Business must always look at the bottom line. This applies not only to income but also making sure the business runs smoothly but that sales are reported accurately along with minimize loss through theft or waste. Below are some items a business can keep and eye on to keep things on track.

Sales Slips

Should be serially pre-numbered in book. Receipts should be obtained from each sales person and an audit of the numerical sequence made weekly. Unnumbered sales slips are frequently used to give customers receipts for cash sales which are never entered on the records.

Cash Collections

Should be carefully supervised. Pre-numbered duplicate receipt books should be used and the numbers audited. Invoices and statements should carry a printed message to the customer telling him to look for a signed company receipt on all payments. Receipt books should be audited weekly or more often with extra attention to numerical sequence or alterations on duplicates.

Accounts Receivable

Monthly statements should not be routed to customers via the collectors. They should be mailed independently so as to cover any discrepancies between collections and records of same. All customer accounts should be periodically confirmed via either mail or direct contact. This stops collusion between collectors and the employee who posts accounts receivable. All receipts should be turned in for deposit daily. Duplicate copies of deposit slips should be certified by the bank teller and mailed by the bank to the employee who reconciles the bank accounts.

Disbursements

When possible, they should be made by pre-numbered check rather than cash. In addition to providing a safeguard this reduces the amount of cash on hand at any time.

Petty Cash

Should contain a fixed amount calculated to cover one week, replenished if and when necessary by the exact amount required for disbursement. Your petty thief will often start his career by “borrowing” in a small way from petty cash. Therefore approved vouchers should be required for all expenditures with amounts written out in ink or type to verify the numerals, a safeguard against “kiting.” When reimbursed they should be canceled by a “paid” stamp. Audits of the petty cash fund should be made at irregular intervals as a surprise, the oftener the better.

Reconciling Bank Accounts

This should be completed promptly by an employee other than the one who prepares the deposits or signs the checks. Delay in the reconciling can cover, temporarily, fraud, forgery, or alteration by your employees or the bank.

Physical Inventory

If taken quarterly or semiannually, better than annually. Should include spot check of packed boxes, bins, cases, etc. Valuable goods easily pocketed should be kept under lock and key. Losses through pilferage or error are common and worth trying to stop by supervision. Regular inventory control can disclose shortages due to theft or inaccurate accounting.

Scrap and Waste

Unusual variations in disposal should be noted. Sales of scrap and waste to junk dealers can be profitable to the dishonest seller and the buyer if control is not adequate. Old inventory can be sold on eBay at times for company profit. Monitor employees who handle online sales.

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If you are overloaded with debt and can’t answer your phone because of collectors calling, then perhaps a bankruptcy case is a good option. Congress did not want our citizens to be overloaded with debt just because they’d made financial mistakes. As a result, Congress created the Bankruptcy System. It is designed to give good people a chance to re-set their financial lives.

As the economy worsens the number of bankruptcy filings is rising. The Los Angeles Times reported that in year 2009, there were around 1,446,000 Bankruptcy. In January 2010, there were 102,600 total bankruptcy filings and the number of people filing bankruptcy continues to grow. Experienced Bankruptcy Attorney Dan Scott says that there are 3 Myths aboutBankruptcy that should be dispelled.

There are 3 Myths about Bankruptcy That Must be Dispelled

Myth 1: Filing bankruptcy can be pricey. Of course when you file a bankruptcy case you will have to pay court costs a legal fee to your attorney’, and perhaps other miscellaneous fees. The cost will depend on your case or situation. However, when compared with the benefit you will receive (relief from owing all or most of your debts) the cost is minimal. You’ll hear some folks say that the money you spend for a bankruptcy likely could be used up bringing past-due accounts, or making the payment arrangements. However, the truth is that if you couldn’t make the payments in the past, it is unlikely you will be able to make them in the future.

Myth 2: You may lose your property in a bankruptcy: Obviously if you have a car or house that has a lien or mortgage, you’ve got to address that lien or mortgage in your bankruptcy case. Usually a deal can be structured inside your bankruptcy case where you can keep making the payments and keep the property. Bankruptcy Attorney Dan Scott, in his video series found at http://www.danwillhelp.com, reveals that in most circumstances you will be able to use your exemptions to keep property that is not encumbered by a lien. Exemptions are simply a procedure established by Congress to allow you to keep property in a bankruptcy case. Don’t think for a minute that you’ll be able to keep property on which a lien has been granted unless you can make the payments.

Myth 3: Not all your debt can be discharged. This is not exactly a “myth” but it is often over stated. Most of the debt individuals have WILL be discharged in a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy. (For the difference between a Chapter 7 and a Chapter 13 check out the video at http://www.danwillhelp.com.) Unsecured debts such as credit cards and signature loans are dischargeable. However, if you have student loans, back child support, certain taxes debt, claims arising from fraud or a DUI will not be discharged. Yourbankruptcy lawyer can give you more guidance on this.

These are tough times. Every where you turn folks are facing financial challenges. You may want to take a look at the video series published by experienced bankruptcy lawyer Dan Scott at http://www.danwillhelp.com. There’s simply no need to avoid bankruptcy just because of uncertainty.

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Character and reference checks on each employee the first and certainly one of the most vital steps a business can take, this also includes people and companies that will be doing work at your home. Once you let a crook into your place they are probably going to be able to get through any of your other defenses.

If he is a real professional he can break you in a short time, possibly acting as a confederate of a gang. Your background and credit check is paramount. If possible, records of employment for 10 or more years should be reviewed, checked. Are there gaps in the record? Why? Do they hide prison sentences? Financial difficulties in a previous job? Who knows this person for how long? Does he live within the kind of income you intend to pay him without needing more? Is his bank account constantly overdrawn ? It is true that you cannot always tell the potential thief from his record.

Chief source of loss is from the trusted person with a hitherto-unblemished record, which indicates honesty up to a point. The point, however, may be reached when the need for more money overcomes resistance to temptation.

Payrolls can be padded in many ways. Timekeeping records are easy to manipulate. Company expense reports can be exaggerated. It is not that difficult to carry a fictitious employee on the payroll. If the same person who prepares the payroll does the actual paying there is always possibility of fraud either independently or with others. There should be checks and balances including an independent check on the preparation and payment. New names should never be added without authorization. Accurate timekeeping and supervision is important. A payroll supervisor or manager should have custody of funds only during actual paying-off time.

Purchase Orders should be serially pre-numbered and triplicated in different colors to make identification easier if done by hand. If done on computer systems should be put in place to verify purchases. Unnumbered purchase orders invite false purchases. Blanks should not be left around.

Tracking the flow of money throughout a business and personal household finance is important step in making sure money spent is used where it should be spent.

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People consolidate debt for many different reasons. Sometimes they want to lower their interest rates or just want a new loan to pay off a number of other loans. Either way, when consolidating debt, you now have one loan instead of many.

It can be hard to secure a new loan on one of your assets if you are already using that as collateral. A house is a good very example of this. As you probably know, when you take out a mortgage, your house is the collateral. Having this collateral helps the lender feel safer about loaning you the money. They know that if you default on your loan, they can take your collateral, such as your house, and sell it to get their money back. This makes your loan less risky, and in turn lowers your interest rate.

When you consolidate your debt, it doesn’t address what the root of problems is. Depending on the circumstances, snowballing might be the better solution.

Debt consolidation can be a great way for someone who has a lot of debt to get on track with repayments. Credit cards usually have very high interest rates, much higher than a secured loan like a mortgage. Offering collateral can help you get a secured loan with interest rates that are substantially lower than the rates on your credit cards. A lower interest rate can help you pay off your creditors much more quickly.

When you choose a debt consolidation program, you need to remember that it’s a debt repayment programs. When you enroll in a debt consolidation company, they will negotiate with your creditors for some lower interest rate and may even eliminate any late fee that you have encounter.

Today, there are multiple options to consolidating one’s debt. Credit counseling programs, debt settlements, debt consolidation loans, bankruptcy may all sound confusing sometimes. Therefore, it is advisable to check on financial position before making decisions for debt consolidation. Debt consolidation programs are debt repayment programs. The debt consolidation companies consolidate the unsecured debts to facilitating student and personal loans. Once you enroll into a program companies negotiate with the creditors on your behalf for lower interest rates possibly eliminating the late fees. In exchange you are supposed to pay a lump sum monthly payment which is dispersed to the creditors.

Debt consolidation loans are disguised equity loans. You unsecured debts are paid back with the equity that is built up in your current home. These loans will take all of your unsecured debt and turn into secure debt that’s backed up by your house. If you happens to fall behind and can’t pay back your loans, you could loose all of your property.

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Credit counseling is a process of giving educational information on the end user to keep away from borrowing money that they cannot settled.

A credit counselor will help someone in debt by working with creditors and building a debt management plan, also known as a DMP. The DMP will list new terms for repayment to the creditors. When you agree to the DMP, there will be an additional service charge along with your new monthly payments. This can be charged as one payment or it can be a part of your monthly payments. Depending on the terms of your DMP, you will also have new interest rates on your lowered monthly payments. When you start your DMP, the credit accounts that are a part of your DMP will be closed and no changes will be allowed in the future.

As soon as the DMP is decided, the creditor closes the debtors account and restricts the account to any future changes. The most common benefit of DMP is the consolidation of multiple monthly payments into a single monthly payment which is much lesser than the sum of all the individual payments previously made by the consumer. The credit card companies/banks offer payment reduction in the range of 10-20%.Some companies even offers a 50 %reduction.

More or less, all credit card firms will allow considerable discount in the rates of interest. As a general rule, non-payment on credit cards will have 30% interest rates. When you concur on credit counseling, they will reduce 5-10% rates on interest. This drop in turn lets you to settle your balance in three to six years, which would take approximately in twenty years bearing higher rates of interest. Credit card firms also make it easier for you to maintain the current status of your debt or otherwise your debt will be considered as delinquent account. If the end user pays the usual monthly payments to demonstrate reliance, the credit card firms sometimes alter the delinquent standing of the borrower’s account to current standing but that doesn’t mean they will remove the previous delinquencies. The credit card firms will give second chance to make new beginning and will put up positive credit history.

Credit counseling goes way back to 1951 when it was first introduced by NFCC. From then on a lot of profit making companies and charities like Christians Against Poverty and the Consumer Credit Counseling Service, Britain’s largest debt advice have established themselves in different countries all around the world and implemented this concept of credit counseling. One of the major drawbacks of credit counseling is that it damages your credit report in some or the other way. Some credit card companies claim that the DMPs do not have any effect FICO credit score. So they ensure a remark of counseling participation in their credit report. But the fact is the creditors check the credit worthiness on the basis of debt to income ratio. Participation in counseling has nothing to do with that. Consequently, consumers face difficulty in applying for new loans and credit cards.

Credit counseling provides a cheaper and an effective way to avoid incurring debts leaving a narrow margin for mistakes especially when you are on the verge of bankruptcy. So, it is highly advisable to do your homework before you indulge into credit counseling with any of the profit and non profit making organization.

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High interest rate credit cards are a drain on a lot of consumers. With so many people stuck in high interest rate cards, many are looking for a solution to lower their monthly payments. Many people have started to utilize a simple method of transferring credit card balances to a single card making for one simple monthly payment.

Of course if transferring a balance or balances between credit cards is going to save you substantial amounts of money, you should definitely take advantage of that. However, it isn’t simply a case of looking at the interest rates and transferring to the lowest one. You also need to take into account the hidden fees.

Balance transfer fees are probably the most common issue that people encounter when they consolidate credit card debt via a balance transfer. Usually it is a flat fee of $35 or more. However, some companies charge percentages of balance rather than a flat fee. Depending on your balance, that could be a very large amount of money - make sure you know what the fees are before making the transfer.

In addition, some companies have a service, or maintenance fee simply for having their card - these are usually annual fees and aren’t all that much, but it all adds up. Credit card companies might also levy fees for using their online systems. Check into these fees - there are so many small fees that companies have - they don’t affect everyone, but if it affects you, it affects your bottom line.

If you are going to consolidate credit card debt by transferring balances from one card to another, if it is going to save you money, then by all means do it. Just be aware that the small print is often hiding additional fees - make sure that you are making the right choice for long-term savings.

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We’ve all fallen into the trap- we leave the office on our dinner hour and end up returning with a bag of new clothes or a bounty of new CDs or DVDs, or after a stressful week we hit our nearest shopping centre for a few ‘pick me ups’ leaving a large dent in our finances.

But we all know the pleasure those items give us is quickly dented, when the credit bill arrives or we check our bank account and are confronted with high overdraft fees. Then to cheer ourselves up we may even head back to the shops and spend even more.

A recent US study by VitalSmarts began with kids being informed that they had the opportunity to earn some money and were asked what they wanted to spend and what they wanted to spend. some money and were asked how much they wanted to save and how much they were going to spend. After they had decided they were let loose in an impulse environment featuring advertising posters, bright colours and samples, not dissimilar to how shopping centres are.

The children were told they could purchase sweets before they earned the money, with whatever they spent to be deducted from what they earned- recreating the model of buying on credit.

87% was the amount of the money the children said they wanted to save when asked before they went in, but the average that was actually saved was 32%, showing the power of a buying environment and how impulse is a huge factor in the buying process.

These figures reinforce the situation many adults are in when they shop. We set a budget and have all the will in the world, but once confronted with all the lovely products and all the other factors that encourage us to buy, our budget goes out of the window and we are overcome with the need to buy.

The best way to stop this impulsive pattern is to avoid the shops altogether- but clearly this is completely impractical as there are necessities that must be bought. A more sustainable tactic is to drag a friend along with you to act as your conscience and remind you of your budget. Make sure you choose the right friend and explain to them what your budget is and why it’s important you stick to it.

Another good tip is to give yourself rewards now and then. If you go cold turkey on personal treats then you’re likely to become irritated and go for a big all out splurge, whereas if you allow yourself a small treat now and then as part of your planned budget then your much more likely to stick to your saving goal.

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Under the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Coverage Act of 2005, folks who arrange to file for bankruptcy shelter, with limited conditions, need to get credit guidance from a government-approved provider within six months before they file. They also will have to carry out a debtor education tutorial from an approved service provider to have their debts discharged.

Bankruptcy is a proceeding in a federal court by which an insolvent debtor’s possessions are liquidated and the debtor is absolved of further liability. Chapter 7 handles liquidation, while Chapter 13 deals with reorganization. If you have inquiries with regards to bankruptcy, you should seek the information of a licensed bankruptcy law firm.

Chapter 7 bankruptcy is when the court appoints a Trustee who may liquidate or sell some things that you own to pay for your creditors. Nearly all of your debt will be canceled, but you may determine to pay for some creditors, usually to keep a car or home wherein the creditor has a lien.

Chapter 13 bankruptcy is when your debt is reorganized into a single monthly transaction. The payment will continue for 36 to 60 months. In no case may a arrange provide for installments over a period longer than five years. You do not have to repay all of your debt. You pay off only as much as you can manage, but the minimum payment may be affected by assets you want to keep. When you pass the payments, debt not paid is discharged. Advantages and Disadvantages of filing for Bankruptcy

Filing bankruptcy does not necessarily stop all financial obligations, and often simply restructures existing debt - this leaves you responsible for all future payments. Filing bankruptcy also keeps with you for up to 10 years and you may have problems getting any type of loan. Bankruptcy is public record and will be shown on your credit report but not forever. Speak to one of our credit advising experts if you need help.

Anyone who is contemplating bankruptcy needs to fully comprehend the process and the laws surrounding bankruptcy. Questions about bankruptcy should be addressed by a licensed bankruptcy law firm. There are alternate options to bankruptcy and you can avoid bankruptcy with outside help. It is necessary to get early advice about bankruptcy if you are hoping to use the bankruptcy process to save your home or your car.

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People usually become emotionally attached to their belongings. This is just human nature. So, when these things are taken away, it brings about emotional fallout. When someone’s vehicle is repossessed, they normally will feel their freedom has been taken away. Likewise, when a home is repossessed (foreclosed upon), the owner may very well feel the loss of family memories. Another form of emotional let down is when you finally realize the enormity of the situation as related to your credit score, which will immediately free fall!

As you watch your car being towed away, you might feel as though your world has come crashing down! However, as bad as it may seem, it’s not the end of the world! Really! The best thing to help yourself is to immediately begin to rebuild your credit. To do this you should first request copies of your credit reports from the three major credit reporting agencies. These three credit reporting agencies are Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. Once every twelve months, these credit reporting agences are legally bound to provide you with a copy of your credit report, upon your request.

Once you receive your credit reports, you should sit down with them and review them thoroughly. When repossessions are entered on your credit report, the entry will include a list of all fees associated with the repossession, such as towing and storage. Check these amounts against your receipts. These amounts must be listed accurately. If they are not listed accurately, you may be able to dispute the item as a negative entry.

If your credit reports contain inaccurate information, dispute letters can be written and mailed to the credit reporting agencies to try to have the negative entry removed. When writing your dispute letter, you should include the reason you are writing as well as a request that the repossession entry be deleted from your credit report in its entirety. When you mail your dispute letter, make sure that you include a copy of the appropriate credit report and that you highlight the inaccurate information. You should include copies of any substantiating documentation, such as receipts, with your dispute letter. Further, you should always keep copies of all correspondence you send to the credit reporting agencies, as well as copies of any enclosures.

Once the credit reporting agency has received your dispute letter, it has 30 days to contact and verify the repossession with your creditor. If the creditor cannot or does not verify the repossession amounts within the alloted time frame, the credit reporting agency is legally required to remove the entry from your credit report. You should receive a letter from the credit reporting agencies which indicates what action was or was not taken with regard to your account and why. If you are unsuccessful in removing the repossession entry, it will continue to be listed on your credit report for seven years.

In the event you are unable to remove your repossession entry using a dispute letter, you might be able to have the entry deleted or its status improved by negotiating directly with your creditor. A promise of partial payment or payment in full might persuade your creditor to delete the repossession entry. You should insist on a written agreement if you and your creditor are able to come to terms. Additionally, make sure that you obtain your creditor’s signature on the document and that you sign as well.

I know that it is hard to deal with the emotional side of repossession; however, you can get through this and, in time, regain your financial footing. Times are tough across the country and you are not alone. Just move past this and begin to repair your credit - the sooner, the better!

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Have you ever visited a website about debt settlement company with an advertisement that goes:

“Are you on the edge of bankruptcy? Are you looking for an alternative solution to manage your over growing debts but don’t know the right way to be out of debt?”

If your response is yes, then, reach us. With a 70% cutback in the total amount of debts payable not as much as four months. Debt settlement provides the best service than anyone could offer. Why don’t you act now! Absolutely trouble free. We guarantee you to be debt free.

Although the advertisement seems awfully simple to comprehend, there’s a lot that remains hidden behind the covers. The debt settlement companies, a perfectly legal solution to consumers sunk deep into debt problems has all the risks in delegating your debt responsibilities to them. For instance, the service fees paid by the consumer. Sometimes they are large fees considering the financial status of the consumer.

When you happen to choose a debt settlement company, they will provide you lists of negotiator to facilitate the debt payment. All you need to make is to discontinue paying your creditors, and begin to pay the monthly negotiated installment amount on the debt settlement company. The debt settlement company will take care of your debts. They will give you an assessment as to how much percentage will be reduced in your debt. But, the first payment you will make to the creditor will go directly in the debt settlement company’s account as your service fee. The remaining payments for the monthly installment will go the creditor’s account. If debt amount increase because of non-payment, the debt settlement company will call the creditors, negotiations will take place.

Too bad at all. Visualize the scenario. Estimate the incurred penalty. Will you not panic? How will you go on with your life? You are expecting to be out of debt, but what happen now?

Thus, it is worthwhile to talk to your creditors about your debt problems and negotiate with them directly. Before doing so, seek advice to credit counseling allowed by different credit card companies. Relax and stay calm. Remember to hold your positions that the collecting office will claim less amount of money then they state they will.

Reluctant to do so, would result to consulting to debt settlement company to assist you reduce your outgrowing debts. Credit counseling isn’t a risky alternative, as long as you give the entire payment and able to pay the regular monthly installment.

You can also work out a payment plan with your creditors. If you are not able to keep up with the monthly installments, ask your creditors if they have a hardship program for customers with financial crisis. Try to put emphasis on the hardships in your dialogue. Some creditors do give a reduction from 6 months to 1 year.

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