1 Never Worry About Money Again!

Do you ever worry about money? Do you worry about what could happen if you buy this or don't pay that, worry about how much it's going to cost, or maybe even where it's going to come from? You're not alone. So many Americans today are consumed with money worries to the point that they seldom take the time to really enjoy their lives. It's like constantly looking over your shoulder every minute of the day, worrying about whether your car is going to be stolen or when your cell phone is going to be plucked out of your hand by some hoodlum. It's exhausting!
Can you imagine what it would be like NOT to worry about money? In some ways, having complete control over your finances is akin to having complete control over your life. But how do you do that? It actually quite simple: Just by knowing where your money is going puts you in better control.
Having a budget is the key to regaining control over your finances. I've heard people say that sticking to a budget restricts their financial freedom. This couldn't be further from the truth. A good budget should include everything that involves your money. It's your ticket to being able to go anywhere or do anything that you want, without worrying about the cost, or negative consequences to your bills.
If you knew exactly how much you were making, where your money was going and how much you needed for extracurricular activities, then you would never have to worry about overspending or overdraft charges. You could even plan for additional expenses by setting money aside in savings and paying cash when you're ready instead of outrageous credit card interest.
The richest man in the world could walk into a store and buy anything he wanted without having to think about money. But would he be happy? Well it's the age-old question: Does money buy happiness? Not even close. Of course you have to make and have money in order to survive in our modern world. But is that what makes people happy? I think not.
Happiness comes from within, from knowing who you are, following your goals and dreams and being the best person you can be. Happiness is putting your attention on the beautiful things in life - a happy family, a short trip to another city, sitting down and talking over dinner or just spending time with your best friends. It doesn't have to cost a lot of money to have a good time, to have great friendships, a loving family, or even a smile on your face and a spring in your step.
So learn what you need to know, handle what you need to handle, do a budget, and live your life to its fullest. Breathe in the ocean air or the smell of freshly mowed grass, watch the children playing in the yard, and go out and enjoy life. The only thing you should worry about is absolutely NOTHING!
The Debt Lady Says, "Play your cards right and you might have a flush!"

0 Exchange Traded Fund (ETF)

An Exchange Traded Fund (ETF on short) is a group of stocks that is considered and used like a single stock. ETFs can be used for covered calls because they are optionable. For example, if you buy an ETF from a company comprised of 500 stocks it practically means that you bought 500 stocks that are considered as one. One ETF advantage against a single stock is that it offers smaller risk and a potentially lower volatility. You ask how EFT offers these advantages compared to single stock? Let's say that a company releases an earnings report that has a drastic effect on a single stock dramatically reducing its value. This risk is more contained when you have a collection of stocks or ETF. Also it is good to have ETFs in your portfolio because it provides diversity. Some popular ETFs are: SPY (S&P 500), IWM (the Russell 2000), (NASDAQ 100). The number associated with the ETFs basically refers to the amount of stocks it contains.
A Gold ETF, on the other hand is an asset that must be included in the portfolio of any serious investor who is interested in investing in diversified assets as possible. Investing in gold is a great idea because it is one of the most solid assets on the market. Gold also performs very well against inflation and any sound and diversified portfolio should have at least some exposure to it. The main disadvantage of investing in gold though is that you won't get cash dividends on it but like on any ETF, you have the possibility of writing covered calls on it. The most known gold ETF is SPDR Gold Shares ETF, but there are others as well like PowerShares DB Gold Fund, iShares COMEX Gold Trust or ProShares Ultra Gold.
An investor should always try to have a diversified portfolio as much as possible. Specialists believe that for a complete and diversified portfolio, besides exposure to gold, you should definitively have exposure to emerging markets because currency markets are very volatile. The problem is that there are many emerging markets, each with many companies. For many companies the right information will be hard to get, maybe even inaccurate and inconsistent. The best and easiest way of achieving emerging markets is using an ETF (exchange traded fund) where the most common would be the MSCI EEM. It also depends what kind of countries you want to approach. For example, if you want exposure to China, then you could use iShares FTSE FXI.

0 The Importance of Mortgage Training for Today's Financial Industry

Each year, people and companies request to obtain financing for residential and commercial properties in addition to investments. Mortgage training is the education that lenders have to acquire so they can process and send out loans to customers.
Function
Students will need financing and mortgage education so that they can increase their work productivity. Students who train will gain knowledge about the various loans available to all kinds of clients. They will also know how to handle certain transactions like processing, underwriting and loan origination. For instance, mortgage underwriting is a very important process that lenders should undertake to figure out the risk of a borrower who accepts a loan. Many risks and terms that underwriters use include crucial factors like credit and collateral.
Coursework
Certain topics used in mortgage training include complying with financing laws, interpreting income tax returns, handling Veterans Administration (VA) loans and using the Direct Endorsement procedure.
Training
It is important to enroll in a learning program for loan officers. People should try to obtain on-the-job loan officer training with financial institutions like banks and brokerages. Students can select the type of learning process they want which could vary from beginner to refresher courses for experienced workers. A beginner's course may teach professionals the basics of loan origination or an upper-level course may teach the most recent rules of the financial industry. There are online and classroom classes in addition to in-house courses that take place at a client's office.
In many courses, students can learn about loan origination, ethics, legal matters and consumer protection and receive certificates of achievement after passing. Beginning professionals should acquire more knowledge about banking as they pursue their careers by enrolling in workshops or attending live events so they can work directly with lenders. Some reputable financial groups provide classes that come with a badge of approval for people who are concerned about credibility.
Most new working professionals should need practical training after they have been employed and years of experience are important. Loan officers will approve loans, analyze a borrower's financial status and review the credit rating and other financial details.
Assisting consumers who need to obtain mortgages will require a large amount of knowledge about loans, laws and money principles. They assist people and businesses that need to go through the lending process for home and professional properties. Professionals are employed with reputable institutions like banks, credit unions and other financial institutions. They should have special training and licenses that makes their job possible.

0 A Closer Look at Mortgage Lending Training

Mortgage lending training is often used as a stepping stone for professionals to pursue or advance a career in the mortgage industry. In many states, there are certifications requirements in place that must be met before you can work in certain job positions, and many employers require additional training for employees, too. There are different types of courses and training options you can pursue, however, and each can open up different opportunities for your career.
Loan Processing
You can consider specialized training in the area of loan processing. Professionals working in this area often act as a liaison between the borrower and the underwriter. He or she may work with real estate agents, title or escrow companies, appraisers, property inspectors and other professionals who are instrumental in the loan process as well. Training for this area of the field provides you with an education on topics such as Debt-to-Income (DTI) ratios, Loan-to-Value (LTV) ratios, employment verification, deposit verification and more. Coursework in this area can help you to work more effectively and efficiently in your position.
Underwriting
Mortgage underwriting is generally the behind-the-scenes work that is involved in the loan approval process. This is a professional who reviews the entire loan file, runs the calculations for DTI and LTV, and verifies that the request meets all mortgage underwriting guidelines in place by the lender or financial institution. Generally, this is the person who gives the final nod on loan approval. As a result, this professional has a job that is infinitely important to both the lender and the borrower. Mortgage training for this position is often more detailed and financially oriented.
Once you decide you do want to pursue a career as a loan processor or underwriter, you may wish to sign up for mortgage training courses so you can gain knowledge in these very important areas. You may find these courses to be helpful if you work in other areas of the lending or real estate fields as well, including as a real estate agent or real estate assistant. This is an industry that does offer a lot of unique, niche positions, and you will find that the greater your level of experience and training, the more doors are opened for career possibilities now and the in future. In addition, taking coursework in these various areas can help you to be more educated and therefore more knowledgeable when working with clients and other industry professionals, too.

0 ETF Securities in Asia

The accumulated ETF securities in Asia (Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong or HK for short, and China) currently total around $70 billion. This number has continued to increase substantially since 2008. ETFs are such a financially successful innovation in Asia because the expense ratio is so much lower than in other countries. Now investment with these emerging economies is easier than it has ever been.
You will find some of the largest ETFs in China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and South Korea. Surprisingly, Japan is not among these. A few years ago Japan would have been at the top of any Asian financial list for any kind of security. With the introduction of ETFs, the Asian financial scene looks dramatically different. Now the two main powerhouses are Singapore and Hong Kong. This is especially true when it comes to synthetic ETFs.
Hong Kong is presently on the tippy top of synthetic ETFs in a region where Hong Kong and Singapore are the only countries to delve into the matter. Right now they have 70 synthetic ETF listings while Singapore only has 44. Knowing the liquid nature of the Asian market, it should come as no surprise to learn that that is expected to change. Researchers project that the Singapore market alone will rise from its present ETF value of $1 billion to $70 billion by 2014. However, they also project that in the same allotment of time that HK, the other Asian ETF securities powerhouse, will fall from its present standing of $8 billion dollars to a mere $4.5 billion. Alarmed at these predictions, some of HK's ETF clients have already started distancing themselves. This includes the two biggest Asian providers of synthetic ETFs, Deutsch Bank AG and Lyxor Asset Management, Lyxor says that ETF in Hong Kong will at its present rate of financial decline soon be insufficiently cost-effective. Lyxor has a backup plan in, you guessed it, Singapore. It owns 26 synthetic ETFs in Singapore and plans to add more.
Deutsche Bank has been slower in retreating. Hong Kong has had time to try its best to keep its clients in the fold. They are also making similar efforts to keep its other clients. As a result, the projections concerning these regions might not come true. We'll just have to wait for 2014 to see if that's true. Unless the Mayans were right and we aren't around then.

0 Ciao! Notes From My Trip To Italy

Last week I vacationed in Italy spending time in Venice, Florence, Rome and the Almafi coast. For those of you who have not yet been but are considering a trip, you will find the Italian people to be warm and helpful and, in my opinion, possessing the best food in the world.
As is my custom when I travel, I love to talk with local residents about their lives and try to get a pulse on their "take "on life. This year it is even more fascinating because of the serious economic problems most of Europe is facing.
One person I met was a young American woman, who has spent the last 9 years in Italy as a travel writer and guide. She spends her time writing about food and takes tourists to local restaurants to sample Italy's wonderful food and wines. I specifically wanted to know how, as an outsider who has worked in the country for a long time, she viewed the current situation. She has noticed, she said, that many of the smaller, locally owned businesses had closed and were replaced by high-end chain stores like Prada, Gucci, Cartier and many others of similar ilk. Personally, I saw this on every stop of my trip.
She also mentioned that times were very hard for the average Italian. Gas was close to $9 per gallon and taxes in general, were very high. The VAT tax on consumer purchases was a whopping 21% and she expressed the general view of many Italians that the best jobs to have were government jobs which were paying $10,000 Euro a month!
The next person I asked was my Roman guide to one of the city's many underground excavations. This gentleman has a lot of experience as I have used him in the past and has worked his whole life in and around the city of Rome. He is entrepreneurial...a scrapper so to speak, working more like an American than a typical Italian. He will take you anywhere, arrange anything including transportation and give you the kind of experience which makes him worth every single dollar (whoops, Euro).
I asked him for his thoughts on the current situation. He says it's bad for Italians right now. The government is trying to collect every euro of tax it can which he estimated would be 68 cents of every euro he earned. So he does what most Italians do, he works for cash or if he must accept a credit card he has created an off-shore company to receive the payment.
This brings to light the challenge facing Italy and the other countries on the periphery of the EU. These countries are severely in debt and their challenge is to raise enough money to pay down the debt or at the very least, operate without taking on anymore. They have two basic choices; Raise revenue by increasing taxes or create a more open business environment to let the entrepreneurial spirit of the Italian people express itself. Italians, in general are a firmly mercantile culture. Venice and Florence were trading capitals of the world for centuries. Rome, of course was the seat of power for centuries and trading is in their blood.
The challenge for every country caught in the debt trap, and this includes the United States, is balancing the need to reduce its debt by raising revenue while at the same time, creating an environment to kindle man's natural "animal spirits".
We've Been Here Before
In the late 1979's, this country was stuck in a recession accompanied by high inflation. This was the period in which I had just begun to work and raise a fledgling family. Becoming more aware of the economy and various job opportunities for myself and my wife, we both noticed a peculiar anomaly. We figured that it hardly mattered to us economically whether or not she worked. We calculated that tax rates were so high; her extra income would push us into a higher tax bracket taking an even larger chunk of her earnings. Higher taxes proved a huge disincentive so she eventually stopped working. And, like my friendly Italian tour guide, I thought the best job one could have was that of a postal employee. Government service was safe, secure and represented steady income---very important in bad times. Of course, in better times we now know it's better to take calculated risks to build your financial future.
Will the countries in the EU learn this lesson? It's hard to say but at this point their economic future is in doubt. Let's hope however, that they figure it out very soon and do the right thing.

Steve Pomeranz is a Managing Director for United Capital Financial Advisers, LLC, "United Capital", and owner of On The Money. On The Money is not affiliated with United Capital.
Visit http://onthemoneyradio.org for weekly commentary and money advice that covers the entire financial spectrum which also airs on my weekly radio show, "On The Money!"
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Steven L. Pomeranz, CFP is a 29 year investment management veteran and host of "On The Money!" which airs on NPR station, WPBI and WLRN in South Florida. He concentrates on serving high net-worth individuals and has been named one of the Top 100 Wealth Advisors 2007, by Worth magazine (October 2007 Issue), honoring America's premier financial and wealth strategists.

0 Trade Forex the Lazy Way

Ask me where Euro will head next month and I will not be able to tell you where. I have no idea! One thing I do know that if a certain pattern I usually look out for it present, I take the trade - if it is not there, I do not. Simple. This is what profitable traders do. Even if they trade as little as twice a month, they do it the lazy way without the hype and without the draw downs. Either their technical set-up is there, or it is not.
Lazy trading is an under-rated art - certainly to people new to the markets. However any profitable trader will tell you that more is less and less is more. Some people call it lazy trading, other people call it just plain sensible.
People new to trading the markets, for some reason, think that more is more and that the more time they spend in front of the screen, the more likely they are able to find winning trades - or be entitled to a winning trade. This is what society pre-conditions us to do. More time spend working generally means more output which generally equates to more pay. The financial markets do not work like that.
What a lot of rookie traders overlook is the reason why they started to trade in the first place: to make their money to work hard for them. If there was a way to trade in a straight forward, simple manner where the trading process is simple and low maintenance then that would seem like a no-brainer. Fortunately this is possible and this is what 'end of day' trading is all about. The daily timeframe after all is one of the most commonly scrutinized timeframes amongst the professionals as it is easier to analyse and trade, but is also one of the only timeframes where you can place your orders and walk away, enabling your trades to work for you rather than you being run by your trades.
It makes more sense to trade this way and become a lazy trader rather than to be hunched over the screen all day and all night trying to chase trades on the 1 minute chart. People often do the latter and they often lose money. As the adage goes, to create is effort and to copy is genius so if people are making great returns from not trading often at all, it makes sense to pay attention and keep the excitement for the casino!

0 Equity Ratio

This is a very good ratio for an investor, if he is analyzing the possibility to invest. This ratio shows what amount of money he will get if the company will go bankrupt, because debt obligations for the banks should be covered and only after all other creditors, shareholders are taking their part. Higher ratio shows higher leverage and better position of shareholders, because larger amount of their funds will be financed. Lower ratio means that the company has a debt, and at first this obligation should be paid. The higher debt the lower equity ratio will be.
The needed level of ratio depends on the sector where the company is working at. If the sector is safe and the cash flows in the sector are stable, the level can vary from 40 to 60 per cent and the company still can be very attractive for the investors, but for less stable companies, whose results are more volatile depending on the stage of the economy or the seasonal changes, the equity ratio should be much higher to attract investors.
The company which has lover debt and higher equity ratio is always more attractive for the investor, because it gives him higher opportunity to earn money as dividends and shows lower possibility of the company to go bankrupt. The company with higher equity ratios shows higher possibilities of growth from inside financing. Investors like that share prices will grow from the money that are inside the company and not from the outsider financing source, which has priority for the money of the company.
But the debt for the company is not always bad as well. Some companies, that have low equity must get financing from banks if they want to make faster growth. So the investor must check whether the company is borrowing for growth or it is borrowing to make an injection to its balance or to shade some problems. If the company announced about some acquisition or expansion, one of the alternatives of borrowing is a bank loan, so this debt is used to raise revenues of the company and it will be given back after it creates higher value of the company for the investors.
Higher level of equity ratio means higher possible growth rates and better situation for the investor, but everything depends on the strategy of the company - whether it is growing or retiring, whether its sector is safe and popular or forgotten and unsuccessful. So the investor should analyze additional information before trusting on equity ratio and know the activities of the company very well, but if the ratio is almost equal to 1, it means that the company is profitable enough to be financed by itself and safe enough for the shareholders.

0 Fundamentals of Private Equity Investments

In a world where everyone is looking out for himself or herself, business people are finding it hard to conduct business in a fair environment. Private equity investments are continuously finding themselves on the back foot in terms of investment. Some entrepreneurs are forced to close their businesses in order to save the little they have left. Others are not doing that badly. In fact, they would benefit a lot from selling their business while it is in its highest peak.
However, selling a business is not as easy as it sounds. It involves a long process and many complicated issues. On the other hand, some mid market investment banks are dedicated to offering the assistance that many businesses require. These private equity investments have the necessary expertise and facilities to provide the services of a private banker at the most minimal cost.
These mid market investment banks possess a tenacity and business acumen that some entrepreneurs lack in many cases. This is because they do not have the professionals that have specialized in such a field. Investment banking firms involved in the construction industry, for instance, the managers will hire people equipped with the skills needed to succeed in that industry. Most of them would not think of hiring someone to help them sell the business.
Private equity investments firms, therefore, help business owners sell their businesses without throwing their lifetime effort go down the drain. They also afford businesses the luxury of not thinking about the next move but concentrate on the job at hand. Consequently, the business will proceed in trying to bring in the necessary financial results.
Apart from leveraged buyouts, mid market investment banks offer other services by a private banker including strategic partnering, mezzanine financing, consultation services, and debt restructuring.
This market is, however, quite competitive and the private equity investments firms are trying to outdo each other to impress potential clients. It, therefore, comes down to finding the right mid market investment banks to take your private equity to greater heights.
For an entrepreneur, it would be suicidal to pick any private equity investments firm to conduct this business transaction on your behalf. This particular transaction could be the biggest for the entrepreneur. Therefore, taking time to select the right mid market investment banks should not be construed as a waste of time.
The integrity of the private equity investments should be foremost in choosing the right firm to handle this business. The private equity could be involving thousands or even millions of dollars. Many people's lives would also be altered when the transaction succeeds. Therefore, private equity investments are there to ensure a smooth transition and a fair price to the seller of the business.
The best mid market investment banks should have amassed enough number of years in experience to warrant being hired for the job. This will ensure that they get the best client at the shortest time possible. Understanding the market and having a global reach will be vital for the private equity investments to find a good client. The aim is to get a client who is willing to pay the quoted price or higher without wasting time.

0 Crisis in Europe - Austerity Vs Growth: Is There Really a Choice?

Well I'm sure you've already worked it out yourself but you just can't avoid that question, nowhere to hide and nowhere to run. We are pouring fortunes we don't have into trying to keep several countries afloat in Europe while at the same time suffering all the pains of cut backs.
One of the big problems is that a sizeable portion of the general public don't seem to realise that austerity isn't a political doctrine or a strategy; unfortunately it's a fact of life. Given that there isn't any money left in the bank it seems pointless endlessly discussing how we should spend what we haven't got. France and Greece have now both elected political parties who espouse a "go for growth" policy, but however popular it may be with their electorate there's a huge problem with this political dogma. The elephant in the room being the fact that we haven't got the money to invest, it just isn't possible for everyone to borrow the money to give it a go. Principally due to the fact that there just isn't that much money in Europe, and even if it were possible to get it from somewhere, the IMF, China, Bill Gates, wherever; the payments on the debt would be so crippling that it would only compound the matter, and somewhat obviously leave us yet further in debt.
It's true that we need growth, as a famous industrialist once said "nobody ever built up a business on cost cutting", but any money spent on building the economy needs to be generated form savings made elsewhere. We know it's going to be hard, in fact it already is hard and things are going to get a lot harder but it's not a choice of the current coalition government. Vince Cable who is the epitome of Liberal Democrat culture and certainly isn't averse to putting the gloves on to fight for what he believes in has admitted that there isn't an option. We must try to everything we can within our limitations to encourage and assist the UK's economic growth, but there really isn't a plan B and just in case anyone thinks couldn't be worse so why not give it a go, throw borrowed money at it and see what happens? What happens is Greece where unemployment benefits have been cut by a quarter, overall unemployment stands at 21%, more young people are unemployed than in work and many Greeks fortunate enough to stay in work are having to take pay cuts of 30% just to stay in the job.
The irony of the situation is of course that the Greek people are rioting and demonstrating for more money and against the austerity package which the EU has demanded to be put in place before giving them further massive loans, but if they are successful in pushing through a new government which defaults on the loans and pulls out of the austerity measures, there won't be any more loans which means there won't be any more money to give them!
As I said earlier, I know things are hard and almost everyone is feeling the pinch, but do we really want to re-enact their Greek tragedy?