A Brief Introduction to Captive Insurance

Over the past 20 years, many small businesses have begun to insure their own risks through a product called “Captive Insurance.” Small captives (also known as single-parent captives) are insurance companies established by the owners of closely held businesses looking to insure risks that are either too costly or too difficult to insure through the traditional insurance marketplace. Brad Barros, an expert in the field of captive insurance, explains how “all captives are treated as corporations and must be managed in a method consistent with rules established with both the IRS and the appropriate insurance regulator.”According to Barros, often single parent captives are owned by a trust, partnership or other structure established by the premium payer or his family. When properly designed and administered, a business can make tax-deductible premium payments to their related-party insurance company. Depending on circumstances, underwriting profits, if any, can be paid out to the owners as dividends, and profits from liquidation of the company may be taxed at capital gains.Premium payers and their captives may garner tax benefits only when the captive operates as a real insurance company. Alternatively, advisers and business owners who use captives as estate planning tools, asset protection vehicles, tax deferral or other benefits not related to the true business purpose of an insurance company may face grave regulatory and tax consequences.Many captive insurance companies are often formed by US businesses in jurisdictions outside of the United States. The reason for this is that foreign jurisdictions offer lower costs and greater flexibility than their US counterparts. As a rule, US businesses can use foreign-based insurance companies so long as the jurisdiction meets the insurance regulatory standards required by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).There are several notable foreign jurisdictions whose insurance regulations are recognized as safe and effective. These include Bermuda and St. Lucia. Bermuda, while more expensive than other jurisdictions, is home to many of the largest insurance companies in the world. St. Lucia, a more reasonably priced location for smaller captives, is noteworthy for statutes that are both progressive and compliant. St. Lucia is also acclaimed for recently passing “Incorporated Cell” legislation, modeled after similar statutes in Washington, DC.Common Captive Insurance Abuses; While captives remain highly beneficial to many businesses, some industry professionals have begun to improperly market and misuse these structures for purposes other than those intended by Congress. The abuses include the following:1. Improper risk shifting and risk distribution, aka “Bogus Risk Pools”2. High deductibles in captive-pooled arrangements; Re insuring captives through private placement variable life insurance schemes3. Improper marketing4. Inappropriate life insurance integrationMeeting the high standards imposed by the IRS and local insurance regulators can be a complex and expensive proposition and should only be done with the assistance of competent and experienced counsel. The ramifications of failing to be an insurance company can be devastating and may include the following penalties:1. Loss of all deductions on premiums received by the insurance company2. Loss of all deductions from the premium payer3. Forced distribution or liquidation of all assets from the insurance company effectuating additional taxes for capital gains or dividends4. Potential adverse tax treatment as a Controlled Foreign Corporation5. Potential adverse tax treatment as a Personal Foreign Holding Company (PFHC)6. Potential regulatory penalties imposed by the insuring jurisdiction7. Potential penalties and interest imposed by the IRS.All in all, the tax consequences may be greater than 100% of the premiums paid to the captive. In addition, attorneys, CPA’s wealth advisors and their clients may be treated as tax shelter promoters by the IRS, causing fines as great as $100,000 or more per transaction.Clearly, establishing a captive insurance company is not something that should be taken lightly. It is critical that businesses seeking to establish a captive work with competent attorneys and accountants who have the requisite knowledge and experience necessary to avoid the pitfalls associated with abusive or poorly designed insurance structures. A general rule of thumb is that a captive insurance product should have a legal opinion covering the essential elements of the program. It is well recognized that the opinion should be provided by an independent, regional or national law firm.Risk Shifting and Risk Distribution Abuses; Two key elements of insurance are those of shifting risk from the insured party to others (risk shifting) and subsequently allocating risk amongst a large pool of insured’s (risk distribution). After many years of litigation, in 2005 the IRS released a Revenue Ruling (2005-40) describing the essential elements required in order to meet risk shifting and distribution requirements.For those who are self-insured, the use of the captive structure approved in Rev. Ruling 2005-40 has two advantages. First, the parent does not have to share risks with any other parties. In Ruling 2005-40, the IRS announced that the risks can be shared within the same economic family as long as the separate subsidiary companies ( a minimum of 7 are required) are formed for non-tax business reasons, and that the separateness of these subsidiaries also has a business reason. Furthermore, “risk distribution” is afforded so long as no insured subsidiary has provided more than 15% or less than 5% of the premiums held by the captive. Second, the special provisions of insurance law allowing captives to take a current deduction for an estimate of future losses, and in some circumstances shelter the income earned on the investment of the reserves, reduces the cash flow needed to fund future claims from about 25% to nearly 50%. In other words, a well-designed captive that meets the requirements of 2005-40 can bring about a cost savings of 25% or more.While some businesses can meet the requirements of 2005-40 within their own pool of related entities, most privately held companies cannot. Therefore, it is common for captives to purchase “third party risk” from other insurance companies, often spending 4% to 8% per year on the amount of coverage necessary to meet the IRS requirements.One of the essential elements of the purchased risk is that there is a reasonable likelihood of loss. Because of this exposure, some promoters have attempted to circumvent the intention of Revenue Ruling 2005-40 by directing their clients into “bogus risk pools.” In this somewhat common scenario, an attorney or other promoter will have 10 or more of their clients’ captives enter into a collective risk-sharing agreement. Included in the agreement is a written or unwritten agreement not to make claims on the pool. The clients like this arrangement because they get all of the tax benefits of owning a captive insurance company without the risk associated with insurance. Unfortunately for these businesses, the IRS views these types of arrangements as something other than insurance.Risk sharing agreements such as these are considered without merit and should be avoided at all costs. They amount to nothing more than a glorified pretax savings account. If it can be shown that a risk pool is bogus, the protective tax status of the captive can be denied and the severe tax ramifications described above will be enforced.It is well known that the IRS looks at arrangements between owners of captives with great suspicion. The gold standard in the industry is to purchase third party risk from an insurance company. Anything less opens the door to potentially catastrophic consequences.Abusively High Deductibles; Some promoters sell captives, and then have their captives participate in a large risk pool with a high deductible. Most losses fall within the deductible and are paid by the captive, not the risk pool.These promoters may advise their clients that since the deductible is so high, there is no real likelihood of third party claims. The problem with this type of arrangement is that the deductible is so high that the captive fails to meet the standards set forth by the IRS. The captive looks more like a sophisticated pre tax savings account: not an insurance company.A separate concern is that the clients may be advised that they can deduct all their premiums paid into the risk pool. In the case where the risk pool has few or no claims (compared to the losses retained by the participating captives using a high deductible), the premiums allocated to the risk pool are simply too high. If claims don’t occur, then premiums should be reduced. In this scenario, if challenged, the IRS will disallow the deduction made by the captive for unnecessary premiums ceded to the risk pool. The IRS may also treat the captive as something other than an insurance company because it did not meet the standards set forth in 2005-40 and previous related rulings.Private Placement Variable Life Reinsurance Schemes; Over the years promoters have attempted to create captive solutions designed to provide abusive tax free benefits or “exit strategies” from captives. One of the more popular schemes is where a business establishes or works with a captive insurance company, and then remits to a Reinsurance Company that portion of the premium commensurate with the portion of the risk re-insured.Typically, the Reinsurance Company is wholly-owned by a foreign life insurance company. The legal owner of the reinsurance cell is a foreign property and casualty insurance company that is not subject to U.S. income taxation. Practically, ownership of the Reinsurance Company can be traced to the cash value of a life insurance policy a foreign life insurance company issued to the principal owner of the Business, or a related party, and which insures the principle owner or a related party.1. The IRS may apply the sham-transaction doctrine.2. The IRS may challenge the use of a reinsurance agreement as an improper attempt to divert income from a taxable entity to a tax-exempt entity and will reallocate income.3. The life insurance policy issued to the Company may not qualify as life insurance for U.S. Federal income tax purposes because it violates the investor control restrictions.Investor Control; The IRS has reiterated in its published revenue rulings, its private letter rulings, and its other administrative pronouncements, that the owner of a life insurance policy will be considered the income tax owner of the assets legally owned by the life insurance policy if the policy owner possesses “incidents of ownership” in those assets. Generally, in order for the life insurance company to be considered the owner of the assets in a separate account, control over individual investment decisions must not be in the hands of the policy owner.The IRS prohibits the policy owner, or a party related to the policy holder, from having any right, either directly or indirectly, to require the insurance company, or the separate account, to acquire any particular asset with the funds in the separate account. In effect, the policy owner cannot tell the life insurance company what particular assets to invest in. And, the IRS has announced that there cannot be any prearranged plan or oral understanding as to what specific assets can be invested in by the separate account (commonly referred to as “indirect investor control”). And, in a continuing series of private letter rulings, the IRS consistently applies a look-through approach with respect to investments made by separate accounts of life insurance policies to find indirect investor control. Recently, the IRS issued published guidelines on when the investor control restriction is violated. This guidance discusses reasonable and unreasonable levels of policy owner participation, thereby establishing safe harbors and impermissible levels of investor control.The ultimate factual determination is straight-forward. Any court will ask whether there was an understanding, be it orally communicated or tacitly understood, that the separate account of the life insurance policy will invest its funds in a reinsurance company that issued reinsurance for a property and casualty policy that insured the risks of a business where the life insurance policy owner and the person insured under the life insurance policy are related to or are the same person as the owner of the business deducting the payment of the property and casualty insurance premiums?If this can be answered in the affirmative, then the IRS should be able to successfully convince the Tax Court that the investor control restriction is violated. It then follows that the income earned by the life insurance policy is taxable to the life insurance policy owner as it is earned.The investor control restriction is violated in the structure described above as these schemes generally provide that the Reinsurance Company will be owned by the segregated account of a life insurance policy insuring the life of the owner of the Business of a person related to the owner of the Business. If one draws a circle, all of the monies paid as premiums by the Business cannot become available for unrelated, third-parties. Therefore, any court looking at this structure could easily conclude that each step in the structure was prearranged, and that the investor control restriction is violated.Suffice it to say that the IRS announced in Notice 2002-70, 2002-2 C.B. 765, that it would apply both the sham transaction doctrine and §§ 482 or 845 to reallocate income from a non-taxable entity to a taxable entity to situations involving property and casualty reinsurance arrangements similar to the described reinsurance structure.Even if the property and casualty premiums are reasonable and satisfy the risk sharing and risk distribution requirements so that the payment of these premiums is deductible in full for U.S. income tax purposes, the ability of the Business to currently deduct its premium payments on its U.S. income tax returns is entirely separate from the question of whether the life insurance policy qualifies as life insurance for U.S. income tax purposes.Inappropriate Marketing; One of the ways in which captives are sold is through aggressive marketing designed to highlight benefits other than real business purpose. Captives are corporations. As such, they can offer valuable planning opportunities to shareholders. However, any potential benefits, including asset protection, estate planning, tax advantaged investing, etc., must be secondary to the real business purpose of the insurance company.Recently, a large regional bank began offering “business and estate planning captives” to customers of their trust department. Again, a rule of thumb with captives is that they must operate as real insurance companies. Real insurance companies sell insurance, not “estate planning” benefits. The IRS may use abusive sales promotion materials from a promoter to deny the compliance and subsequent deductions related to a captive. Given the substantial risks associated with improper promotion, a safe bet is to only work with captive promoters whose sales materials focus on captive insurance company ownership; not estate, asset protection and investment planning benefits. Better still would be for a promoter to have a large and independent regional or national law firm review their materials for compliance and confirm in writing that the materials meet the standards set forth by the IRS.The IRS can look back several years to abusive materials, and then suspecting that a promoter is marketing an abusive tax shelter, begin a costly and potentially devastating examination of the insured’s and marketers.Abusive Life Insurance Arrangements; A recent concern is the integration of small captives with life insurance policies. Small captives treated under section 831(b) have no statutory authority to deduct life premiums. Also, if a small captive uses life insurance as an investment, the cash value of the life policy can be taxable to the captive, and then be taxable again when distributed to the ultimate beneficial owner. The consequence of this double taxation is to devastate the efficacy of the life insurance and, it extends serious levels of liability to any accountant recommends the plan or even signs the tax return of the business that pays premiums to the captive.The IRS is aware that several large insurance companies are promoting their life insurance policies as investments with small captives. The outcome looks eerily like that of the thousands of 419 and 412(I) plans that are currently under audit.All in all Captive insurance arrangements can be tremendously beneficial. Unlike in the past, there are now clear rules and case histories defining what constitutes a properly designed, marketed and managed insurance company. Unfortunately, some promoters abuse, bend and twist the rules in order to sell more captives. Often, the business owner who is purchasing a captive is unaware of the enormous risk he or she faces because the promoter acted improperly. Sadly, it is the insured and the beneficial owner of the captive who face painful consequences when their insurance company is deemed to be abusive or non-compliant. The captive industry has skilled professionals providing compliant services. Better to use an expert supported by a major law firm than a slick promoter who sells something that sounds too good to be true.

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10 Essential Tips to Find That Perfect Corporate Gift

Your esteemed clients, loyal customers and amazing employees are your most valuable asset. The right gift chosen with care and attention will strengthen relationships, whether to reward achievement or celebrate success. Why settle for an ordinary gift when you can impress with the extraordinary?I have put together the essential tips to find that corporate gift.Just read on1) Must Always Select A Quality GiftFirst and foremost, you should select a gift that you would be proud to put your company name on. Your customer and clients are most likely to take your gift as a reflection of how you view and value relationship with them.If your first impression looking at the gift, is drifting towards it being inexpensive or commonly available stuff, chances are that they will see the exact same way.2) Always & Always Check Corporate PoliciesBelieve it or not, many organizations and government offices have a gift policy either prohibiting a gift altogether or a limit around the value of the gift. Be sure to check for it before hand, and to plan accordingly.This check will not only help your company in avoiding unnecessary expense toward these gifts, but to make alternate arrangement as per allowed policies.3) Must Consider Cultural DifferencesYou may replicate professional practices and work culture irrespective of geographical boundaries, but a culture is inherited locally and you should always double consider cultural differences when selecting a gift.For instance, a wine hamper may be accepted without doubt and classified as a great gift in western parts of the world, it may raise some eyebrows in India. Unless you are absolutely sure, avoid picking something just because it works someplace else.4) Should Select Gift For Celebrations LocallyYear end holiday & festivals are surely the favorite times to send that gift acknowledging & rewarding your relationships with your clients, customers and employees.But one should remember that people have celebrations at different times of the year and you should plan & budget accordingly. For instance thanksgiving may be one of the biggest festivals celebrated in United States, but Diwali is undoubtedly a star festival as far as gifting is concerned in India.5) Avoid Gifts That Are Too SpecificWhile selecting a gift, stay away from something that may be too specific to one’s personal taste and habits. For instance you can easily calculate the odds of someone liking your cigarette box or bar set. In the end, It wont even matter how expensive or great quality it was.If possible, try picking something that is gender neutral. Theoretically, selecting a gift each for him and her is equivalent of selecting two perfect gifts within the same price range.6) Get A Unique GiftIt can be safely assumed that you are not the only one giving a gift to the person on your list. Giving something unique will surely help your gift have more impact.If you really come to think of it, how many desk kits or clocks can a person use? Pick something as unique as your brand. Nowadays most of the clients prefer to go for customized corporate gift hampers. There can’t be a better and safer option to pick that perfect unique gift.7) Personalized GiftIt is perfectly human to feel special after receiving a gift that was customized for you. Putting down a mark of the recipient, may be via their initials or something is sure cheer them up.Additionally, it is going show them how much thought you had put in selecting that gift specially for them. For instance, just think of a simple scenario wherein, if you were given 10 diaries on the new years’, with just one having your name neatly printed in the front. Which of those 10 will be the first one you would use?8) Classic Gift Does Wonders In Creating That Instant Connection!There are a few things which works pretty much all the time! A classic dry fruits assortment box or a Sweets or Chocolate box is must have on all of your lists for Diwali corporate gifts and New Year corporate gifts. A quality edible assortment combined with other products beautifully presented as a gift hamper, is sure to do wonders for you.9) Spend On Packaging And PresentationA gift is as good as it looks. Remember the packaging of the gift is as important as choosing the perfect corporate gift. It is definitely worth spending time on the presentation and packaging of the gift.10) Work With An Expert To Get That Perfect GiftUnless you are absolutely sure about what to choose, you should work with an expert and professional at a company specializing in corporate gifts. They will not only help you in selection but also assist you with every step of your order.

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Elements of a Strong Corporate Travel Program

In order to make the most of your corporate travel budget, it is critical to plan for leveraging your program for all it is worth. Telling travelers to select the lowest logical airfare is just not enough. Here are the elements that should be considered when planning or evaluating your travel program.1. Travel policyA well written and disseminated travel policy is the foundation of any good travel program, and I am consistently amazed that so many corporations have such an outdated and poorly conceived travel policy, if they have one at all. It is not difficult to find a well written policy. One can be found online quite easily. All that remains is that it is edited to reflect corporate culture, and disseminated within the company so that everyone understands and agrees to follow it. For this reason, it is a good idea to have everyone sign a copy of the travel policy to ensure that it is read, understood and owned by all company staff. I suggest that everyone in the company signs a copy of the travel policy, whether they travel or not. They may change positions in the company later and be required to travel. A travel policy need not be long or complex. Some of the best travel policies I have ever seen were only a few pages long.2. Centralized travel internally and externallyMany companies do not centralize their travel program, and they pay a price in terms of a loss of expense reduction opportunities and internal efficiencies. Many companies that do not centralize travel have a fear of requiring travelers to do something they may not want to do, along with the idea that centralizing travel will require hiring a Travel Manager. Both of these may be legitimate concerns but they do not have to be in most cases. By requiring travelers to book centrally, you are not necessarily causing them to lose flexibility. You can centralize travel while still allowing travelers to book on their own, either with a travel agency of your choice, or online through a provider that you have partnered with and have confidence in. By assigning someone with the responsibility of overseeing travel, you are getting a single point of contact both internally and externally for travel issues. If your company spends less than $1 million in air travel, you probably do not need a full time travel manager. In these cases, travel oversight can be given to the finance department, human resources, or even an executive level assistant. Here is a look at the advantages to be gained by centralizing travel.When you centralize travel with a single agency, you gain in a number of important ways. You will have a single point of contact for problems while travelers are on the road, and you will have one entity to go to for all your travel needs. This eliminates the problem of consolidating a travel report from among several sources. By bringing travel together, you will gain significantly from economies of scale. If you can measure total travel among various divisions or locations, you can get more for your money from travel suppliers. This will allow you to gain more from airline soft dollar programs, which means more free tickets and upgrades, get a higher percentage discount from our preferred airline, and get better negotiated rates from your hotel and car contracts. Your fulfillment costs will decrease as well, as your travel agency will often discount their fees for a higher overall volume of travel.3. Mix of online booking and personal serviceThis is an addendum to the previous element, which calls for centralizing travel with one travel agency. This is important, but in doing so, you need not require travelers to use an online booking system, and you need not require travelers to call the agency directly. By offering travelers the option of doing either, you are accomplishing several goals. You will reduce your fulfillment costs, as online booking is cheaper in terms of a service fee. By giving travelers the option, you are giving them a sense of control, thereby increasing morale and standing a better chance of a high adoption rate. Thirdly, you leave open a best practice of using your online booking engine for less complex itineraries, and allowing senior executives, frequent travelers, and complex itineraries to be booked directly with a travel agent that can offer a higher level of service and a better overall travel experience where it is most warranted.4. Look under every stoneWhile the bulk of most travel programs revolve around the air budget, there are several other areas one can investigate to find savings opportunities. There are a couple of more obvious areas to look, such as negotiated hotel rates at your favorite hotels, or car rental discounts with a favored supplier. Often your travel agency will already have discounted rates through consortia affiliations and agency car contracts. There are also some less common areas that should be investigated. For example, if ground transportation is a concern, most suppliers will offer discounted rates and a direct billing option. Direct billing arrangements with hotels and car rental agencies are also a great way to increase efficiencies and make the job of the accounting department easier.5. Leverage hard dollar and soft dollar contractsMost major airlines today offer hard dollar discounts as well as soft dollar incentives in exchange for company loyalty to their product. If your travel program is over $1 million in air spend, you can secure a discount off of the lowest fares of your carrier of choice in return for a market share commitment. For your secondary carriers, or if your volume is less than the minimum required by the airline, you can enter in to soft dollar programs for free tickets and free upgrades, as well as traveler status enhancements or airport club passes. These programs require little in the way of volume, but they are not well publicized so you may need to hunt for them or ask Baker Travel or your current agency to point you in the right direction.6. Do not neglect hotel volumeHotel volume is sometimes overlooked but it should not be. Negotiated rates can be had through your travel agency or directly with the hotel properties of your choice. Individual hotels near corporate locations will negotiate discounted rates for you in exchange for a minimum room/night commitment. By utilizing a travel agency, you are likely to receive discounts of 5% to 50% on thousands of hotels worldwide.7. Have at least one car rental contractRental car contracts are easy to enter into and require little in the way of commitment from the corporation. Choose a partner that has airport locations and a reputation for excellent customer service. You can save 5-10% very easily and can also negotiate frequent renter membership for all your employees. This will make them more efficient and enhance morale. You can also enter in to direct billing agreements at the same time that can make the jobs of your travelers and accounting staff much less stressful.8. Understand group and meeting contractsAirlines and hotels will discount your fares and rates when you have groups traveling together or meeting at a single destination from multiple points of origin. These meeting contracts can bring you airfare discounts of 2-10%, and if you have enough travelers on a single airline, you may be able to negotiate for free tickets to be awarded at contract completion. The minimum requirement is usually 10 travelers going to the same place at the same time. Some airlines have higher minimums so be sure to ask before a contract is generated. Hotels will discount their rates in a similar way with a minimum of 10 room nights. These discounts can range from 10% to a much higher discount depending upon occupancy rate and seasonal variances.9. Use reporting to consistently improve metricsWell managed travel programs require constant monitoring and financial controls to be properly leveraged. Insist on timely and customized reports that can be designed to bring you the information you need most. By receiving regular reporting on traveler behavior and provider contract performance, you will be in a better position to fulfill contract obligations, achieve cost reduction objectives and see where opportunities for future savings may lie.10. Use all avenues to enhance traveler comfort and efficiencyLastly, any well managed travel program will take in to account the comfort and productivity of their travelers. When travelers are comfortable, they can focus on their main priorities that help propel your business forward. If travelers are happy, they perform at a higher level. Ask if your travel agency can upgrade traveler status on a preferred airline. Look in to purchasing blocks of airport club passes so they can be used strategically during long and complex itineraries. There are many ways to reward travelers for the difficult and often grueling chore of travel. These kinds of rewards generate feelings of loyalty and increased productivity and efficiency.If you would like to learn more about how your company can better leverage their travel program to benefit your bottom line and the satisfaction of your executive level, feel free to contact me. I am delighted to point you in the right direction.

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Investing Money in 2014 and 2015 for Retirement – An Old Pro’s Viewpoint

In 2014 and maybe 2015 and beyond, investing money will be tougher and putting together the best investment portfolio might mean investing money for safety vs. higher investment returns. The best investment ideas are slim pickings. There is very little that is normal in today’s world of finance. My reasoning and background follows.In 1971 I had my Masters in Business (finance) and knew nothing about the investment world or investing money. Actually, I found it quite embarrassing, because adults that I would meet in the business world thought that I might have the best investment ideas in my pocket – due to my education. The years that followed were not the best investment environment, and I became a stock broker in Columbus, Ohio in 1972. I learned real quick what my job was really all about: selling investment ideas… SELL the sizzle NOT the steak… I was informed by my sales manager.Forty years later, investing money is a game that I find has changed little. It’s all but impossible to find the best investment, and the world of investing money is primarily a sales game aimed at uninformed investors (more than 90% of the investing public). I once read that NOW is always the hardest time to invest money. I’ve seen difficult times in the markets for over 40 years and I’ve NEVER repeated that phrase until now.At this time, I am afraid that it is really true. Allison and I have three children, who are all basically 30-something and trying to make it in a difficult world. Investing money for retirement is not an option for them. It is an absolute necessity if they don’t want to work for the rest of their life. Many folks my age are covered by pension funds plus other entitlements, but that’s not the norm for 2014 and beyond. Now, let’s get down to business and talk about investing money in 2014 and beyond; and the best investment ideas I can muster as an older (but still on top of my game) retired financial planner.If you have a 401k at work participate in it, and take maximum advantage of your employer’s matching contribution if your company offers this feature (it’s free money). Investing money here is automatic and almost painless. This is one of the best investment ideas available for accumulating a nest egg for retirement. Plus, the tax advantages will put a smile on your face each year at income-tax time.Open a Roth IRA with a major NO-LOAD mutual fund family and start investing money each month through their automatic investment plan. Enter “no-load funds” into a search engine and you’ll see some of the biggest and best fund companies at the top of the page, names like Vanguard, Fidelity and T Rowe Price. Give them a toll-free call if you have questions – like do you qualify, how much can you invest a year, and will they send you free literature. A Roth IRA (or Roth 401k if available) is one of the very best investment ideas for accumulating money for retirement. A Roth account (IRA or 401k) is TAX FREE investing, as long as you follow the rules. Tax free is as good as it gets and difficult to find.Mutual funds are the average investor’s best investment vehicle because they offer both professional management and instant diversification in the form of a managed portfolio of stocks, bonds, and money market securities. When you invest money in a fund, you own a very small part of (own shares in) a very large investment portfolio. There is always a cost for investing money in funds. All funds charge for yearly expenses. This can amount to less than 1% a year in NO-LOAD FUNDS, with no sales charges when you invest money and no extra ongoing management fees. Or, you can pay 5% in sales charges off the top when you invest money, 2% or more for yearly expenses and 1% to 2% in additional management fees if you work through a sales rep (financial planner, adviser, or whatever).One of the best investment ideas for 2014, 2015 and beyond: keep your cost of investing money as low as possible. This could make a difference of tens of thousands of dollars over the long term. A dollar saved is a dollar earned.Do all that you can to learn about investing money; and especially learn about stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. Once you understand stocks and bonds, getting a handle on mutual funds is a piece of cake. What are the investment options inside your employer’s 401k plan? The vast majority of them are likely mutual funds – mostly stock funds, bond funds, and/or balanced funds (that invest in both stocks and bonds). There will likely also be one or two safe investment options that pay interest: a money market funds and/or a stable account.Investing money successfully in 2014 and beyond could be very difficult due to today’s investment environment. First, record low interest rates mean that safe investments that pay interest are paying close to nothing. Second, bonds and bond funds pay more interest, but when interest rates go back up to normal levels they WILL LOSE money; that’s the way bonds and bond funds work. Third, stocks and stock funds are pricy, having gone up in value and price well over 100% since 2009. In other words, best investment ideas are few and far between.Here’s the best investment strategy in 2014 and beyond for beginners who want to start investing money for retirement and keep it simple. In a 401k and/or Roth IRA account invest (monthly or each payday) equal amounts into a stock fund, bond fund, and money market fund. If your 401k has a stable account option use this instead of the money market fund if it pays more interest.Mutual funds are always one of the best investment ideas for most investors – if you invest money in low-cost no-load funds. (Your 401k plan should have no loads, sales charges). When investing money for retirement in 2014 and 2015 keep three factors in mind. Two of these always apply: keep costs low and invest money across the board in all three fund types listed above. Your third factor is to give money market funds equal weight in 2014 and beyond for added safety. Normally, you would give them less weighting.

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Successful Networking For Your Business

During the past five years and throughout what has been a difficult time financially for many businesses, more and more entrepreneurs, small businesses and medium sized companies have realized that active networking is absolutely essential to business growth, particularly for start-ups and small businesses which may not have a large advertising budget, or a long list of contacts they can reach out to or rely on to spread the word about themselves or their company and the type of services or products they offer. Love it or hate it, networking for business is here to stay and it is fast-becoming a big part of the overall strategic plan for our business now and in the future.While many people still prefer to stay away from networking events citing reasons such as “It’s a waste of time”, “No one ever gets me any business” or “All I’m doing is selling to other people who are trying to sell to me, it’s a pointless exercise”, the majority of us are realizing the enormous benefits to networking. When done properly, networking is an invaluable tool in helping us to meet others, grow our business and our network of contacts and also helping others to grow their business in the process.While I am a big fan of social media marketing and using the power of social networking to attract new clients and customers through sites such as Linked In, Facebook, Twitter, Google + and Pinterest, for the purposes of this article I am going to focus specifically on B2B networking and how you can use this form of networking to grow your business and reach potential customers and clients you may never have met otherwise.People Buy From PeopleDuring the past few years in particular, there has been a shift in the way people are buying and who they are buying from. The “hard sell” no longer works quite as well as it did in the past and people are now buying from people they know and trust. It is true of course that we also buy from big, well-known brands, but the reason we buy from these companies is the same as the reason we are buying more and more from people we know – because we trust them. The difficulty facing many smaller businesses is that our advertising budgets don’t quite stretch to the same size as those of bigger brands, so we must engage and interact with people as much as possible through networking to promote ourselves and our brand and gain maximum exposure. By circulating and meeting others on a regular basis, we build up trust and relationships with others. This is a valuable way to attract new business and it is, without doubt, the simplest way by a clear mile.”Word of Mouth” has, for a long time, been the easiest and most cost-effective way for any company to attract new clients. No big advertising fees, no sales calls, no direct marketing, no “hard sell” – just the good, old-fashioned way of passing on of information, recommendations and referrals from one person to another.What About My Marketing Plan?Many businesses today utilize in-depth marketing plans which contain many of the tools and strategies we need for our business to succeed – social media marketing, content marketing, direct marketing and inbound marketing are just some of the buzzwords and phrases we have become familiar with in recent years, but many of us have realized that while these marketing strategies are essential and have their place in our business plan, we must not forget the value of “Word of Mouth” marketing and the opportunities that networking can bring.Networking by its very nature is a form of inbound marketing, as you are attracting others to you effortlessly and easily by using networking events to meet people who may be interested in your products or services, promoting your business while you are there, having discussions about what you do and the types of services or products you provide and, hopefully, converting those people into customers and clients and, sometimes more importantly, fans of your business so that they will tell others about you… now that’s effective marketing!The Low-Down On Business To Business NetworkingB2B networking events have sprung up in every country, city, county, town and village all over the world in the past couple of years, so the good news is that it is very easy to find a networking group to join and become an active member of, regardless of what line of business you are in. There are many different types of networks and depending on your long-term or short-term goals, you may wish to join a hard contact network (one in which you are actively encouraged to obtain referrals for others within the group and in return they actively seek referrals for your business) or you may prefer to get involved in a more casual contact network (where you meet up once every few weeks, or even once a month to have a coffee and a chat, exchange business cards and get to know others in a more informal setting).Whichever type of networking event you prefer, B2B networking is invaluable in today’s business environment and it is something that should become an active part of your business. Networking has its place alongside the other marketing strategies I mentioned earlier, however it is very important to remember that networking for business only becomes successful when it is utilized properly and there are a number of ways in which you can do this.How Do I Use Networking Effectively?Networking is all about building relationships with others and getting to know people. The aim is to make new friends and contacts who, over time, you will get to know well and build up trust with. Networking is a two-way street and it is worth keeping this in mind, particularly if you are new to networking. It is natural to want to get in there and start telling everyone about what your business does best and how you can change people’s lives with your services, but the reality is that if you really want networking to work for you, you do have to take a more measured and relaxed approach and allow things to unfold at a natural pace.The ROI of networking is similar in ways to other business practices such as marketing and advertising – you may not see immediate results and it can take a few months of active attendance at networking meetings before you start to see any benefits at all, so it is worth bearing this in mind before you start! Effective networking takes time and can involve early morning meetings and also evening meetings, so be prepared to put a little bit of effort in – the long-term rewards and benefits really are worth it.Some Dos and Don’ts… Do try a few different networking groups to see which ones suit you best. You might find that a hard contact network is the one for you if you want to see a faster ROI and actively attend meetings regularly, or you may prefer a casual contact network, particularly if you are time-poor and cannot commit to attending every week. Contact your local Chamber of Commerce and City or County Enterprise Board to find out about networking meetings and events taking place near you and also keep an eye on local newspapers and magazines where you will often see events advertised. Another great resource is of course the internet, so a few searches should point you in the right direction.Don’t join a networking group with the sole idea of selling to others. You will receive a frosty reception if your plan is to turn up once or twice and then give people the hard sell every time you are there. Remember – networking is a two-way street and no one likes to feel as if they are being sold to at every opportunity. At two networking events I attended recently, one guy asked me directly if I could “find” him some clients and another person just came straight over and asked, “I need to get some clients asap, so what can you do for me?” Needless to say these are two people I now avoid like the plague whenever I see them.Do practice your Elevator Pitch and try to keep it to between 30 and 60 seconds – any longer and people will be excusing themselves to get more coffee.Do listen to others and take the time to get to know them, their business and what they do. If you take the approach that you can only actively refer business to people you get to know well and build a relationship with, then your success rate at networking effectively will be much, much higher. By referring business to people we know we can be absolutely sure that the particular business or service we are recommending really is fantastic. Who wants to recommend a business or service they don’t really know anything about? All you’ll end up with is an unhappy client or friend who comes back to you afterwards with complaints about the service they received – and you definitely don’t want that.Don’t forget to bring your business cards and lots of them. Networking events are the perfect opportunity to hand out business cards and take cards from others. There is nothing worse than arriving at an event and then realizing that a potential client or customer is right there but you have nothing to give them.Do try to mix as much as possible and “work” the room effectively. If you only go to one networking meeting per month, make it count. Talk to as many people as you can and get there early so that you can maximize your time.Don’t be nervous – I know this is easier said than done when you are not used to networking and it can be daunting walking up to a complete stranger and introducing yourself, but remember that everyone is in the same boat and even the most seasoned networkers had to start somewhere. Everyone who attends these events has a common goal – to grow their business and grow their network of contacts so take a deep breath and be brave!Finally, do arrange one to one meetings outside of the networking meetings. These are absolutely invaluable for getting to know people properly and really finding out about their business and services. By arranging one to one meetings we take the most proactive approach possible in trying to grow our business and you never know… you just might arrange a one to one meeting with someone who turns out to be a friend, a client, a customer, or even someone who will refer you to another person they know who needs exactly what your business provides!I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments about networking and how well it is working or not working for you, so please feel free to leave me a comment.

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The Role of Dealerships in the Automotive Industry

There is no question that the automotive industry has become one of the most important commercial sectors in the world today.  However, many people fail to realize all the specific elements that make up this sector.  From manufacturing to consumers, there are many important steps a vehicle must travel through.  In fact, one of the most important, if often overlooked, components of the automotive industry are dealerships.Dealerships serve as the essential middleman between an automobile manufacturer and the consumer.  At a dealership, sales professionals are employed to explain vehicle options to potential buyers and ultimately facilitate the transfer of ownership.  Both used and new automotives can be purchased at a dealership, and the thousands such facilities worldwide make up the major source for vehicle sales.Automobile dealerships generally stock a wide range of vehicle options.  They are also able to customize products with special orders to suit a consumer’s specific needs.  In general, dealerships stock such vehicles as motorcycles, cars, light trucks, vans, and some water sport devices. 
Perhaps one of the most vital roles dealerships play is in determining the actual selling price of a vehicle.  Unlike other products, automobiles are fairly flexible in terms of the buyer’s power to influence how much he or she will pay.  Negotiating a “good deal” is an essential component of the vehicle purchasing process at a dealership.  Thus, the dealer must be aware of various market considerations to ensure a profit is made without losing consumers to competitors.  Dealerships may also offer leasing options.  This allows them to retain ownership of a vehicle and temporarily rent it out to a user for a period of several years.  This provides consumers with a more affordable option for accessing an automobile.  It also gives the industry access to people who otherwise would be unable to spend income on an automobile.Once a consumer decides to purchase an automobile from a dealer, he or she must also use the dealership to facilitate financing.  Most vehicle purchases are not made in cash.  Rather, they are paid on a set schedule for a number of years.  Instead of procuring a loan from a separate lending institution, most dealerships provide financing services through participating partners.  This can be done simply at the dealership without much pressure placed upon the consumer to investigate several banks.  Additionally, some dealerships help consumers procure automobile insurance and appropriate license plates.   Thus, dealerships become “one stop shops,” for automobile purchases.  This is not only a convenience for customers, but also helps increase automobile revenues.
 
In addition to facilitating sales, dealerships are a consumer’s primary resource for vehicle care.  Most dealerships offer mechanical services to vehicle buyers for years following the initial transaction.  This helps keep consumers active in the automotive economy even beyond the actual purchase of a vehicle.  This provides considerable numbers of jobs in the automobile industry for those who understand vehicle mechanics.  Subsequently, dealerships help expand the automotive sector in yet another way.Ultimately, dealerships are an integral part of the automotive business.  They play a number of important roles that are necessary to the survival of this industry.  Without dealerships, it is unlikely automobiles would be as accessible to the general consumer public.

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Importance of a Commercial Loan Modification Firm

Commercial property owners slapped with foreclosure notices are taking aggressive measures to hold on to their assets. It is not that easy to acquire a property and to lose it just because of a few delinquent payments will not look good on their financial records. Values of real estate in the United States market have dropped over the past years. Owners are paying more on their mortgages than the actual value of their properties. Still, they might face the prospect of losing their assets to foreclosure. Hence, their best option is to seek a restructuring of their current loan for them to continue paying the mortgage in such a way that it is within their financial capacity.However, lenders are not willing to just give up their stake but instead may sit down with borrowers to negotiate a win-win solution for both parties. Borrowers, on one hand, have to take calculated measures and treat this as their last recourse to keep their properties. To increase their chances of getting a restructuring approval, they should look for a commercial loan modification firm that can deliver the best results. A firm that is backed by years of experience in commercial properties can confidently show borrowers their way out from financial turmoil.It should be kept in mind that the challenges faced by these firms and real property owners are far different from those they have dealt with in the past years. A record number of foreclosures has been made and a lot of other properties are not in a better position. Owners juggle mortgage payments and keeping their commercial properties performing despite the dire circumstances. Real estate has been said to appreciate over time but the global financial crisis has somehow belied this notion. Having these properties seem to be more of a liability than an asset because of the owner’s constant struggle to come up with the monthly payments.

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How Cryptocurrency Trading Software Is Helping To Grow Your Crypto Platform

The cryptocurrency trading software package is an integrated system to manage all aspects of cryptocurrency trading platform like all kinds of crypto buy, sell, exchange, lending, MLM & affiliate management, converting, live market comparison & analyzing etc.

Important features you should consider:

Buy, Sell And Exchange: Nishue is the impressive trading management system offers a smooth and secure methodology for your users to effortlessly Buy, Sell and exchange cryptocurrencies.

Lending system management: This system is completely brokering friendly has a system to manage Crypto lending service, like create manage offers, maintain and moderation etc

Unique Admin Module: Nishue contains a secure and advanced Admin Module for you to control your Cryptocurrency exchange end-to-end.

Separate customer profile: Separate customer profile module that helps your users to easily track and check all Open deposit or withdraw orders, Records, Transactions etc. on just a click.

MLM & affiliate management: This marketing ready automation tools facilitate to manage your level wise affiliate commission, contribution history, and documents.
Market comparison & Converter: Two additional system has been integrated for live Crypto Comparison, Conversion & Depth analysis.

How Cryptocurrency Trading Software Is Helping To Grow Your Crypto Platform:

Coin Deposit & Withdraw: Crypto trader need to maintain enormous Deposit and Withdraw request daily. Trading software aid to manage your activity with its auto set algorithm.

Coin Package & Lending offer: Keep your various coin package and lending offer at the fingers end of your customer. You can create, manage and advertise your offer using a well-designed package.

Level wise commission: If you follow the MLM strategy to reward your respective participants, and worried about set their commission? OK, It is ready to auto calculate their level wise commission.

Notification & Risk management: Every crypto trading platform must arrange push notification system to keep itself and its client up to date about many alarming issues thus help eliminate risk. In this case, a system project is totally perfect.

Multiple Payment Gateway: You can Integrate your cryptocurrency wallet, Local currency, Payeer Even Mobile Banking system as a Payment method within this software to make your transaction hassle free.

Daily, Weekly & Monthly ROI: Are you worried about maintaining ROI as per you said. This cryptocurrency trading management software can auto calculate ROI, commission, and others as per your given instruction.

Free Responsive Website: It must have integrated a fully responsive, SEO optimized dynamic website with our system and it is totally free. It will help you to manage your enterprise smoothly.

Crypto Comparison, Conversion & Depth analysis: Crypto live market cap & coin convertor two addition system has been integrated for live Crypto Comparison, Conversion & Depth analysis

100% secured System: A trading software is designed after having highly security issue in mind. Secured Integer framework, two-factor authentication, and much other security systems have been applied in this cryptocurrency trading software.

The absolute package exclusively for spot cryptocurrency trading that allows users to trade Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum and Litecoin through Coinbase. Built upon the same technology that powers the Nishue software, It incorporates proven market-leading tools developed over 25 years to provide both professional and active cryptocurrency traders with a better experience than what’s currently offered by other crypto-only trading solutions.

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Tips to Choose the Best Crypto Signal Service

If you keep an eye on the market, crypto trading can be profitable for you. However, you may find it hard at times. Fortunately, if you need assistance, you can give a go to crypto signal services. The signals offered by them can be used to make the right decision, at the right time. You can choose from a lot of service providers. Given below are a few tips that can help you choose the right one. Read on to know more.

Service Quality

When opting for a service, quality is the number one factor to consider. Ideally, the trading platform should have an awesome success rate as far as predictions are concerned. Aside from this, it should provide relevant impulses so you can get a better idea of the market trends and trades.

Moreover, you should be able to receive the signal promptly so you can make the right moves. The service provider should be able to generate signals as fast as possible.

Reliability

Keep in mind that the service should be reliable as you are going to make your trade decisions based on their guidance. Hence, you might want to opt for a service that you can depend on. This is the only way to make the right choice and be on the safe side.

What you need to do is hire the services of a provider who is legitimate. You are going to consult expert traders, not an automated software program.

Free Trial

How can you find out if a provider is genuine? The best way is to give a go to their service. Many providers offer a free trial service. This is true even if you are going to hire any service, not just crypt trading.

The trial service will allow you to find out if the service is reliable. Once you have tested the service, you can go ahead and pay for it for a long-term.

Pricing

After the trial period expires, you will have to pay for the service. Here it’s important to keep in mind that providers who offer crypto signals for free of charge may not be reliable. In the same way, you might not want to pay a lot of money for the trial period either. As a matter of fact, the price of packages should be fair so you can enjoy the service without breaking the bank. So, you might want to do your homework to get the right service without spending a good deal of money.

Support

Although it’s great if their support is available round the clock, the important thing is to get the right information at the right time. They should be able to answer your questions until you are satisfied.

Without reliable customer support, you can’t benefit from the crypto signal service the way you should.

In short, if you are going to hire the service of a crypto signal service, we suggest that you follow the tips given in this article. This way you can make the right choice.

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Crypto Currency Vs Fiat Currency

Crypto currency vs. Fiat currency

Are you aware of the fiat currencies and the crypto currencies? They both are currencies in one form or the other and are open for public use across the world. But they are both different and distinct in their own ways. There is always one group that favors the use of cryptos, while the other has a soft corner for the fiat currencies.

In cashless society- crypto money play a huge role

If you have a look at the market of the 1970s and 1980s, you will find that the cash played the dominant role. But, with the change in the technology, electronic transactions have become the usual norm. Today, more and more people are influenced in becoming the cashless society. With the progress towards the cashless society, cryptocurrencies have a big role to play.

Crypto currency and fiat currency are always at loggerheads

Cryptocurrency and fiat currency are popular types of digital currency, especially when it is about an online transaction. They both are currencies currently in use in the market but have some differences in them. There is a hell lot of hypes that you will hear on a daily basis comparing the crypto money and the fiat money. This article will highlight the difference between the two in a more comprehensive and clear manner.

Differentiating in what the currencies stand for

Before going for the difference between the two, you must understand what do they stand for and how are they are defined.

The fiat currency is a legal tender that has the support of the central government, and it operates in the physical form. For instance, US dollars, British Pounds, Euro etc. On the other hand, the crypto currency is a non-legal tender, and doesn’t have any backup from the central government or bank.
Hence, the difference between crypto currency and fiat currency is noted as follows:

• Crypto-currencies are decentralized and global in nature. There are no one entity or government that controls the currency with their laws and regulations. The Fiat currency is centralized, under the control of the laws and regulations of the banks and government.

• Crypto-currencies have their existence only in the digital domain. On the other hand, you will find that the fiat currencies have a tangible and physical existence.

• There is a limited supply of crypto-currencies with a maximum set of them getting supplied in the market. Whereas, the fiat money has an unlimited supply as the government and bank are entitled to produce coins and paper money whenever the situation is required.

• The Bitcoin and other crypto type currencies are created by the computers, while the fiat currencies are issued by the local government and the banks.

• Cryptocurrencies are presented as the public and private code pieces. On the other hand, the fiat currencies are presented in the form of coins and paper money.

• The value of the crypto currencies is not recognized by the supply and demand of the market. Whereas, the fiat currency value is determined by the market regulations of supply and demand.

The different types of crypto and fiat currencies

In the last one decade, the popularity of crypto type currencies has emerged as a huge success. It was in 2009, when Bitcoin was first introduced, and years after several other types of crypto currencies have emerged. Starting from Litecoin. Dogecoin, Ripple to the Dcash and Zcash, there is a plethora of them. On the other hand, the fiat currency has a rich and ancient roots, with the Great British Pound, that dates back to 775 AD. It is considered as the oldest currency in the world that is still in use.

The differences in the anonymity between the two currencies

When you are using the fiat currencies, you need to undergo a user identification or verification process. You are asked to upload a recent picture of yourself and some of the required documents to be issued as per the public authorities. You don’t need to undergo any of the required processes with the crypto currencies. Though your personal information and confidential details don’t get public, but all your transactions are recorded and tracked in both the fiat and the crypto currencies.

Fiat currency vs crypto currency: transparency level

• The transparency level with the crypto type currencies are considered to be more. This is because the revenue streams are displayed in a public chain. Everyone can witness their own and others’ transactions.

• The fiat or govt. currencies are not transparent, as there are not public chains to see the revenue streams of the people.

A comparative historical roots

If you compare the crypto money with that of its counterpart, fiat or government currency, you will find that their existence and creation brings the difference. The Fiat or government currency, dates back its existence as early as 775 AD with the introduction of the Great British Pound. This is why fiat type currency is easily accepted by the people all over.

On the other hand, the crypto coin was perhaps first introduced only a decade ago, with the introduction of Bitcoin in 2009. The challenge that the Bitcoin and other crypto currencies face is catching up with the immense popularity and increasing fan base of the fiat currency. Crypto currency, is no doubt gaining importance and popularity in the economic market, but it has still not been accepted widely in the society as the fiat currency.

A comparative history of the two currencies:

• It was in the 11th century, when the Chinese Song dynasty was perhaps the first one to issue the paper money. It was not allowed to exchange with valuables like gold and silver or silk.

• There were Tally sticks that were introduced as a fiat or government currency. 1100 Tally sticks were introduced as a combat for the shortages in gold.

• 1971, was the year, when the fiat currency received a worldwide recognition. President Nixon introduced it in order to eliminate the dollar pegging system to gold.

• It was in 1998, when the idea of an anonymous electronic cash system emerged by Wei Dai. Bitgold-the very first crypto currency was created by Nick Szabo, but it didn’t receive as much attention as Bitcoin.

• In 2009, Bitcoin was introduced in the market, that became the first crypto currency that was accepted across the globe. In 2011 and after, a series of several other crypto currencies were introduced. Some of the popular ones include, Litecoin, Dogecoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Zcash, Dash and so on.

The traits of both the currencies

The potential of the crypto type currencies and fiat currencies, accessing their traits is important. You will find that in some of the criteria, Bitcoin and other crypto currency is superior than the fiat or government currency, and in some cases, the latter surpasses. It is absolutely your call to choose the type of currency (crypto type currency or fiat type currency) based on your personal needs and requirements.

Let us compare their traits with respect to certain factors.

• Both the crypto coins and fiat type currencies are interchangeable in nature.

• As per the portability is concerned both the currencies secure more or less the same position.

• With respect to the non consumable criteria, crypto currency and fiat type currency have the equal status.

• Crypto type currencies have high durability as compared to the fiat-currencies that have moderate level of durability.

• Both the crypto or virtual currencies and the fiat or government currencies ensure secure and safeguarded transactions and exchange.

• Crypto or digital currencies are highly divisible in nature. On the other hand, the fiat type currencies are moderately divisible.

• In terms of the transaction process, the crypto currencies are easy and hassle free. Whereas, on the other hand, the traction process associated with the fiat currencies are easy, but not like the cryptos.

• The crypto based currencies are decentralized and global in nature, unlike the fiat currencies that are centralized and functions under the laws and regulations of the government.

• The crypto based currencies have high scarcity, where as, the fiat currencies are unlimited as the government can issue coins and paper money whenever there is a need.

• The crypto based currencies are based on mathematical algorithms, and are programmable. The fiat currencies are not at all programmable.

• The fiat currencies are sovereign in nature, while the crypto currencies are not.

The process of the functioning of the currencies

You can find the significant differences between the crypto or digital currencies and the fiat currencies with the way they both operate and the transaction process that take place. They are contrasting in nature. The transfer of money using the Bitcoin is very quick, and you absolutely don’t need any third party association.

On the other hand, if you are involved with the money exchange using Fiat type currency, a mobile wallet is in use. You can exchange an amount of e-money that gets transferred into the equal e-value amount. Both the fiat and the crypto currencies enable you to purchase everything that you desire. But the processes involved are absolutely distinct from each other.

Depending on the things you purchase, you will find that one currency form is better than the other. This is absolutely your choice.

Is Bitcoin, a crypto currency better than the fiat-currency?

The long term benefits and the capability of the Bitcoins is still not established. But it has been predicted by the crypto currency gurus and experts, that they will go a long way, especially revolutionizing the way the online transactions are done. In the current market, the Bitcoin is mainly included in the online casinos and the gambling, but it is not limited to it.

Furthermore, when you compare the fiat currencies, the Bitcoin allows you to seize the power and authority from the banks and the government since it is not controlled. The cryptography based currency has the capability to create or come up with the free market capitals. Fiat currencies are affected by the inflation and the changes in the market, unlike the crypto based currencies. Such aspects make individuals believe that cryptograph based currencies will soon take over the mainstream currencies and bring a transformation in the way the money is used.

Why is Bitcoins considered to be a better aspect than the fiat type currencies?

• Bitcoin gives you the opportunity to re-create a free market capitalism.

• The power of controlling the money is absolutely with the individuals, and not with the banks like the fiat type currencies.

• When there is an inflation, the Bitcoin is not affected. But the Fiat type currency will be easier to lose and get affected by it.

• The Bitcoin currency is easy easier to exchange and transfer as compared to the fiat or government currencies.

• The transaction fees involved with the Bitcoin are way cheaper and easily affordable.

Crypto currencies seem to be a favorable option among the people

The fiat type currencies are the centralized and legal way of exchanging money. But, the crypto currencies have acquired immense popularity in the past few years. There will never be anyone who would act as a middle man, like the case with the banks. Moreover, the cryptos are way cheaper and less expensive that the conventional fiat currencies.

Send money anywhere directly without waiting for the bank’s approval

You can send money to anyone in the world directly, and it is super fast. The money gets cleared within a few minutes time. You don’t have to wait for the traditional clearing and verification processes of the banking systems, which might take up to several days to get a clearance. Since it is decentralized and doesn’t come under the law and regulations of the government, nobody has any power to do anything with your account.

The blockchain technology has a very big role to play

Thanks to the crypto currencies, that gives us the power and the authority to become our very own bank, and take control over our finances. It is because of the blockchain technology that offers a higher level of sophistication while dealing with the finances. In fact, there are some mainstream financial industries that have started incorporating the idea of the technology.

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