Managing your Financial » income

What is Risk Management Insurance?

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 04:30:18 +0000

Adding additional Risk management and insurance is a simple but necessary addition to any business insurance plan. It’s designed to protect your business financially in the event that a covered risk prevents you from operating effectively for a period of time, causing losses. But why might you need business interruption insurance?

Fire & Natural Disasters

If a fire destroys your building, it can take weeks or months before normal operations can be resumed, and in most cases, income would be lost during that period even though many regular business expenses would continue. The same situation arises when natural disasters strike. Does your current insurance policy cover you for business interruption? And if so, does it cover you if that interruption is due to earthquake or flood or only for other events?

Your Suppliers

Let’s say that you’ve taken out cover for business interruption after a disaster – but what if a disaster destroys the premises of your biggest supplier, rather than yours, and they’re suddenly unable to supply you? If you’re unable to find a replacement supply, that too could bring your business or production to a halt.

Contingent business interruption insurance can offer you cover for losses in those types of circumstance.

With any business interruption insurance however, it’s vital to know what exclusions apply and source additional cover if you need it. Do you need to add this type of cover to your business insurance policy?

4 things every new business owner should know

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 22:42:43 +0000

When you’re just starting out in business, particularly if you’re operating from home, there are a hundred things to think about and do. Somehow, insurance often ends up on the bottom of the new business owner’s list – but if you’re setting up a new enterprise in the Lone Star State, business insurance should be given a high priority. And it may not be as simple as you imagined. Here are 4 important things you should know:

1. If you’re operating from home and will have clients attending your premises, the liability cover on your home insurance policy may not cover you if you’re using the home as your ‘business premises’. Your business equipment may not be covered either. You’ll need to clarify these issues to determine if additional cover is required.

2. Similarly, if you’re using your personal vehicle for business purposes, your private car insurance may no longer be sufficient. Do you travel to client’s premises or deliver completed work or stock in your vehicle? If so, it’s likely you’ll need to upgrade to a business auto policy.

3. Are you a consultant, a professional, or a new media business? Liability comes in all shapes and forms. Whether you’re a social media management business or an architect, there’s always the risk that something you do (or don’t do) will negatively affect a client and result in a law suit. As your business probably represents your major source of income, it makes sense to take out insurance to cover this risk.

4. Taken on your first employees? It’s your responsibility to provide a safe working environment – and to take out workers’ compensation insurance.

If you’re unsure what the needs are for your Texas general liability insurance or other types of business insurance our professional agents are just a phone call away, so find out what you need to know, sooner rather than later.

Women & Financial Independence

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 04:04:17 +0000

Women and financial independence is quite possible but will be more difficult than a man achieving financial independence. Financial independence indicates that there is no dependence on a paycheck and that basically you are your own boss. Women having the responsibility to raise families often have to put their financial independence on hold until the family unit is feasible for business endeavors. Financial independence does not mean to have a large bank account. Financial independence indicates that the the woman can not has their own businesses.
Very few people has achieved financial independence because of the risks that have to be taken and the financial capital needed for business start ups not only for women but for men as well. . One may say that Warren Buffet the billionaire has financial independence but it appears that he works harder at forecasting the economy than being employed. Most financial independent people are either in real estate or investment banking and have their own business. Women owned businesses can indicate financial independence because they are self supporting which indicates independence and building wealth to be self sustaining.
The term rich and financial independence has been used synonymously but there are rich people who are not financial independent and financial independent people who are not rich. For the sake of everyday terms and for a goal that would put the high achiever in reach of a lucrative income, financial independent is described as owning your own business and not having a boss. Most men achieve this plateau of financial independence than women but that is no indication that there are top producing financial independent women. The numbers are scarce of women and financial independence than men in the same financial status. Being responsible for the sustainability of the business and the longevity of the business along with the customer retention is paramount of women and financial independence.
Women owned business are in the minority and there are less financially independent women than men. A generalized reason for this inequity is the fact that women are most likely wives and mother who takes care of family and supplement income with a part time job or even a full time job. Social norms still places the man as the head of the household and the one responsible for the financial stability of the family. Given this responsibility, it is the man of the household who is most likely seeking to be financially independent. Women are seeking to be financially independent but not on the larger scale as men.
Even in the workforce, a woman’s salary still trails that of a man. If a woman is seeking financial independence, there will be steeper mountains to climb to reach that goal. Venture capital to get started can be more difficult to obtain and most likely the woman would have to to get helpful information on starting a business from the Small Business Administration or the SBA. Recently, investment groups just for woman has sprung up around the country and this is one way to get venture capital to get started on owning a business and becoming financial independent.
Owning a business is a twenty four hours a day job seven days a week and there is never enough hours in a day to work on building a business for financial independence. Most likely the woman can use time management to get tasks done but must be prepared for the hard work and long hours to get a business started even after qualifying for venture capital. A woman can achieve financial independence but the work is hard and the hours are long but worthwhile if financial independence has become a lifetime goal.
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Manage Your Debt and Credit

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 03:35:18 +0000

Credit was once defined as “Man’s Confidence in Man.” But in fact, the definition of credit today is more like “Man’s Confidence in Himself.” Using credit today means you have confidence in your future ability to pay that debt. Forty years ago, your parents may have paid cash for their homes and their cars, a largely unheard-of event today. If they borrowed money at all, chances are it was from a relative or friend, and not a financial institution.
Today debt and instant credit are part of our everyday lives. The convenience of instant credit, however, has taken its toll. Many individuals use credit cards to spend more than they earn, and a few of these people actually build themselves a debt prison from which some never emerge. On the other hand, those who never use credit can be denied a loan or credit when they have a justifiable need or use for it. Using credit establishes a history of financial responsibility: Until you establish a credit history, your chances of qualifying for an important loan, such as a mortgage, are greatly reduced.
What is the balance between using credit wisely and staying out of overwhelming debt? Let’s look at the facts and some pros and cons.
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Installment Debt
Debt comes in many forms, and most types help us in our daily lives — when used responsibly. Most people cannot buy a home without some financial help, and many cannot buy a car (especially a new one) without some sort of financing. The money borrowed to purchase large-ticket items is called installment debt: The debtor pays a portion of the total at regular intervals over a specified period of time. At the end of that time period, the loan with interest is paid off.
Installment debt allows you to purchase items at a competitive interest rate: for example, 5% to 7% for a 30-year home mortgage and 8% or 9% for a car loan. The loan is paid back on an amortizing schedule, monthly payments of a fixed amount that remain constant over the life of the loan. At first, most of the monthly payment consists of interest. In later years, principal begins to be paid down.
Installment debt is easily budgeted and the debt is eliminated on a predetermined date. Even for those who may actually have the cash to purchase the desired item, installment debt can make financial sense if you can earn a higher return (after taxes) on your investment of cash than you must pay on your installment debt.
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Revolving Credit
A revolving line of credit, also called “open-ended credit,” is made available to you for use at any time. Examples of revolving credit are credit cards such as Visa, Mastercard, and department store cards. When you apply for one of these cards, you receive a credit limit based on your credit payment history and income. When you use the credit line, you must make monthly minimum payments based on the total balance outstanding that month. Some lines of credit will also have an annual account fee.
While revolving credit is a convenient way to borrow, it can also become an endless pit of minimum payments that barely cover the interest due. Many cards charge annual rates of interest of 18% or higher. As you pay off your debt, the minimum payment is also reduced, thus extending your payoff period and, consequently, the interest you pay. Paying just the minimum due on a $2,000 credit card loan could mean making monthly interest payments for 10 or more years!
Revolving credit, in addition to being convenient, eliminates the need to carry a lot of cash and can help establish you as a creditworthy risk for future loans. The itemized monthly statements also can help you track your expenses. But some people can easily yield to the temptation that the convenience of credit cards offers. Impulse buying, failing to compare costs, and purchasing large items you can’t afford are all downfalls brought on by always available purchasing power. Spending more than you earn in any given period is a dangerous practice at best, but doing it over an extended period of time can be financial suicide.
Installment Debt vs. Revolving Debt
Lower interest rates and an amortizing repayment schedule can make installment debt a much cheaper alternative to revolving credit.
Installment Revolving
Beginning Balance $2,500 $2,500
Interest Rate 10% 18.5%
Years to Repay 4 30*
Interest Cost $544 $6,500
*Paying 2% minimum monthly payment.
Sources and Costs of Debt
Source Type of Debt Cost
Banks and Credit Unions Personal, secured Low
Personal, unsecured Moderate
Mortgage Low
Credit Card Low to High
Mortgage Companies Mortgage Low
Department Stores Revolving High
Insurance Companies Personal, unsecured High

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Using Credit Wisely
To use credit intelligently, start by examining the terms of the card(s) you are currently using. Keeping track of your cards, their rates, and your current balances will help you to be aware of how you use credit cards. Increased competition in recent years has led some credit card companies to offer enticing features to attract new cardholders, including no annual fees and low interest rates for an introductory period. (And credit card companies sometimes will give their introductory rates to existing cardholders so that they won’t transfer their balances to another credit card company.)
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Eliminating Credit Card Debt
If you think you may have too much credit card debt, begin to address it by honestly evaluating your spending habits. Examine your existing expenses to analyze how your money is spent. You will most likely be able to identify the problem areas where you are more likely to spend too much or too readily with credit cards. Then, based on your current spending practices, create a realistic budget to pay off your credit card debt in the shortest time possible while not adding any more debt to it. For assistance, you may want to turn to your financial advisor, who can help you to allocate your resources wisely to address your credit card debt.
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The Role of Debt
Today, carrying installment debt is almost a fact of life. Mortgages, car loans, or small-business loans (to name a few) are part of almost everyone’s life. On the other hand, carrying credit card debt is usually not a good idea. At interest rates of 16% and up, it’s hard to justify keeping savings that could pay off that 18% department-store credit card in the bank at 2%.
Debt and credit play increasingly important roles in our lives. As the aging Baby Boomers get closer to their peak earning years, many are realizing the need to reduce debt and increase savings. Even though analyzing your spending habits and creating a budget to address your debt may seem a little overwhelming, the simplicity of the philosophy of the Depression era still stands: Never spend more than you earn. Once you have come to grips with this basic fact, managing your debt will become far easier and more rewarding.
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Summary
• Installment debt means the loan is paid off in a specified period of time by making predetermined payments periodically.
• Revolving credit is a line of credit that is instantly available through use of a credit card (and sometimes a check).
• As you pay down your debt in a revolving line of credit, the minimum payment is also reduced, thus extending your payoff period and, consequently, the interest you pay.
• Spending more than you earn in any given period is a dangerous practice at best, but doing it over an extended period of time can be financial suicide.