Friday, February 28, 2014

Portfolio diversification is a way to spread risk

Examples of safe investment instruments are money market funds and savings accounts. High-risk appetite investors can choose from different investment options such as junk bonds, high-yield bonds, non-convertible debentures, and others. Other high-risk instruments include commodities, futures and options, and stocks. Different factors determine investment decisions, including cash flows, financial incentives, and risk profile. Investors consider different factors such as legal and safety risks, objectives, and financial performance. Taxes and whether there are enough options available also play an important role. Contracts for difference include provisions regarding the difference between the sales and original price of an asset. With these in mind, there is a large number of instruments for prudent and aggressive investors. Municipal bonds, stocks, and real estate are examples of investment instruments. Other products investors are interested in include precious metals, managed and hedge funds, collectibles and valuable items, and so on. Portfolio diversification is a way to spread risk among different types of assets and thus reduce potential losses. Businesses and individuals can choose from low-risk investment products and check the differences between futures swaps and options.

It may come as a surprise, but bank accounts are considered risky because the rate of interest is lower than inflation. Some people invest in esoteric assets and risky instruments such as structured products. While structured products are risky, some investors use them to diversify their portfolios, adding derivatives such as options and futures. Some investment vehicles like venture capital trusts buy shares of small companies and start-ups. Venture capital trusts attract investors because they offer tax-free dividends and tax relief. Many governments provide tax rebates to entities that invest in early-growth businesses. Finance experts recommend that prudent investors maintain a balanced portfolio that includes safe investment instruments such as bonds and certificates of deposit. Safe instruments help avoid undue risk and include products such as treasury bonds, treasury bills, and money market accounts.

Low-risk investors often opt for government issued securities such as bills, notes, and bonds. There are a number of financial derivatives for investors to consider, including mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed commercial paper, futures contracts such as commodities futures, and others. The main problem with derivatives is that it is difficult and even impossible to predict their future value. Governments, companies, and other entities offer different types of investment products that earn interest or pay dividends (e.g. bonds and shares. Depending on their risk tolerance, investors can choose from instruments such as hedge funds, government bonds, and others. There are many high- and low-risk investments, including complicated types of securities, life policies, unit trusts, and others.

Friday, February 21, 2014

How a Self-employed Person Can Get Preapproved

Depending on the applicant’s circumstances, banks may also require bankruptcy discharge papers, copies of leases, maintenance agreements, and others. Self-employed persons can get preapproved, but they must meet additional requirements and get insurance from CMHC. Canadian banks take different factors into consideration, including debt-to-income ratio, payment history, income level, and others. Borrowers with a poor history are not likely candidates or they will be offered less favorable conditions. They may get a higher interest rate. 


Businesses and self-employed individuals may have to present their income tax returns, current balance sheets, and others. Applicants may want to include information such as homeowner’s insurance, employment and residential history, income verification documents, and others. Other information to supply includes loan balances, number of loans, lines of credit and credit cards, and monthly payments. Businesses that own land, machinery and equipment, and plants and receive rent should supply information about their income.

The amount owed, types of loans, and other factors play an important role. Factors such as regular payments and length of credit history are taken into consideration and affect the credit score. The location, cost, and history of the property also pay a role

The applicant may qualify for bridge financing, equity mortgage, or conventional mortgage, depending on the bank. There are different loans to consider, including first-time homebuyer loans, tracker and fixed rate products, and others. The outcome of the application process depends on the type of mortgage and funds in hand.

The amount of paperwork and documents to present depend on the financial institution. Applicants should present information such as tax, investment, and bank documents, paycheck stubs, etc. Some banks require that applicants present information such as recent tax returns, their investment accounts, and more. Applicants for a mortgage loan should present information about different sources of employment and investment income. There are different sources of income, and some of them are taxable while others are not. It is advisable to include different sources of income that prove one’s ability to make regular payments. Some examples include income from barters, interest and dividends, canceled debt, and pensions. Other sources of income include some types of insurance policies, inheritances, gifts, compensatory damages, and others.

Banks require information about the applicant’s legal sources of income, including taxable and tax-free. If unsure whether to include some source of income (for example, fellowships or scholarships), it is best to ask your bank of choice.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

CreditCardReview.ca Launches a FAQ Video to Help Customers Master the ABCs of Credit Cards

A new credit card FAQ video by CreditCardReview.ca helps customers to choose a card and keep track of their credit expenditure.

 (PRWEB) January 28, 2014
A new credit card FAQ video (http://www.creditcardreview.ca/) was released today to help visitors to choose the right credit card and rack up rewards.

The video was created by the content and video development team at CreditCardReview.ca to offer answers to some frequently asked questions and help customers to pick a card that best suits their shopping and travel needs. Being a valuable addition to CreditCardReview.ca, which presents in-depth reviews of popular credit cards, the new video offers a lot of information in an engaging way, saving users valuable time and helping them become information-rich and educated customers. The ultimate goal is to make credit card decision making easier.

“The goal of CreditCardReview.ca has always been empowering Canadian consumers, by giving them the right tools and information so that they can choose a credit card that meets their needs. Our new credit card FAQ video will hopefully save many hours of research and substantially improve the credit card shopping experience of our users,” said John Williams, marketing consultant at CreditCardReview.ca.

Customers are involved in different financial transactions on a daily basis and even the choice of a credit card requires an educated decision. The new FAQ video presents different types of credit cards that feature perks such as cashback, bonus points and rewards programs, car and travel insurance, and many others.

Today, consumers are faced with important but complex decisions, from managing credit card debt to buying a home and saving for retirement. Credit card literacy affects financial behaviour and helps customers to make good decisions. The problem is that many people use credit cards to fund a lifestyle that is beyond their means and pile excessive debt. It is difficult to balance a large debt load without the skills and knowledge necessary to make educated decisions. Credit cards offer many beneficial features and make shopping easier if used responsibly and within boundaries. Yet, many accounts go into arrears each year, showing that consumers lack basic credit card skills. The new FAQ video is designed to simplify decision making, help customers to pick a credit card that suits their needs, and avoid the debt trap. Given that the financial markets offer a wide array of financial services and products, it is important to gain basic knowledge of finance and credit cards.

About CreditCardReview.ca: CreditCardReview.ca is a Canadian credit card directory offering information on the major banks and credit cards in Canada, along with many useful credit card related articles and guides.