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The Foreign Exchange Market (better known as the FOREX or FX market) as we know it today was established in 1971, following the abolishment of fixed currency exchanges. Operating 24 hours a day, 5 days a week, the daily currency trades on the FOREX market are worth in the region of $1.9 trillion US dollars making it the world’s largest market and putting the major stock markets firmly into second place.

So just what is FOREX trading and who are the players in this market?

Put simply, the FOREX market is a world-wide market for buying and selling currency and involves both major organizations, such as central government and international commercial banks and commercial companies, as well as smaller players in the form of brokerage houses and individual brokers. Unlike the better known world stock markets however the FOREX market does not have a ‘home’ as such, although there are major trading centers around the world in cities such as New York, London, Tokyo, Frankfurt and others. The FOREX market is in effect a ‘digital’ market, with trades being carried out by telephone and increasingly over the internet.

The buying and selling of currencies is necessary to support trade between countries in today’s global marketplace and, as the major world currencies fluctuate against one another there is, and will continue to be, money to be made from currency transactions. The major players in the market are of course buying and selling in single deals often running into many millions of dollars. The smaller players however, the brokerage houses and individual brokers, are often trading in individual deals of as little as one hundred thousand dollars.

So what exactly does this mean to you sitting at home and surfing the internet?

It means quite simply that you too can join this market and, providing you take the time to learn the ins and outs of the currency markets and have a little bit of capital to invest, you can enjoy a very reasonable income from your online trading efforts.

You will not of course be able to trade on your own and will need to use a broker, but many brokers will allow you to open an account online and start trading with anywhere between $250 and $1,000.

FOREX trading is not everybody’s cup of tea of course but its major advantage lies in the fact that it is a highly liquid market that does not involve the commission payments and paperwork which many people find a problem when it come to many other forms of trading.

It is, however, a ‘technical’ market and you should not venture into it unless you are prepared to take the time to learn the basic principles underlying this currency market and to become competent in the use of some of the ‘tools of the trade’, such as technical and fundamental analysis. But don’t be put off by this. It is not necessary to become an expert in these markets to profit from them. With a little time and effort you can quite easily gain enough of an understanding of the currency markets to start making money through online trading and, in time, you will be surprised at just how quickly you can become quite an expert.

David Shephard. Please take a moment to visit Forex Online Trading Systems to learn more about Forex Currency Trading and, in particular, Forex Trading Online

The Advantages of Retirement Calculators

When it comes to financial matters especially, calculators are
the best math-buddies of most budget-conscious and money-saving
people. Especially for people who wish to know how much they
will earn from their nest egg when the time comes that they have
decided to retire.

Generally, retirement calculators are feasible tools in
computing the expected amount of their retirement benefits. The
retirement calculators likewise determine the amount of money
that that a person has to save in order to obtain the amount of
money they wish to have when they reach their retirement age.

With retirement calculators, most people will be able to
calculate the yearly investment needed in order to arrive at a
particular amount of retirement money.

However, there are other factors that need to be considered
before computing the amount of savings. These factors directly
affect the results of the computations and should be taken into
consideration at all cost. These factors are the concerned
person’s present age, retirement age, and gross retirement
income in every year, interest rates, inflation rates, etc.

Therefore, for people who are not aware of the benefit they can
derive from retirement calculators, here are some of the
advantages:

1. Most retirement calculators can give 30-year projections

This means that with retirement calculators, people can easily
compute and predict their estimated savings and the required
amount that they have to save in order to reach those goals.

This 30-year projection is enough to accurately estimate the
needed amount in order to achieve the expected and desired
amount of retirement benefits.

2. It offers retirement “asset performance analysis”

With retirement calculators, people can easily have a logical
analysis of their retirement “asset performance.” Best of all,
most retirement calculators offer interactive features to their
clients, thereby, creating a more comprehensive and analytical
approach in determining their retirement asset operations.

3. It provides its readers real speculations on events that are
probable to occur

Retirement calculators do not aim to give false hopes to their
clients. They aim to provide accurate results at the same time
real speculations that have greater possibilities to happen.

4. It is more than just a calculator.

Retirement calculators do not just calculate the needed amount
so as to achieve the retirement benefit goal of an individual.
It also provides graphical representations of results and
analysis; hence, it gives more solid information because of its
colorful and visual presentations.

However, one must keep in mind that retirement calculators may
or may not be accurate. Therefore, it’s best to seek the help of
financial experts first before jumping to conclusions.

Like any other product that is out there, you should consider the benefits of owning versus equipment leasing. The difference is that in leasing you do not out right own the equipment but use it and pay for it on a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly basis. The fact that you do not own the equipment means that you do not have to fork over a large sum of money to make the purchase. Yet, is this is the right choice for you and your business? It is important to weigh the pros and cons of equipment leasing in your individual situation to determine this.

To help you, here are some things that you should consider.

• What is the overall cost of the equipment if you purchased it? If you lease it, how long will it take you to pay this sum? If equipment will cost you a good deal more in the long run, you may not want to work with this. Yet, there are many instances where it can save you money as well.

• Determine your equipment need. What is the value of the investment and is this something that your company can even afford at this point?

• Who will maintain the equipment in the long run? If this is the owner’s responsibility, it may be wise to lease from them because they will cover those costs.

• Is there an option to lease the equipment for a certain period of time and then to purchase it at a lower price later? Because the equipment will be worth far less in just a few years, you may be able to get a better, more affordable price at that point.

Equipment leasing has many advantages especially for those who only need it for a short period of time. Yet, making the right decision of your company should be done carefully.

For more information please see http://www.equipment-leasing-deals.co.uk

What is a credit union?

A credit union is a not-for-profit, cooperative financial institution that is owned and controlled by its members. Credit unions serve people that share something in common such as an employer or place of worship. Credit unions allow members to pool their savings, lend to one another, and have a voice in the governance in the organization. This aspect of credit unions is particularly appealing given the increasing alienation many consumers are feeling from mega banks.

Credit unions are similar to banks in that they offer many of the same services such as check and savings accounts as well as loans. Deposits are also federally insured with credit unions as they are with banks. Credit unions combine these services with many other benefits such as personal service, generally lower interest rates and higher investment returns.
Steps to take to find a credit union to join.

Contact your employer to see if your company provides this benefit. If not, ask them to consider making the valuable benefit of credit union membership available. If a family or household member is eligible to join a credit union you may be eligible to join because of your relationship. Also, try contacting occupational, fraternal, religious and alumni organizations you are affiliated with to see if they have a credit union you can join. CreditUnionRate.com is also a good source to use when searching for a credit union.

What are benefits of a credit union?

Because credit unions are democratic, member-owned cooperatives, every member, regardless of account size, has a voice in governance. Each year, your local credit union holds an annual election and meeting where members select candidates for the Board of Directors from among its members to represent them in setting the policies of the credit union. As a member-owner of your credit union, you are entitled to vote on credit union business and elect new board members. You can also serve on your credit union’s volunteer board or one of its committees. Credit union elections are based on a one-member, one-vote structure. This structure is unlike the for-profit, public companies where stockholders vote according to the number of shares of stock they own.

Once you become a member of the credit union you always remain a member - as long as you maintain an account. Even after your discharge from services or relocation you can still be a member of your credit union.
Again, because you are a member-owner of your not for profit credit union you derive financial benefits that are reserved for stock holders at for profit banks. In other words, you get higher interest rates on basic savings (share) accounts, interest-bearing checking accounts and CDs. Many credit unions also pay “bonus” dividends in especially good years.
Credit unions also offer lower interest rates on credit cards and loans than banks. This comes as a strong point in favor of the credit unions. Many young families who are just starting out have very demanding financial needs and most often they are required to stretch their limited dollars. From credit cards to car loans, credit unions consistently offer lower rates, better terms and lower fees.

This holds true even for mortgage rates and equity loans. Credit unions are known to provide better and competitive mortgage rates and equity loans. Not only are the rates low, but closing costs generally are much lower than those paid through a conventional lender.

Your local credit union helps you make the most of your money. From personalized service to low interest and high returns its easy to see why 89 million members depend on a credit union to meet their banking needs.

Nicole Soltau
President and Founder
http://CreditUnionRate.com
The Leading Online Credit Union Directory

How to make a lot of money on stocks. I made 346,2$ .Easy steps
to follow and Real Results

Submitted by: solve aanneland http://www.american-dollar.com/

How to make a lot of money on stocks. Easy steps to follow and
real results I made 346,2$ at a period of among 8 months

I have been trying to make money on stocks a couple of years
and I have found out that if you follow sertan rules you may get
the money that you have expected in a less risk than usual.

I tried to buy stocks at these rules:

-Atleast doubled in value and

-Has going up fermly atleast for a 6 month of time

-Had a good graph

-I am selling it when it is going down among 20%

I buyed the stock below tandberg data at a price of 8nkr and I
invested 1800Nkr (277$ at a $ price of 6,5)

I sold the stock when it had going down from 22-18 Nkr.

My sale price was 18Nkr but a weak before I sold out from the
companie the companie was splitted into to pieces.

TST(Tandberg Storage)Who has for now a value at 1000Nkr(154$ and
the main companie

ALX(Altinex) I sold out only the Altinex piece and I am Not
taking the value of the TST companie in my final sale price
since I have not sold the stock yet.

I had now 4050Nkr (623$) in this stock

My earning was 2250kr(346,2$) at a period of among 8 months (The
TST price is not calculated in this result since I have not sold
it yet)

If I had sold the tst stocks at the moment 12november 2005. I
have earned among 1000Nkr (154$)

So my final earning would than be 3250Nkr (500,2$) at a period
of 3 years.

All rights reserved www.american-dollar.com

You can use this article at your website if you are having a
link at www.american-dollar.com at the site where the article
are.

The forex options market started as an over-the-counter (OTC) financial vehicle for large banks, financial institutions and large international corporations to hedge against foreign currency exposure. Like the forex spot market, the forex options market is considered an “interbank” market. However, with the plethora of real-time financial data and forex option trading software available to most investors through the internet, today’s forex option market now includes an increasingly large number of individuals and corporations who are speculating and/or hedging foreign currency exposure via telephone or online forex trading platforms.

Forex option trading has emerged as an alternative investment vehicle for many traders and investors. As an investment tool, forex option trading provides both large and small investors with greater flexibility when determining the appropriate forex trading and hedging strategies to implement.

Most forex options trading is conducted via telephone as there are only a few forex brokers offering online forex option trading platforms.

Forex Option Defined - A forex option is a financial currency contract giving the forex option buyer the right, but not the obligation, to purchase or sell a specific forex spot contract (the underlying) at a specific price (the strike price) on or before a specific date (the expiration date). The amount the forex option buyer pays to the forex option seller for the forex option contract rights is called the forex option “premium.”

The Forex Option Buyer - The buyer, or holder, of a foreign currency option has the choice to either sell the foreign currency option contract prior to expiration, or he or she can choose to hold the foreign currency options contract until expiration and exercise his or her right to take a position in the underlying spot foreign currency. The act of exercising the foreign currency option and taking the subsequent underlying position in the foreign currency spot market is known as “assignment” or being “assigned” a spot position.

The only initial financial obligation of the foreign currency option buyer is to pay the premium to the seller up front when the foreign currency option is initially purchased. Once the premium is paid, the foreign currency option holder has no other financial obligation (no margin is required) until the foreign currency option is either offset or expires.

On the expiration date, the call buyer can exercise his or her right to buy the underlying foreign currency spot position at the foreign currency option’s strike price, and a put holder can exercise his or her right to sell the underlying foreign currency spot position at the foreign currency option’s strike price. Most foreign currency options are not exercised by the buyer, but instead are offset in the market before expiration.

Foreign currency options expires worthless if, at the time the foreign currency option expires, the strike price is “out-of-the-money.” In simplest terms, a foreign currency option is “out-of-the-money” if the underlying foreign currency spot price is lower than a foreign currency call option’s strike price, or the underlying foreign currency spot price is higher than a put option’s strike price. Once a foreign currency option has expired worthless, the foreign currency option contract itself expires and neither the buyer nor the seller have any further obligation to the other party.

The Forex Option Seller - The foreign currency option seller may also be called the “writer” or “grantor” of a foreign currency option contract. The seller of a foreign currency option is contractually obligated to take the opposite underlying foreign currency spot position if the buyer exercises his right. In return for the premium paid by the buyer, the seller assumes the risk of taking a possible adverse position at a later point in time in the foreign currency spot market.

Initially, the foreign currency option seller collects the premium paid by the foreign currency option buyer (the buyer’s funds will immediately be transferred into the seller’s foreign currency trading account). The foreign currency option seller must have the funds in his or her account to cover the initial margin requirement. If the markets move in a favorable direction for the seller, the seller will not have to post any more funds for his foreign currency options other than the initial margin requirement. However, if the markets move in an unfavorable direction for the foreign currency options seller, the seller may have to post additional funds to his or her foreign currency trading account to keep the balance in the foreign currency trading account above the maintenance margin requirement.

Just like the buyer, the foreign currency option seller has the choice to either offset (buy back) the foreign currency option contract in the options market prior to expiration, or the seller can choose to hold the foreign currency option contract until expiration. If the foreign currency options seller holds the contract until expiration, one of two scenarios will occur: (1) the seller will take the opposite underlying foreign currency spot position if the buyer exercises the option or (2) the seller will simply let the foreign currency option expire worthless (keeping the entire premium) if the strike price is out-of-the-money.

Please note that “puts” and “calls” are separate foreign currency options contracts and are NOT the opposite side of the same transaction. For every put buyer there is a put seller, and for every call buyer there is a call seller. The foreign currency options buyer pays a premium to the foreign currency options seller in every option transaction.

Forex Call Option - A foreign exchange call option gives the foreign exchange options buyer the right, but not the obligation, to purchase a specific foreign exchange spot contract (the underlying) at a specific price (the strike price) on or before a specific date (the expiration date). The amount the foreign exchange option buyer pays to the foreign exchange option seller for the foreign exchange option contract rights is called the option “premium.”

Please note that “puts” and “calls” are separate foreign exchange options contracts and are NOT the opposite side of the same transaction. For every foreign exchange put buyer there is a foreign exchange put seller, and for every foreign exchange call buyer there is a foreign exchange call seller. The foreign exchange options buyer pays a premium to the foreign exchange options seller in every option transaction.

The Forex Put Option - A foreign exchange put option gives the foreign exchange options buyer the right, but not the obligation, to sell a specific foreign exchange spot contract (the underlying) at a specific price (the strike price) on or before a specific date (the expiration date). The amount the foreign exchange option buyer pays to the foreign exchange option seller for the foreign exchange option contract rights is called the option “premium.”

Please note that “puts” and “calls” are separate foreign exchange options contracts and are NOT the opposite side of the same transaction. For every foreign exchange put buyer there is a foreign exchange put seller, and for every foreign exchange call buyer there is a foreign exchange call seller. The foreign exchange options buyer pays a premium to the foreign exchange options seller in every option transaction.

Plain Vanilla Forex Options - Plain vanilla options generally refer to standard put and call option contracts traded through an exchange (however, in the case of forex option trading, plain vanilla options would refer to the standard, generic forex option contracts that are traded through an over-the-counter (OTC) forex options dealer or clearinghouse). In simplest terms, vanilla forex options would be defined as the buying or selling of a standard forex call option contract or a forex put option contract.

Exotic Forex Options - To understand what makes an exotic forex option “exotic,” you must first understand what makes a forex option “non-vanilla.” Plain vanilla forex options have a definitive expiration structure, payout structure and payout amount. Exotic forex option contracts may have a change in one or all of the above features of a vanilla forex option. It is important to note that exotic options, since they are often tailored to a specific’s investor’s needs by an exotic forex options broker, are generally not very liquid, if at all.

Intrinsic & Extrinsic Value - The price of an FX option is calculated into two separate parts, the intrinsic value and the extrinsic (time) value.

The intrinsic value of an FX option is defined as the difference between the strike price and the underlying FX spot contract rate (American Style Options) or the FX forward rate (European Style Options). The intrinsic value represents the actual value of the FX option if exercised. Please note that the intrinsic value must be zero (0) or above - if an FX option has no intrinsic value, then the FX option is simply referred to as having no (or zero) intrinsic value (the intrinsic value is never represented as a negative number). An FX option with no intrinsic value is considered “out-of-the-money,” an FX option having intrinsic value is considered “in-the-money,” and an FX option with a strike price at, or very close to, the underlying FX spot rate is considered “at-the-money.”

The extrinsic value of an FX option is commonly referred to as the “time” value and is defined as the value of an FX option beyond the intrinsic value. A number of factors contribute to the calculation of the extrinsic value including, but not limited to, the volatility of the two spot currencies involved, the time left until expiration, the riskless interest rate of both currencies, the spot price of both currencies and the strike price of the FX option. It is important to note that the extrinsic value of FX options erodes as its expiration nears. An FX option with 60 days left to expiration will be worth more than the same FX option that has only 30 days left to expiration. Because there is more time for the underlying FX spot price to possibly move in a favorable direction, FX options sellers demand (and FX options buyers are willing to pay) a larger premium for the extra amount of time.

Volatility - Volatility is considered the most important factor when pricing forex options and it measures movements in the price of the underlying. High volatility increases the probability that the forex option could expire in-the-money and increases the risk to the forex option seller who, in turn, can demand a larger premium. An increase in volatility causes an increase in the price of both call and put options.

Delta - The delta of a forex option is defined as the change in price of a forex option relative to a change in the underlying forex spot rate. A change in a forex option’s delta can be influenced by a change in the underlying forex spot rate, a change in volatility, a change in the riskless interest rate of the underlying spot currencies or simply by the passage of time (nearing of the expiration date).

The delta must always be calculated in a range of zero to one (0-1.0). Generally, the delta of a deep out-of-the-money forex option will be closer to zero, the delta of an at-the-money forex option will be near .5 (the probability of exercise is near 50%) and the delta of deep in-the-money forex options will be closer to 1.0. In simplest terms, the closer a forex option’s strike price is relative to the underlying spot forex rate, the higher the delta because it is more sensitive to a change in the underlying rate.

John Nobile - Senior Account Executive
CFOS/FX - Online Forex Spot and Options Brokerage

There are many forms of investing online. While I can give you a list that is a mile long, these are the most common forms of successful investments. Some of the following know how to invest terms are:

1. Option trading
2. Future trading
3. Currency trading
4. Stock trading
5. Future trading
6. Forex trading (or) foreign exchange trading

I want to start this investing online critique out with a story… On a beautiful late spring afternoon, twenty-five years ago, two young men graduated from the same college. These men were very much alike. Both, better than average students, were personable and filled with ambitious dreams for the future.

For the sake of my example, I will set both college graduates off online trading using a day trading plat form. Through a gift, both start with the same online investing investment risk capital, the same daytrading plat form, and the same trading system with precise rules for entry and exits.

Shockingly, there is a difference. After one month, one day-trader went broke / bust, while the other day trader returned a 20% profit.

Have you ever wondered, as I have, what makes this kind of difference in people’s trading? It is not always a native intelligence, talent or dedication. It is not that one person wants success and the other does not.

The difference lies within the psychology of the brain. Your psychological mind set is likely to play a larger role in your trading online career than your chosen technique or any other details associated with your day-to-day practice.

Here are some good examples:

1. One person looks at a glass ½ empty, while the other personality looks at that same cup as ½ full.

2. Someone may look at problems and call them stress, while another individual looks at troubles as challenges.

3. Another one may look at a ship in a storm as an adventurous roller coaster ride, while another human being sees the same situation as a hurricane that has a death call.

I am not the only one to discover this…

In his book, “Trade Your Way to Financial Freedom”, the renowned American psychologist Dr. Van Tharp discusses the role psychology plays in trading success. He divides trading into three Ingredients.

In his pie chart:

– System is 10%
– Money Management Success is 30%, and

– 60% pertains to the psychology of thought and emotion.

Tharp discovered that the trader’s psychology make up of the mind has more to do with his success than anything else does.

However, what exactly is the psychology of the mind?

In short, the psychology of the mind refers to your thinking and emotional actions and responses to any given situation…In trading, fear, greed, vanity, pride, hope, jealousy, denial - all these can affect investment decisions. Although, your aim in the market is to maximize your profit and minimize your risk, thinking and emotions often make this easier said than done.

FOR EXAMPLE - Traders, who cannot control the psychological process of thought and emotion, make the wrong decision - such as the common amateur mistake of holding a losing position in the belief that someday it will become a winner.

Loss aversion is a classic mistake. By nature, humans value a loss. Therefore, you suffer almost twice as much pain losing $1 as you would in gaining $1. Loss aversion compels most traders to hold a losing stock while it plummets downward. This clouded judgment clearly contradicts the trading adage: cut your losses and let your profits run.

Emotional investors hold losing positions because they view paper losses differently from realized losses. An investor also engages in other forms of irrational behavior.

EXAMPLES are attributing success as natural and losses to bad luck.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. When talking about the other devastating effects of trading, if you do not have the psychology of your thought and emotions in the proper prospective the consequences can be devastating.

This is what opens up problems for new traders, and then they lose manage money very quickly in the markets. Most people completely wiped out their finances within the first year of trading. So, as you can see, your thinking and emotions play a big part in determining whether you fail or succeed, but did you know that thought and emotion make up two different spheres pertaining to trading success?

David Jenyns is recognized as the leading expert

when it comes to designing profitable trading

systems. His most recent course Trading Secrets

Revealed is a step-by-step trading roadmap to

having excellent money management.

Learn how *you* can become one of his students.
Click Here ==> http://www.trading-secrets-revealed.com
Receive David’s free trading tips by signing up for his eZine at:
==> http://www.trading-secrets-revealed.com/pop.html

In the movie “The Net,” Sandra Bullock played the role of a victim of identity theft. In fact, she was basically erased from the community. Another woman consumed her identity, taking with it everything Sandra Bullock’s character had - including her bank accounts, license and social security number, and even her home. It seems crazy to think this could happen; after all it’s only a movie. But just as fairy tales can come true, so can your worst nightmare. Theft of identity is happening at an alarming rate. Over 100,000 identity theft complaints are filed each year.

Identity thieves work in various ways. One of the most common is to open up a new credit card in your name, using your date of birth and social security number. They rack up charges, don’t pay the bill and the delinquent account is reported on your credit report. They can also change the mailing address so that your credit card will be sent to a false address, giving them more time to make purchases, until you realize there is a problem. They may also establish cellular phone services and bank accounts in your name, making costly phone calls and writing bad checks.

Identity theft today is much more than losing your wallet full of cash. You could lose your entire savings account. Some victims are stuck paying false loans and huge credit card debt. At the very least victims will lose their good credit rating. Most people spend endless hours trying to clear up security and financial problems that arise. This can be costly, time consuming and causes enormous stress to the victim and their family.

Don’t wait to take actions to prevent identity theft. You can be proactive in reducing your chances of becoming a victim using some simple strategies. Don’t put this off – you can do it a little at a time and it’s easier than you think – and the irony, is that other areas of managing your life will be more organized as well! Here are some tips you can do right away.

• Never give out your social security number to anyone – unless the agency requesting it can guarantee confidentiality.
• Take your social security number off your Drivers license and checks.
• Cancel and cut up unused or “extra” credit cards.
• Check your credit card statements for any purchases that seem odd to you – keep track of what you buy!
• Watch your phone bill, cable bill, internet bill, etc., for any increase in charges.
• If your credit card bill is late or you suspect it is lost, call the credit card issuer immediately.
• Check with your creditors on their policy for stolen cards or fraudulently accessed accounts. (You could be liable!)
• Mail bills from the post office or official postal box instead of your home.
• Keep important documents, (passport, birth certificate, stocks, savings accounts), locked in a safe or file drawer.
• Shred old bank and credit card statements, making sure account numbers, passwords, and addresses are unreadable before discarding.
• THINK about what you are throwing in the trash. Assume anyone can and will go through it after it leaves your home!
• Keep a written record or photo copy (locked away) of the contents of your wallet or purse. Don’t carry your wallet with you when it is not necessary.
• Create passwords that make sense to you but are not the usual birth date, anniversary, pet or maiden name.
• Use only web sites that are encrypted and secure and have a privacy policy -before you type in your credit card number.

It is helpful to check your credit report annually as well. You should request this information from all three credit agencies (TransUnion (800) 888-4213; Experian (888) 397-3742; Equifax (800) 685-1111) and verify that the information they give you is correct. In addition, ask these agencies to put a “Fraud Alert” on your account, so that before anyone can borrow money they have to contact you in person.

Unfortunately, even with extra effort, identity theft can still happen. We trust total strangers with our personal information everyday – applying for a car loan or mortgage – writing a check – patient care at a hospital – even stamped on our children’s back pack! It would be ludicrous for us not to give out this information from time to time, but knowing where we give it out and to whom is helpful. The key to quick recovery from such a disaster is to notice it quickly and take immediate action. Here’s what to do if you think you may be a victim of this crime:

• Contact the fraud department of all three credit agencies (listed above) and report your findings.
• Call your financial institutions or creditors for any accounts that have been fraudulently accessed or opened and close these accounts.
• Report the identity theft to the police. Get a copy of the police report to give to your creditors for poof of the crime.
• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission 1-877- ID-THEFT, (www.consumer.gov/idtheft.com).

Staying proactive and organized will pay off in the long run, for life in general and particularly in trying to avert identify theft. Keeping accurate accounting records, personal files and paper management is key to a calmer, safer existence. If you find it difficult to do on your own, consider hiring a professional organizer who specializes in this expertise. Regardless of the stage of life you are in, get your affairs in order. You are a unique individual with your own identity. No one should be able to take that away from you!

© Barbara Hemphill is the author of Kiplinger’s Taming the Paper Tiger at Work and Taming the Paper Tiger at Home and co-author of Love It or Lose It: Living Clutter-Free Forever. The mission of Hemphill Productivity Institute is to help individuals and organizations create and sustain a productive environment so they can accomplish their work and enjoy their lives. We do this by organizing space, information, and time. We can be reached at 800-427-0237 or at www.ProductiveEnvironment.com

Each year, the IRS lists various scams taxpayers get caught up in. The top 2005 scams include several that manipulate laws governing charitable groups, abuse credit counseling services or rely on refuted arguments to claim tax exemptions. The agency is warning taxpayers about the growth of identity theft schemes with some particularly bold thieves even pretending to be IRS agents.

2005 Scam Highlights

1. Credit Counseling. The IRS warns taxpayers to be careful with credit counseling organizations that claim they can fix credit ratings, promote debt payment agreements or charge high fees, monthly service charges or mandatory “contributions” that may add to debt. The IRS Tax Exempt and Government Entities Division has made auditing credit counseling organizations a priority because some of these tax-exempt organizations, which are intended to provide education to low-income customers with debt problems, are charging debtors large fees, while providing little or no counseling.

2. Identity Theft. It pays to be choosy when it comes to disclosing personal information. Identity thieves have used stolen personal data to access financial accounts, run up charges on credit cards and apply for new loans. The IRS is aware of several identity theft scams involving taxes. In one case, fraudsters sent bank customers fictitious correspondence and IRS forms in an attempt to trick them into disclosing their personal financial data. In another, abusive tax preparers used clients’ Social Security numbers and other information to file false tax returns without the clients’ knowledge. Sometimes scammers pose as the IRS itself. Last year the IRS shut down a scheme in which perpetrators used e-mail to announce to unsuspecting taxpayers that they were “under audit” and could set matters right by divulging sensitive financial information on an official-looking Web site. Taxpayers should note the IRS does not use e-mail to contact them about issues related to their accounts.

3.”Claim of Right” Doctrine. In this scheme, a taxpayer files a return and attempts to take a deduction equal to the entire amount of his or her wages. The promoter advises the taxpayer to label the deduction as “a necessary expense for the production of income” or “compensation for personal services actually rendered.” This so-called deduction is based on a misinterpretation of the Internal Revenue Code and has no basis in law.

4. “No Gain” Deduction. - Taxpayers attempt to eliminate their entire adjusted gross income (AGI) by deducting it on Schedule A. The filer lists their AGI under the Schedule A section labeled “Other Miscellaneous Deductions” and attaches a statement referring to court documents and including the words “No Gain Realized.”

5. Corporation Sole. Participants apply for incorporation under the pretext of being a “bishop” or “overseer” of a one-person, phony religious organization or society with the idea that this entitles the individual to exemption from federal income taxes as a nonprofit, religious organization. When used as intended, Corporation Sole statutes enable religious leaders to separate themselves legally from the control and ownership of church assets. But the rules have been twisted at seminars where taxpayers are charged fees of $1,000 or more and incorrectly told that Corporation Sole laws provide a “legal” way to escape paying federal income taxes, child support and other personal debts.

6. Offshore Transactions. Despite a crackdown, individuals continue to try to avoid U.S. taxes by illegally hiding income in offshore bank and brokerage accounts or using offshore credit cards, wire transfers, foreign trusts, employee leasing schemes, private annuities or life insurance to do so. The IRS continues to aggressively pursue taxpayers and promoters involved in such abusive transactions.

7. Zero Return. Promoters instruct taxpayers to enter all zeros on their federal income tax filings. In a twist on this scheme, filers enter zero income, report their withholding and then write “nunc pro tunc”–– Latin for “now for then”––on the return. The IRS takes a very poor view of this tactic.

8. Employment Tax Evasion. The IRS has seen a number of illegal schemes that instruct employers not to withhold federal income tax or other employment taxes from wages paid to their employees. Such advice is based on an incorrect interpretation of Section 861 and other parts of the tax law and has been refuted in court. Recent cases have resulted in criminal convictions, and the courts have issued injunctions against more than a dozen persons ordering them to stop promoting the scheme. Employer participants can also be held responsible for back payments of employment taxes, plus penalties and interest. It is worth noting that employees who have nothing withheld from their wages are still responsible for payment of their personal taxes. The employees, however, can sue their employer for damages.

Inappropriate tax schemes come and go, so the 2005 list is fairly standard stuff with one exception. The spread of identity theft schemes is troubling, particularly when thieves pretend to act as IRS agents. The IRS does not contact people by email, so don’t fall for the scam. Be careful out there.

Richard Chapo is with www.businesstaxrecovery.com - recovering overpaid taxes for small businesses. Visit our article page - www.businesstaxrecovery.com/articles - to read more tax articles.

What is “Shorting Stocks”?

The whole idea of shorting stocks is to make money from stocks
that are going down in price. When you short stocks, you are
essentially selling stocks that you have borrowed, in other
words you do not personally own them.

First, you need to have a margin account in order to sell stocks
short. A margin account allows the broker to extend credit to
you, based on Federal guidelines. You must have at least 50% of
the amount involved in short selling the stock as cash in your
account. This shows that you have sufficient funds available to
buy the stock back should it go against you. Lets look at an
example.

ZYX Co. is trading at $23.00

You would need $1150 in your account to short sell 100 shares.
You would receive a credit of $2300 less commissions. Overall,
you would have a credit balance of $3450 in your account.

ZYX Co. goes to $18.00

You’ve made $500. Your credit balance is still $3450, but the
market value of the stock is only $1800. So your equity is $1650
($3450-$1800). Your paper profit at this point is $500.

Although you will always pay interest on money you borrow from
the broker, you may be able to negotiate a better rate if you’re
a preferred client or have a sizable account. You will also be
charged by the broker for any cash or dividend payments on your
short positions.

Assuming you are an average person without any insider
information, the best time to short sell in general, is when the
overall stock market is in a down trend. Even the best stocks go
down in Bear Markets. If you’re just starting out, take small
short positions, never short a stock that is rising in price,
and use stop-losses to avoid big losses on your short positions.

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