Business & Finance World News

Maintaining “Business as Usual” in a Disaster: New Web Site Helps Businesses Plan for the Unexpected

June 3rd, 2010

Did you know that 40 to 60 percent of small businesses never reopen their doors following a disaster?

And the fact is no business owner is immune. Whether you operate out of a home-based office, lease space on Main Street, or do business wherever you can find it, natural and man-made disasters are a constant threat.

Try operating a home-based business without power for several days and, believe me, you’ll never look at everyday conveniences like power and the Internet in the same way ever again!

But the trouble with disaster planning is that many business owners think the threat lies elsewhere, and couldn’t possibly happen in their back yard. Ye

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Is Your Bank Safe? Check Bank Ratings

June 2nd, 2010

What’s the very first “consideration” that consumers have in mind when choosing a bank? Often, it’s the question: is it safe?

But what does this particular question mean? Do I think that my bank would embezzle my money? Give it away to terrorists? God forbid, go under? In reality though, it’s about taking a gander at the bank’s financial well being and determining whether or not the bank is stable enough to handle my deposit.

Okay, so if I’d like to check up on the health of my bank or determine whether my online savings accounts are safe, where should I start? One place to

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How Much The Average American Spends on Entertainment

May 31st, 2010

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Can A Collector Call My Family Members When I’m Paying The Collector Per An Agreement?

May 29th, 2010

I recently received this question from a consumer who was concerned about how a debt collector was treating her in calling family members:

I had a credit collector (United Recovery) call my home and a family members home today. (5/29/10) I am making payments as agreed to them, there is was no reason for them to call my home or family member. What can I do about this legally?

This is known as a “third party contact” and is a favorite illegal dirty trick of abusive debt collectors.

Debt collectors can only contact “third parties” – that is someone other than the debtor or the debtor’s spouse – to obtain location information.

Location information is only the following:

1.

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Power outlines NZ’s new expectations for SOEs

May 29th, 2010

June 2 () – State-owned Enterprise Minister Simon Power has outlined the government’s new performance measures for SOEs, which he expects to be included in their statements for corporate intent from next financial year.

Power said SOEs, including Meridian Energy, Solid Energy and Landcorp Farming, make up some $25 billion worth of taxpayer investment, and the government has a “duty to ensure that this investment delivers an appropriate return.” The new performance measures cover shareholder returns, profitability and efficiency, and leverage and solvency.

“This is another step towards providing taxpayers with the tools to assess how their investment in this portfolio is performing,” he said in a statement.

Earlier today, Power was reported as telling Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee that he has not received any advice about future sales or rationalisation of SOEs, and said the government will have to discuss whether to change its policy regarding asset sales.

The new SOE measures are:
– Total shareholder return,
– Dividend yield,
– Dividend pay-out,
– Return on equity,
– Return on equity adjusted for unrealised fair value movements and asset revaluations,
– Return on capital employed,
– Operating margin,
– Generator efficiency for Genesis Energy, Meridian and MightyRiverPower,
– Net gearing ratio,
– Interest cover, and
– Solvency.

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Making Estimated Tax Payments – A 101 for the Small Business Owner

May 29th, 2010

I have a confession to make.

When I first started out in business, having just quit 12 years of full time employment, like many entrepreneurs I was blissfully unaware of my day-to-day business tax obligations.

This changed one day when I sat down for a coffee with a fellow small business owner and was introduced to the facts of life about estimated tax payments.

My personal epiphany aside, one of the biggest mistakes small business owners make during the start-up phase is misunderstanding their tax obligations.

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