Associate Degree in Security Management

If you are interested in the field of computer sciences, the Internet and security, then obtaining an Associate Degree in Security Management may be ideal for you. Security management deals with the protection and maintenance of Web sites, private online data, Internet anti-virus programs and Web-based companies or businesses. Students who choose to enroll in a college degree training program will participate in specialized computer classes and Internet courses. This career education program will help prepare them for a career in the computer industry.

Online, internet and software security courses and computer science classes are an intensive and informative part of a certification training program. They focus on the network training classes and computer science courses that students must learn. These classes also include how to implement a complete security program, basic loss prevention ideas and concepts and assessing and protecting guarded information. Students will also learn the about the relationships between businesses and technology, and how significantly the Internet and computers impact the corporate world.

Your education will focus on the programming components in computer forensics that consist of hiding data, computer investigation studies, language encryption and tracking offenders. Students will develop a comprehension of running information technology systems while learning the details and specifics about security management.

This Associate’s Degree program gives students an in-depth, accurate look at the computer security field. Each class in this agenda is intensive and extremely detailed, yet still a small component of a broader curriculum that incorporates relevant ethical and legal issues with hands-on tactics and techniques that are used in the modern field of security management.

Advancing technology has made the global transmission of information and data extremely quick and efficient. A company and business can communicate with its subsidiaries or branches in an instant due to efficient cyber communication. However, advancing technology has also resulted in a growing number of hackers, malicious software and computer viruses that can ruin a Web network or personal computer in a short period of time. Confidential data can now easily be hacked into, but those who specialize in computer security work very hard to prevent this.

These security breaches can happen at almost any level. Many people deal with e-mail hackers or spam. Certain viruses are transmitted by e-mails, that when opened, can cause a computer to shut down and cease operation almost immediately. Online security management will teach students how to counteract these offenses.

An Associate Degree in security management will teach students how to prevent these types of attacks. By pursuing an Associate Degree in computer security management, a student will:

  • Deal efficiently with Internet security breaches, research what causes these online aggressions and warning signs that may be indicative of a future conflict
  • Counteract hackers and malicious software that may cause harm to a network or individual computer
  • Learn how viruses and malware run and operate, study potential threats that typically harm or threaten private data
  • Work with security programs and anti-virus operations that fight firewall attacks and security breaches
  • Study the basics of online security management and its importance in the business world

-By: Abby Reid

If you wish to obtain an Associate’s Degree in Security Management, contact Potomac College today! An excellent career in security management can be yours.

Credit Report

Newspapers, radio, TV and the Internet are filled with advertisements that offer for a fee to erase accurate negative information in your credit file. The credit repair scam artists who run these ads can’t deliver. Only time, a deliberate effort, and a plan to repay your bills will improve your credit history record. This section is designed to help you understand credit reports and credit repair scams.

Credit Reports

Does your credit report accurately represent you? A recent study conducted by the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) found over 70% of credit reports contain errors. Among the principal findings of the report were the following:

* Twenty-nine percent (29%) of the credit reports contained serious errors that could result in the denial of credit.”

* “Serious” errors included false delinquencies, public records or judgments that belonged to a stranger, or credit accounts that did not belong to the consumer; Seventy percent (70%) of the credit reports contained mistakes or errors of some kind, also including the following:

* Forty-one percent (41%) of the credit reports contained incorrect personal demographic identifying information; Twenty percent (20%) of the credit reports were missing major credit cards, loans, mortgages, or other accounts that are critical to demonstrating consumer credit worthiness.

Consolidate debt your debt now free — quote now!

One of the first steps to credit repair, is understanding credit reports. When applying for mortgages, home loans and refinances, one of the most important factors in determining whether or not you will be approved is your credit. This is true for other important factors as well, such as obtaining lower interest rate auto loans and credit cards. Good credit can open many doors.

If you have had credit issues in the past, or are currently in a situation that will affect your credit, be prepared to address these issues upfront.

The mortgage industry has its own language when it comes to your credit report. Mortgage lenders get their name from the grading system they use. Items that determine your credit rating (A to D-) are payment history, amount of debt payments, bankruptcies, equity positions, and credit scores. Credit scores are also known as “FICO” scores, and are used by the mortgage industry to determine credit risk. The higher the credit score, the better the credit risks.

FICO stands for Fair Isaac Company, the company that created the original scoring system. Each credit bureau has its own unique system that allows them to offer a score based solely on the contents of the credit bureau’s data about an individual. A numerical score at one bureau is the equivalent of the same numerical score of another. For example, a score of 700 from Experian indicates the same creditworthiness as a score of 700 from Trans Union or Equifax. However, the calculations used to determine these scores are different for each bureau.

FICO scores range from 375 to 900 points. A score of 650 or above indicates a very good credit history. However, lenders do not necessarily give the same value to a particular credit score, and they do not necessarily use credit scoring!

FICO scoring places a value on the types of accounts you hold, as well as your credit history. The formula that determines your scores, however, is not disclosed to the consumer.

The 5 most important factors to determining your credit score are:

* Your payment history

* The amount of outstanding debt you have compared to your credit limit

* Your credit history

* The types of credit you use

* Negative information

Remember, FICO scores range from 375 to 900 points. A score of 650 or above indicates a very good credit history.

Credit Repair Scams

You’ve seen it in newspapers, maybe even heard it on the radio or television — Erase accurate negative information in your credit file! — The credit repair scam artists who run these ads can’t deliver. Only time, a deliberate effort, and a plan to repay your bills will improve your credit record. This section is designed to help you understand the two top credit repair scams that are circulating newspapers, television, magazines and radio.

Credit Repair Scam #1 – File Segregation

If you filed bankruptcy, you may be the target of a credit repair scam called “file segregation.” In this scam, you are promised a chance to hide unfavorable credit information by establishing a new credit identity. That may sound like a good idea but, file segregation is illegal. If you use it, you could face fines or even a prison sentence.

Credit Repair Scam #2 – New Credit Identity

If you have filed for bankruptcy, you may receive a letter from a credit repair company warning you about the inability to obtain credit cards, personal loans, or any other types of credit for 10 years. For a fee, the company promises to help you hide your bankruptcy and establish a new credit identity to use when you apply for credit. These companies also make pitches in classified ads, radio, TV, and the Internet.

When signing up for the service you will be required to pay a fee and may be directed to apply for an Employer Identification Number, commonly referred to as an EIN, from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Typically, an EIN is quite similar to a social security number and is used by businesses to report financial information to the IRS and the Social Security Administration.

After you receive your EIN, the credit repair service will tell you to use it in place of your social security number when you apply for credit, inform you to use a new mailing address and obtain additional credit references.

That may sound like a good idea but, using false information is illegal and considered fraud. If you use it, you could face fines or even jail time.

Credit Repair Company’s And False Claims

Credit Repair False Claim #1: You will not be able to get credit for 10 years.

Each creditor has its own criteria for granting credit. While one may reject your application because of bankruptcy, another may grant you credit. And, given a new reliable payment record, your chances of establishing additional credit could probably increase as time passes.

Credit Repair False Claim #2: The company or “file segregation” program is affiliated with the federal government.

The federal government does not support or work with companies that offer such programs.

Credit Repair False Claim #3: The “file segregation” program is legal.

It is a federal crime to make any false statements on a loan or credit application. It is a federal crime to misrepresent your Social Security number. It also is a federal crime to obtain an EIN from the IRS under false pretenses. Further more, you could be charged with mail or wire fraud if you use the mail or the telephone to apply for credit and provide false information. Worse yet, file segregation likely would constitute civil fraud under many state laws.

Your Rights Under The Credit Repair Organizations Act

This law prohibits false claims about credit repair and makes it illegal for these companies to charge you until they have performed their services. It requires that companies tell you about your legal rights. Credit repair companies must provide this in a written contract that also spells out just what services are to be performed, how long it will take to achieve results, the total cost, and any guarantees that are offered. Under the law, these contracts also must explain that consumers have three days to cancel at no charge.

Finding Help for Credit Problems

It’s a good idea to try to solve your debt problems with your creditors as soon as you foresee or realize that there is a financial problem. If you can’t resolve your credit problems yourself or need additional help, contact debt-consolidation-Kimberly.com We are a full service debt consolidation organizations with clients nation wide that counsels and educates individuals and families on debt problems, budgeting and using credit wisely. We work directly with your creditors to help resolve your debt problems by negotiating a repayment schedule that is affordable for you and acceptable to the creditor.

-By: Stu Lieberman

Writing financial and debt consolidation articles for over 10 yrs. Been in the credit counseling biz for as long as well

5 Most Popular Types of Computer Software (And What They Do)

As the publisher of a software information website, I often use keyword-research tools* to determine which software-related topics are the most popular (based on Internet search activity). By knowing what people are looking for online, I can build content to help them.

You can’t help but notice trends and patterns when doing this kind of research, and I thought you might be interested in some of those trends. For example, in this article I’ve compiled five of the most popular types of software in the world, based on how often people look them up through Google, Yahoo, MSN and the other search engines.

#1 – Anti-virus Tools

For a long time, I’ve had a conspiracy theory that the companies that make anti-virus programs are in league with the people who create computer viruses in the first place. After all, few things sell anti-virus software like the constant threat of new viruses. Regardless of who’s generating the fear, they are doing a good job of it, because anti-virus software is consistently one of the most frequently searched programs.

Most people computer users are very familiar with these programs, because they come pre-installed on most PCs. There is also a dizzying array of software products that fall into this category, so I won’t try to summarize them here. That’s another article entirely.

#2 – Tax Software

Okay, so there’s a very good chance this one made the list because I conducted my research at tax time (in March). Perhaps if I conducted this study later in the year, tax software would not be quite as popular from a search engine usage standpoint. At any rate, it makes the cut today and falls in right behind the anti-virus programs based on the number of searches.

I use these programs every year at tax time. Or, to be honest, I should say my wife uses these programs while I provide moral support. At any rate, these software products are incredibly useful for people who prepare their own tax returns.

Though each program offers slightly different features, they all perform the same basic function. They walk you step by step through the process of completing your tax-return forms. You just fill in the blanks with the requested information, and the software does the rest. Popular tax software programs include TaxAct, TurboTax and TaxCut (by H

How Can You Simplify Your Letter Mailing Process?

Letter mailing has become an important day-to-day occupation for almost all large corporations nowadays. However, the advent of Internet has made e-mailing a strong competitor of letter mailing; yet, for legal documentation, secured and assured services, direct mailing is still the most appropriate option.

Letter mailing can be made for various purposes. It can simply be a marketing tool to inform the prospective clients about the new product or service launch, or even to inform about a special discount or special offer for a particular period. It can also be a complete business communication tool, sent to shareholders and other investors, to notify them about the company’s activities, profits or loss, or future policies. Letter mailing can also serve other purposes, for example if you want to inform any concerned person anything through a legal proceeding.

As the letters are delivered direct to the particular person with a signature on the delivery notification report, so it becomes legal with proper documentation facility. With the increasing amount of direct mail letters, it has become a challenge for all the medium or large sized organizations to run the process correctly and regularly with proper documentation. Even the preparation of the letters has become a matter of serious consideration with proper content and appealing designs.

To know the right process of letter mailing, you have to follow few direct mail tips.

- First, decide on the message of the letter and its recipient. These are the two most important factors to decide on your future actions. The message should be expressed in a correct way without any grammatical, syntactical or spelling mistakes. The vocabulary should be appropriate and suit to the occasion. The language should be simple, crispy by precise and condensed.

Along with that, the design of the letter mailing will be completely shaped to the occasion. If it is an announcement of new product or event, then the designing should be ceremonious. On the other hand, if it is a formal notification of company policy or any other official statement, then the designing also should be completely formal and bare.

- Second, as the letter is prepared, then make up a mailing list of the recipients and correctly place the address in each envelope. The preparing of mailing list for letter mailing is a complex and critical job. For this you need a complete knowledge of all types of people over the various sectors, and their up-to-date contact address. To make up a mailing list you need to have a wide and exact networking. As you have successfully prepared the mailing list and mail the letters to the respective addressed, then comes the next step.

- Last, make sure that the letters have reached to the respective persons through a follow up, if necessary, or through registered mails. Letter mailing becomes effective only if you follow up on the subject. Thus, evaluate the whole process and make sure to correct the mistakes, if any, at your next project.

However, there are many letter mailing and direct marketing organizations that can run the whole process for you, without any hassle or worry on your part. You can also get their support to operate the whole business with expert and experienced people.

-By: Ruby Jones

Ruby Jones is a marketing and documents manager. For more information on letter mailing and direct mail advice, she recommends you to visit www.cactusmailing.com.

Limited Liability Company – LLC

The LLC has become the most popular choice to incorporate because it provides limited liability protection, is easier and more flexible to operate, and has fewer formalities. Personal liability is limited to the amount of capital invested by the member in the LLC. Members of an LLC receive the same liability protection as a corporation’s shareholders. LLC’s are usually free to establish most any organizational structure agreed on by its’ members.

The LLC is a specific business entity which is an alternative to partnerships and other types of corporations. The LLC can be taxed as a partnership when the LLC registers with The Secretary of State as a LLC Partnership and subsequently files their tax return in said manner with the IRS. The earnings of an LLC Partnership will only be taxed once. The LLC will issue a certificate to each member indicating the percentage of ownership in the business.

You will need to prepare and file your “Articles of Organization” and pay the state registration fees to your state’s Secretary of State, Division of Corporations. This can be accomplished without hiring a legal advisor, if you choose. In most states, registering an LLC can be submitted on line, but requires mailing the appropriate paperwork to the Secretary of State. Your state’s Secretary of State website can be located by searching through any of the major search engines.

LLC’s are owned by its’ members and can be managed by its’ members or by electing a manager at a member’s meeting. LLC’s that are managed by its’ members operate similarly to a partnership. When the members choose to manage the LLC then each member has equal rights in the management of the LLC. Member management is the “default” rule of state law.

At the time the LLC is filing the “Articles of Organization” it will need to choose a “registered agent”. The “registered agent” is the contact person for the LLC. The “registered agent” is designated to receive all correspondence for the LLC such as any legal notifications, tax information and notices, and any notices from The Secretary of State and other government agencies. The “registered agent” forwards any correspondence to the LLC. The “registered agent” must provide an address for all correspondence to be sent. The “registered agent” can be a member, the manager or another individual, if so decided by the members, such as a CPA, etc.

If the LLC is incorporating in a different state such as Delaware and Nevada then the LLC will need to contract with a company that provides “registered agent” services. A qualified “registered agent” services company can be found by searching on the Internet. There are many to choose from.

Once the “Articles of Organization” are filed, the members of the LLC will need to have an organizational meeting and adopt an “operating agreement”. The member’s certificates are distributed at the organizational meeting. A designated member or the manager should record all transactions in the LLC’s ledger.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is meant to serve as general information and is not intended to be relied on for legal purposes, since laws may change, and laws can vary from state to state.

-By: Tommy Broome

This article and more business information can be found at http://www.ezhomebiz101.com

http://www.ezhomebiz101.blogspot.com

http://www.sowing101.com

End Notes: Leyden, John

People constantly exchange personal and professional unprotected emails containing confidential information often without considering the potential consequences of such transactions. Email is used both for communication and is often the preferred method of routing documents both within and outside company walls.

Corporate Espionage

Businesses of all sizes have succumbed to forms of corporate espionage. Some instances make the front page such as when a touted Ferrari engineer Mauro Iacconi reportedly passed wind tunnel data to Toyota(1) and Hewlett-Packard

Dear Office Dweller

The following letter is a composite of feedback from road warriors in the field to the much respected and appreciated office dwellers who occupy the ivory towers, headquarters or maze of cubicles. The office dwellers are the curators of much needed scrolls, documents, data, financial information and other incredibly essential data and processes that enable the organization to function. The road warrior is the tireless face and voice at the front lines of the information supply chain, responsible for maintaining that delicate balance between the vision of the clients and the magic of what really happens behind the curtain.

“Did you get my electronic calendar invitation for our meeting in ten minutes?”

No, I did not get your electronic invitation for the meeting.

I am currently sitting in front of a very important client and giving my undivided attention. The Cell phone is turned to Vibrate and put away to avoid distraction. The laptop computer is turned off and in it’s case. I have a pad and paper in front of me to take notes on highlights of our conversation. The client has my complete attention, especially when we are face to face. The client has specific needs and a vision of the future. I need to understand that vision and effectively communicate how our features will meet the needs of the client. When we are together, the client and I, we have one purpose that isolates us from the interruptions of the outside world. Our purpose is to find the best solution for a mutually beneficial business arrangement.

When the meeting is done, I will have to use my notes to draft a comprehensive document that I will send back to the ivory towers. This document must accurately convey the details of our conversation with the needs and vision of the client. It must accurately assess and explain the mutually beneficial business arrangement and establish the covenants or commitments of our conversation. My notes of those critical personal moments shared with the client will become the basis for a thesis that will be drafted many hours later in a hotel room in another city.

That electronic calendar invitation is buried amid two hundred and one other emails, many of which are from other clients. I will ready them all when I sit at my hotel room desk, eat my hotel cookie and drink my single serving hotel room coffee. The hotel has a Jacuzzi, pool and amenities that I will never see. What are the real amenities for a road warrior? High Speed internet connection, clean bed, hot shower and a continental breakfast are what constitute Home Sweet Home.

“Did you get the email with the attached 32MB Video of the receptionist’s granddaughter’s birthday party, the pictures from the company sponsored Bar-Be-Cue, the invitation to have your car washed in the parking lot or the plethora of other emails with embedded cartoons and enormous attachments?”

Some places still define high speed internet connection as a 56k modem or a single wireless router available from the hotel lobby. Hopefully the download will be complete before I finish packing my suitcase in the morning. I can’t wait to read the internal company announcement about the hot lunch yesterday, accompanied by the gratuitous oversized images of greasy burgers, fries and pizza slices. I am tempted to send an email with embedded pictures of my bran muffin and banana but fear that the humor will only create another burdensome download to my fellow road warriors. Besides, somebody already beat me to the punch line and responded with a “Reply to All” message to HR that included a social security number and complete medical history. There will be at least ten to fifteen more “Reply to All” messages that simply say “Thank You”, but I won’t know that until I open them. I have worn the letters off of my delete key.

“Did you read the email that I just sent to you?”

Thank you for the phone call. I am now driving in bumper to bumper traffic with one hand on my cell phone so I can talk to you. In my other hand is a pen, ready to scribble notes on the printed directions that I downloaded from some mapping software three days ago. I know that this call must be really important if you take the time to write the email and then call to make sure that I see it and respond. Where am I?

On the passenger side of the car is a slowly wilting drive-through lunch. A cup of car temperature coffee is perched in the console beside my elbow. I am driving with my knees and trying to avoid that other erratic driver who does not seem to be paying attention to the road or traffic. Was that my exit?

That’s right, my cell phone does get messages. I wonder if I can scroll through my messages and read the pinpoint text while simultaneously talking to you about the attached files. Can you hear me? I think that I found the email that you are talking about. Yes, this is the email. Was that a police officer that I just passed? Is it legal to talk on the cell phone while driving in this city? Better not take any chances, I have to hang up for now and call you back. I may not be able to talk on the cell phone, but I don’t think that there are any laws about doing email or text messaging on your phone while driving, not yet anyway.

“I just sent you an Instant Message, did you get it?”

Oh, you mean the Instant Message that you sent to ask me if I read the email that you called about while I am trying to drive? Sorry, I missed that one. Calculating route, when possible, please make a legal U-Turn. Oh, it is the agenda for the conference call that started five minutes ago. I need to provide a report and rolling forecast based on the staff meeting today? What meeting?

“Oh, we decided to change that feature three days ago. It is not available anymore.”

I see, the features that I just explained to our client are no longer available. The new features will cost three times as much. The meeting that you just scheduled is for me to present how we are going to sell these expensive new features and to provide an updated forecast on the revised revenue. What, it is my turn to present? You do realize that I am hundreds of miles away right now, don’t you? No, I can not email my presentation and review it with everyone by phone right now. Why? I have not started the presentation yet. I must have missed the announcement. What’s that? Oh, you were not aware of the changes either and there was mp announcement. I understand completely, trust me, I really do.

So, we have a new company strategy and a new corporate direction. We have decided to reinvent ourselves. There will be a big meeting to unveil our new business plan and assigned goals. I got it. What’s that? Oh, I need to submit my presentation on how I will achieve those goals and my plan must be sent before the close of business today. I’m sorry, you are breaking up. It must be a bad connection because I am close to the airport now. I do not know if you can hear me, but if you can then I want to you know that I will be boarding a plane soon and will call you again later from another city to find out what you are trying to tell me. Better yet, send an email.

“I bet you really enjoy those frequent flyer miles.”

You really have no idea how much I look forward to taking my vacation, at home. After several weeks on the road and a different hotel room every night, I look forward to my own bed, the one that I picked out and paid for. These days we need to arrive at the airport at least two hours before the scheduled flight. This is not productive time. Imagine spending one quarter of your eight hour day in the office standing in line with your shoes in your hand. There is a line to check in, a line to go through security and a line at to board the plane. When you arrive, stand in line to collect your luggage and another line to get your rental car. Of course, you can bypass the line to collect your luggage if you do not travel with toothpaste, shaving cream, deodorant, any gels or liquids. You can identify those fellow passengers who have elected to expedite the cattle car processing by jettisoning their personal toiletries. It would be impolite to discuss how you can identify these passengers, just trust me on this one, you can.

Working on the computer on a tray table is only effective if you the proportionate arms of a Tyrannosaurus Rex and if the individual in front of you is incapable of reclining. More than likely, you will be staring at the liver pots in the bald patch on the top of the head in front of you for hours. Remember to bring large bills in exact change to pay for your wedge of wet cheese, two individually wrapped crackers and box of sixteen fabulous handpicked raisins. Ask for a receipt so you can expense your mid-air snack and then pay for the aisle or window seat next to you so you can claim it as entertainment expense if the snack is over your approved per diem.

If you fly as often as I do then you also get the benefit of memorizing the dialogue from abbreviated movies that you would not pay to see in the theatres. Of course, the bad language, violence and parental guidance scenes are all removed to make the movies safe for general audiences. Needless to say, we will never see Ozzy Osbourne on the eight inch monitors. Would you like to hear us recite the complete dialogue from “Coal Miner’s Daughter” or “Vanity Fair”?

“You must hate your job.”

On the contrary, I love it. The travel, the schedule, the hours and the inconveniences are sacrifices that must be made in the pursuit of a passion. Road warriors do not travel for the excitement of hotels, or for frequent flyer miles or because we enjoy the restaurants. The travel and time are a means to an end, and that end is something much more meaningful and personal. If you were to talk to us, really talk to us for a few hours, you would learn that the real passion is for family. For some road warriors that pursuit of accomplishment means a better life for a spouse or children at home. Every day away from home is a personal sacrifice that is an investment for the ones that are left behind. For other road warriors, the family is defined as the coworkers in the ivory towers. For these people it is the professional family and the success of the organization that keeps the fire burning within. For some other road warriors the extended family includes a special personal relationship with clients, and a true dedication to help each customer achieve their individual aspirations. For the vast majority of road warriors it is a combination of all of these things, the family at home, the family at work and the extended client family on the road.

We make sacrifices, but we are thankful to have the chance to do it and grateful to the people in the ivory tower. Office dwellers are a source of constant support and amusement, for this we salute you

Sincerely,

Your Devoted Road Warrior in the Field

______________________________________________________

Words of Wisdom

“Do Not Disturb signs should be written in the language of the hotel maids.”

- Tim Bedore

“The path to our destination is not always a straight one. We go down the wrong road, we get lost, we turn back. Maybe it doesn’t matter which road we embark on. Maybe what matters is that we embark.”

- Barbara Hall, Northern Exposure

“The road that we travel may be long and arduous, full of many challenges. Yet it is the same road that leads back home and that is never too far.”

- John Mehrmann, Executive Blueprints Inc

______________________________________________________

About the Author:

John Mehrmann is a freelance writer and President of Executive Blueprints Inc., an organization devoted to improving business practices and developing human capital

-By: John Mehrmann

John Mehrmann is an author, speaker and industry expert with Executive Blueprints Inc. http://www.ExecutiveBlueprints.com

Personal Injury Lawyer Will Steal Your Unprotected Personal Assets

While driving to an appointment, one of your employees remembers he needs to contact a co-worker regarding a meeting. He dials the number on his cell phone, and briefly takes his eyes off the road. In that instant, a vehicle in front of him shifts lanes, and he strikes it, seriously injuring a 78-year-old woman. Under exactly this scenario, a jury awarded a $21 million judgment against Dykes Industries of Little Rock, Arkansas.

Can you buy enough insurance to cover an unexpected business liability? NO. Insurance covers only a first legal defense and insurance only covers actual damages. Insurance does NOT cover punitive damages.

STATISTICS ON AUTO ACCIDENTS AND PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS

More than 42,000 deaths occurred in motor vehicle accidents in 2001. Could one of these have been committed by one of your employees while on company business?

There’s an army of personal injury lawyers on the Internet ready to be of service on a contingent fee basis, and more are getting educated in colleges and universities. Give it a shot, use google and type in “injury lawyer” and here’s the “Results 1 – 10 of about 1,120,000 for “injury lawyer”.

Why is being a personal injury lawyer a successful business? Because, one personal injury lawyer teaches other personal injury lawyers valuable information – they hold classes on how to pressurize and optimize more out of a given opportunity. Yes, it sounds like lawsuit abuse, but don’t blame them – it is a business.

The courts make it easy to litigate. They have learned that if they can tie you up in court for a number of years, it’s easier to settle than to fight. And if they can get sympathy out of a jury it translates to bigger fees. Whether you win or lose – you lose; at $350 per hour – it is expensive to get involved in a court battle even if you are right.

If you are a small business owner, the negligent action of one employee can cause you to lose more than just your business. You could become personally liable for assets not related to your business. This is where the personal injury lawyer gets “personal” with your personal assets!

HOW TO PREVENT PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS FROM STEALING YOUR PERSONAL ASSETS

How do you prevent these injurious lawyers from “stealing” your personal assets and keep them at bay? The key is how you own your business. If you own corporate stock or sub “S” stock, chances are that most these lawyers have figured out how to pierce the corporate veil on their way to your personal assets.

If you get a high or if you’re an adrenaline junkie and like to take chances you would not appreciate asset protection. You would think that it’s for the wealthy who have something to hide. Or alternatively if you think that you’re covered by insurance, you have not been sued by a creditor and his very clever personal lawyer…yet. You are an easy target and if they deem it’s worth the small fee to file a suit and a bit of their time then trust me they’ll come after you – maybe not today but very soon.

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR ASSETS FROM CONTINGENT FEE ATTORNEYS

What’s asset protection? In my definition asset protection is protecting everything you have or control against pickpocket experts (i.e. personal injury lawyers or any other contingent fee attorneys) who have perfected their profession on easy targets, like you.

Each of your assets should have a financial goal. What’s your financial goal for your personal residence, your vacation spot, your CD’s, your IRA, your investment accounts, and your other valuable assets?

With your personal residence, the bank is protected by virtue of a mortgage subject to the real estate. It’s your personal equity in your home that is wide open for a lawsuit. Do you have minor children learning to drive your car? Did you know that you assume full responsibility for their negligence? Do you own your home in your name jointly with your spouse? Did you know that if either one of you gets sued … you can lose more than just your house?

Another financial goal for your house is the tax deductions available for tax purposes on your form 1040. Tax law allows deduction for mortgage interest and real estate tax deduction. So there are two financial goals for your personal residence: protection from potential creditors and their counterpart injurious, villainous attorneys, and tax deductions for your interest on mortgage and real estate tax deductions.

USE THE LAW TO PROTECT YOUR ASSETS FROM PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS

Use “law” not secrecy. Under tax law, there’s an exception under Internal Revenue Code sections (IRC)

This is meant as a general guide and should not be seen as legal advice.

There are five distinct phases to selling your property.

1. Preparation

During the preparation period you should be doing three things:

a) Decide how you are going to sell. This can be through an estate agent, selling privately or going to auction. When you have worked this out, you can then

b) work out how much it is going to cost you. This should include items such as relocation costs, purchase costs associated with a new property, solicitors’ and agents’ fees, tax (including VAT), mortgage penalties and even the cost of hiring a removals van.

c) Prepare the property for viewing and, hopefully, a quick sale.

2. Valuation and marketing

Your property should be prepared to pass the stiffest of inspections, both inside and out. Make sure that the person who values your home possesses the appropriate professional qualifications from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors or the National Association of Estate Agents. A valuer, usually employed by your estate agent, will visit the property and put a price on it. The price needs to be set low enough for you to be able to sell it within the timeframe you require and also so that you can attract enough potential buyers to view the property. But it also needs to be set sufficiently high that you don’t lose out on any money that you could have made from the sale.

The agent will then advertise your property in the local press, in his window or on the internet

3. Negotiation

When someone is interested in buying your property, they may make an offer below the asking price. It is up to you to decide how much or how little you are prepared to accept. If your property has been on the market for months with very few viewers, you may be happy to accept less than the valuation price just to be rid of it and move on. However, if several offers come in during the first two weeks of the sale period, you would be well advised to stick to the asking price. Whether you accept an offer or not depends on your situation and circumstances.

4. Conveyancing

Once you have agreed the sale with a buyer, your solicitor will take over. Although the conveyancing process (moving title of the property from your name to the buyer’s) takes the same length of time for buyers and sellers, there is much more onus on the buyer’s solicitor in terms of the amount of work required so your legal bill on a property sale should be lower than for a property purchase. The normal total cost of disbursements for a seller usually amounts to an

Home Selling – 7 Ways to Determine Market Value of Your Home

Pricing your home correctly is the #1, must be done first, priority item in the path of selling your home. If your home is not priced at true market value, you lose. You lose money, you lose excess time on the market, and you may also lose the opportunity to sell your home.

1. Appraiser - Hire a Real Estate Appraiser, you can find a local professional from the website of The Appraisal Institute. It is an international membership association of professional real estate appraisers, with more than 18,000 members and 99 chapters throughout the United States, Canada and abroad. Its mission is to support and advance its members as the choice for real estate solutions and uphold professional credentials, standards of professional practice and ethics consistent with the public good.

2. Bank of America - Has an online service available for FREE on their webpage. Check it out easy to use enter your address and zip code press enter and there are the numbers.

3. Real Estate Agents - Only the cutting edge internet savvy Realtors have an on line FREE Over-The-Net home evaluation service. Some try to send you off to pay services, if your going to pay anyone it should be an Appraiser.

4. Legal Business Newspaper - Every city and county has a Legal Business Newspaper that it uses for all public legal announcements. They also publish foreclosures, divorces, Judgments and Property Transfers. Larger papers have on-line services and keep archives.

5. Tax Records - City and County Tax records show all property ownership and transfers. They show when a property was sold and for how much. It also shows the recent appraisal information used to compute the tax. Online some have been updated to show photos of the property.

6. Multiple Listing Service - You can directly access the MLS to see at what prices homes are listed. This does not give you true market value but gives you a reference to where it may be going, up, flat, down.

7. Realtor.com - the premier real estate web site more people by far use Realtor.com to get information on residential real estate. It has the same information as the MLS but usually has more photos and is usually easier to navigate.

I have left off the most obvious which is to have a real estate agent come out and prepare a CMA (comparable market analysis), don’t believe that all real estate agents are equal. Do this only if you are not sure if you will actually try to sell on your own. It’s kind of slimy to have someone do work for you, with you knowing your not going to work with them.

-By: Bill Carey

And for more information on College Rental Investments and Off-Campus Housing log on to http://www.CollegeTowneProperties.com

And now I would like to invite you to claim your free instant access to our 2 recent articles “9 Tips For You to Make Real Money in College Rental Properties ” and “9 Steps to Save Big Dollars For Your Student With In-State Tuition” at from Bill Carey – The leading expert on College Rental Investment Properties and Off-Campus Housing USA. Contact Bill by email at BillCarey@CollegeTowneProperties.com



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