Bullion is commonly composed of precious metals such as gold, silver and platinum that are usually the most common metals that ar used in generating bullions. Bullion coins are the type whose costs re based on the useful meta information of the coin, as an alternative t heir face value.
is any kind of sort o marked, stamped, and assessed silver metal. You ve possibly viewed assive silver bars in pic r on TV, and these is ultimate example of just what bullion is. These bullions are usually unconditionally sed for purchases which cove coins, bars as well as rounds; heir value s primarily reliant on the amount of the metal in the coin, as well as is created in big amount. among these popular metals, silver bullion s mostly availed by the purchaser because of its affordability, reliability and its elegance.
Silver Bullion s known as a commercial metal wit safe-haven element. t is the finest as well as many fundamental sort o silver; it is wanted by a great number of purchaser. A silver collector pay posse certain random rounds or bars, ut the amount of nearly every collection is usually consists o coins which are ore beneficial han raw silver. When acquiring i, among the best strategies t unsure funding success s by fully researching the marketplace, hen creating wise diversifications with well known consultants y the side. Since 1992, the Certified Gold Exchange has put the standard for silver bullion investing, delivering buyer the top quality service and costing back y their price combined guarantee. Since silver is cheaper han gold, it is a good deal more accessible.
Various precious metal buyers commonly compare silver bullion to , very since both safe-haven metals are possible to follow 1 another development when spot costs ar changing. Worthwhile metal ave enlarged in charm drastically n the past ew many years, especially because many buyers have witnessed both gold bullion as well as silver bullion value are fast increasing whilst all the thing from stocks to bonds and real-estate is enduring midst a contracting financial state.or the person who need t ave new silver to keep in a safety deposit box, investing it would be th obvious solution t an enticing manner of investing i is future. The appearance o silver features its have extraordinary charm, nd their prices are sensible o a collector can add brand new coins into gallery. ith the value based a lot more n the content of the metal instead of th scarcity of the coin, they can b an great value as well as this is exactly what silver bullion is usually capable for.
Silver bullion is the lowest popular inexpensive method to win to get som type of silver souvenir. They could b rehabilitated into money, nd costs are largely uoted as well as are globally flexible. Silver costs don’ display considerable growth in a recession, very they rise with economic growth, especially due to its extensive use in any kind of consumer goods including electronics. or perhaps investors who would like to obtain to have direct control of their resources, getting silver bullion has the best fascination. Owning bullion especially silver is hassle-free, easy an commission n purchasing nd selling it is low in the marketplace.
View the original article here
Friday, October 28, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Do you teach your kids to be poor?
Sometimes parents pass on to their children poor advice about handling money. Here are some messages that won't be helpful when those offspring strike out on their own.
Lots of people complain to me that their parents didn't teach them about money. Maybe they're the lucky ones.
Sometimes the lessons parents teach about finance are just plain wrong. It can take years for their kids to recover, if they ever do.
Kelvin Leeds of Seal Beach, Calif., said his parents had told him that rich people were lucky. "Fortunately," he wrote on my Facebook page, "I learned that it mostly involves hard work."
Colleen Sluss Gorman of Champaign, Ill., absorbed an even worse message.
"Growing up, my folks were poor," Gorman wrote. "I learned that all rich people are evil, all corporations are rich, people who are 'well off' (earning more than around $50,000) were overpaid and lazy."
If you're taught that wealth is the result of luck or misdeeds, what would motivate you to handle money responsibly, grow your income and increase your net worth? Gorman eventually realized the shortcomings of her parents' worldview, but it still affects her.
"I occasionally feel guilty about the amount of money I and my husband make and the amount we have in savings," she wrote.
If you're a parent, you should think twice about passing on these messages. If you received them as a kid, now is the time to shake yourself free from unhelpful lessons, including:
In one sense, it's true: A lot of money will flow into your hands during your lifetime. What counts is what you do with it.
Allison Burnell of Reston, Va., grew up in a family of six and wrote that her parents had "never planned ahead for anything (or maybe they couldn't afford to, raising six kids)."
"Their attitude was more or less 'God will provide' or that things would take care of themselves," Burnell wrote. "I grew up never learning to plan ahead or save for things as a result."
Often, failure to plan can mean ever-deepening debt, as the grasshopper (of the ant-and-grasshopper fable) reaches for a credit card to handle "unexpected" expenses.
"My mother is of the belief that it's just money (and) not a big deal," another reader wrote. "She figures there will always be more coming in, and is in more debt than I ever care to encounter."
Another reader who has parents with the same attitude despairs that they'll ever change the behavior that causes the need for "another windfall . . . (to) save your financial butt."
"What??? Use the financial windfall to save or get ahead??? What's that about?" she wrote.
You have to wonder about someone who thinks no one else is trustworthy. Is he not trustworthy himself?
But the reality is that money can get complicated, and you need to build some reliable resources to help you answer questions about taxes, insurance, investing and estate planning, among other topics.
If you never learn to distinguish between honorable, upright people and their opposites, you're likely to get burned when you try to get help. If you avoid others' counsel entirely, you could make some costly mistakes.
View the original article here
Lots of people complain to me that their parents didn't teach them about money. Maybe they're the lucky ones.
Sometimes the lessons parents teach about finance are just plain wrong. It can take years for their kids to recover, if they ever do.
Kelvin Leeds of Seal Beach, Calif., said his parents had told him that rich people were lucky. "Fortunately," he wrote on my Facebook page, "I learned that it mostly involves hard work."
Colleen Sluss Gorman of Champaign, Ill., absorbed an even worse message.
"Growing up, my folks were poor," Gorman wrote. "I learned that all rich people are evil, all corporations are rich, people who are 'well off' (earning more than around $50,000) were overpaid and lazy."
If you're taught that wealth is the result of luck or misdeeds, what would motivate you to handle money responsibly, grow your income and increase your net worth? Gorman eventually realized the shortcomings of her parents' worldview, but it still affects her.
"I occasionally feel guilty about the amount of money I and my husband make and the amount we have in savings," she wrote.
If you're a parent, you should think twice about passing on these messages. If you received them as a kid, now is the time to shake yourself free from unhelpful lessons, including:
In one sense, it's true: A lot of money will flow into your hands during your lifetime. What counts is what you do with it.
Allison Burnell of Reston, Va., grew up in a family of six and wrote that her parents had "never planned ahead for anything (or maybe they couldn't afford to, raising six kids)."
"Their attitude was more or less 'God will provide' or that things would take care of themselves," Burnell wrote. "I grew up never learning to plan ahead or save for things as a result."
Often, failure to plan can mean ever-deepening debt, as the grasshopper (of the ant-and-grasshopper fable) reaches for a credit card to handle "unexpected" expenses.
"My mother is of the belief that it's just money (and) not a big deal," another reader wrote. "She figures there will always be more coming in, and is in more debt than I ever care to encounter."
Another reader who has parents with the same attitude despairs that they'll ever change the behavior that causes the need for "another windfall . . . (to) save your financial butt."
"What??? Use the financial windfall to save or get ahead??? What's that about?" she wrote.
You have to wonder about someone who thinks no one else is trustworthy. Is he not trustworthy himself?
But the reality is that money can get complicated, and you need to build some reliable resources to help you answer questions about taxes, insurance, investing and estate planning, among other topics.
If you never learn to distinguish between honorable, upright people and their opposites, you're likely to get burned when you try to get help. If you avoid others' counsel entirely, you could make some costly mistakes.
View the original article here
Friday, October 21, 2011
Escape from the great debt trap
Consumers are making remarkable progress in restoring their credit. That means they can start spending more, something the economy badly needs.
Michael Busick, a Charlotte, N.C., math teacher, says his credit union "was shocked" to discover his credit score was 812 out of a possible 850 when he applied for a $19,500 new-car loan. The loan officer told him he rarely saw scores so close to perfect, says Busick, 33, who added he pays bills on time and doesn't overextend. He got the loan.
The average U.S. credit score -- a predictor of the likelihood that lenders will be paid back -- rose to 696 in May, the highest in at least four years, according to credit-reporting bureau Equifax. Delinquencies on consumer loans have dropped 30% in two years, according to Federal Reserve data.
Improving credit quality gives households the ability to spend more. A rebound in spending would belie Morgan Stanley economist Stephen Roach's claim that consumers will be "zombies" for years because they are saddled with too much debt.
"The financial situation of the household sector has improved far faster than everyone thought it would two years ago," says James W. Paulsen, the chief investment strategist for Wells Capital Management in Minneapolis. "People are still locked into the view that consumers are facing record burdens, and they are not."
U.S. consumers have reduced debt by more than $1 trillion in the 10 quarters ended in March, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Households spent 16.4% of their earnings on debt payments in the first quarter, including lease and rental payments, homeowners insurance and property taxes. That's down from 18.9% in the third quarter of 2007, before the recession started.
Even consumers in trouble are in better shape, says Mark Cole, the chief operating officer for Atlanta's CredAbility, a nonprofit provider of credit counseling. Clients have an average of $19,500 in unsecured debt this year, down 30% from 2009 and the lowest in at least six years, he says. "We really see credit quality increasing."
Credit card companies notice the rebound, too. Discover's rate of 30-day delinquencies was 2.79% in the second quarter, the lowest in its 25-year history, company officials said in June.
Jennifer Lahotski, 28, who has a marketing job in Los Angeles, says she's been improving her credit since 2007, when her score was "absolutely below 660," the number Equifax says is the minimum needed to qualify for prime consumer loans. The Penn State graduate had been late on some bills and even had an old charge of $5 from a gym.
"I went through each expense, each delinquency, and sent them a check," she says. "I turned myself into a hermit for six months, but I did it," eliminating most restaurant meals and "random Target runs where you come out with $50" of merchandise. Lahotski, who has a Visa and an American Express card and $15,000 in student loans, says she is now saving "a few hundred a month," with plans to buy a house when she can afford a down payment.
While household obligations are at a 17-year low because of increased savings and lower interest rates, Roach, the nonexecutive chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, calculates that household debt still comes to 115% of income, compared with a 75% average from 1970 to 2000. "We need to encourage balance-sheet repair and adjustment by overly indebted, savings-short consumers," he says.
Roach's view is supported by some economists, who say the debt that fueled the housing boom from 2002 to 2006 will take years to unwind. This deleveraging "is pernicious, it's ongoing and it's holding back growth because people are going to save more and spend less," says Kevin Logan, the chief U.S. economist at HSBC Securities in New York.
Yet other economists see something more nuanced happening: Some consumers are still paying down debt, while others feel financially healthy enough to borrow. A small percentage of senior loan officers reported growth for all consumer lending in the first quarter. That was the first increase since 2005, according to a quarterly Fed survey released in May. About 29% of the loan officers interviewed were more willing to make consumer-installment loans. In the second quarter, loan officers reported a pickup in demand for auto loans.
Dean Maki, the chief U.S. economist at Barclays Capital, says the growth in credit reflects an underlying optimism. As a Fed economist in 2000, he published research that concluded "high debt burdens are not a negative force." He adds, "When consumer credit is growing, it is a sign that households have become more confident about income prospects."
Sometimes that confidence is horribly misplaced, as in the years leading up to the crash. Fortunately, the actual increases in consumer credit today are very modest.
The return to borrowing by some consumers is already benefiting companies. Craig Kennison, an analyst at Robert W. Baird & Co. in Milwaukee, predicts lending profits will rise at CarMax, the largest U.S. seller of used cars, and Harley-Davidson. Their finance arms "have fully recovered," says Kennison.
The shares of credit card and banking companies will benefit, too, says analyst Brian Foran of Nomura Securities International. "Consumers spend money based on their cash flows," he says. "And their cash flows are fine."
Math teacher Busick, who has a home loan and four credit cards, estimates his near-perfect credit score has risen from the upper 700s in the past few years. While he uses an American Express card to accumulate frequent flier miles on Delta Air Lines, he pays it off in full most months. "I don't have late payments," he says. "I pay all my bills on time." Virtue has its rewards.
Now Busick is thinking of buying a Sony television or a Dell or Hewlett-Packard computer that could cost $2,000. "If I want something, I will get it," he says.
View the original article here
Michael Busick, a Charlotte, N.C., math teacher, says his credit union "was shocked" to discover his credit score was 812 out of a possible 850 when he applied for a $19,500 new-car loan. The loan officer told him he rarely saw scores so close to perfect, says Busick, 33, who added he pays bills on time and doesn't overextend. He got the loan.
The average U.S. credit score -- a predictor of the likelihood that lenders will be paid back -- rose to 696 in May, the highest in at least four years, according to credit-reporting bureau Equifax. Delinquencies on consumer loans have dropped 30% in two years, according to Federal Reserve data.
Improving credit quality gives households the ability to spend more. A rebound in spending would belie Morgan Stanley economist Stephen Roach's claim that consumers will be "zombies" for years because they are saddled with too much debt.
"The financial situation of the household sector has improved far faster than everyone thought it would two years ago," says James W. Paulsen, the chief investment strategist for Wells Capital Management in Minneapolis. "People are still locked into the view that consumers are facing record burdens, and they are not."
U.S. consumers have reduced debt by more than $1 trillion in the 10 quarters ended in March, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Households spent 16.4% of their earnings on debt payments in the first quarter, including lease and rental payments, homeowners insurance and property taxes. That's down from 18.9% in the third quarter of 2007, before the recession started.
Even consumers in trouble are in better shape, says Mark Cole, the chief operating officer for Atlanta's CredAbility, a nonprofit provider of credit counseling. Clients have an average of $19,500 in unsecured debt this year, down 30% from 2009 and the lowest in at least six years, he says. "We really see credit quality increasing."
Credit card companies notice the rebound, too. Discover's rate of 30-day delinquencies was 2.79% in the second quarter, the lowest in its 25-year history, company officials said in June.
Jennifer Lahotski, 28, who has a marketing job in Los Angeles, says she's been improving her credit since 2007, when her score was "absolutely below 660," the number Equifax says is the minimum needed to qualify for prime consumer loans. The Penn State graduate had been late on some bills and even had an old charge of $5 from a gym.
"I went through each expense, each delinquency, and sent them a check," she says. "I turned myself into a hermit for six months, but I did it," eliminating most restaurant meals and "random Target runs where you come out with $50" of merchandise. Lahotski, who has a Visa and an American Express card and $15,000 in student loans, says she is now saving "a few hundred a month," with plans to buy a house when she can afford a down payment.
While household obligations are at a 17-year low because of increased savings and lower interest rates, Roach, the nonexecutive chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, calculates that household debt still comes to 115% of income, compared with a 75% average from 1970 to 2000. "We need to encourage balance-sheet repair and adjustment by overly indebted, savings-short consumers," he says.
Roach's view is supported by some economists, who say the debt that fueled the housing boom from 2002 to 2006 will take years to unwind. This deleveraging "is pernicious, it's ongoing and it's holding back growth because people are going to save more and spend less," says Kevin Logan, the chief U.S. economist at HSBC Securities in New York.
Yet other economists see something more nuanced happening: Some consumers are still paying down debt, while others feel financially healthy enough to borrow. A small percentage of senior loan officers reported growth for all consumer lending in the first quarter. That was the first increase since 2005, according to a quarterly Fed survey released in May. About 29% of the loan officers interviewed were more willing to make consumer-installment loans. In the second quarter, loan officers reported a pickup in demand for auto loans.
Dean Maki, the chief U.S. economist at Barclays Capital, says the growth in credit reflects an underlying optimism. As a Fed economist in 2000, he published research that concluded "high debt burdens are not a negative force." He adds, "When consumer credit is growing, it is a sign that households have become more confident about income prospects."
Sometimes that confidence is horribly misplaced, as in the years leading up to the crash. Fortunately, the actual increases in consumer credit today are very modest.
The return to borrowing by some consumers is already benefiting companies. Craig Kennison, an analyst at Robert W. Baird & Co. in Milwaukee, predicts lending profits will rise at CarMax, the largest U.S. seller of used cars, and Harley-Davidson. Their finance arms "have fully recovered," says Kennison.
The shares of credit card and banking companies will benefit, too, says analyst Brian Foran of Nomura Securities International. "Consumers spend money based on their cash flows," he says. "And their cash flows are fine."
Math teacher Busick, who has a home loan and four credit cards, estimates his near-perfect credit score has risen from the upper 700s in the past few years. While he uses an American Express card to accumulate frequent flier miles on Delta Air Lines, he pays it off in full most months. "I don't have late payments," he says. "I pay all my bills on time." Virtue has its rewards.
Now Busick is thinking of buying a Sony television or a Dell or Hewlett-Packard computer that could cost $2,000. "If I want something, I will get it," he says.
View the original article here
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Is seller financing right for you?
It's a tough market out there, and helping buyers with financing could be the difference between selling your house and waiting. Here, from the seller's point of view, are pros and cons.
Buyers are skittish, lenders are stingy and appraisers can be downright picky. Whether you are trying to buy a home or sell one, it's a tough market out there, so perhaps it's time to consider "seller financing," a technique that can help buyer and seller overcome obstacles to a deal.
Seller financing is just what it sounds like. Instead of getting a lump sum when the sale closes, the seller accepts the buyer's promissory note covering terms such as the loan rate, the years the loan will be in effect, the monthly payment and so forth.
While seller financing can work well for both parties, they need to study the terms closely and be sure they clearly understand them. What follows are the basics, as well as the pros and cons from the seller's point of view.
In many seller-financed deals, the seller provides the only financing the buyer needs to purchase the property. Some sellers demand a cash down payment; others will finance the entire purchase.
In other cases, the seller provides the buyer with a deal to cover just a down payment, with the buyer using an ordinary mortgage for the bulk of the purchase price. This makes it possible to sell to a buyer who cannot afford the down payment required by an ordinary lender. In these deals, the buyer's ordinary mortgage lender typically demands that the seller's loan be subordinate to the lender's. In a foreclosure, the mortgage lender must get all it is owed before the seller/financer gets anything.
Seller financing has a number of benefits for sellers: The property purchase may be made sooner than it would have been otherwise, and the seller may be able to set a loan rate higher than if he or she cashed out and put the sale proceeds in an interest-bearing account. Today, a seller might get upward of 5%, far more than one could earn with bank savings.
But there are downsides, too. Instead of getting a lump sum, the seller gets a string of payments for a number of years. The interest earnings might seem generous at the start, but would be disappointing if prevailing rates were to rise.
Many sellers minimize this risk by demanding a balloon payment a number of years down the road. For example, monthly payments could be calculated with an amortization schedule of 30 years, but the balloon payment would actually retire the debt after only five years. Typically, the parties assume the buyer will be able to refinance the loan to cover the balloon payment.
Another seller's consideration: A seller-financed deal would not provide the seller with cash to buy another property. If the seller then needed to borrow for a new home, lenders might consider income from the seller-financed deal to be too uncertain to count toward the loan qualification.
A seller who finances a home deal also would have to chase down the borrower for any missed payments, and someday might face the hassle and expense of foreclosing. In the worst case, the borrower might let the property deteriorate, or market prices could fall, leaving the seller to foreclose on a property worth less than when the deal was closed. It is critical, then, for the seller to carefully assess the buyer's creditworthiness.
Here are some other considerations for sellers:
If the seller still has a sizable mortgage, the seller's lender will have to sign off on the deal. Seller financing is most common when the seller owns the property free and clear or owes an amount that can be paid off with the buyer's down payment.The seller should require a thorough loan application from the buyer and check out the buyer's assets, income sources, credit history, employment and references. Be sure to get a complete list of the buyer's other debts.Each party should hire a real-estate lawyer and tax adviser to go through the paperwork. The contract should be clear about the seller's rights should the buyer fall behind in payments.
Typically, a title company is used to close the deal.To make life easier, the seller should consider hiring a loan-servicing company to collect payments, maintain an escrow account for taxes and insurance and deal with the buyer. A typical fee is $15 for each monthly payment, $30 if the servicer also manages an escrow account.
As another payment option in the increasingly limited world of home financing, buyers and sellers may find that this arrangement opens new doors to the deal.
View the original article here
Buyers are skittish, lenders are stingy and appraisers can be downright picky. Whether you are trying to buy a home or sell one, it's a tough market out there, so perhaps it's time to consider "seller financing," a technique that can help buyer and seller overcome obstacles to a deal.
Seller financing is just what it sounds like. Instead of getting a lump sum when the sale closes, the seller accepts the buyer's promissory note covering terms such as the loan rate, the years the loan will be in effect, the monthly payment and so forth.
While seller financing can work well for both parties, they need to study the terms closely and be sure they clearly understand them. What follows are the basics, as well as the pros and cons from the seller's point of view.
In many seller-financed deals, the seller provides the only financing the buyer needs to purchase the property. Some sellers demand a cash down payment; others will finance the entire purchase.
In other cases, the seller provides the buyer with a deal to cover just a down payment, with the buyer using an ordinary mortgage for the bulk of the purchase price. This makes it possible to sell to a buyer who cannot afford the down payment required by an ordinary lender. In these deals, the buyer's ordinary mortgage lender typically demands that the seller's loan be subordinate to the lender's. In a foreclosure, the mortgage lender must get all it is owed before the seller/financer gets anything.
Seller financing has a number of benefits for sellers: The property purchase may be made sooner than it would have been otherwise, and the seller may be able to set a loan rate higher than if he or she cashed out and put the sale proceeds in an interest-bearing account. Today, a seller might get upward of 5%, far more than one could earn with bank savings.
But there are downsides, too. Instead of getting a lump sum, the seller gets a string of payments for a number of years. The interest earnings might seem generous at the start, but would be disappointing if prevailing rates were to rise.
Many sellers minimize this risk by demanding a balloon payment a number of years down the road. For example, monthly payments could be calculated with an amortization schedule of 30 years, but the balloon payment would actually retire the debt after only five years. Typically, the parties assume the buyer will be able to refinance the loan to cover the balloon payment.
Another seller's consideration: A seller-financed deal would not provide the seller with cash to buy another property. If the seller then needed to borrow for a new home, lenders might consider income from the seller-financed deal to be too uncertain to count toward the loan qualification.
A seller who finances a home deal also would have to chase down the borrower for any missed payments, and someday might face the hassle and expense of foreclosing. In the worst case, the borrower might let the property deteriorate, or market prices could fall, leaving the seller to foreclose on a property worth less than when the deal was closed. It is critical, then, for the seller to carefully assess the buyer's creditworthiness.
Here are some other considerations for sellers:
If the seller still has a sizable mortgage, the seller's lender will have to sign off on the deal. Seller financing is most common when the seller owns the property free and clear or owes an amount that can be paid off with the buyer's down payment.The seller should require a thorough loan application from the buyer and check out the buyer's assets, income sources, credit history, employment and references. Be sure to get a complete list of the buyer's other debts.Each party should hire a real-estate lawyer and tax adviser to go through the paperwork. The contract should be clear about the seller's rights should the buyer fall behind in payments.
Typically, a title company is used to close the deal.To make life easier, the seller should consider hiring a loan-servicing company to collect payments, maintain an escrow account for taxes and insurance and deal with the buyer. A typical fee is $15 for each monthly payment, $30 if the servicer also manages an escrow account.
As another payment option in the increasingly limited world of home financing, buyers and sellers may find that this arrangement opens new doors to the deal.
View the original article here
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Mobile banking: Will you be hacked?
A survey suggests more of us are nervous about using smartphones for banking. Is there reason to be? Plus: How to minimize the risks.
You're in the store trying on a stunning but outrageously priced shirt. You have to have it, and your hand has already palmed your debit card -- but wait! Did your mortgage payment clear your money market account yet?
You could whip out your smartphone and check your balance using your bank's app, and maybe make a quick transfer between accounts. If you access your bank account information on your mobile phone, are you jeopardizing the security of your checking and savings accounts?
No, says Phil Blank, the managing director of security, risk and fraud at Javelin Strategy and Research -- not as long as you exercise some basic online street smarts.
"All you need to do is use a little common sense," Blank says.
If you think twice before accessing banking information on your smartphone, you're not alone. Even though smartphone use has jumped, more consumers with mobile banking capabilities are concerned that sharing personal financial information on their phones will open them up to hacking and fraudulent activity.
According to a 2010 Javelin survey, about 40% of smartphone owners said mobile banking made them nervous -- up dramatically from 26% in 2009.
"It's very clear to us that people are saying, 'I am nervous about using my smartphone to bank,'" Blank says.
In Blank's estimation, financial institutions must address this perception quickly. Otherwise, many consumers will never take advantage of mobile banking.
Marc Warshawsky, senior vice president of mobile channel planning and design at Bank of America, says its customers have no reason to worry about their financial information being stolen -- whether they're using a computer or smartphone to bank.
"We've taken the necessary steps to minimize any risk to their accounts, whether they access them on their mobile phone or from their computers," he says.
Besides, Warshawsky says, should something happen and their phones are hacked, customers of Bank of America would be protected by its zero-liability guarantee. "They would not be responsible for any unauthorized charges to their debit cards, credit cards or accounts," he says.
If you're still unsure, here's what Blank and Warshawsky say you need to do to be sure the transactions you make using a smartphone are safe:
Stick to your bank's apps for mobile banking or to trusted, well-reviewed third-party personal finance apps. Download them directly from the app store for your phone's type -- iPhone, Android, etc.
Treat your smartphone as if it's a PC. "I really hate the term 'smartphone,'" Blank says, "because what it really is is a PC that happens to make phone calls. If you look at your phone that way, you're minimizing your risks." For instance, install antivirus software on your phone as you would on your PC.Monitor the whereabouts of your phone. One big difference between your smartphone and your desktop computer is that the latter is much less likely to fall out of your pocket or purse. Check every so often to make sure your smartphone is on you when you're out and about.
Use public Wi-Fi access to conduct your banking business. You can't be sure it's secure, Blank says. Opt for wireless networks that require a network security key or have some other form of security.
Be the first in line to use your bank's new app. "Wait until it's been about 30 to 40 days and then go and download it," Blank advises. The reason? Sometimes early versions of apps contain malware or are not safe.Leave the keys in plain sight. Never send a text message on your phone containing sensitive information such as your Social Security number, checking or savings account number, or your account passwords. "We don't give the customer the option to store anything sensitive on their phones," Warshawsky says. "That's for their own protection."Be fooled by emails or text messages asking for personal information. Often, these "phishing" messages claim to be from your bank and ask for personal information or ask you to click on provided links to update account information. "We would never ask you to provide your ID or password over digital communications," Warshawsky says. You should also avoid visiting any websites that you don't know anything about.
Using your phone to bank on the go can be a great convenience. As long as you're smart about it, says Blank, there's no reason you shouldn't access your bank accounts through your smartphone.
View the original article here
You're in the store trying on a stunning but outrageously priced shirt. You have to have it, and your hand has already palmed your debit card -- but wait! Did your mortgage payment clear your money market account yet?
You could whip out your smartphone and check your balance using your bank's app, and maybe make a quick transfer between accounts. If you access your bank account information on your mobile phone, are you jeopardizing the security of your checking and savings accounts?
No, says Phil Blank, the managing director of security, risk and fraud at Javelin Strategy and Research -- not as long as you exercise some basic online street smarts.
"All you need to do is use a little common sense," Blank says.
If you think twice before accessing banking information on your smartphone, you're not alone. Even though smartphone use has jumped, more consumers with mobile banking capabilities are concerned that sharing personal financial information on their phones will open them up to hacking and fraudulent activity.
According to a 2010 Javelin survey, about 40% of smartphone owners said mobile banking made them nervous -- up dramatically from 26% in 2009.
"It's very clear to us that people are saying, 'I am nervous about using my smartphone to bank,'" Blank says.
In Blank's estimation, financial institutions must address this perception quickly. Otherwise, many consumers will never take advantage of mobile banking.
Marc Warshawsky, senior vice president of mobile channel planning and design at Bank of America, says its customers have no reason to worry about their financial information being stolen -- whether they're using a computer or smartphone to bank.
"We've taken the necessary steps to minimize any risk to their accounts, whether they access them on their mobile phone or from their computers," he says.
Besides, Warshawsky says, should something happen and their phones are hacked, customers of Bank of America would be protected by its zero-liability guarantee. "They would not be responsible for any unauthorized charges to their debit cards, credit cards or accounts," he says.
If you're still unsure, here's what Blank and Warshawsky say you need to do to be sure the transactions you make using a smartphone are safe:
Stick to your bank's apps for mobile banking or to trusted, well-reviewed third-party personal finance apps. Download them directly from the app store for your phone's type -- iPhone, Android, etc.
Treat your smartphone as if it's a PC. "I really hate the term 'smartphone,'" Blank says, "because what it really is is a PC that happens to make phone calls. If you look at your phone that way, you're minimizing your risks." For instance, install antivirus software on your phone as you would on your PC.Monitor the whereabouts of your phone. One big difference between your smartphone and your desktop computer is that the latter is much less likely to fall out of your pocket or purse. Check every so often to make sure your smartphone is on you when you're out and about.
Use public Wi-Fi access to conduct your banking business. You can't be sure it's secure, Blank says. Opt for wireless networks that require a network security key or have some other form of security.
Be the first in line to use your bank's new app. "Wait until it's been about 30 to 40 days and then go and download it," Blank advises. The reason? Sometimes early versions of apps contain malware or are not safe.Leave the keys in plain sight. Never send a text message on your phone containing sensitive information such as your Social Security number, checking or savings account number, or your account passwords. "We don't give the customer the option to store anything sensitive on their phones," Warshawsky says. "That's for their own protection."Be fooled by emails or text messages asking for personal information. Often, these "phishing" messages claim to be from your bank and ask for personal information or ask you to click on provided links to update account information. "We would never ask you to provide your ID or password over digital communications," Warshawsky says. You should also avoid visiting any websites that you don't know anything about.
Using your phone to bank on the go can be a great convenience. As long as you're smart about it, says Blank, there's no reason you shouldn't access your bank accounts through your smartphone.
View the original article here
Monday, October 17, 2011
Pay mortgage if house is destroyed?
If a natural disaster leaves your home in ruins, your first impulse probably isn't to give your lender a call. Here's why it needs to be a priority.
The federal government has declared more than 50 official natural disaster areas so far in 2011. Last year, the total of large-scale floods, tornadoes, hurricanes and the like climbed to 81. Few states are immune to natural disasters, and each event affects thousands of homeowners who must cope with the physical and emotional damage, as well as the prospect of perhaps not being able to manage their mortgage payments.
Still, a disaster does not guarantee mortgage relief, according to Laura Vinton, counseling manager at Hope Enterprise, a nonprofit community development financial institution in Gulfport, Miss., a town devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. "Any consideration is determined case by case, and it's a two-way process," she says.
After a disaster, banking regulators and government mortgage agencies typically issue proclamations directing lenders and loan servicers to make certain accommodations for borrowers. But those proclamations are only guidelines.
A May 25 Financial Institution Letter issued by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., for instance, declares: "Extending repayment terms, restructuring existing loans, or easing terms for new loans, if done in a manner consistent with sound banking practices, can contribute to the health of the community and serve the long-term interests of the lending institution."
Lenders must stay within regulators' parameters and agencies' loan-servicing guidelines, says Bob Davis, executive vice president of the American Bankers Association in Washington, D.C., though they still have latitude to consider borrowers' individual situations. For some, that might mean a longer period of forbearance or more flexible payment plan.
The Federal Housing Administration traditionally imposes a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures of FHA-insured loans in a disaster area. This freeze, triggered by an official declaration by the current president at the time of the disaster, gives the homeowner "a little more time" to work with the lender and insurance carrier to assess the damage and understand the situation, says Karol Mason of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.
Those who still need help after the 90 days are over can try to negotiate additional relief.
"If the customer still needs assistance and hasn't been making the payments for the 90 days, that workout continues on an individual basis," Mason explains.
After the devastating tornadoes in the South this year, Freddie Mac released a press release strongly encouraging servicers to help affected borrowers with Freddie Mac-owned loans by:
Lenders typically will waive late fees and defer payments after a disaster, but those accommodations may not last beyond a few months. When the time is up, missed payments become due, either in a lump sum or according to a payment plan.
Any homeowner who suffers a financial setback, such as a job loss, as a direct result of a disaster, also may be offered temporary mortgage relief, even if his or her home was spared. Documentation will likely be required to prove the hardship.
Borrowers should contact their lenders as soon as possible after a disaster, Mason suggests. "It's that customer call that triggers all the actions that take place on our side," she explains.
View the original article here
The federal government has declared more than 50 official natural disaster areas so far in 2011. Last year, the total of large-scale floods, tornadoes, hurricanes and the like climbed to 81. Few states are immune to natural disasters, and each event affects thousands of homeowners who must cope with the physical and emotional damage, as well as the prospect of perhaps not being able to manage their mortgage payments.
Still, a disaster does not guarantee mortgage relief, according to Laura Vinton, counseling manager at Hope Enterprise, a nonprofit community development financial institution in Gulfport, Miss., a town devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. "Any consideration is determined case by case, and it's a two-way process," she says.
After a disaster, banking regulators and government mortgage agencies typically issue proclamations directing lenders and loan servicers to make certain accommodations for borrowers. But those proclamations are only guidelines.
A May 25 Financial Institution Letter issued by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., for instance, declares: "Extending repayment terms, restructuring existing loans, or easing terms for new loans, if done in a manner consistent with sound banking practices, can contribute to the health of the community and serve the long-term interests of the lending institution."
Lenders must stay within regulators' parameters and agencies' loan-servicing guidelines, says Bob Davis, executive vice president of the American Bankers Association in Washington, D.C., though they still have latitude to consider borrowers' individual situations. For some, that might mean a longer period of forbearance or more flexible payment plan.
The Federal Housing Administration traditionally imposes a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures of FHA-insured loans in a disaster area. This freeze, triggered by an official declaration by the current president at the time of the disaster, gives the homeowner "a little more time" to work with the lender and insurance carrier to assess the damage and understand the situation, says Karol Mason of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.
Those who still need help after the 90 days are over can try to negotiate additional relief.
"If the customer still needs assistance and hasn't been making the payments for the 90 days, that workout continues on an individual basis," Mason explains.
After the devastating tornadoes in the South this year, Freddie Mac released a press release strongly encouraging servicers to help affected borrowers with Freddie Mac-owned loans by:
- Suspending foreclosure and eviction proceedings for up to 12 months.
- Waiving assessments of penalties or late fees against borrowers with disaster-damaged homes.
- Not reporting forbearance or delinquencies caused by the disaster to the nation's credit bureaus.
Lenders typically will waive late fees and defer payments after a disaster, but those accommodations may not last beyond a few months. When the time is up, missed payments become due, either in a lump sum or according to a payment plan.
Any homeowner who suffers a financial setback, such as a job loss, as a direct result of a disaster, also may be offered temporary mortgage relief, even if his or her home was spared. Documentation will likely be required to prove the hardship.
Borrowers should contact their lenders as soon as possible after a disaster, Mason suggests. "It's that customer call that triggers all the actions that take place on our side," she explains.
View the original article here
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Rev. Billy: High priest of frugality
Bill Talen's character, a combination of minister and performance artist, preaches the evils of mindless consumerism and argues for changes in spending behavior.
What's the biggest religion in America: Catholicism? Evangelical Christianity? Mainstream Protestantism?
It's consumerism, according to the Rev. Billy -- the deeply held American belief that buying stuff makes us better and happier, that purchases can fill the voids in our hearts and souls.
"We really do consider it (consumerism) the largest fundamentalist religion in America today," the Rev. Billy said. "It makes us stand in lines, sit in traffic and tells us we need 23 different products just to take each other on a date."
If you're aware of the Rev. Billy, it may be from the 2007 documentary about his performance art/ministry, "What Would Jesus Buy?" Or his run as a "protest candidate" for mayor of New York in 2009.
Or maybe you have heard about the comedic exorcisms he and his gospel-choir group -- once called the Church of Stop Shopping, now the Church of Earthalujah -- performed in bank lobbies, Disney stores, Wal-Mart headquarters and the Tate Modern museum in London, where British Petroleum funds a gallery.
The targets: big business, big oil companies and big banks, which the Rev. Billy and his crew say promote consumerism and a laundry list of economic and environmental ills.
The Rev. Billy is the creation of Bill Talen, the son of a Midwestern banker and a refugee from the harsh Calvinist religion of his youth. Talen was an actor and writer in San Francisco before moving to New York City in the mid-1990s. That's where he created the Rev. Billy as a parody of pompadour-styled televangelists and where he soon gathered a choir of like-minded activists. Using humor, hallelujahs and the vocal hallmarks of evangelical ministers, the Rev. Billy preached the evils of consumerism and related ills: sweatshop labor, environmental degradation and big chains that muscled out family-run businesses.
He was coached by a mentor, the Rev. Sidney Lanier, the vicar of an Episcopal church that served New York's theater community. Lanier encouraged Talen to study how televangelists delivered their messages -- the cadence and rhythm that captured their audiences.
"It's an awesome vocal form . . . when you turn off the content," Talen said.
What started as protest art, though, has morphed since the 9/11 attacks. Talen, who spoke to me while on a break from leading workshops on "Art and Dissent" for the Hemispheric Institute in Chiapas, Mexico, said people started turning to his group for comfort and a spiritual connection after the World Trade Center towers fell.
"They trusted us as a way to be together to reflect about life without a fundamentalist, judging God," said Talen, who officiates at weddings and baptisms in his role as a minister. "We started developing a fellowship, a way to pray together, to sing together."
And they perform. A weekly show in Manhattan's East Village is scheduled to continue this fall after the Rev. Billy and his choir return from their tours of Europe and Mexico. The shows, along with their public protests staged as "interventions" and "exorcisms," use humor and original songs to question mindless consumerism.
"We use the drama of a joyous gospel choir and a televangelist to interrupt and change Americans' relationship to consumer products," Talen said. "This consumer economy has endangered us. We need to make basic changes."
Talen believes some of those changes are already under way, because of the staggering economy. With more people unemployed and underemployed, families are spending more time together rather than shopping for things they don't need. People are starting up businesses, and Americans are more aware of the importance of supporting local businesses.
Talen thinks we're capable of changing even more, of creating a kind of sustainable consumerism that doesn't create economic or environmental catastrophes. Falling into the cadence of a preacher, he references America's past: "We made a revolution. We abolished slavery. We marched for civil rights. We can do this."
But Talen worries the changes aren't happening fast enough to save us -- or our planet. That's why he's not particularly concerned that some people take offense at what he's doing and how he's doing it.
"We have to spend a little less time worrying about other people's feelings," Talen said. "New ways of believing always hurt the feelings of the people who believe the old way."
That said, he doesn't want his message to become too dogmatic or inflexible. He still likes to laugh and to make others laugh.
"I don't want to become a fundamentalist myself," Talen said. "We're all doing what we can. We need to forgive each other and move on."
View the original article here
What's the biggest religion in America: Catholicism? Evangelical Christianity? Mainstream Protestantism?
It's consumerism, according to the Rev. Billy -- the deeply held American belief that buying stuff makes us better and happier, that purchases can fill the voids in our hearts and souls.
"We really do consider it (consumerism) the largest fundamentalist religion in America today," the Rev. Billy said. "It makes us stand in lines, sit in traffic and tells us we need 23 different products just to take each other on a date."
If you're aware of the Rev. Billy, it may be from the 2007 documentary about his performance art/ministry, "What Would Jesus Buy?" Or his run as a "protest candidate" for mayor of New York in 2009.
Or maybe you have heard about the comedic exorcisms he and his gospel-choir group -- once called the Church of Stop Shopping, now the Church of Earthalujah -- performed in bank lobbies, Disney stores, Wal-Mart headquarters and the Tate Modern museum in London, where British Petroleum funds a gallery.
The targets: big business, big oil companies and big banks, which the Rev. Billy and his crew say promote consumerism and a laundry list of economic and environmental ills.
The Rev. Billy is the creation of Bill Talen, the son of a Midwestern banker and a refugee from the harsh Calvinist religion of his youth. Talen was an actor and writer in San Francisco before moving to New York City in the mid-1990s. That's where he created the Rev. Billy as a parody of pompadour-styled televangelists and where he soon gathered a choir of like-minded activists. Using humor, hallelujahs and the vocal hallmarks of evangelical ministers, the Rev. Billy preached the evils of consumerism and related ills: sweatshop labor, environmental degradation and big chains that muscled out family-run businesses.
He was coached by a mentor, the Rev. Sidney Lanier, the vicar of an Episcopal church that served New York's theater community. Lanier encouraged Talen to study how televangelists delivered their messages -- the cadence and rhythm that captured their audiences.
"It's an awesome vocal form . . . when you turn off the content," Talen said.
What started as protest art, though, has morphed since the 9/11 attacks. Talen, who spoke to me while on a break from leading workshops on "Art and Dissent" for the Hemispheric Institute in Chiapas, Mexico, said people started turning to his group for comfort and a spiritual connection after the World Trade Center towers fell.
"They trusted us as a way to be together to reflect about life without a fundamentalist, judging God," said Talen, who officiates at weddings and baptisms in his role as a minister. "We started developing a fellowship, a way to pray together, to sing together."
And they perform. A weekly show in Manhattan's East Village is scheduled to continue this fall after the Rev. Billy and his choir return from their tours of Europe and Mexico. The shows, along with their public protests staged as "interventions" and "exorcisms," use humor and original songs to question mindless consumerism.
"We use the drama of a joyous gospel choir and a televangelist to interrupt and change Americans' relationship to consumer products," Talen said. "This consumer economy has endangered us. We need to make basic changes."
Talen believes some of those changes are already under way, because of the staggering economy. With more people unemployed and underemployed, families are spending more time together rather than shopping for things they don't need. People are starting up businesses, and Americans are more aware of the importance of supporting local businesses.
Talen thinks we're capable of changing even more, of creating a kind of sustainable consumerism that doesn't create economic or environmental catastrophes. Falling into the cadence of a preacher, he references America's past: "We made a revolution. We abolished slavery. We marched for civil rights. We can do this."
But Talen worries the changes aren't happening fast enough to save us -- or our planet. That's why he's not particularly concerned that some people take offense at what he's doing and how he's doing it.
"We have to spend a little less time worrying about other people's feelings," Talen said. "New ways of believing always hurt the feelings of the people who believe the old way."
That said, he doesn't want his message to become too dogmatic or inflexible. He still likes to laugh and to make others laugh.
"I don't want to become a fundamentalist myself," Talen said. "We're all doing what we can. We need to forgive each other and move on."
View the original article here
Friday, October 14, 2011
Stay wired without staying broke
Whether it's your cell phone, pay TV or Internet service, being connected costs, and you could be paying too much. The right strategies can reduce excessive charges.
Staying connected -- with each other and the world -- costs more than ever.
We're spending steadily more on phone service, even as many people drop land lines and switch to cellphones and Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP. The average digital cable TV subscriber now pays $75 a month. The cost for decent broadband Internet service is likely to rise as providers institute caps to limit data access -- and charge for overages.
The costs of all these connections can easily approach $200 a month for a typical family and exceed $300 for those who choose premium services.
Here are some strategies for making sure you're not paying more than you need to:
Cable and satellite subscriptions are set up to soak you.
Sure, you'll get a great rate -- at first. A few months later, though, part of your deal will expire, and you'll start paying more. A few months after that, your bill will jump again as the rest of your deal expires.
Pay-TV providers offer those great deals upfront because most people will continue to pay the bill as it rises, said Bob Sullivan, MSNBC's Red Tape columnist and the author of "Stop Getting Ripped Off."
"They count on our laziness," Sullivan said. "They know we hate little things about change, what economists call switching costs, like losing track of where our favorite programs are on the dial. Is ESPN 206 or 35? . . . Even the most vigilant among us let it go for a few months before we complain. All this is baked into their business model."
TV providers also salt your bill with other fees and charges you may not need to pay, such as:
Boxes you don't need. If you have an HD-ready set, you don't need an HD converter box, but your television provider might not tell you that. You also don't have to lease the service's digital video recorders -- you can buy your own, although you may still have to pay a service fee, which could offset the savings.
Installation charges. These are usually waived when you sign up for new service, but keep an eye on your bill, because the charge could sneak in later. A month after our U-verse bundle was torturously installed, not one but two charges for "installation of AT&T U-verse Voice" popped up on our bill, totaling $174. I was on the phone instantly (I had the customer-service number memorized by this point) and got credits to offset the charges.
Early-termination fees. Some providers, including DirecTV, are taking a page from cellphone companies and instituting whopping early-termination fees if you discontinue service. The providers say the fees are necessary to compensate them for the high costs of installing pricey equipment, but they can come as a huge shock to subscribers who didn't realize they were under contract.
One of my readers who lost her job canceled her DirecTV service to save money, only to face a bill of more than $300 because she was only a few months into a two-year service agreement. Others have faced fees after their equipment was destroyed in fires, tornadoes, floods or other disasters.
Your strategy: Carefully review your bill every few months. Compare what you're paying to what competitors, and your own provider, are advertising for new subscribers. Call and ask the provider to match the lower price. The good news is that television service is a competitive business now, and discounts are yours for the asking.
"I have actually put Post-it notes near my TV that let me know when my discount rate is about to expire," Sullivan said. "Then, when the date arrives and my bill is about to jump from $30 to $60, I call and threaten to switch. That usually gets the bill back down to $30 for another three months. Total savings: $180 for about 30 minutes' work. Anyone who can afford to turn down a $360-an-hour job right now, please raise your hand."
Before signing up for new service, carefully review all contracts and agreements for the "escape" clause, including how to cancel service and whether that cancellation would cost you. Talking your way out of early-termination fees can be tough, so the best strategy may be to avoid them by not signing up for service or upgrades that include them.
Or you could consider cutting the cord altogether. Many people are discovering they can watch all the television they want with a broadband connection and a set-top antenna to catch local broadcast stations. If you're not ready to go cold turkey, you may be able to save a small fortune by opting out of premium channels and settling for the provider's most basic level of service.
View the original article here
Staying connected -- with each other and the world -- costs more than ever.
We're spending steadily more on phone service, even as many people drop land lines and switch to cellphones and Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP. The average digital cable TV subscriber now pays $75 a month. The cost for decent broadband Internet service is likely to rise as providers institute caps to limit data access -- and charge for overages.
The costs of all these connections can easily approach $200 a month for a typical family and exceed $300 for those who choose premium services.
Here are some strategies for making sure you're not paying more than you need to:
Cable and satellite subscriptions are set up to soak you.
Sure, you'll get a great rate -- at first. A few months later, though, part of your deal will expire, and you'll start paying more. A few months after that, your bill will jump again as the rest of your deal expires.
Pay-TV providers offer those great deals upfront because most people will continue to pay the bill as it rises, said Bob Sullivan, MSNBC's Red Tape columnist and the author of "Stop Getting Ripped Off."
"They count on our laziness," Sullivan said. "They know we hate little things about change, what economists call switching costs, like losing track of where our favorite programs are on the dial. Is ESPN 206 or 35? . . . Even the most vigilant among us let it go for a few months before we complain. All this is baked into their business model."
TV providers also salt your bill with other fees and charges you may not need to pay, such as:
Boxes you don't need. If you have an HD-ready set, you don't need an HD converter box, but your television provider might not tell you that. You also don't have to lease the service's digital video recorders -- you can buy your own, although you may still have to pay a service fee, which could offset the savings.
Installation charges. These are usually waived when you sign up for new service, but keep an eye on your bill, because the charge could sneak in later. A month after our U-verse bundle was torturously installed, not one but two charges for "installation of AT&T U-verse Voice" popped up on our bill, totaling $174. I was on the phone instantly (I had the customer-service number memorized by this point) and got credits to offset the charges.
Early-termination fees. Some providers, including DirecTV, are taking a page from cellphone companies and instituting whopping early-termination fees if you discontinue service. The providers say the fees are necessary to compensate them for the high costs of installing pricey equipment, but they can come as a huge shock to subscribers who didn't realize they were under contract.
One of my readers who lost her job canceled her DirecTV service to save money, only to face a bill of more than $300 because she was only a few months into a two-year service agreement. Others have faced fees after their equipment was destroyed in fires, tornadoes, floods or other disasters.
Your strategy: Carefully review your bill every few months. Compare what you're paying to what competitors, and your own provider, are advertising for new subscribers. Call and ask the provider to match the lower price. The good news is that television service is a competitive business now, and discounts are yours for the asking.
"I have actually put Post-it notes near my TV that let me know when my discount rate is about to expire," Sullivan said. "Then, when the date arrives and my bill is about to jump from $30 to $60, I call and threaten to switch. That usually gets the bill back down to $30 for another three months. Total savings: $180 for about 30 minutes' work. Anyone who can afford to turn down a $360-an-hour job right now, please raise your hand."
Before signing up for new service, carefully review all contracts and agreements for the "escape" clause, including how to cancel service and whether that cancellation would cost you. Talking your way out of early-termination fees can be tough, so the best strategy may be to avoid them by not signing up for service or upgrades that include them.
Or you could consider cutting the cord altogether. Many people are discovering they can watch all the television they want with a broadband connection and a set-top antenna to catch local broadcast stations. If you're not ready to go cold turkey, you may be able to save a small fortune by opting out of premium channels and settling for the provider's most basic level of service.
View the original article here
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