Are You Afraid To Invest In Yourself?

I am sure that you have heard this phrase: "Your business can only grow to the extent that you grow." If you are playing small, hiding out, procrastinating, doing it all yourself, undercharging, under-earning or over-delivering, then you are getting in your own way. Without a doubt, each of these actions or habits will stall your business growth, repel ideal clients and sabotage your success.

As an Angel Investor, I have worked with many business owners for years, and the number one mistake I see such entrepreneurs make these days is failing to invest in themselves at a high level. This failure keeps them-and their businesses-stuck, for the quickest way I know to help alleviate self-sabotaging behaviors and quickly get back on track is by investing in and working with a mentor. We can help you identify the behaviors that are holding you back and show you how to move forward. We can work with you to create a customised plan that is appropriate for you and your business. 

Here are 3 advantages to investing in yourself at a high level: 

1. You will Make a Higher Commitment to Yourself: When you pay, you pay attention and therefore if you invest in a high-level mentor, you'll be more committed to doing what is required. Because you're paying for their services, you'll be more likely to follow through with their recommendations. 

2. Your Energy Is More Focused: Because you're spending time (and money) to work on your business strategies with someone else, you'll become much more focused on achieving your desired results. You'll allocate time, clear out your diary, making sure to listen to, and follow, your mentor's expert guidance. This often results in attracting more ideal clients who are extremely committed and invested in their business success. 

3. You'll Be More Decisive: Since you'll be motivated to get a solid return on your investment, you'll finally get out of analysis paralysis and take action. 

A quick exercise: Keeping in mind your end goals of making more money and attracting your ideal clients into your business, take out a note pad and pen and list all of the areas in your business where you are not taking action AND/OR the areas in which you are just confused about what the next steps should be. Once you've completed this list, circle the top 3 things that need to be done to build your business now.

Why Many Retired Women Live in Poverty - And What You Can do to Prevent It

Retirement for women is different than for men, and unless this fact is recognised and acknowledged, a woman's retirement may become something less than golden. My intent in this article, is to discuss what we can, even must do, to assure our years in retirement are some of the best years of our lives. 

There are many reasons for us living in poverty during their 'Golden Years'. Below are some you may recognise, and suggestions and solutions you may wish to consider. 

Problem #1: Many women rely too heavily on our spouse 

For income during the working years, benefits during retirement, and for ongoing financial guidance and advice throughout the years, with unforeseen and tragic results in many cases. (3 of every 5 elderly women face retirement without a husband). 

Problem #2: Work Patterns 

We often have irregular work patterns, due to marriage, children, care giving and other responsibilities. This often leads to us not earning full retirement benefits, or any benefits at all. Even when we do earn and contribute to our retirement accounts, our benefits tend to be a fraction of what men receive because of our lower earnings and complicated schedules that penalise us for moving in and out of the workforce. For these reasons men's pensions tend to be upwards of two and a half times that of women. 

Problem #3: In all too many cases a divorce occurs, sometimes even later in life, and the financially inexperienced woman is set adrift in unknown waters. 

For wealthier couples, the assets are divided in what appears at first glance to be equal, but the woman's share may include the family home with a hefty mortgage payment, while the husband receives the cash equivalent to rebuild his life. In addition, the ex-husbands income is not disturbed, while the woman's income may be dependent on temporary alimony and/or child support. Whatever income we are able to generate by going back to work, often with little or no job skills and being out of the work force for many years, brings lower pay, therefore lower future retirement benefits. 

Problem #4: Widowhood upon the husbands death the retirement fund can cease or decrease (geography dependent), putting the widow in a financial bind. 

One-third of women who become widowed are younger than 60. Half of all women who become widowed are younger than 63. Widowhood can severely jeopardise a woman's economic prospects. 80% of women live longer than their spouses and often by many years. The risk here is if we try to maintain our current living standards, we may deplete our savings over time. As health expenses or long term care needs arise we may be forced to reduce her standard of living, or spend down assets in order to get assistance. Neither of those choices bode well for our quality of life. 

Solutions, Recommendations and Strategies 

First, educate yourself about the family finances. Make sure you have a good overview and understanding of what assets are owned, how they are titled, who the beneficiaries are, etc. 

Prepare yourself to manage your own finances, as the odds say you will need to do just that at some point. 

Make sure you are named on all family accounts as owner, co-owner, or beneficiary. This establishes your legal right to these assets should the marriage end in divorce, death, or even if your partner becomes incapacitated. 

Next, build what I call the Three-legged Stool of Lifetime Financial Security: 

1) Inflation protected lifetime income 

2) Growth/income investments for future needs 

3) Long term care protection in the form of assets or insurance, or some combination of both

Some of the solutions to ensure your lifetime security could consist of: 

• Your social security retirement benefit 
• A secondary inflation adjusted income you can't outlive 
• A prudently managed growth/income account to keep pace with the cost of living
• A creative and flexible method of protecting your potential long term care needs 

5) Time tested strategies of ensuring you pay no more than your fair share of taxes 

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Steve_Hood/81257

Ladies- Build Your Money Machine

Girlfriend: a 'Money Machine' is a must, and timely to get one. Think of this as a well-oiled piece of equipment that churns and burns as it works for you, even when you don't. A properly tended producing machine is a constant, reliable source of cash flow. If you nurture it correctly, you'll eventually reach a point in your life when your 'Money Machine' takes over for you. When that happens, you no longer have to work. Instead, you'll work only because you love what you're doing. That's financial freedom!

The secret of creating your money machine is the "spend less than you earn and invest the difference" approach. Each month, you give part of your earnings to your investment that compose your money machine. You make sure to regularly feed your machine before you "donate" cash to the nearest multiplex or restaurant or department store. Having your own money machine will allow you to stop working to support yourself so that you can have time to pursue the other things you love. Maybe you'd like to kick back at some point and offer your time for your favorite charity or artistic endeavor - and your well tended sleek machine gets you there. 

And, to do this it takes a firm financial plan that takes you to your dreams. Life is definitely too short to delay pursuing passions, the things that excite you in life, and right now is key. Who wants to be a slave to money-to be held captive to a corporation, institution, or government office by a salary? Most of us would pursue a variety of interests if money were not a factor. We each dream of a lifelong quest-to learn a new skill, to do volunteer work, to start a small business, or simply to have some free time to go out and have fun. With a well-running money machine, you can do it. 

The money machine is designed to be a holding pen for cash that will be invested and doubled again and again until it's sufficient to generate the sum you will use to meet your monthly expenses through out your life. The incredible ability of money to grow works to your advantage, and it is the grease that makes your machine hum. This is the purpose of your well designed machine -to let you walk away from having to go to work each day to earn income. Your money machine will assume the role of providing income to pay your living expenses. At this point, you will have arrived at financial freedom, and once you set up your own personal engine, you will have it for life. 

Furthermore, the money machine allows you to serve your community or other ways that you are inspired to give back. Part of being a well-balanced person-of having a smooth ride on your journey of life -is not only enjoying personal benefits from your money machine, but also allocating some of those funds to good deeds. When we have ample financial resources, we can and must give back some to the society that has helped nurture us and supported our economic well-being. After all, everything we've gained in life has been a gift to us. Giving and sharing are also part of the power and joy of money.

 Your money machine isn't a piggy bank designed simply to hold a bundle of cash. Nor is it the location of one single investment. It is the sum of all your investments wisely invested to enable solid, steady returns. Your designer machine will be producing during the years when income is needed and wanted-and with a surprisingly low level of maintenance. With a well tended money machine, you'll enjoy that good feeling in the pit of your stomach that comes from being able to say, "I've guaranteed my financial future, and I feel great about it." 

Of course, you won't want to take your money machine for granted. As in other areas of your life, if you don't contribute, you don't get anything back. Try having a relationship in which all you do is take. Or try having a job where you do nothing but expect to be paid. Neither one will last very long. In the same way, your money machine depends upon your being a giver, not a taker. I'm talking about being not just a one-time contributor, or an on-again, off-again, sort-of contributor, but a consistent contributor. I'm talking about making the development of you machinery a priority in your life. Because, by looking out for your financial future, you're also caring for your soul and your health. 

When you feed your money machine, you can't dump just any old investment into it. Imagine someone with terrible eating habits, who puts lots of fats and sugars into his or her body. Over time, this person loses energy, slows down, and may even become ill because his or her body is not properly fueled. Your money machine is like your body: You can't put garbage into it and expect a healthy return. 

What are the "fats" and "sugars" of the investment world? There are two kinds of unhealthy investments to avoid: (1) investments that are excessively risky-investments in which you could lose all of your money-and (2) investments that have an inadequate rate of growth-investments that simply won't pay you very much. 

The creation of a Money Machine begins with your first investment, and with the plan you devise to add to it regularly. It is not something that can solve your financial problems all at once, like winning the lottery. It's a process. It might take ten, fifteen, or twenty years to fully fund your machine, depending on how much and how often you contribute to it, when you first begin, and how wisely you select your investments. Building your money machine to create continuing cash for your life, is embarking on a voyage toward financial freedom. 

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Joan_Perry/216137

3 Tips for Women to Become Empowered With Money

Naivety, or innocence, puts women in danger because we can easily be taken advantage of. This may be intentional or unintentional, but it is certainly easier to sell something (like an insurance policy, real estate, an investment or a car repair) to someone who doesn't understand it and doesn't ask questions. So maybe the agent isn't intentionally trying to harm us, but if you don't know what questions to ask, neither of you will know whether it's right for you or not. 

Women can easily gain the empowerment they desire by gaining the right knowledge. Knowledge is confidence. Knowledge is safety. Knowledge is power. 

Three ways women can become empowered with their money are to get educated about money, overcome their innocence and work with trusted experts. 

Get Educated About Money 

Where were you taught about growing, maintaining and protecting wealth? Probably not in school or by your parents. In fact, there have been very few places to gain financial education unless you wanted to major in accounting or finance in college (I know... sounds extraordinarily exciting, right?) But now you have more options, there are many places on-line to help you learn about insurance, investments, taxes, estate planning and more. The important thing is that you do it. Take action. Don't ignore your retirement, expose your assets, and take unknown risks with your investments because you are too nervous to learn. You can talk to Femvestorsglobal. but don't just do nothing. 

Overcome Innocence 

Do not be taken advantage of because you don't understand something. Also, don't let your heart blind you and leave you exposed in your close relationships by ignoring warning signs of a money-mess boyfriend. Gain confidence in yourself by taking trustworthy actions. Your innocence will disappear with a good financial education, trustworthy advisers and mentors, experience and the willingness to take charge of your money. The more confident you become, the more empowered you will be. You are not a victim, you are a warrior! 

Work with Femvestorsglobal so we can support you prior to meeting any advisor 

90% of the time the advisor will be a man. You must invest in good advice so that you learn and you are protected. We support you so when you come to Interview advisers, check their credentials, get referrals, and most importantly make sure you are comfortable working with them and feel respected and heard. Often women are dissatisfied with their advisers because they don't feel heard or understood. Make sure this is not the case for you. To continue to grow your self-confidence and empowerment, gain an awareness of your own money habit and patterns as well.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Angie_Grainger/1086314

Ladies- we need to Create Our Dignity Money

So what is "dignity money." This is the calculation of money you'll need down the road in order to live a very minimal, luxury-free life each month. It's your insurance, so to speak, against destitution, facing poverty - or being referred to as the 'bag lady'. 

You can figure out how much dignity money you'll personally need by determining the smallest amount that it will cost you to live each month. Add up what you spend each month for food, transportation, taxes, housing, telephone, utilities and insurance. Don't include any frills. 

One very important basic is your home. If you own your house or apartment, your mortgage or maintenance is likely to be one of your major expenses; it is perhaps your single greatest expense. Paying off your mortgage greatly reduces your monthly outlay and therefore reduces your total dignity-money requirement. For many women, a preference to eliminate mortgage debt is the more safer and secure option. Having to not pay any mortgage yourself is an essential step to achieving financial independence. Calculate your dignity-money needs both ways-with a mortgage and without. Depending on the current size and condition of your living costs, you may find that financial independence may arrive for you only after the mortgage is paid, whether that date is five, ten, or more years from now. 

Your dignity-money calculation can be a rough number; that's okay. It might be $1,000 a month or $10,000. Each person's sum will be different. In any event, your dignity-money figure is the target level of income for the first stage of creating your financial freedom. Your goal is to generate this amount of cash each month going forward so you won't have anxiety about the basic care of yourself in the future. If you already have your dignity money, then you can feel at ease. Knowing that you're financially secure should give you a good feeling all over and relieve whatever stressful flutters you might have had about money. If you have yet to establish your dignity money, then it's time to begin working toward it. Believe me, no outing, new trinket, or other toy is worth the cost of not taking this step. 

How do you figure out how much you need in order to generate your dignity money? The calculation is simple. Multiply your monthly dignity money number that you've calculated by 12; then add a 0. This provides an estimate of how much money you'll need to invest in order to generate the appropriate monthly income. For example, if your minimal monthly expenses are $4,000, then multiply $4,000 by 12 and add a 0. That means your yearly expenses will total $48,000. 

You will need $480,000 in order to provide you with dignity money. Why? At $4,000 a month, your yearly expenses will total $48,000. The rate of return on investments varies, of course, but history shows that a yield is approximately 10% each year. This means that you will need $480,000 in order to pay you an annual income at the rate of 10% per year, or $48,000. The same formula-monthly expenses times 12, plus a 0-works for any expense level. If your minimal monthly expenses are $6,000, you require $720,000: $6,000 times 12 is $72,000; adding a 0 brings it to $720,000. If your monthly expenses are $1,500, then you'll need $180,000. Do your own calculation. 

This calculation requires one important adjustment-deductions based on the inflation rate. Inflation gradually shrinks your money's value. Therefore, whatever figure you compute will be worth less in the future. Consequently, the amount in you will have to be somewhat greater to compensate for the effects of inflation. Unfortunately, no one can know for sure how high the inflation rate will be in the future. A high inflation rate, like the one we experienced in the 1970s, will have a strongly negative effect on the value of the money generated, just like today, we are seeing between a 5- 8% inflation rate in most western countries. Noting that the moderate inflation over the last  10-15 years (averaging around 3% a year) isn't nearly so powerful. The power of inflation grows significantly as time passes. If you are only one or two years away from the time when you plan to ease out of working, inflation will have little effect on your plans. But if you expect to work for two or three more decades, inflation will make a noticeable difference.

Let's say you calculate your dignity money to be a whopping $600,000. That seems like a lot of money, the thought of how to amass such an amount might be daunting. But if you save this $600,000 gradually, rather than all at once, it will be much less intimidating.

Lets have a look at a couple of examples: 

Rachel enjoys her museum work, and David enjoys his work, too. So they see themselves working into their mid-sixties. That's about thirty-six years from today. Using the Rule of 72, we calculate that if their money grows at an average annual rate of 10% (a conservative average return on stocks), it will double every 7.2 years. In thirty-six years, when they reach sixty-six, their current $10,000 investment can double five times: 

o $10,000 = $20,000 

o $20,000  = $40,000

 o $40,000 = $80,000

o $80,000 = $160,000 

o $160,000 = $320,000 at age 66 

So with their current savings of $10,000 alone, they're halfway to their goal! Now all they need to do is squirrel away some money each month in order to meet the other half of their goal. It is likely Rachel's income will increase with raises, promotions, and career moves, and David's contracting business is expanding rapidly. This should dramatically raise his annual profits. As they both eventually accumulate more cash to invest, they will gain more momentum. Another plus: They have only about $50,000 left to pay on their mortgage, so they will own their house by the time they want to ease out of working full-time. 

Lynn said: 'To grow my own dignity money, I estimate that I will probably need $700,000. That means I'll have $70,000 a year to live on." To advance to the next step-to live more freely, to travel several times a year, and to entertain and frolic without guilt at some of her favorite stores-in other words, to maintain her present lifestyle-she will have to have more cash invested - in excess of $1 million. And she likes to dream even bigger, and is inspired for several million dollars. The important thing to note is that  you need to begin with securing your financial necessities and then moving on. And the tools are at hand to make this process easier than our fears would lead us to believe. 

Betty figures she'll need less dignity money than Lynn does. She earns $76,000 a year as a Lawyer at a small public interest firm that specializes in environmental law. Betty grasps the principle of spending less than you earn and investing the difference and is prepared to do exactly that. Right now, her basic, no-frills monthly expenses total $3,500. She is looking for $420,000 to establish her dignity money. "If I cut back my expenses, I think I can eventually squeeze out $10,000 to invest," Betty announced. "That means you have to really shave those credit cards," I reminded her. But if Betty is able to commit $10,000 a year, she'll be in great shape by the time she's sixty-five. The benefits of securing income are pretty obvious. It's possible to handle it all along the way and still have a good time enjoying life as you go.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Joan_Perry/216137

Do You Want to Know the Six Easy Steps Into Your First Investment Property?

Thank you for your curiosity about what the six steps are to your life as a Property Investing. As an active investor I know it's not about the property itself, it's about the dream. Property is just the express bus to financial independence, to wealth and to creating a lifestyle full of freedom, choice and the ability to do what you love. 

Have you actually taken the time to ask yourself what financial freedom means to you? Is it having enough money to pay for a fabulous lifestyle, is it having enough income producing assets so you never have to worry about money again? Is it having enough money so you can quit your job, so you too have the time to discover your divine purpose, do what you love for a living and contribute your message, your cause. 

For me it's empowering women in their finances, which is a catalyst for empowerment in all other areas of your lives. So you too can become financially free, to take of the mask you wear every day and to stand in your feminine energy, become authentic and inspired to share your unique message, your gift, your purpose with the world. 

There are so many great property programs in the market place today from successful investors teaching people how to invest, yet only 10% of people who invest time and money in these programs will take action and actually buy a property. Why is that? I realised that 80% of investing is psychology or the right mindset and only 20% is the actual investing. This is why the market has created a need for Property Empowerment. 

After going through the process myself for a third time, it occurred to me that buying an investment property can be a very daunting, costly and time consuming process, when navigating it alone. It's no wonder that only approx 5% of property investors buy more one or two properties and only a staggering 1% retire financially free on with more than five. 

It also occurred to me that many women, regardless of how committed you are, might be put off by the uncertainty and the contradictory information available. You give in to the fear of making a mistake and allow yourselves to be swayed by the well meaning dream stealers to not only give up the challenge, but all the dreams that go with it. 

So to make your venture into property investing by following my six step program. It's about creating the right environment and the right mastermind team of active investors who specialise in residential property investing. Leveraging against their combined experience and knowledge to help you on your journey to property wealth and success. 

Whilst you engage a team of experts, you must however, always remain 'in charge' of your property investing business. Lay a solid foundation for success by empowering your mindset as the most vital first step, then educate yourself in the basics of property, finance, tax and structure. Once you have a sound knowledge of the above, you can leverage against the knowledge and resources of relevant experts to make it happen quickly and efficiently. 

The 6 Step Property Program Includes: 

Step 1: Creating an Empowered Investor Mindset 

Step 2: Education and Information 

Step 3: Finance Strategy 

Step 4: Portfolio Structure 

Step 5: Property Purchase 

Step 6: Property Conveyancing 

Step 1. Creating an Empowered Investor Mindset 

The first and most vital step in becoming a successful property investor is having the right mindset. Successful investing is 80% mindset or psychology and only 20% strategy, which in our case is residential properties. The market proves this to be true over and over again with all the failed property investors who thought it was just about buying a house.

The Oxford Dictionary defines "mindset" as a habitual way of thinking. It has also been described as an attitude, disposition or mood; an intention or inclination. I think this is a very fair description. Having the right attitude about property investing or any other aspect of your life to the point where it becomes a "habit" or behaviour is vital for your consistency, determination and eventual success. 

You must empower your mindset with specific regard to your values, decisions and beliefs around money and investing. Work with Femvestorsglobal to identify and work with your unconscious values in quite some detail to ascertain whether creating wealth is something you value and whether you are motivated toward a desire for abundance or away from your fear of scarcity and lack. If creating wealth is not a an unconscious value, no matter how hard your consciously try, you will not succeed. 

Work with a qualified Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) coach who specialises in finance or wealth creation and with their many tools, identify and eradicate any deeply held decisions and limiting beliefs that have unknowingly held you back in the past. Then instill new, more empowering beliefs and lock them all into place using targeted goal setting and visualisations. 

Step 2. Education and Information 

Once you have the success mindset of champions it's time to head into the classroom to learn about Property, Structure and Finance. Although this is when you will leverage the time, knowledge and expertise of many experts throughout the program, it is essential that YOU remain in charge of the property investing business. 

You need to treat every investment property, with its income and expenses, as though it were a stand-alone business with you as the Director. You don't need to be an expert in all aspects of investing, but it is important to be educated and well informed. 

You must understand the basic concepts of property, finance and structure so you can both understand and communicate with the experts in these specific areas of your investing. Get educated in such topics as property basics including property selection criteria and the Wealth Creation Strategy. Look into the basic principles of company and trust structures and which is best suited to your personal circumstances. Look into the multitude of investment mortgage options, the principals of each and shortlist which will suit your current financial and investing situation best. 

Researching and becoming informed will not only increase your financial and property vocabulary but will give you a very sound understanding of property investing, saving you time and money when eventually dealing with the relevant experts. Do not however, use the excuse of lack of knowledge and not knowing enough, to get stuck in analysis paralysis, know when to say enough is enough and get started. You never stop learning about investing, so expect that you will learn along the way. 

Step 3. Finance Strategy 

Now that you have a successful investor mindset and a good basic understanding of property, structure and finance it's time to look in detail at your overall finance strategy which can make or break your success as an investor. With the expert guidance and advice of a finance broker who specialises in investing, not mum and dad mortgages, firstly review the mortgage on your existing home (if any) with the aim of refinancing and releasing equity to be used as a deposit and a buffer for your first investment property. 

Then with your shortlist, look at the best option according to your particular financial situation for financing your new investment property. Once you have chosen the best option, formally gain pre-approval or approval in principal for your future investment property, before moving to the next step. 

Step 4. Portfolio Structure 

Now that you have your finance in order it's time to look at what structure you are going to purchase your investment property in. This is the step that most people skip or don't even realise they need until after they have 3 or 4 properties and it's all getting very messy and complicated with the tax office. Here is where you will rely on the property and tax accountant to determine the right structure for you specifically. Whether you should buy in your name, multiple names, in the name of a company or a trust or a combination of both. 

The structure for your portfolio is as important as the concrete foundation under your investment property. It needs to be just as strong and it needs to be laid first, or like the actual foundation, it becomes very difficult and costly to fix any problems after you have built your home on top. 

You will need to verify this for your own geographic region, If you decided to transfer a property from your own name into a trust you would in effect have to "sell" the property to your own trust which incurs all the normal legal and buying and selling costs including having to repay the stamp duty.. ouch! 

Step 5. Property Purchase 

Now that you have your investor mindset, your sound knowledge, your finance strategy and your structure in place, it's time to finally go property shopping... Yahoo!! This is contrary to a novice investor who at an open house is lured by glossy brochures, the smell of an open fire, baking bread and percolating coffee, falls in love with a property first and then worries about the rest later. As a professional investor, you buy with logic not with emotion. 

In all areas of my own professional investing I assign each task to companies who are specialists in that area. Their teams are so committed and so passionate about their specialty that they spend all their resources sharpening their knowledge, skills and expertise, thereby becoming industry leaders in their field. 

Think of it this way; if you want a haircut you go to a hairdresser, if your pipes are blocked you call a plumber, to service your car you go to a mechanic and these are all relatively minor expenses. Even when selling a home, people engage the services of a local real estate agent they trust. So I don't understand, when spending hundreds of thousands of dollars, people insist they are more qualified to find, select and negotiate on a quality residential investment property than a specialist buyers agent. Unless you are an expert this can be risky and extremely time consuming as you spend 12 months searching for a property. Not to mention expensive as the market keeps going up and up as you search, requiring a bigger deposit. 

I advocate using a professional who wants to see you succeed. One who specialises in the specific area you are investing in, who has all the network and personal relationships required to find you a great investment, with any luck, under market value. 

They will select a short list of properties with a history of good growth that fit within the selection criteria and then it's a simple matter of making an informed choice. Depending on the property type, you can then organise to have your building, pest or strata inspections undertaken as necessary. Being a new investor, or if you are new to the particular buyer's agent, I suggest you organise an independent valuation to confirm you are paying fair market value. 

Once a property is chosen, the agent will use their extensive negotiation skills to negotiate on your behalf for the best possible price and settlement conditions. If the offer is accepted you celebrate!! but if not, then you start over again. 

Step 6. Property Conveyancing 

Congratulations, your offer has been accepted, the deposit has been exchanged, the champagne is flowing and you are now officially a property investor. You are on your way to financial freedom. So now it's time to kick back, relax and watch the capital growth right? Well, not quite... There is still one very important step to go. 

You now need to legally transfer the property from the vendors name into your name or the name of your trust. You can choose either a solicitor or a conveyancer to do this on your behalf. They will do all the necessary searches and checks required to ensure that the property you purchased is exactly as stated in the relevant contract in your country. They confirm that there are no structures that are not government approved, any unexpected water or electrical easements, caveats or any other nasty surprises. 

They will also be responsible for coordinating settlement between you, the vendor, their solicitor and both lenders...Now that is no easy feat! Settlement, usually 30 to 90 days later is when your loan is fully drawn down and the balance of the purchase price and all associated finance and legal fees are paid. 

To further protect yourself, this is also the time to review your insurances and estate planning and create or update your will to include your trust and portfolio. This will ensure that your specific wishes are respected with regard to your legacy that you have worked so hard to create. 

So that's it... a simple, accelerated 6 step process that you can follow, no matter what your level of property experience or what town or country you live in. Start your journey to wealth and empowerment through residential property, so you can become financially free, become authentic and free to create the life of your dreams. So what are you waiting for?

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Luca_Ricciardiello/172537

Is Retirement Different for Women?

In a recent interview, I was asked the following question: 'How is retirement different for women?' 

This was my answer... I think the main advantage for women is that we're more likely to have a supportive network of family and friends around us than men are. 

And I think that we're more willing to admit that we don't know things and to seek out help when we need it than men are. 

It's a cliche but it's a good example, that when women get lost when they're out driving, they stop and ask for directions. I'm sure many of us have experienced men who would never dream of asking for directions - they just carry on driving in the hope that they'll eventually find their way again. In the same way, I think that women are much more likely to seek out help and emotional support when they need it than men are. A recent report from the Equality and Human Rights Commission says that 'Women are outstripping men in a dozen different ways that mean their lives are often better than men's lives are'. It said women are more likely to be well-educated and more likely to look after their health by eating their five daily fruit and veggies and by visiting their doctor when they first start noticing symptoms. In contrast, men don't live as long as women, they're more likely to be overweight and they're three times more likely to take their own lives - presumably because they don't have those supportive networks to turn to. 

So there are advantages to being a woman that will work in our favour in retirement. 

The big disadvantage for women is a financial one, we're more likely to be poorer than men. Although we're more likely than our mother's generation to have had jobs, we're still more likely than men to spend our retirement in poverty. According to a recent report, over three-fifths of single pensioner households here in Britain - many of which will be single female pensioner households, have a total income of less than £10,000 and another, American, report from the Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement, said that more than 1 in 10 women live on less than $10,000 a year in retirement. 

There are several reasons for this poverty and they're all to do with being female: 

Women STILL make less money than men over the course of their working lifetimes, and we don't get as many promotions as men do 

Women are more likely to have worked in low-paid jobs or to have worked part-time. We are more likely to have had time out of the workplace due to raising children or looking after elderly parents, so we have fewer years to build up our retirement savings. At the same time, during that time that we are out of the workplace, we are also losing out on years of paying into a retirement plan - and if that comes with an employer contribution, we are missing out on the employer's contribution too. 

Most women who have children, have them during their most vital career-development years. Meanwhile, our male colleagues stay in the workforce, get promotions and climb the corporate ladder. When those women return to the workforce after the kids are in school, we are usually going back in at the same level that we left at years before, or, we find that our skills are obsolete, we are going back in at a lower level. So all this puts women further behind in our careers and further behind with our retirement savings. 

There are a couple of other things that contribute to women's potential for poverty in retirement. In addition to women generally earning less than men over the course of our lifetimes, we live longer, so any money we have managed to accumulate has to last us longer. 

Then we have the fact that women tend to take care of everyone else in the family before considering our own needs and so we tend to use the money to help someone else, rather than investing it for our retirement. We will help our kids out, or we will use the money to support our elderly relatives rather than sticking this into a retirement fund. 

And, finally, as far as investment matters are concerned, women tend to be more risk-averse by nature and therefore, we are more likely to be more conservative investors, which, of course, means that, by the time we retire, we probably won't have made as much money on our investments over the course of our working lives. 

Which is all a very long-winded way of saying, yes, I think retirement IS different for women... 

 Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Ann_Harrison/33702

Financial Advice For Single Women

Financial advice geared toward single women is more important than ever before. 

Roughly one-quarter of all households are currently headed by a single woman, with family sizes ranging from no kids to with kids. It might seem financially unfeasible for one woman to raise children on her own. Further complicating the situation is the fact that the majority of female-led households have a smaller income and smaller savings than households of similar size led by men or couples. 

Although no one likes to think that there is such a clear difference between income levels based on sex, most single women do have a more difficult time making ends meet; they make roughly half of the national average for other households of their size. Whether they are experiencing discrimination in the workplace, struggling to raise a family, or dealing with the aftereffects of divorce, it can be difficult to gain a solid financial foothold in today's economy and society.

Fortunately, there are organisations such as Femvestorsglobal who specialise in assisting women who support themselves financially. In addition to taking a unique approach that makes it easier to save without substantially cutting back living expenses, they can provide more realistic solutions for the long-term, as well - ones that take into account the struggles of getting by on one salary when faced with rising healthcare and childcare costs.

What Can Single Women Do to Save? 

The most important thing single women can do for themselves financially is to simply do something. It may not seem like much, but even sitting down and creating a list of goals for the future can be a vital first step. 

Step One: Figure out your current financial situation. 

How much money do you have coming in every month? How much money is going out? Where are there potential areas to start saving - even if it's as little as a few dollars per month at first? 

Step Two: Find a way to save. 

In order to get started on most savings and investment plans, you can have a small amount in hand. We  will be able to help you discover where to cut back to make those savings so that you can start investing earlier. 

Step Three: Invest. 

Single women without kids tend to be bigger risk takers than single women with families - at least when it comes to investing. That's because they don't necessarily have the day-to-day pressures of taking care of children. But the good news is that there is no one answer for single female investors. Whether you want to take advantage of a high-risk investment or you'd rather rely on low-risk bonds, there are financial solutions that will help you get the results you need - many of which you may not have considered before. In fact, some single women are surprised find that purchasing a home or making another large "dream" purchase can not only create a better standard of living, but can also be a sound financial investment. 

Finding the Right Financial Advisor 

Choosing an advisor to help you make smart decisions for the future is much like choosing someone to date; not only do you need a relationship you're comfortable with, but you need to feel confident that your advisor is doing everything he or she can to create the best possible outcome for your entire family. 

Ladies- this is where Femvestorsglobal can support you.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Wesley_Watkis/362080

Advice by Women For Women On How to Save - Retirement Planning

Here are some tips about retirement investing for women: 

First, we must understand that Investing is emotional. It is tied to our mindset and sometimes we don't plan far enough ahead for very personal reasons that can often be self-defeating. If you can relate, seek out advice from other women who have made the retirement decision to plan ahead.

Tie your savings and retirement goals to your personal goals. Examine what you believe your health may (or may not) be and whether or not the swimming or golfing or running a marathon goals are realistic and achievable in your retirement.

The 40-60 age group is deciding if they want to change careers, change their life goals, or stay in what they are doing right now. They are at that midway place in their lives where they are planning for their long-term goals. 

Women need 20% more than men to retire because we are living approx. five years longer than men 

Women tend to invest more conservatively than men because we fear losing our money.

• Instead of fearing losing our money, we REALLY NEED TO focus on whether we will run out of money
• If you are too conservative with your investing then your savings won't keep up with inflation
•  Your living costs for retirement will depend on your lifestyle, check out the 4% rule as a starting point
• A diversified portfolio is the best and sticking with that is important! 
• Can you afford to count on living on your retirement pot?
• Be actively involved in setting aside money. We recommend at least 10% of your monthly income to be allocated to your investing journey.

In terms of contributing to your retirement pot:

• Make use of your employer matching program if available to you (Country and Employer specific)
• Check the tax rules for self employment for your home country
• Many countries offer tax relief if you personally contribute, look out for SIPP, ISA, IRA's or applicable for your specific geographic location
• Countries such as Australia have a government agreement with employers. You employer is required to allocate a certain percentage of your income to a unique fund which you can access at aged 55

If you have a windfall of money you may or may not be subject to tax on it, so be smart with your goals and what your plans are for that money so that it lasts for you. Seek advice to ascertain your most appropriate option

• Be smart about what you get because most people go through a windfall in two years 
• Control your destiny with your good choices

Don't try to time the markets and wait it out. Buy index funds today and allocate funds monthly to take advantage of compounding and $ cost averaging

We tend to work from three cash strategies: 

1. Long-term: If you have long-term goals, have your money working long-term. 

2 & 3. Short-Term and Cash Flow: Plan your strategy and work your goals and plans around your lifestyle and what you need and want to happen. Plan for that money. 

And when it comes to retirement planning by watching the news.....

TV media hype is slanted, biased and mostly (just plain) ignorant. 

When you plan for your retirement take these tips into consideration. That way the twenty years you hadn't planned for, won't have you looking for a job at your local grocery store. 

You cannot also overlook the opportunity to start your own business. It is an true way to gain tax advantages, increase your savings and plan for your retirement. 

Dervived from Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Mischelle_Watkins/343114

Women, Wealth and Marketing

The traditional sources of wealth for women have historically been through inheritance from our parents or our deceased husbands, or from financial gain from the divorce of a wealthy husband. Whilst these methods for achieving wealth are still evident, an increasing number of women have created our own wealth through either our job or the ownership of a business, which is independent of our husband and or family. 

Whilst men's major motivation for starting a business is financial gain, women tend to cite flexibility, freedom (from corporate structures and politics), being more present with our Children and financial gain as the main reasons for setting up on our own. 

Motivations for amassing and protecting wealth are almost identical for men and women. Financial security in retirement is seen as the main priority followed by a better personal lifestyle and enjoyment of the finer things in life. In other words the goals appear to be neatly divided between spending on the present and saving for the future. More intangible factors such as status and the sheer enjoyment of making money, come much further down the list. 

Women want wealth to enjoy a better lifestyle. We spend our leisure time and disposable income on holidays and home improvements, just like men. The only significant difference in spending is that men are likely to spend a greater proportion of their disposable income on cars and gadgets whilst women focus on clothes, jewellery, bags and shoes ' so far the cliché holds true. 

However, women do invest quite differently to men. We are far less likely to take risks with our money, whether within our personal finance and/or business affairs. Research suggests that more men than women invest in financial products that are considered to be at the riskier end of the financial spectrum such as hedge funds, private equity, derivates and Crypto (including the use of leverage across these investment classes). 

Women tend to take longer to come to a decision about what to invest in and are less likely to go to a third party for advice than men. Men are more likely to consult tax specialists, accountants, private banks, brokers and the media. The only source of advice that is more widely used by women than men is the high street bank. 

This does not mean they are less successful or able investors than men. It's just not clear to us about where to get started or who to trust, which is why we created Femvestors Global.

Wealthy men are more likely to use personal trainers, chauffeurs, chefs, alternative health practitioners, property search agencies, lawyers and private banks than women. However, wealthy women are more likely to use what may be considered 'lifestyle' services such as personal concierge and shopping services, life coaches, personal trainers, personal stylists, bodyguards and private doctors. Women tend to invest to reach a particular goal, for instance, an education fund, retirement, a major holiday.

Once the investment goal has been reached, women are more likely to 'protect' the fund rather than put it at risk through further investment. So what are the conclusions that can be drawn about marketing financial products and services to high net worth women: 

1. Whilst products do not have to be marketed as a 'women only' product, they do need to provide clear, comprehensive information from which we can make an informed choice. As many of the women will be making investment choices without the benefit of advice from independent advisors or tax specialists, everything produced must be jargon free and in plain English. Provide well researched information and support when required. 

2. Building a relationship through education. Providing information to women on financial matters that may concern us, in regards to age or lifestyle. 

3. Develop products 'themed' around issues such as 'wedding', 'education fund', 'retirement' . Encouraging us to continually invest for our future selves

4. Women do hire personal trainers and are prepared to pay for the personal touch. A 'financial coach' may be the incentive a woman needs to invest in a particular product or organisation

Inspiration from Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Pam_Kennett/31862

Ladies- Why we prefer the safer option of investing in property

Historically, women lacked the resources and confidence to enter the property market, but trends show that as more and more of us women are occupying higher paid jobs, we are becoming more proactive investors and taking charge of our finances.

It has been shown that we have a preference for property investment, when compared to other riskier forms of investing. 

But what is actually driving this pattern for investing? 

Many of us who might previously have felt low in confidence, now have the knowledge and tools to make informed investment and property decisions right at our fingertips. 

We are turning to the internet as the source of our property investment advice. The availability of information has empowered many of us, giving us the initial confidence to take to the property market. 

However, despite the advantages the internet offers, female investors should be aware that nothing can replace the advice of a trusted financial "Fiduciary" professional and obtaining sound investing advice. In addition, we need to also look to Property experts familiar with the local area we are looking to invest in. 

With our increased financial freedom, we are recognising that a man is not the ultimate financial plan, and that we have the ability to plan for our financial future - regardless of our relationship situation. 

We are educating ourselves about investing and choosing the best investment portfolios based on our desires and needs. 

As we are generally perceived as more cautious investors than men, preferring to invest our money in options with lower risk. It is usually because we see the tangible investment of property (as we can see, touch and feel), which we recognise as a more stable and safer investment choice. Money invested in the property market can also provide long-term returns and reliable income through to retirement if managed correctly. 

Property also offers a sense of control and the opportunity to make an investment property our own is also attractive for us women, who are instinctive nurturers by nature. By turning a property into a home, this also contributes to our sense of enjoyment and ownership. 

With property, we also have the option of purchasing a lower-end investment, and through our own personal efforts and investment into home renovations, increase the value of our investment. 

As the number of women in property continues to rise, we pioneering ladies are paving the way for the success of other female investors. Financers, developers and realtors are all taking notice of the trend and providing property options tailored to the needs of women. The property market is no longer a male-dominated investment arena. With our newfound financial freedom, we are growing more proactive with our investments and our confidence is increasing.

Investing our money in the property market can provide a stable, safe return over the long term. This reliability is something we women want and appreciate. 

 Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Kathy_E_Roberts/1202759

Why Personal Finance Software Is Important

Why personal finance software is important 

These days, technology has really revolutionised people's way of life, including their financial life. Back in the day, most people used a pen and paper to document their earnings, spending, and finances. 

What is personal finance software? 

Home finance software refers to a financial tool that enables you to prepare a budget, track your expenses, and check your overall finances. These days, there is no valid reason why you should be disorganised and mired in debt because there are many good personal finance programs that you can use to keep track of your money, plan your future, and completely control your finances. If you have a PC, mobile or laptop, you are lucky because you can easily find good home finance software at little cost or free. Application programmers have now catered for the high demand for these applications as they now come with all sorts of functions and capabilities that can save your money, time and effort. 

Analysis 

You can now analyse your finances unaided. Finance software will analyse your important financial details. Details such as your monthly expenses will stick out. Many personal finance applications also allow personalisation. If there is one particular aspect you want to know about your finances, you can simply create a specialised analysis. Many personal finance programs can also give you a monthly analysis-an excellent way to see how you actually spend your money over this timeframe. 

Budget creation 

We all know the importance of a personal budget. But creating a real budget that you'll stick to is easier said than done. You can find a personal finance application that creates a realistic budget for you. Simply enter your basic information into the software and quickly create a simple budget. 

Checkbook balances and bill payments 

Sometimes you'll fail to pay bills on time. When it happens, interest rates are more than likely to shoot up. Fortunately, you can avoid this mistake once and for all. Look for a personal finance application that'll remind you when to pay your bills. Likewise, you can create a Direct Debit with your bank just by ticking a box. Sum up any amounts withdrawn from your account and check carefully anything that seems suspicious. Once you have everything on record, it becomes much easier to know how your finances are faring. 

Trust yourself and no one else 

When it comes to finances, it is best to keep track of all you have carefully. You may trust your finances with your financial adviser, however, it is still important to know where every cent is at, always. With a personal finance application, your money will never be far away from you. Whether you are paying bills, balancing your checkbook, tracking your paycheck, or creating a personal budget, you should not live without personal finance software. 

Whatever your financial lifestyle needs are, any financial software will help you budget properly and plan for your future.

Check out the FREE personal debt calculator Undebt.IT software (Link at the top of this page) as well as our Instagram and Facebook pages as to which other apps/tools we recommend. 

Please also get in touch for FREE Support if you need a bit of extra help.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/John_C_Watson/1346542

Invest in Yourself to Get Others to Invest in Your Business

 I'm sure you've heard it before, "You have to believe in you, because if you don't who else will?" It's a very true statement. Not only must you believe in your dreams and aspirations, you have to be willing to see them through, and that means work. Because, as another well known saying goes,

 "Nothing worthwhile comes easy." 

It may look to you that others who have achieved desired levels of success have been extremely fortunate or lucky. But even the lucky ducks know how to capitalise on their good fortune. Good luck will only carry you for so long, then it takes work to continue to see you through. Yep, back to the notion of putting in work - again. Even if you have worked hard and reaped it's initial rewards, you'll need to continue those efforts to continue to see the benefits. Don't view these efforts as mere work tasks, consider it an investment, in yourself! To take your idea or business to the next level (whatever that may mean for you) it takes investment. Before you start running out to get others to invest in your business, take stock of what you have invested yourself. Did you take time to research and investigate your target market/customer avatar, identify your competitors, and determine your marketing strategy and revenue model? Have you documented this in a business plan, if not for outside investors, first and foremost for yourself? Sadly, too many entrepreneurs get emotional about their business idea and rush to find capital to bring their idea to market. Although its great to be passionate about your business, remember it is a business and that's how the majority of potential investors (and customers) will view it. They'll want to know how they can benefit from investing their time and/or hard eared money in you and your great idea. 

I've seen many entrepreneurs introduce their product as the next great thing because "there is no competition". I have never seen that statement to be true, at least not from an investor's standpoint. Although there may not currently be direct or exact product or service competition, there is almost always at least competition from a substitute product or service. For example, although there may not be another smoke-less cigarette, consumers have alternative products they can use to satisfy their nicotine or tobacco cravings. You would need to consider those products in your competitive review for a complete business analysis. Savvy investors know this and may immediately dismiss you and your idea when they are presented with the "Look, no competition!" claim. They simply view it as you didn't take the time to complete your due diligence - you didn't properly invest in yourself. 

Another area that business owners fall short is regarding personal injection in their business. Entrepreneurs looking for funding are unpleasantly surprised when they are asked "How much have you personally invested in this project?" Yes, you should be prepared to show how you are willing to invest 10-30% of any amount you are requesting from a lender or another funder. I can't tell you how many times business owners frown upon making 1 or 2 payments upfront or walk away from funding because they don't wish to list their homes as collateral. 

Contrary to popular belief, this just doesn't apply to new business owners. I had a friend who had been operating his business for over 10 years and now needed funding to purchase updated equipment to keep the business running. Unfortunately for him, his credit was not strong and he wouldn't qualify for traditional funding. He did however own property, his personal home and some existing equipment that would qualify him for the funds he requested. He declined to list his home as collateral and was not able to secure financing. When I inquired why he choose not to list the home, he stated because he didn't want to chance losing his home if he defaulted on the loan. 

Hmmmm. He was honest. But I ask you to look at this from an investor's point of view, this is what they see - business owner without strong belief that he can make this business work; business owner willing to risk my money, but not his own. Too risky. I couldn't continue to work with that business owner - how could you convince a lender to invest in this business when the owner wasn't willing to invest himself? 

Take the time and effort necessary to invest in yourself, whether its thoroughly investigating your market or how to set yourself apart from the competition. Come to the investor's table prepared to show that you believe in yourself by putting your money where you are asking other's to put theirs. Then the passion and excitement about your idea just may be contagious enough to get you the support you need.

Image:Courtesy of Forbes

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Marian_White/213256

Investment and its Importance

Investment is important from many points of view. Before doing investment, it is essential to understand what is investment and its importance? 

"Investment is an act of investing money to earn the profit. It is the first step towards the future security of your money."

Need of Investment

The investment can help you in the future if invested wisely and properly. As per human nature, we plan for a few days or think to plan for investment, but do not put the plan into action. Every individual must plan for investment and keep aside some amount of money for the future. No doubt, the future is uncertain and it is required to invest smartly with some certain plan of actions that can avoid financial crisis at point of time. It can help you to bring a bright and secure future. It not only gives you secure future, but also controls your spending pattern. 

Important Factors of Investments 

Planning for Financial investment - Planning plays a pivotal role in all fields. For the financial investment, one must have a pertinent plan by taking all rise and fall situations of the market. You should have a good knowledge of investment before planning for financial investment. Keen observation and focused approach are the basic needs for successful financial investment. 

Invest according to your Needs and Capability- The purpose behind the investment should be clear by which you can fulfill your needs from the investment. In investment, financial ability is also a component that can bring you satisfaction and whatever results you want. You can start investment from a small amount as per your capability. You should care about your income and stability to choose the best plan for you. 

Explore the market for available investment options - The investment market is full of opportunities, you can explore the market by applying proper approach. You can take help from financial planners, managers who have thorough knowledge about investment in the market. Explore the possibility of investment markets and touch the sublime height of success by the sensible investment decisions. 

By taking help from an experienced, proficient financial planner and traders can also give you confidence to do well in the field of investment. Now the question strikes the mind that what are the types of investments?

Types of Investments 

Mutual Funds- Basically the mutual fund is a managed investment fund in which money is pulled from the investors to buy the securities. Commodity Market is a popular place of traders to invest their money. In Multi Commodity Exchange market, you can invest in crude oil, precious metals as gold, silver and base metals as copper, aluminium, nickel, zinc and many more. While in National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange market, you can invest in all agricultural commodities as soya bean, cotton, sugar cane and many more. 

Stock Market- It is the place where various people trade globally and earn the maximum return on investment. However, it is essential to know the bull and bear of the stock market for investing in it. The Stock market for investment also includes the equity market and nifty market. You can invest in equities and nifty market and get good amount profit by focused approach and keen analysis of market trend. 

Bonds - It is the best ways to gain interest on your principal amount. The interest and period of time depends on the agreement. In this, a holder lends a particular amount to the issuer (borrower) for a fixed period of time. At this time, you will get the interest from the borrower and after completing that fixed period of time borrower will return back your money. A long term tool for financial investment. 

Fixed Deposits - The Fixed Deposit (FD) service is provided by various banks that offers investors a higher rate of interest on their deposits as compared to a regular savings account. Fixed deposits have the maturity date to gain the return on investment. 

Real Estate- One can also invest in the real estate and deal with the residential and commercial property. This is also a trending way to earn a good return on investment. 

There are various financial planners, financial managers, trading tips provider who can give you numerous options for investment in the market. But it is essential to choose the options wisely. 

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Eugene_C._/1291199