Bank finance articles and tips

In general, Chapter 7 bankruptcy will discharge a debtor's pre-petition debts with a few exceptions. One of those exceptions includes debts related to divorce; however, there are some divorce related debts which can be discharged in bankruptcy.

Two of those exceptions apply to domestic obligations. First, debts (a) owed by a debtor to his former spouse, (b) arising under a divorce decree, and (c) in the nature of alimony, maintenance, or support are non-dischargeable under ? 523(a)(5). Second, marital debts that are not support obligations are non-dischargeable under ? 523(a)(15), unless (a) the debtor is unable to pay such debts, and (b) the benefit that the debtor would receive from the discharge would be greater than the harm that the discharge would cause to the non-debtor spouse. Whereas ? 523(a)(15) "requires the Court to review the impact of the obligations on the current circumstances of the parties and consequences of the discharge of those obligations on both parties," subsequent events are irrelevant to the ? 523(a)(5) inquiry....

Reward credit cards are of two varieties, personal and business cards, and go with different perks. Cardholders can earn free miles and points that can be exchanged for gift certificates and cards, merchandize, holiday cruises and vacations, and more.

Naturally, the card you choose will depend on your lifestyle. Travel rewards credit cards are featured with airfare discounts and may be an attractive option for frequent travelers. However, if your airfare is already covered by your employer, you may want to look into another type of rewards plan....

As Benjamin Franklin said, 'the only things that are certain in life are death and taxes', a statement which has stood the test of time and Inheritance Tax touches on both of these issues. When you pass away, an assessment is made as to the value of your estate, including cash, property businesses and so on. If this exceeds the current nil rate band (set at £325,000 until 2014) then your family will have to pay 40% tax on all other assets.

This tax bill can be reduced through various methods, but you must consider the impact of these options and do an Inheritance Planning Review as there is rarely one solution which suits most people. For example the easiest way to avoid it is to gift your money away and live longer than 7 years so that the gift is completely outside your taxable estate. However there are obviously issues here regarding whether you would like access to this money again, whether it is wise to give your beneficiaries large amounts of money when they are young and so on.

In the past, many employment agencies would charge unreasonably high prices to an employer, who hired that company for job placement, and for matching up the potential candidates for the job, and placing the right individual for the job that the employer was hiring. Employers were spending thousands of pounds annually, basically for the employment agency to do the screening work for them, and to choose the candidates, that would make the best fit for that employer. However, today, many agencies are offering the flat fee recruitment option, since the world of e-recruitment has come around, and the recruitment agencies are trying to stay in business, they have taken on a flat fee service rate....

People can obtain tax benefits after cleaning out their garages. But, they need advice about required records from professionals in registered tax return preparer careers.

The early months of autumn are a perfect time for having a yard sale. One of the benefits is ridding the garage of unwanted items. Another advantage is obtaining a little cash. Yard sales frequently bring in hundreds of dollars and occasionally thousands.

The issue that arises - especially when big-ticket items are sold - is whether any tax preparation help is needed. Usually, no tax reporting is required because buyers pay less than the sellers' costs for old toys and outdated home décor. However, personal property is subject to capital gain tax if sold for more than cost basis. This can occur with antiques or collector items.

Credit card debt isn't any fun, and the more you have the worse it is. One method a lot of people turn to is consolidation. This is where you combine all of your debts into a single debt, with a single payment. This single payment can be significantly lower than the total amount you were previously paying. However, credit card consolidation isn't right for everybody, and there are a few things you should know. With that in mind here are some tips to help you consolidate more effectively.....