can seem like an impossible task. There are many books out there that give you guidelines to help you become familiar - and even love - the process of writing and revision. Find a number of books about writing. Better yet, find a number of books about writing the specific type of book you aspire to write. These can serve as roadmaps on your writing journey.<br /><br />Once you\'ve written your ebook and revised it at least twice, show it to someone else whose opinion you respect. If you\'re lucky enough to know a good editor, see if you have something to barter for him or her to go through your manuscript. Or join a writing group and let the other members critique your work.<br /><br />How do you turn your ebook into Profits?<br /><br />Ebooks are a revolutionary way to publish. All you need is a relevant and targeted subject and some inexpensive software, and you can transform your manuscript into a book.<br /><br />The problem, in terms of actually seeing any profits from your ebook, is that the market is overwhelmed with ebooks, and many of them are not worth the time it takes to download them. Just because the ability exists to easily produce an ebook, doesn\'t make it good writing.<br /><br />Learn how to write powerful sales copy, or hire someone to write it for you. This is an essential. You absolutely need excellent sales copy to sell your book. Make sure the copy includes all the reasons your target audience needs your book, and the benefits they will derive from buying it.<br /><br />Make sure your book is a quality product. Make sure it is relevant and current. Develop an effective marketing plan that includes excellent sales copy and excerpted articles. Then offer your book for sale, and wait for your audience to discover you!#p##e#<br /><br />How do you ensure sales success? With the right Search Engine Tools.<br /><br />Search engines are the vehicles that drive potential customers to your websites. But in order for visitors to reach their destination - your website - you need to provide them with specific and effective signs that will direct them right to your site. You do this by creating carefully chosen keywords.<br /><br />Think of the right keywords as the Open Sesame! of the Internet. Find the exactly right words or phrases, and presto! hoards of traffic will be pulling up to your front door. But if your keywords are too general or too over-used, the possibility of visitors actually making it all the way to your site - or of seeing any real profits from the visitors that do arrive - decreases dramatically.<br /><br />\r\n<p>To learn more, please <a href=\"http://hop.clickbank.net/?jetjackson/bryxen1\">visit me here</a>.</p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('387','13','Forex, ie foreign exchange market has become very popular due to its immense size, liquidity, currencies moving in strong trends plus, an easy online access, relatively low starting capital and a big leverage. <br /><br />All this is very attractive to many sorts of investors, speculators and also amateur people, especially online success chasers who imagine easy and fast profits. BUT it has its pitfalls and the Internet hype sellers and scammers make the situation even more dangerous. <br /><br />Forex has enormous profit potential but since there is a substantial leverage involved working both ways, the same is the loss potential - the higher the profits, the higher the risk involved. And that is exactly the core of success in forex which is hidden from people seeking fast online profits. <br /><br />People lacking basic character streaks like discipline, risk evaluation ability, experience and even basic information and training fall prey to false promises and start trading their last money on forex expecting quick riches. <br /><br />It is necessary to be aware of the fact that trading currencies is not easy. If it was, no one would lose money and everyone would already be a millionaire. Many traders with years of experience still incur periodic losses. Everyone interested in trading forex must realize that trading takes time to master and there are absolutely no shortcuts to this process. <br /><br />Yes, of course, it is possible to make it a long-term, profitable and sustainable source of high income and even a proper home business BUT the following are the basic rules for success in forex trading: <br /><br />1. Discipline: it seems easy but the lack of discipline is the profit killer no 1. It is important to set your own rules and goals and stick to them. Do not panic if not everything goes the way you imagine and strictly keep the rules. One of the basic situations is losses: If you know you can lose only $1000, the discipline will help you stop trading if it happens, and not borrow and go on and on... Also, it is the discipline which helps you avoid magic profit calculations. <br /><br />2. Responsible risk-taking and risk-evaluation ability: forex trading is an investment method not a casino. It is not possible to invest properly if you are not able to take up a calculated risk, if you are not able to calculate an acceptable risk, and if you are not able to even recognize a risk. The good news is that you can develop this ability. <br /><br />3. Spare money: never trade your last money, always invest either profit or a reasonable amount of money you can lose. Always behave responsibly and never borrow money to trade. <br /><br />4. Thorough education and training, incl practical training: it is imperative that before you start trading live, you get proper education and training, that you acquire working knowledge and develop your own working system on which you can build your investment strategies, routines and practice. <br /><br />5. Never trade in a live-or-die situation or under any stress: many gurus say that you can make instant riches from forex investing your last money. It is one of the biggest lies I ever heard. Unless you feel absolutely comfortable, knowing what you are doing and why, enjoying the trading, you cannot trade successfully. Any stressed, unbalanced or anxious mind and brain is not able to evaluate situations correctly, react competently, and it is a paved road to failure and losses. <br /><br />6. Always do your homework: another hype you can hear around says that everyone can trade just following someone else\'s advice and instructions. I can tell you only one word as an answer: rubbish. You must realize that you must be able to evaluate every situation, every trend, every forecast, create all the analysis, follow necessary trends, incl, of course, hearing specialized analysts BUT the decision and the money is yours only, so the responsibility is yours. The better your homework, the higher and more reliable your profits. #p##e#<br /><br />7. Learn from your mistakes and remain flexible: you must know that you will make mistakes, you will even lose in some trades but you must be a great trader and you must know it. When you make a mistake you must analyze the situation, find out why it happened and see to it that you will not repeat the same mistake in the future. You must not despair and fall into depression. You must stay positive and simply do better next time. <br /><br />Plus a little closing note to only make you aware of these important topics which, however, exceed the scope of this basic informational article: <br /><br />- yet another risk is here: it is vital to choose the right market-maker, big enough to allow you to make full use of currency moves. I stress a market-maker and not a broker, <br /><br />and also, <br /><br />- avoid managed accounts. <br /><br />In case you are interested in mastering forex trading and start with the above points seriously, you are on the right way to trading success.');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('388','13','On my previous posts, we have discussed about:<br /><br />1. How to design your game plan on making money online<br />2. Setup your website. This has to do with all the hosting and getting your own domain name, install your wordpress, and how to get your content ready for your website<br />3. Optimize your website using wordpress plugins. Here I list my top ten wordpress plugins you need to have to optimize your website<br /><br />Imagine you are a hunter, getting ready to go to your jungle. You have already got a car to get to the location, a map and compass to stay on track, a duck whistle (if you are hunting ducks). What\'s left are the most important thing you need to have as a hunter and that is your hunting knives, guns, or bow and arrow to do the killing. Today, I am going to shed the light on how to equip your website to start earning money.<br /><br />How you make money online will depend on your game plan. You can either create a landing page and build a list of customers\' email addresses then send marketing emails to sell them your products or you can earn money through adsense, text link ads or other advertising networks. You can also register with &quot;ReviewMe&quot; and make money reviewing other people\'s website. My point is there are a whole lot of ways to monetize your website.<br /><br />Here is my top 5 list of monetizing website or blogs:<br /><br />1. Google Adsense. As discussed on my previous post, with google adsense, google will place ads on your site, then Google will put relevant ads on your website after a couple days of evaluation but most likely, you need to change some settings to help google to put the best ads on your site.<br />2. Text Link Ads (TLA). TLA will sell advertising spots on your website, and advertisers will pay per month to advertise there. Unlike google adsense, you will earn money even when nobody click on the ads.<br />3. Contera Link will evalute the conent of your posts and make a certain words or phrases to become ads. You will earn money everytime somebody clicks on the ads<br />4. TTZ Media. Like adsense, TTZ media will place ads on your website. Most are electornic ads, and if put on the right spot, it will make some good money for you<br />5. Paypal donations. A lot people dont even bother to put paypal donation on their site but actually a lot of visitors are willing to donate, especially you have great contents on your site.<br /><br />Anybody here hasnt heard of agloco ? If you havent heard of agloco, I recommend you to try it. Basically agloco lets you make money while you surf the internet, and earn commission anytime you refer friends to use it. Just install the viewbar, and you are ready to go. It\'s quite easy :)<br /><br />Above are only a couple of advertisement networks that I love to use, but there are still a lot of other ad networks out there. John Chow has a nice list of other available ads network you can register and make money. Remember: &quot;Dont put all your eggs on one basket&quot;<br /><br />If you like my post, please subscribe to my full feed at http://feeds.feedburner.com/MochtarDjokoInternetMarketing. Leave me comment to let me know what you think. I will definitely appreciate it.<br /><br />Mochtar Djoko has been making money through the internet for the past five years. He specializes in selling on ebay and doing internet marketing. Get your free insider bonus of google adwords and adsense including free report of a??Law of Attractiona?? on http://www.mochtardjoko.com<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('390','13','People of this generation are fortunate enough to be blessed with Internet. Internet has opened the door to earn money working from your own residence and also allows it to access from almost any location in the world as long as you have access to the Internet. The Internet has become a multi billion-dollar industry where the advantages of trading are virtually endless. Internet also opens a whole new world of options of making money and living life lavishly.Among the various advantages that you can enjoy are: <br /><br />1. Firstly you are your own boss.<br />2. The working schedule is your own.<br />3. Your earning potential is endless.<br />4. It gives you motivation to work more because you know your efforts are not going to get wasted.<br />5. There is a surety of expansion in your business with the application of the right tools.<br /><br />Network Marketing is preferred by most at least those who have PC and Internet connection and believes in Internet marketing. It will give the advantage of huge savings in costs from sending the product direct from the manufacturing plant to the consumer without involving middlemen that comprise about 75% of the price of the product. The marketing depends on the consumers and then the agent like friend, family and associates carries the necessary information of the product away. Even the amount needed to invest in Network Marketing is smaller when compared to any other business offline where you have very little to lose. It should be kept in mind that expecting to earn huge revenue in no time will get you nowhere. <br /><br />Therefore to skill yourself you need to be smart. Always keep your common sense in play. Remember that you are dealing with potential customers and competing in the global market. Reaching the potential customers is really tough but you can drive them to your sites with your skill and implementing Marketing Tools available in the market presently. Marketing Tools are effective in motivating individuals who are already interested in your products and or services, which you offer.<br /><br />To start a Network Marketing venture you need target your aim. You can adopt the Turnkey solutions developed by the Network Marketing gurua??s that contains solutions on how to grow their business and at the same time providing tips to on how to grow your business. You can also rely and invest substantial tools, which claims to bring profit to your site.<br /><br /><br /><a href=\"http://www.money-online-review.com\"><strong>make money online</strong></a>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('391','13','Some time ago, a close friend of mine wanted to know if you can still make money online. As an internet marketer, he knows how I struggled back in the early months of 2006. I was desperately trying to make a successful start. I knew there must be other people wanting to know if it is possible to make money online. I am sure they would want to know how to make a successful start.<br /><br />I decided I would set up an information website. The purpose of the site is to help those people who are interested and want to make money online. I have reviewed the three make money online Ebooks that I use constantly. As the owner of 18 Ebooks, (most of which are useless), I feel I can speak with some authority on the subject. <br /><br />There are many ads for Ebooks offering to show you how to <strong>Make Money Online?</strong> I am sure you have seen lots of them. But do they work! Let me ask you some questions.<br /><br />Are you sure which make money online books to purchase?<br /><br />Do you know which ones are for real and not a waste of money?<br /><br />Can you trust them to give you good detailed instructions? <br /><br />Are they easy to follow or are they no more than scams?<br /><br />In January 2006, I decided to try my hand at internet marketing and make money online. I was faced with the same questions I have just asked you. Over a few weeks I purchased 14 Ebooks. Hundreds of dollars later, you could say I was confused and frustrated. All of the books I purchased showed me no detailed information on how to proceed and make money online. All I had was a lot of guides filled with online advertising terms and technical stuff. <br /><br />They were all good sales letters trying to tempt me into buying their more expensive books. Once bitten twice shy, I decided not to take the chance. Trying to contact them to get more details was another problem. They sent me nothing that I could use or did not bother to reply at all.<br /><br />I was sure there must be some decent guides available on how to <u>make money online.</u> I knew if I kept purchasing I would find one that worked. I purchased my 15th Ebook in March, 2006. I soon realised this product was very different from all the others. It had easy to follow instructions that anyone can follow. This book actually got me started on the right track. It was not long before I was starting to generate a steady income.#p##e#<br /><br />My faith in human nature was finally restored. I followed the detailed instructions and marketing methods. That is all I had to do to make money online.<br /><br />Is there anyone out there wanting to start internet marketing? If so, please check out my free information website at <a href=\"http://www.myfreeinfo.org\">www.mywebinfo.org</a> where you will see an example of some high quality products.<br />If you like my website, please post a comment.<br /><br />How can I improve it? <br /><br />What are your thoughts?<br /><br />Kevin Penny is a Successful Internet Marketer. He is also an Australian Landscape Artist. He works with Oil on Canvas. You can visit his website at, <a href=\"http://www.mywebinfo.org\">www.mywebinfo.org</a><br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('394','13','If you think a low PER means \'cheap\' and a high one means \'expensive\', be careful. It ain\'t always so.<br /><br />Hands up. Have you ever made a list of all stocks trading on low PERs from the newspaper? Don\'t be shy, because many of us have. From the beginning of our investing lives, we\'re taught that a low PER means a stock is cheap, while a high PER means it\'s expensive. Indeed, we get regular queries from subscribers which indicate that this is a deeply held general belief.<br /><br />But there are many areas where deceptively low PERs can spell trouble for unwary investors. In this Investor\'s College we\'ll look at several sharemarket sectors that are particularly prone to these \'value traps\'. If you\'re looking to brush up on what a PER is, take a look at the Investor\'s College articles from issues 124 to 127 of The Intelligent Investor. They\'re available here and make for a good refresher course.<br /><br />Accounting standards should ensure a company\'s profit reflects economic reality, right? Well, in the case of infrastructure funds, such as airport investor Macquarie Airports (MAp), nothing could be further from the truth. Under Australian accounting standard AASB 139, MAp elects to revalue its airport investments every year to fair value, taking the change to the income statement. But if you can keep your eyes from glazing over, we\'ll see that these apparently arcane accounting shenanigans can make for some extraordinary results.<br /><br />Read more of Watch Out for Low-PER Value Traps and information on investing in share at The Intelligent Investor.');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('395','13','This can be a problem in any family. We all experience this once in our life and sometimes there is just no getting out of it. You get yourself in so much debt that you can just keep your chin above water and make ends meet. It is the worst experience ever, but you cannot forget it. This is something that will never go away if you try to forget it by putting it in the back of your mind, because sometime you have to deal with it, better sooner than later. What happens to your lawn if you dona??t keep it short? It continues to grow. This is the same with debt. <br /><br />What you have to do is sit down and go through everything. Find out how much you owe and how much this debt costs you every month. Estimate how long it will take you to repay this debt. Work out how much you earn each month, and after paying what you have to pay, see how much you have left. Is there anything left? <br /><br />It is not the end. Find alternatives to deal with your situation? Consider Re-Mortgage. Apply for a secured loan. You could try to borrow money from family. Another could be selling your house or selling it and renting it from the new owner. You could also apply for an informal Individual Voluntary Arrangement or a formal one. You could also declare bankruptcy or use a combination of what is mentioned. <br /><br />This is worth thinking about if you are in this situation. A few of these will not. However, before making any decisions know what the options are. If you are not sure of the options, contact your local advice center or seek advice by means of a professional. Keep in mind that you need to find a company that will enlighten you on all the scenarios. <br /><br />Sit down and work out exactly what route you are going to take. This route has to save you money and provide a solution to your problem. Do not jump for the easy route, because this may only temporary solve your problem and in the end cause an even bigger problem. This is going to be the biggest decision you will ever make in your life, so you have to be certain that you get this right. <br /><br />This is where you have to make a decision and then take action. You have quite a number of choices, but there is only the right choice. You will need someone you are confident with and can trust fully to guide you through the process, and if you choose the right company and the right person, hope everything goes well for you with the decisions you have made. <br /><br />All you can do now is to see how good you feel, and since you have taken the action to resolve your problem, all you can do is see if your grass will be kept short. <br /><br />For more advice about <a href=\"http://www.creativedebtsolutions.co.uk\">debt free solutions</a> and solving your personal financial problems ensure that whoever you choose to help are symapthetic with your needs.');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('396','13','<p>Protecting Your Identity <br />Identity theft can be one of the most difficult situations to deal with. Often, the ill effects of becoming a victim can last for years. Some of the common problems victims face are:<br />Money is fraudulently withdrawn from checking or saving accounts<br />Mysterious charges appear on credit card bills<br />Credit score is damaged<br />Experience difficulty opening new banking or credit card accounts <br />Calls from collection agencies <br />Ending up with a criminal record in error </p>\r\n<p>Identity theft has been called one of the fastest growing white-collar crimes in America. According to Javelin Strategy &amp; Research, Inc., in 2005, over 9 million people were directly affected with total losses exceeding $56 billion. But it doesna??t stop there. It actually affects everyone due to rising costs from merchants and banks to offset their losses. With identity theft growing to an all time high, it is important to do everything you can to keep yourself from becoming a victim. </p>\r\n<p>Ways To Prevent Identify Theft<br />While there is no way to 100 percent guarantee that you will not become a victim of identity theft, there are some steps you can take to decrease the likelihood that it will happen to you. Follow the steps below to reduce your chances of becoming a victim:</p>\r\n<p>1. Protect your social security number. The number one way criminals are able to establish credit in your name is by having your social security number. Here are some suggestions to better protect your social security number: <br />Do not give your full social security number over the phone (most reputable companies will request only the last 4 digits).<br />Do not carry your social security card in your wallet.<br />Secure or shred any documents that contain your social security number . <br />2. Protect your incoming and outgoing mail. Many criminals seek out credit card pre-approval offers by sniffing through their victimsa?? mailboxes. Here are some suggestions to better protect your mail: <br />Put all outgoing mail in an actual post office mailbox instead of your home mailbox. <br />If you do leave mail in your home mailbox, avoid putting the flag up. <br />Shred any pre-approved credit offer letters. <br />Keep trash cans in a location that is viewable by your neighbors. <br />3. Protect your computer. Do not allow hackers easy access to your personal data on your computer. Here are some suggestions to better protect your email: <br />Make sure you have up-to-date anti-virus software loaded on your computer. <br />Make sure you have up-to-date anti-spyware software loaded on your computer.<br />Avoid clicking on links or opening emails from unknown senders. <br />Never send sensitive information regarding your personal identity within an email. <br />Ways To Detect Identity Theft <br />The sooner you discover an incident of abuse, the better. By doing so, you reduce the amount of money that may be stolen and it becomes less difficult to repair the damage. Here are some simple steps to you can take to detect identity theft early: <br />Subscribe to an online credit monitoring service. These services send you email alerts when changes occur within your credit file. The service can be very inexpensive, starting as low as $6.95 a month or lower. Most services include some form of 3-in-1 credit monitoring package. <br />Read your bank and credit card statements every month to ensure they do not contain any unauthorized charges. If you do not recognize a charge, call your bank or credit card company immediately. <br />View your full credit report 2 times a year minimally. Be sure to compare each one to the previous report. #p##e#</p>\r\n<p>Your Liability <br />Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone steals and uses your credit card. (Many credit card companies have a benefit in place that actually waves the $50 fee in case you do become a victim.) However, with ATM cards, you could lose up to $500 or more if you do not report any unauthorized transaction to your bank within two business days. If you do report the unauthorized charges within 2 days, you could limit your liability to only $50. </p>\r\n<p><br />What To Do if You Become A Victim <br />No matter how many preventative steps you take to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft, the unthinkable can still occur. In this situation, follow the list of steps below to quickly repair any credit damage. The faster you do this, the better. </p>\r\n<p>1. Contact at least one of the three credit reporting agencies and request a fraud alert be placed on your credit report. Once the fraud alert is placed on your account, it will automatically be placed on the other two. This fraud alert is good for 90 days and can be extended up to 7 years if a report is filed with the police department. The fraud alert notifies credit granters to confirm requests for credit with you before granting them. At this time you will also be eligible for a free copy of your credit report from each credit bureau.<br />2. Report the identity theft to your police of sheriffa??s department and obtain a copy of the police report. Creditors will require the police report when you request to remove negative information from your file. <br />3. Report the identify theft to the Federal Trade Commission. You will need to complete the Identity Theft Affidavit form. Many of the creditors affected by the theft will need this.<br />4. Close any account affected by the identity theft. <br />5. Notify all of your credit card companies and let them know you were a victim of identity theft. <br />6. Close any unfamiliar accounts. <br />7. Contact the Social Security Administration if you suspect your Social Security number was compromised or is being used by someone else. <br />8. Keep copies of all correspondence to credit bureaus, creditors, Federal Trade Commission, Social Security Administration, and others pertaining to the identify theft. <br />Fraud Contacts <br />If you are a victim of identity theft, the following list will get you started down the path of clearing your good name. They key is to act quickly.</p>\r\n<p>Credit Bureaus<br />Equifax<br />Fraud Reporting Line: 1-800-525-6285<br />P.O. Box 740241<br />Atlanta, GA 30374-0241<br /><a href=\"http://www.equifax.com\">www.equifax.com</a></p>\r\n<p>#p##e#Experian<br />Fraud Reporting Line: 1-800-EXPERIAN (397-3742)<br />P.O. Box 9532<br />Allen, Texas 75013<br /><a href=\"http://www.experian.com\">www.experian.com</a></p>\r\n<p>TransUnion<br />Fraud Reporting Line: 1-800-680-7289<br />Fraud Victim Assistance Division<br />P.O. Box 6790<br />Fullerton, CA 92834-6790<br /><a href=\"http://www.transunion.com\">www.transunion.com</a></p>\r\n<p><br />Federal Trade Commission<br />1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338)<br />Identity Theft Clearinghouse<br />Federal Trade Commission<br />600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW<br />Washington, DC 20580<br />To file the FTC Report online, visit <a href=\"http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft\">www.consumer.gov/idtheft</a>.</p>\r\n<p><br />Social Security Administration<br />To report a stolen or misused Social Security number, call<br />1-800-269-0271<br />Visit: <a href=\"http://www.ssa.gov\">www.ssa.gov</a>.</p>\r\n<p>About the Author <br />Kenneth C. Kelly is the President of Strativia, a financial management software development and services company specializing in applications for personal and business use. Strativia is the developer of Budget Forecaster, a sophisticated home budget and personal finance management software package. Website: <a href=\"http://www.strativia.com\">http://www.strativia.com</a>. Contact: <a href=\"mailto:info@strativia.com\">info@strativia.com</a>.<br /></p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('393','13','A few simple rules will help you establish and maintain a fortress to keep you financially independent.<br /><br />For all the peripheral reasons one might get involved in investing, the foremost priority is almost invariably to accumulate wealth. Obviously, goals vary greatly: from a comfortable retirement through to aspirations of becoming the next Rupert Murdoch. But nearly all of us are in the game for the pleasures and peace of mind that a few extra dollars can buy. But how should one go about the process of accumulating and investing? It\'s no good just throwing some spare dollars at this investment or that, hoping it all comes together over time. You need to have a sound strategy to stay on course, repelling anything or anyone that might encourage you to veer onto another track. <br /><br />If your aim is to build some wealth, achieve independence and have rock-solid finances, then you need to build a financial fortress - a citadel capable of withstanding attacks from competition, inflation, taxation and every other devious way that capitalism and society attempt to erase your claims on its productive assets. When a broker rings up and says \'Buy Savage Hordes Mining because it\'s about to go up\', you\'ll instinctively refer to the main aim - \'How does this help me build my financial fortress?\' - and act accordingly. Keeping this theme in mind and applying it consistently over decades will make your financial goals much more achievable. So let\'s take a look at some useful guidelines for building your fortress.<br /><br />1. Never, ever go back to square one<br /><br />We\'ve all seen the advertisements, the longer you leave it to start investing, the less enjoyable will be your retirement. Losing all your dosh through bad decisions or bad luck means you must start again, and you must settle for less. And if you thought it was tough the first time around, try doing it all over again.<br /><br />Read more of <a href=\"http://www.intelligentinvestor.com.au/articles/198/Build-your-own-financial-fortress.cfm?articleID=10001733\">Build Your Own Financial Fortress</a> and information on the <a href=\"http://www.intelligentinvestor.com.au/glossary/\">australian sharemarket</a> at <a href=\"http://www.intelligentinvestor.com.au\">The Intelligent Investor</a>.');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('397','14','Wealth seems to be everyone\'s dream; the ability to relax a little more, to not stress so much about finances and to enjoy the &quot;good life.&quot; So often it is believed that wealth is only attainable by those with large incomes. Those with smaller incomes may not put anything aside, assuming such small savings won\'t make enough of a difference in the long run. In my experience in the financial services industry, there were several times when I would help an elementary school teacher or janitor with their sizeable 403(b) account. Obviously for them, small savings over time made a big difference. In the same category are those who have large incomes and assume they always will. They constantly spend to the top of their income level and set little or nothing aside for the future. Yes, I also remember helping doctors or attorneys take loans out of their 401(k) accounts. I found that it wasn\'t so much what you made but everyday decisions that determined long-term success.<br /><br />When I once asked a janitor of an elementary school how he had accumulated his 1.7 million dollar 403(b) he said, &quot;I just started putting money into it when I first came to work here, a little bit each paycheck.&quot; Now, 40 years later as he approached retirement with a steady pension and a large 403(b) account he was financially wealthy. Avoiding financial mistakes is the key for anyone to retire well. This article lists some of those mistakes and ways to steer clear of them.<br /><br />Waiting Until You\'re 55<br /><br />Not starting to save soon enough is number one on our list. Beginning early to save for retirement can make a huge difference in the long run. To illustrate this, let\'s assume we have two people saving for retirement, we\'ll give them simple names that correspond with the age they started saving, Mr. 25 and Mr. 45. Mr. 25 puts $3,000 into an IRA each year until he retires at age 65. Assuming he gets an 8% growth rate on average, he amasses $839,343 or almost a million dollars by age 65. If Mr. 45 were to put the same amount aside but start at age 45 instead of 25, he would only have $148,269 saved, definitely not enough to start retirement with. For Mr. 45 to end up with the same amount as Mr. 25 he would have to save almost $17,000 per year until age 65. $17,000 per year for 20 years equals $340,000 cash out of pocket, whereas $3,000 per year for 40 years is only $120,000. Mr. 25 only had to save about one third the amount Mr. 45 did all because he started early. Letting compounding do the work for you allows you more money for other things you want.<br /><br />1% Is Enough, Right?<br />Putting aside too small a percentage of income is another mistake people make. It may be difficult when just starting out and times are lean, but you will thank yourself in the long run if you make this a priority. Going back to Mr. 25 again from above, if he would have only put away $1,000 each year, his ending balance would have only been $279,781 in 40 years, again assuming the 8% growth rate. We know how much $3,000 per year would have saved him, but what about $6,000 per year? He would have $1,678,686. Doubling his savings doubles his end result.#p##e#<br /><br />I\'m a Millionaire!<br />Not realizing just how much needs to be saved in order to retire is our next mistake. While the 1.6 million in the above example may seem like a lot of money, it won\'t pay the bills in 40 years. Assuming prices go up by 3% each year, 1.6 million will only have the buying power of a half a million dollars in 40 years when Mr. 25 wants to retire. Assuming Mr. 25 lives to the ripe old age of 90, a 1.6 million dollar account will give him about $2,300 dollars of income each month in real terms. This assumes that he earns 6% on his money after he retires. Does it seem odd that our 1.6 million dollars is now only worth $2,300 dollars per month? Inflation is the culprit. In actuality Mr. 25 will be getting about $9,800 dollars out of his account each month in retirement, but because prices for everything will be so much higher in 40 years it will only be able to buy the same amount that $2,300 dollars buys today. This is what &quot;real terms&quot; means. Mr. 25 will have to determine if $2,300 per month will be enough to live off of in retirement. Most likely it will not be enough unless he really likes ramen noodles.<br />Do I Get a Checkbook with my 401(k)?<br />Using Retirement Accounts as income before retirement is becoming a mistake that more and more people are making. This is especially true for those who have employers contribute to their retirement accounts. While it is tempting to assume this is just extra money you can spend, it has terrible long-term effects. Taking as little as $5,000 out of your retirement account at age 30, is like taking out $35,000 in 35 years. If it would have been allowed to stay in the account and grow over 35 years, it would have accumulated to almost $35,000. The other problem is that you will most likely have to pay taxes and a 10% penalty on the money because it is being taken out before age 59 1/2. Now to get $5,000 after the taxes and penalty, you have to take out over $8,000, which would equal over $55,000 lost in 35 years.<br />I\'m Sure my Basket Can Hold All of This<br />Not Diversifying or putting all your eggs in one basket is another financial blunder. I was a retirement specialist working with 401(k) and 403(b) account owners when the market crashed in 1999 and 2000. How vividly I remember talking with people in their fifties and sixties who in February of 2000 (right before the NASDAQ started falling) wanted to put their entire retirement account into technology. I discussed with them the advantages of diversification especially in such a volatile market. Some listened, but most didn\'t. The comment I remember the most is, &quot;I don\'t have enough money to retire so I need it to grow really fast.&quot; The result was buying in at an all time high and then either jumping out along the way down or riding the market to the bottom. Those who stayed in for even a year lost more than half of their retirement in a technology fund.<br /><br />Compare that to those who were diversified across several markets, domestic and international, and several types of investments, equity, fixed-income and short-term. Someone in their fifties, planning on retiring in 10 years would be diversifying if they had about 60% in stocks and the rest in bonds and money markets. This type of portfolio still lost money during that volatile time, but not nearly as much as a technology fund did. Those with a diversified portfolio lost about 5-15% in that same time period that the technology sector lost 50-65%. Trying to earn money for retirement by putting all your eggs in one basket, especially when you are close to retirement, is almost as risky as using the slot machines in Las Vegas. If you are behind in your savings, your best bet is to start contributing the maximum allowed and push back retirement for a few more years.<br /><br />Won\'t Uncle Sam Take Care of Me?<br />Relying solely on Social Security will leave you with little income in retirement. In a message to the public issued by the Social Security and Medicare Board of Trustees in 2005 they stated, &quot;We do not believe the currently projected long run growth rates of Social Security and Medicare are sustainable under current financing.&quot; They went on to say that without major changes to Social Security, it will begin to fall short in 2017 and will only be able to fund 74% of benefits by 2041. The suggested solution is to either increase taxes 15% or decrease benefits 13%, neither of which are good for retirement. To continue to live the same lifestyle that you are accustomed to, saving for retirement is essential.#p##e#<br /><br />Another Trip to the Doctor?<br />Not preparing for healthcare in retirement is something that we have recently had to think about. There is a good possibility of Medicare not being able to meet our needs in the future or we may need our own health insurance to carry us until Medicare kicks in. Being prepared to pay for premiums or medical expenses in retirement is becoming a necessity. A 2004 study found that an average retiree spent 22% of their income on healthcare costs. For someone on a $50,000 a year retirement income, this equates to $11,000 per year. Take that over a 25 year retirement and you are up to $275,000 for healthcare costs alone. Long-term care such as nursing homes or in home assistance is another cost that should be prepared for. With less and less employers covering healthcare in retirement, this is another area that is often overlooked when planning for the future.<br /><br />Avoiding these financial mistakes will determine your quality of life in retirement. The next step is to get started. There are many brokerage firms that will educate you about your options at no cost. They can help you open a retirement account or determine if you are contributing enough to your current retirement account. The can also help you decide on what types of investments are appropriate given your age, timeframe and risk tolerance. The most important thing to remember is that it is never too late to start saving and even a little money set aside makes a big difference in the long run.<br /><br />About the Author<br />Emma Snow is a writer who specializes in financial planning. She has worked in the financial industry for over eight years. Currently Emma works on a Finance and Investing site at http://www.finance-investing.com and Investing Partners http://www.investing-partners.com');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('398','14','The majority of pensioners need all the financial help they can get so here&rsquo;s some quick and easy information to see if you&rsquo;re paying too much tax on your pension and/or state benefits.\r\n<h3>It All Revolves Around The Form P161</h3>\r\nA few weeks before a man hits 65 years, or a women 60 they&rsquo;ll receive a computer generated tax form called the P161. This is sent by the Inland Revenue (now actually called HM Revenue &amp; Customs) and asks for information such as -\r\n<ul>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">When you&rsquo;re stopping work </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">Will start to receive the state pension (men can start at 65 but don\'t have to take it, if they wait 1,2 or even more years they\'ll receive more money per week) </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">Any other pension income </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">Are looking to take a part-time job etc </li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThe form actually makes a lot of sense because for many people when they hit their 60s a lot of financial changes happen. But many older tax-payers don&rsquo;t actually understand the form or indeed why they&rsquo;ve been sent it in the first place. Also, some will fill it in incorrectly or even dump it in the bin as soon as it drops through the letterbox. So if the Inland Revenue receives an incorrect P161 or never receives one then there&rsquo;s a good chance a pensioners tax code will be wrong. Sods law therefore states that a wrong tax code will mean the payment of too much tax.\r\n<h3>So What&rsquo;s The Main Problem With This P161</h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">When you get retirement age (65 for men, 60 for women) your personal tax allowances get greatly increased </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">For the 2005-2006 pensioners aged 65-74 for men get a tax free allowance increase to $7,090 which rises to $7,220 when 75 </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">To put this in perspective if you&rsquo;re under 65 (and male) the non-taxable allowance is only $4,895 </li>\r\n    <li type=\"disc\">So with an incorrect form P161 it&rsquo;s very possible that you&rsquo;ll be in the wrong tax band and therefore in the wrong non-taxable band #p##e#</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>What To Do If You Have A Problem</h3>\r\nIf you have an accountant or other financial type advisor that looks after your tax send them the P161 form because they&rsquo;ll know all about it and how to fill it out in regards to your personal financial situation. But if you don\'t have an accountant or financial advisor, do one or all of the following -\r\n<ol>\r\n    <li>If you&rsquo;re not sure about the form P161 or how to fill it out then get in contact with HM Revenue &amp; Customs Enquiry Centre. They can either help you on the phone or set up a face to face meeting at your local tax office </li>\r\n    <li>If you&rsquo;ve already sent your P161 form back but are unsure if it&rsquo;s correct then contact the Inland Revenue via this website link </li>\r\n    <li>Think about contacting the excellent low Income Tax reform Group (LITRG) because they have a special helpline and service that caters for Pensioners - details on their website </li>\r\n</ol>\r\nThe good news within all of this is that you have been paying too much tax or your tax band is not correct <strong>ALL over-payments can be reclaimed for a maximum of 5 years</strong>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('399','14','Experts Urge Planning For Retirement Risks<br /><br />The majority of women in the country may not be saving enough income for their retirement and will not be able to support themselves over their lifetime. Typically, women receive lower wages than men and spend less time in the workplace when raising families, which can equate to less retirement savings. As many as 60 percent of surveyed women (prea??retirees) are concerned that they may deplete their savings during retirement, leaving Social Security as their only financial income, according to a new report, Impact of Retirement Risk on Women, published by the Society of Actuaries (SOA) and sponsored by the Women\'s Institute for a Secure Retirement (WISER).<br />Impact of Retirement Risk on Women (based on findings from SOA\'s Risks and Process of Retirement survey and focus group study) provides unique insight into post-retirement risks and resources available to help women plan and manage for reliable and sufficient retirement income. Women are more likely than men to be widowed, divorced or separated which can lead to a diminished income, and on average have significantly lower pension and Social Security benefits than men.<br />&quot;Women today need to develop plans to guarantee lifetime income that can sustain their future comfort and wella??being. With rising healthcare costs, fewer employera??provided pensions, and a growing shift in responsibility for retirement preparation, women need a sensible plan to ensure a secure retirement,&quot; said Emily Kessler, Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, SOA Retirement System Solutions. &quot;Women need to know their retirement risks and how to protect themselves.&quot;<br /><br />Unfortunately, the planning phase is easier said than done. One can study all the different plans offered by a multitude of sources, Banks, Trusts, Insurance Companies etca?| But, the majority always hits the wall when the analysis of their limited current revenues versus the minimum funds required to maintain their current lifestyle shows that there is very little left for a??SAVINGSa??. <br /><br />Also, there are more than just revenues involved in being able to build up savings for retirement. Usually, there is one main source of revenues called the a??joba??. To increase household revenues, you usually are on the lookout for a better paying job, in addition, you can take up an additional job, other member of the family can get a job or you can start up a home based business. All of these will stress one important resource - TIME. Time is limited and usually spread out between Earning revenues (job, overtime, home businessa?|), Personal welfare (eating, healthcare, household maintenancea?|), Family &amp; family needs and Rest &amp; Recreation. It is easy to see that to assign additional time to a??Earning revenuesa?? means cutting out time in other activities. <br /><br />You can sell your time for a fix hourly wage (job1, job2 and more) and it will remain that way through your working life, one hour for so many dollars. Your time available for other activities - Family, Rest &amp; Recreation - will remain limited by the needs for more revenues. However, by working at your own business, you may startup with low revenue per hour, but time assigned to business development will generally mean that you will gain more leverage and therefore generate higher revenues per time units. Eventually, you may well be able to reduce the overall time resource assigned to earning revenues and reassign it to the other elements. <br /><br />This result can be fantastic, you can save for your retirement and you have more time for the family. Imagine that you can drive the kids to school everyday and you can maintain a comfortable lifestyle as you have time to see your family grow up.#p##e#<br /><br />Evolution in technology and the Internet are now making it possible to operate a business from home and use the Internet as the primary vehicle for the marketing and transporting of the products and services. E-commerce is in; it is a revolution in the market place.<br /><br />Your business can be active 24 hours/7 days a week with a very low cost of operation. Hundreds of million people are now using the Internet and this number is growing everyday. It is a rapidly expanding market.<br /><br />It is simple to start a business on the World Wide Web now. For example, crbmktg.yournewfortune.com is an opportunity with Internet friendly products, delivery method and 5 on-line training sessions per week. Partner Company InTouchMediaGroup, a recognized Google specialist, offers online training and tools (crbmktg.promoblackbox.com) for emarketing. <br /><br />Start by establishing your goals in terms of revenues, the time available and of course carry out your due diligence on the programs before going ahead.<br /><br />I have recently established a business-oriented blog to track and comment on new Internet developments and how to take advantage of them. Put www.cashsuccessnews.com in your favorites section in your browser. Ia??ll attempt to always keep you informed as to the latest and greatest breakthroughs concerning Retirement, lifestyle and Internet marketing.');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('400','14','Dreams of retirement affect us all. It really would be wonderful to have a house by the seashore and be able to watch as the sun sets. It would be fantastic to be able to spend all your time with your grandchildren and to not have any worries about the office. Best of all, there would not be any of the pressures that had worried us for most of our adult lives. <br /><br />However, do not start believing in the illusion of your own making that retirement heralds the beginning of a life in which worries are lacking. That belief would really be far from the truth. Instead, your monetary problems keep increasing and are a source of constant tension once you turn sixty and finally reach retirement age. What may have seemed like a good pension plan when you were forty may begin to look like a bad deal twenty years later.<br /><br />It is for such reasons that various finance companies have developed a variety of pension plans. Invest in one such plan while old age is far off, and you will end up paying premiums that are relatively low. Moreover, if you are able to do some planning in advance, and take into account factors such as inflation and medical bills, you should be left with a great pension. With that you should be able to still have a good life even in your old age.<br /><br />If it so happens that you have already retired and your current pension seems to small, do not get your blood pressure up. There are other methods that can help you make the most of your finances. In fact, just the other day, I found an interesting article about a type of mortgage that was specifically for senior citizens who owned property. They could mortgage their house to a bank or financial institution and take care of their regular expenses the money that accrued from it. In the meantime, the original owners were allowed to keep on staying in the same place. Married folk could choose to borrow jointly. The bank would reclaim its loaned amount on the death of the owner by selling the house. Any amount over and above the loan amount would go to the heirs of the borrowers.<br /><br />Reverse mortgages do make for a great deal for retired persons. They are no longer made to feel dependent on their family and friends for their daily needs. The ability to hold on to one\'s pride in one\'s old age is a blessing. It is a good thing that in this day and age, we can look forward to retiring with dignity.<br /><br />Learn about <a href=\"http://www.nationsfinance.co.uk/mortgages/remortgages.html\">remortgages</a>, <a href=\"http://www.rebuild.org/refinance.html\">refinance loans</a> and get attractive <a href=\"http://www.rebuild.org/home-equity-loan.html\">home equity loan offers</a>.');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('401','14','If you have heard that Arizona was a popular state to retire in, you are most certainly correct. Arizona ranks high when it comes to retirement. In fact, Arizona was actually the first state where retirement community living first got its start.<br /><br />Did you know that it was Del Webb (now considered Pulte Homes) who started the idea of a retirement community?<br /><br />According to Del Web, they opened their very first retirement community on New Years Day, 1960, in a suburb of Phoenix, known as Sun City, Arizona. The positive response was more than overwhelming. The first retirement community in Arizona paved the way for retired living in the United States. Ever since that day, retirement communities continue to pop up everywhere.<br /><br />Del Webb is actually now a part of Pulte Homes and are not just known to Arizona, but also in 15 additional states. In Arizona, Del Webb/Pulte has certainly made a name for themselves and are very well known here and are one of the very well known and reputable home builders of Arizona retirement communities.<br /><br />No matter if you prefer the quiet life or the fast-paced city life, both types of communities await you in the retirement communities of Arizona.<br /><br />Baby-boomers, or snowbirds, as they are sometimes referred to, have flocked to the Phoenix metropolitan area for many years. This area has long been considered an ideal retirement choice and for many good reasons. First of all, you have the natural beauty of the Sonoran Desert sun along with well over 300 days a year of sunshine.<br /><br />Known for its gorgeous sunsets and the many recreational activities, golf is probably one of the most popular reasons that retirees make Arizona their home. There are literally hundreds of courses for the golf fan along with so many other popular activities such as tennis, various sightseeing tours, Native American culture and, of course the Grand Canyon to explore.<br /><br />If you were to ask any of the retirees already living in Arizona, they would likely tell you that another reason why they enjoy their retired life in Arizona is because they are so conveniently located to so many of their necessary things. If the outdoors is what you are looking for, Arizona can certainly provide you an endless list of lakes and rivers which attracts so many anglers to the desert southwest. In addition, you will find just as many mountains that make up Arizona and make it the beautiful state that it is. Even Las Vegas is not that far away from Arizona!<br /><br />Retirement community living can be found throughout the state and not just in Phoenix. Many parts of the &quot;valley of the sun,&quot; as the Phoenix area is ofte called, offers retired living at its best. It just depends on where you would like to live.<br /><br />Some people prefer Scottsdale over Phoenix, or maybe Tucson. Some people prefer Gold Canyon, a city located about 35 minutes east of Phoenix, which offers many amenities in a quiet atmosphere including enough wildlife to last a lifetime. Some others prefer Flagstaff or the White Mountains, both of which are considerably cooler in the summer months.#p##e#<br /><br />Many of these retirement communities in Arizona know what retirees are looking for and realize that many would prefer the active lifestyle. That is why so many of these retirement communities offer residents so many of the amenities that you will see offered, such as golfing, swimming, tennis, recreation centers and regularly scheduled activities.<br /><br />While there may be other reasons not listed here, most people will agree that one of the key reasons why people find their way to retired housing communities in Arizona, is because of the active adult choices they have to choose from. The choices along with the enticing climate, make Arizona retirement communities their first selection of 55 plus areas.<br /><br />Despite Arizona being a very popular state to retire in, Miami, Florida actually has a higher percentage rate of people living there than Arizona. In fact, according to the Arizona Republic, Phoenix is home to only 12% of the population that is over age 65, compared to 17% in Miami, Florida.<br /><br />While there are many cities in the state of Arizona that are considered hot spots for retirees, do you know what the most popular retirement Arizona city is? Have you heard of Prescott, Arizona?<br /><br />Prescott, Arizona has a small town feel to it, which many people prefer. It is located in the cool ponderosa pines in Northern Arizona and is known to many here in Arizona, as the &quot;Mile High&quot; city. Conveniently located 90 miles Northwest of Phoenix, Prescott offers four very mild seasons to both the visitors and residents all-year round.<br /><br />Prescott has more than 6 golf courses, which is pleasing to many. Prescott is also home to the Prescott National Forest. If you like hiking, you will have well over 450 miles worth of trails to enjoy these gorgeous (and good smelling) ponderosa pines.<br /><br />Looking for more reasons to choose Arizona for your retirement community? How about healthcare? The healthcare is excellent in Arizona. There are many well known heart hospitals as well as other hospitals, the famous Mayo-Clinic, and a limitless list of clinics, for your healthcare needs.#p##e#<br /><br /><br />------<br /><br />Cecilia Valenzuela is an entrepreneur and co-owner of an Arizona small business. Cecilia Valenzuela supports other entrepreneurs working to become successful online. More information about Arizona retirement including the retirement directory, tourist information and the Grand Canyon is available at: <a href=\"http://www.my-arizona-desert-living.com/\">http://www.My-Arizona-Desert-Living.com</a><br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('402','14','Retirement is something that most people look forward to. The chance to take a break, to have all the time for yourself, to enjoy life after many years of hard work is indeed a very inviting prospect. However, financial instability makes the future of retirement a little bleak.<br /><br />The Bleak Reality of <a href=\"http://loanhunt.com/The-Keys-to-a-Happy-Retirement\">Retirement</a><br /><br />For many retirees, having an investment and savings can make a big difference when retirement arrives. In fact, recent surveys show that retirees today are only counting on their personal savings for support. Although the government gives Social Security, not all companies or employers provide traditional pensions for their employees. According to the Boston College Center for Retirement Research, in 2003 there were only 19% of workers who have traditional pensions to support them. This percentage continues to decline as more and more employers cut back pension plans for their employees.<br /><br />Faced with this reality, it is clearly important to make the necessary preparations early in life to have reliable personal savings in the future. <a href=\"http://loanhunt.com/The-Keys-to-a-Happy-Retirement\">Investing</a> in insurance, dividend-paying stocks, government bonds, corporate bonds, real estate, Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS), immediate fixed annuities and retirement plans are great options on saving funds. This way, a retiree can have assurance that he will have the financial support he can rely on with or without a traditional pension.<br /><br />Simple Living<br /><br />Another thing that retirees need to carefully consider is the fact that they need to watch out their spending. Without a regular source of income and only their savings to support them, it would be very difficult if this support system will fall short. Thus, tempting as it may be to splurge or buy expensive things, this habit should be avoided. Simple living is the key. A retiree has to realize that having the necessities for daily living should be enough and therea??s no need to live extravagantly even when he seems to have the resources.<br /><br />Does this mean that retirees cannot earn a living anymore? Certainly not. Being an employee isna??t the only way to earn a living. There are other things that retirees can do, even in the comfort of their homes to give them additional budget. For example, freelance writing is a popular profession these days. With all their experiences in life, they can share so much through their writing and get paid at the same time. Other options can be vegetable gardening, making art works or crafts, or turning any hobby that they enjoy doing into a small business. Aside from getting extra income, doing activities that they enjoy can give them the sense of fulfillment and satisfaction.<br /><br />Keeping A Positive Spirit<br />Financial matters are not the only important things in life. Of course, therea??s nothing more important than our health and well-being. Retirees are prone to an inactive lifestyle and depression. That is why adequate exercise and a healthy diet are crucial. It is a proven fact that people who eat well and who have enough physical activity are more resistant against sickness and depression.<br /><br />Keeping a positive spirit is also a tremendous help not only for the mind but for the body as well. Cultivate your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being will keep you happy as you enjoy the fruit of your labor on your retirement.');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('403','14','You\'ve heard most of them before. They seem like well-meaning retirement advice. But, BEWARE. The following illusions, delusions and downright lies about retirement can be dangerous to your retirement well-being:<br /><br />1. If you have enough money, your retirement will take care of itself.<br /><br />WRONG. WRONG. WRONG. This is the biggest and most dangerous lie about retirement. Of course, money is important. Yet, money is only one of 15 &quot;must haves&quot; for a thriving retirement. Focusing only on the tangible financial aspects of retirement and ignoring the other, less tangible, &quot;must haves&quot; is a prescription for disaster. While taking charge of your life, having dreams for the future, and a purpose that pulls you out of bed in the morning are not as quantifiable as, say, $1.3 million in assets, they are just as crucial.<br /><br />2. You lost your shirt in the stock market and you\'ll have to work seven years after your dead in order to afford to retire.<br /><br />Maybe, if you\'re buying into the conventional wisdom that you\'ll need 80% of your current income to maintain your current lifestyle. But, honestly, are you that crazy about your current lifestyle?<br /><br />Don\'t delude yourself into thinking you have to keep doing what you\'re doing just because you don\'t have enough money. Jump out of that narrow box you\'re in. Be bold. Think big. There are lots of great ways to supplement your retirement income (i.e. seasonal employment) and/or create new revenue streams beyond your wildest imagination (i.e. packaging what you already know and selling it).<br /><br />Not feeling especially bold? Then answer the question: &quot;What\'s enough&quot;? and you just may find you can retire on a lot less and enjoy life a lot more.<br /><br />3. You can\'t afford to live a meaningful life.<br /><br />Understand this. You can\'t afford NOT to live a meaningful life. In fact, it\'s essential to a thriving retirement -- right up at the top of the list with the &quot;must have&quot; of money. And, it doesn\'t matter if you\'re rolling in dough and have all the free time in the world, or if you need to get financially creative in the &quot;third half&quot; of life and create new sources of income.<br /><br />Figure out what would be the most fulfilling and invigorating for you, follow your heart\'s desire, and pursue your goals with gusto. Write that book, start a business, get behind a cause, or (fill in the blank.)<br /><br />You owe it to yourself to take the time in your retirement planning to discover a clearly defined purpose -- one that enriches your world and puts a great big smile on your face.<br /><br />4. You\'ve worked hard all your life and now you deserve to rest and play.<br /><br />Research shows that the traditional &quot;all play, no purpose&quot; retirement can be deadly. Sure you enjoy your leisure time and need your rest, but are you ready for that proverbial pasture quite yet? Remember, in order for leisure to be leisure, it must be a diversion. So, if that\'s all there is in your life, what (and where) is the purpose?<br /><br />Instead of designing a life of only leisure, design a leisurely lifestyle that not only rejuvenates your spirit, but fills your life with meaning. (See #3)#p##e#<br /><br />5. Your partner will be thrilled to join you in traveling around the country in an RV, playing golf 24/7, and/or...<br /><br />Think again, because it\'s highly likely that you\'re not even remotely on the same wavelength. Again, it\'s really important to take time in your planning. Find out what your partner expects from retirement long before you retire. And while you\'re at it, make a commitment to the health and growth of your relationship, now, before you retire. It\'s impossible to have a happy retirement if you\'re in a dismal relationship.<br /><br />6. Retirement means the end of life as you\'ve known it.<br /><br />Don\'t be fooled into thinking that what you do in your present life is more important than who you\'ll be in your retirement. How will you spend the precious gift of the next 30 years? You could crawl in a hole and pull the dirt in over you. Or, you could make each day a grand new adventure.<br /><br />Seize the opportunity to grow and stretch into the best possible you. By moving away from the materialistic &quot;What am I&quot;, of your pre-retirement life and moving toward the more spiritual &quot;Who am I&quot;, you\'ll be traveling on the path of a rejuvenating and revitalizing retirement.<br /><br />7. You\'re too old to make a difference.<br /><br />Baloney! Okay, you\'re not as young as you used to be, and the world is a great big mess. But, don\'t just sit there. Dare to dream. You may not be able to end world hunger, but you could end hunger on your block or in your community. And, if you happen to stumble upon a way to end world hunger in the process, more power to you.<br /><br />What\'s important is that you harness your amazing wisdom, resources, creativity, brilliance and ingenuity to impact your small corner of the planet. What are you waiting for?#');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('404','14','<p>This week Peter Hain was announced as the new Work and Pensions Secretary, replacing John Hutton. </p>\r\n<p>One of the first issues the new Minister will need to tackle is the growing regulatory burden currently facing workplace pensions schemes. Many put the blame firmly at the Governmenta??s doorstep saying that the Government needs to come forward with serious proposals to ease the cost pressures on hard-pressed pension scheme sponsors and to encourage workers to enroll in pension schemes in the first place. The rules and regulations surrounding pensions can be confusing and many people, especially those far away in age to retirement will rather spend their money in the here and now rather than thinking so far ahead into the future. </p>\r\n<p>The new Minister will have an opportunity to act quickly the Government have published details of a new savings scheme which will give all employees the right to a workplace pension with a contribution from their employer.</p>\r\n<p>Personal Accounts, as it is called, plans to increase levels of savings by automatically enrolling employees into the new scheme.</p>\r\n<p>Support for the plan can be found in the research report, Attitudes to <br />Pensions, which revealed that:<br />84 per cent of people surveyed supported the idea of a national pension savings scheme <br />68 per cent supported automatic enrolment, particularly if there was an employer contribution </p>\r\n<p>However, the research also showed that 29 per cent of people prioritize spending today over saving for tomorrow.</p>\r\n<p>With this in mind personal accounts are designed to be a??hassle-freea?? to help encourage people to save.</p>\r\n<p>Planning now for your retirement will obviously be of benefit to you in the future; even putting a small amount aside each month could make a difference in the future. However, working past the retirement age to supplement a <br />pension may always be common as our life-expecting grows, we may want to keep active for longer. </p>\r\n<p>James Quinton is a writer based in the UK. He has had articles published worldwide. Compare <br />pension products online.<br /></p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('405','14','Old age and retirement is a very crucial phase in a person\'s life. Most people feel bad tempered and uncertain about their life after retirement and when they are in their older ages. It ought to be accepted gracefully as it is an unavoidable stage in everybody\'s life. There are people who can take it in their pace and even enjoy it.<br /><br />Old age and retirement jokes are very popular among retirees and old aged persons belonging to all professions. These jokes are often cracked by retirees themselves. Many of these jokes are shared in retirement or farewell parties.<br /><br />These jokes are fun to crack within the same circle. They enjoy being in fun about their old age and retirement. Also it may be of great help to revive the interests of other listeners.<br /><br />There are plenty of jokes e-books available in different websites that contain a wide range of such jokes. These jokes can be easily included in the retirement parties and during their old age to make things more interesting. However, it is advisable to confirm that the book contains appropriate jokes depending upon the mutual relationship.<br /><br />Many websites provide some of the most hilarious jokes relating to it. These websites collects most of the jokes related to old age and retirement. It is easy to enjoy those jokes surfing through different websites.<br /><br />Get the latest <a href=\"http://www.jokesduniya.com/category/old-age-and-retirement-jokes/\">retirement jokes</a> by visiting <a href=\"http://www.JokesDuniya.com\">http://www.JokesDuniya.com</a> a website that offers some of the most <a href=\"http://www.jokesduniya.com/category/old-age-and-retirement-jokes/\">funny retiremnent jokes</a> on web.');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('406','14','It is a well-known fact that Americans are miserable failures when it comes to saving for retirement. Well, the government is offering tax credits to change this for some of us.<br /><br />Tax Credits for Retirement Savings<br /><br />Social security is going to be under siege as baby boomers hit retirements. Fortunately, many baby boomers have put away piles of cash in 401ks and IRAs. Regardless, most people fail to do all they can in this regard. In an attempt to motivate us taxpayers to save as much as we can for retirement, Uncle Sam is dangling tax credits before us like the proverbial carrot. <br /><br />The tax credit in question is the Retirement Savings Contributions Credit. Qualify for it and you may be eligible to take a credit of $1,000 for singles and $2,000 if you\'re filing jointly. The credit is eligible for those that make contributions to 401ks and retirement vehicles. The amount of the credit is determined on a sliding scale based on how much you make and contribute. <br /><br />You can claim the retirement savings tax credit:<br /><br />1. Individual taxpayers with incomes of $25,000 or less.<br /><br />2. Individual taxpayers that are head of households and make $37,500 or less.<br /><br />3. Married couples filing jointly who make $50,000 or less cumulatively. <br /><br />There are some very minor restrictions regarding who is eligible for the tax credit. First, you have to be older than 18. Second, you can\'t be a full time student. Finally, another dependent can\'t claim you as a dependent on their tax returns. <br /><br />Importantly, this tax credit is in addition to other tax advantages you gain from piling money into a retirement account. With a 401k, for instance, you can pound in pre-tax earnings, which cuts down your adjusted gross income for the tax year. Once you figure out your taxes, you can then deduct another $1,000 or so for the tax credit. Put another way, saving for your retirement is a no brainer. <br /><br />The federal government is practically begging you to put away money for retirement. With this tax credit, there is absolutely no reason to fail to comply.<br /><br />Richard A. Chapo is with BusinessTaxRecovery.com - providing information on <a href=\"http://www.businesstaxrecovery.com\">tax and taxes</a>. Visit us to read more <a href=\"http://www.businesstaxrecovery.com/articles\">tax articles</a> and our new <a href=\"http://www.businesstaxrecovery.com/tax_credits\">tax credits</a> page.<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('407','14','There are few times in life worth looking forward to that are better than retirement, unless it is retiring knowing you will have financial security for you and your family. Most people will spend years working, knowing retirement is going to sneak up on them and for most people proper planning will enable them to enjoy their years doing things with their spouse and family that they did not have time to do while working.<br /><br />The first few months may be difficult when entering into retirement as bad as many see the habit of working it was something they did every day for many years. They woke up, got ready and left for work and came home in the evening, based on the shift they were working, usually five or six days a week. The first few days may feel like a break, similar to being on vacation and it may take some time before it sinks in that the time for retirement has arrived and there will be no going back to the job.<br /><br />Retirement is not an acceptable alternative to going to work every day for some people. If they retired after reaching the age for full retirement, there is no problem with finding another job. However, if they took an early retirement at age 62, and began receiving Social Security benefits, they will be penalized for earning the extra money until they reach full retirement age. In most cases, for every two dollars they earn, they will lose one dollar in benefits.<br /><br />Retiree\'s Time Used For Getting Re-acquainted<br /><br />If couples plan to travel they usually begin almost immediately after their retirement party, and have already set a goal of where they want to go and how long they want to be gone, but most retain their home as a roosting point for the times between travel. Whether it is to go on a second honeymoon or a celebration cruise, they will want time for themselves to celebrate the fact that they will not have to share their time with a job.<br /><br />For others retirement is a time to participate in hobbies they enjoy but lacked the time due to a hectic work schedule. Outdoor activities are now possible on days other than the weekend when crowds were a problem and prices were higher. Typically, amusement parks have significantly more traffic on weekends and many golf courses have reduced rates on weekdays. Hitting the hot spots with the spouse is a great way to get to know each other after being separated for about a third of the day, everyday.<br /><br />Retirement also gives people the time to offer their time and talents for charity work or for mentoring others entering the field from which they recently retired. For those who took an early retirement they may be willing to offer their services on a voluntary basis to keep their minds sharp and to offer their experience in various industries to keep busy without risking the loss of their retirement income.<br /><br />For the most part, retirement is to be the time when people can leave the hassle of work and spend time doing the things they have always wanted to do, but lacked the time. However, if they failed to plan their finances, they find they have the time, but not the money and will go back to work to help pay for extras that they cannot afford on their retirement income.<br /><br />When it comes time to retire, whether it is early, late or right on time most view retirement with a feeling of relief mixed with anxiety, as they may not be sure of what they will do with themselves. However, whatever they decide to do once they retire, they will likely have the time to do it.#p##e#<br /><br /><br />------<br /><br />Learn how you can plan for a successful retirement by going to : ==&gt; <a href=\"http://retirement.cyberbizonline.com/retirement/retirement.php\">http://retirement.cyberbizonline.com/retirement/retirement.php</a>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('408','14','Employers --who make decisions about their 401k plans--are required by ERISA to employ a prudent process in the management and monitoring of their 401k plan investments. Plan Sponsors are required to not only look at the right information but also do it in the right way <br /><br />Five best practices for fiduciary compliance of 401k investments. The five steps are practical moves to minimize your risk of a fiduciary liability lawsuit;<br /><br />1. Review plan investments once a year <br />2. Produce a written report covering, the investments and their use by the participants. (Written reports are good evidence of due diligence)<br />3. Make decisions from the report about the quality and use of the investments <br />4. Review the plan\'s operations and participation levels.<br />5. Review the investment policy statement and determine whether it continues to be appropriate or requires improvement.<br /><br />While this short checklist cannot capture all of the issues and deliberations in monitoring a plan\'s investments, this is a good start toward both fiduciary compliance and a successful plan. <br /><br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('409','14','Unfortunately, many of you who are about to retire or have retired, look at the retirement income you will be receiving and are not too happy with the results and can not see any way around the problem to improve it. You get to a time in life when the world is your oyster and everything you have ever imagined could be yours; you have plenty of time and energy, but sadly it is not time or energy you need but money.<br /><br />The internet has opened up a new world to all pensioners because at 60 years young you could easily have another good 25 to 30 years left to do all the things that when you were young, you could only dream of. There is a wonder lady of 84 who has decided to go to IT classes to learn the computer because she feels she is missing so much!<br /><br />Car boots, local auctions and charity shops offer a great way to earn an extra income especially if teamed up with the internet and a friend.<br /><br />There are plenty of tried and tested ways to earn extra, that are very well documented in ebooks on the internet. You can purchase second hand books very cheaply from both car boots and charity shops and then resell online. When you find one with beautiful prints in it of dogs, cats, flowers or just something extra special cut it out, frame it and sell as a picture.<br /><br />Postcards are extremely sort after and are often sold in groups or a small box full, these you just resell separately in internet auctions; the price can treble or more, if you are not happy using a computer there are other people who will help you. Libaries and the local shop are ideal places to put a small card to find someone with computer skills and the time to help you.<br /><br />Also, by the time you get to 60 you have a wealth of experience at your fingertips, many people are expertise in their own field and the young never hear about it, may be one day they will wish they had sat, listened and learnt from you all, but it is often far to late when they need the knowledge. Your skill could be building a boat, a summerhouse, a garden pond or re fitting a kitchen, plumbing a bathroom, building a rocking horse or successfully trading on the stock market. Really, this list could cover pages but I\'m sure you understand, put it on a computer or down on paper and it will be available for a life time and can be passed on to others.<br /><br />Today ebooks are extremely popular and can be bought and downloaded off the internet very cheaply. If you decided to write a manual on building a boat and put it on a website to sell, just think of the thousands of people who could be potential customers, you certainly do not need to sell it for a vast amount to make a very nice income. The internet offers a wealth of information please take a look and discover the potential it offers for yourself.<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('410','15','Marketing for a multilevel marketing program may have a perception problem in part because of the people doing the marketinga?|the new business owner. In its infancy network marketing was getting bad rap due in part to the pyramid management chart resembling the illegal pyramid schemes, in which the sole purpose was to recruit distributors without any real tangible product being sold.<br /><br />Although multilevel marketing is based on a typical sales commission structure, when it first hit the internet many companies focused on the prospect of making loads of money without actually doing any work. Those thinking about entering an online business have to realize that it is a business. Yes, these business owners make money from the sales of those under them in the flow chart. However, the best people to recruit into a plan are existing customers who see the value of the product and want to start a business of their own.<br /><br />The hard sell usually does not go over very well in todaya??s network marketing environment as many are put off by someone who seems desperate about signing new recruits into their new company. The best thing a person can do is simply sell the product and let the opportunity for others to join the multilevel marketing plan on their own, in their own time.<br /><br />Not everyone is cut out to own and operate their own business and if a person is led to believe they will have little work to do except take checks to the bank, it will not be long before they lose interest and your down-line falls apart. Being honest during recruitment efforts may make it tough to fill all the spaces in a down-line, but the people recruited for those spots will have a real interest in the product and the company and will likely be around a while.<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('411','15','Postcards produce even better results for marketers in the 21st century than they did in the past ...especially when you use them to generate website traffic and sales leads.<br /><br />Here are 7 of the many benefits and advantages you gain by marketing with postcards.<br /><br /><strong>1. Postcards Work for Any Business - Including Yours</strong><br /><br />Postcards have a proven history of producing just about any kind of sales activity a business wants. Internet marketers have used them to generate profitable website traffic. Direct marketers have used them to generate receptive sales leads. Retail stores have used them to attract &quot;pre-sold&quot; walk in customers. And ...well, you get the idea.<br /><br /><strong>2. Postcards Produce Fast Results</strong><br /><br />Postcards are small so it doesn\'t take much time to create a sales message for them. The small size also makes printing, addressing and mailing postcards a quick job. Your postcards can be in the mail a few days after you decide to use them. 2 or 3 days later you\'ll be getting sales from them.<br /><br /><strong>3. Postcards Get Read</strong><br /><br />Postcards get delivered ready to read. They can\'t be ignored like other types of advertising. This guarantees maximum exposure for your sales message. Think about it. Did you ever discard a postcard without first scanning it to find out what it was about? You can\'t do it.<br /><br /><strong>4. Postcards Make a Good First Impression</strong><br /><br />People like to get postcards - probably because they get so many of them from friends and relatives. You can make the most of this positive first impression by using a personal approach for your postcards. For example, include the actual name of each person in your message ...as well as anything else you know about the prospects on your mailing list.<br /><br /><strong>5. Postcards Are Inexpensive</strong><br /><br />Postcards are simple and inexpensive to use. You can print them for just a few cents each. And in the US You can even send postcards by First Class Mail for only 26 cents. That\'s 37 percent less than the postage for letters.<br /><br />You get this special reduced postage rate by making the size of your postcards at least 3 1/2 x 5 inches but not over 4 1/4 x 6 inches in size.#p##e#<br /><br /><strong>6. Postcards are Easy to Test</strong><br /><br />It\'s easy to test the profitability of a postcard. Just send it to a small group of prospects to see how many reply. If you\'re not pleased with the results, revise it and repeat the test. Once you\'re happy with the results you can send out a larger mailing.<br /><br /><strong>7. Competitors Can\'t Copy Your Postcard Marketing System</strong><br /><br />Competitors can\'t copy your system and use it to compete against you like they can (and always do) with other types of advertising.<br /><br />One or two competitors may see your marketing postcard ...but that\'s all they will know about what you\'re doing. They won\'t know what lists you\'re using, how many postcards you mail, how often you send postcards or anything else about your postcard program.<br /><br />There are many more advantages to marketing with postcards. But these 7 should be enough to get you thinking about them. If you never used postcards to promote your business or if you haven\'t used them recently, test them now. You\'ll be surprised at how well they work in the 21st century.<br /><br />Bob Leduc spent 20 years helping businesses like yours find new customers and increase sales. He just released a New Edition of his manual, How To Build Your Small Business Fast With Simple Postcards ...and launched *BizTips from Bob*, a newsletter to help small businesses grow and prosper. You\'ll find his low-cost marketing methods at: <a href=\"http://bobleduc.com\">http://BobLeduc.com</a> or call: 702-658-1707 After 10 AM Pacific Time/Las Vegas, NV');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('412','15','The Reverse funnel system is a brand new marketing funnel created by Ty Coughlin and the Inner Circle team that is causing some SERIOUS chatter in the home business industry.<br /><br />Ita??s long been the holy grail to somehow AUTOMATE your businessa?|so you dona??t have to be on the phone calling leads, making follow ups, setting up appointments, closing peoplea?|and doing all the other stuff that almost no one likes to do.<br /><br />Yet most people have no choice because thata??s all theya??ve been taught, and ita??s all they know how to do. Well, Ty Coughlin and the Reverse funnel system just CHANGED all that.<br /><br />In one fell swoop, Ty Coughlin created a system, that is converting like no system anyone has ever heard of. He hired $20,000 per page copywriters, world class programmers, and consulted with the whoa?? who of Internet Marketinga?|to put together a fully automated system that makes ita??s users $1,000 sales all day long.<br /><br />The system launched less then 30 days agoa?|and already the numbers are staggering. You need absolutely no previous skill, knowledge, or experience and the system will work the exact same for whoever uses it.<br /><br />What you DO NEED to do is MARKET the system, so your copy of the reverse funnel system ALWAYS has a pipeline filled with prospects. If thata??s the casea?|you will make $1,000 sales all day long. <br /><br />The best part isa?|a??massivea?? advertising is built into the system. Ty Coughlin gives you his highest converting ads, and then tells you where to go to place them. Hea??s also put together massive advertising co ops, so you can simply contribute your part and get tons of traffic sent straight to your copy of the reverse funnel system.<br /><br />In closing, I have been around this industry a whilea?|and have not seen a system as polished as this one. My review of this reverse funnel system thus far has been very good, and Ia??m awaiting to see how the data pans out over the next few months. If it remains consistent, I expect more people to hit $20k -$30k a month income levels in under a yeara?|when that use to take 5-10 years.<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('413','15','<strong>You think you need a killer presentation and ita??s killing your insurance sales success.</strong> Your insurance sales success is never about a a??presentationa??. The only person a presentation is helping is you. You may be using it as a crutch so you dona??t forget anything, and so you have something to say. You think it helps you to move the prospect forward and gets them to buy into your line of thinking. These are all false premises and the sooner you change your thinking about your a??presentationa?? the sooner youa??ll start having greater success. <br /><br /><strong>If you knew absolutely nothing about your products, but you went ahead and met with a few people you would have greater success than you probably are now.</strong> And herea??s why: you wouldna??t be trying to sell them anything, youa??d really have to listen to what they told you, you could relax and just act like a real person instead of a pushy sales person, and the people you met with would like you. If all you did when you met with them was to engage them in a conversation like you would any new person youa??ve ever met, asked them about what they wanted, listened intently and asked more questions to make sure you had a full understanding, and then you told them theya??d given you a lot to think about and you wanted to spend a few hours reviewing their needs to make sure you provided the best option for them, and scheduled a follow-up appointment for a couple days later you would make more sales. At the end if this meeting they would like you. Because they like you and you expressed concern for doing what was best for them they would trust you, and because they trust you when you meet for that follow-up appointment and you handle that even half-way right you will more than likely gain their business. <br /><br /><strong>When you try to use a presentation to gain business it doesna??t work because ita??s all about you and what you have to offer.</strong> Thata??s selling and people hate to be sold. The minute you open your Power Point, brochure, or presentation notebook your prospect withdraws and disengages because they perceive theya??re being sold. Never just whip out your presentation and take off full tilt giving them your whole spiel. Instead, wait until there is an appropriate moment a pertinent question and then gain their permission to show them something you have that speaks to that question. Go directly to that item use it and leave your presentation material. Only go to points in your presentation material when there is a logical reason to do so in relation to the a??conversationa?? youa??re having, and always get their permission first. When you do this youa??ll notice a big difference in your prospecta??s body language. When you whipped out your presentation and launched into your spiel did you notice how your prospects physically leaned backward away from you, and perhaps at certain points they even folded their arms, and the longer you talked the more their eyes glazed over. But when youa??ve gained permission to show them something theya??re interested in notice how they lean forward, how they focus on what youa??re showing them, how theya??re engaged and actively listening, and how they ask you questions. <br /><br /><strong>When you fall into the presentation trap you have limited logic.</strong> Herea??s what I mean by limited logic. The presentation forces both you and your prospect into an artificial <a href=\"http://coachingmegaagents.com/ArticleSales.php\">sales</a> conversation. Plus this artificial conversation may have little to do with what is on the prospects mind. Because youa??re focused on the presentation youa??re missing important cues from the prospect; and the prospect feels like theya??re being sold, manipulated, or maybe even coerced. These are all feelings you never ever want to evoke in a prospect. When you evoke those feeling you may get this one time sale because there are a lot of people who will go along with things they dona??t agree with just to get you to leave. But you will never get a referral from this customer, and they will cancel their policy as soon as a better option comes up. They wona??t like or trust you, and the word of mouth marketing they do for you will make others avoid you like the plague. <br /><br /><br /><strong>You dona??t need this crutch and the sooner you get rid of it the sooner you will see your insurance sales success increase.</strong> Every sale begins with a simple conversation. It begins by you being able to get yourself introduced to your prospects and establishing rapport. When you actually hold the appointment you need to continue what youa??ve started by continuing to be a genuine person who cares about other people and wants to help your customers get what they want. Ita??s a simple conversation where you want to be listening rather than talking, so you can understand and once you understand your objective is to help your prospects discover how your solution is the best option for them. Presentations put you in the talking position and you want to be in the listening position if you want to enjoy greater insurance sales success. #p#ҳ#e#<br /><br />Would you like to learn more about your sales skills? <a href=\"http://omaha-business-coach.com/sales.html\">Sales Skills Analysis</a>. <br /><br />Ready to start your journey for success? <a href=\"http://coachingmegaagents.com/TrialMembership.php\">start here</a>.<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('414','15','The LG Chocolate phone\'s phenomenal popularity and success at launch is down to two factors, the fantastic look and feel of Chocolate and the innovative marketing activity based on in-depth research which looked at what modern consumers wanted from a mobile phone. The display type is TFT, 256K colors and the display type is 240 x 320 pixels.<br /><br />The LG Chocolate phone has bright display screen is a brilliant platform to view videos with amazing clarity with the 2.0 megapixel camera with auto focus, you can certainly expect quality pictures, and high-speed Internet connectivity, and extensive multimedia and audio capabilities.<br /><br />LG Chocolate phone\'s has a large, bright 3in display, which affords both improved viewing of captured images and lower power consumption. The memory stores 1000 entries stored in our mobile phone.<br /><br />The has an entirely new casing. It still offers innovative touch-sensitive buttons - along with a conventional slide-down keypad - but almost everything else has been redesigned or updated. LG Chocolate phone <a href=\"http://www.phoneandbeyond.com/productdetails-comd-Lg-KE800-Chocolate-Platinum.html\">LG KE800 Chocolate phone</a> is a touch screen that takes the place of virtually every hard button you might find on a more traditional handset, save for Send, End, and a handful of keys on the sides.<br /><br />The media section focuses on the various advertisements, commercials, wallpapers, games for the LG Chocolate mobile phone.The LG Chocolate Information section has analysis of all the LG Chocolate Mobile Phones available. Please visit in the site <a href=\"http://www.phoneandbeyond.com\">www.phoneandbeyond.com</a> for extra details.<br /><br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('415','15','&quot;People are generally better persuaded by the reasons which they have themselves discovered than by those which have come into the mind of others.&quot; --Blaise Pascal (1623 - 1662)<br /><br />What do we need to accomplish or meet in order for our client or prospect to take action? We need their criteria.<br /><br />Your clients or potential clients, as you discuss your service or product, is creating an image in their head of how life will be after they\'ve purchased this product or service. Don\'t interfere or violate their image because you may end up removing yourself from it thereby ruining the sale.<br /><br />What is the power of persuasion as it relates to criteria? How can we help them project that inner movie, so to speak, that they\'re creating in their thoughts, and help them realize that that inner movie was produced solely in their minds? By using the power of their own thoughts, they virtually sell themselves. We simply need to know when to step out of the way.<br /><br />Criteria is the most powerful persuasion skill I know. It can increase your income incredibly, and send your sales through the roof. Unfortunately (for them) and fortunately (for us), not all sales people know the power of eliciting criteria and using it correctly.<br /><br />Without first eliciting your prospect\'s criteria, you\'re pretty much hoping that you\'ll eventually hit on something, anything, that they might need. This is called \'features and benefits\' and it\'s outdated and old-fashioned and the quickest way to expose yourself as an amateur. Why work with \'hit or miss\' when you can zero in on exactly what your prospect wants and needs?<br /><br />Focus on what your client wants and needs, and you will be rewarded with someone eager to do business with you.<br /><br />All industries, and all interpersonal endeavors in fact, are enhanced by the process of criteria elicitation. If you\'re working with someone who won\'t accept this elicitation (and this is a rarity), then you really simply need to stop presenting to them. The simple question, \'Why are we here today?\' opens a huge door to the internal workings of your client or prospect.<br /><br />An incredible wealth of information, deep and integral information, is attained through criteria elicitation. If you find someone unwilling to give this to you, you\'ll find that you have a lack of real rapport with them and if this happens, stop, go back and gain rapport, then move back to the elicitation process.<br /><br />You might have the ability to turn this around, but odds are, if you don\'t immediately have the respect of your client or prospect, you\'re not going to get it at this late point. Chalk it up to experience and move on to your next prospect this time gaining the proper rapport from the start.#p##e#<br /><br />Your prospect might not understand that they are giving you valuable, deep information, but nor will they put up much of a fight. Many professions such as health care providers, attorneys, consultants, all elicit a certain amount of criteria prior to commencing business relations.<br /><br />How have you experienced a lack of rapport with a prospect? How long into the elicitation process did you realize that there was a problem? Were you able to go back and correct the problem by getting the rapport you needed and then moving beyond that back to the elicitation process?<br /><br /><strong>Kenrick Cleveland</strong> teaches techniques to sell to affluent clients using <a href=\"http://www.maxpersuasion.com\">persuasion strategies</a>. He runs unique public and private seminars and offers home study courses, audio/visual learning tools, and coaching programs in <a href=\"http://www.maxpersuasion.com\">persuasion techniques</a>. Find more free articles at www.MAXpersuasion.com/blog. Be sure to sign up for his free report entitled &quot;Yes! Persuasion.&quot;<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('416','15','The new model is a four-band smart phone with support for T-Mobile\'s 850 MHz; <br />900 MHz;1800 MHz;1900 MHz network. The smart phone with phone and beyond from T-Mobile dash that feels good in your hand. The T-Mobile Dash by far is one of the best Windows Mobile devices I have ever used. <br /><br />The Bluetooth mobile weight is 4.2 ounces. The QWERTY keyboard is tight but that doesn\'t inhibit the function. A particularly nice feature is that special characters can be accessed by pressing and holding a key rather than requiring multiple keys - making one handed navigation and typing much easier. Features includes a 1.3 megapixel camera, a 1.8inch display , 12MB of integrated memory.<br /><br />The T-Mobile Messaging via Text messaging, Instant Messaging, Yahoo!A, MSNA.<br />T-Mobile\'s today <a href=\"http://www.phoneandbeyond.com/productdetails-comd-T Mobile-Dash.html\">T-Mobile Dash </a>launched its replacement for the MDA Pocket PC Phone, the Wing, which also happens to be the first new Windows Mobile 6 device in the U.S.<br /><br />T-Mobile began selling service that allows a single handset to communicate over both cellular networks and real browsing. Their versatility allows them to impersonate the other handheld devices you might otherwise carry around; in reality, any given smart phone may be a date book and a Web browser. Please visit in the site <a href=\"http://www.phoneandbeyond.com\">www.phoneandbeyond.com</a> for extra details.<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('417','15','<p>Competition is a natural and integral part of doing business. How successful you become at competing depends on how you position your business relative to your competitors. </p>\r\n<p>Differentiating your business means defining your company in relationship to the competition. It means that you understand and are able to communicate your point or points of difference and why youa??re better, or different, than your competitors. It means continuously making improvements to sustain a leadership position.</p>\r\n<p>If you want to differentiate your business, you need to look at your business from your current and your prospective customersa?? perspective. Then, do a competitive analysis, and determine where your business fits in the mix. Identify and communicate specifically how you meet your customera??s needs in a way that no one else cana??in a way that is different or better than the competition.</p>\r\n<p>Common points of differentiation include: cost, quality, performance, product availability, technology, leadership, timely delivery, superior service, durability and customer support. Creating a differentiation strategy is referred to as developing a Unique Selling Proposition (USP).</p>\r\n<p>The Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is your biggest marketing weapon and is the key to differentiating your business from your competitor. What is a USP? In essence, it is a simple statement that sums up the unique features, benefits, and value that you provide that no other competitor can.</p>\r\n<p>A competitive analysis lists your leading competitors; summarizes their products/services, promotional strategies, distribution methods, strengths /weaknesses, locations, offerings, prices, branding; and determines whether the business is growing, stabilizing or declining. These are the important questions: </p>\r\n<p>Who are your competitors? </p>\r\n<p>What customer needs/preferences are your competitors trying to fulfill? </p>\r\n<p>How are their products/services similar to, or different from, your company? </p>\r\n<p>How do their prices compare with yours?</p>\r\n<p>Are your competitors able to offer superior quality products/services at a competitive or lower price?#p##e#</p>\r\n<p>What is their competitive strategy? </p>\r\n<p>A competitive analysis also outlines strategies for gaining a competitive advantage, keeping competitors out of your market, exploiting the competitorsa?? weaknesses, and exposing their areas of vulnerability. With this information, you can craft competitive and marketing strategies, thus fine tuning your brand and your message.</p>\r\n<p>To find out more about your competition, you can:</p>\r\n<p>Personally visit their offices.</p>\r\n<p>Call them to request products/services information and pricing. </p>\r\n<p>If possible, purchase their products/services.</p>\r\n<p>Attend trade shows and view competitorsa?? exhibits.</p>\r\n<p>If possible, talk to their customers to find out what they like or dislike about the competitorsa?? products/services.</p>\r\n<p>Collect advertising, marketing and promotional materials.</p>\r\n<p>Visit your competitorsa?? websites. </p>\r\n<p>Some online resources: Dow Jones Interactive <a href=\"http://www.djinactive.com\">www.djinactive.com</a>, D&amp;B Million Dollar Database <a href=\"http://www.dnb.com\">www.dnb.com</a>, Standard &amp; Poora??s Industry Surveys <a href=\"http://www.standardandpoors.com\">www.standardandpoors.com</a>, One source Corp Tech Company Profiles <a href=\"http://www.corptech.com\">www.corptech.com</a>, Hoovera??s <a href=\"http://www.hoovers.com\">www.hoovers.com</a>, U.S. Census Bureau <a href=\"http://www.census.gov\">www.census.gov</a>, and U.S. Securities and Exchange filings <a href=\"http://www.freeedgar.com\">www.freeedgar.com</a></p>\r\n<p>If possible, make arrangements through a third party to interview competitorsa?? employees. #p##e#</p>\r\n<p>To identify the distinguishing characteristics that set you apart from the competition, start by analyzing your company. Then, compare your companya??s processes, products, workforce, and promotional activities with those of your competitors by pinpointing the strengths and weaknesses of your company and those of your competitors.</p>\r\n<p>Delivering value and benefits that no one else can deliver in the marketplace is the foundation of your Unique Selling Proposition. Your USP becomes the cornerstone of your sales and marketing message. It is this message that builds and reinforces your brand, attracts new customers, and sustains your competitive edge. </p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('418','15','The Sony Ericsson P990 has UMTS / GSM 900 / GSM 1800 / GSM 1900 network. Sony Ericsson is one of the top ranked mobile phone manufacturers worldwide. It is known for producing fashionable and best rated mobile phones around the world.<br /><br />The Sony Ericsson P990 display size is 240 x 320 pixels 42 x 57 mm. Our smart phone Sony Ericsson have been recognised as the most advanced on the market, and we intend to maintain this reputation with the P990 by ensuring a rich supply of top applications for enterprise and productivity, as well as, high-bandwidth multi-media downloads and the ability to browse the Internet with full HTML pages. <br /><br />The memory stores 64 MB card included in our Sony Ericsson P990 mobile phone. The new generation of mobile phone users, offering both protection and style. The Sony Ericsson p990 mobile phone carefully detailed design and enhanced multimedia capabilities, the Song Ericsson p990 is a handset you will crave for.<br /><br />The display type is touchscreen 256K colors. The weight is 155grams. The continuous talk time of 9 hours. <a href=\"http://www.phoneandbeyond.com/productdetails-comd-Sony-Ericsson-P990.html\">Sony Ericsson p990 </a>phone deals are offered by all the leading network service providers of will support a range of SMS, EMS, MMS,and Email.<br /><br />Online mobile phone deals store provides all the possible places. Please visit on line <a href=\"http://www.phoneandbeyond.com\">www.phoneandbeyond.com</a><br />for more details.<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('419','15','The Motorola L6 Blue has GSM 900 / GSM 1800 / GSM 1900 network. The display type is CSTN 65K colors. The new handset provides consumers with an additional way to enjoy the Motorola L6 Blue experience through technology advances all while maintaining the Motorola L6 slim silhouette and reliable mobile connectivity. <br /><br />The display size is 128 x 160 pixels. Functionally the model brings nothing extraordinary, but its attractive design charmed many people. The main features of the Motorola L6 were thin body and metal used in the construction. The phone book memory stores 500 photo calls. The continuous talk time is 5 hours and 50 minutes.<br /><br />The Motorola L6 Blue mobile phones have become popular within a short span of times. A Motorola L6 mobile phone is a long-range, convenient electronic appliance used for mobile communication. In addition to the typical voice function of a telephone, existing mobile phones can support various extra services such as SMS for text messaging, email, packet exchanging for right of entry to the Internet and MMS for sending and getting photos and video.<br /><br />Motorola L6 Blue its new options included in imaging, storage, and aesthetics, the <a href=\"http://www.phoneandbeyond.com/productdetails-comd-Motorola-L6-Blue.html\">Motorola L6 Blue </a>complements the thousand of Motorola L6Blues already in used in the enabling consumers to choose the experience that best fits their personal style and mobile needs.<br /><br />Cell phone software is manufactured to run on handheld computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), smart phones and mobile phones. Please visit in the site <a href=\"http://www.phoneandbeyond.com\">www.phoneandbeyond.com</a> for extra details.<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('420','15','<p>According to an old French proverb: &quot;Nothing succeeds like success!&quot; And in sales nothing succeeds quite like success stories. Are you sharing yours? Why not? The secret is in how you share your successes.</p>\r\n<p>Learn to tell thirty-second &quot;success stories.&quot; During sales calls or even a casual conversation a quick-hitting story can make or reinforce a point in memorable fashion. Success stories may be told in response to a question, to serve as a testimonial, or even as an aside. Did you know you had a storied past?</p>\r\n<p>Stories work for several reasons: they\'re more memorable than numbers, names and dates; and listeners enjoy the drama: a problem followed by a solution, a mystery solved with a twist, or a creative workaround to a seemingly insurmountable obstacle. Also, your listener can find him or herself in the story. A good story will resonate with prospects. </p>\r\n<p>&quot;We\'re wired for stories, individually and collectively. Since the time of Odysseus we\'ve been told stories. Since we were little kids we\'ve been read and told stories. This is how weve been conditioned to learn; our morals and our values are taught through stories.&quot; So says Gay Ducey, past president of the National Storytelling Network. </p>\r\n<p>Look at your sales history and pick out an accomplishment. Now tell the story behind the accomplishment. It states that you helped a past client increased sales 60%. But tell how you did it; Cite a &quot;before vs. after&quot; description. What was the secret? Stories that reveal secrets captivate.</p>\r\n<p>The Three S\'s of Success Stories</p>\r\n<p>Success stories offer a setting, a situation and a solution. Remember, you\'re the hero of your stories. Your decisions, actions and insights made the difference.</p>\r\n<p>Here is an example: </p>\r\n<p>&quot;We recently received a call from a merchant unhappy with their current vendor. They were paying high fees, receiving poor service and experiencing frequent security breaches. In short order we were able to launch a wireless processing system that was more secure, more reliable and even less expensive. Through customization we were able to address their foreign and domestic needs, a strength of ours.&quot;</p>\r\n<p>Not only does this success story demonstrate an independent sales organization\'s ability to solve problems, it showcases an understanding of business, markets and methods.</p>\r\n<p>Stories can demonstrate your professionalism, customer service, researching ability, creativity, problem-solving inclination or other strengths. </p>\r\n<p>Consider this story for a job-seeker:</p>\r\n<p>Here is an example of how one candidate summarized his most recent employment for a competitor#p##e#</p>\r\n<p>&quot;In my last job I was hired to manage a production department at war with the editorial department. I walked into an environment full of distrust and resentment, built up over years of animosities and recriminations. Through my implementation of cross training between departments, initiation of mutual social outings such as picnics and scheduling of project post-mortems we were able, after 6 months, to convert resentment into understanding and competition into cooperation. As each department began to understand how the other one worked we were jointly able to improve the workflow and consequently shorten time to market with publications. Even quality improved as we better understood how best to work together. That showed me the importance of internal communication and how hard it can be, though not impossible, to change an existing culture.&quot;</p>\r\n<p>Not only does this success story demonstrate the candidate\'s ability to solve problems, but it shows interviewers the candidate\'s understanding of interoffice politics and the human side of operations.</p>\r\n<p>Stories can demonstrate your detail orientation, dedication, leadership, independence, researching ability, creativity, serice or problem-solving inclination. Remember that employers want well rounded hires so make sure they see evidence of your varied skill set. Here are a few examples for salespeople, managers, job seekers and others:</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;Your conversion of old equipment into new uses shows you can think outside the box and are resourceful.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;The non-monetary ways you recognized your staff shows your creativity, abilities as a leader as you demonstrate your understanding of how to motivate others.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;The weekly internal E-letter you created for employees not only boosted morale, it gave evidence of your strong communication skills. </p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;The canned food drive you initiated at your last job not only showed your commitment to your community, it also raised visibility for the company and improved their public relations.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;By forming a lunchtime jogging club you helped bring employees from different departments together while improving the health, and mental health, of employees who participated. Your leadership and team building skills were further evidenced when your runners club formed a Centipede in the recent Bay to Breakers race. </p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;Your multilingual skills helped aright a project suffering from miscommunication between subsidiaries from overseas. Not only could you translate phrases and idioms of speech, your insight into cultural differences bridged a gap and corrected a wayward project. More than showcasing your knowledge of languages, you demonstrated the ability to liaison between different groups, negotiate and turn an important project around. #p##e#</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;Your analysis of existing processing statements and identification of cost savings</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;Your experience with a variety of systems and payment methods: credit, debit, phone and gift cards, etc.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;Your skill in designing billing systems that cross borders and time zones and convert currencies&quot;</p>\r\n<p>Best yet, this Story Tell, Story Sell method works for sales, management, consultants, meeting planners, solopreneurs and even politicians. I know, I\'ve coached them!</p>\r\n<p>Review your past work history and identify the stories within each accomplishment. Now tell them to others. Dont forget the moral to your story: the point the story tells about you (and your firm), your skills and credits. And remember, yours is a never-ending story!</p>\r\n<p>But wait, that\'s not the end of the story! Book Craig to deliver his Story Tell, Story Sell: Sales Through Storytelling program to you organization or workgroup, conference or convention. For more information visit Name Story Tell, Story Sell.</p>\r\n<p>--<br />Craig Harrison\'s Expressions of Excellence! provides sales and service solutions through speaking. Download a PDF file about his Sales Through Storytelling or visit his website for more resources to hep your organization Express its Excellence.</p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('421','16','<p>Think about this famous quote by Franklin Roosevelt after Pearl Harbor: &quot;The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.&quot; I never really understood this quote until I started working with people who wanted to start their own practices, and until I started my own businesses. I have thought a lot about fear and the way it can paralyze us and I have seen this paralysis first-hand.</p>\r\n<p>For example, I spent a lot of time, and many phone calls and emails, helping a grad with the startup process. He would go only so far, only to stop. He would find a practice to buy, and then he would back out of the deal because it wasn\'t quite right. Or he would find a location, but never actually sign a lease, convinced that this location wasn\'t perfect. He couldn\'t find a loan, but he only tried a couple of banks then gave up. After months he finally decided to stay as an associate, where he was unhappy; for all I know, he\'s still there.</p>\r\n<p>Why does fear paralyze us?</p>\r\n<p>1. Old voices. We all have voices in our heads, from times when someone (parent, friend, spouse) told us, &quot;You can\'t do this,&quot; or &quot;This is stupid. You\'ll fail,&quot; or &quot;Don\'t risk failure.&quot; &quot;If you fail, it will be terrible.&quot; As long as we listen to those voices, we don\'t move ahead.</p>\r\n<p>2. Perfectionism. It\'s great to want to do things well, but we often are way too picky about how things must be. For example, the guy who wanted the perfect location. A friend of mine gave me some advice about writing: &quot;My rotten published book is better than your perfect unpublished one.&quot; So I\'m sending it off to be printed.</p>\r\n<p>3. &quot;Don\'t just do it.&quot; We figure we have to start at the beginning and work toward the end, in some kind of specific sequence. Then when we get stumped at a certain point, we figure there\'s no way around. Not necessarily. Sure you will have to get a loan before you can start buying equipment, but there are lots of things you can do to get started with little money, and there are lots of paths, not just one.</p>\r\n<p>Timothy Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Workweek (Crown, 2007), has some suggestions for overcoming the paralysis of fear:</p>\r\n<p>1. First, define your nightmare. What is the worst thing that could happen if you fail in your new practice? Spend some time thinking about this. Create a worst case scenario. Then consider two factors: Probability and Severity. These are insurance terms, but they apply. First, what\'s the probability (on a scale of 0% - never happen, to 100% - guaranteed to happen) of failure? Then look at the severity&nbsp; the cost&nbsp; of failure. While I\'m not a fan of dwelling on the negative, I do believe you need to look under the bed to convince yourself there really are no monsters under there (like Grover.)#p##e#<br />2. Then look at the steps you could take to repair the damage. How could you get your life back on track if you fail in practice? Spend some time thinking about alternatives, like starting again elsewhere, or working for someone else. Think about what\'s really important, and &quot;don\'t sweat the small stuff.&quot;</p>\r\n<p>3. Consider the outcomes and benefits of more probable scenarios. Think about what your life would look like in a &quot;best case&quot; scenario. Then set yourself to thinking that this is the more probable outcome of starting your own business.</p>\r\n<p>4. Prepare to succeed. Start taking baby steps to overcome your fears by working on the positive steps to success. Resolve to do one thing every day that you fear. Do one small task every day that will move you toward your start date. It might be as simple as calling the Yellow Pages and ordering an ad in the next book. Work on your business plan. Focus your energy on positive action. By the time you are done writing the business plan, I think you\'ll find you will see that startup success is not only possible, but you\'ll feel more confident about starting your practice.</p>\r\n<p>Remember, as Henry Ford said, &quot;If you think you can or you think you can\'t, you\'re right.&quot;</p>\r\n<p><br />------</p>\r\n<p>Copyright 2007 Jean Wilson Murray, MBA, PhD.<br />Dr. Jean Murray has been advising small business owners since 1974. As the founder of Planning for Practice Success, she specializes in assisting health care professionals with business plan construction and startup details. She can help you gain the knowledge to act and the confidence to begin. Learn more at <a href=\"http://www.professionalpracticesuccess.com\">http://www.professionalpracticesuccess.com</a><br /></p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('422','16','This is a true story of how a business angel could have helped my friend, she was tipped at being a self made millionaire but instead after 3 years she claimed bankruptcy and gave it all up. I have changed her name and omitted details of the invention to protect her identity.<br /><br />I met Sarah on an access course and found her nice but a bit bossy and competitive. One day we were talking about going to university and she asked me what I planned to do and what she thought would make her the most money. I had plans to study computer science and suggested CAD (computer aided design) would probably bring in the most money. In the end I became pregnant and my partner and I decided to start up our own business from home. We got a loan from the Princes Trust to start us off. My friend went on to University and I didna??t here from her again until 3 years later when she was just about to graduate.<br /><br />I was watching the local news and my old friend Sarah was the main story. She was being tipped to become a self made millionaire all because of her final year dissertation. She had invested a product that was tipped to sell world wide and make her a fortune. She had won numerous awards and had been asked to appear on a number of television shows including This Morning and Living Genius. There was a big hipe around her and this new product and she was getting investors left right and centre. The university bent over backwards to help their star pupil and advised her on what to do next.<br /><br />Around that time unfortunately for me my relationship had crumbled and my partner had left me for some cleaner and took the business with him, leaving me a single parent on benefits. I tried to get a job but was told by my local job centre that even though I was more qualified than the job centre lady interviewing me I would be not be better off going to work infact worse off. This made decide to go to University. <br /><br />After my first year at uni I had seen my friend on a program and thought I must get I back in touch with her as she seemed to be doing so well and I was pleased for her. She was a hard worker and obviously deserved all this attention and the rewards from it. I got back in touch with her through a mutual friend and I popped round to her new business premises to see her. She was sat behind a desk with all her awards and certificates behind her on the wall and she looked like the cat how had got the cream, and who could blame her. I was a little envious I guess but I thought she had got a little two big for her boots and all she talked about was her her her. The premises were huge, far to huge I thought for a starting out business. She was renting part of the space out as it was so huge and the costs were so high. I remember thinking then that this will fail, she had daft ideas and was not very business minded. Her husband didna??t seem to have a clue about anything and was little help. <br /><br />She was going on about a global company that want to buy her product and sell it via their outlets around the world, but they want to change the material and use their name and packaging. Sarah however wanted to sell her product with her own box and packaging and sell to little outlets around the county and give the smaller businesses a chance. Big mistake! That company would have made her the millionaire that everyone claimed she was going to be. Had I been her investor or business partner or adviser I would of jumped at that offer. I had already thought that I liked the idea of the product but I too thought it would sell better if it was a different material. I darena??t of told her that as this was her baby and she would argue the toss. <br /><br />She plodded on for another 18 months or so and things never really took off. She was running at a loss and there was no sign of the millions she thought she would make. After another year she gave up completely. The entire buzz around her and the invention vanished and she was left stressed and feeling a failure.#p##e#<br /><br />So the moral of this story is it takes more than just a good invention and hard work to make a business become successful. I believe if she had been given the right firm advice and ignored all the hype and press surrounding her she would be that millionaire. Her invention was good, but needed tweaking so as to make it a global success. She should have listened to the advice of professionals and looked at her invention as a business venture not as her precious baby. By turning down a big contract with a huge global company she lost out. But I believe if she had the right backing she could have been a huge success.<br />------------------------------------------------------------<br />Carolyn Clayton is the webmaster for Eman8te, an internet resource small business, start up companies, entrepreneurs, bankers, loan companies, venture capitalists and <a href=\"http://www.angelstartups.com\">Business Startup Angel</a>.<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('423','16','How many of you remember the immortal words of P. T. Barnum? Of Yogi Berra? On Wall Street, the incubation period for new product scams may be measured in years instead of minutes, but the end result is always a lopsided, greed-driven, gold rush toward financial disaster. The dot.com melt down spawned the index mutual funds, and their dismal failure gave life to &quot;enhanced&quot; index funds, a wide variety of speculative hedge funds, and finally, a rapidly growing number of Index ETFs. Deja Vu all over again, with the popular ishare variety of ETF leading the lemmings to the cliffs. How far will we allow Wall Street to move us away from the basic building blocks of investing? Whatever happened to stocks and bonds? The Investment Gods are not happy. <br /><br />A market or sector index is a statistical measuring device that tracks the movement of price changes in a portfolio of securities that are selected to represent a portion of the overall market. Index ETF creators: a) select a sampling of the market that they expect to be representative of the whole, b) purchase the securities, and then c) issue the ishares, SPDRS, CUBEs, etc. that you can trade on the normal exchanges just like ordinary stocks. Unlike ordinary index funds, ETF shares are not handled directly by the fund, and as a result, they can move either up or down from the value of the securities in the fund, which, in turn, may or may not mirror the movements of the index they were selected to track. Confused? There\'s more... these things are designed for manipulation!<br /><br />Unlike managed Closed-End Funds (CEFs), ETF shares can be created or redeemed by market specialists, and Institutional Investors can redeem 50,000 share lots (in kind) if there is a gap between the net-asset-value and the market price of the fund. These activities create demand in order to minimize the gap between the fund net-asset-value and the fund price. Clearly, these arbitrage activities provide profit-making opportunities to the fund sponsors that are not available to the shareholders. Perhaps that is why the fund expenses are so low... and why there are now hundreds of the things to choose from. It is also why a famous 30 stock Market Average has gone up at three times the speed of all the other indicators!<br /><br />Two other ishare/ETF idiosyncrasies need to be appreciated: a) performance return statistics for index funds typically do not include fund expenses... it should be fairly obvious that an index fund will always under-perform its market, and b) some index funds, ishares in particular, publish P/E numbers that only include the profitable companies in the portfolio. How do you feel about that?<br /><br />So, in addition to the normal risks associated with investing in general, we add: speculating in narrowly focused sectors, guessing on the prospects of unproven small cap companies, experimenting with securities in single countries, rolling the dice on commodities, and hoping for the eventual success of new technologies. We then call this hodge-podge of speculations a diversified, passively managed, inexpensive approach to 21st Century Asset Management! How this differs from the roots of the dot.com mess is a mystery to me. Once upon a time, there were high yield junk bond funds that the financial community insisted were appropriate investments because of their excellent diversification. Does diversified junk become un-junk? Isn\'t &quot;Passive Management&quot; as much of an oxymoron as &quot;Variable Annuity&quot;? Whatever happened to the KISS Principle?#p##e#<br /><br /><br />But let\'s not dwell upon the three or more levels of speculation that are the very foundation of all index funds. Let\'s move on to the two basic ideas that led to the development of plain vanilla Mutual Funds in the first place: diversification and professional management. Mutual Funds were a monumental breakthrough that changed the Investment World. Hands on investing (without the self-centered assistance of the banks and insurance companies) became possible for absolutely everyone. Self directed retirement programs and cheap to administer employee benefit programs became doable. The investment markets, once the domain of an elite group of wealthy entrepreneurs, became the savings accounts of choice for the employed masses. But only because the Funds were relatively safe with their guarantees of diversification and professional management! ETFs are just not the answer to the problems we\'ve experienced lately with traditional Mutual Funds. (Those problems are a function of Fund Manager Compensation, conflicts of interest within Fund Sponsor Organizations, the delivery and pricing system for the funds, and believe it or don\'t, the self directed retirement programs themselves.)<br /><br />Here\'s a thumbnail sketch of how well the major Passively Managed Indices have done since the turn of the century: For those six years, the DJIA growth rate averaged Zero % per year, the S &amp; P 500 averaged Minus 2% per year, and the NASDAQ Composite averaged Minus 8% per year! How many positive sectors, technologies, commodities, or capitalization categories could there have been? Go ahead, add in 1999 just to make yourself feel better and you\'ll come up with 2% per year for the DJIA, Zero % annually for the S &amp; P, and a stellar -1.5% per year for the NASDAQ. Now subtract the fees... hmmmm. Again, how would those ishares have fared? Hey, when you buy cheap and easy, it\'s usually worth it. Now if you want performance, I suggest you try management. Any management is better than no management, so long as you are receptive to the strategies or disciplines employed by the manager. If you can\'t understand or accept the strategy, don\'t hire the manager. During the past six years, there have been more advancing issues than declining ones on the NYSE, more stocks achieving new highs than new lows. Why did you lose money? <br /><br />Sure, you might find some smiles in an ishare or two, particularly if you have the courage to take your profits, and there may be times when it makes good business sense to use these products as a hedge against a specific risk. But please, stop kidding yourself every time Wall Street comes up with a new short cut to investment success. Don\'t underestimate the value of experienced management, even if you have to pay a little extra for it. Actually, there is no reason why you (and I mean every one of you) can\'t learn either to run your own investment portfolio, or to instruct someone how you want it done. Every guess, every estimate, every hedge, and every shortcut increases risk, because none of the crystal balls used by those creative product hucksters works very well over the long haul. Products and gimmicks are never the answer. ETFs, a combination of the two, don\'t even address the question properly... AND their rising popularity has raised the risk level throughout the Stock Market. How\'s that, you ask? The demand for DJIA stocks included in ETFs is raising their prices to levels that have nothing to do with company fundamentals. #p##e#<br /><br />What\'s in your portfolio?<br /><br />Note: The 2nd Edition of &quot;Brainwashing&quot; is coming this fall.<br /><br /><br />Steve Selengut<br />http://www.sancoservices.com<br />http://www.valuestockbuylistprogram.com<br />Professional Portfolio Management since 1979<br />Author of: &quot;The Brainwashing of the American Investor: The Book that Wall Street Does Not Want YOU to Read&quot;, and &quot;A Millionaire\'s Secret Investment Strategy&quot;<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('424','16','Picture yourself sitting at a desk, in a bank, as a small business loan officer. Your job is to make lots of good profitable loans .To do that you have to convince your superiors that a particular borrower is a good risk. You need to separate the good from the bad, pitch the good to the loan committee and the bad out the door. Get it right and bonuses and promotions are yours. Get it wrong and you won\'t be around too long. Oh, and one last thing - you don\'t have a crystal ball.<br /><br />How do you tell the good loans from the bad? You poke and prod to find the answer to one central question - can I trust this borrower and this business to succeed. You want to find borrowers who are prepared, who know their business and who will make you look good to the loan committee. You\'re paid to say &quot;yes&quot; - it\'s how the bank makes money - but only to people who will be trustworthy, creditworthy, customers. <br /><br />Now picture yourself walking in to that banker. You want him or her to know that you\'ve done your homework, that you\'re prepared to win and that you\'ll look good to the bosses. You need to show the who, what, when, where, why and how of your project in a way that can be passed up the chain of command. There is one, and only one, sure way to do that. You need to bring a business plan.<br /><br />A business plan is the report that\'s generated by asking a series of questions about your project or business. You describe the company, its products or services and the people who will make everything happen. You tell about the competition and how you will compete against them. Based on your vision, you provide a forecast of future profits and cash flow. In short, you create a blueprint for your success that makes it easy for the banker to say &quot;yes!&quot;.<br /><br />This isn\'t to say that a business plan is an instant answer to a loan or investment. Your project will eventually live or die on it\'s merits. The business plan only examines and describes your project\'s chances for success. But, by taking a good look at your project before you jump in (and ask others for money), you increase dramatically your chances for success and show that you are a careful and serious businessperson. When you hand a banker or investor the results of your homework (the business plan) they\'ll take you seriously and will be eating information out of your hand. <br /><br />About Author:<br /><br />Dave Miller is a business consultant with 27 years experience writing business plans. He is also the creator of FundablePlans <a href=\"http://www.fundableplans.com\">business plan software</a>.');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('425','16','Over the years, I have had many people say to me that although I keep<br />harping on about the magical power of goal achievement theory, they<br />don\'t know quite what it is I\'m referring to.<br /><br />Although they can see the results it has brought for me, and the<br />sense of<br />well being that goes along with it, I haven\'t explained the theory to<br />them<br />in a way that they can easily sum up.<br /><br />I think this is because it is so ingrained in me, that I assume<br />everyone<br />understands it.<br />That\'s a mistake on my part, so here goes, the 8-part theory of goal<br />achievement.<br /><br />1. Define your goal.<br />It may be a new car, house, a certain amount of money, a job,<br />whatever.<br />Define it as precisely as possible.<br /><br />2. Visualize.<br />You need to visualize the goal coming true. Picture yourself after<br />the goal<br />has come true.<br /><br />3. Write the goals down.<br />Write the goals on a little card, and look at it often throughout the<br />day,<br />certainly morning and night, preferably repeating them out loud.<br /><br />4. Believe it will happen.<br />If you doubt you goals, they won\'t happen, because you are admitting<br />defeat.<br />You also need to believe that you are worthy of the goal.<br /><br />5. Gain the knowledge.<br />Find out what other people did to achieve the same goal.<br />It is highly unlikely that you are the first.<br />There will be many different routes, and the knowledge is there.#p##e#<br /><br />6. Work out a plan.<br />Look at where you are now, look at where you want to be, and work<br />backwards, step by step, until you can see what the first step is,<br />that you<br />need to take to get to your goal.<br /><br />7. Take the first step.<br />This is often the hardest of all the steps, but can be the most<br />powerful,<br />unleashing amazing energies, both within you, and around you.<br /><br />8. Keep going.<br />Once the initial enthusiasm wears off, once the going gets tough,<br />keep<br />going! No-one said it was easy!<br />This is where you find out if you are really prepared to pay the<br />price or not.<br /><br />That\'s it!<br />Simple. Eh?<br />No, of course not, but the theory *is* simple, yes.<br /><br />All the steps need to be followed, you can\'t miss any of them, but if<br />you<br />follow them, believe me, the world is your oyster!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('426','16','I found something remarkably amazing how to earn possibly a lot\'s of money from the internet business. Really the possibility is unlimited?<br /><br />This is not a rich quick formula that can turn you into millionaire overnight, if that is what you are looking for then you will be disappointed. This is about working smart, valuable knowledge, time investment and flexibility. The information is detail and comprehensive even in some section is rather advance internet business strategy. If you follow them carefully I guarantee you will be starting earning the money like you never imagine before. This is a money making business model which has earned me my first income in couple of days time and it is growing as I continue the more advance strategies.<br /><br />I am working as a Software Consultant for a multinational consulting firm and has usually spend long hours at work routinely everyday for a good paycheck at the end of the month. For a while I thought those are the only way making it in live if you do not have tons of money and guts to start up your own business. I would imagine working hard for years gaining experience, achievement and reputation, only then would probably followed with promotion as career enhancement and so is salary $$$ increase. But I am glad to find out that I was wrong?<br /><br />I think there are enough $$$ out there in the world for everyone, it\'s a matter how we are able to collect them. Some do it the hard way; some do it the smart way. Similarly I think there is also information out there that perhaps many people do not have access to (including me up to some point in the past). Knowing the information have help me changed my way of thinking about making money, I would like to share them with you all as much as I have learned them from those who are willing to share their experience and knowledge. There are many techniques in internet business strategy and making money online which are going to be revealed in the e-books. I guarantee if you read through it carefully, or even repeat it several time until you understand them thoroughly and follow step by step guide, you will be making money in no time. <br /><br />Click below for more details:<br />\r\n<p><a href=\"http://hsc1898.mannco.hop.clickbank.net\">Online money making business strategy</a><br /><br /></p>\r\n<p><a href=\"http://hsc1898.richjerk.hop.clickbank.net\">Advance online money making strategy ? Now include chapter for beginner</a><br /></p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('427','16','<p>To ensure you receive an accurate quote and to save your time, please click on the &quot;you will need&quot; button for a list of the information required to complete the quotation process. Additionally, you may wish to refer to our &quot;insurance advice&quot; which will help answer any questions you have regarding the types of personal insurance policies available to you. This critical illness protection section is for UK (mainland) residents and quotes are provided by Investment Discounts On-Line Ltd.</p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('428','16','<p>There can be no denying the fact that life is a mixture of happiness and sorrow. One is advised to face the sorrows boldly. However, to face the situation boldly one requires taking the right step. One major cause of concern for everyone is illness and more critical the illness tougher it is on people to cope with it. It is not difficult to understand why. Illness means expenditure and critical illness means even more expenditure.<br /><br />No one can deny the fact that life today has become very expensive; so much so that people, at least those who belong to the middle class category, are forced to live strictly within their budget. In such a scenario, if a sudden expense rises then it can very well throw the budget of any middle class household out of gear. The situation becomes even worse if the need for expenditure has arisen because of some critical illness, for then it can simply not be postponed.<br /><br />This unpleasant scenario could well be averted if the person concerned is protected by <strong>medical insurance</strong>. In such a case, the expense is borne by the insurance company and the individual concerned would be, spared from spending a single penny of his hard earned money. Anyone who has suffered from the agony of sudden expenditure, particularly arising from such unavoidable reason as critical illness, will attest the fact that it indeed is a great help.<br /><br />There are quite a few insurance companies in the UK that are providing very effective services to their clients. However, to gain maximum advantage from medical insurance, in case of emergencies like critical illness one must be very careful while opting for insurance. A comparison of the policy of different insurance companies is a must. Only after thoroughly pouring over on different policies should one zero in on medical insurance. <br /><br />If this care is taken then there is no reason why one will have to fear about any eventuality, be it critical illness or anything else, as he would be having enough ammunition to fight the calamity. </p>\r\n<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('429','16','<p>With the Amex international healthcare plan you can choose from three levels of cover. Benefits of the plan include:</p>\r\n<p>Automatic Blood Care Foundation Membership<br />Claims processed with in 10 days of receipt<br />A single global plan with regional servicing<br />Access to the best medical care worldwide<br />Full support where ever you are in the world<br />In an emergency it only takes one phone call from anywhere in the world to one of our Alarm Centres to promptly set our global network into action. Staffed by multilingual operators 24/7 they can arrange hospital admissions, ambulance transfers and air evacuation where necessary</p>\r\n<p>The policy is applicable to anyone living away from their home country, not restricted to UK residents living abroad. Policy can be for non-UK residents living in the UK.</p>\r\n<p><br /></p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('430','16','<p>No one can deny the fact that life has become very uncertain these days. One only needs to glance at statistics to reveal this very sad aspect of modern times. In the last ten years, the rate of accidents in the UK has increased manifold. What is even more scary is the fact that in most of the cases, the accidents have proved to be fatal. This was quite expected, for the last ten years or so have seen life being lived at a breakneck speed and people being busier then ever. And in their eagerness to reach their destination on time, they often overlook traffic instructions with disastrous results.<br /><br />Another palpable change that modern time is a witness to is the continuously rising prices. This has forced people, particularly those from middle class to live strictly within their budget. And any unplanned expenditure is a matter of great inconvenience to them. In this scenario, imagine the consequences if the only earning member of a middle class household dies untimely. It is here that <strong>life insurance</strong> proves its utility and reduces the burden of the deceased person\'s family by paying them the full amount of the policy.<br /><br />Had life insurance not been their saviour, the family would have been shattered on the sudden demise of their only bread earner. Thanks to life insurance, such unpleasant scenario never happens and life insurance ensures that the family does not miss the absence of its only earning member, at least financially.<br /><br />However, one should exercise some precaution before opting for life insurance. Firstly, he should do a thorough research of the offers made by different insurance companies before zeroing in on one that suits his need the most. One should also ensure that the policy comes to existence as soon as it is signed. Also, one should ensure that no wrong information is provided to the insurance company, or else any complication might raise its head later.<br /><br />If the above mentioned steps are taken, then there is no reason why Life Insurance will not prove to be immensely useful for any household. </p>\r\n<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('431','16','<p>To ensure you receive an accurate quote and to save your time, please click on the &quot;you will need&quot; button for a list of the information required to complete the quotation process. Additionally, you may wish to refer to our &quot;insurance advice&quot; which will help answer any questions you have regarding the types of personal insurance policies available to you. This life insurance section is for UK (mainland) residents and quotes are provided by Investment Discounts On-Line Ltd. </p>');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('432','16','<p>Life is a wonderful mixture of happiness and sorrow. The point is to face the sorrows courageously. However, this is easier said then done. Once faced with tough circumstances, even the most organised men can be shattered. The most troublesome phase in anyone\'s life can be termed as the time when one\'s closest pal is bedridden and one does not have enough money to get him treated. <br /><br />Imagine the helplessness of people who cannot get their near and dear ones treated for want of money. It is here that the need of insurance is most felt. However, if one has got himself protected by medical insurance then the situation would never be so desperate. For then all the expenses would be taken care of by the insurance company, with neither the concerned family nor the individual requiring shelling out a single penny of his hard earned money.<br /><br />No one will argue the fact that life was never as expensive as it is in this era. As such any sudden expense can completely disrupt the smooth functioning of any middle class household. The situation becomes even worse when someone in the family is down with some serious illness. For then not only the expense would be great, but it would also be unavoidable. <br /><br />It is here that the real value of <strong>medical insurance</strong> is understood. No matter how expensive the cure might be, it would take care of all the expenses that would come on the treatment; thereby relieving the hapless family members from the agony of not being able to arrange for the expenses. <br /><br />It thus becomes apparent that medical insurance is extremely helpful for people and often is the only help at the time of emergency. Health Insurance can also be included in the same category, which further widens the net of medical insurance and makes more and more people reap its benefit. No wonder then that the popularity of medical insurance is continuously rising in the UK. </p>\r\n<br />');
INSERT INTO `dede_addonarticle` VALUES('433','16','<p>Before we answer the question as to why we need a critical illness insurance policy cover, lets first find out what exactly is critical illness insurance. It is a policy that helps the insured in affording the medical treatment for a life threatening disease.<br /><br />Medical advancements have achieved great milestones, and today we can proudly say that we have conquered many dreaded diseases by finding out their treatments. But, on the other hand, the cost of getting treated has also increased astronomically. People at times do not survive diseases just because they are unable to bear the cost of the treatment. The critical illness policy comes to the aid of the person when he requires it the most. <br /><br />Unlike other medical insurance and other policies that pay a person after an unpleasant incident has occurred, the <strong>critical illness</strong> policy provides financial support to the insured. The best part is that the insured is paid a lump sum on being diagnosed with a serious ailment, so that he is in a position to afford the expensive medical treatment and can successfully recover with the post medical medication and care. The huge medical bills become seemingly easy to tackle, and the insured does not have to dig deep into his savings and other financial resources. <br /><br />The critical illness policy is very flexible in terms of the payments. The payments are unrestricted, and the insured can put the money to any use. He may use the lump sum amount either fully or partially towards his treatment and subsequent rehabilitation. <br /><br />The only catch in this policy is that the person covered under the critical illness policy has to survive a 30 day period, called the \'survival period\' in order to claim the insurance money. In case the insured does not survive the 30 day period, his beneficiaries will still be entitled to his life insurance policy. </p>\r\n<br />');
