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You cannot be your best asset by merely existing. It is necessary to be active and proactive where financial planning is concerned. You have to acquire the relevant knowledge and have the aptitude and character to transform that knowledge into results that will benefit you and your family. Becoming your best asset will make you better-off in the long-term and can be done in any number of ways.

1. Monthly Transactions. I have found that this system works well for many small business owners. Create a file folder January through December. Keep two months on your desk (January - February; April - May) in an area that is easy to get to - colored file folders really help too. When you make an online purchase, print out the receipt and place it in the file folder marked for that particular month. The same holds true for those toll receipts or the lunch you purchased when you met a potential client. When your credit card statement comes in, and after you have paid the bill, place the statement along with your month-end bank statement in the file folder. Now you can either send the file to your bookkeeper or if you are the designated bookkeeper, once you have reconciled your accounts file the completed month away in your file cabinet.

2. Client Invoices. When a client invoice is prepared, print out an extra copy and file it in an invoice file marked for that particular year. At the end of the year you will have a record of all the income you have billed. In case of a computer hard drive crash, at least you will have a record for tax purposes.

3. Mileage Log. You can easily create a mileage log in Excel to track your trips to client meetings, running to your local office supply store to purchase the ink cartridge that just ran out or perhaps the run to the post office for postage or mailing of the proposal to a new client. We also can't forget about the networking events that you are attending as part of your stepped up marketing plan. The spreadsheet should have a column for date, odometer start/end, total miles, and description.

4. Out of Pocket Expenses. For those cash outlays we do throughout the year - the coffee at the airport, the tolls paid to a meeting, or the quick lunch at a seminar, keep these receipts in a colored envelope marked with the year and keep track of the expense in an Excel spreadsheet. You can then total either monthly or quarterly and reimburse yourself for those expenses. Please be sure to hand off the receipts and the spreadsheet to your accountant at year-end.

5. Tax File. Create a tax file folder at the beginning of each new year. Throughout the year, place any tax related expense in that file such as medical receipts, prescriptions, monthly or quarterly investment statements, property tax bills, and year-end bank interest statements. At the end of the year when you are gathering paperwork for your accountant, most of the information will already be there for your accountant and you won't be wondering where you placed the tax refund notice you received in April.

6. Bank Statements. For those that do not receive monthly bank statements in the mail, I suggest you create a file folder for bank statements on your computer. Each month, download the file from your banks website and save in this folder. You can set up the folder as a password protected file if you have other people using your computer. At the end of the year, burn all the monthly statements onto a CD and store with your income taxes for that year. Most banks only hold 18 months of statements, some only 12 months on their server. The IRS requires you to hold 7 years of bank statements in case of audit. Once the CD is created, you can then delete the files from your computer and create a new folder for the new year.

I hope you find these tips helpful and soon will not feel so overwhelmed at the beginning of the new year trying to get all your files in order for tax preparation.

Happy organizing!

Many consumers feel the weight of excessive debt on a daily basis. It can cause an unhealthy amount of stress not only on themselves, but also on their family, friends and job. It leaves many people in a very vulnerable state when they finally come to the decision to seek help for their troubles.

Unfortunately, when turning to a debt settlement company, there are certain firms that may not have the best interest of the consumer in mind when negotiating. It can be easy to spot a bad settlement before being locked into it, but special attention must be paid to the fine points of any contract.

First, remember that the ultimate goal of settling with the credit card companies is to reduce the amount that is owed. While there will almost always be a fee paid to the settlement company, the amount of this fee needs to be examined closely. This is especially true in the case of a company which will ask for a payment every month. Be certain that the fees charged do not total or exceed the amount of the original balance owed to the credit card company.

For companies that charge a single lump-sum payment, scrutinize the contract that is offered. When the negotiations begin, review each offer. Listen to their advice, but also use common sense to avoid entering into a settlement that may increase what you actually pay over time.

Finally, check the history of the company that you are considering. It is very easy to go online and examine their standing with the Better Business Bureau.

Debt settlement has rescued thousands of people from drowning in an overwhelming sea of debt. The large majority of the companies available are honest and willing to help. Taking a little extra time to read and understand the paperwork surrounding your financial negotiations can remove the risk of entering into a bad settlement.

By the way, by researching and comparing the best debt settlement services in the market, you will be able to determine the one that meets your specific financial situation. Nonetheless, it is advisable going with a trusted and reputable debt counselor before making any decision, this way you will save time through specialized advise coming from a seasoned debt advisor and money by getting better results in a shorter span of time.

Hector Milla runs the Best Debt Settlement Companies website - where you can see his best rated debt settlement service recommendation.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hector_Milla

Even in cases where child support is awarded, the other parent may fail to pay or may pay inconsistently, increasing the financial burden on the single parent. Even when the non-custodial parent does pay child support, it can still prove to be very expensive and difficult to afford all the expenses involved with raising your children.

Fortunately, single parent financial assistance is available in several different forms. Several federal and local government agencies provide this assistance, as do independent non-profit groups and other charities. Below is a guide to some of the most popular forms of single parent financial assistance.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families is the name of the financial assistance program formerly known as "welfare." The federal program is overseen by the Office of Family Assistance, but is carried out and administered locally at the state level. This type of assistance combines cash assistance with work opportunities in order to give single parent households and other needy families the best possible chance of getting ahead.

For single parent households, the parent is required to participate in qualified work activities for at least 30 hours a week. The exception to this rule is if the single parent has children under 6 and is unable to find adequate childcare. In this case, the state cannot penalize you for not meeting the work requirement. In addition, those with children under 6 are only required to complete a total of 20 hours of work activities per week. Check with your local TANF office for eligibility requirements and application procedures.

Childcare Subsidies

Many states and municipalities offer programs to help single parents pay for the cost of childcare. These childcare subsidies can be administered at the state or local level and may require some digging and research in your particular state to uncover. These subsidies may cover a portion of your cost of childcare, or they may cover the entire cost. Often, the agencies negotiate rates with childcare providers and then either pay the providers directly on your behalf or provide you with vouchers that you use to pay the provider.

Food Pantries

Another source of single parent financial assistance is access to food pantries, which offer food and other household goods including clothing for children and parents. This type of assistance is often extended by faith-based organizations such as churches, temples, or mosques.

By receiving items from food pantries instead of having to buy those certain items yourself, you can stretch your dollars and be better able to meet your monthly bills. Food banks may supply a box or more of food items for your family on a regular basis. The food may be supplied weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, depending on many factors. Contact your local welfare office, church, or free clinic for information on where to find help in your community.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pieter_West

A credit repair service is intended to help you quitting your financial problem. Some problem related to credit history may happened to people which is fail to complete their responsibility to pay their debt in the period of time. People who get a bad credit history will be feel banned by some lender.

You need a help from a good credit repair service. You can get more information about repair credit service by finding repairmycreditnow.com.

RMCN is a credit repair service site, On this site you can repair of your credit card. A good program for credit repair. RMCN credit services more often than not allow the debtor to work out solutions with their creditors through the arrangements for the repayment of existing debt by lowering interest rates, the balance and sometimes even eliminate the interest payments. The most successful are also some programs for education spending and credit problems.

Visit the site now and obtain a better understanding of credit repair. For additional questions you can call us toll free service.

Owning a pool can be a fun and rewarding investment but pools are considered "attractive nuisances" to homeowners insurance companies. It's important to understand all the costs associated with owning a pool outside of installation, maintenance, and heating. Regardless of whether or not it's in use, your pool is always sitting there year around waiting for potential incident to occur and because of this you will find that homeowners insurance rates are significantly higher on homes with pools.

Also, with the recent increase in foreclosures nationwide many pools are becoming a huge burden on local wildlife departments who are having to deal with pools infested with all sorts of various animals and insects. Homeowners insurance companies have taken note of this and this to may lead to higher premiums going forward as well.

There are many factors that will affect your homeowners insurance premiums when you own a pool and they include:

• Where You Live - Areas in the Southern US tend to pay lower premiums for pools because a pool in the warmer climates will tend to be better maintained and serviced all year long. The farther north you go the more homeowners insurance companies will penalize you for owning a pool because they may view it as unjustified to do the colder climate and that the frozen ground from winter weather can damage in-ground pools.

• The Piece of Land you Build it On - If your pool is built near a fault line, forests, mountains, or desert terrain, you will most likely pay a higher premium.

• Keep the Pool in the Backyard - Homeowners insurance companies view pools built in the backyard as being much safer than those in the front. Pools built in the front yard can potentially attract unwanted attention from people passing by and could lead to unauthorized use or abuse of the pool.

• How to Reduce Your Homeowners Insurance Expenses - If you choose to build a pool, have one now, or are buying a home with one, read the tips below for some common ways to lower your premiums.

• You should discuss with your homeowners insurance agents any recommendations your insurance company or local government safety offices have about building or maintaining a pool, and any local safety codes that you must follow.

• Always make sure your pool is attended at all times and that includes not swimming alone yourself.

• Installing a fence around the pool to keep unauthorized people from using it is another way to save on your premium.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Lustina

Very few individuals appropriately calculate and prepare for interest rates and fees that accompany their traditional spending. As a result, high interest rates can help force an individual into unplanned debt faster than they would think possible, leaving the individual feeling lost, alone and helpless. Fortunately, there are credit card debt consolidation programs and service providers which can provide some much needed aid.

Credit cards debt can be consolidated in a number of different ways. One popular method is to transfer all of an individual's credit card debt onto a single one that has either a low or zero percent interest rate. Since less money is going toward the interest on this low or no interest card, the principle amount can be paid off faster. As this is done, it is important to get rid of the old, high interest ones. Failure to do so often results in continued use and the prolonging of spending habits similar to those which got the individual in financial trouble in the first place.

Debt consolidation service providers can also help eliminate high interest rates and multiple credit card payments through their consolidation programs. Such agencies charge for their services, but for those who are unable to get a low interest credit card for a balance transfer this is a beneficial option available.

It is by doing your due diligence that you will find the service offering the lowest interest rate, this is a easy task if you use internet as researching and comparison tool, just make sure you will be dealing with a certificated firm.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hector_Milla

There are many vehicles available to help you get your debt under control. When you decide it is time for debt consolidation, you will find that there are many financing options available to you. One of the very good options is a personal loan. With a personal loan, you can bring your debt under one payment and reduce your monthly payments considerably. In many cases, it is something you can get for a very low interest rate and a reasonable set of payment terms that make the loan the perfect vehicle for financing your arrays.

Personal loans can either be secured or unsecured. A secured one requires some sort of collateral and an unsecured loan is given without any collateral to back it up. The choice on whether your loan is secured or unsecured is left to your financial institution and you can discuss your options with them when you submit your application.

A personal loan is a great choice for debt consolidation but there are many decisions to be made on what financial obligations get consolidated and what to do with the remaining debt. A consultation with specialists can help you to better understand how to consolidate and how to use your personal loan the right way.

The professionals at the chosen firm will help you understand the various ways that consolidation works and how to get your defaulted credits under control. Search for a seasoned counselor in this field and ask for their advice and guidance, take advantage of their free first time consultation.

By the way, by researching and comparing the best debt consolidation companies in the market, you will be able to determine the one that meet your specific financial situation, plus the cheaper interest rates offered. Nonetheless, it is advisable going with a trusted and reputable debt counselor before making any decision, this way you will save time through specialized advise coming from a seasoned debt advisor and money by getting better results in a shorter span of time.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hector_Milla