Vital Questions to Ask When Viewing a Home

When viewing a property, especially one you walk into and think ‘this is it’, it can be easy to get caught up in your emotions and forget all about the practicalities of house buying. The truth is that while a house may seem perfect on the surface, it may be hiding an abundance of hidden problems; problems that if you want to uncover, you need to be asking the right questions.

What’s included in the sale?

For example; will the white goods remain and how much land comes under the property’s deeds? There may be additional land included that isn’t clearly part of the property. While that might seem like a bonus, remember that if you can’t sell the land (not always easy, and with its own repercussions) you will be responsible for its upkeep.

Some owners will also wish to leave behind their furniture, which while portrayed as a bonus, could in reality cause problems. Ensure you know what the deal is, so you can make sure suitable arrangements are in place before closing the deal.

How much do the average monthly bills cost?

Including the utilities and taxes. While of course, heating and electricity bills are highly variable according to the habits of the owners, factors such as the insulation of the property and the amount of natural light it benefits from (or doesn’t) will ultimately affect this too.

Is the property a listed building or in a conservation area?

While there are many benefits to living in a conservation area (house prices tend to stay relatively stable for instance) this fact may well affect your ability to make any significant changes to the property.
If the building itself is listed, you can forget about your dream of carrying out a loft conversion and building a conservatory: in reality, you might not even be allowed to install double glazing or change the flooring.

Is the house fully central heated?

And if so, how old is the system? Not all homes benefit from central heating (choosing either electricity or old-fashioned, expensive and inefficient forms of heating such as oil) and those that do, may well be kitted out with an ancient and potentially hazardous system.

Have there ever been any problems with the neighbours?

This one is vital because if there are problems with neighbours, you will inherit the problems, and problem neighbours are much harder to get rid of than a bit of damp or an inefficient heating system.

Note that if any neighbourly disputes have been formerly reported, it’s illegal for the house seller not to declare this. However, if disputes have always been kept under-wraps, you may not find out until it’s too late.
For this reason, it might be worth carrying out your own investigations and speaking to a few of the neighbours yourself.

Are there or has there ever been any problems with damp?

While minor damp problems are usually easy to rectify, severe damp can be a nightmare that affects the health and happiness of those forced to live with it.

Be sure to have the property checked out thoroughly, in every room from the porch through to the loft.
If the tale of a previous damp problem is regaled to you, ensure you’re informed of why the problem occurred and how it was fixed.

Article written by Amy Fowler on behalf of Buckley Loft Conversions, experts in loft conversions in Staffordshire and loft conversions in Birmingham

Use Video Conferencing Technology to Move Your Business Forward

In today’s high speed world of technology, video conferencing offers businesses affordable, cutting-edge technology in order to keep ahead of the game. In previous years these tools were only available to much larger corporations. In today’s business world, any sized business can benefit from conferencing tools to help aid in their expansion strategy. Audio, text and video applications used simultaneously in multiple locations makes for the whole world to be shrunk into meeting room manageability.

If your company has already got world-wide expansion ideas, then video conferencing is the next ideal and logical step. Talking in real-time, face to face across the globe is easy which in turn makes it far easier to tap into new potential client pools all across the globe. Connecting with new potential clients before any other competition can move in regardless of distance suddenly becomes an easy option. With the advancements of HD video calling, the clarity of the video conference makes it as personal as if you were meeting in person.

Company management is streamlined with video calling especially if you have employees that work off site in other locations. The interoperable collaboration tools allow urgent matters to be discussed instantly whilst also allowing the transfer of data files, programme sharing and sending or receiving graphic data. To expand their teaching audiences, universities have been at the forefront of this technology for a while but there are also vast benefits to businesses upgrading to HD video conferencing technology.

Organizing in-house tasks within a business is made simple due to video conferencing. By keeping everyone involved up to date an informed in real-time, valuable time is saved reducing meetings and speeding up projects to work to deadlines more efficiently. This is also true for those working off site as they are kept informed of any changes in operational or scheduling processes. Keeping in touch with clients that are thousands of miles away simply by using video conferencing improves your customer service and satisfaction enabling you to quite easily pursue clients across the globe without interfering in your daily working life.

Companies that are available around the clock are appreciated, especially if you are conducting business across the globe. Foreign clients would like contact with more than just a voice mail system.  Video conferencing allows seamless contact any hour of the day making it convenient for both parties. Any questions or problems can be dealt with instantly by being referred to the correct department - happy customers always leads to increased sales and profits for the company.

As all businesses are aware ‘time is money’, to reduce the amount of wasted time on a day to day basis will reflect in increased savings for the company. Instead of sending sales representatives across the globe for client meetings, video conferencing allows you to stay in the comfort of your own country but also keeping a solid connection to each and every client. Internal meetings, strategy adjustments or operational procedures can all be relayed in unison to all concerned parties making the whole business super efficient and keeping you ahead of the competition.

Consumer Debt Issues Are Better, But the IRS Has Softened Its Tactics

Our domestic economy is showing signs of a modest recovery, despite the problems in Europe and the fact that this is an election year.  American households are gradually paying down their collective debt load, and bankruptcy filings are actually down seven percent year-over-year. Usda first home buyers are also seeing an improvement on their rates. Averages, however, can be misleading.  A major portion of our society is still struggling to make ends meet, and, if the IRS is pounding on your door for back taxes, penalties, and interest, then your workable options seem slight, if any.

Recently published data from the St. Louis division of the Fed reflects that consumers have materially reduced their debt service payments as a percentage of their disposable income.  The chart below tells the story:

Households blew past pre-recessionary levels, approaching levels not seen since the nineties.  This chart, however, masks the situation that less fortunate families must deal with in today’s slow-growth economy.  For example, less than 200,000 tax liens were issued in 1999, but today that figure has risen above 1.1 million per year.

Out of obvious concern for taxpayers and a desire to reduce internal processing costs, the IRS made a move nearly a year ago to lessen the severity of their dreaded “knock at the door”.  In February of 2011, the IRS announced a series of new steps to assist individuals and small businesses deal with unpaid tax liabilities.  The changes apply to the following five areas:

1) The threshold for a tax lien has been increased from $5,000 to $10,000;
2) Upon full settlement of your taxes, the IRS will issue a tax lien withdrawal, as opposed to a lien release.  A tax lien withdrawal will cancel the lien from your credit score whereas in a tax lien release the lien will remain on your credit record for 7 years after your tax settlement date;
3) If your tax liability is not more than $25,000 and you enter a “Direct Debit Installment Agreement”, the IRS will allow you to receive a lien withdrawal even if you do not completely settle your back taxes;
4) Small business owners will now be able to pay their back taxes in installments as long as the amount is less than $25,000;
5) In the past, individuals that wished to apply for an “Offer in Compromise” were required to earn less than $50,000 a year and have a liability less than $25,000.  These “ceilings” have now been raised to $100,000 and $50,000, respectively.

These rule changes apply on a federal level, but taxpayers should also review their states for related modifications. For example, Florida is having a rough time with unemployment, but one company associated with ac repair florida is turning a corner and making strides to show recovery.  Other options are to seek tax debt relief from an independent loan provider, or, in the worst case, file for bankruptcy.  Bankruptcy laws now allow for some relief from taxes if the following five requirements are met:

1) The due date for filing a tax return is at least three years ago;
2) The tax return was filed at least two years ago;
3) The tax assessment is at least 240 days old;
4) The tax return was not fraudulent;
5) The taxpayer is not guilty of tax evasion.

The IRS has definitely made it easier to settle and move on with your life.  IRS regulations, however, can be complex.  Consulting an experienced tax professional is always advisable.

5 Ways You Can Save Money While in College

College is without a doubt a wise investment in your future, but it certainly doesn’t come cheap. Higher education can be very financially draining, especially thanks to the rising costs of tuition and the increased reluctance of banks to provide affordable student loans.

However, there are some easy ways you can cut back on your spending and avoid getting into significant debt. Here are 5 quick and simple ways for saving money while attending college:

1. Study Part Time
Studying part time is a great way to pay your way through college without getting into astronomical debt. You could enroll in a part-time law program for example, and avoid getting into too steep a debt by working full-time to continue collecting income while attending school. Although it will take you a lot longer to complete your degree, the financial rewards can easily outweigh this drawback.

2. Explore Financial Aid
Most colleges offer a plethora of financial aid and scholarship options. Make sure you explore all benefits that could be available to you and get your questions answered by talking to a financial aid representative at your college. Don’t let any of these opportunities pass you by and apply for any benefits and scholarships that you think you are likely eligible for.

3. Study Local
You may have dreamed of studying in a cosmopolitan city far from home, but chances are this just isn’t viable on your budget. If you study within your home state you won’t have to pay out of state fees and you can save money on accommodation by living with your parents or other family members. What’s more, you can save big bucks by attending a local junior college for your first two years of school as junior colleges generally offer transferrable courses at very low tuition rates.

4. Watch Your Credit
Most college students have at least one credit card, but you will want to be careful how much you put on it. Credit cards can easily feel like free money, but don’t forget that you will eventually have to pay it back and often with interest. By all means have a credit card, but only use it for small items or emergencies, and try and always pay off your minimum amount owed each month. The last thing you want is to graduate with both student loan and credit card debt.

5. Be Thrifty
In this economy, there really is no shame about being thrifty. Save big bucks while in college by clipping coupons, scouring online for the best deals and always take advantage of any student discounts that may be available to you. Another great tip is to buy your textbooks secondhand online or even rent them per semester.

As you can see, there are many easy solutions for saving lots of money while in college. Although graduating completely debt free is impossible for many, following the above suggestions should leave you able to substantially reduce your overall debt come graduation day. Good luck!

Bankruptcy: Chapter 7 & Chapter 13

The two most common forms of bankruptcy are Chapter 7 and Chapter 13. However, each of them has significantly different criteria that may determine which one is right for your individual needs. A Long Island bankruptcy lawyer can help you understand the right way to file the needed paperwork. However, you must first have an understanding of Chapter 13 and Chapter 7.

What is Chapter 7?

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy is designed for individuals, small businesses, partnerships and nearly any other type of business. When filing a Chapter 7, Nassau County businesses and individuals are required to pass a means test. This involves calculating the last six months of income and expenses to determine eligibility. Chapter 7 bankruptcy results in liquidation of all non-exempt assets.

Debts that may be included in these filings are both personal and business debts. Individuals are required to undergo debt counseling as part of their filing. It is important to note that while Chapter 7 is designed to give a debtor a fresh start, discharge of debts is not guaranteed. In addition, debts that are secured by physical property such as real estate or equipment are not eligible to be discharged.

What is Chapter 13?

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy proceedings are specifically for wage earners and for unincorporated small business owners. This section of the bankruptcy code has specific dollar limits on the amount of debt secured by property and unsecured debt. Chapter 13 also requires that the filing parties receive credit counseling. To file a Chapter 13, Nassau County individuals and small businesses should seek guidance from a qualified attorney. The process is often very confusing and there are numerous deadlines that must be met.

Chapter 13 reorganizes the debt of the filing party or parties. This means that a plan for repayment of debts must be created. Those who have filed for bankruptcy protection during the prior six months are not eligible to file a second time. Once a Chapter 13 plan has been put in place, the debtor must make all payments under the Chapter 13 agreement as well as current payments. Failure to maintain these payments could result in the court nullifying the bankruptcy filing.

Considering filing for bankruptcy protection is very difficult. Small business owners and individuals often see bankruptcy as giving up on themselves. Over the long term, bankruptcy can impact credit, the ability to find a new job and the ability to find housing. It is crucial when considering filing Chapter 13, Nassau County business owners and individuals understand their rights and responsibilities. Hiring a Long Island bankruptcy attorney can help debtors understand the process as well as their rights and responsibilities under the law.

When considering filing for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 7, Nassau County businesses and individuals will benefit greatly from working closely with an attorney who understands bankruptcy law. A qualified Long Island bankruptcy attorney can help debtors seek credit counseling, file the appropriate documents and help determine which chapter of the bankruptcy code is appropriate for their individual circumstances.

How Does ERP Save Your Business Money?

Many issues in business occur due to poor communication. Communication problems can lead to significant hold ups in the productivity of the business from supply chain to accounts. It is of utmost importance to communicate efficiently in order to create a functional enterprise. The development of communication techniques are required in order to improve efficiency and this is where the ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system comes into play. With the implementation of the ERP system, new lines of communication will be opened up between different departments and parties, not only are there new channels of communication but they are also provided in real-time.

The effect of this real-time communication system is that the usually desperate departments within the business are now provided with communication outlets to one central project within the business. This allows for any particularly complex projects to be tracked and monitored right the way through the process as it moves to various different departments. If there are any problems, alterations or interruptions there is instant awareness and therefore speedy action can be taken to fix the problem. This is beneficial for both clients and employees not to mention upper management.

For a company that has several locations regionally, the ERP system is extremely beneficial. Ensuring a single line of communication that links all bases back to one usable system, the company is kept synchronised and motivated.

ERP can save a business money by eradicating the need for secondary lines of communication. As information in the ERP system can be accessed by multiple people at the same time and in real-time, there is no need for the extensive email or telephone calls across the company. Even being miles apart in another building, teams can easily work together through the ERP system by communicating very specifically about issues or processes.  There is a much reduced requirement for filters as complex emails do not need to be translated by a central point. This allows the company to move forward, reducing costs and minimising delays.

Depending on the company size and its industry, an ERP system can be implemented quickly with minimal impact on the daily running of the business. Speedy streamlining of the business can begin after installation mainly because all of the information gathered from the different departments will allow for a far more in depth analysis of working processes in a shorted timescale.

With all of this data gathering, it is easy to see where the business needs are or where there is an over-abundance of stock or processes and adjust the business model in order to improve performance.

It can often prove difficult to gather all of this information which can result in inaccurate or incomplete studies. ERP systems automatically provide this information as a simple by-product of its normal processes making it easier, faster and more efficient at locating and allocating resources where needed.

Business owners need a process of gathering much more accurate information that is delivered in a compact and highly efficient method. The ERP system is designed to do just that. Keeping the circulation of information in a way that speeds up processes whilst making the best use of data for future analysis cannot be ignored. The benefits to the business and overall performance will be very easy to spot.

Student Loan Guide for the Present Credit Crisis Secondary

Student loans have been affected by the global economic downturn over the past year that has led to credit crisis in most countries. This has undoubtedly caused numerous money lenders including banks to become more stringent in their lending policies. In the present credit climate, it is essential for students to plan extra carefully with the help of their parents or a mentor to identify realistic needs and not wants in the borrowing department.

A college education is probably the most important investment one makes in life and the most expensive to boot. Student loans have been growing at an alarming rate as the cost of education even in public universities rises unchecked. With the U.S. government lagging behind, costs have risen even more steeply. In this financial scenario, it is necessary for the student to be aware of what borrowing entails and how the financial aid system works before taking out a loan.

Different Types of Loans

Step one is learning about the different types of loans available to undergraduate students. The government offers federal loans directly to students; banks and money lending institutions offer federal loans guaranteed by the government; private loans from private money lenders and banks without government guarantee on the loans. In a few cases, colleges and universities may offer loans to students. Federal loans are a student’s best bet because the Congress caps the interest at a fixed level.

Popular Student Loans

There are a couple of loans favored by students; one is the Stafford loan that is available to all students irrespective of financial need. The second is the Perkins loan; this loan is given to students with the highest level of financial need. Students from low-income groups are generally given the highest priority. Parents of students are entitled to avail Parental Loans or “PLUS” loans, which are federal loans. Information on these loans is available from the U.S. federal Education Department.

Filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

The FAFSA form unfortunately is a long and complicated one, but it has to be filled out. Students may be relieved to learn that the form can be filled out online. Log on and get it over with; as a student you immediately become eligible for a federal loan that can save you thousands of dollars in interest alone. A word of advice, go for the Perkins loan first, if you qualify.

A final closing tip on student loans; be wary of any lender who tries to steer you away from federal loans and into private loans. Talk to the financial aid administrator at the college for advice and guidance.

Author Byline: R.J.Robbins is an active proponent of students learning how to manage their money and promotes these ideas in her blog, About Personal Finances.