Bank finance articles and tips

The Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts Form TD F 90-22.1 ("FBAR") is due June 30, 2011. This form must be filed by a United States person with a financial interest in or signature authority over a foreign financial account if the total value of all of the accounts exceeded $10,000 at any time during the year. This form is merely an information form. There is no tax due with this return.

This form must be received on or before June 30, 2011. There is no extension of time to file this return. Even if your individual income tax return is on extension, it doesn't matter. Please note it must be received by June 30, 2011, not postmarked. File this form with the Treasury Department, not the Internal Revenue Service. Unlike income tax returns, this form cannot be filed electronically. It must be mailed in. Caution should be exercised to assure the form arrives by the due date. As with other returns and forms, it is recommended that you send it "Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested"....

Because there is such a broad array of discount brokerages, and the features and pricing of each are so disparate, it behooves any investor to get many opinions about the best type of brokerage for their specific situation. That includes doing comprehensive research about the basic and advanced issues occupying an online broker. Fortunately, there are several books that can help investors educate themselves. Here are some of the best choices:

Getting Started in Online Brokers by Kristine DeForge and Loren Fleckenstein. The book is described as "a quick survey of online brokerages and guidance on how to decide between them."

The book asks three important questions early on that every investor should ask themselves before choosing an online broker: "How much help do you need?", "How confident are you in placing orders", and "How much execution speed do you need?".

Just as no two people's financial situation is the same, no two bankruptcy cases are the same. In fact, filing for Chapter 7 or 13 can vary greatly between filer. Before deciding on which to file, there are a few considerations that go along with a Chapter 7 case.....

My friend Leslie recently started a great job as Marketing Director at a cool Silicon Valley start-up. On her first day the CEO sent out the typical email to the entire company announcing her arrival and welcoming her to the team.

Then it began. Within minutes she started getting LinkedIn requests from the other employees. Some came by or emailed first, but others just tossed the link requests over the wall.

I have mixed feelings about this. I have written in detail about my belief that LinkedIn is not a way to connect to anyone with a pulse, and profess the "Coffee, Meal, or Beer Rule" (which basically means I want to know you before we connect on LinkedIn or Facebook).

It's time to make the mortgage payment, but you don't have a dime to your name. All of your income has gone to an unforeseeable emergency that's just completely drained you of your resources - and there's no extra money coming in until your next payday. If you've got bills that need to be paid or an emergency that requires your immediate financial resources, then the thought of taking out a payday loan might seem like a much-needed solution to an overwhelming problem.

But before you head to that payday loan center to sign the dotted line, take a minute to really think over this decision: are payday loans ever worth the trouble - or do they just cause a domino effect putting you deeper into debt?

Each year I write an article focused on trend for the coming year. I am writing this one a little earlier this year, September vs. December, so we as small business owners have some time to adapt these trends into your strategic planning for next year.

#1 Trend - Value Proposition Must Be Bigger Than Ever.
Consumers are much smarter, better informed and more discerning than ever before. The internet has given them the inside edge. You now have to be able to quantify your value to them. If you don't, your competitors will. One example of a way to add value instantly is to sit down together prior to the sale. This personal touch creates the opportunity to add value.