Monaco Might Lose Its Status of Personal Income Tax Haven

That Monaco is crowded with celebrities is no piece of news. Since 1869, when the personal income tax policy became favorable, Monaco attracted very many individuals with high net income, such as movie stars, sporting stars etc. who became residents of the Principality in order to benefit from personal income tax exemption.

Take, for instance, Roger Moore, Shirley Bassey, Ringo Starr, Karen Mulder, Eva Herzigova, the race drivers Jacques Villeneuve, David Coulthard, Jenson Button.

But the number of celebrities is far outnumbered by the number of business people who enjoy the country's tax facilities: the retail tycoon Philip Green and the Barclay brothers are Monegasque residents.

Being a resident of Monaco implies proving you have a place to live and are rich enough to afford a very high standard way of life. And I mean really rich, as a place to live in the apartment blocks jammed into two square kilometres, either rented or bought, is extremely high.

Keeping residency implies proving you live in Monaco at least 6 months and a day per year. If you are rich, the advantage of being a Monaco resident is that, besides enjoying a sunny, pleasant climate, you can live at the same time in another country. The Principality is very close to main airports and is also easily reachable by sea, by car or by train. Thus, being a Monaco resident and working in another country is not only possible but it's easy especially speaking of UK citizens: laws in UK permit a maximum stay of 90 days (without counting the day of departure and that of arrival!) for non-residents. Many UK business people reside in Monaco and work in the UK without surpassing the 90 days limit so that they are subject to Monaco lawas for taxation.

Having attracted so many rich resulted in a conflict of interests: many countries disapprove of this taxation policy, looking at it as an evasion from taxes in their national area. And not entirely wrongly! In fact, Monaco has been "tax-cheating" a little by attracting capital from the high tax countries.

Looking at the issue from the perspective of the Principality, seems to me only right to try and succeed to evolve with the few means and resources a state so small has. Monaco developed from one of the poorest countries in the world (in the 1860s) into a state with one of the world's highest per capita income (around EUR22,000). And it was possible due to a strategic leadership of a resourceless country. It is after the territory was drastically reduced that this personal income tax policy came into being. Attracting foreign capital become one of the main targets for development. That's how the Casino became grand and famous and emphasis was put on tourism, being raised at luxury levels.

After the individual taxation regulations, in 1963 the Principality came with another financial artifice: no tax for local company profits or dividends. Thus the target was to enhance local business flourishing. This stipulation combined with an almost hermetic data privacy did nothing else than to increase even more foreign investments in Monaco.

So, from the point of view of big economic powers, Monaco should be punished, and so deserves any country daring to offer a better taxation alternative, putting at a disadvantage their high-tax based economy. The OECD has a project on "harmful tax practices" stipulating a set of punitive measures for the non-cooperating jurisdictions.

Invoking money laundering and international terrorism tracking, many OECD governments promote a policy of free information exchange that has as main purpose limiting the tax competition, beyond the intention to limit tax evasion and to combat serious crime.

Estimated negative results of OECD policy:

* Eliminating tax competition would result in uniformizing taxes to the amount dictated by some governments. Without the possibility of choosing a better alternative, there is no reason for governments to reduce taxes and make the tax system more efficient. 

* This policy would change the present status of emigrants that pay taxes only to their new country and would promote the premise that the state still has a right to benefit from its former national labour. This sounds to me like a violation of fundamental human rights.

Although in 2004 still on the OECD black list of the tax policy non-cooperating jurisdictions, Monaco has changed its policy regarding the high confidentiality of financial data in the light of the expected, recent admission to the Council of Europe (Monaco joined the Europe Council on October 5, 2004 ). Modifications to legislation:

* October 2001: French citizens living in Monaco since 1989 must pay a wealth tax beginning with 2002. 

* Information on French nationals are to be unconditionally provided to the Bank of France when required. Information may be passed on to the authorities of France or of a third country if necessary. 

* 2004: Under EU's Savings Tax Directive, Monaco will impose a witholding tax on the returns on savings such as bank interests earned by EU citizens. The tax quantum will be the same as in Austria, Belgium and Luxembourg (initially 15%). 75% of such revenues will be handed over to the Member State of the respective EU resident. This will be applied beginning with 2005. 

* December 2000: Monaco signs the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime. The treaty stipulates that its members do not permit anonymous accounts requiring identification of customers. Banks must keep accurate records of accounts and report any suspicious transaction. Moreover, the domestic law enforcement officials are permitted inspection of accounts.

With all these measures, it seems that Monaco's attraction as a personal income tax haven will decrease. It remains to be seen how all these measures will affect Monaco financial and banking system after becoming operative.

Ramona Irinescu writes for http://www.ilovemontecarlo.com where you can find more information about Monte Carlo.

Please feel free to use this article in your Newsletter or on your website. If you use this article, please include the resource box and send a brief message to let me know where it appeared. mailto: ririnescu@gmail.com

Merchant Accounts - How to Save Money

Merchant Accounts

Your business is successful, but now your ready to take it to the next level and begin accepting credit card transactions, or you have already taken this step but your feeling that your merchant account provider has high fees and your not sure what to do, or what other providers are out there?

You can save hundred's even thousand's of dollars per year by switching over to a new merchant. How is this so?

Just in transaction fees alone if one provider is charging you 35 cents per transaction and another Merchant account provider charges 25 cents you are already saving 10 cents per transaction.

If you process over 1000 transactions per month thats already $100 per month savings and over one year this amounts to $1,200.

Merchant Accounts can make or break your business, whether it is online, retail, phone, mail, or wireless. Every Merchant Account provider has fees that can affect your business in different ways.

We have compared the best merchant account providers currently in the business and we have detailed their fees so you know exactly how much you will be charged.

If you would like to find out who our trusted merchant account providers are and a list of their fees you can find it all on http://www.merchant-account-info-zone.com

Ben Cloutier

President Merchant Account Info Zone

http://www.merchant-account-info-zone.com

How Will Check 21 Affect You?

You may already be familiar with Check 21, a federal law that 

goes into effect on October 28, 2004. If you're like me, this may 

be something you hadn't heard about until just yesterday. The 

Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act, otherwise known as Check 

21, is the process of turning the checks your write into images and 

transmitting them by computer.

What does this mean to you?

Expect the time your check clears to decrease drastically. If you live 

paycheck to paycheck and often count on a one or two day "grace period" to get 

funds into your account after paying bills, you'll need to re-organize your budgeting 

process. Checks will clear in a matter of hours now, not days.

You will no longer be getting your cancelled checks back with your 

bank statement. If you get anything at all, it will be a "substitute check" 

which is a certain kind of copy of your original check.

You may be charged extra fees. It's possible that by using this method, 

your check will be paid twice: once with the original and once with the 

scanned image. Or there may be an error made in the amount a check 

was written for in the process of turning an paper check into an electronic 

check.

What you should do:

Re-organize your budget. You have to make sure that you have the 

funds in your account to cover every check you write to avoid bouncing 

any checks.

Request substitute checks. You will not be entitled to a credit to your 

account if an error has been made unless you have a substitute check.

Balance your checkbook. If you are not in the habit of balancing your 

checkbook with your bank statement each month, you need to start. 

This will ensure that you'll find any mistakes that may have been made.

Learn more. Consumer's Union did not support Check 21. Find out why 

and learn more about Check 21 HERE

Shannon is the webmaster and owner of a website that offers premade scrapbook pages. Visit now at Premade Scrapbook Pages

Local Real Estate Agents May Provide More Relevant Homes For Sale Data Than National Sites

Marietta, GA, (November 3, 2004) - According to the National Association of Realtors, 70% of all home buyers search the internet for home listings at some point. While most people choose national sites such as Realtor.com to view listings on the internet, many of these people may not realize that it can take several days for new listings to appear. Additionally, once the home is under contract or sold, it may take several more days before the listing is actually removed. This often leads to a sense of frustration for home buyers.

Many local real estate agents solve this problem by pulling information on homes for sale directly from their Multiple Listing Services (MLS) and updating the homes for sale data on a daily basis. Sanford Rosser of Heritage Real Estate Brokers in Marietta Georgia says, "Saavy home hunters know the best homes are often sold quickly - sometimes within 24 hours of hitting the market. We recognize the importance of updating our site daily and showing every home for sale from all brokers, not just ours. As a result, we have noticed that a few of our clients have been able to beat other buyers to new listings and often save money by acting quickly and avoiding those awful bidding wars."

Typical internet home shoppers want to see properties that they can buy today while not wasting time looking at homes that have already sold or giving out personal information. Rosser added, "The ability to find homes for sale on the internet has placed more demands on local real estate professionals to provide consumers with accurate and relevant information. In addition, people are increasingly hesitant to give out their name, address, e-mail, or phone number just to see what's on the market right now. By offering a less personally intrusive, more relevant, and more comprehensive home search capability using their web presence, local agents can make the home buying process less frustrating for their clients."

This article may be republished only if the link to our website is active.

Sanford Rosser is a real estate agent who specializes in Atlanta Real Estate

Don't Wait For The Perfect Situation To Pay Down Your Debt

The number one reason people don't get out of debt is they 

don't try. This may apply to you. You want to, but never 

seem to do it. You put it off for whatever reason.

You want to wait for your life to be just right before you 

make the attempt. You tell yourself, when I get the new 

job, when I receive the next promotion, or when I get my 

next raise, I'll go to work on my debt.

Perhaps you are waiting for some artificially set date. You 

tell yourself the first of the year will be a good time to start 

or when you get back from vacation. Whenever it is, it is 

always in the future.

I call this "perfect situation procrastinating.". This allows 

you to put off any action, while you wait for your situation 

to be perfect. It reminds me of a story I read the other day 

about a mother registering her daughter for kindergarten.

The mother, a school teacher, took her daughter to register 

for kindergarten. They were greeted by the kindergarten 

teacher near a table outside the room. On the table she had 

some paper and crayons. The mother stood back while the 

teacher did, what the mother recognized as, a simple 

screening of her daughter's abilities.

The teacher asked the child to choose her favorite color 

crayon and write her name on one of the pieces of paper. 

The mother hovering in the background, knew her daughter 

could not only spell her name, but the names of all her 

family members. She was pleased her daughter would do so 

well.

However the child just stood and stared at the crayons. The 

teacher again asked her to choose her favorite color and 

write her name. The child remained still. Her mother knew 

she could do this but stayed back to allow the teacher to 

handle it. The teacher then put her arm around the girl and 

told her it was all right, she would learn to write her name 

during the school year.

As the little girl and mother rode home the mother asked 

her why she didn't write her name. Her daughter 

responded, "She asked me to write my name with my 

favorite color and there was no pink crayon." 

The little girl, very capable of doing what was asked of her, 

didn't do it because the situation was not perfect.

Many times we are the same way. As you get ready to tackle your debt, do that of which you are capable, not waiting for the perfect situation. While it is important to have a plan, it is more important to just begin. A plan may be adjusted as you go, but if you continually adjust your start date, you will never put your plan into action. So, start now, don't wait for your pink crayon.

(c) 2004 David Wilding

David Wilding has, for the past ten years, worked with groups and individuals to change their attitudes toward the acceptance of personal debt. Visit his website http://www.debtattack.com for additional ideas, tools, and strategies for getting rid of debt.

Who Are You? - Protecting Yourself From Identity Theft

In the movie “The Net,” Sandra Bullock played the role of a victim of identity theft. In fact, she was basically erased from the community. Another woman consumed her identity, taking with it everything Sandra Bullock’s character had - including her bank accounts, license and social security number, and even her home. It seems crazy to think this could happen; after all it’s only a movie. But just as fairy tales can come true, so can your worst nightmare. Theft of identity is happening at an alarming rate. Over 100,000 identity theft complaints are filed each year.

Identity thieves work in various ways. One of the most common is to open up a new credit card in your name, using your date of birth and social security number. They rack up charges, don’t pay the bill and the delinquent account is reported on your credit report. They can also change the mailing address so that your credit card will be sent to a false address, giving them more time to make purchases, until you realize there is a problem. They may also establish cellular phone services and bank accounts in your name, making costly phone calls and writing bad checks.

Identity theft today is much more than losing your wallet full of cash. You could lose your entire savings account. Some victims are stuck paying false loans and huge credit card debt. At the very least victims will lose their good credit rating. Most people spend endless hours trying to clear up security and financial problems that arise. This can be costly, time consuming and causes enormous stress to the victim and their family.

Don’t wait to take actions to prevent identity theft. You can be proactive in reducing your chances of becoming a victim using some simple strategies. Don’t put this off – you can do it a little at a time and it’s easier than you think – and the irony, is that other areas of managing your life will be more organized as well! Here are some tips you can do right away.

• Never give out your social security number to anyone – unless the agency requesting it can guarantee confidentiality.

• Take your social security number off your Drivers license and checks.

• Cancel and cut up unused or “extra” credit cards.

• Check your credit card statements for any purchases that seem odd to you – keep track of what you buy!

• Watch your phone bill, cable bill, internet bill, etc., for any increase in charges.

• If your credit card bill is late or you suspect it is lost, call the credit card issuer immediately.

• Check with your creditors on their policy for stolen cards or fraudulently accessed accounts. (You could be liable!)

• Mail bills from the post office or official postal box instead of your home.

• Keep important documents, (passport, birth certificate, stocks, savings accounts), locked in a safe or file drawer.

• Shred old bank and credit card statements, making sure account numbers, passwords, and addresses are unreadable before discarding.

• THINK about what you are throwing in the trash. Assume anyone can and will go through it after it leaves your home!

• Keep a written record or photo copy (locked away) of the contents of your wallet or purse. Don’t carry your wallet with you when it is not necessary.

• Create passwords that make sense to you but are not the usual birth date, anniversary, pet or maiden name.

• Use only web sites that are encrypted and secure and have a privacy policy -before you type in your credit card number.

It is helpful to check your credit report annually as well. You should request this information from all three credit agencies (TransUnion (800) 888-4213; Experian (888) 397-3742; Equifax (800) 685-1111) and verify that the information they give you is correct. In addition, ask these agencies to put a “Fraud Alert” on your account, so that before anyone can borrow money they have to contact you in person.

Unfortunately, even with extra effort, identity theft can still happen. We trust total strangers with our personal information everyday – applying for a car loan or mortgage – writing a check – patient care at a hospital – even stamped on our children’s back pack! It would be ludicrous for us not to give out this information from time to time, but knowing where we give it out and to whom is helpful. The key to quick recovery from such a disaster is to notice it quickly and take immediate action. Here’s what to do if you think you may be a victim of this crime:

• Contact the fraud department of all three credit agencies (listed above) and report your findings.

• Call your financial institutions or creditors for any accounts that have been fraudulently accessed or opened and close these accounts.

• Report the identity theft to the police. Get a copy of the police report to give to your creditors for poof of the crime.

• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission 1-877- ID-THEFT, (www.consumer.gov/idtheft.com [http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft.com]).

Staying proactive and organized will pay off in the long run, for life in general and particularly in trying to avert identify theft. Keeping accurate accounting records, personal files and paper management is key to a calmer, safer existence. If you find it difficult to do on your own, consider hiring a professional organizer who specializes in this expertise. Regardless of the stage of life you are in, get your affairs in order. You are a unique individual with your own identity. No one should be able to take that away from you!

© Barbara Hemphill is the author of Kiplinger's Taming the Paper Tiger at Work and Taming the Paper Tiger at Home and co-author of Love It or Lose It: Living Clutter-Free Forever. The mission of Hemphill Productivity Institute is to help individuals and organizations create and sustain a productive environment so they can accomplish their work and enjoy their lives. We do this by organizing space, information, and time. We can be reached at 800-427-0237 or at www.ProductiveEnvironment.com

Brainstorming Your Way To Riches!

A great deal has been written about the group thinking concept. Members all participate in solving problems, coming up with new ideas or dreaming up new products. (Many heads are better than one?)

They discuss the product, idea, or problem with each person throwing out their thoughts on the subject regardless of how ridiculous it may seem. This is supposed to generate a vast pool of knowledge, including the answer to what the group is trying to find.

Each idea is written down by one of the group and eventually the puzzle is supposed to fall in place and the solution found.

Another method is for you to do your own private brainstorming, using a tape recorder. When it is played back, it just may have the solution for you.

Generally, however, neither method produces any better results than if you study the matter thoroughly and look at it from every possible angle. After you have "busted" your brain capacity in this manner, sleep in it and let your "subconscious" find the solution.

If you are looking for the place to get better ideas, Best-internet-businesses.com provides tools for you to brainstorming hundreds of good ideas and help you establish a profitable business online. If you want to learn about the details and get the software, you are welcome to visit http://www.best-internet-businesses.com

---------------------------------------------------------

Julia Tang publishes Smart Online Business Tips, a fresh 

and informative newsletter dedicated to supporting people

like you! To find out the best online business opportunities,

and to discover hundreds more proven and practical internet 

marketing secrets, plus FREE internet marketing products 

worth over $200, visit: http://www.best-internet-businesses.com

----------------------------------------------------------

Note: Feel free to publish it with the resource box and content unchanged

Collecting Past Due Accounts

What do you gain by winning a lottery sized settlement with a bankrupt company? 

This is your cash flow situation when you allow your accounts receivable to grow. Getting the sale is wonderful, but collecting payment is the key to positive cash flow.  Follow your credit policy with all clients. Don't assume that because your contact is a nice person that you'll get paid. Your contact may not control the purse strings of the company.  Any special agreements with the company must be in writing. Should your contact leave the company, there would be no memory of any special agreement you may have made for payment. Just as you reconfirm flights and accomodations for an important trip, leave nothing to chance when it comes to collecting your past due accounts, if you want a positive cash flow.

Cheryl Cook works to develop business relationships where her experience, knowledge, and ideas can help improve the small business owner’s cash flow. As the Executive Director of Pro Money Inc., Cheryl conducts workshops with the Chamber of Commerce and teaches adult education classes on topics related to cash flow. Cheryl publishes an ezine every other week titled “Cash Flow Tips for Your Business.” [http://www.promoneyinc.com]

What Will You Take For A Dollar?

The other day I sat in a meeting listening to a young man extol the virtues of owning real estate. Much of what he said was true. However two things made me sit up and take notice. I couldn't help but comment. 

First, he said the interest on your home loan was tax deductible, so the government underwrites your house payment. I asked the amount the government pays him. He said they didn't pay him anything. They allowed the interest on his home loan to be deducted from his taxable income. 

Assuring him I didn't want to be nosey, I asked what the deduction meant to him. "Twenty-eight percent of the interest paid, I save on taxes," was the reply. "So, you get to keep 28 cents for every dollar in interest you pay?" Eagerly he responded, "YES." 

 He didn't see the problem with the math. I decided to help him out. I took some change from my pocket and placed 28 cents on the table. I asked if he would give me a dollar for the coins. Before he could answer, I sweetened the pot. I put a total of 56 cents on the table. I said, "I'll double the amount Uncle Sam gives you. I'll give you 56 cents for every dollar you can scrape together." He didn't seem too excited about my idea. He understood the demonstration. "Pay off the mortgage." I told him. 

But he wasn't through. He mentioned, "The property was going up in value." I asked his age, and he told me 30. I then asked, how well he remembered the early 1980's. He didn't. 

I told him real estate doesn't go up in a straight line, and on occasion it goes down. I told him I bought a home in the spring of 1980. Almost immediately the real estate market went flat. Five years later if I sold my home I felt certain I would have owed money to the bank at closing. We waited 10 years before the market started to move up. 

Just recently the market hit another bump in the road. In our area prices dipped 3% in the past year. With easy money and low down payments, many new buyers find themselves upside down in their mortgages. Many people, who have a home equity loan up to or even exceeding the value of the property, find themselves in the same boat. 

Did he understand the moral? Yes, he did. Borrow as little as possible, pay it off as quickly as you can. 

The goal of living debt free is attainable . . . unless you want my 56 cents. 

David Wilding has for ten years, worked one-on-one and with groups to change attitudes toward personal debt. Visit his website http://www.debtattack.com for other ideas about debt.

Breaking Down the Barriers to Online Giving

Once you've spent the time and effort putting together a savvy strategy for soliciting online donations, how can you be sure you are providing soon-to-be-online-donors with a stress-free, barrier-free donation experience? Here are a few things to consider before you "go live" with your solicitation. Barrier #1--Email can be perceived as "bulk" or lacking a personal touch Solution: You already have a database with plenty of information about your donors--use it to your benefit when sending e-mail solicitations. Be sure to personalize both the e-mail message and the online experience by using database variables. Speak to them by name and--as appropriate to the message being sent--include giving status, personal interest, YTD giving / amount, acknowledge past utilization of their gifts, etc. Barrier #2-- Online whiplash & form fatigue Solution: Avoid the "whiplash" that can occur when your giving page doesn't match what the donor saw on the appeal. Don't give them any reason to question if they are in the correct place to make their gift. Custom giving pages should be designed based on the appeal, be specific to "the ask," and re-communicate the appeal within the online form. To cut down on form fatigue, pre-populate the donor information you already have in your database along with the specific ask amount. Barrier #3--Third-party giving / collection software Solution: Avoid using any software that requires your donor to register in order to give a gift (Pay-Pal is one example). You might believe that you are getting a good deal for the organization, but if the process cannot be well-integrated with your appeal, you could lose potential gifts along the way. Also consider whose name shows up on the receipt, if it's not the name of your organization it may cause confusion and lead the donor to dispute the charge or cancel the credit card because they fear the number has been stolen. Barrier #4--Thank appropriately based on donation amount Solution: It may not be the barrier to THIS gift but it could be a barrier to the next one. Are you thanking your donors in the same way for a $5 gift as you are for a $5000 gift? If so, you could be perceived as insincere on both ends of the spectrum. Be sure to use appropriate language and a level of follow-up that clearly communicates your appreciation for their gift. Barrier #5--Processing donations through shopping cart software Solution: For best results, use custom forms and online giving software. Shopping cart software is for online stores. It is designed with language about shopping and purchasing, not donating, giving or supporting an organization. It may seem like a minor thing, but you could be creating confusion and an unnecessary barrier to receiving the gift.

Merritt Olsen is a freelance writer and marketing consultant specializing in online and e-mail marketing. Need unique content for your e-mail newsletter that you can’t find here? Merritt has the experience and the savvy to write about a variety of topics and can be reached through www.tomorrowsdonor.com.

Copyright © 2004 Merritt Olsen & The Pursuant Group. Permission is granted to reprint this article in print, an e-mail newsletter or on your website so long as the paragraph above is included and contact information is provided to www.pursuantgroup.com.

The Best Time To Starty Your Own Business

I started reading business opportunity magazines approximately 40 years ago. And for the last 40 years, the January issues have proclaimed:

NOW IS THE BEST TIME TO START YOUR OWN BUSINESS!

The reasons supporting this bold blast have varied over these 40 years as you can well imagine. This year the reasons float around the fact we are fat, i.e., great economy, low unemployment and an income level allowing for disposable dollars.

Let's say that is true. Does that mean this is the best time to start your own business? Well, given this is such a monumentous decision the real answer is: It depends on your state of mind at this point in time.

But what have you got to lose, right? You don't have to quit your job. You don't have to take a second mortgage to finance the venture and you don't have to sell your soul.

Why not go for it?

Couple this risk free environment with the Internet and there is almost no reason why you shouldn't take the plunge.

As you may already know, the Internet has so much free information on starting a business that it would seem like the antithesis to not start your own business.

The Internet's information pool hands you the tools to start your own business offline, online or both. The Small Business Administration's site alone (http://www.sba.gov)

could launch any number of different types of businesses.

Put almost any type of entry into a search engine, and you will find some site dealing with the search request. In fact, if you had no other tool, search engines could dish up enough information to meet the research requirements for a Ph.D. on starting your own business.

Fortunately you don't have to rely on search engines alone.

The major book sellers are still selling books by the volumes (pardon the pun) everyday. Seems information is the number one best seller today as 40 years ago.

Your local library has both books and computers. Chances are excellent these computers are also hooked up to the Net.

Magazines and newspapers are also on the shelves for patrons.

Don't forget the mall. It has bookstores and the bookstores have books, magazines, newspapers, CDs, etc.

Information saturation is the fuel propelling start ups.

Given the economic safety net, or at least the perceived safety, people are stepping out to start up. Even if they fail, they accelerated commerce for the time they were in business. It is a win-win scenario.

You can accuse me of becoming brainwashed over 40 years of reading now is the best time to start your own business, but, think about it, when is the best time? It will always be now since yesterday is tomorrow's today.

Your attitude determines your altitude. If you believe now is the best time to start your own business, then go for it.

Take the first step and don't look back.

I wish you continued success.

2004 (c) This article may not be reprinted without permission of the author who can be reached at tom-koziol@excite.com

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The Big Apple - Beyond Business As Usual

Time heals...it's been a few years since the 9/11 trauma and it has taken me this long to find a way to help the healing process of The Big City! You see, I'm a professional shaman who lives within driving distance of Manhattan. However, unlike other healers and the many others who personally went into 'ground zero' to offer their services, I didn't go. I knew that I was too sensitive to handle the initial massive trauma that must have been all around. I feared that the scar would stay with me for life.

My wife and I did some shopping on the Jersey side of the Hudson many months later and I was shocked to find smoke still rising above Lower Manhattan. I knew then that I had made the right decision not to go earlier.......it was just too much for me!

Now that some time has passed, and re-construction is in it's early phase.....this article is my small contribution the the healing process.

Although I was born in Brooklyn, I left there as a very young child. I have spent most of my life in NYC suburbs, mostly in Long Island and currently in a very small town just north of the city, along the Hudson River. So when I visit Manhattan, really I'm just another tourist.........I visit but don't really live there. However, the city always stays in the background of my life. I can sense that it is there, and realize it is a major factor in many people's lives around me. Also, at least to me...to say I'm a New Yorker implies some kind of connection the the city.

I don't think my sense of connection to The Big Apple is really unique.....the World uses it as it's financial center. So I suspect that in some way it is a background factor to the The Global Community. We know that the effects of 9/11 were felt around the world.

With this in mind....my spirit guides suggest we use this re-building process to re-think about what to build. Do we simply re-construct the World's Financial Center, and get back to business as usual, or move beyond that? Frankly, I think the shake up was strong enough to get us moving in a slightly new direction. Evolution is a slow process, but we are at one of it's doorways right now!

The health and mental fields have been integrating holism for many years now. The business world has been very stuck in older, more fragmented approaches to planning and operation. This time of reconstruction is also a real chance to bring [ spirit to work ]. It's a chance to create a more holistic, global and integrated business model. Holism makes everything Holy, yes even business. This whole business model states that money and business are just another aspect of Spirit.

So business holism is not about going broke.....and heading off to a monastery, but actually making more money, and creating even more success. This newer model suggests that if you can create meaningful inner changes then you can also create outer improvements.

So Manhattan......take your place again in the Global Business Community, be even bigger and brighter then before. Guide the way to Liberty and take holism as your new torch! Good Luck!

Jerry is a former psychotherapist and is currently a professional shaman. He publishes an online magazine and newsletter dealing with shamanism and holism as they apply to life and business. You can reach the magazine at this address: [http://www.jeremiahhuck.workzsites.com]

What Is Cash Flow?

Cash flow simply means the money that comes into and leaves a business or 

household. Money flows into a business in the form of revenues and out through 

the form of expenses. Money flows into a household in many forms. Are you 

receiving money from a structured settlement or lottery? Those are incoming cash 

flows. Do you owe money to anyone? Those are outgoing cash flows.

While owner financing can trace its roots much further back into history, it was the 

1980s that really saw a new beginning in the Cash Flow Industry. Today there are 

more than 60 income streams that can be bought and sold. An income stream is a 

future series of payments. More technically, an income stream is a financial 

obligation or debt that one party owes to another party.

How Can You Benefit from Cash Flow?

Individuals and businesses sell income streams for three basic reasons:

o Access -- it may be a need to pay debt, settle a divorce, purchase a home, 

take a vacation, finance a wedding, start a new business, etc. Whatever income 

stream you currently have that you may need cash for immediately.

o Interest or Yield -- as interest or yield opportunities arise that allow you 

to make more money than your current investments, you may want to reallocate 

money from existing income streams to new better-producing ones.

o Inflation -- this eats away at the future earning power of your money. 

You can sell your income stream to avoid the drop in real value over time.

Individuals and businesses buy income streams as a form of investing that often 

produce better returns than they can obtain from more traditional sources.

If you would like more information on how we can help you buy or sell income 

streams, or for more information, contact us today.

***Afra AmirSanjari is the Principal for Peacock Capital. Peacock Capital specializes in solving the cash flow challenges of  Small/Medium Businesses, Government Vendors and Individuals with innovative financial solutions by providing a network for securing operating capital. 

http://www.peacockcapital.com

info@peacockcapital.com

Why Factor Invoices?

vFactoring your receivables provides for your company to have the cash it needs 

today rather than waiting over 30 days to receive payment from your client. Money 

provided by factoring your receivables can be used for whatever your company 

needs, such as:

o Pay Creditors

o Pay Payrolls

o Pay Taxes

o Take discounts on merchandise purchases

The money is cash without borrowing. Funds are available immediately upon 

presentation of invoices and backup documentation. You won't need to go to the 

bank and re-negotiate a loan every time you need money. The amount of cash 

available is directly related to your company's monthly sales volume. Bookkeeping is 

simplified and factoring your receivables eliminates you from being both the 

supplier and collector. Factoring your receivables will save you time and increase 

your ability to service more clients.

***Afra AmirSanjari is the Principal for Peacock Capital. Peacock Capital specializes in solving the cash flow challenges of  Small/Medium Businesses, Government Vendors and Individuals with innovative financial solutions by providing a network for securing operating capital. 

http://www.peacockcapital.com

info@peacockcapital.com

Medical Receivables Financing

The Rx for Ailing Cash Flow

The current adverse financial structure of the healthcare industry has placed hospitals, medical groups, private practitioners and other providers in a perilous position. Cumbersome and bureaucratic third party billing systems with long time-to-collection waiting periods have resulted in inconsistent cash flows and limited capital for growth. Nationwide, two-thirds of physicians work in practices that are set up as small business. Payment cuts 18% over four years, together with soaring malpractice premiums and other overhead costs, have threatened to put such practices out of businesses. More than 50% of doctors have deferred plans to purchase much-needed new equipment, and 30% either have laid off staff or are planning layoffs in the near future.

What Factoring "Is Not:"

o A Loan - Factoring is the sale of your medical claims for services already delivered

o Offered By Banks - Factoring is not an asset-based loan, nor is it a debt facility similar to those offered by banks.

Why not simply pick up the phone and call a bank for a loan to get through the crisis? Many of you already tried that and have been surprised to find that the average practice may not have sufficient credit and assets with which to secure adequate working capital. Additionally, the traditional banking loan application and approval process is long and involved. Debt is created for the practice to repay, and personal guarantees are required. The practice becomes less desirable for resale or acquisition.

Unlike bank lines that can tie up all of your assets, factoring involves only your third party medical claims

o No collateral other than accounts receivables

o No financial guarantees

o Unlimited amount of dollars

Factoring provides working capital without adding debt to your balance sheet. There is no predetermined maximum limit. This working capital arrangement is not limited in amount as many bank products are nor is it subject to banking "regulations."

Surveys of physicians have identified the following immediate needs:

The creation of solid dependable cash flow

Decrease in the reimbursement interval between the time service is provided and payment is received

Increase in the overall percentage of claims collected

Reduction in administrative costs

Ready availability of cash for new equipment, expansion of office space, the addition of new partners, and practice marketing

This "wish list" would be complete if access to this working capital could be created debt-free. The physician practice would then have the financial freedom to focus on business growth and patient satisfaction, instead of focusing on how to meet the next payroll or malpractice premium payment. Is such a solution possible? Fortunately, the answer is YES!

Afra AmirSanjari is the Principal for Peacock Capital. Peacock Capital specializes in solving the cash flow challenges of Small/Medium Businesses, Government Vendors and Individuals with innovative financial solutions by providing a network for securing operating capital.

http://www.peacockcapital.com

info@peacockcapital.com

Accountability In Trading

I recently heard from a trader who told me he has been having problems with discipline in his day trading. He knows how to trade, he knows the setups he needs to be looking for in the charts, when to enter, and when to exit. His trouble is in having the discipline to wait for only those setups and not to take half baked trades in the meantime.

This is a very common problem for traders, I imagine everyone goes through it at some stage in their career. In working with student traders over the years, I have noticed a phenomenon that I think explains one of the reasons for this lack of discipline. When I watch student traders trade, they tend to sit very patiently and explain to me what they are seeing on the chart in front of them. When they see a valid setup come along, they can quite happily tell me what the setup is and how they plan to trade it, and subsequently they will execute the trade accordingly. When the same student is trading alone, they start taking all sorts of off-plan trades, setups that aren't really setups at all. It seems that the difference when trading alone, is that the trader suddenly has no accountability. If they have someone looking over their shoulder keeping them in check, everything is fine. They know that if they take an off-plan trade then they will have to explain to me why they did so when it all goes horribly wrong. Trading at home alone, the trader is accountable only to themselves, and they are probably not going to give themselves the same hard time I would if they didn't follow their trading plan to the letter!

So it seems that one of the benefits of trading for a living, that independence from the boss, can actually be a hindrance at times. Short of hiring a manager to stand watch over them, what can a trader do to overcome this lack of accountability in their trading? One method I recommend is to give a running commentary out loud throughout the trading session, as if talking to a mentor. Explain what you are seeing on the chart, where you think a trade is setting up and why, how you will enter, how you will manage the trade, and where you will be exiting wherever the price subsequently goes. When talking out loud you use a different part of the brain than when simply thinking to yourself, and that can have surprising consequences; it's easy to talk yourself into a trade that you want to take even though you know it's not quite right, but talk through it out loud and you'll hear yourself making excuses and quickly see the error you are about to commit. I know talking to yourself sounds a little odd, but it really works.

Another option for making yourself more accountable for your trades is to join a chat room. There are loads of them about, plenty of free ones as well as some paid ones which call trades in real time (I wouldn't recommend those by the way, they are often run by people front running their own calls). If you find a decent room and commit yourself to calling your trades in real time, knowing that you will have to explain to the room exactly why you just took that really stupid trade will really make you think twice about taking it in the first place.

These are two simple ways of making yourself more accountable for your trades and therefore enforcing more discipline. There are many more interesting ways of increasing discipline as a personal skill, and I hope this article will have given you some ideas to start developing your own methods.

Harvey Walsh is a full time day trader and part time trading tutor.

He can be contact via his website www.day-trading-freedom.com