Credit and Finance
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Like it or Not, Finance Matters, a Lot
Finance. We hear that word thrown around quite a bit and used in phrases like in the world of high finance or financing options are available for those who qualify, but what does it really mean? It doesn't take an E.F. Hutton or J. Paul Getty to understand that the term finance and variations like financial, financing, financier, and such are related to monetary matters. You may be surprised, however, just how many people have no real idea what is meant by finance. In fact, it's safe to say that much of America has a better fix on the goings on inside the Big Brother house than they do on what happens at the Federal Reserve! This is sad, but true.
Understanding Basic Finance Terms
If your like many, you don't always understand what people are talking about when it comes to loans. Without understanding the basic terminology when it comes to loans you just aren't setting yourself up right to make an educated decision when it comes to applying for a loan. There are hundreds of terms; Below are some of the most important:
It would probably be ideal if business and life were as simple as producing goods, selling them and recording the profits. But there are often circumstances that disrupt the cycle, and it's part of the accountants job to report these as well. Changes in the business climate, or cost of goods or any number of things can lead to exceptional or extraordinary gains and losses in a business. Some things that can alter the income statement can include downsizing or restructuring the business. This used to be a rare thing in the business environment, but is now fairly commonplace. Usually it's done to offset losses in other areas and to decrease the cost of employees' salaries and benefits. However, there are costs involved with this as well, such as severance pay, outplacement services, and retirement costs.
Credit Cards and Home Equity Loans - Read the Fine Print
These days, everyone's lives are burdened with paperwork. With newspapers, magazines, bills, junk mail, and who-knows-what taking up space in their day, few people have time to look at every piece of paper that comes their way. Unfortunately, it's becoming more and more necessary to carefully examine bills and contracts, as various penalties are finding their way into the fine print of credit card bills, home equity loan and mortgage contracts. It truly pays to take the time to read the fine print in these documents.
Up to one third of major credit card issuers now include a "universal default clause" in their credit card terms. The UDC allows the credit card company to raise the interest rate on the account if the cardholder pays his or her bills late. This can apply even if the credit card bill is paid on time! It is important to find out if your credit card terms include a UDC, as your interest rate could be affected by whether or not you pay your telephone bill on time. This is just one of many ways that credit card companies are increasing their profits, but it isn't one that they're willing to advertise. When a letter comes in the mail from your credit card company that says "change in your credit card terms" or something like it, make sure that you read it. Failure to do so could raise the interest rate on your credit card substantially.
Another "fine print" issue that has been turning up recently is the prepayment penalty that is now being attached to up to half of all mortgages and home equity loans. The volatile nature of interest rates in the lending market has inspired many homeowners to repeatedly refinance their homes in the last few years. Lenders often hold a mortgage for only a few months before the borrower finds a lower rate and refinances, paying off the original loan. In order to "protect" the profits from lending the money, up to half of all lenders are now requiring a substantial penalty if the loan is paid off prior to a specified date. These fees can amount to several thousand dollars on a primary mortgage and several hundred dollars on a home equity loan. Most borrowers would not be pleased to go through the process of refinancing their home, only to find out at closing that they owed a penalty of five thousand dollars. Instead, be sure to read the fine print in your mortgage or home equity loan documents before you sign them.
As the lending and credit markets become more and more competitive, lenders are doing more and more to increase their profits. They are not necessarily doing so in obvious ways, however, so it is always in your best interests to read any document carefully before you sign. Your failure to do so could cost you quite a bit of money.
©Copyright 2005 by Retro Marketing. Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing, a firm devoted to informational Websites, including End-Your-Debt.com, a site devoted to debt consolidation and credit counseling, and HomeEquityHelp.com, a site devoted to information regarding home equity loans.
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