Author Archives: schatzi

Mar
27
2023

Property Investing With SIPPs and REITs

The introduction of SIPP qualified overseas property investments has assisted in the encouragement of increased investment options, with tax advantages and the possibility of deciding upon your own investment options for your pension fund plan.

Self Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs) are regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and allow holders to manage their own investments from their pension funds rather than having their finances managed by a chosen fund in the more traditional sense. This is a great alternative to those who are experienced in overseas property investments and wish to manage their own futures.

While it is not only property investments that are legible for the SIPP portfolios, the potentially higher capital growth on property, especially in the long term and from emerging markets, the gains can be far greater than stocks and shares.

Many new developments are SIPP recognised, so if looking for an overseas property investment for a SIPP portfolio, it is important to confirm that the property of choice is suitable. A suitable investment company will be able to assist with any questions and guide in the right direction for further detailed information.

While investing in some international property may withhold the tax advantages of SIPP investments, REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) have been designed with advantageous tax benefits. The combining of REITs and SIPPs enable investors to manage their own funds with tax advantages and have the profits incorporated into their SIPP fund.

Consulting with an investment advisor about the possibility of SIPP and REIT benefits when considering purchasing overseas property can lead to greater benefits from investments and future security.

Mar
26
2023

Buying International Travel Medical Insurance – What You Need To Know

Today international travel for business or pleasure keeps growing at a fast pace and is unlikely to change in the near future. The most serious problem any international traveler faces when on the move is the possibility of having a medical problem in a foreign country. International travel medical insurance goes a long way in taking care of surprise medical problems. It offers temporary medical or health insurance for US citizens and foreign nationals when traveling anywhere outside of their home country.

Some domestic health insurance plans will cover you for some procedures and expenses away from home but many don’t, especially for major medical expenses. There are many types of international travel medical insurance on the market today including student travel medical insurance, travel accident insurance and even backpackers travel insurance.

It’s important to know that evaluating someone who has met with an accident or become ill in an isolated place can be terribly expensive. Many international insurance companies have a bi-lingual or multi-lingual staff and on-site medical staff available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for their policyholders for consultation and medical emergencies.

One way to lower your insurance costs is to agree to pay a small upfront medical cost for any future treatment needed and make a claim from the insurance company only when the amount exceeds that amount. For example, you could agree to pay the first $200 of any medical expenses and make a claim only when the cost of the treatment goes above it.

If you find a quality insurance company, it’ll take the financial worry of terrific medical expenses out of your travel experience. You can exclude a medical condition that is pre-existing which can lower your insurance costs, but you must be sure that the condition will not worsen on your trip and it could cost you a lot more. Any international traveler, expatriate or business traveler needs to be careful about the medical costs they could incur while traveling out of their home country.

Whatever compromise you choose to make in your plan between risks and costs, shop around not only for cheap international travel medical insurance plans, but also for the insurance company that gives you complete information, has open not hidden view functioning and doesn’t evade any of your questions.

The time frame on your insurance policy needs to be restricted to the actual time you’re out of the country; the shorter the duration will obviously reduce the cost. Some travel insurance plans don’t accept hazardous vocations such as mountain climbing. After you get your insurance, in case any minor emergency medical treatment is needed, have all the expenses listed in itemized bills to make a claim when you get back home.

Getting low cost or cheap international travel medical insurance quotes online from several insurance companies is easy enough to do. The watchword in your travel insurance should be attention to the smallest of details.

Some of the insurance policies don’t cover any pre-existing illnesses, and will ask for a history of any medical problems. All around the world medical costs are skyrocketing, due mostly to the advances in specialized equipment and the cost of advanced medicines and training specialists in a number of medical fields.

Finally international travel medical insurance is a must for all travelers going out of their home country. You want to make sure that evacuation coverage is included in your plan, because that can be a major expense; getting you out of a isolated or difficult location such as a cruise ship, mountain top or safari can be very costly.

Getting low cost or cheap health insurance is certainly a good possibility without giving up any quality care you might need away from home. International travel medical insurance quotes are easy to get online and an important travel necessity for individuals and families when they live or travel outside their home country. Just make sure you know exactly what is covered in your travel insurance policy.

Mar
25
2023

Successive Marriage Finances – That’s Mine and You Can’t Have It!

Every marriage is different. And successive marriages are going to be more complicated. You’re a little farther along the financial trail this time. On the upside, you may have accumulated cash or property. There’s the downside at this junction sometimes too – debt may have followed you.

Either way, finances can be a make or break situation in your new relationship, so be sure to come to agreement on all issues. Did you agree to joint finances? If not, do you understand how your separate accounts will contribute to your budget?

If either spouse has pre-marital equity or holdings, you may wish to keep those items completely separate, especially if there are children on either side who will inherit. Don’t wave it away to worry about later, reach your agreements now! Consulting with an attorney regarding pre- or post-nuptials is an excellent idea, and just might give you both the peace of mind that will boost your statistical chances for a happy, healthy marriage. Let’s face it – statistics are staggeringly not in favor of a successive marriage lasting. Launching such a relationship with as much going in its favor as possible is simply the smart thing to do.

While you’re at your attorney’s office, inquire into exactly how your marital equity may be assessed in any property currently owned by your spouse. It varies somewhat from state to state. Ensure both of you understand all aspects in order to arrive at the best agreements concerning finances.

This approach may seem negative – is it actually planning for divorce at the beginning of a new marriage? Successive marriage makers have already seen what can happen in a divorce. Their eyes are wide open. Tackling financial what-ifs that coast into agreements will actually strengthen your marriage. Money is the number one cause of divorce. A successive marriage already carries some residual divorce baggage, some of which most likely included financial issues. Put your new marriage on the right track by agreeing what is yours, mine and ours.

Mar
24
2023

How Do You Create Repeat Business, Referrals and Pass Your Targets the Easy Way?

Relationships 1st – Business 2nd

How do you create repeat business, referrals and pass your targets the easy way?

Buildings Relationship with your Customers first and then the rest will follow.

Customer service has been a strategy used in many successful businesses, and yet it is overlooked today for the more complex expensive strategies to gain customers and sales when we have everything we need to make that happen in the business right now.

In today’s business economy it seems that we are all too busy gathering more and more information about new, you-beaut ways to contact and connect with people via Social Media, that we have lost the personal touch that will have the customer return and bring friends and family with them. A strategy that is cost effective and it works.

People like to be made to feel special… Yet how many people leave your business feeling less than that?

The facts are staggering – 68% of customers move away from a business because they are “upset by the treatment they have received” – THIS IS PREVENTABLE

And what’s more concerning, is that most businesses are not aware of the “lifetime value” of their customer. Focusing on the “one transaction” and not for the term of the relationship. If they did, and did the sums, they would be ensuring that everyone that stepped into the business came back for more and more.

There are NOT preventable reasons people move away as well (i.e. die, move on, seek alternatives or have a friend that they can use) but that only accounts for 18%, the remainder 14%, is from a dissatisfaction in the product or service.

Right now I want you to calculate how much is 68% of customer loss in terms of yearly PROFIT for your business: $20K, $50K or even $500K?… Are you getting it yet? This opportunity is right there in your business, right now and would make a MASSIVE difference in your business and lifestyle if action was taken in this area.

I see a lot of businesses struggle to make sales targets, keep customers and make sufficient profits for time spent in the business and it doesn’t make sense when access to change is by taking action in this area with some cost effective new ways of interacting.

So today I am going to show you how you can change this trend and start to enjoy the benefits of a loyal customer base that will be your advocates.

Firstly we apply the 4 Basics in GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE

Exceed your customers expectations

Having a WOW + 1 delivery

Following your own set of service standards and

Consistently applying all of the above to each and every interaction with your customers

Then add building personal relationships with your customers as a “MUST” in every communication interaction. Here are some examples you can bring into your business today, right now.

Building personal relationships:

Always give a warm welcome

BE honest

Find out what they want and give it to them

Find out what they don’t want and don’t give it to them

Ask lots of questions

Deliver 101% all the time

Under promise and Over deliver – not the other way around

SMILE – ( it takes 27 muscles to frown and only 9 to smile)

Always do the right thing even when it hurts the bottom line

Take 100% responsibility

Every successful business I have come in contact with has this one thing in common and that is a HIGH level of people skills across their business.

So if improving your Customer Loyalty and reducing unnecessary Marketing costs is a GOAL for 2014 financial year for your Business – give this strategy a try and stand out from your competitors and improve your profits at the same time.

If you are struggling with the TIME factor or do not have the professional skills in this area contact us at “The Winning Effect” to discuss your individual needs and build on your business performance.

Your success in business