Category Archives: Personal Finance

Personal Finance

Luxembourg fund servicing firm Fidupar goes live with Framework’s investment and operations platform

LONDON, 13-Dec-2021 — /EPR FINANCIAL NEWS/ — Framework, a specialist provider of middle and back-office technology for private markets, announces today that Luxembourg based fund advisory and administration company Fidupar S.A. is now live on Framework Core (Core) to support their Investor Services, Fund Accounting, General Ledger, and Reporting functions. Having implemented Core, Fidupar, who has seen a surge of interest in its services, can deliver sophisticated investor services to its clients, as well as an improved way to navigate the changes to existing and new regulations within the private assets market.

Nicolas Montagne, Managing Director of Fidupar, said: “Framework’s dedication in supporting and ensuring a smooth transition to our new robust platform was second to none, they clearly listened to our needs and upcoming challenges as a fund servicer. We are confident that with Core in place our clients can expect superior service. Choosing Framework as a software partner was the right decision for our business.”

With Core now embedded, Fidupar has access to a powerful tool that optimises its operational efficiency for its administrative functions, including transaction management, accounting and valuations – on a secure and open architecture cloud-hosted platform. Core also incorporates robust and flexible reporting capabilities and shareholder services including automated investor communications.

In addition to a favourable legal and tax regime, one of the main draws of Luxembourg is the highly-skilled, multilingual staff who can provide tailor-made services for international clients as are found at Fidupar. This commitment to responsiveness and focusing on the needs of customers was an attribute that Fidupar recognises in Framework too.

Craig Tyzack, Head of Delivery & Operations of Framework added: “Working with the Fidupar team allowed us to solidify the reasons they chose Framework as their software provider throughout the implementation process. We focused on understanding Fidupar’s requirements and used our industry knowledge to customise our solution to those needs. Delivering a user-friendly, robust platform to our clients is paramount.”

About Framework
Framework, founded in 2000, is a specialist provider of middle and back-office technology for private markets. Since being acquired by BRD Investments in 2016, Framework is committed to advancing open, flexible digital solutions for asset owners, managers and administrators and the evolution of private asset funds. A significant number of platform and product enhancements have been undertaken, many specifically to address the current and future requirements of leading sophisticated private asset administrators.

Framework holds a leading position with Development Bank customers in Europe and North America and in particular the UK, and services several industry-leading independent or bank-owned asset managers in Europe and the Middle East.

About Fidupar
Part of the Elate Group, Fidupar was formed at the beginning of 2000 by the contribution of the activity of the financial engineering departments of two major banks in the Luxembourg financial centre.

By focusing on the needs of our customers, we have grown considerably with the deep commitment to our historical values: responsiveness, creativity, commitment, and ambition, while maintaining a high level of ethics.

With multilingual staff specialised in different sectors, we provide tailor-made services for our international clients. Our multidisciplinary teams work in close collaboration with our clients in the realization of their projects.

SOURCE: EuropaWire

A Neowintech é um marketplace financeiro que tem por base uma filosofia de simplicidade, rapidez e conveniência

LISBON, 26-Feb-2021 — /EPR FINANCIAL NEWS/ — A Neowintech é um marketplace financeiro que tem por base uma filosofia de simplicidade, rapidez e conveniência. Ao estabelecer parcerias com vários prestadores de serviços financeiros, consegue dar acesso a um leque alargado de soluções para cada etapa da vida das pessoas.

Através de um perfil digital único que pode ser criado em menos de 5 minutos, os utilizadores conseguem aceder a produtos inovadores fornecidos por entidades terceiras, desde soluções de investimento a planos de pensões, hipotecas, e fundos de investimento – oferta essa que irá futuramente incluir mais serviços.

O resultado é um ponto central de gestão de finanças pessoais, com uma base tecnológica sólida e segura, a que toda a gente pode aceder de maneira completamente gratuita.

Sendo totalmente digital, cada parte da vida financeira de cada um pode ser acedida, gerida e impulsionada através do smartphone, dispensando qualquer tipo de papelada ou deslocações a locais físicos.

Ao selecionar cuidadosamente parceiros adequados, simplificar processos e melhorar a eficiência ao longo de toda a linha, a Neowintech pretende dar mais opções a mais pessoas, num processo de democratização de ferramentas e soluções que, ou estavam reservadas a um número limitado de pessoas, ou eram de tal modo complicadas que acabavam por contribuir para uma gestão financeira desnecessariamente não otimizada.

Em linha com esta filosofia, o processo de registo é também ele rápido e fácil. Basta fornecer o endereço de email e alguma informação pessoal. Isto inclui alguma documentação que tem o objetivo de validar a identidade do cliente, pelo que todos os requisitos de cada documento deverão ser lidos com atenção.

Este é um novo período de possibilidades financeiras. O alargamento do acesso é um dos pontos centrais da Era da Informação, e não há motivo para deixar a gestão financeira do lado de fora. Porque este é um assunto que deve estar presente para todas as pessoas. Torná-la mais fácil é mais do que uma preocupação de negócio para a Neowintech. É também uma missão, permitindo que cada vez mais pessoas possam melhorar as suas circunstâncias, sejam elas como forem.

SOURCE: EuropaWire

New Services Larry Hurt income Tax Services

Moreno Valley, CA, USA, 2019-Mar-12 — /EPR FINANCIAL NEWS/ — Over 49 years preparing taxes for individuals and small businesses, able to assist individuals in the cryptocurrency business with their tax preparation(s), 16 years as a Notary and 8 years as a Signing Agent.

Experienced Owner with a demonstrated history of working in the consumer services industry. Skilled in Nonprofit Organizations, Budgeting, Business Planning, Microsoft Word, and Coaching. Strong entrepreneurship professional with a Master Degree focused in Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General from Golden Gate University.

I also severed 23 years in the US Air Force. For 22 years as an additional duty, I severed as the Unit Non-Commission Officer Tax Representative. My job was to assist military and civilian personnel assigned to the Base, helping or completing their Tax returns and answer tax questions. During tax season, I spent 4 hours on Saturday at the Base Legal Office assisting people with their tax returns. After retiring in 1991, I continued doing taxes and opened my own business.

My tax specialties are Individuals, Small Businesses, S Corporations, Nonprofit Organizations, Tax Planning, Uber, Lyft and CryptoCurrency. Thank you.

To learn more go to https://larrykhurtincometaxservices.nicbuilder 

Via EPR Network
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Credit Raters es un nuevo sitio web de comparación financiera para quienes necesitan dinero, como creditos, mini créditos, préstamos, mini préstamos prestamistas y tarjetas prepagas

BARCELONA, 18-Jul-2018 — /EPR FINANCIAL NEWS/ — Credit Raters es un nuevo sitio web de comparación financiera para quienes necesitan dinero, que ofrece a los consumidores un medio rápido, sencillo y gratis para comparar y solicitar productos y servicios financieros en Internet, como créditosmini créditospréstamosmini préstamos prestamistas y tarjetas prepagas.

CreditRaters.com tiene el objetivo de facilitar la comparación y solicitud de una variedad de productos y proveedores financieros por Internet de forma gratuita.

Para eso, ofrece a los usuarios acceso a presupuestos y ofertas de prestamistas líderes en más de 8 países, incluidos el Reino Unido, España, Argentina, Rusia y Polonia.

Con solo indicar qué tipo de producto se busca y ciertos datos básicos, los usuarios obtienen en tan solo segundos, información de cientos de prestamistas, pequeños y grandes, independientes o grandes corporaciones, además de la posibilidad de solicitar sus productos con solo un clic.

El equipo de Season Marketing reconoce la dificultad de reducir las alternativas cuando se enfrenta a páginas de resultados de búsqueda eternas, por eso diseñó CreditRaters.com, para brindar soluciones rápidas y eficientes a los usuarios que desean obtener resultados que sean relevantes para ellos en tan solo segundos.

Al realizar sus búsquedas en CreditRaters.com, los usuarios acceden a una amplia variedad de proveedores, productos y servicios. La información se actualiza constantemente, los resultados se adaptan a las búsquedas individuales, y el proceso de recopilación de los resultados lleva pocos segundos.

En tiempos donde el tiempo es oro, nunca ha sido más fácil y rápido encontrar un préstamo o una tarjeta prepaga. Pocas personas tienen tiempo para hacer una serie de llamadas telefónicas o visitar una serie de sitios web individuales, ingresar sus datos personales y buscar presupuestos personalizados. Con una ventanilla única, los clientes pueden encontrar lo que necesitan en cuestión de minutos en CreditRaters.com.

Robert Bindon, director de Season Marketing Limited, comenta: “Estamos muy entusiasmados de trabajar en la comparación de productos financieros que se encuentra en constante evolución, y hacer que sea más fácil para los consumidores encontrar productos para los que son elegibles con tan solo un conjunto de preguntas simples. Ha habido un gran crecimiento de la demanda para comparar préstamos y prestamistas en los últimos 5 años. En una época en la que el crédito de €1000 se encuentra a 10 minutos de distancia, estamos felices de proporcionar un sitio web de comparación de precios seguro y gratuito para garantizar que los consumidores de todo el mundo puedan obtener el trato más justo y barato para ellos “.

Los calificadores de crédito actúan como intermediarios y ofrecen resultados que permiten a los clientes comparar las ofertas favorables de los principales prestamistas. La empresa también se adhiere a las prácticas de préstamos responsables y muchas de las compañías de crédito con las que trabaja ofrecen informes de crédito gratuitos para los clientes a fin de alentar una gestión eficaz del dinero.

CreditRaters.com es una solución para aquellos que buscan productos financieros, por ejemplo, préstamos, pero también atiende a clientes que desean obtener más información sobre su calificación crediticia y tomar medidas para mejorar su puntaje. El sitio web ha sido lanzado con un amplio espectro de usuarios en mente, y puede beneficiar a aquellos con buenos puntajes de crédito, así como a aquellos que tienen un historial de deudas y bajas calificaciones crediticias.

Se recomienda a toda persona que desee obtener más información sobre CreditRaters.com que utilice los datos de contacto que se detallan a continuación.

SOURCE: EuropaWire

Consumer Loan Market Is Growing

New York, NY, USA, 2018-Jul-03 — /EPR FINANCIAL NEWS/ — During last ten years, there were significant investments in the personal loans market. It was possible due to the inflow of capital and innovative technologies, which caused a doubling of the market.

Although, according to many financial websites, originations of personal loans are falling. It started with refusals to borrowers with a credit rating below 600, which didn’t take place since 2012.

Despite the decline in the origination of loans, all other data shows an increase of interest of the borrowers to this bank product.

The market for unsecured loans grew by 10.8% in 2017. And financial analytics are talking now about a great prospect for the development of this market segment.

According to statistics in 2017, 10% of respondents applied for a personal unsecured loan, a greater interest was shown to credit cards (65%) and auto loans (26%).

Banking CEOs are Concerned About FinTech

The lending market has a long history and now it is experiencing one of the most historical phases.

One of the biggest changes became a rapid development of FinTech (financial technologies).

Several years ago banks and other traditional financial structures were skeptical about online loans. Now 81% of banking CEOs are worried about such fast FinTech development.

Such concerns are reinforced by the fact that financial Internet structures have become quite competitive. Applying to a lender online, via a certain website connecting the customers with the direct service providers, the borrower gets a wide choice: unsecured personal loans, same day loans, debt consolidation etc. In addition to this sophisticated credit models and new anti-fraud mechanisms makes online financial services more attractive than banks.

The Most Popular Loans

According to the last statistic data, the most popular loan products are unsecured personal loans and installment loans. These loans are the most convenient and profitable for the borrowers. Same day payday loans are also popular, but they are most often used in urgent cases when money is needed for a short period of time. In such cases, 24/7 loans are more convenient, since it is easy to get and the money is being accrued to the bank account of a borrower in short period of time.

The thing that makes personal loans one of the most attractive types of financial products is its uniqueness. It can be used for any purpose: making a big purchase, paying for a wedding or vacation, etc. However, the most common reasons for obtaining a personal loan currently are:

1. Debt consolidation (35%).
2. Household expenses (19%).
3. Medical expenses (9.9%).

Statistic data shows that the purpose of the loan doesn’t affect the chances of the borrower to get approved.

Summing up, the consumer credit market is experiencing rapid growth. Personal loans are attractive to the borrowers because of the affordable interest rate and quick receipt of funds. FinTech is developing and expanding, thus the number of lenders increases and the borrowers have a wide choice.

Via EPR Network
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Research: 53% of HNWIs relocating or intending to relocate would expect online banking to be part of an international wealth management proposition

LUXEMBOURG, Nov-16-2017 — /EuropaWire/ — New research from The OneLife Company reveals that ensuring investments are tax efficient and managing international tax commitments are among the top financial priorities for internationally mobile HNWIs. In spite of this, fewer than 40% of relocators feel that their investments are as tax efficient as they need them to be.

The insight points to the growing urgency for wealth managers to tailor solutions and services to international clients. One in four European HNWIs surveyed has previously moved countries to live or work, with a further 13% intending to relocate for the first time in the future. The appetite for international living is rising further among the millennial segment, with the number of relocators and future relocators under the age of 35 rising to 43% and 20% respectively.

The research, carried out in conjunction with wealth insights firm Scorpio Partnership, considered the views of 770 HNWIs from Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The average wealth of participants was EUR2.76 million.

Responses revealed that 46% of individuals relocating or intending to relocate would expect tax advice to be part of an international wealth management proposition. Notably, 27% would also require life assurance to be included within the product suite, with this figure rising to 39% among those under 35.

“Younger generations of clients are more likely to relocate and are clearly more cognizant of the range of benefits – such as portability – which life assurance can provide,” commented Marc Stevens, Chief Executive Officer at OneLife.

The findings also point to the significance of technology for the relocator segment. Online banking was the top requirement in an international wealth management proposition, with 53% of relocators saying this was necessary to manage wealth.

This was affirmed by the fact that individuals who continued to work with their primary wealth manager following relocation referenced quality of tools as the primary reason to stay with the firm. By contrast, a quarter of individuals changing wealth management provider following relocation cited lack of suitable digital services as a motivator to pursue a different relationship.

SOURCE: EuropaWire

New Book Explains How Consumers Can Waste an Average of $23,000 in Legal Fees

According to research, “Estate Planning Attorneys would rather just write up a will for few bucks now so they can make a bundle on probate legal fees later.” In his new book, “The 5-Minute California Living Trust” (free today on Amazon), Author & Non-Lawyer Tom Cox breaks down the legalease into plain English on how to avoid these unneeded legal fees entirely.

The average person pays $23,000 in legal fees during probate. These are attorney fees that are completely unnecessary and avoidable. The 5-Minute California Living Trust shows how to avoid probate and take that $23,000 and put it into something more important, like your kids’ or grandkids’ college education or down payment for a new home.

“The 5-Minute California Living Trust” is Free Today on Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EV44WPA

For learn more, visit ZipLegal.org, the Home of the 5-Minute California Living Trust: http://www.ZipLegal.org

Join the conversation on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/zipllc

Via EPR Network
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Another £400m Into RBS’ PPI Compensation Fund, Says Missoldppiclaims.info

The Royal Bank of Scotland has earmarked an additional £400m to cover the cost of compensation and refunds relating to mis-sold payment protection insurance (PPI), says leading PPI Claims Company Missoldppiclaims.info.

The nationalised bank has released figures for the last quarter showing a pre-tax loss of£1.26bn, a proportion of which is due to the allocation of a further £400m to its PPIcompensation fund. In a move echoed around the banking industry in recent months, RBS now has increased its total PPI allocation to now stand at £1.7bn. However, it is unlikely to be the end of the compensation claims for the beleaguered bank.

Its recent computer problems resulted in significant numbers of RBS, Natwest and Ulster Bank customers being locked out of their accounts for days, a mistake which has cost£175million so far with a further £50m of compensation put aside.

RBS is also part of an investigation by regulators in the UK, US and Asia – including the fraud division of the US justice department – over the part it played in the manipulation of the LIBOR inter-bank lending rate. With settlement negotiations imminent, the fines that could potentially be applied RBS believe could have a “material” impact on the company.

Despite the problems, RBS showed operating profits for the third quarter increased from£650m to £1bn, while bad debt fell by £159m and staff costs were 5% lower due to a 7% reduction in staff.

Stephen Hester, chief executive of RBS, said: “The extraordinary challenges which RBS faced following the financial crisis are being worked through successfully. The five year restructuring plan is now in its later stages with important work still to do, including an emphasis on dealing with reputational issues now that the bank’s safety and soundness has advanced so well.”

A spokesperson for leading PPI Claims Management Company, Missoldppiclaims.info said: “It’s good to see RBS recognising its responsibilities towards customers that were mis-sold PPI policies, in particular the responsibility to put customers first and treat them fairly. This can be seen in its decision to increase lending to its business customers even though there was a downturn in loan applications, but it would be good to see a similar helpful response to borrowing for its non-business customers with personal loans and residential mortgages.

The reputational issues Mr Hester refers to are likely to be industry criticisms that RBS customers play second fiddle to the short-term interests of shareholders and staff. As a result, RBS has relaxed its lending position towards its small and medium (SMEs)businesses, which has led to a an increase of new lending by 3% since the second quarter despite a 25% drop in SME loan applications due to the Olympics and doubts over the stability of the UK economy.

Analyst Richard Hunter, head of equities at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “There is no doubting the immensity of the task RBS has faced in executing its turnaround plan, nor indeed the progress made so far.”

Via EPR Network
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Confused.com Reveals That 1 in 3 ‘Worth More Dead Than Alive’

1 in 3 people in the UK (34%) say they are ‘worth more dead than alive’ according to new research by Confused.com, but 40% of people in the new study say that they have dependents who could not pay the bills if they died, and nearly 60% do not have life insurance.

A new, short zombie film made by Confused.com hammers home the message that once people are gone, it’s too late to think about life insurance, which is sad for the poor zombie who is patiently waiting at home for a financial adviser.

However, nearly 60% of the UK (59%) told Confused.com that they do not have a life insurance policy, despite the fact that 64% do have a mortgage which they have not yet paid off.

Insurers in the UK pay out £37 million every day to help dependents cope with the death of loved ones, according to the Association of British Insurers (ABI) but despite this, more than 1 in 10 people surveyed (11%) admitted that their loved ones would be without a home if they died. This strongly suggests that many may not protect their families through life insurance or savings.

30% of couples have a joint mortgage, while 57% have a joint bank account. This could mean they’d have to take on joint debt on their own if their partner died without life insurance.

Matt Lloyd, Head of Life Insurance at Confused.com explained: “A debt such as a mortgage should ideally be backed up with life insurance so that it can be paid off in part or in full if one of the mortgage holders should die. The loss of a loved one is a stressful time without having to worry about not being able to afford the mortgage bills.”

Via EPR Network
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Barclaycard research reveals just how much the British are embracing the trend of self-gifting

New research* has revealed the British public are taking it upon themselves to get the things they really want by self-gifting.

Research commissioned by Barclaycard shows that over half of us (58%) believe it’s the thought that counts when receiving a gift but one in six (16%) would rather have chosen the gift themselves. Almost half of Brits (43%) have indulged in self-gifting around Christmas or birthdays at one time or another while one in ten (10%) say they always do.

The most popular reason for the new trend is simply people wanting to ‘treat themselves’ (44%) as it seems family and friends aren’t as good at present buying as many would like with almost a quarter (23%) admitting they indulge in self-gifting because ‘it’s the most sensible way to get what they want’. Even more surprising is that this rise in self-gifting comes at a time when almost a quarter of families (23%) are planning to reduce the amount they spend on gifts this year due to tighter economic conditions.

The top 5 most popular self-gifted gifts in order are: clothing and footwear; TVs and music equipment (including iPods, iPads, laptops); alcohol and tobacco; recreation and culture, and restaurants and hotels

When asked how they are able to afford their treats a large proportion said they are embracing cashback, points and mileage schemes (36%). Women are much more likely to use loyalty programmes to treat themselves (30%) compared to men (17%), which makes sense since the research showed that almost a quarter of women see indulging in self-gifting as a guilty pleasure, compared to just 13% of men.

Nick Clements, Managing Director at Barclaycard UK explained: “We took time to speak to our customers to understand how they want to be rewarded when they spend. Choice and value came out as the key to meet people’s needs.

“We know that purse strings are being tightened and we also know that people like to treat themselves and their families. The new Barclaycard Cashback card helps you do just that. The only thing we can’t help out with is what your loved ones want to receive this festive season.

“Our Cashback card is built on choice and simplicity, giving customers 2% on their five biggest monthly purchases and 0.5% on everything else. Our Cashback card puts you in control of what you get the 2% boost on each month; unlike other cards that only give you a bonus for certain types of spend. All customers need to do is make fifteen purchases a month, of any amount to qualify for the 2% cashback rate.”

For more information on the Cashback card; visit: www.barclaycard.co.uk/cashback

Via EPR Network
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Confused.com reveals that men named Brian have the best credit profile in the UK

Confused.com has revealed men named Brian have on average the best credit profile in the UK, while for ladies it is Helen.

In contrast, the first name with the poorest average credit profile is Lisa, while the male equivalent is Daniel.

Confused.com, the comparison site, analysed data from thousands of its customers who have used its free Credit Card Matcher Tool this year to reveal the names with the best and worst credit profiles in the UK. Confused.com is urging consumers to think about their credit history before they apply for a credit card, as a rejected application can negatively affect your credit score.

When it comes to surnames, people with the last name of Edwards have on average the best credit profile in the UK. Meanwhile, the surname with the lowest average credit profile is Thompson.

As well as a credit name lottery of sorts, the research reveals the existence of a postcode lottery when it comes to good and bad credit. The UK postcode with the highest average credit profile among its residents is SL4 in Slough. Meanwhile, SA1 in Swansea – the postcode with the poorest average credit profile – has a score 10% below the national average.

The research shows that age also makes a difference when it comes to credit scores as on average people’s credit history improves as they get older. Average scores for people aged 65 and over are 8% higher than the national average, according to the research. Meanwhile, the age bracket with the worst average credit profile is 18 to 24 – 4% lower than the national average.

Nerys Lewis, head of credit cards at Confused.com, said: “While our research shows the names with the best and worst credit profiles in the UK, people’s names are obviously not a rating factor when looking at credit. So if you’re called Brian you won’t automatically be gifted with a great profile, or penalised because your name is Lisa.

“We would encourage people to think about their credit history as a good or bad score can have a number of implications, such as your likelihood of acceptance for credit cards and also loans and mortgages.

“There are certain things you can do to improve your situation if your credit history is non-existent, or not quite up to scratch. For example, a credit building card may be one option. By using a credit building card sensibly, you demonstrate to lenders, such as banks, that you can borrow and pay back money responsibly. This in turn helps to build up your credit history.”

Confused.com’s Credit Card Matcher Tool allows people to check their likelihood of acceptance for a credit card before they apply.

Lewis added: “By using our free Credit Card Matcher Tool, people can potentially avoid a negative credit card application. If you apply and are not accepted then a lot of people aren’t aware that this can harm your credit score.”

Via EPR Network
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Confused.com reveals the benefits and dangers of Baby on Board signs

Confused.com has teamed up with Brake, the road safety charity, to highlight the benefits and dangers of ”Baby on Board’ signs and remind parents about safety for younger passengers.

37% of parents (almost 2 in 5) have displayed a ‘Baby on Board’ sign either currently or in the past. Now it’s time to find out if they are a help or a hazard. Confused.com’s new research among 2,000 drivers (50% of whom have children under 16) found that 80% of the parents who use baby on board signs think they improve safety, while 46% of drivers said that ‘Baby on Board’ signs obscure vision when driving.

Confused.com’s research discovered that clutter is a concern among many drivers, and having too many novelty items displayed could be a safety issue. 51% of all those questioned said they think other drivers display too much clutter in their car windows, such as stickers and novelty items. 15% of drivers who do exhibit these signs admit they do so simply because they are a cute/novelty item while 4% only display one because they received it as a gift.

Brake’s experts have confirmed that window clutter can be an issue on the road, but acknowledge that baby on board signs can also have a safety benefit.

Julie Townsend, Deputy Chief Executive at Brake, said: “Baby on board signs can be incredibly helpful for emergency services at the scene of a crash in knowing whether there’s a child involved, but this help can become a hindrance if drivers display signs when their child isn’t in the vehicle. Worse still is the danger that can be posed by drivers obscuring their view by cluttering up windows with lots of signs. Drivers’ priority should always be getting there safely, without putting themselves, young passengers or other road users a risk. That includes ensuring your view isn’t obscured and you remain fully focused on the road.”

The research also found that drivers who have never displayed a ‘Baby on Board’ sticker or do not drive children around are more likely to think the signs are tacky (34%) or dangerous as they obscure vision (18%).

Meanwhile, 46% of people who drive kids around say they have driven with a ‘Baby on Board’ sign and 22% of these say they always display the sign.

Confused.com’s survey also reveals that 14% of parents with under-16s think ‘Baby on Board’ signs are uncool/not trendy and 33% of drivers think the signs are ‘tacky’. Interestingly, it’s women who are most likely to disapprove of the signs, with 35% of women questioned saying the signs are ‘tacky’ while only 31% of male drivers felt the same.

The research also found that a quarter of parents aged 18-24 (who have young children) always display a ‘Baby on Board’ sign when they drive. This age group is also most likely to display novelty stickers in their car window, compared to drivers of other ages. 18-24 year-old drivers are least likely to say that other drivers display too much clutter in their car windows.

Via EPR Network
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PaydayLoans@ Company Provides Faster Application Procedure

Money has always been an issue for some category of people. It has always been hard to earn money and to save it. Even now after several hundreds of years later the situation is basically the same. Nothing has changed. Even now people have the same financial problems when they lack money and are not able to find a way-out. A sudden urgency may occur when the person does not obtain a required sum and he/she does not know where to find the required funds.

Still, a perfect way-out has been found out. Taking into consideration all the financial and life obstacles in the modern society it is quite difficult to stay on top of the financial life. That is why the companies that have deal with small loans, have thought over every possible point to make the procedure even easier that it used to be.

PaydayLoans@ belongs to the privileged group of the companies with a friendly and highly professional staff. It suggests its customers the most convenient way to receive the payday loan online in a hassle-free and fast way. There is no need to gather all the personal and financial documentation into one file and drive it or send to the bank. The only thing is required is an Internet connection.

To order a loan till payday at PaydayLoans@ company is the most simplified way to do this. The usual procedure is about fulfilling a simple online application form, submitting it, waiting for a reply from a lender by phone or via e-mail, receiving money in 24 hours. Money will be automatically sent and withdrawn from the customer’s personal bank account.

Instead of roaming all over the city looking for the appropriate bank which will agree to give a small loan, it is so much easier to find a site of PaydayLoans@ company and fulfill an easy application form online. The entire process takes approximately ten-fifteen minutes of time and is simplified as much as possible. For more information read this article regarding the service offered on the website.

A lot of people were hesitating at first while applying for the payday loans, but later on they had realized that those loans were the most convenient way-out of the tough financial issue that might occur to anyone.

Via EPR Network
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NRMA Insurance To Offer Life Insurance

NRMA Insurance’s alliance with life insurance provider TAL will see TAL provide life insurance policies on behalf of NRMA Insurance, with customer policies managed by TAL.

NRMA Insurance Chief Executive Officer Andy Cornish said that the alliance would help make life insurance more accessible for customers.

“Underinsurance is a problem in Australia with around 95 per cent of people not holding adequate life insurance.*

“Our alliance with TAL allows us to address this by offering easy to understand andaffordable life insurance, as well as greater access as customers can purchase life insurance through all of our existing sales channels.

“TAL, like NRMA Insurance has a long and proud history of helping Australians protect their assets, and offer security for them and their families.”

Mr Cornish said the alliance means NRMA Insurance can utilise the expertise of TAL to offer its customers another important insurance product, while also continuing to focus on their core suit of products.

“This alliance will allow us to continue to grow our multi-product, multi-channel strategy,” Mr Cornish said.

TAL Direct Chief Executive Officer John Hoyle said NRMA customers will experience a seamless delivery of high quality service.

“TAL is the market leader in direct life insurance and has a history of successfully partnering with non-life insurance businesses to provide greater access to life insurance for their customers.

“The alliance is a significant partnership. The products and services we provide for NRMA Insurance will be to the same high standard TAL applies to its own business,” said Mr Hoyle.

NRMA Life Insurance is available from 9th October 2012 and customers can purchase online, in an NRMA office or by calling 132 132.

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With Gold Prices on the Rise, MyGold Says Now is a Great Time to Buy

An unexpected appreciation in the value of an item will most certainly attract the attention of investors and traders. At the moment, gold is at the center of attention, settling at $1,779 this week, with prices traded up to $1,784 per ounce. Analysts believe the price of bullion will easily reach $2,500 next year as central banks continue to launch cheap money policies and liquidities increase in global markets.

Financial experts believe that the price of gold could hit such an all-time high once the third phase of quantitative easing begins in the United States. If QE3 will further weaken the US dollar, central banks from all over the world are expected to switch a large part of their cash reserves into gold. In the first half of 2012 alone, central banks have purchased 254 tons of gold and the numbers could easily double by the end of 2012.

“Now it’s the best time to buy gold and silver bullion”, says CEO and owner of MyGold, an independent merchant of precious metals based in Auckland, New Zealand.“All investors consider gold a safe haven and a store of value. The risks in the currency market and the financial environment after the events of 2008 have increased investors’ attraction for gold. When all other assets turn out to be risky, gold is the only safe investment”.

Buying gold and silver from MyGold is made easy for customers through their user-friendly web interface and irreproachable customer service. All clients have to do in order to buy gold from MyGold is to access the range of bullion available on their homepage, fill out the enquire form and discuss all further details of the order with one of their customer support representatives. Customers describe their service as prompt and highly professional:

“Being a first time investor I was a little bit nervous about buying through a website, but the team at MyGold were happy to answer any and all questions I had to settle my nerves. Plus they keep in contact through the whole process, especially from purchase to delivery, the most important part. I am looking forward to the future when I can sell mygold bullion back to MyGold and perhaps buy more gold bars through them. One happy customer!” – Tyson.

Customers who want to learn more about the silver price or are interested in finding out how they can buy gold in NZ from MyGold can visit http://www.mygold.co.nz/

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Prudential Reveals Almost Half Of UK Business Owners Have No Pension Savings

Almost half (46 per cent) of UK business owners* – or 1.3 million** people – have no private pension savings to support them in retirement, according to new independent research from Prudential***.

Of those who have failed to make any private pension provision, more than half (54 per cent) said this was because they simply could not afford to set money aside. Nearly one in five (18 per cent) say they don’t have a pension because they will never retire, and 9 per cent claim they have sufficient funds in a company pension from previous employment.

Nearly one third (29 per cent) of business owners, or 792,000 people, say they will be entirely reliant on the State Pension when they come to retire, compared with just 16 per cent of people across all employment types retiring this year in the UK****.

Other self-employed workers will supplement their retirement incomes with money from a mix of alternative sources: 48 per cent will draw on other savings and investments, 25 per cent will use equity from their properties, 25 per cent plan to use their partners’ pensions, and 19 per cent
plan to use funds from the eventual sale of their businesses.

Prudential asked those business owners who don’t have a personal pension whether they plan to start one in the future and the majority of respondents (63 per cent) said no. Only 13 per cent said they were planning to start a pension and just under a quarter (24 per cent) were undecided.

Stan Russell, retirement expert at Prudential, said: “It’s sometimes hard for self-employed workers to distinguish between their business and personal finances. Often, investing in the business takes priority over saving for retirement – an issue that is particularly prevalent now, given the tough economic conditions facing UK businesses.

“Unfortunately, the long-term implications of not saving for retirement are that many retirees will have a real income shock and reduced living standards when they finally retire. And while a number of business owners say they don’t need a pension because they’ll never stop working, this optimistic approach won’t always be realistic – for example because of health issues later in life.

“Although some business owners plan to supplement their retirement incomes with alternative sources of finances, a large proportion will be entirely reliant upon the State Pension – which should actually be a safety net, not a default source of income.”

Saving into a pension has become a lower priority for those business owners who do have some dedicated retirement savings. The survey found that more than a quarter (27 per cent) of entrepreneurs with pension savings had put their personal contributions on hold since the start of the economic downturn.

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Barclaycard Makes Everyday Spending More Rewarding With Two New Reward Cards

Barclaycard has announced the launch of its Barclaycard Cashback and Barclaycard Freedom Rewards cards, both designed to make it easier for customers to get value and rewards on their everyday spend, without changing the way they shop.

The Cashback card is built on simplicity, giving customers four times more cashback on their five biggest monthly purchases, with no tiers or thresholds. Customers earn 2% on their five biggest monthly purchases and 0.5% on everything else. All customers need to do is make fifteen purchases a month, of any amount to qualify for the 2% cashback rate.

When customers take the card out they receive a welcome bonus, giving them the opportunity to earn 6% cashback on their five biggest purchases each month for the first three months. Every year, in the month after the anniversary of taking out the card, customers also get an enhanced 4% rate on their top five spend , irrespective of how much they’ve spent on the card the year before.

If the average family puts all their spend on the Cashback card; in the first three months alone, they could earn a maximum of £120 cashback, easily covering the annual card fee of £24.

Launching at the same time is the Barclaycard Freedom Rewards card. It lets customers collect points on everything they buy on the card. They can redeem points at around 70 reward partners including retail giants, online favourites, restaurants and fun family days out.

The Freedom Rewards card has a broader range of high street reward partners than any other reward card in the market. Partners include Marks and Spencer, Topshop, Currys PC World, iTunes, Amazon, Starbucks, Strada and Leisure Voucher partners Legoland to LA Fitness.

The Freedom Rewards card gives double points on spend at any UK supermarket and petrol station and triple points at selected Freedom partners.

Nick Clements, Managing Director for UK Consumer Cards, Barclaycard, said: “We took time to speak to our customers to understand how they want to be rewarded when they spend. Choice and value came out as the key to meet people’s needs.

“For the average UK family budget, one in three pounds is spent on the weekly shop and filling the car up. As a result, the Freedom Rewards card offers double points on any supermarket or petrol spend. Our customers want the flexibility to look for the best value without being tied to shopping at just one brand, and the Freedom Rewards card offers that flexibility.

“On our Cashback card, we designed it to boost the earning rate of cashback on the top five monthly purchases, because our customers’ top five purchases accounted for around 50% of their overall monthly spend. We want to give customers the flexibility to be rewarded at the higher rate, regardless of what they’d bought.”

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Research Show 4.4 Million over 21s Still Rely on the Bank of Mum and Dad, reports Bower Retirement Services

Research from LV = reveals 4.4 million over 21 year olds still borrow money from their parents. The average monthly donation from parents to adult children is £175. This is used to cover rent, bills and help pay off debts. Additionally £9,476 is awarded to fund weddings, holidays, further education and to help young adults get onto the property ladder. Although it helpingyoung adults is hardly surprising, the research revealed parents expect to continue to support their ‘children’ until the age of 38, now the average age of a first-time property buyer.

This obviously puts great financial strain on Britain ‘s parents. It eats into retirement funds and one in ten parents surveyed by LV = admitted they had spent everything they had on their children. The issue isn’t going to go away soon, particularly if predictions that the average age of a first-time buyer will be 41 by 2025 are correct.

Parents need to prepare for the future early to ensure they are well equipped financially to provide for themselves and help out their grown-up children when necessary. There are several options available, but with interest rates currently being so low, saving plans aren’t the most viable option.

Equity release plans are a more effective option for homeowners. Bower Retirement Services, an award-winning equity release advice service, can help homeowners find anequity release plan that’s right for them.

There are four types of plans available: lump sum lifetime mortgages; lifetime mortgage with flexible cash release, also known as a drawdown mortgage; interest only lifetime mortgage and home reversion plans.

The most suitable, and now the most popular comprising 68% of the market, are drawdown plans. Homeowners are lent money based on their property’s value and additionally can withdraw regular cash amounts at a frequency and value chosen by the individual. Interest is charged, but it’s only repaid when the homeowners die or move into permanent care. These mortgages allow parents to look after themselves during retirement but also offer the ability to provide assistance to their offspring.

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Equity Release Becoming Popular Retirement Fund Solution for Baby Boomers, say Bower Retirement Services

The total value of equity release advances from April to June 2012 was £224.8 million, reported the Equity Release Council, an increase of 22% on the same period of 2011. Additionally, this amount represents the highest quarterly figure since 2009 (£231.7 million). Furthermore, the real number of plans grew by 16% between Q2 2011 and Q2 2012 showing interest in the market is up, along with actual value.

According to the Equity Release Council’s figures, people are now choosing to take drawdown plans instead of lump sum mortgages. This shows they prefer to spread risk and use equity release as a retirement income. The news comes as its revealed retired homeowners now have a total unmortgaged property wealth of £756.7 billion.

Bower Retirement Services, which offers award-winning specialist equity release advice, says equity release is a simple and effective option for homeowners looking to provide for their retirement and it exploits the property price rises of the last forty to fifty years. Many in the baby boomer generation lost large amounts in pension blunders in the nineties and again in the last recession. However, thousands continue to be locked up in property, potentially providing a retirement income for homeowners.

Bower Retirement Services offers advice on all types of equity release, from lump sum lifetime mortgages to home reversion plans, and its equity release calculator is designed to help homeowners accurately gauge how much cash they can expect to release on each type of plan.

There are four types of equity release plan, but drawdown plans now the most popular, accounting for 68% of the value of the entire equity release market. Bower Retirement Services says these types of mortgage are most suitable to homeowners looking to provide themselves with an income during retirement. The lender loans the homeowners a percentage of the property’s value and also agrees to pay a regular cash sum, or ‘drawdown’ on the mortgage value. Interest is accrued, but it is not charged until the homeowners die or move into long term care. Homeowners choose the term and value of the drawdowns, offering more flexibility than a standard remortgage plan.

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