Personal Finance for Seniors Be Careful of Investment Scams

Studies have shown senior citizens are frequently the target of various investment scams, with many losing money and property to dishonest and predatory operators. The good news is that armed with the following information – seniors will know what to look for and can identify and avoid such scams.

Here is a list of the common scams that target the elderly, and how each operates.

Pyramid schemes
Investment seminars
“Compensation” Scams
Equipment leases
Gift annuities

Pyramid schemes

An old favorite for the scamsters, Pyramid schemes assure high returns to investors, but the only people who systematically get rich from these schemes are the promoters themselves. These investment opportunities generally promise large profits based on the investors’ ability to enlist other people to join the programs. Because the scheme uses the money from new investors to make payments to the old ones, some initial investors make money, but sooner or later, these schemes collapse and most of the investors lose all their money. Pyramid schemes often have no other source of revenue except for money put in by the new investors.

Investment seminars

Investment seminars do help to make money, but the ones who are consistently laughing their way to the bank are the advice peddlers. They are the ones making money from the admission charges, books, posters and audiotapes/ CDs sales. You should be very wary whenever you are offered any such get-rich-quick schemes.

“Compensation” Scams

These scams bring to mind the old adage, “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me”. Investment scam victims often let the scamsters take them for a ride repeatedly. This is because the scammers promise to compensate the previous losses and bring in fresh gains. After losing some funds, seniors who have been duped once often go along with the new schemes with the hope of recouping their losses. Instead, they compound the damage and let the con artists take away more from their savings.

Equipment leases

It is true that most of the equipment lease deals are genuine, but there are quite a few tricksters operating who try to take advantage of the seniors by selling interests in ATMs, pay phones and Internet kiosks. What generally happens in such a scam is that companies sell equipment through intermediaries and then agree to lease back the equipment for a fee. Investors are promised huge profits with no risk. But the unrealistically high commissions and returns that they claim to pay are not feasible, and would doom any project.

Gift annuities

Gift annuities are basically cash/ property transfers to charitable organizations. A charitable gift annuity is just like a normal fixed annuity – except that a charity benefits from your investment. There is no problem with gift annuities per se, but many small organizations have jumped into the fray, promising high returns but giving only vague information about themselves. These are generally designed to relieve you of your funds or property, and it’s best to steer clear of such schemes.

While there is no shortage of con artists, most of them operate in very predictive ways, as outlined above. Seniors citizens can easily recognize these scams from the descriptions and methodologies mentioned here, and steer clear of the scammers before they are taken advantage of.

Michael Bloomberg Investment Strategies

Michael Bloomberg is the world’s eighth richest man according to Forbes 400 released in September 2008. He is one of the most successful businessman/politician in the world. Do you know where his success came from. Was it because of business strategic planning or just a plain luck?

Up to do this time, Bloomberg holds 88% of the ownership of Bloomberg L.P., a financial software company. He is also the mayor of New York and spent two terms for the city. In 1981, Michael was fired out of the Salomon Brother where he served as the general partner. He headed the equity trading and the systems development. Before he stepped out of the company, he was given $10 million dollar severance package. With that money on that same year, he started his own company. It was called the Innovative Market Systems. He had his first customer in the name of Merrill Lynch. The company installed 20 Market Master Terminals and invested $30 million to the IMS. The company was then changed to Bloomberg L.P. Few years after 5000 terminals have been installed. The company also expanded their business by launching Bloomberg Tradebook, the Bloomberg Messaging Service and the Bloomberg newswire. The company continued to prosper and the rest is history.?

With recognitions at hand, Michael Bloomberg became one of the business tycoons in the world. He is one of the highly admired business people. Even though he already resigned as the president of the company to serve the people in New York city, his legacy still prevails among business enthusiasts. His investment strategies are inspiration for businessman and business service providers. For those who are eying global business development, they want to know Bloomberg’s business approaches. But does anybody here knows his secret? None.?

His investment strategies is distinct and defined. The success of Bloomberg LP is directly attributed to Michael’s innovative strategies. Although they were not yet revealed to people, some sort of methods that he used were named as his secret to progress. He once worked as the head of equity trading in Salomon Brothers. And he used it on his new business. Equity trading is the buying and selling of stock shares Shares in large publicly-traded companies are bought and sold through one of the major stock exchanges, such as the New York Stock Exchange, London Stock Exchange or Tokyo Stock Exchange, which serve as managed auctions for stock trades. Stock shares in smaller public companies are bought and sold in over-the-counter (OTC) markets. A simple yet effective type of investment that Bloomberg used for his little capital.?

From a capital of $10 million, he’s now making almost double of it because of his effective investment strategies. He invested much of his money on sectors he thinks beneficial to people. Bloomberg LP, which is a financial data and communications company, branched out and started a news service provider. It is now known for radio, television, internet and publishing operations. Bloomberg companies are global, multi-media based. Distributor of information services. They combine news, data and analysis for global financial markets and businesses.

Best Ways To Invest 10000 In 2013

If you are thinking whats the best ways to invest 50000 in 2013 you will find many options.

The most popular investments are property investment, carbon investment, wine investment, stock and shares, the list is never ending with what seems like great opportunities to cash in fast and make excellent returns. We know things are never this easy especially when it comes down with parting with your well-earned cash. When considering an investment you must make sure you understand every aspect of your venture.

For example the property market has been suffering hard in recent years. Its hard to tell if an investment today in property will turn fruitful in a few years time. The property market changes so fast and not just in one country its widespread around the world. While there can be a property boom it seems nowadays its more than likely it will be more of a crash, especially in todays economic climate. When it comes down to property you need to invest well, finding that perfect property or properties to invest in which means often trying to obtain them at discounted prices. You can get a agent to help build your portfolio and advise you. Building a property portfolio is not easy it requires hard work and a lot of time and big risks because you will be using large amounts of money to purchase property, be it your own money or the banks.

Over the last few years there has been a lot of interest in green investments such as solar, wind turbines, carbon credits. The biggest downfalls with green investments are they are very difficult to understand. In most cases you never see your investment, especially if you invest in carbon credits. Understanding carbon credits is quite a feat and finding a good investment that gives you returns is even harder!

One of the best investments for 2012 we came across was diamond investment. Very easy to understand, fast to setup through a verified dealer, you can actually keep your diamond yourself as long as you have insurance or you can keep it in a vault. Diamonds come in many sizes and there is different type of diamonds, colored diamonds being a favorite.

With the right diamond investment company it really is hard to loose out as we found there is so many quick exit plans to cash in fast or if you are in it for the long-haul and can invest over 3 5 years then the returns can be massive. Diamonds are really easy to understand you know what you are getting, you can see your investment, and you can invest however much money you want to test the water, unlike property. We think its the best investment for 2013.

If you’re looking for the best ways to invest 20,000, there really aren’t many options as good as Diamond Investments, and if you love diamonds, why not get in on the newest vein of this investment opportunity in 2013. Imagine making up to 30% return on your investment (ROI).

Top 5 Investment Banker Interview Questions

With the Independent Commission on UK Banking recently issuing its long awaited report for the state individuals current banking landscape, the opportunities contained within it to improve retail banking customer care have been seemingly lost inside noise ” with this government apparently planning to deflect attention by kicking it to the long grass.

In the last cut of choosing the hire, investment banks have determined which candidates are smart and capable, hence the decision comes down to who they like the top. So along with knowing a few things, candidates must remember to come across being a fun person to help as well.

For finance and business majors, one of the most coveted proposes to have at graduation is definitely an analyst position with an investment bank. Business students are attracted from the pay, the prestige along with the fast-pace lifestyle that these twenty-something analysts live. But before collecting that (rather large) signing bonus, prospective analysts must be sure they determine what they’re getting themselves into.

Banks are one of the most stable finance institutions created by man to help in his advancement as well as the management of his finances. Banks represent the clients and their transactions. Banks are anticipated to be honest and honorable in their activities. Because a large amount of different financial activities are catered from the banks, it became required to separate them across a thin border line that will specify their transactions and services. Therefore, banks of interests were born.

We are all aware that a good investment banker salary is very attractive, but in reality year end bonuses will make up the most of ones earnings for that year. For example, a good investment banker who is making $100,000 per year like a base salary has got the potential to produce an additional $250,000 in bonuses. Of course many factors may play a role here, but it isn’t unusual to find out a bonus of 2-3 times your salary. The more experience, education and certifications you have, the larger starting salary you will receive.

If an associate at work chooses to go out of the Sequoia Presidential Yacht world, their experience is frequently leveraged to advance into positions that might normally require more experience. Investment banking is incredibly rigorous use associates wracking up double hours with the average worker and performing their work with an intensity level that’s among the highest inside the business world. It is no wonder they have an easy time excelling in other careers.

Would have to an analyst choose about the way to leave investment banking for the whole and many attain their experience could possibly be leveraged to look at into positions that is going to be normally require more experience. After all, many analysts wrack up double the several from the average workforce and must be effective their work with an intensity level which is truly one with the highest in the company world.

There are a great deal of companies inside the world that start small and eventually grow in the market to become a powerhouse corporation rich with assets and capital for investing. When companies grow to some sizable corporation, another big step for them is always to enter into investment banking. This kind of investing comes hand at your fingertips with corporation owners to help them through the assistance these banks provide.

Great Investment Opportunities In Shipping Container Industry

The present time is the recovery time for the shipping industry as the container manufacturers are slowly picking pace of manufacturing containers after the economic slump in the global market. The shipping container prices are still set to rise as the shortage of containers in the shipping industry is still not up to par with the supply of containers. There have been many reports where the ships have refused to ferry good because of absence of shipping containers or high price of the available shipping containers.

Singamas Container Holdings Ltd. is the worlds second largest manufacturer of shipping boxes and they have said that prices are set to increase by up to 9 percent by year-end. This rise in prices is a direct result of shipping service providers struggling to meet the demand of shipping containers in the global trade.

Teo Siong Seng, CEO, Singamas Container Holdings Ltd said that there might be a global shortage of as many as 4 million containers. This shortage of supply has led to a rise in the prices and the prices are on an upward slant which wont stabilize for some time to come. There is very high demand from Asian countries for the shipping containers and shipping operators often bring containers empty containers from Europe and USA which leads to additional costs.

The lack of containers in the market and their constant demand brings a golden opportunity for investors to invest in the shipping containers and fulfill the demand created in the industry. Pacific Tycoon is one company that can help investors by providing them with 12% return on investment through shipping container investments. Investors can earn 12% return on shipping investments in the containers through the company and the company will make all arrangements to lease the containers to the interested parties. Find out more by browsing through www.pacifictycoon.com