London, UK, September 16, 2010 -- Ex-smokers who took out life insurance while they were still smoking could save a packet on their life insurance premiums by reviewing their cover 12 months after they smoked their last cigarette. In one example one man saved over £5,000 by switching his life insurance policy after he quit smoking.

There are around 10 million* ex-smokers in the UK, with around 130,000* giving up in the last year. If they didn’tthink to review their life insurance i many of them could be paying bigger premiums than they need to.

Insurers generally rate customers as non smokers if they haven’tsmoked in the previous 12 months. So even if they once had a regular 40 a day habit, one year later they will be rated as non-smokers and they could pay substantially less for their life insurance, even if they’ve put on a few years since taking out their policy.

Savings will differ depending on how long you’ve had the policy but for someone who took out life insurance 5 years ago as a smoker and has since given up they could reduce their premiums by as much as 60%. This could save them hundreds if not thousands of pounds over the term of the policy.

For example: In 2005 a 44 year old man took out £125,000 of level term life insurance for a 20 year term. At the time he was a smoker and his premium was £47.76 per month.

Now, five years later, he has given up smoking for over 12 months and although he is five years older he is still in good health and can now get £125,000 of level term life life insurance for the remaining 15 years of his original policy for a premium of just £18.34 per month. That’s a saving of £29.42 per month over the next 15 years amounting to a total cost saving of £5265.60.

That’s in addition to the considerable amount of money you’ll save by not buying cigarettes any more. Someone with a 20 a day habit paying an average of £5.20 per pack will find themselves with an extra £1898.00 in their pocket each year if they give up smoking.

Ray Black, founder of Money-Minder.com said: “ËœAs well as the obvious health benefits, there’s a substantial wealth benefit that is often overlooked. Anyone who gave up smoking over a year ago should look at what it would cost to switch their insurance now they are a non-smoker. The saving could be huge!.“

Notes to Editors:

*Source: NHS

Example ““ 44 yr old male smoker took out £125k of level term life assurance in 2005 for a 20 year term. No waiver of premium. Annual premium of £573.12 = monthly premium of £47.76. Now aged 49 and a non smoker he takes out £125k of level term life assurance for a 15 year term (the remainder of his original 20 year term). As a non smoker his new premium is £18.34 per month with Bright Grey ““ a saving of £29.42 per month. £29.42 x 12 months x 15 years = £5295.60. Minus the Money-minder admin fee of £30.00 = a total saving of £5265.60 over the next 15 years.

To link to our site please use: http://www.money-minder.com

About us:
Jason Wyer-Smith at 42 PR on 07824 818242, Email: jason@42pr.com

Ray Black at Money-Minder.com 01529 300300, Email: ray@money-minder.com

Money-Minder.com was founded and created by Ray Black, Dip PFS, an Independent Financial Adviser. Money-Minder.com is online personal finance website that incorporates an exclusive and unique interactive comparison service providing free genuinely online quotes and is full of useful information to help customers choose the right cover and product to suit their needs.

The site currently provides comparisons on life and protection products - term assurance, critical illness, mortgage protection and income protection. The site’s “ËœFinance Navigators’ help customers to make their own informed choices and decisions but Money-Minder also provides easy access to highly qualified independent financial advisers (IFAs) if required.

Money-Minder.com is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA)

Press Contact:
Jason Myer Smith
Money Minder Financial Services (UK) Limited
Church Cottages, Norfolk
07824 818242
jason@42pr.com
http://www.money-minder.com

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There is a simple guideline that says the percentage of stocks that you should have in your portfolio is 100 minus your age. According to this guideline, a 60 year old person should have 40% of their portfolio invested in stocks. This is only a suggestion, not a rule of economics or an investment principle. It's a tool that allows you to identify a general correlation of your age to the risk you might assume. Guidelines and decision-making tools are valuable, but not as valuable as your knowledge of the various investment types to provide what you consider to be an acceptable return on your investment.

Investment Types for Your Retirement

Everyone is not the same and one person may be much more accepting of risk in their investment portfolio than another regardless of their age. While stocks, bonds, and some sort of highly liquid cash instrument are included in virtually every investor's portfolio; other types may require a higher ability to accept risk.

*Stock certificates are usually best for investors with a long-term approach in their retirement strategy. It is generally assumed that an investor needs to be willing to hold stocks for 10, or more, years. Some people feel that a person should always have some stocks in their portfolio to provide growth potential. Only you can decide your willingness to accept the fluctuations in the stock market and watching your investment occasionally lose money. Historically, stocks have returned about 10% per year.

*Bonds are issued by a variety of entities. The risk with this investment is directly related to the entity's ability to repay your original investment amount. Obviously, the entity's liquidity and future performance become major factors in deciding which bond option to choose. Unlike stocks, bonds guarantee a return on your original investment, often on a regular basis. Bond return on investment is usually limited to about 7% per year.

*CD's, or Certificates of Deposit, are a relatively low-risk investment. CD's offer a higher rate than most savings accounts, but they come with the same federal deposit insurance protection as a savings account. They can be purchased at different maturity intervals to create a redemption schedule that fits your income needs.

*Annuities are usually a reasonable investment if you have extra money to invest and have already reached your maximum investment for your IRA or similar retirement account. An annuity is an investment with an insurance company and for that reason the rating of the insurance company is a highly important matter.

*Commodities are one of the biggest combinations of risks that exist in the market. Grains such as wheat, coffee, gold, and petroleum are just a few examples of commonly traded commodities. Commodities require a high tolerance to risk because they can be subject to variables such as political changes and weather, neither of which can be easily anticipated by the average investor. Trading in commodities is a relatively short-term investment despite the fact that "futures" are what the primary investment strategy is all about.

*Trading currencies requires a high tolerance to risk, but you can invest in foreign currencies simply by buying foreign bonds. The problem with trading foreign currencies is that the activity isn't expected to provide a return on your investment over the long haul of a retirement portfolio. But bonds are bonds and they come with reasonable expectations of a return regardless of the currency backing the bond.

*Investments such as providing venture capital can be a powerful addition to a retirement portfolio, but only if your liability and exposure to risk is well managed and can be tolerated. Venture capital may be assumed to be an investment on which you may never see a return just like any other stock investment. But a thorough knowledge of the particular company's product and some active participation on the part of an investor will reduce potential risk. Venture capitalists usually have both a higher than average net worth and resistance to risk.

*Real estate investments can provide a regular retirement cash flow if the property is rented, or act as an investment buffer in case the property needs to be sold to pay for an unexpected event in your life. While you would be responsible for capital gains on the sale, your other investments would be secure. At least you would have a choice of what asset(s) you would like to liquidate.

Regardless of your age, planning for retirement requires research, a personal analysis of your ability to accept risk, and a personal involvement in investment decisions that will affect your quality of life during your retirement years.

Visit us to get more information about Bruderman Brothers and Bruderman Brothers: http://www.brudermanbrothers.com .

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Additional features include document storage, dti calculator, email feature, and more. Document storage is a great feature for obtaining documents from your client and storing them in document storage giving you an extra boost in organization. This is a great way to keep all of your clients documentation in order and in the right areas. Loan Mod Pro Loan Software is a great software package for loan software solution.

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There are three phases of a foreclosure; pre-foreclosure/short sale, auction, and REO (real estate owned). In this article we will discuss the phases of a foreclosure and when, during the process, is the best time to buy.

A pre-foreclosure is the beginning. Payments are in arrears at least 90 days. The clock is ticking. The first 90 days, only the homeowner and lender know what is happening. After 90 days, a notice of default or Lis Pendens is recorded at the county recorder’s office or register of deeds office. This is the beginning of a foreclosure called a pre-foreclosure. Before a property becomes a foreclosure is a good time to purchase the property. The property is still in the owner’s hands and they may be willing to work with you. First, you need to find them, contact them, ask questions, and do your homework. Only then, offer assistance.

The homeowner still is in control. If there is equity in the property, work with the owner to take an equity position. If there is no equity, work with the lender. Negotiate with the lender to buy the property for less than what is owed (short sale). This can help the homeowner avoid foreclosure and possibly help them avoid any more damage done to their credit. Bank gets rid of a bad loan and you make a profit on the resale. Win-win for everyone.

The next step is a foreclosure auction. After the property goes into foreclosure, it then goes to auction. In order to purchase a home at a foreclosure auction, you need to make a minimum bid, pay off loan balance, all accrued debt, attorney’s fees, and you are responsible for all costs. If someone is still living in the home, you are responsible to evict them. You are responsible for all repairs and repairing all damage. There are no inspections. You buy the house “as is“.

If the house does not sell in the auction, it reverts back to the bank. The lender now has the right to sell the property as an REO (real estate owned), the third and final phase of a foreclosure. What does this mean?

An REO is the simplest way to purchase property. It is a good investment for the first-time homebuyers and investors. An REO property allows you to gain access to the property for an inspection. Lenders have a responsibility to their shareholders and they lose money on non-producing assets. So, they want a quick sale. They are able to provide 20% to 30% savings. All liens and back taxes removed. They are able to negotiate on rehab costs, interest, closing points, and loan amounts. They may allow a less than normal down payment. If there are tenants, the lender will evict them. You don’thave to. 100% risk free.

There are pros and cons to all three ways. However, the safest way is for you to do your homework. Know the property inside and out. Research everything about the property. Then, when you have done your due-diligence, you can make an educated decision.

Your next step is financing. To learn more about all the different options that you have for financing properties and more on foreclosure investing, visit my website:
www.makeaforeclosureinvestment.com and learn the “Secret“ to buying, selling, and making huge profits on your foreclosure investments.

Kimberly Ann

Visit the Author's website: http://makeaforeclosureinvestment.com

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Foreclosures are in high abundance today and investing in foreclosures can make you a lot of money.

Learning how to find foreclosures is one of the first steps. There are many ways to find foreclosures including looking in the classifieds, legal newspapers, talking to real estate attorneys, For sale by Owner, realtors-Short sales, auction companies, IRS auctions, bankruptcies, probate court, and county courthouse/Register of deeds.

In this article, we are going to cover just a few. To get more information on finding, purchasing, and making HUGE profits, go to WWW.makeaforeclosureinvestment.com

Classifieds. Some foreclosures can be found in the local paper, but most are found in legal newspapers. These newspapers can be found a few ways. They are used by professionals, especially by real estate attorneys. To get the name of your local legal newspaper, you can call a real estate attorney’s office and ask them if they take the legal newspaper and if they would give you the name. Some local title companies also use this legal newspaper and sometimes will share the information with their clients or potential clients. If all else fails, try your local library. They do charge a fee for this newspaper, but it is definitely worth the investment.

Understanding how foreclosure sales work is a must for serious real estate investors. You must learn: How records are kept, how records are protected, what laws affect us as investors, how to determine ownership, who owns the property, who financed it, and are there any liens or judgements against the property?

In order to succeed in foreclosure investing, you need to do your research. You can find out the answer to these questions through due-diligence, do your homework.

There are two offices where you can find this information; County Assessor’s office and County Recorder’s office.
In order to find a foreclosure you need to know: the name of the owner, address, or legal description (parcel number). To find the owner of a vacant property, you can ask the neighbors around the property or using the address, you can do a name search.

Using the last name, go to the County Assessor’s office and ask the clerk where they are sending the tax notice and that will give you potential contact information. You can also try the County Recorder’s office and ask them, what documents the owner might have signed in the last few years. Finally, you can try the County Courthouse to check for marriage license information, voter’s registration on file, pending lawsuits, garnished wages, divorces, state probate and landlord evictions. Use this information to get in contact with the owner to start the process. You can also use the last name to get all of the information you need in order to decide if this is really a property you want to invest in. These round out some methods of finding properties.

For more information on how to actually invest in these properties and more detailed information to making lots of money.
Check out my website at WWW.makeaforeclosureinvestment.com. and check out some free information that can change your life forever!!

Kimberly Ann

Visit the Author's website: http://www.makeaforeclosureinvestment.com

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