Business Archives - Foreign policy

6 Things to Know before Buying a Property in the Caribbean

Published on December 3, 2020

People do not even understand how beautiful the entire planet Earth is. It is not a secret that today’s society has many problems. Despite financial issues, we have a problem with climate changes, air pollution, etc. However, certain spots on the planet look like heaven on Earth. Because of that, we would like to talk more about the Caribbean.

It is hard to find a person that would not want to travel to the Caribbean. Many of you have probably seen many photos of beaches and nature that you can find there. If those photos seemed beautiful to you, be sure these places are even more beautiful in reality. Unfortunately, the lack of cash flow is usually why people do not come here more often.

Yet, if you lucky enough to have enough money, buying a property here would be a smart move. Having a piece of paradise would mean that you manage to achieve some of the primary goals. Yet, achieving that goal is not easy, and you need to avoid making certain mistakes. That is why we want to talk about things to know before buying a property in the Caribbean. We recommend you carefully each part of our article. Each tip will make the entire process easier for you. Let’s find them out together.

1. Research, Research, and Research

There is a good reason why we repeated the word “research” three times. That piece of advice especially counts for people that have never been there. You need to invest a bit more time to find a suitable property. For instance, the house you want to buy needs to be near shops, and other facilities. Despite that, properties near the beaches are the most beautiful ones. Imagine that you wake up, and the first thing you see is sand, sea, and sky. We are you have the goal of that type. Yet, not all the properties will ensure you that.

On the other hand, some people have money, but they simply can’t move to the Caribbean. The reason for that is simple; they can’t leave their job. Because of that, many people decide on coming here when they retire. Because of that, you should chase for places that have adequate health and other support services.

Postcards are not something you should focus on. Instead of that, turn on Google’s website and find out more about different factors. For instance, check the development of infrastructure including phone, internet, electricity, etc.

2. Ensure that You Have Enough Money

Budget plays a key role here. We understand your desire to move to the Caribbean. However, trying to do that without the necessary money is impossible. Because of that, you need to have a good plan a put all the costs you will have on a piece of paper.

Fortunately, there is a solution that you can use. Finding the Caribbean may be the best possible alternative you will have. However, lenders around the world have similar or identical requirements. You need to show enough proof that will confirm you are capable of repaying the loan. Because of that, research which documents you need to provide to the lender. It is recommendable that you spend a bit more time on that. Your property purchasing depends on the offer you will get from the lender.

3. Collaborate with Real Estate Businesses

As we said, there are many documents that you need to prepare. Finding and purchasing adequate property is a process that lasts because collaborating with real estate companies would be the right choice. These agents are familiar with all the regulations and laws in the Caribbean. You may try to research them on your own. However, keep in mind they are not the same on all the islands inside the country.

Despite that, the real estate agent is familiar with the entire island. Because of that, he will know where to look for the property you plan to purchase. He also is connected with many locals that will give him better information. Internet is powerful, but it sometimes won’t tell you the full story. If this seems like a good option for you, we recommend you check caribbean-escape.com. It is a real estate company that has a long tradition on the island. You should chase to collaborate only with professionals. Despite that, you will also manage to see some of the beautiful properties online.

4. Get Ready to Find Out the True Costs

Let’s imagine that the property you want to purchase cost 20 thousand dollars. You calculated all the costs you have and realized that you could afford to pay that. Yet, there is one small problem that you need to be aware of. These 20 thousand dollars are not the real costs of buying. First of all, there are certain real estate commission fees that you will have to cover. Despite that, there are also some taxes every person that buys property needs to pay. Believe it or not, some islands even require certain upfront payments. Because of that, you need to research all the costs you will potentially have. You can only make useful calculations when you find them out all.

5. Research the Foreign Exchange Rates

The exchange rates are not the same across the Caribbean. That is the reason why some properties are priced in Euros, British Pounds, and Dollars. Your task will be to get familiar with local exchange rates. Certain fees that you have to pay will still be prices in local currency. Of course, you can let your attorney do that instead of you. However, if you don’t hire one, researching them is going to be mandatory.

6. Think about the Weather

Before we end the article, the last thing we need to talk about is the weather. You probably think that the weather is beautiful across the Caribbean. However, some of the islands have a lot of rainy days as well. With that in mind, you should carefully choose the characteristics of your property. You need to have a house that can stand a flood. Be especially careful if you plan to purchase a property near the ocean. Those properties often require additional maintenance fees.

When Workers’ Comp Won’t Pay: 3 Steps to Take

Published on November 28, 2020

Business

A workplace injury is never ideal. The silver lining, though, is that in the United States, in every state except for Texas, employers are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance. Workers’ comp is an insurance that protects both an employer and an employee in the case of a workplace injury.

Workers rely on this safety net for protection, so when a claim gets denied, your safety net is cut, and you continue to fall towards the ground. Fortunately, you are not without options. There are several steps you can take to appeal your claim denial and have a trapezist swing in at the last moment and pluck you out of the air before crashing to the ground.

How Does Workers’ Comp Work?

Workers’ compensation is in theory, a hassle-free way for an injured worker to get compensation for their injury so that they can pay their medical bills, rest, recover, and hopefully get back to work. Workers’ comp protects employers from having to defend themselves in court cases every time that an employee gets injured at work.

For large companies in dangerous industries like construction, workers’ comp provides protection from countless hours of litigation every year. Without workers’ compensation insurance, between the money spent on defense and the eventual payouts to workers, many companies would not be able to survive the financial toll of employees getting injured.

Normally in a workers’ compensation case, immediately following an injury you would go to your supervisor to report the incident. Obviously, if the injury is severe enough, you would first go to the hospital and then notify your employer after you have been treated. Once informed, your employer should give you a claims form to fill out.

If you weren’t rushed to the hospital, you should receive a recommendation for an approved physician to treat your injuries. After you submit your claim, you will be contacted by a representative of your company’s insurance. After this, your claim should be approved, and you should be able to start receiving your workers’ comp benefits. These benefits should cover your medical costs and partial costs for lost wages.

In cases of a severe injury, where you are unable to fully recover and cannot return to work afterward, you should receive a large settlement payment as well. This money can help cover the cost of future lost wages and other secondary expenses.

Unfortunately, things don’t always go as they should. Workers’ comp claims can be denied for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, claims get denied for legitimate reasons. Other times, the denials are completely bogus. Most of the time, they fall somewhere in-between.

Some possible reasons that your claim may be denied include if the insurance company believes you:

Were under the influence of drugs or alcohol
Were fighting
Were playing games rather than working
Suffered your injury away from work
Exaggerated your injury
Failed to inform your employer of your injury in time
Failed to file claim papers on time
Did not receive medical treatment
Were not treated by an approved medical provider
Missed doctor’s appointments
Failed to follow medical advice
Were injured as the result of a preexisting condition

How Can I Appeal My Claim Denial?

In a situation where your claim has been denied, you are most likely going to want to appeal the decision and to continue fighting to get the compensation that you deserve. There are five main steps you can take to continue fighting your claim denial.

Step One: Hire an Attorney

Filing an original workers’ compensation claim is something that most workers can manage on their own without a problem. However, when it comes to appealing a denied claim, bringing in an experienced workers’ compensation attorney to help make sure your case is strong is always a good idea. With the guidance of a lawyer, it is possible to get a personal injury payout for serious work injuries. Learn more about hiring a workers’ compensation attorney.

Step Two: File an Appeal

When a workers’ comp claim is denied, you will receive a letter that will contain information about why your claim was denied. This letter should also contain information about when and how to appeal the decision, along with a notification of the deadline to appeal. Make sure to file your appeal before the deadline, as failure to do so potentially forfeits your claim.

Step Three: File a Workers’ Comp Complaint

If you have evidence that your claim was denied due to fraud, administrative error, or other irregularity, you can request a complaint form from your state’s workers’ compensation officials. A valid complaint can help your case and possibly improve your settlement amount.

Step Four: Request to Reopen a Workers’ Comp Claim

Even if your appeal has been denied and your complaint is determined to be invalid, you are not necessarily out of options. It can still be possible to have a closed claim reopened, sometimes years after the claim has been finalized. In some instances, you may even reopen a claim that was not denied to receive further support beyond the initial ruling.

Some common reasons to reopen a claim include:

New evidence that proves the validity of your claim
New evidence that shows your original award amount was unfair
New evidence proving an administrative error that affected your claim
New evidence of fraud
A return or worsening of your injury

Step Five: Request an Administrative Hearing

When you don’t feel like you are going to get a fair decision from the insurance company, you can request an administrative hearing. An administrative hearing puts your fate at the mercy of the administrative judge rather than the insurance company. This is often a welcome path for those who file workers’ comp claims, as insurance companies are notorious for doing everything they can to pay out as little as possible.

Should you end up requesting an administrative hearing, if you haven’t already hired a workers’ comp attorney, now is the time. You can bet that an insurance company will be bringing their full legal might against you to try to defeat your case and hang on to their money. Attempting to take on these highly experienced professionals without one of your own is like bringing a knife to a gunfight.

A Denial Can Be Devastating

Having a workers’ comp claim denied can leave you feeling hopeless. When the injury you suffered on the job is severe, you are already left with so many question marks in your life and possibly face many life changes. Being told you will not receive financial compensation to help you deal with everything can be the straw breaking the camel’s back.

It’s important to know all of your options when faced with a situation like this so that you have all of the tools you need to fight this decision and get the compensation that you need and deserve.

5 Reasons Why Businesses Should Be Using Bulk SMS

Published on November 28, 2020

Business

Bulk SMS is arguably one of the most powerful communication channels available today and the truth is as great as Social Media, SEO email marketing and chatbots etc. whatever the new biggest marketing channel is today SMS online still outperforms each of these channels.

In fact, the traditional online channels have become a staple amongst business owners.

Most marketing channels (even in 2020) still don’t come close to the raw marketing power of SMS online – Tim Silvia – 160.com.au

Unfortunately, too many marketers and some business owners are attracted to shiny new things which means they are more likely to jump on a new trend then actually look to channels that can actually deliver results.

What is the latest marketing funnel? Should we use webinars? Push notifications? Spreading your dollar thinner and thinner with each new marketing experiment.

Smart marketers don’t care about what’s “new” their only concern, “what’s working”.

What is Bulk SMS?

Bulk SMS is simply sending text messages from an online platform – this is NOT an online marketing channel.

Even though bulk SMS uses the internet to push out the text message it is still received as if it came from a mobile and is treated as an offline marketing channel.

This is important, since bulk SMS is an offline marketing channel you do not have to worry about the typical online barriers like SPAM algorithms, ranking updates, reputation scores, strict ad policies, etc.

Why SMS Online Is Growing

Virtually everyone now has a mobile phone which means marketers and businesses are able to reach consumers wherever they are.

The problem for most marketers is that they are still using the same online strategies in the mobile world (i.e. push ads, email marketing, PPC etc.).

The difference between SMS and traditional online advertising is that people prioritize their text messages over all other mediums.

When a person receives a push notification, they click away from it, if they see an email they’ll get around to it (if at all) but when they receive a text message they read it almost right away.

In this article, I’ll give you 5 great reasons why you should be using SMS online inside your business.

1. Bulk SMS Gives You More Control

With other marketing platforms like Google, Facebook, Email, Publishing sites etc. you don’t really control the platform and there are restrictions on your messaging, images and even products and services that you want to sell.

With Bulk SMS you control everything with no restrictions at all.

2. Super-Fast Response Rates

It’s not uncommon to see up to 97% of people opening your bulk SMS messages, that’s huge! Not only that but when I was working for an affiliate company we would routinely see 3-5x earnings per click (EPC), up to 6x ROI over our email marketing program and up to 25% click through rates.

3. Rapid Response Times

On average it takes a person 4 minutes for a person to open their text message compared to 48 hours for email. Not only that but there is a lot less competition inside the SMS inbox vs. the email inbox.

4. Bulk SMS Can work in almost any area of your business

SMS online can be used in almost any area of your business for example, you can use SMS for:

Product fulfilment for information products
Abandoned cart recovery
Traffic monetization
Content distribution
Drive back end sales (repeat sales)
Product and event launches
List building
Appointment reminders
Two-Factor Authorization (Security)

Basically, any part of your business communication channel can benefit from having online text messaging.

5. Generate Quality Sales Leads

This is probably one of the best reasons to use SMS online if you rely on generating fresh customer leads because it allows you to attract highly-qualified leads that email or cold calling cannot match.

People are reluctant to give away their personal mobile number, it is a greater risk for them to do so.

This is a good thing if you are a marketer because it means that if they do give you their personal mobile number then chances are they are much closer to making a buying decision and ready to see and offer or be contacted by a sales person.

When I worked in sales I had an incredibly tough time trying to convert email leads into sales, at best I would be able put them on my call list to contact them in 6 months.

As a sales person 6 months is an eternity, we need to close deals today.

SMS leads on the other hand were a lot easier to convert into appointments and ultimately sales.

Getting bulksms SMS leads is actually very straightforward all you need is a short code, keyword and an offer for example:

Text 50 to 12345 and get 50% off all of our Summer Season shoes!

‘50’ is the keyword
‘12345’ is the short code and;
The offer is the 50% off deal.

Whenever someone texts 50 to 12345 they are automatically added to a contact list for you to follow up on and generate sales from for as long as they are on the list.

One of the keys to getting a lot of bulk SMS leads is making sure you promote the offer in as many places as you can for example:

Email newsletters
Floating sticky bars
Home page
Exit pop
Blog posts and articles etc.
Social media pages

Conclusion

SMS was born in the early 90’s but is still 100% relevant due to the fact that we’re living in the mobile age which makes bulk SMS one of the greatest business opportunities available especially when you combine the open and click through rates, responsiveness and the fact that you can use it in virtually any area of your business this direct marketing channel should absolutely be integrated into your overarching communication strategy.

13 Tips For Understanding Cryptocurrency Terminology

Published on November 25, 2020

Business

We are all aware that cryptocurrencies are something that we all talk about and that growth of popularity has created a real mess, not only among people but also among banks, companies, and even entire countries. Along with new technology, some new words, expressions, and terminology is being used, which many people find confusing, even those who are familiar with how the whole system works. All that is a reason more to show and explain how and what some terms actually mean, with a brief crypto history.

What are cryptocurrencies?

Imagine the currency not issued or overlooked by any state or government and which uses cryptography for the protection and security of everything going on and every transaction. Simply put, that is what they represent and why so many people are interested in these new currencies. A proper definition would be that cryptos are a subset of digital, alternative, and virtual currencies.

What is Blockchain technology?

Unlike fiat currencies that we currently use in our everyday life, and where control is centralized, blockchain technology (a type of cryptography) allows cryptos to be decentralized. That ensures that all info, personal data, and everything else cannot be changed easily, meaning that money is safe.

The market

Although it is only one of more than 1.400 cryptos available in the world, when someone mentions cryptocurrency, the first and instant thought is – Bitcoin. But since it all began in 2009, this world has changed and developed a lot, meaning that today, the crypto market is one with the highest growth, and it seems like that hype will not end soon.

In that market, the term ICO (Initial Coin Offering) is pretty similar to the term IPO (Initial Public Offering). IPO represents the first shares of one company when that company goes public, and ICO refers to the first cryptos sold by one company on the market.

Terminology

1. Mining

It is the process of verifying an individual block of transactions in the network. What this often requires is a large amount of processing power, and for this process, miners are rewarded with a certain amount of mined cryptocurrency.

2. Block Reward

As we established, the miners have a huge role, and as such, they get rewarded for their work. That reward is also a motivation, and it represents a specific amount of cryptocurrencies for every block they mine.

3. Mining rig

It represents the computers specifically designed to verify transactions in blockchain cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum or Bitcoin. Such computers are usually several networked processors (CPUs) or graphics cards (GPUs).

4. Fork

It is a situation where a cryptocurrency gets split into 2 different currencies. This most often happens due to the change in the encryption protocol or some other technical characteristics. Then the newly created protocols are no longer connected to the previous ones in the blockchain, and a new transaction record is formed – a new cryptocurrency. Example: the division of Bitcoin into Bitcoin (BTC) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH) in August 2017.

5. Altcoin

It represents a term coined to say alternatives and a coin that actually applies to all cryptocurrencies except Bitcoin and Etherium.

6. ROI – Return On Investment

ROI refers to the percentage denoting the profit in relation to the initial investment. Example: A ROI percentage of 100 indicates that someone has doubled their initial investment.

7. Node

NODE refers to any computer on which a blockchain file is stored. It is a computer that contains information about all transactions in the network.

8. Hashrate

This is the number of calculations that your equipment can report every second while trying to solve a math problem. “Hash rate” is measured in megahashs, gigahashs, and terahashs per second. The higher the hash rate, the better are the chances that you will solve the transaction block.

9. PoW

The term refers to a system designed so that finding an answer to a problem is hard or/and expensive, and varying the solution to a problem is simple or/and inexpensive. In particular, these are different mathematical algorithms that are solved by mining, which provides protection against various hacker attacks on the cryptocurrency network. The miner who first confirms the block of transactions by performing proof of work is rewarded with the amount of that cryptocurrency.

10. PoS

It is a different way of confirming transactions compared to PoW, but it is still a mathematical algorithm aimed at network protection. In proof of stake, the creator of a new block gets determined not based on who first establishes the block but on the basis of deterministic variables such as the wealth of an individual user, which is defined as stake. There are no block verification rewards, so miners receive transaction commissions directly.

11. Private key

It is a set and combination of numbers, letters, or characters used as a code in algorithms in order to generate user addresses. Based on the info from PK, we can determine every transaction and the exact amount of money in the account of that key.

12. Wallet

A place to store your coins. There are two types of wallets:

Software – where one uses special programs to storage money like various apps, but there is no app in which you can store any cryptocurrency as every single one has their own software wallet.
Hardware – A USB-like device specially designed and programmed to store the private key securely. These are often referred to as the safest way to store your digital money.

13. P2P

Transactions done this way are a perfect way to decentralize everything, and that is why P2P has a crucial role in the digital world.

Final thoughts

Of course, there are even more phrases, usually depending on which cryptocurrency we are talking about, but these are some of the most common terms that someone may come across when dealing with cryptos. Today, when there are so many verified websites that can actually help with understanding the crypto world along with some excellent advice for trading and investing, there is no reason not to join the crypto hype. Check for more here, https://bitcoins-union.com.

Employers and Businesses Conducting Background Checks on Overseas Workers to Protect themselves while Recruiting

Published on November 24, 2020

Business

There is a significant change in the number of people looking for work internationally today as compared to a decade or two ago. With massive changes in airfare prices and better means of communication, people are more open to travelling far since they are in touch with their families back home and could travel back without too much trouble. Last year saw the highest number of non-EU citizens migrating and working in the UK, as compared to people from the EU, with information that was being studied and reviewed since 2006. A little less than 200,000 non-British citizens moved to the UK searching for work while working for a minimum of one year while others stayed there a lot longer. The Office of National Statistics estimates that 34% of all long-term migration to the UK for work, study, family and other reasons.

Currently, the UK is home to the sixth-largest global economy with various international businesses setting up, which makes it the perfect place for ambitious graduates to start their careers. Other than the Coronavirus making changes to the employment rate in the UK, more than 32 million people are working in the United Kingdom.

Last year, a little over six million non-British nationals were living in the UK with the migrant population largely living and working in London. Statistically, around 35% of people living in the UK were born abroad, live in the capital city. Similarly, 37% of people living in London were born outside the UK, compared with 14% for the UK as a whole.

Additionally, when it comes to getting jobs in the UK, there are several requirements that applicants have to get through. One of the most significant is their struggle with getting the right paperwork, and if they are from another country, they have to make sure they have the correct visas. They are generally subject to immigration control, creating and sending applications to the Home Office for permission to enter and work in the UK. These permissions vary depending on the amount of time that they want to spend in the UK.

There were many changes to the employment process in the UK, especially with the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic. A lot of the people working in the UK decided that they should make their way home before the lockdowns. Additionally, businesses were not adjusting to remote working, with a large number of people losing their jobs and many companies shutting down as well.

A large number of people entering the UK looking for work, join the unskilled sector where they get their hands on minimal jobs to manage for themselves. Furthermore, there is a lot they have to handle when they are getting their paperwork and other processes together to work at the skilled department. A process that they would begin and additionally start changing jobs and working for better prospects.

Additionally, there are challenges for employers when they are picking people who are not from the UK. Employers and business owners have to be aware of and comply with the rules of hiring non-UK national workers or overseas workers in the UK. Getting that pick the wrong people could get in trouble with the authorities in terms of fines, loss of key talent and reputational harm. Putting specific measures in place protects them from falling foul of unwanted Home Office scrutiny and penalties.

Every person in the UK has the right to work to support themselves. All workers, regardless of nationality, must provide employers and prospective employers documentary proof that they are eligible to work in the UK. Likewise, all employers must obtain, check and maintain records to prove that they verified all employees’ and their right to carry out their role.

To make sure they are picking from the best, the employers in the UK handle a series of background checks ensuring they select the right people. Employers had to make sure their picks did not have a criminal record, would be a good fit for the current teams they were on, and be able to get through the position they were hiring for.

One of the easiest ways they could get through the process was through a DBS check. However, the process only works for people who are living within the country and planning on getting work.

Running a CRB check on a person living abroad is not possible, since the Disclosure and Barring Service cannot go through records held in other countries or overseas. However, companies can complete a background check through other means.

A small number of records are sometimes stored on the Police National Computer, and it flags any crimes committed in the UK or abroad.
Contacting the embassy or High Commission of the country they are from is another useful tool. These usually provide background checks and translation services to understand any documents provided.
For a detailed criminal background check get in touch with the Centre for Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) which provides protective security advice for companies and organisations in the UK, along with 62 other countries.
Employers can obtain a certificate of good conduct and regular references from past and previous employers which adds an extra layer of security to your checks.

However, employers can gather information of people based in the UK through a CRB application, but only provides a background check and the possibility of a criminal record which were or were not prosecuted. However, some positions need more information than that, and in such cases, an enhanced DBS check serves the purpose. The provides information about any misdemeanours and any bad conduct relating to specific age groups. The information gathered provides employers knowledge on whether they would work well with younger people, for instance, in a daycare or with older individuals in a nursing home.

For Government-approved CRB Application and DBS check see crbdirect.org.uk

The 411 on Bad Credit Loans

Published on November 23, 2020

Business

In a perfect world, we’d all have perfect credit. In the real world, however, financial setbacks can and do occur, oftentimes resulting in less-than-ideal credit. If you need a loan but are struggling with bad credit, you may have more options than you think — particularly with access to the right information.

Usually, people consult banks when it comes to loans and they often get rejected, but as we have said, there are other, just as legal ways to get the money you need.

Read on to know more about navigating the world of bad credit loans and coming out ahead.

What is Bad Credit?

What, exactly, constitutes “bad” credit? It varies, depending on who you ask. For example, while personal finance website Nerdwallet declares a bad credit score to be one below 630, credit and identity protection service Privacy Guard puts the number anywhere between 300 and 499. The takeaway? Bad credit may not be as clear-cut as you think, although many lenders will view you as a credit risk if your score is below 620.

FICO, a company that specializes in “predictive analytics” has become the global standard for measuring credit risk in the banking, mortgage, credit card, auto and retail industries.

Your FICO score is comprised as follows:

Payment history (35% of the FICO score)
Debt/amounts owed (30%)
Age of credit history (15%)
New credit/inquiries (10%)
Mix of accounts/types of credit (10%)

As you can see, your payment history and the debt owed make up 65% of your credit score. So, if you have old debts you haven’t paid or if you have “maxed out” on your credit cards, both of those things will have a negative impact on your credit.

The age of your credit history translates into how long your credit accounts have been open. Longer credit history makes it easier for FICO to predict your long-term behavior so long-standing accounts paid on time will most likely have a positive impact on your score.

The 10% new credit/inquiries that make up new credit and credit inquiries pertain to the number of new credit accounts you open and the number of credit inquiries i.e. the time your credit has been checked, most commonly while applying for a credit card or loan. Having fewer credit cards and using around 30% or less of the credit available to you is recommended by companies such as Creditry.

The final 10% credit mix category is somewhat vague but experts agree that a mix of various kinds of credit (credit cards, personal loans, credit lines, auto loans) can make a borrower appear more favorable and capable of handling various kinds of credit and “generally represent less risk for lenders.”

Getting a Bad Credit Loan

The first step in overcoming credit woes is the same: Don’t panic. Bad credit happens and — with the right strategies in place — it doesn’t have to be a major roadblock. The truth is that it IS possible to get a personal loan even with bad credit. While some banks or credit unions may not approve you with a low score, many lenders offer loan options for bad credit.

There is a catch, however: You can expect less than favorable terms with bad credit loans than if you had a stellar credit history. For starters, you will likely borrow at higher rates, which means you will end up paying more over the life of the loan. Loans for bad credit may also require a cosigner. Some lenders will also work with you to consolidate your debt into a single loan, although qualifying for this arrangement may rely on having an acceptable debt-to-income ratio.

Therefore, you need to consider every aspect before you make your final decision. Is getting a loan worth it with such a high-interest rate? Sometimes, we have no choice, but to accept it.

One last thing to keep in mind when searching for loans for bad credit is that they can differ significantly from lender to lender, so it’s critical to shop around. Visit various landers, both online and offline and see where you can find the best deals. It will take longer to find it, but you can at least know that you did what you could with a low credit score.

Additionally, be wary of bad credit loans that seem too good to be true. Reading the fine print can help you avoid hidden fees, penalties and rate changes. In case you know your credit score is at the bottom and you run into a fantastic deal, think twice. Nobody – banks nor lenders – is willing to give you all that money with a low-interest rate and other perks if you have a bad credit score. The only difference is that the banks will reject you while the lender are going to offer you some room to breathe.

The good news? While bad credit is a hindrance, it doesn’t have to be a permanent one. Once you do get a loan, you can immediately begin boosting your credit score by making full, timely payments.

But the opportunities for improving your financial picture don’t end there. While most negative items on a credit report fall off after seven years, why wait? The FTC’s five proactive steps toward improving your credit score offer a simple pathway to better credit and a better future, free of having to deal with bad credit loans.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you have realized how bad credit score works and what your options are. The good news is that once you get that loan, you can start improving your credit score and eventually, patch things up. It does take some time to recover, but there are always companies that will take you in.

Be careful what you agree to and always do thorough research because that will save you from paying fees you didn’t mean to pay.

8 Facts About Tax Laws and Regulations You Didn’t Know

Published on November 16, 2020

Business

Taxes are something that has been an integral part of our lives since we became adults. Although no one likes to pay taxes, both because of the money and because of the time that has to be spent on the whole process, it is still something that is inevitable. On average, every citizen of the USA pays about 5 thousand dollars a year in income tax, which is not a small amount of money at all.

But what creates additional stress is whether you do everything right and on time since it is very common for people to miss due date. So it is best to learn as much as possible about the tax season because then it will all be much less stressful for you. To help you, we will tell you what are the facts about tax laws and regulations you didn’t know.

1. Code is extremely long

When the Revenue Act re-established a federal income tax in 1913, signed by then-President Woodrow Wilson, it had about 400 pages and it was certainly possible to read it in a reasonable time. But since then, the number of pages has increased by about 200 times. This brings us to the fact that the tax code is incomparably longer than the Bible and the Statute of Independence combined. That is why it is practically impossible to read everything, and especially to remember.

This leads to a lot of stress in people because it is clear to them that they don’t know enough about that complex topic. That is why more and more people are hiring professionals when the tax season comes or even dedicate time to education, attending seminars and webinars like cpehours.com run by IRS experts, to be able to do everything without error.

2. It existed before 1913

Although most only know about the aforementioned Revenue Act, the first income tax appeared during the Civil War, so that the state would have more money at its disposal. From then until 1913, several types of taxes changed and with it various payment rules.

3. Constant changes

If you thought that everything was established a long time ago and that there were no changes, you are wrong. There have been thousands of changes in the last decade alone. This is necessary because jobs and everything else is constantly changing, so the tax code must stay up to date. That is why professionals are constantly being educated because things are changing at a great speed.

4. IRS is far from perfect

While many imagine the IRS as the perfect agency, this is nowhere near true. According to various studies we read, mistakes made by IRS employees result in a loss of several billion dollars each year. Imagine 10 billion dollars more in the federal budget if mistakes are significantly reduced. Not all the blame can be put on the employees, because they have too much work and the rules and laws are constantly changing so they are facing an uphill battle every year.

Also, it is not so rare that it is noted that IRS agents deliberately cheated, in order to avoid paying taxes and the like, for a period of several years. And what is strange is that most of them were not fired as consequence. While this is not a very common cause, it certainly happens and has a bad impact on the image of the IRS.

5. You can end up in prison if you don’t pay

Although it is much rarer nowadays for someone to end up in prison for avoiding to pay for taxes, it can still happen. Debtor’s prison is a thing of the past and there is usually another way for you to pay your debts. However, if IRS agents estimate that you have been deliberately evading taxes for years, they may charge you with tax evasion. As it is a criminal offense, imprisonment is certainly one of the possible punishments. However, confiscation of property and similar methods of forced collection most often occur.

6. Many do not pay taxes

Although it first occurs to you that many are trying to defraud the IRS, which is certainly the case, when we say that many do not pay taxes we mean that many are exempt from that obligation. The reasons are mostly too low incomes, so the state does not aim for people to be poor because of taxes and then it happens that many are exempt from paying taxes. We find information that the average US resident needs more than 100 days a year to earn taxes, so if someone needs 150 or 200 days, for example, they may be exempt or reduced.

7. The amount varies

Although most people generally pay a similar amount each year in taxes, this can vary. If you have a regular income, the amount will be almost the same or the same from year to year. But if you start earning much more, that is, if IRS notice that your income has increased greatly, then the amount you have to pay may become higher. That is why it is important to pay close attention when filling out the documents so that you can predict if a tax increase awaits you, otherwise you may run into a financial problem if you have not calculated everything in the right way.

8. The first tax season was chaos

If you think that now IRS agents are making mistakes and that there are problems, believe us that today everything is perfect compared to the first tax season ever that happened in 1914.

The Revenue Act passed in the fall of 1913 and the tax season was March 1, 1914, which caused two problems. First, it was Sunday so they had to move by a day, and then it was too short a deadline for everyone to submit a report, as well as for all those who had to review all those reports because there were too many of them in a short period of time and of course they did not have the help of a computer.

We hope that the next tax season will be easier for you now that you have learned new information.

5 Benefits of Using Rebate Marketing Program For Your Business

Published on November 16, 2020

Business

The retail and consumer industry is worth trillions of dollars, and it is said that on average, every person spends at least 150 dollars every time they go out shopping. Even though most people love spending money on things, we still enjoy it more when there is a discount or a special offer. The statistics have shown that people tend to spend more when they feel like they are paying less, and when everything is full price, they are more likely to spend a fraction of the sum they had on their minds. Because of this, business owners look for different ways to attract more customers, and to get them to spend more money on their brand. We know about the famous offers, discounts, and coupons, but one thing that is not that popular, and it is said to work wonders is the rebate marketing program.

By definition, rebate, or rebate marketing programs work in the way that they reimburse the customers a part of the money they’ve spent on the purchase after they’ve made it. This means that your clients will get fully charged at the start, but after a while, they will get some of the money back. The fact that they are going to get some of their cash back draws clients in and makes them spend more, and even buy products that they don’t necessarily need. If you are a business owner, you’ve probably heard about this type of marketing program, and here we are going to tell you more about the benefits of it, and how it can affect your company and your profits.

1. Better data

When you offer cashback options to your customers, they will need to share personal information with you. This can include anything from their social media pages, up to their name, or even browsing habits. You will be able to learn what your consumers want, what they usually spend money on, and what they plan on buying.

When you have this information, you will be able to target them specifically with special offers, promotions, discounts, and rebates. By doing this, you will ensure that those people who are already your customers will continue to use your business, and they will return whenever they need some of your products.

2. Digital rebate is going to save you money

In the past, most of the rebate strategies included excessive forms, a lot of papers and they took a lot of time. Nowadays, with the advancement of technology, businesses are able to introduce digital cashback and with it, collect better data and reduce the costs of forms and papers.

It is said that when clients have the option to fill these forms on their own, and when they can get all the information they need at the same place, they are more likely to stick with the brand. You will be getting more customers, you will be transparent, and you won’t have to spend money on additional things.

3. Win-win Results

Many owners are questioning if these types of offers are going to harm their brand and if they will lose money in the long run. To explain this in a better way, when you give an offer, or when you put a product on a sale, it does not mean that you are losing any money. You may be making smaller profits, but when there are new customers in your store, that tend to buy products that are not on sale at the moment, you will be actually making bigger profits.

According to level6incentives.com, this is a win-win situation for both you and your clients, because you will be attracting more people, getting bigger profits, and selling the things you want to sell, and your customers will be getting some of their money back, and they will be getting better deals.

4. You will attract new customers

It is hard for new businesses to become popular on the market. Nowadays, the same products are being sold in hundreds, and even thousands of places and the users have the right to choose who they are going to make a purchase from. This means that you will have to be better than your competitors, and you will have to find different ways to attract more people.

Well, when you offer the cashback deals, you will be offering people something that is not available everywhere, and it is said that getting money back after you’ve almost forgotten about them, is sweeter than when you just get to pay less at the moment you make the purchase. With these deals, more people will choose to trust your brand, and they will also recommend you to others.

5. Better strategies and brand development

Source:hingemarketing.com

The last benefit we are going to talk about is the way that your brand is going to develop. As we mentioned before, with digital rebate programs, you will be able to get more information about the people who shop at your company, and with that, you will learn more about them. When you do this on a large scale, you will learn what most of your customers want, and you will create your marketing strategy depending on that.

You will be able to compare different data, know who to target depending on the age and demographics of your clients, and you will improve your presence in the digital world. When you put all these things together, it will lead to more people recognizing and trusting your company, and you will be able to make bigger sales and more profits.

Being different in a world where everything is unified is great for your business. By giving your customers their money back after some time, you will be doing something that’s not used everywhere, and you will be able to get more people to trust you. Use the right strategy to create these offers, and know that your marketing outreach will be increased. There are different program types when it comes to rebate strategies, so make sure you choose the best one for your business and products.

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