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MidCountry Bank Supports 2009 Effort To Save Eternal Flame At National WWI Museum

With the possibility that the National World War I Museum’s eternal flame could be extinguished due to government budget cuts, MidCountry Bank, through its military banking division, Pioneer Services, has stepped up for the second year in a row with a sizeable financial contribution to keep the flame burning atop the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City, Mo.

MidCountry Bank Supports 2009 Effort To Save Eternal Flame At National WWI Museum

“The eternal flame remains a symbol of our gratitude for those who made the ultimate sacrifice,” said Tom Holcom, president of Pioneer Services. “Since we work exclusively with the military community, we could not just sit back and let the flame be extinguished, especially after our organization’s successful efforts to save the flame last year,” said Holcom. “The WWI Museum is the only museum in America that preserves the legacy of those who served in the Great War and MidCountry Bank and Pioneer Services are committed to doing whatever we can to help ensure that legacy is honored.”

In 2008, budget cuts threatened to extinguish the eternal flame except on special holidays. At the time, MidCountry Bank and Pioneer Services initiated the “Save the Flame” campaign, an international awareness and fundraising effort that successfully raised more than $68,000 in just four weeks. The two organizations donated an initial $5,000 to keep the flame lit during the fundraising campaign from Memorial Day to July 4, 2008, contributing a total of $22,500 in matching funds to the widely-publicized campaign. The efforts were profiled in USA Today, Stars and Stripes, and through extensive broadcast coverage.

Since its dedication in 1926, the memorial has been a Kansas City and national monument, looking over the downtown skyline. The National World War I Museum, which opened in 2006, was built beneath the existing Liberty Memorial. It is designated by Congress as the nation’s official WWI Museum .

MidCountry Bank’s military banking division recently committed $5,000 to keep the WWI eternal flame burning through 2010. The companies continue to manage the campaign’s fundraising and awareness Web site, www.SaveTheFlame.org, promoting the need for continued assistance and to facilitate donations.

MidCountry Financial Corp. is a financial services holding company with subsidiaries that deliver high-quality and diversified financial services to targeted markets.

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Banks, Financial, Financial Services, Home Equity, Interest Rate, Loans, Money, Mortgage, Personal Finance

Tracker Rate Mortgages Gain In Popularity

So far this year, fixed rate mortgages have been by far the most popular choice of deal as borrowers have sought the security of a fixed rate during the recession.

Gain

However, August has seen an increase in interest for tracker rates which are linked directly to the Bank of England Rate. Earlier this month, the Bank of England announced it was keeping rates on hold at an all-time low of 0.5%. It then published its Quarterly Inflation Report and predicted that rates would remain at their record low for some time to come.

Richard Morea, Technical Manager at L&C said, “With signs that interest rates could remain at 0.5% into 2010, many borrowers are deciding that they are willing to take the risk of having a variable mortgage rate, in order to benefit from low interest rates. Tracker mortgages are not for everyone though – if you’re on a tight budget and are worried about being able to afford a rise in mortgage payments, then a fixed rate mortgage is still a good bet.”

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.

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Banks, Financial, Financial Services, Home Equity, Interest Rate, Loans, Money, Mortgage, Personal Finance

With The Bank Of England Rate Remaining At An All-Time Low Of 0.5% In August, Now Could Be A Good Time For Many Borrowers To Consider An Offset Mortgage

An offset mortgage works by using savings you have to reduce the amount you owe on your mortgage and therefore the amount of mortgage interest you pay. For example, if you have an outstanding mortgage of £120,000 and savings of £20,000, you would only pay interest on a mortgage of £100,000. You don’t receive interest on your savings, but that also means that you don’t pay tax on that interest.

This tax benefit, added to the fact that mortgage rates are typically higher than savings rates, means that you could save thousands of pounds in interest with an offset mortgage. Taking a mortgage rate of 3.99%, a basic rate taxpayer would need to earn at least 4.99% from a savings account to get the equivalent benefit. A higher rate taxpayer would need to earn 6.65%.

You could also cut years off your mortgage term by using the saving to make regular overpayments.

Richard Morea, Technical Manager at L&C said, “If you are frustrated with the low interest rates you are earning on your savings in the current market, then an offset mortgage is worth considering. They are not suitable for everyone, but if you have a decent amount of savings, offsetting them against your mortgage could save you thousands of pounds in interest.”

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Bankruptcy, Debts, Financial, Financial Law, Financial Services, Loans, Money, Personal Finance

The DebtBuster Corporation Recognized As Finalists In The Las Vegas Chamber Of Commerce Small Business Of The Year Competition

The DebtBuster Corporation (DebtBusters), the nations most trusted debt settlement firm, announced today that it has been recognized as one of three finalists in the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year competition. Small Business of the Year, awarded as part of the LVCC Annual Biz-E‘s honors a for-profit venture with 50 or fewer employees, demonstrates commitment to community stewardship and is active in the business community of Southern Nevada. The final event, and announcement of the winner will take place at The Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV the afternoon of September 17th, 2009.

The DebtBuster Corporation

David Fishman, the owner of The DebtBuster Corporation, gladly accepts the recognition as a finalist on behalf of his employees. “This is a great honor”, said Mr. Fishman who is also known as Dr. Debt, “we really couldn’t have done this without our great staff and our dedication to excellent customer service. Our goal is to assist everyone that needs help with credit card debt, regardless of whether or not they become our client”. Mr. Fishman went on to say that people who need debt relief, don’t generally ask for it until it’s too late. “Bankruptcy alternatives are available for most people”, said Mr. Fishman, “if you know where to look”.

About The DebtBuster Corporation
Formed in 1998 as subsidiary of the 20 year old commercial debt settlement firm, Arbitronix INC, The DebtBuster Corporation was created to assist consumers by negotiating their unsecured debt directly with creditors, often saving consumers thousands of dollars in the process. Accredited by the Better Business Bureau in 2002, DebtBusters is one of the few debt settlement firms in the country which has achieved an A+ BBB rating. Their dedication to customer service is unparalleled and their motto, “No Obligations. Only Answers.”, shows their willingness to help anyone who calls the Dr. Debt national helpline at 1-800-464-DEBT, regardless of whether or not the caller becomes a DebtBusters Client.

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Assets, Bonds, Financial, Financial Services, Financial Solutions, Funding, Interest Rate, Loans, Money, Stocks

Securities Based Funding, Inc. Announces A Unique Financing Advantage To Borrowers Against The Value Of Their Securities Portfolio

Securities Based Funding, Inc. announces a unique financing advantage to borrowers against the value of their securities portfolio at below-market, simple interest, fixed rate loans ranging from 2.5% to 4.5%. These non-recourse loans will assist buyers, sellers and developers of properties worldwide. The loan proceeds can be used for any purpose except to buy securities or carry securities in a margin account.

Securities Based Funding, Inc.

Despite the credit crunch and while access to liquidity through traditional capital markets is difficult in today’s uncertain economy, security-based loans enable borrowers to access liquidity at below-market rates by pledging the securities they own as collateral for the loan.

Eligible securities are publicly trades stocks, bonds, tradable mutual funds, unit investment and real estate investment trusts as well as foreign positions on international exchanges. Ineligible securities include, privately held stocks, securities held in retirement accounts, such as, IRAs and 401Ks. The borrower retains all upside market appreciation and receives any dividends or interest to which the securities are entitled. Loan to security values (LTV) range from 35% up to 80%. The more liquid and actively trades the securities, the higher the LTV.

Securities Based Funding, Inc. represents a full-service, private, nonpurpose, direct lender that specializes in securities-based lending with investors in need of prompt funding. Terms are based on the evaluation of the risk and future performance associated with the stocks, bonds or U.S. Treasuries to be pledged as collateral to maximize and maintain complete yet proprietary flexibility of the equity-loan process.

Successful stock-lending transactions have been executed involving the American Stock Exchange, NASDAQ National Stock Market, NASDAQ Small-Cap Stock market, New York Stock Exchange, Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board and foreign exchanges.

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Banks, Checking & Savings, College Finance, Financial, Financial Management, Financial Services, Financial Solutions, Insurance, Insurance Services, Loans, Money, Personal Finance

Students Are Struggling To Fly The Nest, Reveals Lloyds TSB Student Banking

A survey by Lloyds TSB Student Banking has shown that almost half (47%) of young people starting university degrees this autumn believe they will be the most financially disadvantaged students for many generations.

Students Are Struggling To Fly The Nest

The survey of more than 1000 17-25 year olds who plan to go to university this year showed that those going into higher education have a bleak outlook on the financial costs of the course. Almost one third (31%) of those questioned said they thought that the costs of going to university would soon outweigh the benefits of a degree.

The same percentage – up from 27% in 2008 – is looking to stay at home to save money, meaning they will miss out on their first taste of independent living. The Lloyds TSB Student Banking research also revealed that almost a quarter (24%) of students believes that getting into debt while they study debt is inevitable because of the state of the economy. To compound their fears, one in five (20%) believes that it will be difficult to find a job after graduation.

Catherine McGrath, director of current accounts at Lloyds TSB, said: “It’s no surprise that in the current economic climate young people are thinking about how their university career will affect them financially and are considering the ways to make their money work harder.

“It’s important that students-to-be concentrate on their studies and don’t spend unnecessary time worrying about the future. Therefore picking the right bank accounts, using sound money management techniques and considering part-time work are all important steps that will help students manage their finances during their degree course.”

Although the majority students-to-be said that they relished the opportunity to manage their own money, more than a quarter (28%) of potential freshers admitted to being worried about managing their own finances, with 25% saying that they hadn’t received any financial guidance in advance of starting their course.

Independent financial expert, Alvin Hall, commented: “The current economic climate is very daunting for young people, many of whom may be wondering whether spending money on their education really is the best bet.

“Young people need to remember that a degree is an investment in themselves and that sometimes it takes a while for that investment to pay off. In the meantime, they need to do everything in their power to make every penny count and ensure that, when they are standing on their own two feet as graduates, they can look back on their studying and spending without regrets.”

About Lloyds TSB:
Lloyds TSB offers customers a wide range of current accounts, savings accounts, insurance, student accounts and credit cards, investment and cash ISA accounts designed to meet different customers’ needs.

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401K, Checking & Savings, Financial, Financial Services, Investment, IRA, Loans, Money, Personal Finance, Retirement

Sunwest Trust Is Now Offering Their Latest Product – The Individual 401k, Aka I401k

Sunwest Trust, Inc. announces the launch of the Individual 401k or i401k. “The i401k gives self-employed business owners the same tax benefits that large corporations have enjoyed for years,” says Terry White, CEO of Sunwest Trust, Inc. as well as White adds, “a number of additional benefits not offered by the traditional self directed IRA.”

Individual 401k

With an i401k, business owners may be eligible to contribute far greater amounts to their 401ks than they could with any other type of retirement plan. In addition, the i401k is much simpler to administer than a typical 401k plan.

Another advantage to the i401k is the Roth contributions that you are eligible to make. You can designate some or all of your deferrals as Roth contributions. Roth contributions are after-tax dollars, so those contributions will grow tax-free.

Unlike self directed IRA, you may take loans from your i401k.

Also, the i401k has lower administrative costs than most retirement options for a small business owner. Unlike a self directed IRA, with the i401k you do not need to have a self directed IRA custodian for your i401k. You may act as trustee for your own plan.

White does note, “that the i401k is not for every small business owner and that there are restrictions and guidelines someone must follow in order to be eligible.” White recommends, those who seek to invest using the i401k, “consult a tax professional to make sure that they are making their contributions correctly and to help them fill out the form 5500-EZ when their i401k accumulates over $250,000.00.”

To be eligible to have an i401k, you must be a self-employed business owner with no full-time employees other than your spouse. Whites also states, “investors need to make sure to check with their tax professional to find out the limitations and amounts that can be borrowed from the i401k plan.”

White adds, “The timing of the i401k could not be better for business owners as well as the company. Despite the tough economy, Sunwest Trust continues to grow. By adding new products and providing the same great customer service their clients have come to expect, Sunwest Trust is well on their way to another record setting year. The company has already seen 16 percent growth from this time last year and there are no signs of slowing down anytime in the near future.”

One explanation for the sudden growth over the last two years has been the volatility of the stock market. When the stock market hits uncertain times, many investors would rather not gamble their future on Wall Street and investors look for more stable investment opportunities. Self-directed IRAs and 401ks allow savvy investors the opportunity to find the investment that best fits their investment needs, risk tolerance and retirement goals, whatever it may be.

White adds, “not all investments are ideal and whenever you make an investment there is always inherent risk involved. Each investor should acquire competent legal counsel and commit to completing the proper due diligence prior to shifting their retirement dollars into an alternative investment.” He adds, “just as it is not your local bank’s responsibility to validate the veracity of an investment, neither is it the IRA custodian’s job to validate the authenticity of the investments you make with your IRA/401k dollars. The last thing you want to do is gamble away your hard earned retirement savings blindly without verifying the genuineness of the investments your are making.”

About Sunwest Trust, Inc.

Sunwest Trust is an independently owned private company that offers self directed IRA custodian, escrow and now Individual 401k 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.

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Checking & Savings, Credit Cards, Financial, Financial Services, Insurance, Insurance Services, Loans, Money, Personal Finance

Molly Is The New Face Of M&S Pet Insurance

A beagle from South Wales is to become the new face of M&S Pet Insurance after winning a national competition to find a cat or dog with true star quality to feature in a future marketing campaign.

To enter the competition, which ran from April until the start of June, M&S pet insurance customers were asked to simply submit a photo and a few words about why their cat or dog is a star. Following the huge response to the competition and after some close deliberation by the judges, five-month-old Molly, who lives with The Mainwaring family in Blackwood, Gwent, was named the M&S Pet Star contest top-dog.

This means that Molly will now have a professional photo shoot and be featured in promotional material for a forthcoming M&S Pet Insurance campaign. The Mainwaring family will receive £100 worth of M&S vouchers. Sian Mainwaring said: “Molly is very mischievous and certainly has a mind of her own but we forgive her anything – most of the time. She means so much to us and it is wonderful that she will now be the face of M&S Pet Insurance.”

Amanda Newman, M&S Head of Marketing, said: “The huge response to the competition illustrates the fact that we are a nation of cat and dog lovers. It was wonderful to spend time looking through all the photos and reading why the cats and dogs mean so much to their owners.”

About M&S Money
M&S Money (the trading name of Marks & Spencer Financial Services) was founded in 1985 as the financial services division of Marks and Spencer Group plc. The company is now a top ten credit card provider and the second largest travel money retailer in the UK. M&S Money also offers a range of insurance cover, including travel insurance, home insurance, car insurance, loans, savings and investment products.

In November 2004, Marks & Spencer sold M&S Money to HSBC. The Group serves customers worldwide from around 9,500 offices in 86 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa. With assets of US$2,527 billion at 31 December 2008, HSBC is one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations. HSBC is marketed worldwide as ‘the world’s local bank’.

M&S Money has an executive committee comprising an equal number of representatives from HSBC and Marks & Spencer.

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

CML Reported An Increase In Mortgages For Home Purchase In May, Up 4% From The Previous Month

Fixed rate mortgages accounted for 74% of all loans in the month, the highest share since August 2007.

Fixed rate mortgages

Encouragingly the CML predicted that lenders might become slightly more relaxed in the coming months following the introduction of some higher loan–to–value mortgages recently. This is backed up by the Bank of England’s recent Credit Conditions survey where lenders reported that they intend to increase lending at higher loan-to value ratios. This bodes well for first time buyers looking to get on the housing ladder.

This will be welcome news for parents who are still acting as an important source of help for young first time buyers. 80% of first time buyers under 30 are still getting help with a deposit from parents to enable them to get a mortgage.

Potential borrowers looking to get onto the housing ladder can see the range of leading deals at London & Country best buys and use a range of calculators to see how much they can borrow and what stamp duty will cost on potential properties at L&C Mortgage Calculators For more information and no-fee advice, borrowers can call free on 0800 373300 or request a call back.

London and Country Mortgages Ltd is the country’s leading whole of market no-fee mortgage broker and submitted over £4bn of mortgages to over 70 lenders in 2008. For more information visit our website London & Country Mortgages.

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.

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

Nationwide Has Hit The Headlines With News That It Can Offer Homebuyers A Mortgage Of As High As 125% Of The Property Value

This initially sounds like a return to the lending practices of the “pre-crunch years” and the now infamous Northern Rock Together mortgage. Whilst the Together 125% deal actually served some borrowers pretty well it has become synonymous with the carefree credit conditions of 2007.

lcplc

However when you look closely at the Nationwide proposition it is a world away from replicating the Northern Rock product. It is designed to help existing borrowers that need to move home but now find themselves in negative equity, as their property value has fallen to the extent that it is less than the outstanding mortgage.

Nationwide allows all existing customers moving home to borrow as much as 95% of the property value albeit at higher interest rates. In this scenario the borrower still needs to put in at least a 5% deposit but they can also borrow an amount to cover the negative equity, although this is charged at an even higher rate.

The reality is that this initiative will only have any relevance to a small niche of borrowers that really need to move, perhaps to relocate for a new job or to accommodate an expanding family. However it will at least provide an option to those that have a genuine need to move.

Borrowers looking to find out how much their current property is worth can use London & Country Mortgages house price calculator. They can then calculate their loan to value ratio (LTV) by dividing the current balance of their mortgage by the current value of their home. If this is over 100% they will have negative equity.

London and Country Mortgages Ltd is the country’s leading whole of market no-fee mortgage broker and submitted over £4bn of mortgages to over 70 lenders in 2008. For more information visit our website London & Country Mortgages

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.

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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Best Buy Mortgages Are Available Under 3% Fixed For 2 Years And Under 5% Fixed For 5 Years

A number of factors have contributed to this. Firstly, it’s widely recognised that we are at or near the bottom of the interest rate cycle. Base rate could only fall by another 0.5% at most and in the May meeting of the Bank of England, base rate was held for the second month in a row. Consumers are looking to secure a fixed rate deal whilst rates are at their lowest. Best Buy Mortgages are available under 3% fixed for 2 years and under 5% fixed for 5 years. These fixed rate mortgage deals compare favourably with historical rates linked to lenders’ standard variable rates (SVR).

Best Buy Mortgages

Secondly there is widespread concern that when rates start to rise, they will rise sharply and so monthly repayments on mortgages linked to Bank of England Base Rate or a lender’s SVR will increase significantly over a short period of time. Securing a good fixed rate deal now will mitigate that risk.

Thirdly there is limited availability of mortgages for those with relatively small deposits (15% of house value or less) and so consumers in this situation are grabbing fixed rate mortgages whilst they still can.

Finally, as house prices have fallen, consumers have found that the value of their mortgage relative to the value of their home has increased. As the best fixed rate mortgage deals are available below 75% loan to value (ltv) it is sensible for consumers to fix their mortgage rate in case their property value falls further and the best mortgage deals are no longer available to them.

Potential borrowers wanting to secure a fixed rate mortgage deal can see the range of leading deals currently available at www.lcplc.co.uk/bestbuys. For more information and no-fee advice, borrowers can call free on 0800 373300 or request a call back.

London and Country Mortgages Ltd is the country’s leading whole of market no-fee mortgage broker and submitted over £4bn of mortgages to over 70 lenders in 2008. For more information visit our website London & Country Mortgages. 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.

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Banks, Checking & Savings, Financial, Financial Management, Financial Services, Financial Solutions, Insurance, Insurance Services, Loans, Money, Personal Finance

Lloyds TSB Insurance Reports Over 50s Driving Down Crime Rates

Lloyds TSB Insurance has conducted a new study that shows community-minded senior citizens are creating ‘safe havens’ with the lowest crime rates in the country.

Lloyds TSB Insurance, the home and car insurance provider, has revealed that Britain’s emerging ‘safe havens’ include North Norfolk, Berwick-upon-Tweed and West Somerset, which experience half the crime suffered in other parts of the country and whose population includes more than two in five people (43 per cent) over the age of 50.

Rates of burglary and malicious property damage are particularly low in these ‘safe havens’, running at around 40 per cent less than national levels.

The study suggests that low crime is promoted by the community-orientated mindset of older people. The over-50s are five times more likely than the under-35s to know their neighbours personally and are far more inclined to report suspicious behaviour in their area.

This anti-crime ‘halo’ created by older people is aided by much higher membership of community groups. One in six (16 per cent) are active in Neighbourhood Watch schemes, compared to a tiny proportion of those in their twenties and thirties (5 per cent).

The waning community spirit of younger Britons is explained in part by more transient, urban lifestyles. Many young people say they see “no point” in getting to know their neighbours and a hard core of one in twenty Londoners (7 per cent) has never met or spoken to anyone who lives nearby.

Phil Loney, managing director of General Insurance at Lloyds Banking Group said: “Our findings demonstrate that younger people aren’t as community-minded as their parents and this mindset can have a big impact on safety and security in our neighbourhoods.

“Young people can learn a huge amount from the older generation about security consciousness. Taking a little time to look out for other people’s property and reporting anything suspicious can have a huge impact on burglary rates and anti-social behaviour.

“We’ve spoken to some security conscious over-50s and have published some of their security tips on our website.”

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2017 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 27th-29th May 2009. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+). YouGov research questioned 18-35 vs. 50+ age cohorts. 4 per cent of over-50s know none of their neighbours personally, compared to 20 per cent of 18-35 year olds

About Lloyds TSB:
Lloyds TSB offers customers a wide range of current accounts, savings accounts, travel, home insurance, cheap car insurance, personal loans and credit cards, competitive home insurance quotes investment and cash ISA accounts 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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National Lending Associates, Inc. Launches the TuitionFlex Program

National Lending Associates, Inc. (“NLA”) is formally announcing today the launch of its TuitionFlex SM tuition payment program. The TuitionFlex Program is a highly flexible and customizable tuition payment program for schools and colleges which currently do or do not offer this low cost financing option to their students and families. TuitionFlex is designed to be compliant with all federal and state Truth-in-Lending disclosure requirements. This turn-key program features a branded on-line application process, electronic signature, customizable reporting, automated payment processing and flexible servicing repayment terms.

“NLA is excited to launch this additional financing option for schools and colleges while leveraging the experience and expertise of our management team.  Our TuitionFlex Program was created as an alternative higher education financing option, which enables institutions throughout the country to provide effective financing solutions for their students during a time of economic uncertainly and limited private financing choices ” states Douglas Feist, Chief Executive Officer of NLA.

The TuitionFlex Program offers payment products aimed at providing tuition financing solutions for K-12 schools, colleges, and universities. With its TuitionEase™ (less than 12 months), TuitionExtend™ (contracts greater than 12 up to 120 months), and soon to be launched TuitionExtend Plus ™ (contract purchase option) products, the TuitionFlex Program provides alternatives to meet the current demands of all educational institutions.

For more information on the TuitionFlex Program go to www.tuitionflex.com or contact Tim Kulesha at tim.kulesha@NLALoans.com (602) 579-6555.

About National Lending Associates, Inc.
Based in San Diego, California, with offices in Ohio, Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and New York, National Lending Associates, Inc., is a nationwide specialty service company focused on providing financing solutions, loan and portfolio administration services, and technology options for the education financing marketplace (www.nationallendingassociates.com ).

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Business, Checking & Savings, Credit Cards, Financial, Financial Information, Financial Services, Interest Rate, Loans, Money

Rate Tarts Are In A Jam As 2 Million Balance Transfer Applications Are Rejected

The latest credit card market analysis from uSwitch.com, the independent price comparison and switching service, reveals that almost 2 million consumers have been rejected for balance transfer deals in the last year. This represents 57% of all credit card rejections, forcing these consumers to fork out £535 million in interest payments in the next 12 months as they are unable to switch to a new provider. In total, £3.5 billion of credit card debt is now stuck on interest bearing credit cards as consumers cannot switch to their next 0% deal.

Across all types of credit card, more than one in ten consumers, totalling 3.32 million, has had an application declined in the past twelve months. This is a clear sign that providers are still acting on the air of caution and only lending to those with a squeaky clean credit record. This is a huge problem in the credit card market, particularly for rate tarts. In 2008, consumers carried out an average of 650,000 balance transfers every month. For many people, the 0% party really is over as they have reached a dead end.

Alongside a drop in acceptance levels, the number of balance transfer deals available is also a problem for consumers. There are now 178 balance transfer credit cards, representing 74% of all credit cards compared to 204 this time last year. The biggest casualty of this has been the 10 month deals which have fallen by 83% to just 1 deal.

With just one provider, Virgin, offering a 16 month 0% balance transfer deal, consumers are pushed towards the more popular six month balance transfer deals which represent a third of the market (33%). However, with the average balance transfer fee currently at 2.9% consumers will have to pay £54.09 on the average balance of £1,846. Unless consumers are planning to pay the credit card balance during the six month offer period, this could be a costly way to move money around.

Louise Bond, personal finance expert at uSwitch, comments: “We can’t ignore the fact that the country is in economic turmoil – a situation which has been catalysed by bad consumer credit. The knock on effect for credit card customers is that those with a less than perfect credit history could find themselves being turned down for the next best 0% deal, forcing them to pay interest. This is a huge problem for switchers as these people have accumulated debt based on the fact they do not have to pay interest on it.

“The knock on effect of rejected credit applications is that it will appear on your credit report and, in the long term, have a negative impact on your score. With this in mind, it’s important to check your report before applying for products to make sure you stand a good chance of being accepted – constantly reapplying to different suppliers will make the situation worse. If you can’t get another credit card, think about using a 0% overdraft, an unsecured personal loan or, if there are no other options and debt is getting out of control, speak to your provider or seek professional advice.”

Bond’s credit card tips:

• Check your credit report before making any applications for credit.

• If you are rejected for your next credit card, do not any further applications until you have checked your credit record. Failed applications for credit will have a negative impact on your credit score.

• You must also close down any credit card accounts you are not using. The available balance on these accounts will be taken into consideration when you are applying for a new card.

• Missed credit card payments also impact your credit score, the best way to avoid this is to set up a monthly direct debit for the minimum payment.

• If you are not planning to pay the balance off in full during the 0% balance transfer period you should consider life of balance cards. This will provide one low rate of interest for the entire time the balance is on the card.

• Depending on which issuer your balance transfer card is managed by, you may not be allowed to switch your balance to another card within the same group. By using uSwitch.com’s balance transfer tool, you will only be allowed to apply for cards that are available at you.

About uSwitch:
uSwitch.com is a free, impartial online and telephone-based comparison and switching service, helping consumers compare prices on gas, electricity, water, heating cover, home telephone, broadband, digital television, mobile phones, personal finance products and car insurance.

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Checking & Savings, Financial, Financial Services, Loans, Money, Personal Finance

Campaign Raises Thousands Of Dollars For Wounded Service Members

MidCountry Financial Corp. created the ‘Answer the Call Now’ program to raise money for wounded service members, honor military service during National Military Appreciation Month, and even help the environment by diverting hazardous materials from landfills. The program was a success, as the company collected nearly 1,600 old cell phones during the month of May.

“Teamwork was really what made the campaign successful,” said Karen Von Der Bruegge, chief marketing office for Pioneer Services, a division of MidCountry Bank. “Associates and customers alike stepped up to help our wounded warriors. Some offices were so into it they had contests to see who could collect the most, with one collecting 143 phones in a single day!”

The phones will be sent to Recellular, which pays anywhere from 50¢ to $150 per phone, depending on type and condition. The money received from Recellular will then go to USA Cares, a non-profit that assists service members and their families. In this case, all of the funds raised will benefit their Combat Injured Program, which assists those suffering Traumatic Brain Injury or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

“It was fantastic to see so many people dedicated to the campaign,” added Von Der Bruegge, “and speaks volumes to the respect we all have for military families and what they do for our nation. To help them cope during these difficult times is something we’re honored to do.”

MidCountry Financial Corp. is a financial services holding company with subsidiaries that deliver high-quality and diversified financial services to targeted markets. These subsidiaries include MidCountry Bank, Pioneer Financial Services, Heights Finance Corp., OFC Capital, MidCountry Investments, and Insurance Planners. Since 2002, its associates have been dedicated to building a high quality financial services organization respected by its constituencies, and characterized by a commitment to the values of integrity, fairness, honesty, excellence, and compassion. For more information, visit www.MidCountryFinancial.com.

MidCountry Financial associates collected nearly 1,600 cell phones during the “Answer the Call Now” campaign. The phones will be recycled for cash, and proceeds will benefit USA Cares’ Combat Injured Program

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Struggling Borrowers Should Get Debt Advice Before Cutting Back

Financial solutions company Think Money have advised people who are struggling to repay debt tocarefully consider how and where they cut back on their spending, following the release of a study showing that millions of people have cut back on insurance in the past 12 months in order to save money.

The report from Sainsbury’s Finance estimated that almost one million (946,000) people have either cancelled or reduced their home contents insurance cover in the past 12 months as a direct result of their financial situation, while over half a million (532,000) have cancelled their life insurance policy for the same reason.

Meanwhile, 432,000 car owners were estimated to have reduced the amount of car insurance they had, while 349,000 people reduced their home buildings insurance and 104,000 reduced their pet insurance.

A debt expert for Think Money said that while cutting back in certain areas could be a good way of saving money in the recession, people should be careful about where they decide to cut costs.

“For example, increasing numbers of people are buying food from ‘budget’ stores, rather than the ‘big’ supermarkets they are used to, which can save a lot of money. Likewise, people are buying more second-hand cars, eating out less, etc. – and these are all relatively sensible areas in which to cut back.

“However, when it comes to cutting back on insurance, people are taking a risk. Insurance is there for a reason: it protects against unexpected large bills that can occur at any time. Without it – say, the person’s house is flooded – people can find themselves in a far worse financial situation than if they had simply kept their insurance policy, and that brings a real risk of falling into debt.”

The Think Money spokesperson added that even cutting back in ‘sensible’ areas is not the key to financial security, unless people are strict with their finances.

“Setting a strict budget is a very important part of financial management, and that budget must be realistic in terms of how much needs to be put aside for essential costs and how much can be kept back for non-essential spending.

“People should also ensure that if they are freeing up money by cutting back, that money should be put towards their debts rather than non-essential purchases.

The spokesperson said that anyone who finds that cutting back on costs alone is not enough should seek professional debt advice.

“Ideally, anyone who finds themselves struggling to repay debt should speak to a professional debt adviser at the earliest opportunity. A debt adviser can help the borrower to establish the best course of action for reducing their debts – and the sooner this happens, the less difficulty the borrower is likely to face.”

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Caution Advised Over Student Debt

Responding to a new survey suggesting that students were spending more money and receiving more financial support than ever before in the last academic year, financial solutions company Think Money has advised students to remain aware of the longer-term costs of using credit during their education.

The company added that while student finance is a useful and necessary means of funding education, students should be aware of the potential implications of getting into large amounts of debt, and should ideally avoid using credit that may have strict repayment terms, such as credit cards and personal loans.

The study by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, which looked at the 2007/2008 academic year, found that higher tuition fees have increased first-year student spending by 12% in just three years.

This means that students are now completing their first year of university education with an average of £3,500 debt. If this continued each year on a three-year course, the average student could end up with over £10,000 of debt.

Despite this, the study found that fewer students were taking part-time jobs to help fund their education, falling from 58% in the previous survey (2004/2005) to 49%.

Although spending had risen by 12%, students’ income had risen by 15%, including loans for tuition fees (which are paid directly to universities).

Melanie Taylor, Head of Corporate Relations for Think Money, said that students should be careful to distinguish between normal student debt and additional credit.

“Student Loans from the Government are designed to be paid back in relatively small instalments after the student finishes their education, and only once they are earning enough to meet the minimum repayment threshold – currently £15,000 per annum. In that respect, student loan repayments are rarely a worry for graduates.

“Many students are concerned about the levels of debt they may be faced with on leaving university, but in reality this should not impact much on their lives at all, and people should not feel ‘priced out’ of further education, regardless of their background.

“However, it can become a more serious issue if the student uses other forms of credit, such as credit cards. Since these usually require repayment shortly after they are first taken out, these forms of credit can place a burden on students’ finances that they may not be able to manage.”

Mrs Taylor added that anyone who does find themselves with debts that they cannot manage should contact an expert debt adviser at the first sign of trouble.

“For anyone who gets into debt and realises they are unable to make their repayments, the most important thing is that they seek advice as soon as possible.

“There are a range of debt solutions available that can help people in various situations. A professional debt adviser can discuss the borrower’s situation in confidence and help them to decide which is best for their individual needs.

“Most debt solutions require a constant income, which can put some students at a disadvantage – but a debt adviser can still offer free, valuable advice that could help them to get their finances back in order.”

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Saving & Debt: Base Rate Should Not Discourage Caution

Commenting on the recent spate of base rate cuts – and the resulting 0.5% base rate – financial solutions company Think Money pointed to the potential implications of the Bank of England’s actions over recent months, and urged savers not to risk debt problems by turning their backs on saving.

“In the short term,” a Think Money spokesperson began, “it’s important to realise that many people – the vast majority of the country – haven’t benefited from these cuts in any way at all. A full 50% of the UK’s 11.75 million mortgages are fixed-rate deals, 40% tracker and 10% SVR (standard variable rate).

“Clearly, anyone on a fixed-rate mortgage won’t benefit any more than someone who’s renting their home. As for SVR deals, lenders aren’t obliged to pass on any reductions, and many have passed on only part of these cuts. Even people on tracker deals haven’t universally seen their interest rates drop by the full 4% since October, as many of those deals have come up against their collar.”

In the longer term, there’s the question of what lessons people will take with them once the recession is over. Many people on fixed-rate mortgages will be looking at the low rates on offer today, calculating how much they could save if they switched and comparing this against the cost of the early repayment charges they would pay if they left their current mortgage early.

“In future, they may be unwilling to sign up to fixed-rate deals – or at least reluctant to sign up to the longer-term fixed-rate deals which come with more substantial charges for early repayment.

“In other words, some may be tempted to sign up to a tracker or SVR deal the next time the base rate reaches 5 or 6%, believing that another fall will soon follow. There’s nothing inherently wrong with variable deals, but they’re not suitable for everyone: people whose monthly finances can only just cover their mortgage payment should think very carefully before committing themselves to a deal with an interest rate that could go up as easily as down. For people in that situation, erring on the side of caution – and taking a fixed-rate mortgage – could be far more sensible.”

The other long-term effect of these base rate cuts, of course, could be in the country’s attitude to savings. Now that the average interest rate on instant access accounts has plummeted to little more than 0%, interest is simply not keeping pace with CPI (Consumer Price Index) inflation – and for people who aren’t paying variable mortgages, this figure is more relevant than the RPI (Retail Price Index) measurement.

“We would, however, stress that interest is by no means the only reason people should build up their savings. With or without interest, a savings account is its own reward, helping people cope with financial challenges without running into debt problems.

“Even so, the thought of watching savings shrink in real terms may be enough to put many people off saving in a standard savings account. This could be terrible news: whether they stop saving altogether or feel they need to ‘gamble’ their money in higher-risk investments, they could be leaving themselves open to all kinds of debt problems in the future.”

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Barclaycard Announces The Conclusion Of A Project To Create A New Range Of Corporate Imagery, Whilst Simultaneously Fostering Some Of The Best Up And Coming Talent In The UK Industry

Barclaycard undertook a project to hire four semi-professional photographers in order to create a new set of imagery that moved away f r o m the traditional metaphors and financial services conventions.

barclaycard

Unusually for a big business, when Barclaycard realised it needed fresh creative images to sit with the new visual identity, and its customer promise, “One Step Ahead”, it decided to bypass the usual route of enlisting established corporate photographers. Instead the credit card and payment acquiring business set up a new programme to uncover some of the most talented semi-professional photographers and help them to get their career on the road.

The four photographers chosen – Australian Noel McLaughlin, Russian Natalia Urazmetova and fellow Brits Stuart Hendry and James Ellerker – were tasked with producing shots around a central theme of liberation that were warm and had a natural feel. The brief requested genuine situations with real people and with a clear focus on a key moment within the image.

Sharon Zimmerli, Senior Design and Identity Manager, Barclaycard said: “Our image content needs to remain optimistic and positive and must be intelligent and imaginative enough to engage our audience. By entrusting our brief to photographers who are inventive and talented, but not yet accustomed to the conventions of corporate photography, we were able to create fresh and engaging imagery to fit with our brand.”

The project was in many ways inspired by the success of social media photo sharing site flickr. When Barclaycard sourced notional images to demonstrate the style of photography which fit best with the new visual identity, most of the images that were deemed a neat fit were f r o m flickr.

About Barclaycard 
Barclaycard, part of Barclays Global and Retail Commercial Banking division, is a leading global payment business which helps consumers, retailers and businesses to make and accept payments flexibly, and to access short-term credit when needed. The company is one of the pioneers of new forms of payments and is at the forefront of developing viable contactless and mobile payment schemes for today and cutting edge forms of payment for the future. It also issues credit cards and charge cards to business banking customers and the UK Government. Barclaycard partners with a wide range of organisations across the globe to offer its customers or members payment options and credit. In addition to the UK, Barclaycard operates in the United States, Europe, Africa and the Middle and Far East.

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