By Tony Bahu

Ditch the CD’’s and go for annuities. After all, annuities are tax deferred, often offer higher rates of return and are better….or are they? That is a question worth pondering.

It seems like everyone all over is recommending an annuity over CD’’s. Is it really because they are better….I THINK NOT!!!

Now, here is the truth and it shouldn”t shock you: the number one reason most advisors recommend annuities over CD’’s is because they pay better-tremendously better. I am sorry if you disagree but there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that is the reason your banker or whoever would recommend a fixed annuity over a CD…for the most part. CD’’s barely pay anything. Fixed annuities however, can pay as tremendously more.

Point 1: CD’’s are NOT tax deferred. Each time you receive interest, you are forced to pay taxes on the interest where with an annuity, the tax is deferred until you decide to cash your annuity in. Score one for the annuity. But wait….some would argue that paying taxes along the way is much cheaper than accumulating a huge tax time bomb years later. That totally depends on your taxable situation but it is worth looking into depending on your individual basis.

Point 2: Annuities are not liquid. If you ever need your money from your annuity, you are forced to pay a pretty heavy penalty relative to a CD (with the exception of principal back guarantee annuities). Your only allowed to access 10% a year in any given year. CD’’s on the other hand are much more liquid than annuities. They give you much more flexibility when it comes to accessing your money. Score one for the CD.

Point 3: CD’’s are FDIC insured where annuities aren”t. But, annuities are backed by the big insurance company your with. I would have to say that in terms of safety it’’s almost the toss of a coin if your annuity is held with a solid insurance company.

Point 4: CD’’s are pretty straight forward. Annuities are very trick. Definitely a point for the CD’’s here. CD’’s are so not complicated where as annuities can turn into a nightmare if youget involved with something that is more complicated than you think. Score a big one for the CD here. Easy to understand and that’’s never a bad thing.

Point 5: Annuities avoid probate. CD’’s do not. Score one for the annuity but remember that you can always do something called a TOD with your bank account that holds the CD. This stands for ”Transfer on Death” which would avoid probate as well.

FInal Analysis: As always, there is not a clear cut choice. I wanted to uncover these issues for you so that you could see and understand that it’’s not black and white. There are many things to consider if you are looking into a CD or an annuity. Most importantly, you have to consider what’’s right for you and your situation.

About The Author

Tony Bahu is the author of the controversial document, ”Annuities: The Shocking Truths Revealed”, which reveals the secrets that the banks and insurance companies don”t want you to know. For more information on his document, visit http://www.AnnuityMD.com

By Rayven Perkins

Maybe you are a stay at home mom because your husband works for a large company or even the military, and you have to move every two or three years. You might rent for the same reason; it’’s just not the right time to buy yet! Or you could be recovering from an illness, or trying to get out of debt before you buy a house.

Either way, if you are renter, you need renters insurance. Your landlord will be insuring the house against damage, but they don”t have to replace your belongings in case of damage or theft.

Renters insurance is much cheaper than homeowners insurance, so you can afford to be sure you are covered even for lodging in case you have to relocate temporarily for repairs following a flood or fire.

To make certain you are fully covered, keep all your receipts for all of your stuff - not just the high dollar items. Buy a policy that pays for full replacement of your items. Ask and make sure this is the type you get, or you could get stuck with insurance that only covers the depreciated cash value of your stuff!

Sometimes your landlord will require that you purchase renters insurance as part of your lease agreement, and may even offer the chance for you to buy it through them. They can require you to have it, but they can”t make you use their carrier, so check out all your options to get the best coverage at the best price!

Renters insurance should cover personal liability as well. You can even get a policy that will cover legal fees if you are sued for an accident occurring in your rented house.

A lot of stay at home moms think they don”t need insurance because they don”t own much. You”d be surprised; even those families with few belongings could have up to $20,000 or more just in basic household items.

If you are a stay at home mom, you might be trying to run a business out of your home. If so, your computer might be your lifeline. In case of flood or fire your income could depend on being able to replace your tools.

This is where having a policy that guarantees replacement rather than reimbursement is important. Electronics devalue rapidly, and it could be the difference of $100 to cover an outdated computer’’s value, as opposed to $500 for a brand new one to replace it.

How much does it cost? Again, you will be surprised at just how very inexpensive renter’’s insurance can be; as low as $20 for some policies, and rarely more than $50 per month. Trade the daily dose of Starbucks for peace of mind!

You are sure to agree that in case of a natural disaster or a smash and grab robbery, you would rather be sitting in a hotel room planning a shopping expedition rather than huddled in a shelter trying to figure out your next move! Renter’’s insurance is for that very type of situation.

About The Author

Rayven Perkins has been a stay at home mom, surviving on one income, for over 8 years. Visit her site http://www.stay-a-stay-at-home-mom.com/renters-insurance.html for more important information about renters insurance and ways to reduce your expenses.

By Thomas Pretty

Most of those in the world of business will agree that it is a process carrying inherent risks that can cost you financially and physically. This is the case no matter what type of insurance you have, but if you do not have insurance you should be especially worried about your security, while insurance seems like an undue cost, in today’’s world it is essential.

For small businesses this truism is emphasised greatly. Naturally a small business has more to lose from not having insurance; the need for financial protection is ever present that will not only save a company money from unforeseen circumstances but may actually protect the company itself should the worst happen. For business owners, having the right policy can mean a less stressful life thanks to the knowledge that if something should go wrong with the company, adequate protection is just a phone call away.

When considering the insurance package to sign up for it is important to realise exactly what you need the policy to cover to ensure the company’’s security. By having an elementary understanding of the assets you are trying to protect you have a better idea of the ways in which this is possible. Once an understanding of what you need is gained, it is possible to weigh the costs of the policy against the necessity for particular inclusions.

As with most things in life it is always worth investing time and effort in researching the different forms of insurance before you decide to buy. If you find that you are lost at the details with any particular issue, then using either internet forums or expert advice is a useful way to become more knowledgeable. Ultimately you do not want to be in the situation where you are underinsured; this can be extremely costly in the long run should incidents occur that you are not covered for.

Once you have researched thoroughly it is normally time to buy an insurance policy. This can be a process fraught with difficulties and should require a patient and circumspect attitude. With so many insurers out there it is vital to shop around and find the prices of similar policies with a variety of companies. In some cases it may even be advisable to source different parts of your policy with different companies, it may be more complicated but the savings can be considerable.

When selecting these different forms of cover it is important to realise what each does so that you know what you are paying for and what to use should a claim be required. It is often the case that business managers assume they are covered when in fact their policy does not broach the claim. This is why research and understanding all of the inclusions in your policy is essential if you want to achieve adequate coverage for your entire company operations.

When you are choosing a company to insure your business you should consider not only the price but also the services you will receive. Fundamentally you want to understand how the company is likely to deal with claims and what information you will need to supply for your claim to be upheld. Other valid questions include how the renewal of a policy will be conducted and if any charges will be applicable in the renewal process.

By following this advice you should be able to find the perfect insurance policy for your business, covering you from all angles and ensuring company survival. The importance of research cannot be overestimated if you are to find the perfect policy. If you remember to remain careful and logical at all times, you should find the ideal policy for your business.

About The Author

Financial expert Thomas Pretty looks into the importance of business insurance when protecting company operations and assets. To find out more please visit http://www.lloydstsbbusiness.com/insuring/ebi.asp

By Helen Hecker

If you have a new teen driver in your family, here are some of the best tips for insuring a teen or student driver. It’’s important to get the best if not the cheapest car insurance quote to properly prepare because 16-year-old drivers have more auto accidents than any other age group.

Getting the best insurance plan will help alleviate a few problems. You want to make sure that your teenage or student driver is insured but get low cost car insurance too.

Make sure to keep your teenager on your current insurance policy. You should be able to get a lower rate if you add on your teens to your insurance plan rather than buying a new one. You may also be able to get a multiple policy discount by adding them that way. If you have more than one vehicle be careful about which car the teen is assigned to. You don”t want the insurance agent to assign them to the most expensive car.

Have the insurer assign the teen or student driver to the least expensive car. They will have to drive this car solely so keep this in mind. You don”t want them to get in an auto accident in a car they are not insured for because there are penalties and increases in the insurance premiums that will undoubtedly follow.

You”ll want to add on some additional liability insurance. This is important in the event that the teen or student driver gets in an accident and causes damage to a vehicle and is then shown to be negligent. If the teenager gets in an accident, and damages go beyond your insurance upper limits, amounts not covered by your car insurance can be cause for a lawsuit against you.

You”ll definitely want to raise your deductible. Increasing your deductible will save you money on your insurance premiums. If you go from a $300 deductible to a $1,000 deductible you can save about 15%-25% on your premium. Make sure you get several cheap car insurance quotes

Insurance companies have quite different rates and price their insurance policies for student or teen drivers at different insurance rates. Check online with one of the websites that offers a way to compare rates from several insurance companies at one time before you purchase a policy.

These teen or student driver insurance tips will help you save money, get the best and cheapest car insurance quotes and protect yourself in the event that your teen is involved in an auto accident.

About The Author

For more tips on how to save money and get free online cheap car insurance quotes and find the best auto insurance visit http://www.Cheap-Car-Insurance-Quotes.info for cheap car insurance advice, info on auto insurance discounts and more

By Tony Bahu

Would you like your money back when you are dead? Well, that seems to be the question when it comes to variable annuities. Here is the reason.

As you may be aware, variable annuities are constantly being criticized. One particular reason is that they happen to typically be expensive. The expenses in a typical variable annuity can be as high as 4%. This usually means that if the market averages 9% over a specific time period, you may average way less because of the fees.

That’’s not the only variable annuity drawback. There are also issues of taxation. Yes, they are tax deferred but are they accumulating taxes unnecessarily? Well, that may be the case. I always mention this but capital gains taxes are so low right not that it almost makes sense to pay them as opposed to a tax deferred ”income tax” even though your money is being compounded.

So where does the notion of getting your money back when you die come in? Well, let me explain. One typical benefit of a variable annuity (please check your specific annuity for EXACT details), is that the amount of principal you invest becomes your MINIMUM death benefit. So if you lose principal due to stock market conditions, your initial investment will still be your death benefit. One note, however, is that some insurance companies have changed that to only be true if you invest in a manner that is considered appropriate (not too risky).

With that said, some often state that a variable annuity is the annuity where you can only get your money back if you die!!! Well, it certainly feels like that when we are in a market that won”t seem to turn positive. So, yes, you may only get your money back when you die. Is that how you want it?

Well, it’’s one way to look at things. Variable annuities can be tricky. It’’s important to understand that they are not always what they appear to be at face value. As great as they may appear to be, it may be worth taking a more in depth look unless you only want your money back when you die.

Some of the more not so obvious things about the variable annuities are the so called guarantees that they come with. These guarantees on the surface look great but a more in depth look at them typically reveals something that is not so great. It’’s just worth mentioning this because there are things you absolutely must know before you get involved with a variable annuity and it’’s very important to do your homework.

About The Author

TO learn more about variable annuities, please go to AnnuityMD.com.

Tony Bahu is the author of the controversial document, ”Annuities: The Shocking Truths Revealed”. For more information on his document, visit http://www.AnnuityMD.com

By Tony Bahu

The cries are heard from the distance, “I need help with my annuities.” Nothing has changed…just a lonely senior who can”t trust anybody with her annuity because every time she asks for advice, someone tries to make her invest in a different annuity…Sound familiar? Well you are not alone.

Often times when speaking to a senior about their annuities, I ask them their biggest complaint. Time and time again they say that it is hard to find someone who can help them with their annuity without trying to sell them another one. It is not uncommon. The truth of the matter is, many annuity agents are not out to help the client, but to help themselves (I am sure you are not surprised). They want to make the “fast buck” without regards for the client’’s needs or investment objectives. The unfortunate part is that, this isn”t going to change.

Honest help with an annuity is hard to find. Insurance agents don”t get paid for their time, they usually only get paid for making a sale. So it’’s no wonder why they always recommend another annuity. I once visited someone who needed help with an annuity that an agent “talked him into.” The problem was, in order to get into this annuity, the agent talked him into surrendering his old annuity and paying a $13,000 surrender charge to do so-AND THE ANNUITY HE PUT HIM INTO WAS WORSE THAN THE ANNUITY HE GOT HIM OUT OF…When I asked him why he called the other salesperson in the first place, he told me he just needed to make a small withdrawal from his annuity and didn”t know how…And the agent tricked him into switching it into another annuity and paying a huge surrender charge which he could never recover due to his age…Fortunately it wasn”t too late and we were able to reverse his transaction.

It’’s unfortunate but there are many people who have this kind of experience. The more you know, the easier it will be to avoid these kind of experiences. And the easier it will be to now taken advantage of. Many people are taken advantage of every day when it comes to their financial investments and their annuities more specifically.

The bottom line is this. If you need help with your annuity, you need to be vigilant. Many agents are out there for their own good and you must be aware of this. Utilize your resources and learn the right questions to ask your agent before making a decision. Sure, you may just give up and never get help but the worst decision is no decision. Help with your annuity is hard to find, but not impossible…Good luck and remember

Ignorance is not bliss…

About The Author

Tony Bahu is the author of the controversial document, ”Annuities: The Shocking Truths Revealed”, which reveals the secrets that the banks and insurance companies don”t want you to know. For more information on his document, visit http://www.AnnuityMD.com

By Amy Nutt

Being in a car accident is a difficult thing whether the accident was your fault or not. Unfortunately, there are individuals out there who make it their career to scam people in one way or another and they do it by endangering lives, causing financial pain, and causing mental anguish.

That is why it is good to be aware of these frauds and scams because the unsuspecting are usually those who end up with higher insurance premiums, points against their license, and even cancelled insurance. Don”t let this be you. Be aware of what these scammers do and do everything you can to avoid it.

The types of scams

There are several scams that are well known amongst law enforcement and the general public alike. These scams include:

- The Exaggeration Scam: This is the scam in which the individual doing the scamming has inflicted prior damage to their car to make it look like the damage occurred in their accident with you. These individuals stage the accident, although the crash may be legitimate. Because their vehicle was not appraised prior to the accident, the damage they inflicted on it cannot be proven to be or not to be part of the accident. They are given the benefit of the doubt and they receive payment for that damage from your insurance.

- Rear-ender Scam: The scammer will dodge out in front of you and will then slam on their brakes. They make sure that they do this when you don”t have enough time to brake and avoid hitting them. Unfortunately, the police and the insurance companies automatically assume the second car is at fault in a rear-end crash.

Another unfortunate thing about the rear-ender scam is the fact that a false medical claim usually follows. The scammer convinces a doctor that they sustained injuries in the crash. What happens is that your insurance pays for their pain and suffering, as well as their medical bills. Sometimes these scammers may even have a medical accomplice who receives a payoff for their cooperation.

- The Good Samaritan Scam: This is the individual that waves you on when you can”t see if traffic is coming. However, they wave you into the path of their partner and they ram right into you. What happens is that it looks like you drove out into traffic, which makes it look like your fault. When the cops arrive, the waver denies they ever waved you on.

How to avoid these scams

First and foremost, you need to be a defensive driver. You have to always stay alert and not always trust those around you. If someone waves you on, don”t trust them. You still need to creep out into the street until you can see. You can wave at them to thank them, but don”t gun it out into traffic. You also need to do everything you can to make sure there is plenty of space between you and the car in front of you. If someone darts out in front of you, you need to slow down just in case.

Furthermore, you should be sure to document everything in case of an accident. Keep a disposable camera in your car to take pictures of the accident and make sure you listen to what all of the witnesses say to the police. You also want to acquire a copy of the police report when it is available so that you can tell your insurance company about your suspicions. Insurance companies are experienced in stopping scammers, so provide them with everything you have so that you can turn the tables on the scammers.

About The Author

Train for your future as an E-Commerce Web Designer at triOS College located in Ontario.
http://www.trios.com/career/?section=ECommerceWebDesigner

By Rayven Perkins

There are several factors that stay at home moms in particular should consider when deciding what kind of homeowners insurance they need and how much to buy.

Damage to Your Home

Be certain to double check your policy and make sure you are covered adequately. You may have to purchase separate insurance for fire, flooding or other natural disasters.

You can keep costs down by evaluating the likelihood of each event and adjusting your deductible to reflect the risk. You can often get a discount for having storm shutters or smoke detectors.

Damage to your home could be minor enough to warrant a do-it-yourself fix rather than filing a claim and seeing your rates skyrocket. A little roof damage with no leaking or structural harm is often no reason for a whole new roof. You might be better served by climbing up and re-shingling the affected portion.

In the case of major damage or a whole home loss, make sure your policy covers emergency housing. A hotel is highly preferable to a shelter, especially if you have children.

Burglary and Theft

If someone breaks in and steals all of your electronics, your jewelry and your prized purebred cockatoo, you might not ever get back the sentiment of your lost property but you should be able to replace its monetary value.

The number one way to be sure you are adequately recompensed is to keep receipts for everything valuable that you purchase, snap a photo of it too, and keep both with a copy of your policy in a safe secure place.

For some items, the insurance will only pay for actual cash value, so consider getting replacement value insurance for items like expensive televisions or computers. Very high dollar items like a diamond ring may be subject to limitations unless you get a rider on your policy that covers that specific item. The insurance company will want an appraisal for riders.

You can usually get a discount on the personal property portion of your policy if you have a security system.

Accident Liability Coverage

If a guest in your home is hurt, the injured party can file a claim on your homeowners insurance policy. It is very, very important to have adequate liability insurance if you have children and their friends come over to play on a regular basis.

An umbrella policy will cover claims up to a million dollars, but be cautious about advertising the fact that you have high coverage; some people are unscrupulous enough to fake a fall if they think you are worth suing!

Umbrella policies are an especially important option if you have a dog, swimming pool, or trampoline in your yard that could pose a hazard to visitors.

Many Americans don”t even know what they are covered for, and misconceptions abound. Making sure that you have sufficient coverage is just responsible!

Make sure you know what you are covered for and where you are vulnerable, and consider what homeowners insurance you should have to cover every eventuality.

About The Author

Rayven Perkins has been a stay at home mom, surviving on one income, for over 8 years. Visit her site http://www.stay-a-stay-at-home-mom.com/renters-insurance.html for more important information about homeowners insurance and ways to reduce your expenses.

By Justin Stewart

Motorcycles can often be too expensive for those who want them. While there are people who can manage to pay for their motorcycles with large down payments or complete cash, most people cannot manage to do that. Most people who want a motorcycle must take out motorcycle loans to be able to afford buying one. Motorcycle loans, like any other debt, can be risky, depending on the situation. You need to make sure that you are knowledgeable on the situation to understand the risk that you are taking by pulling out the motorcycle loan that you need to afford the motorcycle itself. While there are multiple small factors that can affect your decision on whether or not to pull out a motorcycle loan, there are three major things to consider.

1. How Much is the Motorcycle

The major thing to consider is how much the motorcycle costs. While it is obvious that different kinds of motorcycles have different prices, the motorcycle loans that you may need for different kinds of motorcycles can differ greatly. If you take two motorcycles and put them side by side, the cost to finance a motorcycle loan for each may be different. It is important to understand not only exactly how much the motorcycle is worth, but how much the cost will be per month. Knowing the exact price can help you to budget appropriately and understand if you can afford it.

2. How Much Can You Afford?

After you calculate how much the motorcycle will cost, you need to figure out what you can afford. Because of the way that motorcycle loans can be paid off, you need to figure out how much extra money you have to spend per month, and how much the motorcycle loans will cost per month. Knowing these two things can help you to determine if the motorcycle you are looking at is in your price range. If a motorcycle is going to take up all of your extra money, you may want to look for a different motorcycle loan, or a different motorcycle that may cost less.

3. How Long will it Take Me to Pay it Off?

The third and final major factor in motorcycle loans is the time that it will take you to pay off the loan. Different loans have different time spans in which you can pay them off. The shorter the motorcycle loan is, the more you have to pay per month. While it is true that you can lengthen a motorcycle loan to make the monthly payments smaller, this can only go so far; there is a limit to the number of months that you can make your motorcycle loan go. When considering a motorcycle loan, make sure that you have calculated not only how much it will cost you, but how long you will be paying; many people may not want to pay a high price for a longer number of years, and this could affect their motorcycle loan decision.

About The Author

The MotorcyclePedia is the number 1 resource for anything motorcycle related: http://www.themotorcyclepedia.com/

By James Culp

One of the best ways to save on California car insurance is to seek out liability only, which is what is required by law. Liability insurance protects only the person you hit, and not yourself. However, there are a few things you should consider before buying only liability insurance.

The minimum auto insurance required by California law is 15/30/5, defined as $15K in bodily injury, $30K total in all bodily injuries, and $5K in car damage. To the guy you hit if it’’s determined to be your fault.

So if you seek out car insurance like this, you will be able to get a low cost policy from many California companies, providing you do not have a driving record riddled with accidents caused by you. But you need to keep one thing in mind about this.

If you cause more damage than your liability insurance will cover, you are technically liable for the rest. In other words, the person may sue you. And if you have something they can get, such as an asset like a house, expensive car, or large bank account.

If you have something valuable, the person you crash into may try to take it if you don”t have enough liability insurance. And they may win.

So in this case, you would be well-advised to buy considerably higher liability coverage, such as 100/300/50, which will then increase the cost of your policy but may avoid losing everything in the long run, depending.

If you buy liability only, you will then be looking at some of the cheapest car insurance rates you can get. The other kinds of major insurance in California are comprehensive and collision, which you may want to consider in addition to liability if you have an expensive car.

Comprehensive covers everything but a crash, such as theft, and collision covers crashes, no matter who’’s at fault. If you have an old clunker, don”t bother, but if you have a newer car that still has considerable value, consider tacking these two onto your insurance plan as well. Of course it goes to say that over time, as your car decreases in value, you may want to consider dropping both of them.

Since liability is the only insurance required in California, you can get low cost rates if you decide to only go with that, taking careful consideration of whether you should buy more or not depending on whether you have large assets, and also whether you should purchase collision and comprehensive as well.

About The Author

To get more free tips on getting the most out of auto insurance in California and to compare rates, go to http://www.cheapcaliforniaautoinsurance.org.