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Prudential Warns Of State Of Ignorance Over Retirement Age Rise

New research from Prudential shows that nearly half (47 per cent) of 45 to 49 year-olds and two-fifths (39 per cent) of 50 to 54 year-olds are unaware of the rise in the minimum retirement age from 50 to 55 which comes into effect on 6 April this year. The increase in the minimum retirement age could be a particular blow to people aged 50 to 55 who are planning to retire this year, Prudential warns.

Prudential is urging people who will be affected by the increase in minimum retirement age to speak to financial advisers and pension providers ahead of the 6 April deadline and stresses there is still time to act.

The new minimum retirement age – first announced by the Government in 2004 – will prevent many people aged between 50 and 55 from claiming private or company pension benefits and especially taking the tax-free cash element of their pension fund until they
are 55.

For those who had planned to retire at 50, the higher minimum age will mean five years without access to pension benefits or tax-free cash.

Prudential’s research has found that 6 per cent of the UK’s 3.9 million adults aged 50 to 54 – equivalent to more than 230,000 people – said they planned to retire in 2010.

Karin Brown, Director of Annuities at Prudential, said: “People who want to take their pension benefits and any tax-free cash allowance still have nearly three months to decide what they want to do.

“Prudential strongly urges people approaching retirement to contact a financial adviser or talk to their pension provider about the options available.

“The Government first announced the changes to the minimum retirement age nearly six years ago so there has been plenty of time for the news to sink in. It is worrying that so many are still unaware but there is time to act before rules change.”

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.

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Prudential Reveal Concern Over Asset Allocation And Fund Selection

Prudential has revealed new research that shows nearly six out of 10 financial advisers are concerned about possible regulatory action over asset allocation and fund selection decisions. The research found that 39 per cent of advisers are concerned they could face problems justifying decisions while another 19 per cent are concerned but have plans in place to deal with potential regulatory issues.

Prudential Reveal Concern Over Asset Allocation And Fund Selection

The survey f r o m Prudential also shows that 50 per cent of advisers would welcome support f r o m providers on asset allocation and fund selection as they battle to cope with the fallout f r o m the recent extreme stock market volatility.

With the research showing advisers currently spending around five hours per week on asset allocation and fund selection, 56 per cent of firms say expertise in these areas is important to the success of their business model. One in five advisers suggest that this activity could be outsourced.

Andy Brown, Director of Investment Funds at Prudential, said: “The unprecedented economic and market events of the past 18 months have increased the need for advisers to help their clients understand the implication of their risk and fund selections.

“Providers should be doing more to support advisers and giving them access to expert advice and help. It is in the interests of advisers and providers to come up with innovative solutions that meet clients’ expectations and their assessed risk levels.

“Asset allocation and fund selection are vital in ensuring that client needs and long-term investment expectations are met. However, both are potentially demanding and time-consuming. Finding reliable sources of both can enhance the service advisers offer to their clients.

“We believe that the interests of intermediaries and their clients are best served by providing risk-rated portfolios that can be mapped to the independent profiling systems used by advisers to assess their client’s attitude to risk. This is a better solution than relying on tools offered by product providers.”

Prudential and Old Broad Street Research (OBSR) have been working together since 2008 on the PruSelect fund range which offers 100 ‘best of breed’ funds as part of a drive to help advisers with fund selection and asset allocation.

Andy Brown continued: “This research demonstrates there is a real need for support f r o m providers to help advisers with the increasing regulatory pressure they face. In addition, the time advisers are currently spending on asset allocation and fund selection cannot be underestimated. We only see this requirement increasing over the next 12 months and we estimate more advisers will look to providers for support in meeting their regulatory obligations.”

Prudential’s research also reveals that only just over half of advisers (52 per cent) say they feel very confident in their level of knowledge of investment products and how to invest which points to a real need for support in this area f r o m providers.

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.

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The Children’s Mutual Launches New Pocket Money Site To Help Families

According to new research from The Children’s Mutual, the old saying that good manners cost nothing is not strictly true, as 44% of children are now financially rewarded for good behaviour.

Award winning Child Trust Fund Provider, The Children’s Mutual, has revealed that as well as good behaviour, parents are also offering an ‘honest wage’ for a hard day’s work. 37% of children ‘earn’ their pocket money by helping out with chores around the home and 19% fill their piggy banks by helping out with the family pet.

As the Government announces plans to make financial education compulsory for children as young as five from 2012, leading Child Trust Fund provider The Children’s Mutual has launched a new Pocket Money Petz microsite which has been created to help parents teach their children about pocket money and saving.

Children can choose a ‘virtual’ pet, from a dog to a dinosaur, to help them learn to boost, manage and save their pocket money earnings, and while children have fun deciding which character to accompany them through PocketMoneyPetz, their parents can put a value against each chore to help them learn the value of money.

Tony Anderson, Marketing Director at The Children’s Mutual, said: “As children are receiving more and more pocket money in return for undertaking household chores, helping with the family pet and their good behaviour, we created Pocket Money Petz to help spark their imaginations about earning and saving money.”

According to The Children’s Mutual research, the going rate for pocket money has increased by a whopping 83% in a single generation from when their parents received pocket money until today. Parents are already giving an average of £2.85 a week to their child, with many (27%) parents expecting to increase this amount by £1 each year.

However, despite the rise in pocket money, The Children’s Mutual research showed that parents are often unsure of how much to ‘pay’ their children and can feel pressurised to compete with how much other parents give. Nearly one in five (18%) said there was pressure to conform to a ‘market rate’ and 16% said they feel they pay too much but ‘have to go with what everyone gets’. In response to these concerns, The Children’s Mutual has also created a Parents’ Pocket Money Guide which offers advice on teaching children about money, how to give pocket money, when to start and how much to give and how often.

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One In Five Parents Has A Will

According to new research by leading Child Trust Fund (CTF) provider The Children’s Mutual, just 18% of parents have written a will, yet many are unaware that should the worst happen and the parents die without having appointed a guardian, the child may not be looked after by their chosen carer and it will be up to the courts to decide where they live. The Children’s Mutual is therefore urging parents to make and keep just one New Year’s Resolution this year – to write a will.

According to research by The Children’s Mutual, the majority of parents who hadn’t written a will said it was because the task was ‘sitting on the to do list’ but wasn’t a priority (35%), 32% said they hadn’t found the time and 27% said they couldn’t afford to write a will. To help address these concerns, The Children’s Mutual has put together a simple Will Writing Checklist which is available on request to assist parents ahead of writing a will and is offering a discounted rate for a standard will of £50 plus VAT through its Will Writing Service in partnership with Flint Bishop Solicitors.

The Children’s Mutual is calling on parents to act to protect their children and is urging the one in three (27%) parents it surveyed who said they planned to write a will, to do just that this year.

Tony Anderson, Marketing Director at The Children’s Mutual, said: “The majority of parents have writing a will on their to do list but we’re urging them to put their New Year’s Resolutions to good use in 2010 and make it happen. While it’s something no parent wants to think about, getting a will written and their paperwork in order so they know their child will be cared and provided for will be a huge weight off their mind.”

Of the parents questioned who have a will, their top reasons for writing one were to ensure their partner inherited their estate and because they wanted to decide who would look after their children should the worst happen.

Via EPR Network
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Financial Experts Predicting Rapid Dollar Devaluation in a Coming Burst of the ‘Dollar Bubble’

Many news commentators are echoing the same resounding assurance: the recession is over. But not everyone sees it this way. Who’s right? Just look at the facts.

While Wall Street, thanks to the help of the Federal Reserve, rallied for a big end-of-the-year win, at least for top executives, they’re getting big bonuses while Main Street investors suffer. Rising unemployment figures, increased foreclosures and a loss of wealth continue to plague the average Joe.

Times Magazine named Chairman of the Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke, “Person of the Year” for 2009. The National Inflation Association, a grassroots group that warns people of the dangers of hyperinflation, named him “Villain of the Year.”

The Fed’s policies have made the value of the US dollar artificially high and before long the dollar bubble is bound to burst, leading to hyperinflation with prices of consumer goods rising sharply. According to Phoebe Chongchua of the Denver-based Nabers Group, the U.S. is already beginning to experience this kind of runaway inflation.

Nabers Group has issued a warning to U.S. consumers on its blog about the impending devaluation of the U.S. Dollar’s value in a period of hyperinflation.

“Hyperinflation can really be thought of as a silent tax, especially if artificially created by U.S. monetary policy. If the dollars you have today can purchase a fruit punch, a sandwich and a bag of chips but that same money in the future can only purchase the fruit punch, then your money has been devalued—you have lost purchasing power. Ultimately it’s the average middle class consumer who ends up getting the short end of the stick,” says Chongchua.

For most people, the major concern is how to preserve their dwindling wealth. CEO Jeff Nabers, encourages clients to diversify their portfolios using an exceptionally flexible investment vehicle known as the Solo 401k.

“The Solo 401k is designed specifically for a business owner who has no full-time employees. One of the most powerful benefits of the Solo 401k is the plan’s participant loan feature, which offers a tax-favorable alternative to withdrawing money from a retirement plan as a distribution,” says Nabers.

Preserving your wealth doesn’t have to be an uphill battle even as we head into rising inflation and the devaluing of the dollar if people act now to protect their wealth.

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Consumer Price Index Rise Hits UK Savers Pockets

With bank rates predicted to stay low for the next 12 months, savers are in an increasingly tricky situation, according to personal finance website MoneyStand.co.uk.

As the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) is often greater than the savings account interest rates, MoneyStand.co.uk believes some individuals are actually poorer in real terms by keeping money in certain accounts. The UK website, which focuses on giving advice and information on personal finance, debt solutions, and IVA, has stated that simple and well thought out decisions can make all the difference to consumers in these instances. These are particularly testing times for those who live off the interest of their accumulated wealth to subsidise their pension.

Due to the low interest rates affecting most banks within the UK and the erosive affects of rising inflation, individuals with savings are feeling the brunt of the economic downturn. Even with substantial savings, British savers are missing out on a solid return on their investments once tax is taken into account.

With the Consumer Prices Index rising to 1.9 per cent, basic rate taxpayers need their banks to provide a minimum savings rate of 2.375 per cent before seeing any real return on their investments, and higher rate tax payers need a sizeable 3.166 per cent to see a return. In reality, currently only 9 out of 744 variable rate savings accounts available in the UK actually offer an interest rate higher than this. Compared with November, when 69 out of 744 accounts paid above this rate, experts argue that banks are profiteering at the expense of their customers, warning that the situation will now get even worse for the basic rate taxpayers.

Following a widespread media campaign for better deals for UK savers, the UK government has promised to start taking action against these low yield savings accounts. Despite these claims, Moneystand.co.uk suggests that UK individuals will soon have almost no reason to save.

Founder Matt Spencer said, “Due to the worsening interests rates offered by the banks, we have approached the stage where taxpayers are better off investing their money into gold bullion than they are with savings accounts.”

“Due to the Consumer Prices Index rising beyond economists’ expectations from 1.5 per cent to 1.9 per cent last month, basic rate taxpayers will also feel the knock on effects of the increase for some months to come. Economists have attributed this to amongst other things, rising fuel and energy costs.”

Personal Finance weblog MoneyStand.co.uk has been providing unbiased personal finance, IVA and debt related information since early 2008 specifically to help people through these testing financial times. The authors realise people are facing particularly pressing financial times and seek to alleviate this where possible by providing clear and easy to understand information.

“In times of recession individuals and families often overlook simple financial decisions that can make huge differences to their financial health.” Matt Spencer explained, “Our aim is to highlight and offer financial advice on these sensitive topics.”

For the latest financial news and advice on IVA, debt and insolvency visit our personal finance blog, http://www.moneystand.co.uk.

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Saxo Bank announce Outrageous Claims for 2010 now live on Trading Floor

Saxo Bank’s annual ‘Outrageous Claims’ now has its own page on tradingfloor.com, the home for news from the Denmark-based online bank’s strategy team.

Among the 10 ‘Outrageous Claims’ for 2010 are predictions of the devaluation of the CNY, the emergence of a third political party in the US, a massive fall in the price of sugar, a positive US trade balance for the first time since the 1975 oil crisis and the US Social Security Trust Fund going bust.

The online futures trade and investment specialist’s ten claims are an annual thought exercise to predict rare but high impact ‘black swan’ events that are beyond the realm of normal market expectations. The exercise aims to challenge market conceptions. Compiled as part of the bank’s 2010 Outlook, the claims this year paint a picture of a more positive year ahead but with a few tremors along the way.

David Karsboel, Chief Economist at Saxo Bank, commented: “We believe that 2010 will be a year of reflation, but structural headwinds lie ahead of us and could turn 2010 into a rollercoaster ride.

“One of the most likely structural headwinds will be a shift in investor focus towards slowing GDP and timing issues regarding the path of FED tightening. This will bring risk aversion back into markets.

“Whilst our annual ‘Outrageous Claims’ should be seen as the black swans of the market rather than outright predictions, we do believe that the odds of these events happening are somewhat higher than what is currently priced into the market,” David Karsboel concluded.

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Influential Christian Business Leaders Convene In Denver, CO For The 3rd Annual Kingdom Economic Yearly Summit KEYS

Christian business and financial representatives from at least 15 nations and 40 U.S. states will convene Feb. 3-6, 2010 in Denver at the 3rd Annual Kingdom Economic Yearly Summit (KEYS), according to Dr. Bruce Cook, Summit convener and host. “We have the top Christian marketplace thought leaders coming together to offer economic strategies and solutions for today’s troubled times,” said Cook.

Theme for the event is “Fathering Marketplace Leaders: Prospering in Economic Crisis.”

Dr. Lance Wallnau, President of the Lance Learning Group, Keller, TX and Os Hillman, President of Marketplace Leaders Ministries, Cumming, GA will keynote the 2010 Summit along with Dr. Pat Francis, President of Elomax Inc., Pat Francis Ministries and Kingdom Covenant Centre, Toronto, Ontario; Tamara Lowe, best selling author and Executive Vice President and co-founder of Get Motivated Seminars, Inc., Tampa, FL; and Rich Marshall, author of God@Work, Vols. I & II and President of R.O.I. Leadership International, Highlands Ranch, CO; Rick Joyner, best selling author of The Final Quest and numerous other books and founder and senior leader of MorningStar Ministries, Fort Mill, SC.

Other leaders speaking at KEYS 2010 include top-producing real estate broker, author and speaker Kenn Renner, Austin, TX; international business attorney & CEO Carolita Oliveros, president of Oliveros & Associates PC, Tucson, AZ; Al Caperna, CEO of CMC Group, Inc. and Marketplace Leader for Call2All, Bowling Green, OH; Dr. Francis Myles, pastor of Breakthrough City Kingdom Embassy, McKinney, TX and author of The Order of Melchizidek; David van Koevering, physicist, inventor and president of Elsewhen, Cleveland, TN; and John Muratori, author of Rich Church, Poor Church and President of John Muratori Ministries, Senior Pastor of Calvary Life Family Worship Center and Executive Director of Turning Point Christian Center, Cheshire, CT.

“God is moving powerfully in the marketplace,” said Cook, KEYS founder. “What’s happening is both a market correction and a marketplace reformation,” he added, “and the global financial turmoil and shaking of economies, nations, markets, institutions and currencies has helped create or trigger widespread fear and a crisis of belief in many people. In response, a growing number of business men and women are turning to God, discovering prayer and Biblical principles, choosing faith over fear, and re-examining their assumptions and beliefs about finances, investing, debt, retirement and stewardship in light of current conditions,” he stated.

Patterned loosely after the World Economic Forum, but with a Christian focus, the 4-day Summit will also feature Ken Beaudry, President of Beaudry Oil Co., Elk River, MN; Morris Ruddick, President of Ruddick Intl. and Global Strategic Initiatives Foundation, Denver, CO; Kyle Newton, President & CEO of InVision and Newton Inc, Fort Worth, TX; Shawn Bolz, president of Expression58 Ministries, Los Angeles, CA and author of several books; Robert Ricciardelli, former sales executive and President of Visionary Advancement Strategies and Converging Zone Network, Black Mountain, NC; and Teri Werner, business coach and consultant, author of Train Wreck to Triumph and former CEO, Mesquite, TX; Michael Pink, best-selling author, business coach and former sales trainer and corporate executive, Sarasota, FL; and Paul Cuny, retired business executive, author, and president of Marketplace Leadership International, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.

In addition, speakers will include Dr. Peter Wagner, President of Wagner Leadership Institute and Global Harvest and author of 80 books, Colorado Springs, CO; Peter Roselle, pastor and registered securities dealer and wealth manager for a major Wall Street firm; John L. Sorenson Jr., president of Covenant Bancorp., Chicago, IL; Dr. Marlene McMillan, president, Liberty Ministries, Irving, TX; Jim Barthel, President& CEO of Metals Treatment Technologies LLC and Kingdom Business Alliance (KBA), Arvada, CO; and Dr. Bruce Cook, President, VentureAdvisers Inc., Kingdom House Publishing and Glory Realm Ministries, Leander, TX.

“KBA is very pleased to co-sponsor this year’s KEYS event,” said Barthel. “Having attended each of the previous KEYS, I know that those who attend will experience a‘Mountain Top’ experience unlike any other and will advance in their marketplace purpose, position, passion and power for the Lord,” he added. “This event is for anyone who works or leads in a business environment, as well as ministry leaders desiring to better understand the marketplace and how to relate to business leaders.”

Venue for KEYS 2010 will be Faith Bible Chapel International, located at W. 62nd Ave. & Ward Road in Arvada, CO. Schedule is 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily February 3-5 and 8:30 am to 1:00 pm Feb. 6th. The event is also being webcast and evening sessions will be offered free after 6:30 pm nightly on a space available basis.

Registration fees are $50 for webcast, $99 for students, $199 for adults, and $349 for couples or colleagues.

Group rates are also available, with a 10% discount offered to groups of 10 or more. For more information on KEYS, visit their web site at http://www.KingdomEconomicSummit.com.

About Bruce Cook
Cook, 55, of Leander, TX, is an ordained Christian minister, private investor and financial consultant, and has served as President and Founder of VentureAdvisers Inc. since 2000. Previously, Cook was Research Director for The University of Texas Investment Management Company (UTIMCO) (focused on private equity), and was a marketing communications executive for 12 years for several universities and a software company and technology incubator, and a bank manager for five years. Cook holds a PhD in Higher Education Administration from The University of Texas at Austin (1994) and wrote his dissertation on fundraising theory.

About the Kingdom Economic Yearly Summit (KEYS):
Patterned loosely after the World Economic Forum, but with a Christian focus and perspective, KEYS will feature a number of internationally-known speakers. Christian business and financial representatives from at least 15 nations and 40 U.S. states are expected to attend the 3rd Annual Kingdom Economic Yearly Summit (KEYS) February 3-6, 2010, in Denver, Colorado, in the midst of one of the worst financial crises in modern history.

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Spend Carefully over Christmas

During tough economic times with rising levels of personal insolvency, one UK website is offering consumers reliable, factual and helpful money advice.

Personal Finance weblog MoneyStand.co.uk has been providing information and opinions on personal finance since January 2008. The blog was created for UK consumers facing common financial issues wanting honest, up front information with no hidden agendas. The website will be launching a series of articles on seasonal spending this Friday to help consumers spend less over the festive season and start sensible budgeting.

According to a report released by government body The Insolvency Service at the start of November, personal insolvencies have risen by 28.8 percent in the past year. This figure consisted of consumers who had opted for bankruptcy, IVA or a Debt Relief Order to overcome their debt problems. Although the increase in individuals seeking personal insolvencies may be attributed to a rise in unemployment, MoneyStand.co.uk estimates that this figure will continue to rise during 2010 following excessive spending over the festive season.

Founder Matt Spencer said, “Along with Christmas and seasonal celebrations comes a heavy expense. Thousands of families across the United Kingdom will find themselves with obscene credit card bills during January and face the difficult question of how to pay it back and get out of debt.”

“We have seen a massive increase of personal insolvencies since the economic downturn and estimate the further financial pressure that Christmas brings will be the ‘final straw’ for many people already struggling with debt without careful budgeting. We urge consumers to spend carefully over the holiday season.”

MoneyStand.co.uk is a resource for anyone in the United Kingdom wanting to learn more about debt solutions such as IVA (Individual Voluntary Arrangements), bankruptcy, debt relief orders, debt management plans and consolidation loans. The weblog also focuses on debit and credit cards, budgeting and saving. In addition to as becoming a valuable source for information, the website offers practical advice on small changes consumers can make in their everyday life to make the most of their financial situation.

As well as providing information on debt solutions like IVAs and debt management, the authors share their own personal experiences with money, such as problems with banks and opinions on finance news.“MoneyStand is a financial hub for anyone in the United Kingdom who wants practical advice on managing finances and debt problems without the jargon.” Matt Spencer explained. “All articles are written by people with extensive knowledge on personal finance and all facts are taken from government websites so you can be sure the information is accurate and up-to-date.”

Since the beginning of the financial crisis, the website has noticed an increased amount of consumers seeking sensible financial advice in easy to comprehend terminology. During this time the website has committed to providing consumers the latest information on topical personal finance issues.

The website will be launching the new series of articles this Friday on helping people in the United Kingdom avoid overspending during the Festive Season.

For the latest news and advice on IVA, debt and insolvency visit our personal finance blog, http://www.moneystand.co.uk.

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Saxo Bank To Acquire E*TRADE’s Nordic Business

Saxo Bank, the specialist in online trading and investment, has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire E*TRADE International’s local Nordic online trading business and online bank from E*TRADE Nordic AB, an indirect subsidiary of US-based financial services company E*TRADE FINANCIAL Corporation. The Nordic business includes client accounts in Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, and Norway.

This strategic move continues Saxo Bank’s steady expansion over the last few months and further cements Saxo Bank’s position in the Scandinavian marketplace.

The acquisition of one of Scandinavia’s established online bank and brokerages is a further step by Saxo Bank towards offering more saving and investment products to investors. Following this latest acquisition, Saxo Bank will be able to offer pension products as well as stock and margin accounts, bond offerings and, in the future, a Funds Supermarket. Moreover, Saxo Bank’s AUM will increase by more than DKK 5.0bn and the acquisition adds an additional 50,000 active accounts.

In a joint statement, Kim Fournais and Lars Seier Christensen, Co-CEOs and co-founders of Saxo Bank, said: “This acquisition supports our long term expansion strategy and broadens our product offering on the SaxoTrader platform. In addition, the expanded client base will enable us to further improve our services to both existing and new clients through improved efficiency and scale.”

Following the acquisition, E*TRADE Nordic’s existing local clients will continue to receive the same service and offering to which they have become accustomed. In addition, E*TRADE Nordic’s local clients will benefit from the additional trading opportunities that they will find on the Saxo Bank platforms, including futures trade. Similarly, Saxo Bank’s existing and future clients will now have the opportunity to save for their pension through Saxo Bank, as well as trade Bonds and hold margin accounts.

Fournais and Seier Christensen added: “The acquisition of E*TRADE International’s local Nordic business will strengthen our growth opportunities and market position in Scandinavia. In the past 10 years, E*TRADE International has become a well regarded online trading and investment brand across Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The combination of E*TRADE Nordic’s local business and Saxo Bank’s brand is powerful and it strengthens our position in the long term investment market. Saxo Bank is looking forward to being able to offer E*TRADE Nordic’s products and services to our client base and vice versa.”

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Saxo Bank Offers New Guide To Global Economic Indicators

Saxo Bank’s strategy team has gathered together the most important of its macroeconomic forecasts into a new monthly publication that can be downloaded for free from the Trading Floor website.

Saxo Bank Offers New Guide To Global Economic Indicators

The new Macro Forecast publication is based on the results of Saxo Bank’s comprehensive macroeconomic models and is released on the first working day of every month. The publication will give the most important economic indicators for the US, Eurozone and Japan.

“The US gets the most attention in line with its position as the most important world economy with more than 20 quarterly and monthly indicators. The most important indicators from Europe and Japan will be covered initially, with more depth added with time as the publication grows,” said David Karsbøl, Chief Economist at Saxo Bank.

The Macro Forecast has been designed to be easy to read and navigate. Each country has a table giving the consensus forecast, Saxo Bank’s forecast, the previous level, percentage change and release date.

“The Macro Forecast isn’t meant to provide trading triggers,” added Saxo Bank Market Strategist Mads Koefoed, who has been responsible for developing the model. “The publication is more a signpost to the general economy and makes the strategy teams views on the development of the economy easier to follow on a regular basis.”

Tradingfloor.com has been running since May 2009 and features expert commentary starting every morning with The Daily Trading Stance that Saxo Bank’s strategists distribute to clients giving a rundown of the main themes of the day in Forex trading, equities, FX options and CFD trading.

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Top Self Directed IRA Firm And Leading Precious Metals Broker Pair Up To Provide Investors With Alternatives

The New Mexico based self directed IRA firm Sunwest Trust (www.SunwestTrust.com) announced today that they have reached an arrangement with Republic Monetary Exchange (www.RepublicMonetary.com), a leading precious metals broker based in Phoenix, Arizona. Under their arrangement, Sunwest Trust will provide exclusive self directed IRA custodian services for Republic’s client investment accounts, described by Jim Clark, CEO of Republic Monetary Exchange as a “win-win situation for our clients”.

For Sunwest, this partnership represents an extension of the firm’s IRA custodial and escrow services to the precious metals market, a move likely to be adopted by an increasing number of firms in the financial services sector.

“Consumers are becoming interested in investment vehicles which are less vulnerable to the ups and downs of the stock market. We’re seeing a lot of new IRA accounts at Sunwest from clients who want to purchase gold and other precious metals inside their IRA portfolios. Until 2007 it was primarily real estate, but now we’re starting to see an increase in the number of gold or precious metal backed accounts,” said Terry White, CEO of Sunwest Trust.

With a growing concern among the public about the possibility of inflationary pressures driving down the value of their IRA accounts and other investments, the number of consumers choosing to invest in gold, silver and other precious metals has been steadily increasing over the past few years, with brokers like Republic Monetary Exchange gaining market share in the financial services sector rapidly.

The relative stability of gold and other precious metals makes them an especially popular investment in a sluggish economy, especially when compared to traditional stock and securities investments. Given the uncertain economic outlook for at least the next few quarters, Sunwest Trust Inc. and Republic’s new relationship looks to be one, which is certain to attract investors looking for stable retirement investment vehicles such as the self directed IRA or a gold-backed IRA account.

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The Children’s Mutual Reports Kids Unaffected By Recession This Christmas

According to research by a leading Child Trust Fund (CTF) provider, The Children’s Mutual, children in the UK are set for a bumper Christmas this year, receiving £5 billion of presents. With generous friends and family set to spend 20% more than last year on youngsters, it seems the recession is not impacting kids’ stockings just yet.

The average UK child will receive £380 worth of presents this year, compared to £316 in 2008. In total, UK kids will have over £4 billion worth of toys and other presents underneath their trees, along with £960 million in cash, with each child receiving an average of £73. More than a quarter of lucky UK children will get £100 or more.

The Children’s Mutual is urging parents to take advantage of the generosity of friends and family this Christmas by asking them to invest in a present that could last a lifetime.

David White, Chief Executive of The Children’s Mutual, said: “It’s great news that the recession is not affecting kids’ stockings this Christmas. However we are urging parents to think about their children’s futures and ask friends and family to invest a portion of this money for the long-term.”

The Children’s Mutual also found that a lot of money is spent on presents that often don’t last for more than a couple of months.

David White continued: “Around £200 is spent on presents that won’t make it past Easter, but if this money was invested in a Child Trust Fund each year, it could be worth £6,100* by the time it matures when the child turns 18. This way friends and family can give a gift that could last well beyond the child’s 18th birthday and providing them with a nest egg for the future.”

According to figures from The Children’s Mutual, top ups into Child Trust Funds get a timely boost at Christmas with an average increase in ad hoc payments of just under 25% during the festive period.

Child Trust Funds are designed to provide a tax efficient, long term savings vehicle for all eligible children (born on or after 1 September 2002). Each newborn child receives a £250 Child Trust Fund voucher (£500 for low income families) from the Government when their parents register for Child Benefit. The Government will make a second contribution of £250 (£500 for low income families) when the child reaches seven and is considering a third in the child’s teenage years. Parents, family and friends can all then add to this account up to a maximum value of £1,200 each year.

Via EPR Network
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The Children’s Mutual Launches What I Want To Be Webmercial

The Children’s Mutual, a leading Child Trust Fund provider, has captured the career aspirations of kids in the UK in its new webmercial and microsite.

Dressed to reflect the most popular career choices, babies from seven to 11 months are seen acting out different job roles in the 50 second web ad.

The What I Want To Be webmercial was prompted by research from The Children’s Mutual into the dream jobs of the nation’s children entitled What I Want To Be. Every year the research tracks the career aspirations of children as they grow up, to explore how social and economic factors might affect their ultimate career choices.

The brains behind the ad, Head of Online at The Children’s Mutual and dad of one, Nathan King said: “We wanted to engage with a new generation of parents who enjoy and respond to online media. We understand families and their desire to help their children fulfil their ambitions. So while the ad and microsite are a lot of fun our products support parents in helping their children to reach their goals.”

The project isn’t the first time The Children’s Mutual has broken new ground as a CTF provider. The family finance specialist also created the first branded CTF TV advert encouraging parents to save for their children as well as a recently launched animated guide to the Child Trust Fund. The webmercial and CTF microsite now form part of the company’s evolving social media engagement strategy.

According to King: “Personal finance is very few people’s favourite subject but it is a crucial part of daily life. As a family finance specialist we want to try everything we can to help make saving and planning for the future as engaging and straightforward as it can be.”

Child Trust Funds are designed to provide a tax efficient, long term savings vehicle for all eligible children. Each eligible newborn child (born on or after 1 September 2002) receives a£250 Child Trust Fund voucher (£500 for low income families) from the Government when their parents register for Child Benefit. The Government will make a second contribution of £250 (£500 for low income families) when the child reaches seven and is considering a third in the child’s teenage years. Parents, family and friends can all then add to this account up to a maximum value of £1,200 each year.

Via EPR Network
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Savvy Self-Employed Seek Little-Known Tax Benefits Provided By The Solo 401k

The Solo 401k is designed for the self-employed and offers powerful features not found in traditional 401k or IRA retirement plans. The Solo 401k offers unique tax benefits to those who open an account before the New Year.

The clock is ticking for taxpayers to secure their end-of-the year tax breaks and many Americans who qualify for a tax shelter are not utilizing it.

“That’s because many people are completely unaware of a special retirement vehicle that offers the self-employed a way to make significant contributions,” said financial expert, Jeff Nabers, CEO of Nabers Group.

The Solo 401k account offers powerful features that are not available to those who invest in traditional IRA or 401k accounts.

“One special feature of the Solo 401k is that it can be run by the accountholder. You don’t have to open it up at a Wall Street-focused firm. That means that you’re not stuck to ordering your investments off of a menu that offers only stocks, bonds, and mutual funds,” explains Nabers.

The volatile stock market and significant losses that many investors suffered have caused them to look for alternative options. Nabers says that’s where the Solo 401k can really be helpful. “Using the Solo 401k, people can invest in real estate, gold, foreign annuities, foreign currency, small businesses, and much more,” said Nabers. Even better, the Solo 401k allows accountholders to make large retirement contributions totaling more than $50,000.

About the Jeff Nabers, CEO
Jeff Nabers is the Chief Executive Officer of the Nabers Group and is a renowned consultant, speaker, and educator. Nabers is an expert in the fields of Self Directed wealth management and personal finance. Nabers teaches seminars on understanding money, free market capitalism, inflation, Austrian economic theory, real estate investing, direct possession of gold and silver, income-producing assets, small business startup funding, and Self Directed IRA and Solo 401k investing. Additionally, Nabers is the chairman of the IRA Association of America and authored the book 5 Steps To Freedom.

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NS&I Reveal Findings Of Families, Finance And The Future Report

NS&I’s ‘Families, Finance and the Future’ report has shown that before having children, Britons believe you should have an income of at least £25,000 per annum to ensure financial security, while 20% of those surveyed said that they would seriously consider not having children because the cost of having them nowadays is so high.

The NS&I report, Families, Finance and the Future, was written by the Future Foundation and commissioned by NS&I. The report was produced by a combination of desk research and original survey work. Figures taken from a nationally representative sample of 1,049 adults aged 16+. Other sources the report used include the British Household Panel Survey, the ONS, Eurobarometer, the Department for Communities and Local Government, and previous surveys conducted by the Future Foundation.

Almost two-thirds (64%) said people should be financially secure before starting a family, while 78% agreed that the standard of living was an influencing factor when deciding on how many children to have. Just 26% of Britons believe that money shouldn’t be a consideration when deciding to start a family.

Tim Mack, NS&I Savings Spokesman, said: “Starting a family is always going to be much more than a purely economic decision, though for some the financial requirement is clearly an income of £25,000 per year. Britons are also considering their financial future when deciding on the number of children they will have.”

More than one in ten respondents (12%) thought that those thinking of starting a family should be earning between £40,000 and £70,000 before having children, while a similar number (13%) believed that they didn’t need anything as they would always be able to get by. Men were more likely to suggest a bigger financial cushion than women – £27,000 per year, compared to just £23,000 for women – while people without children gave much higher estimates, saying people should be earning at least£30,000.

As well as looking at the situation for individuals, the report also argues that finances and families are linked on a larger, macroeconomic, level.

Barry Clark, Account Director at the Future Foundation, said: “Baby booms tend to follow economic booms and the reverse is true too. Our data suggests that over the past 60 years, GDP growth and the change in birth rates in the UK have been closely linked, so we expect that the coming years will show more than ever that finances and families are related on both a personal and national economic scale.”

The primary consideration influences on the number of children people decide to have appeared to be common:

78% – standard of living they can give their children
73% – meeting the cost of raising their children
51% – size of the house they can afford to raise their family in
39% – education they can make sure their children receive

It is evident that perceived affluence has an effect on the birth rate. In fact, Future Foundation research and the British Household Panel Survey both have shown that in European countries where more people have an income that is either in line with or above their financial expectations, families bear more children.

Barry Clark added: “The highest earners would seem less likely to have larger families owing to the demands of, and devotion to, their careers, or a sharper awareness of just how much children cost to raise.”

Via EPR Network
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Hargreaves Lansdown Named Best Online SIPP Provider of the Year

Hargreaves Lansdown has been named the Best Online SIPP Provider of the year at the Technology Administration and Service (TAS) Awards, 2009.

The awards programme, which is organised by the Pensions and Investment Group of the Financial Times, aims to recognise achievement by providers of products and services to UK advisers.

It is the second award that that Hargreaves Lansdown’s SIPP has received this year, following their award for Best SIPP provider from What Investment, an accolade which the company has received three years in a row.

Following the awards, which were held at the Park Lane Hilton, Alex Davies, Director of Pensions at Hargreaves Lansdown, said “We never get complacent about these things but hope these awards demonstrate our commitment to providing clients with the best information and the best tools to manage their own investments.”

If you are interested in considering a SIPP, visit the Hargreaves Lansdown website, were more information, along with a downloadable, free guide to Self Invested Personal Pensions is available.

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Animated Guide To Child Trust Funds

Leading Child Trust Fund provider The Children’s Mutual is pleased to announce the launch of a new cartoon guide to Child Trust Funds – the first of its kind in the marketplace.

The cartoon guide is a five minute animation in a graphic style reminiscent of perennial children’s favourite, Fuzzy Felt. During the film, busy new mum, Mel, (and baby Emily) explain what the Child Trust Fund is, the different sorts of funds that are available, their individual features, how to find a provider and how to go about applying for a fund.

The Child Trust Fund guide has additional link-back buttons at the end that allow viewers to go directly back to sections of particular interest and watch them again. It also gives clear direction to alternative information sources including HMRC.

Marketing Director, Tony Anderson, said: “We appreciate that new parents have very little free time and when they do get a chance to sit down they aren’t necessarily in the mood to wade through financial paperwork or regulatory terminology. But they still want to be sure that they are making the right choices for their children. This is where our animated guide provides a completely new approach to helping customers – through carefully chosen language and functionality. It provides all the salient information about CTFs in easy to understand language and simple to access bite size sections.”

The cartoon guide can be viewed at The Children’s Mutual’s own website and is also available for publications and sites to host themselves to help their own audiences to more easily understand the Child Trust Fund.

Tony concluded: “Opening a Child Trust Fund account can seem like a daunting task, but with our new guide it needn’t be. All we ask is that parents give us just five minutes of their time to help them make an informed decision.”

Child Trust Funds are designed to provide a tax efficient, long term savings vehicle for all eligible children. Each eligible newborn child (born on or after 1 September 2002) receives £250 (£500 for low income families) from the government when their parents register for Child Benefit. The Government will make a second contribution of £250 (£500 for low income families) when the child reaches seven and is considering a third in the child’s teenage years. Parents, family and friends can all then add to this account up to a maximum value of £1,200 each year.

Via EPR Network
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