Monday, December 21, 2009

Sell my Endowment ; How to

Selling Endowment Policy is a practice prevalent in the U.K. Selling endowment is simply surrendering the policy to a third party.Selling an endowment policy has become a big business these days.The reason is simple: There is more profit when someone surrenders an endowment policy back to the Insurance company.

Endowment policy selling has risen in the recent years.These days more and more companies are coming forward to buy the endowment policies at rates much higher than the surrender value.

If you are confused how to reach the endowment buyers, a traded Endowment specialist
can help you or you can directly contact a company.The former deals with Second Hand Endowment policies and they can help you to find the best quote available in the market.Some companies purchase endowments only from these specialists, hence it is always better to entrust the whole job in the hands of these specialists.

The offers vary from companies to companies.Some gives a guaranteed offer while others don't.A Traded Endowment specialist can help you find the best offer suited to your circumstances.

Purchase structured settlement ; how to ?

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Structured Settlement ; Definition

These days we hear so much about purchasing structured settlements. So lets first take a look at what structured settlement is all about.

What are Structured Settlements?

When someone wins a lawsuit, he gets the recovery for the damages in cash.This may be given as a lump sum amount or as a series of smaller payments. The settlement that is given out as a number of smaller payments overtime is known as a structured settlement.In order to provide financing , usually structured settlements are generally made by an intermediary third party.

Secured Loans ; Definition

Secured loan is a loan against a security or an asset like your home, car, etc. ('Secured' actually applies to the loan lenders, that they are secured !!!).

The secured loans are usually low risk loans (for the lender, ofcourse!) since the lenders have no fear of losing money. But the borrower may find it a bit risky , since if he fails to repay the loan on time , the lender can take away the valuable assets.Most of the times the value of the assets are more than the total amount of the loan, thus leaving the lender richer and the borrower homeless.

Some of the examples of secured loans are listed below.

1.Home equity loans

2.Mortgage Loans

3.Debt consolidation loans

4.Second Mortgage Loans

Friday, December 18, 2009

Student Loans Consolidation

Student Loan Consolidation is basically is a tool which enables the repayment of a student loan by way of refinancing all the student loans into a single loan , thereby decreasing the repayment per month.Consolidating private student loans into one is practically a wonderful step for an easy repayment.Student loan debt consolidation is allowed by most of the financing institutions.Student debt consolidation is a step ahead in refinancing your mortgages.With a student loan consolidation calculator it is easier to determine the total amout of money you save.

FHA Bad Credit Home Loans

FHA bad credit home loans are federal assistance mortgage loans issued by federally qualified lenders insured by Federal Housing Administration in the U.S. Having originated during the Great depression of 1930s, the FHA loans have been able to provide homes for the low income groups of America.

This was established under the U.S National Housing Act of 1934 with a view to provide homes for thousands of homeless Americans, to eradicate unemployment, and to insure various other loans.

FHA bad credit home loans are known to be the best solution for owning a home, if you are running a bad credit. You may qualify for the mortgage even if you have a bad credit, high debt to income ratio, or filed for bankruptcy in the past. Bad credit equity home loan can work well for you even if you do not have money for down payment or closing costs.

With the help FHA program many bad credit Americans are now proud home owners. FHA does not build houses or make plans or give loans. It only acts as an insuring agency that insures loans given by private lenders.

Once the borrower makes arrangements with the lender about the loan, the FHA scrutinizes the applicant and work on the principal if it is risk free and then insures the lending institution against the loss of the principal amount.

The borrower has to pay one half of the insurance premium, if he declines the balances for the lender. As a result, the borrower enjoys 2 benefits
1. Appraisal by the FHA inspector
2. Lower interest on the mortgage.

To obtain FHA loans one must first contact private lenders or mortgage brokers. Since every lender has a different rate, it is always a good idea to contact as many lenders as you can, to compare rates. Then the potential lender assesses the prospective home buyer on his income, debts to income ratio, history of previous debts and their repayment, etc.

Based on the income and monthly expenses of the borrower, the lender assesses the affordability of a house, the type of house which suits the borrower the best, and then decides on the principal of the loan, the interest, etc.

The basic documents required for getting FHA loans are the following:

1.2 years experience in employment (last two years of schooling, for recently graduated)

2. Credit score above 620 (if no credit history, cell phone bills, rent bills, etc can be used.)

3. Proper ID (Birth certificate along with a copy of State security card, State Driver’s license.)

4. Debt ratio below 36/46

FHA insures adjustable rate mortgages in periods of lower interest, thus enabling borrowers to enjoy more affordable mortgage financing.

By FHA program the process of buying a home has become a lot much easier and affordable than traditional real estate mortgage home loans. These loans are primarily targeted at the low income and middle income Americans.

Even self employed can apply for the loan. FHA allows purchasing a home 2 years after a bankruptcy and 3 years after a foreclosure. Hence, for a first time home buyer there is no other better option than an FHA loan. Also, you need not be a first time buyer to opt for an FHA home loan.

Anyone can opt for an FHA home loan, provided you do not have more than one FHA loan insured at a time.

Down payment Assistant programs are loan programs intended to assist first time home buyers about the first time down payment requirements and closing costs as required by the FHA loan program.

Single family houses, triplexes, duplexes, mobile homes, factory built housing, 1-4 unit primary residences, approved condominiums, wide manufactured home, all qualify for the loan.

Like the sides of the same coin, FHA loans too, is not free from pitfalls. It is not fit for all borrowers. Of course it may make your dream come true of owning a home, but there are loopholes.

1. Low Limits: The borrowers cannot borrow as much as he wants. The limit is relatively low compared to other conforming loans

2. Rigid mortgage insurance structure

3. Need for credit: Even if it comes under a bad credit home loan, there must be some credit for them to look at, as a qualifying criterion

4. Limited options: Has limited option compared to non-FHA loans
Even if it has the above stated defects, the merits outnumber the demerits and hence these loans are good fit for a vast majority of borrowers.

Bad Credit Second Mortgage Loan

Bad Credit Second Mortgage Loan

A bad credit second mortgage loan is a loan in which the home equity serves as the collateral. A bad credit second mortgage loan is similar to replacing your first bad credit home equity loan with a new mortgage.

Bad credit second mortgage loan is secured by the home equity which makes the lenders comfortable to approve a second loan. So even if the bad credit borrower fails to repay on time, the lender may foreclose on the property. As a result, procuring a second mortgage loan is a lot easier and ideal. In fact, a second mortgage can help the borrower improve his credit score.

There is scope for consolidation of the debt, once the funds are received and the borrower can pay off in a single monthly payment. Notwithstanding the fact that the borrower should have an eye on his financial situations in order to ensure if he can afford an additional monthly expense.

The homeowners should see that they have sufficient equity in their homes, before applying for a second mortgage loan. Even if second mortgages carry a higher interest rate, these loans help you to acquire funds for home improvement, children’s higher education, big purchases, debt consolidation, etc.

Homeowners are encouraged to contact several lenders, to be approved for a second mortgage. It is always better to work with a mortgage broker because they provide many offers. Moreover, they will be able to locate the best possible deals by negotiating with various lenders.

The applicants can select the best offer suited to them after the comparative shopping. Then the applicant is required to submit an application to the lender. They may also contact their current mortgage lenders who may agree to work with you only if you have a good payment history in spite of having a bad credit.

The following have to be kept in mind before applying for a second mortgage.

1. Do comparative shopping by contacting several lenders, banks, credit unions about the rates of the second mortgage.

2. When you miss a payment or if u have a late payment, default penalties may be applied to your account. If you approach for a second mortgage with these records, you are sure to stand a chance of getting a very high interest on your second mortgage.

3. Don’t ever apply for second mortgage bundled with voluntary insurance. This is because even if this coverage may be useful, it need not be bundled in with the second mortgage

4. See if there are any balloon payments in the deal. Balloon payments are those easily affordable payments at the cost of very high payments towards the end, pinned up with the second mortgage. Always read the contract very carefully before jumping into such eye catching stuff which is a pitfall in disguise.


5. Before applying for a second mortgage, one must prepare a budget. In addition to the monthly payment, there will be other charges like appraisal fees for the second mortgage, application costs for the second mortgage, which are not refundable even if you decline, and other closing costs for the title search and processing.

6. Always go for a reputable and trustworthy lender for second mortgages who is ready to disclose all the hidden costs, so that you get what you pay for.
Second mortgages can be put to use in a number of ways like home improvements, debt consolidation programs, to avoid private mortgage insurance, to purchase additional homes, to create a home equity line of credits, etc.

Opting for a second mortgage loan may help borrowers reduce their monthly payments. Second mortgage offers a low interest rate which helps people to start with their new mortgage by saving money. The extra money may be used to pay off other debts like credit cards or school bills.

Usually people take on a second mortgage whenever they are having extreme financial burdens. This loan is sure to relieve some of the burden, but it also means that the borrower is paying for his home for a lengthy term. Even if it allows the borrowers to pay off some of their debts, it does not grant them full freedom from debts as the mortgage term is quite long.

When taking a second mortgage, it is better to opt for a lengthy fixed rate mortgage loans if the borrower is looking for small monthly payments. Probably a 30 year term.

Those people who can afford higher monthly payments, or probably would have taken the current loan for purchasing a second property, may better opt for a short-term mortgage loan of 15 year term which can be of a great benefit to them and will end up paying less in the overall interest and they will get over the mortgage in relatively lesser time.

Bad Credit Personal Loans

Bad credit personal loans are those loans that do not require down payments or security deposits. Unlike a home loan or a car loan, a personal loan is unsecured. It means that you are offering no collateral to secure the loan which makes the loan inherently risky for a bank or any other lending institution.

Like the borrower of a bad credit equity home loan, the borrower of the bad credit personal loan also need not be a homeowner or with a car title as a collateral. These loans can be used for debt consolidation and for any personal use like vacations, tuition bills, medical bills, etc.

A bad credit personal loan helps to build a credit history. A bad credit loan lender will report your payments to the major credit bureaus. The borrower must prove to the lending company and to the credit bureaus that he can keep up with the obligations.

As long as the borrower submits the monthly loan payments on time, he can begin to improve the bad credit history step by step. One must also understand that sudden rebuild of credit history cannot be achieved overnight.It may take 6 months to 2 years before one can recover from a bad credit history. The success will depend on how well the borrower fulfills his responsibilities.

It is a fact that bad credit loans may cost more than the loans that require a good credit. But different lenders have different rates. And it is advisable that the borrower contacts many lenders and do comparative shopping.

Whenever a person with a bad credit applies for a loan, they are forced to pay for it with a higher interest rate. This is primarily because; the lenders view the bad credit borrowers as very high credit risks.

In order to qualify for bad credit loans, it is first necessary to fill out an application which requests your full name, income, Social Security number, and also other pertinent financial information. A lending officer then determines your credit worthiness, even if you have a bad credit history.

Once the personal loan is sanctioned, the money will be deposited in your checking account within 24 hours. One can use the cash for virtually anything personal. However, the amount one can borrow may be limited to not more than $1,500.

A loan lending office assists the borrower in making the application more appealing by encouraging the borrower to borrow a smaller amount of money. He may even advise the borrower to act wisely by making payments over a longer span of time. In this way, the routine monthly payments can be lowered to an extent, increasing the chances of procuring a loan.

The loan lending officer will check whether the borrower has a steady income. If the borrower has had held the same job for a number of years, he stands a better than of procuring the loan and if the borrower has changed jobs quite frequently in a span few years he has a meager chance to get qualified for the loan.

The application process for a personal loan is relatively quicker than that of other loans and it does not require any formal closing. The application process consists of a written application, with a promissory note, and a payment schedule. Conversely, the procedures are easier in obtaining a personal loan than in obtaining a secured loan.

It is a good idea to look for short term loans as these loans give you a chance to pay back the debt quickly before defaulting. However, these loans charge a higher interest on people with bad credit than those with good credit ratings.

The answer to judiciously managing a bad credit personal loan is based on how soon the borrower repays the borrowed amount. It is riskier to take more than one personal loan at a time. Care must be taken to borrow only the lowest amount needed. The baseline is: the sooner you are able to pay back your bad credit personal loan, the better it is for your financial future.

A borrower who already has many debts should refrain from taking personal loans. This is because if one takes a loan for debt consolidation and if he cannot repay, it will land him in more troubles. A borrower should always bear in mind that all his efforts are for knocking out his debts and live a tension free life.

It is better to find newer jobs and earn extra money to pay out earlier debts. It will be silly on the part of borrower to take personal loans for closing older debts. And one should bear in mind that taking a personal loan is not an ultimate solution for financial crisis. Personal loans for bad credit are often advertised as a remedy for all financial troubles, but in many cases they just aggravate the existing problems.

Bad Credit Mortgage Refinance

Bad credit mortgage refinance is primarily the process of replacing the original mortgages like bad credit equity home loan, with a new loan that has a lower interest rate and longer repayment terms.

The rate could be lower thus giving you lower monthly payments. As the loan tenure is lengthened and the interest lowered, it provides the borrowers with ample time and convenience to pay off the debts easily. So opting for a bad credit mortgage refinance will put you in a better position than without.

To get approved for a mortgage refinance one must convince the lenders that you are worthy of it by convincing them. For this, one has to improve his credit rating score by paying off the credit card debts, closing unnecessary credit card accounts, paying off the debts, and paying the utility bills.

The borrower should not fail to pay off the original home loan on time in the last 12 months. One who follows the above stand a better chance to qualify for refinance?

A bad credit may be due to unexpected expenses, emergencies, time off of work, hospital bills, big purchases, etc.

Many homeowners with financial problems primarily look into refinancing their mortgage to save money, pay off debts, etc. The process is same for getting a mortgage for a bad credit or good credit. But prior to refinancing, one must be aware of certain things.


The interest rates are generally higher for a home owner with a bad credit than for a homeowner with good credit. The interest rate depends on a number of factors like, amount owed, mortgage payment history and debt to income ratio. But one should bear in mind that attempting to refinance more than 80% of the value of your home will result in a big increase in interest rates.

Also one must remember that a verified loan will usually have lower interest rates and lower mortgage rates than a home loan that is not verified.

Refinancing a mortgage with bad credit involves more fees and closing costs than a usual refinance. Fees for underwriting mortgages with a sub prime mortgage lender are remarkably higher than that in a traditional bank. There may also be loan origination fees, broker costs and private mortgage insurance.

A bad credit home mortgage refinance, is not a mere approach to consolidate the old debts off. Rather, these refinancing options have proved to be a lot advantageous in more ways than one.

1. Home loan refinancing protects the borrower’s property from foreclosure

2. Refinancing makes negotiations with lenders possible. As a result, borrows need not worry a big deal when he is at the threshold of losing your hard earned home. So need to panic at all.

3. Refinancing protects those who possess bad credit history from harassment. Before, borrowers with bad credit history were looked upon with contempt and so for such people the lenders offer loan schemes at very high interests and after collateral of assets like cars, home furnishings and other valuables. But now the scenario has changed with refinancing.

4. Refinancing ensures a better future for the family. Legal notices from lenders, rejection of loan application, etc has a huge impact on family as a hole. With home loan refinancing it has become possible secure a tension-free future for your family.

Before considering refinancing, one should see for sure if it is really necessary. One should take a long hard look at one’s debts. Before resorting to new, and possibly expensive, borrowing have a thorough study of your current financial situation.

Look out for some other ways to clear the overdue amounts. By taking a critical look at the home budget, income, expenditure, see if some of the extra expenses that can be reduced. If so, take quick action and make sure that the extra money drawn from them goes directly towards one of you major debts. If one has several overdue repayments, write to the credit companies concerned and explain about the various steps you are taking to pay off the over due amount.

So, totally, it is not at all a bad idea if you want to go for mortgage refinance with bad credit. This will not only solve the monetary problems but also can improve your credit rating which is important for a secured future.

Bad Credit Home Mortgage Loans

It is every single person’s dream to own a home. Owning a home these days is no more a rich man’s reality. Any one who brings in the necessary effort for it can own dream home in spite of credit scores with a bad credit home mortgage loan.

A poor credit rating is no more an obstacle to pursuing your dream of a home of your own. A bad credit home mortgage loan helps you achieve your dream.
A bad credit equity home loan is quite easier to get these days.

A good credit rating is always a good thing to have and those with good credit ratings stand to enjoy many more advantages than someone with poor credit scores. Even though poor credit score is definitely a disadvantage, you can still own your dream home through bad credit home mortgage loans. These are bad credit equity home loans which empower you with a home of your own is spite of having a low credit score.

The basic process involved in normal mortgage loan and a bad credit mortgage loan is one and the same. But the payment terms are different. The amount that you have to pay in a bad credit home loan is bigger than that of a normal loan.

The lenders lend bad credit loans at high interests and high monthly payments simply because they stand a risk of losing their money as they are lending to people with lower credit score.

Down payments and closing costs are comparatively larger. This is one of the major disadvantages of having a low credit score. However, if the borrower is intelligent enough to repair the credit profile and follow a budget plan to get it back on track, then he can refinance a few years later with a traditional home mortgage.

You can think of this loan as a short term plan to get to a long term goal.
On the other side, the borrower gets to have what he wants. The dream home materializes. For those who are afraid that you will not be able to give your family the basic housing need, this home loan is appropriate for you.

Everybody knows that if you have bad credit, you are going to pay much more for any loans you opt for. The interest rates will be high. Lenders do this to protect themselves against risky borrowers. You have bad credit means that you weren't able to make your payments on time, in the past.

What you must do is shop around for the best deals you can find. The first time you talk to a bad credit home mortgage lender, it might be the one with the best options and if he can't help you nobody else can. This isn't necessarily true. If you go and talk to some other lender, he might have a better option available for you. Here comes the need for comparative shopping. So always visit more than 3 lenders and compare their services.

Most of these sub-prime lenders take advantage of borrowers. This is by perpetrating the lending scams. For the following if you a re planning to opt for a mortgage home loan.

People with a bad credit are usually forced to pay higher interest rates and lending fees than people with a fair credit. Be wary of lenders who quote extraordinarily high fees.

Generally, the interest for a bad credit home loan should never be higher than 8% higher than the rate paid on a conventional loan.

Though all mortgage loans have closing costs, the borrowers need not be required to pay exorbitant upfront fees. In exchange for large upfront fees, if a lender promise to solve the financial problems refinance your mortgage and the home's title, it is possible that you are getting scammed.

There are many associated foreclosure risks. If the lender tells the borrower to show a high income on your application for the mortgage loan, one should be very suspicious about that.

Unscrupulous lenders take advantage of borrowers by providing them with a loan which is practically impossible to afford. As a result of the scam the lender gains control of the home, having forced the borrower into foreclosure by the lender.

People, who want to buy a home, tend to focus on the effort involved in finding and evaluating. However, the process of obtaining a mortgage is also not a simple task especially with a low credit, especially because you are forced to pay off the mortgage for the next 15 to 30 years.

Bad Credit Home Loan Lenders

Finding bad credit home loan lenders is quite easier than you actually thought. It is possible to buy your dream home even if you have a credit score as low as 500 with a bad credit equity home loan.

Surprisingly, it is a lot more easier to get a mortgage loan for a bad credit than that for those with a fair credit towards fulfilling your dream of owning a home of your own. The first step is to look out for bad credit home loan lenders who can provide you with a mortgage loan in spite of your bad credit.

In order to find a good lender you must contact those banks, lending institutions and credit unions which offer loans to those with fair credit rates. Surprisingly, getting a bad credit lender has become a lot simpler over the years.

One must understand that sub prime mortgage lenders are able to get loans for those with bad credit but the borrower will be required to pay more interest on the payments.

It is always better to entrust a mortgage broker to find a good lender for you since they provide several offers and will bring you the best lender suited for you. By this you can also avoid falling into the trap of dishonest lenders who charge extortionate amounts as fees to get you what you need.

Stock brokers, also known as mortgage brokers, will serve as a communicator or as a mediator between you and the mortgage lender. In addition, a mortgage broker helps you with affordable offers from mortgage lenders.

Once the right lender is chosen, he can provide you with home mortgage loans at reasonable interest rates and you can ask for flexible terms. You must be familiar with the loan estimates of your lender in order to get your loan at a reasonable interest. Some of them guarantee cent percent financing, flexible rates, fixed rates and interest-only loans.

It is always better to compare loan offers from different companies so as to get the lowest rates possible.

Care should be taken not to grab the first offer at hand. A thorough study of the financial situation is a must. It won’t be a bad idea to enquire about the interest rates and other costs and payment terms, to you friends and those around you, ( with the same bad credit score as yours), about the interest rates and payment terms which will save you from many of the problems in future.

Bad credit and high debts can be obstacles in your search to find a lender suited to your needs. If you have a bad credit, or too much debt, it is difficult for you to get loans based on equity, consolidation plans, refinance products, unsecured loans of reasonable amounts. In such a case a mortgage broker who knows the financial industry very well can show you a way out.

A good poor credit mortgage lender understands the situation of the borrowers and hence offers a range of loan programs suited for the borrower .This benefits the borrowers and home buyers with low credit scores, who require assistance for down payment and closing costs.

The main reason for many lenders allowing the bad credit borrowers to pay for their home loan is that they are very much assured that the borrowers are not going to do it one more time. Many lenders are willing to offer equity loans for people who have a low credit rating because it is a safer loan.

The risk of lending a loan to bad credit borrowers is greatly reduced on these equity loans because the lenders can cover the loan using the equity of the borrower’s home. This means that if a borrower is not able to pay the loan, the lenders can foreclose the home and thereby recoup their investment.

One thing has to be kept in mind that if you are looking to get equity loans approved should do so, only if they have ample funds to meet the monthly payments.
The most interesting feature of these bad credit loans is that they have a very low interest compared to other traditional loans.

The lenders are comfortable to provide bad credit loans simply because these loans are secured loans and the borrowers can use them to help in paying off any existing debts. So it would be wise for people with a high principal high interest debt to make use of these kinds of loans to put all of their debts into a low interest single payment.

Refinance Your Mortgage

Refinance your mortgage

Refinancing you mortgage is a great way to save money if you have an existing bad credit equity home loan. There are many reasons why it is important to refinance your mortgage:
1. It gives an opportunity to obtain a lower interest rate
2. It gives a chance to shorten the term of the mortgage
3. It helps to convert from an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) to a fixed-rate mortgage, or vice versa
4. It gives an opportunity to tap a home’s equity in order to finance big purchases
5. Helps to consolidate debts.

Anyhow, these motivations have benefits and pitfalls. Refinancing can cost around 3% to 6% of the loan’s principal. Since taking out the original mortgage requires appraisal, title search and application fees, it is advisable for a homeowner to check before hand if the refinancing offers true benefit.
One of the best reasons for refinancing is to lower the interest rate on an existing loan. It is worthy the money to refinance if you can reduce your interest by at least a meager 2%. Reducing your interest not only helps you to save money, but also increases the rate at which you build the equity in your home. This will decrease the size of your monthly payment. When interest rates are low, homeowners stand to have an opportunity to refinance an existing loan, without much change in the monthly payment.
While ARMs offer lower rates than fixed rate mortgages, periodic mortgage adjustments most often result in an increase in the interest rate that are higher than the interest rate of a fixed-rate mortgage. If this happens, the conversion into a fixed rate mortgage results in a lower rate of interest. This also eliminates the concern over future hikes in interest rates.
In the same way, converting from a fixed rate mortgage to an ARM can also help you, particularly when interest rates fall. Converting to ARM is a good idea especially for those homeowners who are not planning to stay in their home, for more than just a few years. These homeowners can reduce the loan’s interest and monthly payment, if the interest rates are falling. And they don’t have to worry about future hikes in interest rates.
Like the sides of the same coin, the mortgage loans are also not free from pitfalls. It may lead to never ending debts. This usually occurs when people resort to refinancing for the purpose of tapping into home equity or consolidating a debt.
There is a growing tendency of homeowners to access the equity in their homes for covering big expenses, like costs of children’s higher education, remodeling of home, etc. They justify this by saying that the interest rate on the mortgage loan is less than the rate on money borrowed from any another source. Even if the argument is true, increasing the number of years that you owe the mortgage is not at all a smart financial decision.
Many homeowners refinance for the consolidation of debt. Even if replacing high-interest debt with a low-interest mortgage is a good idea, it is not wise because refinancing does not lead to an automatic close of debts. This happens because a large number of people who were once subjected to high-interest debt on credit cards, cars and other purchases will have a tendency to simply do it again once the mortgage refinancing gives them the credit. This leads to an instant loss by way of refinancing fees, lost equity in the house, many more years of increased interest payments on the new mortgage and thus landing them back to where it started, that is, a high-interest debt. This is the most possible dreaded outcome of illegitimate spending, thus leading to the perpetuation of debt cycles.
Refinancing, when used carefully, can be a valuable tool in getting your debts under control. But look before you leap, that is, before you set out for refinancing an existing loan, just have a clear cut idea of the financial set up and also about your priorities.
Refinancing generally costs around 3% to 6% of the loan’s principal. If you are not planning to stay in the home, for more than a few years, there is chance that the cost of refinancing may negate the potential savings.
Even if refinancing your mortgage helps you save money, it is advisable to consider the pros and cons of it before signing the papers. It could prove wrong if not approached wisely.

Online Payday Loans

Online Payday loan

Online payday loans are a new innovation in borrowing money online, especially for the low income groups and those in need of emergency cash. These are short-term loans wherein the borrowers are required to pay back to lenders until the next payday. One of the major advantages of online payday loans is that, it allows low income groups to come up to the standards of financial mainstream. Also referred to as “cash advances” or ‘same day cash loans’ since the cash will be sanctioned on the same day of signing the contract and is a perfect solution for emergency cash. These online payday loans are described as ‘predatory’, feeding on their borrowers and the borrowers are subjected to take more and more payday loans to payback the previous loans. Usually the payday loans are issued at a very high interest and the borrowers. The burden of the interests and the huge amount of loan forces the borrower to apply for the next payday loan, thus leaving the borrower bankrupt.

Depending on the legal maximums of each state, payday loans can range from $100 to $1000.The finance charge is $15 to $30 for a $100 loan. Usually the loan is given for a period of 14 to 21 days. The interest is 400 percent annually (APR).The main demerit is the requirement to pay back the whole amount in full.

Compared to the other loans payday loans are much expensive. The basic requirements for payday loans are a steady income, and personal identification information.
The main demerits are of online payday loans are the following:
1. Extremely expensive loans
2. High finance charges
3. High interests
4. Short repay time
It is estimated that the borrowers take usually twelve to thirteen loans per year and the borrowing cycle goes on and on. The lenders finally emerge as quick moneymakers while the borrowers are left bankrupt.

What if the borrower fails to payback? If it happens the bounced checks will be recorded which may lead to the closure of bank accounts and there will be difficulty in opening new bank accounts. Also some lenders even charge criminal penalties, and may sue the borrower in multiple fronts.

Online pay day loans have risks of frauds as well as security. The borrowers submit the paychecks online by way of fax and the pay back cash is withdrawn from the borrower’s bank account along with the finance charges. Financial crisis has brought the idea of taking payday loans into a different level. More and more small scale businessmen and people in need of urgent money find resort in payday loans, not always knowing about the pitfalls of it and finally unable to payback in time leading to bouncing of checks. This worsens the financial crisis by debts and debts of debts.
One must know that quick cash may be the need of the hour and pay day loans are not the last and only resort. To avoid giving into the pitfalls of payday loans is to:

1. Set some money as hard cash as an emergency fund.
2. Lend money from friends and relatives.
3. Keep a credit card for emergency borrowing.
4. Opt for small loans and repay as soon as you can.

Once you have opted for a payday loan,

1. Avoid payday cycle by not borrowing from payday loan again.
2. Ask the lender if it is permissible to repay in installments,
3. Get some legal help, if necessary. Ask for assistance on how to repay
4. Safeguarded your bank account from penalty cycles while you are on the process of repaying
5. Beware of fraud on the part of lenders, because if your bank account does not have enough money to repay, the money lenders can add extra additional amounts to your paycheck.
6. File a complaint with your banker, in case there have been more than two attempts for collecting the same paycheck.
7. Online payday loans may allow bankers to repay in installments but beware of the chance that your electronic paychecks to bounce off and NSF fees can be charged on the collection of each electronic paycheck.

Online payday loans is more risky than the ones from the payday store because, once the electronic agreement is signed up, the lender, having obtained the personal identification and the security passwords and bank account numbers, gets easy access to the bank account of the borrower to withdraw finance charges and payment. Theft is sure once your financial secrets reach the hands of illegitimate dealers.

Having more than one reasons for not to ‘fall’ for an online payday loan, keep away from it, to safeguard yourself from falling into the ‘debt trap’.

Checking Account

Checking Account

Also known as ‘demand deposit accounts’ or ‘demand accounts’, Checking Accounts are deposit accounts in banks and other financial institutions (like loans and savings, credit unions, etc.) , for allowing easy access to funds, on demand. Checking accounts, like same day cash loans is a perfect solution for emergency cash .Checking accounts are non-profit-oriented bank accounts which are not meant for interests or savings. It is intended for withdrawal at any time as the need arise. Hence investing in a Checking account is similar to putting your money into a locker and retrieving them as and when you require. The customer is free to put in or withdraw money as frequent as he likes. It is a debit and is usually used to pay out bills, etc. Checking accounts can be easily withdrawn by writing checks, or using debit cards.

Checking accounts is a must to manage money effectively. Once you get a checking account you should get a Debit card and this can be used to pay out bills at stores, for online purchases, etc. It is better not to set the withdrawal mode as just by cash alone, since it may restrict many of the benefits of Checking accounts.

For getting access to a checking account, the basic requirement is a bank account and a passbook. One can receive payments by way of an array of services such as cash, check or as debit cards. In the U.S the payment is by way of e-checks.

The customers can access the money with the help of cash machines, branch networks, internet banking, telephone banking and mail banking, etc as per convenience. Once you have a checking account it is very important to have to balance it every month. All means should be followed to prevent your account from overdrawing. It is very important to balance your checking account regularly in order to avoid bounces (as in overdrafts), to identify thefts and fraud, correct the mistakes made by you or the bank. Once you balance your checking accounts you will be able to know the balance amount in your account, to correct mistakes from the side of the bank as in overcharging, or loss of money, etc.

Overdrafts occur when the withdrawal amount exceeds the balance amount. This will create a negative balance which means you are on credit. If the overdraft is within the agreed limits, the interests will be agreeable. But once it goes beyond the cut off limit, it will lead to higher interests. Hence care should be taken not to overdraw your account. In many banks, there is an optional feature of ‘Overdraft protection’ along with the checking account, in which case the bank pays the overdrafts when an account holder incurs one. Hence it is otherwise called ‘courtesy pay program’.


Most of the banks require you to set a minimum balance for your account. Minimum balance is the minimum amount of money which your account must have to keep the account alive. This minimum balance can be set as per your conveniences. It is advisable not to put a minimum balance which you cannot keep. Hence set a minimum balance option at a rate you are comfortable to keep.

Banks also set forth certain conditions for your account, like the number of transactions that can be made over a day, the number of transactions that can be made per month, the number of checks that can be written per month, no of bills you can pay from your account and such. The customer should carefully read the conditions and choose the options wisely.

If you have plenty of money to bank, checking account is not the option for you. For instance it will be foolish if you put in $ 10,000 into your checking account. This is because checking accounts are meant for your day-to-day transactions like paying out bills and stuff. Hence very low interest or no interest is usually applied for these kinds of transactions. Hence it is better if you put in your money in a savings account since it allows higher interest rate and it will be a good investment.


Hence checking accounts can offer you a great deal of goodies in terms of safely paying out your bills, depositing money from payroll checks, purchasing online, provided you keep an eye on your account balance from time to time. Notwithstanding the fact that a savings account can offer you a higher interest than a checking account, checking account is always a way ahead if you need large amounts of money to cater to your day-to-day needs like paying out credit card bills, mortgage payments and other routine debts.