http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/health/beauty/to-impress-the-boss-you-must-dress-like-the-boss.html http://www.articletrader.com/health/beauty/to-impress-the-boss-you-must-dress-like-the-boss.html Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0600
Obviously having the quality of your work stand out is important. However, it's not enough to seal the deal for advancement. Why?

Many times the impression we make on others is based on quick, seemingly inconsequential interactions. Pretend you're the head of your company. You're strolling down the hall of your office surveying your domain and you spot two of your employees exit the elevator; Johnson walking confidently in a well tailored dress shirt, slacks, and polished shoes and Jensen ambling forward in a wrinkled over-sized shirt and pants that are slightly too short. Who would you rather represent your company?

Taking pride in your work attire isn't just about making powerful momentary impressions, numerous studies have shown that a person's productivity decreases when they wear casual clothing to work. Most men know this but think dressing well for work is an additional full time job. I'm happy to report the contrary. Once you get a handle on the basics, dressing well isn't any harder than just getting by and it can take your professional experience to a whole new level. As a men's image consultant I see it time and time again with my clients. Almost immediately after we update their professional image, they've experienced:

- Being singled out at a manager's meeting for outstanding appearance and held up as an example to follow by the company President.
- Receiving a raise that is triple the status quo at their company.
- Securing $15,000 more business of additional projects from long standing (and stagnating) accounts.
- Getting promoted.

It's no coincidence, it's confidence. These men felt like the king of the jungle in the right clothes, and it elevated their attitude and the external perception of others. It's no surprise they suddenly caused outstanding results.

So, here are the basics for dressing to impress at work:

-Know your industry and the expectations. Walk into a downtown Boston law firm and a Cambridge bio-tech company on a Friday and it's clear business casual means very different things to different employers. What do the respected senior managers at your company wear? Follow their lead. Even in industries where dressing down is the norm, you can be a cut above the rest without looking out of place. A suit's job is to make the wearer appear polished. This look can be achieved with more casual items by making sure each piece of clothing is new looking, clean and unwrinkled, fitted well to your body, and in colors that flatter you. Add distinguishing accessories to your simple button down and khaki slack like a saddle leather belt and modern lace up shoes. Dress shirts with a French cuff and cuff links are also an excellent way to elevate your appearance.

-Attention to detail. Your interactions with your superiors should never be distracted by your lack of attention to detail. With clothing that includes missing buttons, pet hair, wrinkles, lint, rips or fraying seams, etc. Men have a tendency of holding onto clothing way past the expiration date, which is also not smart since the past year has brought significant shifts in men's style. Designers have moved completely away from boxy and baggy to slim fit and tailored. If you're wearing clothing that's half a decade old and seen better days, it's time to replace it. You want your boss noticing how on top of things you are, not that you're sloppy or out of date.

-Meet your new best friends, your tailor and your dry cleaner. Wearing ill fitting clothing never sends the right impression unless the message you want to send is you are oblivious to the obvious. It's a trait that won't get you on any senior management teams other than of Enron ilk. Few men can wear everything they buy off the rack without alterations. If you have any business attire that fits you in the following ways: baggy, too tight, too short, or too long, either have it tailored or replace it with something that does fit. The most common mistake men make is wearing shirts and pants that are too big. Wrists and ankles aren't collection trays for extra fabric, so take the next step and get them tailored. $15 is a steal when you consider what that buys you, no one ever thinking again "He's way too short for those pants". Find a tailor by your place of work so it's easy for you to drop stuff off and pick it up.


If the above still seem like too much work, utilize the expertise of a professional. Ask around or Google search for professional image consultants in your area. Their services range from demystifying what cuts, colors, and sizes are right for you to setting you up with a whole new professional wardrobe in your style and budget.



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Emmi Sorokin is a Boston based men's image consultant who dresses her clients for professional and personal success. Contact Emmi for you own wardrobe planning advice.


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/mortgage/how-to-decide-if-an-adjustable-rate-mortgage-is-right-for-you.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/mortgage/how-to-decide-if-an-adjustable-rate-mortgage-is-right-for-you.html Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0500
ARM Terminology

Index

An index is a guide that lenders use to measure interest rate changes. Common indexes used by lenders include the activity of one, three, and five-year Treasury securities, but there are many others. Each ARM is linked to a specific index.
Margin

Think of the margin as the lender's markup. It is an interest rate that represents the lender's cost of doing business plus the profit they will make on the loan. The margin is added to the index rate to determine your total interest rate. It usually stays the same during the life of your home loan.
Adjustment Period

The adjustment period is the period between potential interest rate adjustments.

You may see an ARM described with figures such as 1-1, 3-1, and 5-1.

The first figure in each set refers to the initial period of the loan, during which your interest rate will stay the same as it was on the day you signed your loan papers.

The second number is the adjustment period, showing how often adjustments can be made to the rate after the initial period has ended. The examples above are all ARMs with annual adjustments--meaning adjustments could happen every year.
If my payments can go up, why should I consider an ARM?

The initial interest rate for an ARM is lower than that of a fixed rate mortgage, where the interest rate remains the same during the life of the loan. A lower rate means lower payments, which might help you qualify for a larger loan.

How long do you plan to own the house? The possibility of rate increases isn't as much of a factor if you plan to sell the home within a few years.

Do you expect your income to increase? If so, the extra funds might cover the higher payments that result from rate increases.

Some ARMs can be converted to a fixed-rate mortgage. However, conversion fees could be high enough to take away all of the savings you saw with the initial lower rate.
ARM Indexes

While you can't dictate which index a lender uses, you can choose a loan and lender based on the index that will apply to the loan. Ask the lender how each index used has performed in the past. Your goal is to find an ARM that is linked to an index that has remained fairly stable over many years.

When comparing lenders, consider both the index and the margin rate being offered.
Discounted Rates and Buydowns

When you're buying a home you might encounter sellers who offer to pay a buydown fee that allows the lender to offer you an initial rate that's lower than the sum of the index and the margin. New home builders sometimes offer that type of purchase package to help get people into their homes.

The buydown rate will eventually expire and your payments could rise significantly if an ARM rate is adjusted upwards at the same time the discount expires.

Keep in mind that sellers sometimes raise the price of a home by the amount they pay to buydown your loan. The extra cost may in time override any savings from the initial discount.
Interest Rate Caps

Rate caps limit how much interest you can be charged. There are two types of interest rate caps associated with ARMs.

* Periodic caps limit the amount your interest rate can increase from one adjustment period to the next. Not all ARMs have periodic rate caps.

* Overall caps limit how much the interest rate can increase over the life of the loan. Overall caps have been required by law since 1987.

Payment Caps

A payment cap limits how much your monthly payment can increase at each adjustment. ARMs with payment caps often do not have periodic rate caps.
Carryovers

If an interest rate cap held your interest down at an adjustment even though the index went up, the amount of the increase can be carried over to the next adjustment period.
Beware of Negative Amortization

Amortization takes place when payments are large enough to pay the interest due plus a portion of the principal.

Negative amortization occurs when payments do not cover the cost of interest. The unpaid amount is added back to the loan, where it generates even more interest debt. If this continues you could make many payments, but still owe more than you did at the beginning of the loan.

Negative amortization generally occurs when a loan has a payment cap that keeps monthly payments from covering the cost of interest.
The Bottom Line

Lenders are required to give you written information to help you compare and select a mortgage. Don't hesitate to ask as many questions as it takes to help you understand every aspect of ARMs and other home loans that are offered to you.





For more information on adjustable rate mortgages, amortization tables, mortgage basics visit Independent Loan Information.



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For more information on Scott Watts visit his web site.




Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/mortgage/mortgage-closing-costs.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/mortgage/mortgage-closing-costs.html Sat, 16 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0500
The amount of money you will need to pay in closing costs will very. It depends on several factors. Taxes change depending on your location. Realtors, attorneys and banks can all charge different fees. But in general closeting costs run between 3% to 6% of the total mortgage amount.
That means if you are taking out a mortgage for $100,000 then your closing costs will be around $3,000 to $6,000. By law (The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act) lenders are required to give you an estimate of the closing costs within three days of receiving your application


There are many fees that comprise closing costs. And you should look over all of the closeing costs carefully. Remember that nothing is set in stone. You should always try to convince or negotiate with the lender to pay a fee or just drop it entirely. You could also negotiate with the seller to see if they will pay some of the closing costs.

Closing costs for a mortgage fall into three main categories, the cost of the loan, fees for transferring ownership and taxes.

The following is a list of mortgage closing costs:

Processing fee – This is a fee that the bank charges for processing the mortgage. This fee usually includes application and credit check fees. Remember these fees are not the same with each lender. You should always shop around. In general the processing fee is between $400 and $500.

Appraisal fee This is the fee the appraiser. The appraiser is an independent agent who gives an opinion on the value of the house. This opinion is used to confirm the value of the house. This fee is usually around $300

Origination fee
This is a fee that a lender may charge on top of an application or processing fee.
The origination fee is to pay for additional work involved in preparing your mortgage. It is not always part of the closing costs so make sure you ask your lender about this fee.

Discount points
A discount point is either paid when your mortgage is approved or when you close on the mortgage. Discount points can save you a lot in interest payments. For more information on discount points visit our section on points.

Document preparation fee
This is a fee for preparing all of the documents required for the closing. This fee can be a flat rate or on occasion a percentage of the loan (usually less then 1% of the mortgage). This fee can also be a part of the attorney or the application fee.


Attorney fees
The fees for both the lenders and borrowers lawyers. This includes the cost for the creation of documents and to make sure that every thing has been done right. The closing attorney will collect all fees; pay any taxes and outstanding bills, pay the closing fees and make sure that the seller receives there money. Attorney fees can range from $500 to exceeding $1500.



Home and pest inspections
In most cases the lender will require that there be a home inspection. Home inspections make sure that the home is in good shape and free insects.

Homeowner's and hazard insurance
In most states your will have to have your insurance policies in place at the time of closing. You will also be required to pay the first year’s premium up front. These policies will protect you and the lender if there is any damage to the house.


Private mortgage insurance (PMI)
If the down payment on the house is less then %20 of the principle you will have to purchase private mortgage insurance (PMI). Private mortgage insurance (PMI) protects the lender incase you fail to make your payments. Visit our section on Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) for more information.




Surveys
Surveys are done to make sure that there have been no changes to the property since the last survey. Changes could be new structures or encroachments on the property. Survey fees are usually between $250 to $500.


Prepaid interest
In some cases your first mortgage payment may not be due for a full month. Though the interest on your loan will begin on the day you close on your mortgage. The amount of interest that is created during the time you close on your mortgage and the time of your first payment will be due at closing. This means you pay the interest up front. One way to reduce the amount of prepaid interest is to plan the closing for the end of the month. This way there will be less time between the closing and your first payment and thus reduce the prepaid interest.

Deed recording fees
This is the cost to have the deed and mortgage recorded.

Visit Independent Loan Information for more information on basics real estate terms and closing costs .


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Scott Watts is an author and web publisher. He writes on real estate , debt management.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/mortgage/amortization-and-private-mortgage-insurance-pmi-two-real-estate-terms-everyone-should-know.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/mortgage/amortization-and-private-mortgage-insurance-pmi-two-real-estate-terms-everyone-should-know.html Sat, 16 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Amortization:

Amortization is the process by which your monthly loan payment is determined In an Amortized loan you make periodic or monthly payments.
In an amortized loan the amount of the loan payment is determined by the size of the principal on the mortgage, the type of mortgage, the interest rate on the mortgage, and the number of payments you are too make.
If you have a Fixed Rate Mortgage your payments will be the same over the life of the loan. While if you have an Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) your monthly payments will change with the change in interest rates.

How the loan payment is decided?

When you take out a loan the total amount of money that you borrow is called the principle. This is usually the price of the house minus the down payment. Interest is the amount of money that the bank or lender charges you for the loan. It is a percentage of the principle.
In an amortized loan your monthly payment is the principle divided by the number of payments plus the interest, taxes, and PMI.
Your monthly mortgage payment will first go to paying part of the interest on the loan and then it will go to paying part of the principle. In the beginning of the loan the majority of your loan payment will go to the paying of interest. This will change over the life of the loan. By the time you are half way through the loan your mortgage payment will go equally to interest and principal with each month after having a larger part of the payment going towards the principle.

Private mortgage insurance:

Private mortgage insurance is a great tool for those of us who do not have the typical 20% down payment.
A lender will always want you to put down the largest down payment as possible. In general they are looking to receive 20% of the purchase price of the house. Unfortunately not all of us have the funds for a 20% down payment. In a lot of cases you may only have 10% or as little as 3% for a down payment. This is where Private mortgage insurance comes in.
In a way private mortgage insurance makes up the difference between what you have for a down payment and the 20% the bank is looking for. Lenders allow lower down payments with PMI because Private mortgage insurance will pay the mortgage if you can’t pay or if you go into default on the loan.

Let’s give an example of how PMI works

Let’s say I have $20,000 in the bank for a down payment on a house. If my only option was to put down a %20 down payment I could only afford a house with a maximum value of $100,000. But if I can purchase private mortgage insurance and put down %10 I could afford a house with a maximum value of $200,000. With a %5 down payment my purchasing power goes up to $400,000.
Remember that with lower down payment you have to buy PMI. For a loan of $200,000 and a %10 down payment your payments might be around $80 a month. PMI payments are usually paid as part of your monthly mortgage payment and are placed in escrow until it is time to pay the premium

The cancellation of PMI

The Homeowners Protection Act of 1998 requires that PMI be canceled once the owner has reached %22 equity in there home (based on the original property value) on mortgages signed on or after July 29, 1999. Once you have reached the %20 equity mark you can also request that PMI be canceled
If you signed your mortgage before July 29, 1999 then you may request that PMI be canceled once you have reached the %20 mark but they are not required to do so.
There are a few possible exceptions like if you have not kept your payments current; if there liens on the property or you are considered a high risk loan.
You should see what the laws are in your state you might have more protections especially for those who sing before July 29, 1999
Visit Independent Loan Information for more information about basic mortgage terms like Equity, Escrow and closing costs.


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Scottie Watts is an author and web publisher. He writes on real estate and debt management.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/debt/how-to-stop-collection-calls-and-other-things.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/debt/how-to-stop-collection-calls-and-other-things.html Fri, 12 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0600
I would like to state that not all debt collectors are bad debt collectors. Most debt collectors are good people doing a tuff job. But that said there are many dishonest collection firms out there. And when you’re in debt the last thing you want is to be hounded by unscrupulous people trying to get as much money out of you as they can. Any way they can.

Your best defense against dishonest collection firms is knowledge. As the saying goes knowledge is power. I my self have been the victim of Identity theft and have had to deal with a couple of unruly collection firms in my day. So this article talks about some of the things I learned along the way.

First off you should know that the law is on your side. That is the side of the consumer. Federal and state laws are written to protect you from collection scams, dishonest collection firms, protect your privacy and make sure you are treated decently.

Most likely the first question on your mind is how can I stop the phone calls. Yes, you can stop the phone calls. All you need to do to stop the phone calls is to send a letter to the collection firm asking them to stop. It is that simple. According to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act once a debt collector receives your letter they can not contact you except to say they will stop contacting you or to let you know they intend to take a specific action like a law suite. You should remember that just because they stop calling does not mean that the debt goes away. It’s still there, they just stop calling.

Being in debt can be embarrassing. Most people are not eager to have there friends or family member know that they have fallen behind. In general state and federal laws prohibit debt collectors from talking to other people about your debt. In some cases a debt collector can contact other people but only to find out where you live, what your phone number is, and where you work. In general debt collectors are not allow to talk about your debt to other people except your lawyer or with your permission. Debt collectors are also prohibited from contacting you while you are at work if they know that you can’t take calls at work.

The next thing I would like to talk about is harassment. Harassment is when a debt collector threatens you, uses obscene language or repeatedly uses the telephone to annoy you. All of these activities are illegal. In these cases it is best that you requested by letter that the agency stop contacting you. If they continue you should file a complete with your states attorney general and the Federal Trade Commission. Your states attorney generals office may even be able to direct you to an advocate who can help guide you through your situation.
Debt collectors are also prohibited from making false statements. A false statement can be when a collector represents or implies that they are attorneys or government representatives or falsely imply that you have committed a crime. A collector is also not allowed to tell you that they are sending you legal forms when they are not legal form or to tell you that forms or paper work are not legal forms when they are. Debt collectors can not tell you that you will be arrested if you do not pay your debt.

Ok so now you have some more knowledge. What can you do with it? First of all you can stop the annoying and sometimes harassing phone calls. You should also know that you can take action against the collection firm.

If you believe that a debt collection agency has violated the law the first thing you should do is to file a complete with your attorney generals office and the Federal Trade Commission. Second you should know that you have the right to sue a collection agency if they have violated that law. You have up to one year after the violation was made to file a law suite. If you win you can receive money for damages plus up to $1,000. You can also recover court costs and any attorney’s fees. I am not a lawyer and you should always consult a lawyer before taking any legal action.

Now that you have some more knowledge I hope you will be able to better advocate for your self and help you deal unscrupulous collection firms.
If you would like more information on Credit law, Credit reports, Credit fraud or ways you can manage and get out of your debt you should visit Kissed by fire




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Scottie Watts is a Web publisher with knowledge in Credit law, Credit reports, Credit fraud. For more information on Scottie Watts visit Scottie Watts.com

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>