Category Archives: Financial

Financial

Financial, Financial Services, Insurance, Insurance Services, Personal Finance

LV= Has Announced That Its Level And Decreasing Term Assurance Products, As Well As Optional Critical Illness Cover, Are Now Available On The Moneysupermarket.Com Price Comparison Website

This is the first time LV= has launched its protection products online through an aggregator website. Customers can now compare the LV= life insurance and Critical Illness Cover products against the others which are available in the market, as well as any additional benefits that may be offered, with the ‘more than a cheque’ benefits from LV= which include ‘Healthy Steps’, an online health assessment and advice service, as well as free terminal illness cover.

Robin Willison, LV= Financial Advice Director commented: “It’s great that potential customers will now be able to compare the value and features of our life insurance against a number of other providers in the market. We are conscious of the financial pressures that many people are facing at the moment, and this move will demonstrate how competitive we are, and allow consumers to get the best value cover at a price that is right for them.”

Emma Walker, Head of Protection at moneysupermarket.com said: “We have been working with LV= through our off line advice team for five years and are now delighted to welcome LV= to the moneysupermarket.com consumer facing website, as we constantly strive to provide customers with the widest choice across the market. In the current climate it is more important than ever for customers to be able to compare prices and investigate levels of cover available. This is a great move for a protection specialist like LV= as they really are helping people to look after what they love in life by joining our platform.”

* Terminal Illness cover is included free and applies if the customer has less than 12 months to live, allowing customers to claim on their policy.

About LV= 
LV= and LV= Liverpool Victoria are trademarks of Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society Limited and LV= and LV= Liverpool Victoria are trading styles of the Liverpool Victoria group of companies. The new LV= brand identity was launched in March 2007.

LV= employs more than 3,800 people, serves around 3.2 million customers and members, and manages around £7bn on their behalf. We are also the UK’s largest friendly society (Association of Friendly Societies Yearbook 2006/2007, total net assets) and a leading mutual financial services provider.

LVFS is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority and entered on the Financial Services Authority Register No. 110035. LVFS is a member of the ABI, AMI, AFS and ILAG. Registered address: County Gates, Bournemouth BH1 2NF.

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Financial, Financial Services, Insurance, Insurance Services, Personal Finance

LV= Research Reveals Importance Of A Good Claims Service

LV= research has revealed that 83% of people interviewed who had made a claim on their car insurance said they would pay more for their insurance cover if they had the assurance of a good claims service. However with many people buying insurance just based on the very cheapest price, LV= is warning consumers not to forgo quality just to save a few pounds.

Peter Horton, operations director for the LV= general insurance business said: “Many people are understandably looking to make savings and cutbacks on their insurance at the moment, so they might be tempted to buy a policy from the insurer offering absolutely the cheapest quote. However the danger is that they may save themselves a few pounds in the short term but end up seriously out of pocket if that insurer offers a substandard claims service.”

LV= operates an award winning claims service and so far this year has received two more accolades for its service, including a Consumer Intelligence Gold rating.

The latest Gold Award is based on Consumer Intelligence research among over 2,000 people who made a claim on their motor insurance in 2008.

People were asked to rate their overall satisfaction with the service they received from their provider and give their views on specific elements of the claims service, including courtesy cars, repair quality and levels of communication.

The award comes hot on the heels of a Which? Magazine’s People’s Choice award received by LV= last month.

The People’s Choice accolade is awarded to the best financial service providers across a number of categories as voted for by 15,000 Which? members. Members of the Which? online panel that had experienced a claim within the last 12 months were polled to find the top provider and LV=’s claims service provided under the Frizzell brand was voted as the best.

Peter Horton concluded: “The whole point of insurance is to ensure that if your car is involved in an accident or stolen your claim will be dealt with quickly and efficiently and you won’t end up out of pocket. It’s a false economy to go with a bargain basement price only to end up paying for premium rate telephone lines every time you need to speak to the insurance company, or being stuck without a vehicle for weeks on end. People shouldn’t just consider the price but also check the insurer has a good claims service.“

Peter concluded, “LV= is a mutual insurer, meaning we aren’t liable to stock market fluctuation or shareholder pressures in the same way as many other insurers, so we are able to put service at the forefront of what we do whilst still offering a competitive price. As these award wins show, our claims service is one of the best in the market – as voted for by people who have experienced a claim, and who better to ask than them?”

 

About LV= 
LV= offers car, home, travel and pet insurance cover direct to consumers by telephone from its UK call centres in Bournemouth and Croydon and online from its website. LV= is a registered trade mark of Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society Limited (LVFS) and a trading style of the Liverpool Victoria group of companies. LV= employs over 3,800 people, serves around 3.2 million customers and members, and manages around £7 billion on their behalf. We are also the UK’s largest friendly society (Association of Friendly Societies Key Statistics 2008, total net assets) and a leading mutual financial services provider.

LVFS is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority register number 110035. LVFS is a member of the ABI, AMI, AFS and ILAG. Registered address: County Gates, Bournemouth BH1 2NF.

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College Finance, Financial, Financial Services, Loans, Money

Indiana Campaign Finance Announces Payday Loans

Now, through Indiana Campaign Finance — fast payday loans — from the convenience and privacy of your desktop. No fooling — there’s no faxing. Just quick funding. No tedious, time-consuming, paper-greedy processes to hold you back or tie you down from the solution that awaits you, thanks to Indiana Campaign Finance.

ICF knows that some situations call for a fast and trouble-free fix, so our knowledgeable experts have created the online No-Fax Payday Loan, for the fastest prescription for your short-term financial crunch.

For those urgent, worrisome times when “help can’t wait,” Indiana Campaign Finance (ICF) can come to your rescue. home loans ICF isn’t just any port in the storm — it’s your modern-day solution for modern-day financial woes. Use fire to fight fire — apply for your ICF Payday Loan, and get help, fast.

Apply for an easy, fast ICF student loans or Payday Loan online and get your money deposited directly and conveniently straight into your bank account, with no faxing or intervention required. No anxiously waiting for mail deliveries that might get held up or misdirected – you’ll be the first to know when help has arrived, not your mail carrier.

If you can type, ICF can help — it’s just about that simple. Armed with just your paystub and the privacy of your computer, you can truly feel better fast by attacking what really needs to be done: dealing with urgent debt and quieting creditors through help from ICF.

Now is the time to exchange desperation for relief — why wait? ICF is on your side. — or can be, as soon as you say the word. 

Don’t hesitate to turn to ICF for help — with financial debt, like a hole in the roof, things will only deteriorate the longer you wait. 

Act now to stop your expensive debts from getting even bigger. With the savvy and sympathetic staff at ICF, there’s no need to wait or hesitate.

Afford yourself some urgently needed peace of mind: with a quick-fix remedial Payday Loan from Indiana Campaign Finance, you can buy yourself some breathing room to think straight and fly right. Apply For the ICF No Faxing Payday Loans Online And Get Your Loan Now! Indiana Campaign Finance Payday Loan online applications are at your fingertips, at http://www.indianacampaignfinance.com/loans/payday-loans.html.
Remember, the sooner you apply, the sooner you’ll breathe easier. See also : auto loans, bad credit loans

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Financial, Financial Services, Home Equity, Loans, Money, Mortgage, Personal Finance

Fixed rate mortgages are low, particularly for those with at least 25% equity, but will they/can they get any cheaper?

Tracker mortgage rates mirror any change in bank rate, but with mortgage lenders increasing tracking margins, and with bank rate at 0.5%, have you missed the boat?

Unusually, standard variable rates may also look attractive, but are lenders passing on any change in interest rates, as they struggle to retain savers?

If you are unsure what to choose, here are some L&C tips on how you could hedge your bets.

A mix and match mortgage is where you take part on a variable rate and part on a fixed rate. This gives you some security but will also mean you don’t completely miss out if rates fall again. The downside is that you’re likely to pay an arrangement fee for both schemes.

Drop lock mortgages, offered by lenders such as Halifax, Nationwide and C&G, allow you to take a tracker deal, but switch to a fixed rate in the future without penalty.

This might seem the perfect solution but timing your switch will be tricky, and is likely to involve your home being revalued. With house prices continuing to fall, a revaluation could see you move into a higher loan to value band with higher rates, so even if fixed rates generally fall, you could end up paying more. Any switch is also likely to mean a new arrangement fee.

You could also consider a capped tracker mortgage. The tracker means you don’t miss out on interest rate cuts, and adding a cap means there is a maximum rate you can pay, so if rates rise above the cap, you don’t need to worry.

The Coventry and Yorkshire Building Societies and Woolwich have all recently launched capped trackers.

To find out more visit the best buy mortgages section of the L&C website.

Whatever you do, L&C’s advice is don’t delay. With lenders reserving their best deals for those with up to 40% equity, and falling house prices eroding your equity, any delay could cost you dear.

For more information and no-fee advice, borrowers should call free on 0800 373300.

 

London & Country (L&C) is the UK’s leading no-fee mortgage broker. Based in Bath, it provides whole of market advice via telephone and post to clients nationwide. As well as residential mortgages, it also specialises in the Buy-to-Let and adverse-credit sectors.

L&C is a Climate Neutral company and for the last seven years has invested in climate friendly projects and tree-planting to help offset its emissions and those of its customers. For more information, go to www.lcplc.co.uk/green

L&C has won numerous awards including:

Best Mortgage IFA/Adviser of the Year – Money Marketing, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008
Best Technology Adviser – Money Marketing 2007
Best Mortgage Broker outside London – Mortgage Strategy, 2004 and 2005
Best National Broker – Mortgage Introducer 2005, 2006 and 2007
Best Overall Broker – Mortgage Introducer 2005
Overall broker of the year – Pink Home Loans, 2006 and 2007
Top 100 company in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 for 2004 and 2005
Business of the Year – The Bath Business Awards 2005
Growth Strategy of the Year – National Business Awards (Wales and West) 2008
Business Leader (Broker) – British Mortgage Awards – 2008
Online Mortgage IFA of the Year – Financial Adviser – 2008

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Business, Costs, Financial, Financial Services, Money, Profits

Forward Thinking PEO Services Provider Brings More Money to Businesses

It’s a known fact that American businesses these days are searching for more progressive ways to keep their organizations viable and profitable. The current economic situation has businesses locally, nationally and globally strategizing on how to balance income and expenses. Many companies are struggling with decisions like; should we diversify, cut payroll costs, adjust our employee benefits structures or shut the doors. A current reality facing all business decision makers is that it’s time to implement reorganization and restructuring strategies geared towards keeping their companies from experiencing devastating losses.

Fortunately, a Professional Employer Organization, PEO, can help in some very beneficial and economic ways. A PEO company is a one-stop human resources hub that can help any business streamline their back office support essentials like payroll processing, tax filing, and more. National’s PEO Services begins with a team concept that means the client has the attention of several experienced PEO staff and not just one or two persons. Whatever your business needs; payroll, human resources, workers compensation and benefits administration, to name a few, a professional and experiences PEO can save businesses money. Organizations with the staff sizes as small as10 or as large as 500 employees, are National PEO’s specialty.

Payroll Outsourcing Services is just one benefit provided a National PEO client. They can and have saved many companies hundreds to thousands of dollars. National PEO’s highly trained and accomplished staff can get your clerical and back office needs met quickly and efficiently. Many experts in business have proven that if a company enlists the help of payroll outsourcing services, the executives and management personnel are free to give their attention to the product or service offered to the consumers. What does all this translate to the new client of National’s PEO Services? It means more income to operate and less expense allocated in the clerical or administrative divisions.

Owning a business with employees means payroll processing. Payroll workers can spend countless hours tracking the employees time and where it was spent, tallying the figures for Federal, State, and Medicare taxes (this doesn’t include filing the tax forms quarterly or yearly), and writing the paychecks. Every business is unique and a perfect solution, for any business dilemma, can be found with the assistance of a talented and experienced PEO. The PEO team acts like a one-stop payroll administration center that incorporates the management of all human resource responsibilities such as: payroll processing, payroll tax filing. National PEO is not limited to payroll; they offer human resources information management (John Rico), benefits administration, information technology (Kevin Davis), paycard services and so much more.

Business experts and business professionals from all types of commerce and enterprises will warn newbie business owners to not take the accounting, clerical and payroll end of business for granted. It is in these areas that bad decisions or neglect can topple a company into bankruptcy. Don’t like the bookkeeping or back office end of business? Consider researching the services at National PEO, a
reputable professional employer organization.

Businesses today need state of the art information technology. Difficult economic times do not have to mean the end of any business enterprise. The smart business person and decision makers are always open to strategize internal changes that can keep operations profitable and continue to provide customers the quality service and product they have come to expect. Peo Services like National PEO, puts money back into business. They can handle numerous requirements presented by the business owner or corporation, in return, saving that business precious time and money.

About National PEO, LLC:

Located in Scottsdale, Arizona, National PEO has been in business since 1999. They specialize in providing professional employer services with an emphasis on teamwork. A highlight of National PEO is that clients can purchase bundled or ala carte services. National PEO caters to businesses of any size.

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Credit Cards, Financial, Financial Services, Loans, Money, Personal Finance

Woolworth’s Release Everyday Money Credit Card

If you are a Woolworth’s customer or thinking of becoming one then the new “Woolworth’s Everyday Money Credit Card” offer is for you. The advantage of the new Woolworths credit card is that it rewards you for being a loyal shopper. You receive bonus points f r o m Shopping at Woolworths and partner stores around Australia. Rewards For Shopping at Woolworth’s Supermarket. 

Earn 3 points for every dollar spent on select products at Woolworth’s supermarkets. If you spend $200 on food shopping per week then this would equate to 600 bonus points added to your Everyday Money bonus points account. Earn 2 points for every other product you buy at Woolworths, Safeway, Big W, CALTEX WOOLWORTHS/SAFEWAY co-branded fuel outlets, epump, Woolworth’s/Safeway Liquor, Dick Smith PowerHouse and participating Dick Smith Electronics and Tandy stores. The Everyday Money deal also gives you 1 point for any other purchases made on your credit card. This product gives you the opportunity to earn reward points for your everyday shopping in Australia.

Redeeming your Points
Every 4 months depending on how many points you have earned in this period Woolworth’s customers will earn a Shopping Card that can be used at Woolworth’s stores and participating partner networks. The shopping card can be used for anything f r o m food shopping to the petrol pump.

Credit Card Features
The Everyday Money Card is issued on behalf of the HSBC Bank and is subject to their lending requirements. The low purchase interest rate as of March 24 2009 is 17.99 percent. For a limited time only the Everyday Money Mastercard comes with a $50 bonus shopping card upon the first card usage, and zero dollar annual fee for the first year, after which the annual fee is $49 per year. If the balance transfer is not paid off within this period then the standard purchase rate applies.

Conclusion
If you are a Woolworths customer and a responsible credit card user then the rewards program offered by the Everyday Money Mastercard will provide you with advantageous benefits. Woolworths is one of Australia’s most reputable organisations and the partnership with HSBC Bank gives the Australian consumers a deal that will save.

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Banks, Bonds, CDs, Checking & Savings, Financial, Financial Services, Interest Rate

NS&I Changes Premium Bonds Prize Structure And Variable Rates On Savings

NS&I has announced that f r o m the April prize draw onwards one of the two monthly Premium Bond jackpot prizes of £1 million will be replaced by a wider mix of prizes in the monthly draws, allowing more people to win but still retaining the chance of winning the £1 million jackpot prize. Similarly, a new £25 Premium Bond prize will be introduced and used alongside the existing prizes (ranging f r o m £50 to£1 million). These changes have been introduced because Premium Bond holders say that maintaining the chances of winning tax-free prizes on a regular basis is particularly important to them.

In addition to these changes, NS&I is reducing the Premium Bond prize fund rate f r o m 1.8% to 1%. This rate will be held at least until the June 2009 draw even if there are further changes to the base rate. This is the first change NS&I has made to the prize fund rate since December last year – during which time the Bank of England base rate has fallen f r o m 3.0% to 0.5%. The revised prize fund rate will come into effect f r o m 1 April 2009.

The current odds of each £1 Premium Bond number winning any prize will remain unchanged at 36,000 to 1, so with average luck an investor with £30,000 in Premium Bonds could win 10 tax-free prizes a year. The unclaimed premium bond prizes range all the way f r o m £25 up to £100,000. NS&I gives away over one million tax-free* Premium Bond prizes each month.

NS&I is also reducing the interest rates on its other variable rate savings by up to 0.50%, following movements in the Bank of England base rate. The revised interest rates will come into effect f r o m 18 March 2009.

Peter Cornish, Director of Customer Offer, NS&I, said: “Premium Bonds are unique and are hugely popular with our customers. Replacing one of the £1 million jackpot prizes with a wider mix of prizes and introducing the new £25 prize category will help us maintain the frequency of tax-free prizes – something that we know is particularly important to Premium Bond holders. “

He continued, “We always aim to reward as many of our customers as possible f r o m the prize fund available, together with having the right mix of prizes. We continue to pay out hundreds of thousands of tax-free prizes each month and customers also benefit f r o m a 100% guarantee on their investment because we are backed by HM Treasury.”

As always, NS&I will communicate all of these changes to customers via a range of outlets, including press advertisements and NS&I’s website, as well as putting an updated Premium Bonds prize draw details leaflets in all Post Offices and updated interest rates leaflets in most branches of WH Smith throughout the UK.

* Tax-free means that interest and prizes are exempt of f r o m UK Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax Gross means the taxable rate of interest without deduction of UK Income Tax.

 

When interest rates are s e t on tax-free products, NS&I takes into account the amount of tax the Exchequer would have received if the product had been taxable.

About NS&I
NS&I is one of the UK’s largest financial providers with 27 million customers and over £94 billion invested. It is best known for Premium Bonds, but also offers inflation-beating savings account guaranteed equity bonds, savings bonds easy access accounts and children’s bonus bonds in its range. All products offer 100% security, because NS&I is backed by HM Treasury.

Out of hours above number diverted to staff mobile phone ISDN line for interviews: 020 7602 4522.

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Financial, Financial Information, Financial Services, Home Equity, IRA, Money, Personal Finance, Retirement

Recession Woes Grow For Pensioners

New Prudential Class of 2009 retirement survey reveals the UK’s deepening economic crisis will mean the 3.25 million UK adults who plan to retire in 2009 can expect to receive £2.87 billion* less in their pensions than those who planned to retire in 2008.

The survey found UK workers planning to draw their pension in 2009 expect to get an average income of£17,779 a year, £884 less than those retiring in 2008 who anticipated an average annual income of £18,663. Retirement will mean taking a £7,129 cut in income compared with the national average salary of £24,908** but some believe they will be considerably worse off.

The Prudential survey showed that 11% of people retiring in 2009 expect to receive an income of less than £10,000 a year from their pensions and investments, with 12% of women expecting to manage on this level of income compared to 9% of men.

While 39% said their pension and savings would give them a decent retirement income, 61% were doubtful that they would have enough money to enjoy a comfortable life in retirement. When asked if they thought they were financially well prepared for retirement, only 47% responded positively.

Keith Haggart, Director of Lifetime Mortgages at Prudential said: “The global economic recession is relentless and indiscriminate in its impact and it was only a matter of time before we began to see British pensioners bear the brunt.”

He continued, “Although the results of our survey make unsettling reading, there are ways for pensioners to maximise their incomes during these difficult times. Drawing on some or all of the assets saved throughout their working lives, including releasing value from property through equity release schemes, can boost annual incomes without having a detrimental impact on quality of life or forcing pensioners to downsize or embark on a fire sale of their possessions and assets.”

Keith urged anyone approaching retirement or who has recently retired to talk to a financial adviser to help them review all their assets and savings to see how they could be used to maximise income.

Prudential’s retirement planning website helps consumers and employers tackle retirement issues. The website features a Retirement Planner which has been designed to help determine how much income a customer’s current arrangements might give them in retirement, factoring in current pensions, property, savings and investments. The Planner also shows customers how they might be able to boost retirement income, if there is a gap between what their current arrangements will provide at the point of retirement and what they anticipate they may need.

* Office of National Statistics 2007 show 24,990,500 adults aged 45+ in the UK. Prudential research shows that 13% of UK adults aged 45+ (youngest age stated by individuals planning to retire in 2009) said they planned to retire in 2009 = 3,251,854 people. Multiplied by £884 individual shortfall = £2.87 billion.

** 2008 ASHE survey results show median weekly pay for full-time employees in UK grew by 4.6% in the year to April 2008 to reach £479 (multiplied by 52 weeks =£24,908).

Survey conducted online by Research Plus among 1,000 UK adults aged 45+, during 10–18 November 2008.

About Prudential
“Prudential” is a trading name of The Prudential Assurance Company Limited, which is registered in England and Wales. This name is also used by other companies within the Prudential Group, which between them provide a range of financial products including life assurance, pensions, savings and investment products. Registered Office at Laurence Pountney Hill, London EC4R 0HH. Registered number 15454. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

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401K, Checking & Savings, Financial, Financial Education, Financial Information, Financial Services, Investment, IVA, Money

NS&I Has Launched A New Online Feature, The Five Questions, Featuring Sir Alan Sugar, To Encourage The British Public To Give Their Personal Finances A Much Needed Health Check

With research from NS&I revealing that 40 per cent of the population have no long-term financial plan and almost a fifth (17 per cent) don’t seek information on managing their money because it is too confusing, the need for a quick, simple way to help people review their current financial situation is clear.

The Five Questions prompt individuals to consider important aspects of their financial management, including how much debt they have and what their cash and assets are worth. Each question is designed to ensure that everyone, regardless of age or situation, really thinks about their current financial situation and plans accordingly for a secure financial future.

John Prout, Director of Customer Sales and Retention at NS&I said: “The Five Questions help focus the mind and help people make an honest and straightforward appraisal of their financial situation. This is part of our ongoing work to fulfil our duty, as an organisation in the financial services industry, to help everyone understand the basics when it comes to making financial decisions.”

Once answered, the five questions link to specific information on NS&I’s You and your money website. This is an impartial website launched by NS&I in 2008 as part of an ongoing drive to improve the public’s understanding of personal finance. The site has a dedicated financial jargon-buster guide and sections on key life stages, such as planning for a family or retirement. Just like The Five Questions, it is simple and easy to use, even for those who find finance difficult to understand.

John Prout added, “Most people are very familiar with the healthy eating model of ‘five portions of fruit and veg daily’. We want to encourage a similar mindset about financial planning to ensure people review their finances on a regular basis.”

Nick Cann, Chief Executive at the Institute of Financial Planning stated, “Asking the key questions to help you get your finances in better shape needn’t be hard work. Through basic planning techniques, individuals can then make the first step to improve their overall financial ‘fitness’. We welcome this initiative, and it aligns well with the IFP’s development of a national Financial Planning Week – scheduled for September 2009.”

You and your money has a range of useful links and tools to help people decide what action they should be taking. These include:

-pensions and personal inflation calculators
-FSA online tools
-Government online tools and calculators

NS&I plans to add further lifestyle sections to the website over time.

*The survey, which questioned people about financial planning, was carried out by TNS in 2008 among 1009 GB adults aged between 16 and 64.

About NS&I
NS&I is one of the UK’s largest financial providers with 28 million customers and over £88 billion invested. It is best known for Premium Bonds, but also offers Inflation-Beating Savings and investment accounts, Guaranteed Equity Bonds and Children’s Bonus Bonds in its range. NS&I also provides a choice of isa accounts with the direct isa and a cash isa which will remain available to new customers until 5th April 2009. All products offer 100% security, because NS&I is backed by HM Treasury. NS&I has a number of spokespeople available for interviews via ISDN line: 020 7602 4522.

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401K, Checking & Savings, Financial, Financial Services, IRA, Retirement

New Book Reveals Safe And Lucrative Investment Alternatives

“Unlimited Investing with a Self-Directed IRA LLC or Solo 401(k): Break Free F r o m Wall Street to Build Real Wealth with Alternative Investments” teaches investors safe and effective ways to build and protect their wealth.

With investors fed up with corporate greed, corrupt financial institutions and risk-laden Wall Street investments, now more than ever investors are looking for strategic ways to accumulate, grow and preserve their wealth outside of Wall Street. “Unlimited Investing with a Self-Directed IRA LLC or Solo 401(k): Break Free F r o m Wall Street to Build Real Wealth with Alternative Investments,” enables average investors to start learning how to identify safe, alternative places for their money so they can achieve financial freedom and financial security. The book is co-authored by the world’s leading self-directed investing expert, Jeff Nabers, and real estate and financial author, Phoebe Chongchua. Download the first chapter at UnlimitedInvesting.com

Nabers says that unlimited retirement accounts have been used to invest in alternative assets for decades, but few investors take advantage of these opportunities because of a lack of awareness. “Until recently, everyone thought the road to riches was paved with stocks and bonds. But today we know this isn’t true. Investors can no longer depend on untrustworthy financial institutions and greedy Wall Street executives to secure their financial future for them,” says Nabers.

“Instead, this book will teach investors how to convert their shrinking mutual fund portfolios into solid portfolios of real assets.”

Unlimited Investing includes everything an investor needs to know about protecting and growing wealth in today’s uncertain terrain, including:

• How to profit f r o m the decline of the dollar
• How to recession-proof your investments
• How to get your assets in your hands and stop risking them with untrustworthy financial institutions
• Understanding your Self-Directed IRA or 401(k) investment structures’ options
• How to avoid large or unnecessary fees and expenses

“Anyone who has ever wanted to invest in real estate, gold and silver, private equities, private debt instruments and international investments will benefit f r o m the practical advice and rare information available in this book,” says Chongchua.“It’s time for investors to wake up and explore the investment opportunities that await them outside of Wall Street. They’ll be glad they did.”

Nabers says he believes average and sophisticated investors alike can benefit f r o m his years of knowledge. “I’ve dedicated six years of my life to learning everything possible about self-directed investing and am making all this information available for public consumption for the first time ever with the release of Unlimited Investing,” says Nabers.

“Unlimited Investing” can be pre-ordered directly at http://www.UnlimitedInvesting.com

ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Jeff Nabers is a nationally recognized educator, speaker, and consultant specializing in the topic of investing with Self-Directed IRA & 401(k) plans. He is the founding member and chairman of IRA Association of America, the industry’s only non-profit trade association. Jeff is also CEO of Nabers Group, a full-service self-directed retirement plan provider. Years ago, as a real estate investor and owner of a mortgage lending company, Jeff set out to learn the ins and outs of using a Self-Directed IRA. It turned out to be a long and strenuous process. Jeff found himself traveling all over the country to pick up bits and pieces of useful information f r o m dozens of sources. Unlimited Investing is a compilation of the fruit of Jeff’s research combined with the experienced perspective f r o m Jeff’s participation in thousands of transactions involving both alternative assets and retirement plan funds.

Phoebe Chongchua has a 20-year background in journalism, marketing, and customer service. She specializes in real estate writing and her work is featured in Donald Trump’s book “The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received,” and “The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Buying Foreclosures.” She is the author of “If the Trash Stinks: TAKE IT OUT! 14 Worriless Principles For Your Success.” Phoebe began her career in TV as an anchor and news reporter for ABC News in San Diego, California. She holds a real estate license in California and continues to write and educate consumers on real estate and financial issues in various columns and publications online and in print. She is a columnist for Realty Times, Bizymoms Expert on Real Estate, and the publisher of Live Fit Magazine. After writing several articles on the topic of alternative asset investment vehicles, she realized how little the average consumer understands this highly powerful method of investing. Catalyzed to improve awareness, Phoebe’s research dug deeper, and the helpful findings are presented in this book.

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401K, Checking & Savings, Financial, Financial Services, IRA, Retirement

Sunwest Trust, Inc., Self Directed IRA Custodian Announces 19% Growth in 2008

Self Directed IRA Custodian, Sunwest Trust, Inc., which is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, defies economic odds by growing by 19% in 2008 despite the recessive economy. Sunwest Trust has diverse business interests and services self directed IRA and 401k clients nationwide.

Despite the grim economic climate and the receding value of the DOW, “Sunwest Trust continues to thrive and grow,” says Terry White, Chief Executive Officer for Sunwest Trust, Inc. In 2008, Sunwest Trust experienced their most profitable year in the company’s history and has grown by nearly 19% during the recession. White attributes much of their 2008 growth to the recent exodus from Wall Street, resulting from the daily fluctuations in the stock market. He adds, “Investors are pouring out of the stock market because they are fed up with the downward market free fall.” With the DOW down as much as 7000 points since last June, many IRA and 401k accounts have seen negative growth and have fallen by as much as 50%. As IRA holders see their retirement accounts deteriorating, “they are eager to look for investment alternatives,” says White.

Indeed, Sunwest Trust is positioned to meet this need; Sunwest allows their clients to invest in anything that is not specifically prohibited by the IRS code. Basically, this includes anything other than life insurance and collectibles. Although Sunwest allows clients to invest alternatively, White adds, “We strongly encourage our clients to exercise thorough due diligence and speak with a tax professional before making any alternative investments.”

Dustin White, Business Development/ IRA Specialist, suggests, “Our reasonable fee structure and customer service have also had a hand in our success in 2008.” Sunwest Trust IRA account fees have remained unchanged over the past seven years, and according to Dustin, “we do not plan on raising our fees in the foreseeable future, especially in this economic climate.”

Sunwest continues to provide outstanding service by managing their growth one client at a time. “We strive to personalize our clients’ experience. For example, when you call Sunwest Trust, you’re not going to get an automated voice answering system; you’re going to talk to a real person,” adds Dustin.

“February 2009 was another record-breaking month for Sunwest, in terms of new accounts received. All indications point to another great year for the company. We grew 19 % last year, and I see no reason why we can’t top that again this year,” says White.

About Sunwest Trust:
Sunwest Trust is an independently owned private company that offers self-directed IRA custodian and escrow services. The company offers a huge range of financial services providing post retirement benefits, private mortgages, real estate contacts and other related fields for its clients. FDIC insured banks back the self directed IRA funds of their clients. For more information on the activities of the company, please visit http://www.SunwestTrust.com.

Also, you can learn more about Sunwest Trust by watching their self directed IRA videos on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PlPhDnsbMA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLbAd65wO1c

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Financial, Financial Education, Financial Services

The Incentive Group, Inc., Works to Assure Event Success and National Financial Recovery

Talk about full service: The Incentive Group, Inc., a Corporate Event Planner, not only provides comprehensive services for planning employee incentive programs or sales recognition programs, but now its activities behind the scenes are helping to put guidelines in place to ensure that your company’s incentive activities are conducted in compliance with new federal laws and to ensure that your company maintains eligibility for federal emergency funding. 

The Incentive Group, Inc. provides all-inclusive services in conducting a variety of corporate events, from 

routine meetings and conferences, to sales recognition programs and employee incentive programs. The Incentive Group, Inc. maintains that company productivity and profits can be sustained and improved, even in tight economic times, by improving relationships with two major sources that are essential to business success: good customers and good employees. Even the most successful businesses must regularly take external and internal action to maintain happy customers and happy, productive employees.

Sales recognition programs have long been deemed essential management tools, utilized by companies to motivate and boost the confidence of their sales employees. More recently, companies have recognized that employee incentive programs targeting non-sales employees also have a measurable positive effect on the bottom line. Well-informed companies now view both types of programs as necessary to nurture good relationships with one of their most valuable resources – their employees.

Why incentives? Why not cash? The Incentive Group, Inc. presents a compelling case in favor of Travel Awards Employee Incentive Programs. Independent studies support the position that such incentives work better than cash to create feelings of satisfaction and to produce a high level of individual motivation.

Why not just organize your own events? The Incentive Group, Inc. has the purchasing power and connections to negotiate the best rates on services. Minimizing costs helps maximize attendance, ensuring greater success. Letting The Incentive Group handle the details free up company personnel from the onerous obligation of struggling to complete all the tasks necessary to set the stage for these kinds of events. Your employees are then able to spend their time doing what they do best: Their jobs.

You definitely need to consult with a professional corporate event planner before hosting any incentive event if you have received emergency government lending for distressed corporations. Under calls from the Obama administration, as well as a bill proposed in the U.S. Senate, the Secretary of the Treasury would be required to “develop and publish corporate governance principles and ethical guidelines for recipients of emergency economic assistance including restrictions governing payments for conferences and events.” (S.133, “Troubled Asset Relief Program Transparency Reporting Act,” Introduced 01/06/2009). The bill also mentions travel accommodations, travel expenditures, entertainment, holiday parties, and employee recognition events.

The Incentive Group, Inc. is a member of Meeting Professionals International (MPI), one of a group of eight event industry associations that have stepped forward to voluntarily create a “Model Board Policy for Approval of Meetings, Events and Incentive/Recognition Travel.” Although the Model Policy will constrain the very corporations that use the services of member corporate event planners, it will also protect the uninterrupted, smooth operation of the event industry.

MPI members like The Incentive Group, Inc., have thus dedicated themselves to assisting economic recovery by taking action to protect the significant percentages of jobs, tax revenues, and travel-related spending generated by the event industry, and also by aiding client companies that receive federal emergency funding to avoid legal problems over its use.

About The Incentive Group, Inc.

The Incentive Group, Inc. offers comprehensive corporate event planning, from local, regional, or national meetings, to custom-designed Travel Award programs, to participant feedback reports, plus everything in between. All services provided by The Incentive Group, Inc., have a unified goal in mind: To understand your business and to provide what you need in order to obtain measurable results.

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Business, Costs, Financial, Financial Information, Money, Profits

npower Urges Businesses To Act Now In Order To Profit From Emissions Reduction

Npower has commissioned a new white paper which reveals that businesses that make emissions reduction a board level priority can reap the rewards of a low carbon Britain.

The newly published white paper, UK Climate Policy for Business, was commissioned by npower from the London School of Economics.

The white paper comes on the back of research from npower, which revealed that many businesses are concerned that Government regulation to reduce carbon emissions will make the UK uncompetitive and add more cost than benefits.

To address this concern and to stress the potential financial reward of emission reduction, the white paper provides a guide to the UK’s emission reduction regulations and gives advice on the actions businesses need to undertake to succeed in a low carbon Britain. It also underlines that early adopters will be in the driving seat to make the most of a smaller carbon footprint.

The white paper stresses that the new regulatory instruments will not be without their complexities and that firms will have to learn new skills to ensure compliance with the rules, but that those that can do this early will be best placed to take advantage of the opportunities that might arise. It states carbon policy is specifically designed to reward firms that spot opportunities to reduce emissions, cut costs and adopt low-carbon processes.

“Reducing a firm’s carbon footprint can be a challenge, but the measures needed are often cash-flow positive, with investments recouped in a short period of time,” says Dr Samuel Fankhauser, author of the paper, principal research fellow at the Grantham Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics and a member of the Committee on Climate Change.

“Reducing a carbon footprint is all about sound management and success will be determined by the priority businesses attach to emission reduction. Research has shown that well-managed firms tend to use less energy per unit of output than less well-run firms and are therefore better placed to succeed,” he adds.

David Titterton head of business development within energy services at npower adds: “Our aim in commissioning the white paper is to help businesses understand the current regulatory framework and point to the benefits firms can enjoy if they position emission reduction as central to their business goals. By doing so, we hope to ease the concerns that businesses clearly have.

“We understand that these are challenging times for businesses and many are focused on cost saving. Putting in place an energy management programme to reduce consumption can help manage costs, while also reducing emissions. Businesses doing this will be better placed to operate under the UK’s climate change policies and succeed in a Low Carbon Economy.”

The White Paper, UK Climate Policy for Business, can be downloaded at www.npower.com/businessenergy

 

About npower:
npower is one of the top energy suppliers to the UK business market, serving over 230,000 small to medium sized enterprise sites and around 15,000 industrial and commercial customers, with over 100,000 sites.

npower is dedicated to helping UK businesses use energy more efficiently and therefore spend less money on their bills. We aim to have a positive impact on the communities we serve and reduce our customers’ carbon footprint whilst always improving our service to our customers.

npower specialises in risk management solutions, including market-leading flexible energy purchasing, energy efficiency, and broader energy management functions, tailored to every size of business. npower customers include BT, Wembley Stadium plc, AstraZeneca and Sainsbury’s.

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Business, Financial, Financial Information, Investment, Money, Profits

Online Marketing Strategies Leave IT Departments Isolated Reveals Rackspace

IT decision makers are increasingly falling into a “Website Wilderness” as they fail to align technology with the delivery of online marketing, according to international research launched by Rackspace Hosting (NYSE: RAX). The research also indicates that businesses are not engaging effectively online or aligning formal objectives with business goals.

The survey investigated the views and future plans of 250 IT decision makers among eight industry sectors and across several regions – the UK, Northern Europe (Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark) and South Africa.

According to the study nearly two-thirds (64%) of UK respondents expect to see more investment in online marketing in the coming year, but almost the same number (65%) claim they would not be involved in its delivery. The findings were similar across Northern Europe, where 44% stated online marketing would be a big focus, but 45% did not expect to get involved in it. Considering 90% of shoppers bought their Christmas presents online in 2008*, these findings are particularly startling.

As well as the disconnect between IT and the delivery of online marketing, only 20% of UK businesses and 32% in Northern Europe are investing in blogs and web forums. This could put businesses at a competitive disadvantage as the use of social media as a channel to communicate with customers increases in many sectors.

Just over a third (36%) of IT decision makers have formal objectives aligning IT with business goals, highlighting a disconnect between business strategy and technology implementation. This number is less in Northern Europe (28%). With so many options on how technology is delivered to the business, it seems that IT decision makers are confused by the array of applications they can host, which
include hosting, accounting, finance, email, ERP, payroll and websites.

Fabio Torlini, marketing director at managed hosting provider Rackspace, said: “The online ambitions of the marketing departments need to be supported by the technical expertise of the IT department for the benefit of the whole company. Technology has evolved in such a way that businesses can have almost any service adapted to support their marketing needs. So for businesses not to use this to their advantage is completely misguided.

“Marketing leaders must tap into the expertise of the IT department and IT decision makers become engaged in the marketing strategy. The challenge for IT people is to look to new ways of working, such as online engagement and hosted applications, to enhance competitive edge. In particular I would expect to see a review of strategies in line with the economic downturn. Outdated views of technology and a disconnect between IT and the wider organisation will present a risk for businesses in 2009. Set against a backdrop of economic uncertainty, making mistakes in IT strategy could prove costly to repair.”

 

* IMRG e-Retail Customer Service (e-CSi) Index, Dec 08

The research was carried out by independent research company, Loudhouse Research, who interviewed 100 IT decision makers from UK, including IT Directors, IT Managers, IT Project Managers, Heads of IT, Network Managers, MDs and CEOs.

About Rackspace Hosting
As the world’s leader and specialist in hosting, Rackspace Hosting is changing the way businesses worldwide buy IT. Rackspace delivers computing-as-a-service, integrating the industry’s best technologies into a flexible service offering, making computing more reliable and affordable. A trusted partner to companies of all sizes, Rackspace enables IT departments to be more effective. Rackspace is distinguished by its award-winning Fanatical Support, furthering the company’s mission to be one of the world’s greatest service companies. Rackspace featured in the top 30 of both the Sunday Times 100 Best companies to work for list and the Financial Times Great Place to Work Awards, 2008. Rackspace’s portfolio of hosted services includes managed hosting, email hosting and cloud hosting.

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Financial, Financial Services, Investment, IRA, Personal Finance, Retirement

UK Adults Delaying Retirement Due To Economy Reveals Prudential

According to the new Prudential ‘Class of 2009’ retirement survey, around 2.2 million* UK adults aged 45 and above** are delaying their retirement in 2009 due to the state of the economy and the falling value of their investments.

The Prudential survey also highlights that their concerns are so severe that those delaying retirement do not expect to be able to get their plans back on track for years to come.

Only one in four (25 per cent) of those delaying drawing their pension in 2009 expect they will be able to retire before 2012, with an even higher number – two in five (42 per cent) – expecting it will be 2012 or beyond before they can retire and one in four (23 per cent) believing they won’t ever be able to afford to retire.

But, despite many adults delaying retirement, nearly one in three (30 per cent) of those actually able to retire in 2009 are public sector workers, even though they make up just one in five people in the UK workforce***.

The remaining 2009 retirees will be split 35 per cent from private sector jobs and 15 per cent from self employed roles, with the remainder coming from those who are unemployed or in other sectors.

“It is a reflection of the difficult economic situation that so many workers, and particularly those in private sector roles who do not benefit from public sector final salary pension schemes, are trying to delay retirement but there are other options available,” said Martyn Bogira, Director of DC Solutions at Prudential.

Martyn pointed out that even with the economy in its current depressed state, many annuity rates have performed better than many feared and there are a number of other pension income options available, like income drawdown, which can let workers delay buying an annuity until such time as the economy has started to recover.

Martyn continued, “Now more than ever it pays to seek early retirement advice from an independent financial adviser and we would suggest that people start planning for their retirement early, ideally at least 15 years from retirement. It is vital that those saving for retirement continually monitor their investment mix to ensure they have the right risk profile to help minimise the impact of economic fluctuations and falling stock markets.”

The information contained in Prudential UK’s press releases is intended solely for journalists and should not be used by consumers to make financial decisions. Full consumer product information can be found at www.pru.co.uk.

Survey conducted by Research Plus among 1,000 UK adults aged 45+ between 10 – 18 November 2008 using an online methodology

* Office of National Statistics 2007 population estimates, 2.2 million adults aged 45 and above.
** Of the survey group, the youngest age given for individuals planning to retire in 2009 was 45
*** ONS Labour Market Study, public sector staff account for 20.4 per cent of employed population in June 2005

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CDs, Checking & Savings, Financial, Financial Information, Financial Services, Insurance, Investment, Money, Personal Finance, Taxes

Javelin Marketing Provides Resources for Financial Advisors to Combat Recession

It’s no secret that financial advisors, financial planners, stockbrokers, life insurance agents and other financial services professionals are having a hard time retaining clients. Many clients have fled the financial markets for the safety of bank accounts and treasury bills.

There are approaches that advisors can use for client retention in this market and these are discussed at Javelin Marketing’s main blog. Additionally, Javelin Marketing provides free financial services marketing tools to download at their special download blog. New tools are added each month. Current tools and downloads available to financial advisors:

• Four ways to eliminate capital gains taxes—a great piece to share with clients right in the middle of tax season
• The benefit of offering FDIC insured CDs to retain clients now
• How to get more involved with individual fixed income securities to serve and attract an aging clientele
• A special social security tax reduction calculator that shows annuity sellers how in most cases, an annuity will save the retired owners taxes on social security income
• Ebook on Marketing to Seniors

If you register at the blog, you will be notified as tools are added. Soon to be added is “How to Find and Hire the Best Assistant.”

http://www.javelin-marketing-downloads.com

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401K, Financial, Financial Services, Investment, IRA, Money, Personal Finance, Retirement

Nabers Group to Give Away Self-Directed Solo 401k

Nabers Group, the world’s first and only full-service self-directed plan provider, has launched a contest to give away (i.e., set up) a Self-Directed Solo 401k plan at no cost to the person who offers the best insight(s) into what he or she thinks are the most powerful business or investment opportunities given today’s recessionary economic environment.

The Self-Directed Solo 401k is a qualified retirement plan that helps business owners grow and preserve their retirement wealth by enabling them to legally invest their retirement savings in alternative investments such as real estate, mortgage notes, private businesses, precious metals, and other qualified assets. The Solo 401k has already helped thousands of serious investors diversify their retirement portfolios beyond stocks, bonds and mutual funds while still enabling them to receive the much desired tax advantages the traditional IRA and 401k offers.

Eligibility: To be eligible to enter to win a free Solo 401k account, the entrant must be self- employed or have self-employment activity (such as Schedule C income on entrant’s 1040 or own a business). The entrant cannot have any employees at any businesses in which the entrant or the entrant’s spouse has significant ownership.

How to Enter: To participate, entrants must do two things:

1) Add Jeff Nabers, the founder of the Nabers Group, as a “Friend” on Facebook. This will enable entrants to stay apprised of events, news and u p d a t e s f r o m Nabers Group. The winner will be posted on Facebook and at JeffNabers.com.

2) Write a brief explanation of what they think are the most powerful business or investment opportunities today given that the country is in a recession. Entrants should submit their comments on the (www.Solo401k.com) blog or post to the “Wall” at the bottom of the Facebook Solo 401k Contest page.

Selection: Each entry will be reviewed by officials at Nabers Group. The person deemed to have the best idea(s) will get a Solo 401k set-up for them at no cost by Nabers Group.

Prize Value: Valued at $210,585, a Solo 401k f r o m Nabers Group can be the investment vehicle to lead to your financial freedom. See the math at FreeSolo401k.com.

Deadline: Entrants must submit on or before March 15, 2009.

 

About Nabers Group
Founded in 2005, Nabers Group is the world’s first and only full-service self-directed plan provider that helps investors and self-employed business owners establish and set up Self-Directed IRA LLC accounts and Solo 401k plans. Nabers Group was the first company to offer the Self-Directed Solo 401k and regularly educates the public about unrestricted investment options that would enable use of retirement dollars to invest in alternative investments including real estate, mortgage notes, private stock, debt instruments, foreign assets, margin brokerage accounts, precious metals, among other assets. For more information on self-directed investing or the Solo 401k, please visit Nabers Group at Nabers.com.

Official Free Solo 401k Facebook contest page:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=21272779981

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Banks, Checking & Savings, Financial, Investment, ISAs, Money, Personal Finance

New Fixed Rate Cash ISA By Lloyds TSB

Lloyds TSB has announced the launch of a new Fixed Rate Cash ISA, offering savers the opportunity to earn a competitive tax free rate up to 3.20 per cent.

Available from 16th February 2009, the new Fixed Rate Cash ISA rate is guaranteed for 12 months from the date of account opening. Accounts can be opened with a minimum deposit of £3000 and will accept transfers from previous tax years.

Janet Pope, savings and investments director at Lloyds TSB said: “In this unpredictable rate climate, savers are moving towards fixed rate products. The security of knowing exactly how much you will earn on your savings is invaluable in today’s uncertain environment. This product is ideal for those looking to get a guaranteed, tax free return on their nest egg.”

Nearly half (46 per cent) of ISA holders questioned by the bank say they will be opting for a fixed rate in the 2009/2010 tax year, with only 11 per cent willing to take a chance on a variable rate ISA. Just seven per cent of savers believe that interest rates will rise in the next 12 months, but almost a quarter (22 per cent) anticipate further cuts.

Janet Pope continued: “Now is not the easiest time to be a saver, as interest rates are at an historic low. This makes it more important than ever to utilise the tax free allowance available, but with the 2008/2009 tax year end looming on April 5th, six out of ten ISA holders have not yet taken full advantage.”

The findings show that 63 per cent of ISA holders have yet to use the full £3600 available to them, with a further 40 per cent admitting they do not have an ISA despite having savings elsewhere.

Research conducted by ICM online with 2000 UK adults in February 2009
A minimum deposit of £3000 is required
Customers may only make one deposit for the 2009/2010 tax year

About Lloyds TSB:
Lloyds TSB offers customers a wide range of current accounts, savings accounts, insurance, personal loans and credit cards, designed to meet different customers’ needs. Lloyds TSB Bank plc and Lloyds TSB Scotland plc are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority and signatories to the Banking Codes. Lloyds TSB Bank plc Registered Office: 25 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7HN. Registered in England and Wales no. 2065.

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