Are you searching the market attempting to pin point the best foreign currency exchange rates? The online world is a magnificent place to evaluate what is on offer and obtain the finest option. Yet, it is certainly not entirely about searching the market place the lowest exchange rate – sneaky fees, commission and transfer costs can all unfortunately transform a fetching rate quickly wretched value.

In this sad period of world-wide financial trouble you certainly should associate with an established company that you can totally trust – to not only get you the choicest exchange rate achievable at the sad period but of course to furnish you with assistance and sound advice. Foreign Currency Direct has been mentioned in such prestigious news-papers as The Sunday unhappy period and The Observer as a well thought of brand with whom to trade with when you are securing foreign currency. So, you can be sure you’ll be working with a professional, reputable and appreciably noted company.

Dealing in foreign currency might often be a hard area of business – the rates consistently waver, and so, if you do not enjoy up-to-date access to the most recently updated data and expert experience you can end up losing a great deal of your investment. Foreign Currency Direct are without equal when it comes to working with currency exchange rates – trading since the year two thousand Foreign Currency Direct has progressed from strength to strength.

Foreign Currency Directs exchange rates are calculated by using live, second by second interbank’ prices (the price at which one particular institution sells to another) which are constantly quoted in real time, making them far more competitive than those offered by non-specialist banks and building societies.

The only thing you really must do is set up an account with Foreign Currency Direct & you 4 commence trading currency – you will get exchange rate quotations by telephone, if you accept the offer you will receive an email, fax or postal conformation of the contract. Foreign currency exchange rates are a sinch with Foreign Currency Direct.

Seasonal trends give traders an extra tool that can be used to pinpoint the high reward low risk trades.

There simple to understand and easy to use and can increase profit potential dramatically.Last week one of the best seasonal tendencies returned over 14%!

If you have never looked at them you need to – They are great profit tool for any trader’s novice or pro.

The seasonal tendancey for the major energy markets are outlined below.

Heating Oil

Heating oil, known also as No. 2 fuel oil, accounts for about 25% of a barrel of crude making it the second largest “cut” after unleaded gasoline.

The demand for heating oil is obviously strongest in winter.

Therefore stocks tend to be highest in the October and November in anticipation of a cold snap and decline to a minimum in the February – March time frame in anticipation of warmer weather.
June and July then become the fill months in anticipation of the colder weather ahead.

Unleaded Gas

Unleaded gasoline is the largest petroleum product refined in the United States and the world.
Gasoline is the largest volume refined product used in the USA and accounts for almost half of national oil consumption.

It is a highly diverse market, with hundreds of wholesale distributors and thousands of retail outlets, which contributes to price considerable volatility.

Three-quarters of the total usage of gasoline is by individuals, with demand ebbing and flowing with the driving habits.

The seasonal in unleaded gasoline is the opposite of heating oil, where peak demand is in the summer driving months. Unleaded gasoline stocks peak in April – May in anticipation of the summer driving season and are lowest in September – October.

Crude Oil

The seasonal demand for heating oil and unleaded gas influences the seasonal demand for crude oil as production is switched between the two to make the best use of refining capacity.
Crude oil seasonal tendency is for prices to move higher into the fall, as refineries switch production of gasoline to production of heating oil in mid to late summer.

This often increases demand for crude and higher prices are the result.
Natural Gas

In the United States, natural gas is used mainly for heating in the Northern states during the cold winter months and is used as a fuel to produce electricity for air conditioners during the summer in the South.

Therefore seasonal demand is highest during these periods and traders need to look at storage coming into these periods of peak demand to anticipate where prices may go and if there will be a shortage or not.

How to use seasonal tendencies to trade

Always keep this fact in mind:

Price precedes consumption

Supplies must be stockpiled in ADVANCE to meet seasonal demand. The up shoot of this is:

Price tends to rally in anticipation of consumption and you need to look forward to see where prices may go. Demand on the wholesale level begins to increase in advance of peak retail usage.

A great seasonal making huge gains

Anyone reading our articles on seasonal tendencies will know how bullish we are on natural gas and as we enter the period of peak demand prices have soared by 14% in a week.

This seasonal has allowed many savvy traders to have entered market positions in ADVANCE of this move and now they are sitting on some great profits with maybe a lot more to come.

Look at seasonals for yourself and use them as an extra filter and you will find they add a new profitable dimension to your trading.

What is Probate?

Probate consists of court proceedings concluding your legal and financial matters after your death. The probate court distributes your estate according to your will and a neutral place to settle any disputes that may arise over your estate.

The proceedings are complicated and can be costly. While much of the legal system has been made easier and more accessible in the last 100 years, the probate process has remained lengthy and complex. Providing you with a number of reasons to make probate court worth avoiding.

Time

The probate process can take a great deal of time, anywhere from nine months to two years for a relatively simple estate. Complex or contested estates can take much longer. With only a few exceptions, your heirs will wait until probate is concluded to receive the bulk of their inheritance.

Cost

The probate court’s “help” with your affairs comes at a price. Depending on the state, probate court and administrative fees can consume between 6 and 10 percent of your estate. That percentage is calculated before any deductions or liens are taken out.

Lack of Privacy

The proceedings of the probate courts are a matter of public record. Anyone with the time and inclination can go to the county courthouse and find out exactly how much you left to each heir and to whom you owed money.

The Solution

Proper estate planning can help you pass your estate onto your heirs without the undue delay or expense of probate court.

Roger Sorensen

America’s Financial Guide can be found at ==>http://www.Slave2Work.com Subscribe to Money Basics via http://www.slave2work.com/ezine.html

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Humans have been fascinated by gold for thousands of years, by the way it never tarnishes and by its unique color.

Sadly, gold is useless in engineering terms, except for plating electrical contacts, to ensure they never tarnish and lose their conductivity. The metal is too soft, with too low a tensile strength to be used for much besides necklaces and rings.

As an investment though, gold is a different story altogether. Why do people buy gold? It has zero intrinsic value.

Gold prices fall and rise, according largely to the degree of fear that people have about the future. When war is imminent gold prices soar.

When economic conditions are good, inflation low and employment rate high, gold prices fall. Under these conditions there are investments that are probably going to produce a better return than holding gold bars.

People buy gold because they fear the inflation and catastrophic share price collapse that normally accompanies war and political uncertainty. They buy gold because they think gold will hold its value.

Historically gold holds some value, whereas shares can lose all of their value overnight. However, anyone who buys gold at the high price associated with war will almost certainly lose money, when they sell at a lower price.

Conclusion – buy gold when everyone is saying to invest in the stock market. Sell gold when things are looking grim and there are lots of buyers out there.

If you do buy gold you need to appreciate that this investment has risk. The price of gold may fall. It may be years before you can sell your gold at a profit.

Until recently many countries made it illegal for individuals to hold gold bars or bullion. Individuals could buy gold coins and other items however. The South African Krugerrand was minted to exploit this opportunity and to earn much needed foreign exchange for that country during the years of economic sanctions.

Nowadays you can buy gold, silver and platinum coins in many denominations, including Canadian and US dollars, sterling crowns and sovereigns.

Wanda Cortez is a prolific writer, who has a background in the financial and investment industry. Find more information on investment at Buying Gold or Buying Silver

Like any other product that is out there, you should consider the benefits of owning versus equipment leasing. The difference is that in leasing you do not out right own the equipment but use it and pay for it on a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly basis. The fact that you do not own the equipment means that you do not have to fork over a large sum of money to make the purchase. Yet, is this is the right choice for you and your business? It is important to weigh the pros and cons of equipment leasing in your individual situation to determine this.

To help you, here are some things that you should consider.

• What is the overall cost of the equipment if you purchased it? If you lease it, how long will it take you to pay this sum? If equipment will cost you a good deal more in the long run, you may not want to work with this. Yet, there are many instances where it can save you money as well.

• Determine your equipment need. What is the value of the investment and is this something that your company can even afford at this point?

• Who will maintain the equipment in the long run? If this is the owner’s responsibility, it may be wise to lease from them because they will cover those costs.

• Is there an option to lease the equipment for a certain period of time and then to purchase it at a lower price later? Because the equipment will be worth far less in just a few years, you may be able to get a better, more affordable price at that point.

Equipment leasing has many advantages especially for those who only need it for a short period of time. Yet, making the right decision of your company should be done carefully.

For more information please see http://www.equipment-leasing-deals.co.uk

Well, here we are again.

The start of a new tax year is upon us, bringing with it
many opportunities to save tax (legally) and keep as much of
your money in your hands, and away from Gordon Brown’s.

The budget was a bit of a damp squib, so let’s look at some of the best ways to save tax!

Now, it’s possible you’ve heard of some of these ideas, but
are you actually using them? I’ve heard many clients say
they’ve heard of something, then admit they’ve done nothing
about it. Don’t let this be you…

On with the tips.

1. Use an offset mortgage to reduce the amount of tax you pay
on your deposit savings. If you have, say, £20,000 in a deposit
account and it’s earning interest of 3% AER, the gross amount
is £600. There’s a further £120 (20%) taken in income tax at
source, plus another £120 tax if you’re a higher rate taxpayer.
Therefore, the net interest is only 1.8%.

Now let’s say you have a mortgage of £100,000 at 5% interest,
meaning you’re paying £5,000 pa to service the loan.

Now you place the £20,000 in an offset account, which means that
you’re now paying interest on £80,000, which is £4,000 pa.

Let’s see what you’ve achieved. You WERE earning £360 pa interest on the £20,000. Now you’re saving £1,000 pa on the mortgage payment, giving you a net gain of £640! You would actually need another £36,000 in deposit savings to equal the offset savings.

The other plus is that you now don’t have savings interest to
declare on your tax return.

2. If you don’t want a flexible mortgage, or don’t have a
mortgage, you can still save tax. If your spouse is not working
and has no income you should place the deposit savings in their
name. For example, if you have £50,000 in a deposit account and
are paying 40% tax on this, you’ll only be earning £900 pa on 3%
gross interest. If this is in the name of the non-earner you’ll
get another £600 in interest. The non-earner can apply for the
money to be paid gross by completing form IR85, available from
your tax office.

3. Linked to the above tip, you should also make sure you’re
getting the best interest rate on any deposit savings. ING are
currently paying 4.5% AER. So, if you duplicate the example
above, you’d earn £2250 pa. When compared to the original
figure of £900 pa, this is an increase of 150%!

4. If you employ your spouse in your practice, there’s a way in
which they can potentially qualify for a basic state pension,
without paying National Insurance. If you pay them less than £84 pw they don’t qualify for the pension. If you pay them more than £84 and less than £97 pw they will qualify for basic state pension.

Any employment of a spouse must be done on a commercial basis and you should qualify and confirm this with your accountant or the Department of Work and Pensions.

5. Use the new pension rules to boost your retirement funds. For the 2006/07 tax year you can contribute up to £215,000 to your pension and receive full tax relief, or 100% of your earnings if lower. If you’re self employed this is particularly useful to reduce your tax bill. Remember, if you’re a higher rate taxpayer you’ll get 40% relief on your contributions.

6. Buy Pension Term Assurance instead of ‘normal’ life assurance. If you have, or are considering buying life cover, you can now get tax relief on your contributions. So, instead of paying £100 pm for protection, you may be able to get the same level of cover for £60 pm. Over a 20 year term this amounts to £9,600!

7. Observe what your accountant is doing for you. Is your
accountant simply following your orders and producing your accounts, or is he/she proactively working with you to increase your profits by either helping you to increase turnover or reduce costs?

Ultimately, it’s YOU who signs off the accounts and YOU who the
taxman will chase with any queries, so make sure you’re claiming
for everything you should, and not for items you shouldn’t.

The Financial Tips Bottom Line:

Saving tax is really about being organised and working alongside
the right tax professionals over the long term. By structuring
your affairs to your advantage, it’s possible you could give
yourself a pay increase without earning any more money. Take the
time to think how you can save more money and then take the
necessary action!

Ray Prince is an Independent Financial Planner with Rutherford Wilkinson plc, and helps doctors and dentists get the best deals on mortgages, protection and investments, as well as
helping them achieve their financial objectives.

Get your free retirement planning guide, exclusively for UK Resident Doctors and Dentists.

Just visit http://www.financialtipsonline.com/ea1 You’ll also receive the twice-monthly email newsletter ‘Financial Tips’ that will enable you to keep posted of all financial
issues affecting doctors and dentists.

Rutherford Wilkinson plc is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Residual values are often determined in-house by the largest manufacturers Others will turn to outside parties, such as Automotive Lease Guide (on the Internet) for help.

Where does the money come from?
The money to pay the manufacturer is often a bank, credit union, pension plan or automobile manufacturer’s leasing or lending subsidiary. It agrees to provide funds to pay the dealer the selling price of the auto. It is often called the money source

The Money source must then find someone to determine a residual value for every auto it proposes to buy from a manufacturer. If the market is depressed at the end of a lease and theresidual value is higher than the used car value, then huge losses result to the Money source. This is not a business for the squeamish.

Who are typical Money sources? (not necessarily current)

• American Honda Finance Corporation
• Banc One Credit Company
• BMW Financial Services, NA, Inc.
• Chase Automotive Financial Service
• Chrysler Credit Corporation
• Ford Motor Credit
• Fifth Third Bank
• General Motors Acceptance Corp.
• Huntington National Bank
• Mazda American Credit
• Mercedes-Benz Credit
• M&I Automobile Leasing
• Mitsubishi Motors Credit of America, Inc.
• Nissan Motor Acceptance Corp.
• Provident Auto Lease
• SouthTrust Bank N.A.
• Toyota Motor Credit Corp.
• Usbank
• Volkswagen Credit, Inc.
• Wells Fargo Bank

The customer (lessee) actually contracts with a Money source that may, in fact, be a savings institution in which the customer has deposited funds. Some Money-sources are employee pension funds in which the lessee is essentially borrowing his own money.

Who does the lessee really pay?
The customer leasing the auto begins by agreeing to pay the Money source a monthly payment for the term of the lease. At the end of the lease the Money source that actually owns the car, gets the car back and hopes it can be sold for at least as much as the residual value quoted to the customer in the lease, plus some incidental costs associated with the selling price. If not, the money Source loses money. For example, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that Chrysler lost of $400,000,000 in 2001 on end-of-lease cars that sold for less then the contracted residual values.

Who decides the interest rate on the lease?
The Money source privately decides on an interest rate it needs to return a profit to its investors or lenders. A third-party firm, such as LeaseLink (on the internet), is hired to prepare the computer displays of monthly lease payment vs. interest rate. That it displays on the participating Dealer’s computers. It displays varying financing terms and monthly lease payments and the residual value and interest rates or money factors for the brands sold by the Dealer. Included in this information is the identity of several Money sources, whose rates actually compete with the Dealer’s own manufacturer.

The Dealer’s role
The new car Dealer is simply a facilitator between the lessee and the . It has no loyalty to its manufacturer in this regard and is really the customer’s best friend by showing the customer several monthlyleasepayments and interest rates from several Money sources.

Residual values based on Money source vehicle preferences
Some Money sources choose to finance only certain types vehicles, such as Jeeps, based on historical residual resale value data and successfully having recouped the residual value in the eventual sale of the used Jeeps at the end of the lease.

At the end of the lease
When the lease is finalized, the Money source pays the sale price; a portion is used to pay the dealer’s cost and the balance is the dealer’s profit. And the happy customer drives away with a smile and a lighter wallet.

Copyright 2006 by Beacon Data LLC All rights reserved.

Ralph Hoffmann, article author, graduated from the Univ. of Wisconsin, majoring in Applied Mathematics. He has ten years experience raising venture capital, plus added business experience, and used his math and business background to develop automotive program software to show customers how to save money when planning to lease or buy a new car. His web site is:
Vehicle residual values