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Monthly Archives: December 2008
Are You Giving Business Debt Collections Permission To Control Your Life
Author : Mike McCoy
Collectors like to talk It’s what they do all day They will threaten, cajole and do everything in the book to traumatize your receptionist and wear you down They pile on the stress, when you’re already in shock And it works, which is why so many of them are outrageously rude and offensive
There is no Fair Debt Collections Practices Act to protect business people So business debt collectors are not held back by the protections given to consumers It’s like the Wild West Literally so, as a local business owner discovered, when a collector showed up at his door with a gun on each hip
Collectors can give themselves legalistic titles They sometimes call themselves ‘officers ‘ And company names can be fabricated to make them sound like law firms When you’ve picked up the phone to hear someone say, ‘This is Mr Screw, the pre-legal officer of Cheatem and Shyster’, you know what I’m talking about
Obviously, there is good and bad in everything and in every business and profession It’s characterized by the bell-shaped curve At the one extreme of the collection business there are really talented people They listen carefully to your side of the story and are adept at getting what they want by doing so At the other end there are those who just seem to go through life having bad days It’s probably these people who give the industry such bad name And it’s why there are more complaints filed with state and federal agencies about the collection business than any other category I wonder why this is?
How do you deal with these people? First thing first Between you and me, collectors have no power Pull back the curtain and you’ll find the Wizard of Oz It’s all smoke and mirrors Collection firms typically get paid up to fifty percent of what they squeeze out of your company, depending on the age of the account And they are assigned accounts for a set period, after which they typically lose them if they don’t collect money
If the account is then forwarded to a law firm, the collection company receives a small percentage of anything the attorney is able to rake in
The big threat collectors make is, ‘We’ll sent it to our attorney for legal action ‘ Actually, this is the last thing they want to see happen, if in fact they believe they can squeeze cash out of your starving business Or they may also threaten to force your client into bankruptcy Excuse me? At what astronomical cost, with whose money and to what end?
Your best weapon is knowledge Give collectors a good reputation to live up to And if you are up against a rude and obnoxious individual, let them rant Don’t wrestle with a pig You both get dirty and the pig loves it Stay cool and calm
Work out a settlement deal with them This has to be agreed, in writing and signed by both parties, before you transfer any of your precious business life blood to them Take your time and keep to your own schedule, not theirs The situation is not usually as urgent as they make it out to be And it’s always urgent for them Especially if they’re having a bad month and their car payment is due
Don’t fall into the, ‘We just want a good-faith payment,’ trap If you’re cash strapped, you can’t likely afford anything, whether or not someone wants to call it ‘good faith ‘ Never send money in the absence of a written agreement Oh, and never, ever pay by phone You could lose a lot more than expected
He is the author of ‘The Battle Scarred Guide to Small Business Debt Relief and Recovery’, available at http://amazon.com. If you want more information on how to protect your business and grow a resilient money machine, check out his company’s website at www.biz911.com Continue reading
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A Glance at Fee for Service and PPO Insurance Plans
Author : Art Gib
In today’s world, where even the most basic necessities of life have become startlingly inflated–especially medical care–it is crucial to be sure that you and your family have health coverage that will ensure that you receive any medical care you need without hefting you off to the poorhouse afterward Without it, seeing a medical professional can cost upwards of a hundred dollars–and that is not to mention emergency room visits, expensive prescriptions, extensive treatments, or major accidents
But how do you know which health insurance plan is right for your family’s unique situation? Let’s take a look at two types
The more traditional plan is called indemnity insurance, or “fee-for-service ” It operates much the same at automotive insurance does: each month, you pay into the cache, but in the event that you need medical treatment, you pay a certain deductible The insurance covers the rest of the cost
In the case of a visit to a doctor’s office, this deductible is usually fixed But when it comes to paying for a surgery or an emergency room visit (or anything along those lines), the payment is proportional to the total bill Often, the patient is responsible for about twenty percent of the cost, while the insurance supplements the remaining eighty percent
However, it is important to be mindful that the eighty percent generally does not get paid until the insured has provided the deductible amount Sometimes the patient is even required to pay the bill in full and simply apply for a reimbursement, in which case he or she may have to cope with high out-of-pocket expenses before they receive the financial assistance they need
But one of the most appealing aspects of “fee-for-service,” insurance is that the insured has the privilege of selecting their own doctors, hospitals, and specialists They also do not require a referral from a primary care physician to see a specialist This does provide more freedom and flexibility and cuts down on wasted time and expense
Preferred Provider Organizations, or PPOs, are insurance plans which have negotiated a fixed low price for services with a certain network of physicians and health care providers This does restrict the options for the insured, but the advantage is that a patient generally only pays about ten or fifteen dollars for a wide variety of services–even medical care with a specialist Another perk is that patients do not need a primary care physician’s recommendation to see a specialist in their network
But if the insured stray outside of the network, then they must pay the bill out of their own pocket and apply for an eighty percent reimbursement from their PPO There are even some times of PPOs–called EPOs, or Exclusive Provider Organizations–which will not reimburse you at all if you choose to seek care outside of the network
There are a number of other options available to health insurance seekers, so as you look, be sure to be realistic about your family’s needs and carefully study the advantages and disadvantages of each plan so you can best select the one that is right for you
To find the best health insurance for Texas residents, be sure to check out Ferriulo & Associates (http://usquotehunter.com/). Art Gib is a freelance writer. Continue reading
Workers Compensation Top Settlements Require Top Attorneys
Author : Art Gib
If you are hurt on the job, it is important that you seek legal advice regarding compensation The nature of the job is not of importance here: you can be injured in an office situation or in a warehouse or on a construction site It is the standard that all employers provide compensation to injured employees, whether or not the accident was the employer’s fault However, there are specific actions that a worker must take in order to obtain workers compensation benefits In order to ensure that you can pay your bills during the time you are unable to work, you should search for an attorney to guide you as soon as possible after the event
In addition to ensuring that the injury is related to the place of business, an experienced lawyer will direct you as to the documentation required to file for disability benefits, and the deadlines for such filing Usually these disability monies are paid throughout the period of recovery until such time as you return to work If, on the other hand, you sustained a provable permanent disability, your attorney will represent you in obtaining a lump sum settlement
In each step, your employer or their insurance company may dispute your claim They might argue that the accident was not work-related or that the injury sustained is not permanent Proof of how, when and where the accident occurred is obviously quite important, and your attorney will also work closely with your physicians and any physical therapists you may need to visit Your claim can be refuted in its entirety or as to the amount of compensation you are seeking, again pointing out the need for competent legal representation so that your rights (both legal and administrative) are filed in a timely manner
Most people are unaware of the legal experts in the field of workers compensation, and usually start the process of hiring an attorney by going through the yellow pages In addition to that, you can use the internet to pinpoint lawyers in your area of the country A specific search term, with the type of law you need expertise in, and the town or city you live in, should come up with a list of websites you can visit for purposes of research Therefore, instead of typing a phrase like “attorney Tennessee” into a search engine, drill down to something very specific Therefore, searching for Workers Compensation in Murfreesborough, for example, should be pretty easy for you
Once you have read through the sites thoroughly, you can then set up initial consultations with two or three that seem to get the results you are looking for
Craft & Sheppard (http://www.craftsheppardlaw.com/) is a law firm providing advice for workers compensation in murfreesborough. Art Gib is a freelance writer. Continue reading
Energy Performance Certificates
From 2008 the UK will have a regulation governing business property.
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The UK Lending Outlook
Before the recent credit crunch there were more than 44,000 different products and lending deals listed on the mortgage advisors' sourcing system Trigold.
How To Recover From Identity Theft
Author : April Claeyssens
Having your identity stolen can make you feel mad and violated If you have excellent credit on top of that then you probably feel scared There are certain things you must do as soon as you realize what happened So, if you’ve experienced this crime you’ll need to know how to recover from identity theft
The Federal Trade Commission (Consumer Protection Division) is the agency that keeps track of identity theft and its victims Identity theft is a big business and with our economy in shambles, it’s only going to get bigger There are many people right now who do not know that their identity has been stolen So, here are some tips on how to recover from identity theft
First you must contact the police You’ll need that police report down the line In fact, keep it forever Next, request an extended alert on your credit report from all 3 credit reporting agencies An extended alert will remain on your report for 7 years compared to an initial alert which lasts 90 days
It’s been advised to cancel all credit cards that you don’t need Call each company and request closure of your account Make sure they document the conversation by sending you a letter stating “account closed by consumer” Keeping extra credit cards just increases your risk of being a victim
Also, contact your bank to flag your account Choose an amount and tell the bank to contact you when an amount higher than that has been withdrawn If you have access to your account online, check your balance daily Many people have discovered a discrepancy early which helps the bank to recover the money Not to worry, you will be reimbursed within 24 hours
Start being more vigilant of your surroundings Make sure no one can tamper with your mail Get off of mailing lists with credit card companies Many people have had their identity stolen by someone talking on a cell phone which also doubles as a camera It’s a given that most identity theft victims never know how or when they’ve been victimized
If you have a good or excellent credit score you have more to lose than the average person Credit will be extended more readily to someone with a great credit history So that makes you the type of person identity thieves consider a goldmine So the time to take action is now Don’t become oblivious to what the world is telling you Protect your name and your rights
It’s sad to say, but it is what it is The latest statistics say that every 2 seconds someone becomes a new victim of identity theft So whether you’ve been a victim or not, protect yourself before it happens Learn how to recover after identity theft and put these people out of business
Hi, my name is April. If you’ve been violated, there are definite ways to quickly recover from identity theft. Take action immediately. Please check out my website at www.savemoneysavetimenow.com. Continue reading
Are You A First Home Buyer Check Out This
Author : Ranju Kumar
First home buyers are people willing to own a home or are doing a second home buying First home buying is an action that cannot be rushed, as it takes a lot of consideration and planning The search usually begins long before the time of asking It takes a lot of focusing and certainty as to the benefits of owning a home for someone to come to the decision of owning one
With the introduction of internet technology, potential home buyers usually start their search from the online listings A home buyer is able to view virtual tours and make choices of his place of interest within the confines of his home
This has been instrumental in giving prospective home buyers the necessary information such as the type of home and neighborhood before getting to the real estate agent’s office
Buying a home is a rigorous activity that needs to be conducted step by step to achieve better results Before buying a home, you must be able to look at your budget and income so as to know if you can afford Affordability depends on the income, credit rating, current monthly expenses, interest rates as well as the down payment
The home industry is a complicated one that needs complete understanding of the rights of both the seller and the buyer as well as the legal requirements of such a transaction The requirements of fair housing for all as well as equal opportunities for all should be properly implemented Other rights to be observed are borrower’s rights, predatory lending and real estate settlement procedures Act
This is followed by shopping for a good loan deal A home buyer should do a bit of homework to choose a lender with the package that suits your needs This is done through talking to several lenders, comparing of the costs and interest rates and negotiating for the best deal
A home buyer should be able to seek loan programs that offer low down payments These are the best for first time home buyers The next step would be to hunt for a home of your choice This is largely determined by the kind of neighborhood you want and the house choice
Home shopping is followed by making the offer to the real estate agent This involves negotiations and sale agreements Inspection of the desired house will be needed to verify its condition Inspection can be carried out by the owner or a hired professional home inspector
Where applicable, the home buyer should have a homeowner’s insurance cover This might be required by the lender The final step is to sign the necessary settlement papers to close the deal Home buyers are advised to read the papers carefully before signing
Are you a First Home Loan Buyer or Refinancing for your next home loan or Looking to consolidate your debt? Just log on to the website Australia Home Loan to get access to leading lenders and grab this golden opportunity to obtain best Australia home loans by saving time, effort and money. Continue reading
Your Short Term Health Insurance Options
Author : Matt Chang
With the economy in the shape it is, many people are losing their jobs As of November 2008, the United States lost 500,000 jobs With that kind of loss, there are many people now without health insurance Even though many people can’t opt for COBRA, the price is usually too high to afford
Finding an affordable health insurance plan in the US can be a challenging task for someone who does not have money There are many different kinds of health insurance plans available The health insurance plans that usually come to mind when people think about health insurance are employer-sponsored group health insurance plans, state-sponsored health insurance plans, and individual health insurance plans
If a person does not have the option of buying into an employer-sponsored group health insurance plan, he will usually look into purchasing an individual health insurance plan or state-sponsored health insurance plan There is, however, another option available for health insurance
Many people overlook the affordable, short term health insurance plans available in the US You may not be familiar with short-term health insurance plans But take a look at some of the frequently asked questions regarding short-term health insurance
Short term health insurance is health insurance that lasts for six to 12 months, depending on your needs Short term health insurance is an affordable way to obtain temporary insurance to cover your health care costs, and the health care costs of your family If you are in between jobs and you know you were going to be getting another position soon, this may be a great option for you
In general, short term health insurance plan usually provides the same kinds of health care available with any other health insurance plan A short term health insurance plan may give you coverage for doctor visits, surgeries, inpatient and outpatient treatments and procedures, other hospitalization services, discounts on prescription medications, as well as dental care and vision care There are many different plan options available and you should take a look to see what is available to you
An individual who finds himself unemployed or laid off should consider purchasing affordable, short term health insurance in the US Just because an individual’s employment status changes does not mean his, and his families, health care needs change, too
Some short term health insurance plans are actually designed with unemployed and laid off workers in mind This means that short term health insurance plans are made to be affordable for people without steady income
As the economy continues to deteriorate, it may be necessary not only for short-term health insurance but more state or federal government-sponsored insurance plans If you think that you may be in a position that you are losing your insurance shortly, it is very important that you start now researching your options so that you don’t get caught having a gap in medical insurance coverage
For more information, visit thehealthinsuranceshop.com for details about major medical health insurance and Hawaii health insurance online. Continue reading