Disappointed in Obama? We Sure Are!

I am amazed by the latest fund-raising gambit from the Obama campaign.

In it he asks people to PROVE he is not out of touch with mainstream America by donating even more money to his campaign.

If he knew anything about ordinary working people, he would know that money is tight at the moment for everyone, PLUS a lot of us have had to file a little old thing called our taxes, and some of us owe money and don’t have the spare cash laying around to ‘prove’ he knows what he is talking about.

Even more ridiculous, is how ‘disappointed’ he is in Hillary for trying to use his appalling insensitivity. Really, as if he would not have jumped on this himself if she had ever been been so naive and gauche? Oh, yes, the man is a saint and choir boy-in his own mind.

So let’s get at the real truth, however unpalatable:

A lot of Americans are disappointed in YOU, Mr. Obama. Even life-long Democrats who can’t even imagine how bad another 4 years of Republican rule would be. We are disappointed because while you are undoubtedly a powerful speaker, you have failed to listen to ordinary Americans, and really HEAR them. All you hear is your own rhetoric and ambition. You are an empty suit! Sorry, but there it is.

We need a leader who is willing to learn from his or her own mistakes. You keep making the same ones over and over. And you have not even got anywhere near the Presidency yet.

You are also so divisive, you have basically threatened that if you are not on the ticket in November, ‘your’ people will not go out to vote.

No wonder people accuse you of arrogance.

You have done everything you can to stop the voters of Michigan and Florida from seating their delegates, or reaching any sort of amicable solution about them, and then have the nerve to claim you are a Democrat?

The people of Pennsylvania are the next to vote. For the sake of this country, if you lose that primary by a substantial margin, do this whole country a favor, and step aside.

Because if you can’t even take the heat within your own party over your dismissive and crass remarks, you will be fried to a cinder by the Republicans long before Election Day.

And don’t you dare ask for even more money to place even more ads to try to dupe people into thinking anything is going to change under your presidency, when you can’t even address the issues of this country in a serious and meaningful way. Let alone use your own errors as an opportunity to attack your opponents, or to try to scare people into donating by claiming it is the only way to avoid getting ‘more of the same.’

Bill Clinton was an exceptionally popular and excellent president. 75% of people polled said they would have elected him to a third term if it had been possible. People do NOT want anything to do with the Bush administration, and rightly so. But you are not the only game in town. And yes, there is a lot wrong with this country at the minute. But don’t blame others for YOUR own errors and failings.

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Are You In Constant Fear Of Foreclosure?

Worry over foreclosure creates an enormous amount of fear for so many people, particularly in the present economy.

It is crucial for everyone facing foreclosure to start thinking on a more positive note, by gathering all the information you can about preventing foreclosure.

Living in fear that you could possibly lose your home is a very stressful situation, and it can literally stop you from thinking about anything else or functioning.

Money problems are the number one reason for divorce in the US. So just think how much the strain of facing foreclosure can damage a relationship.

The first step in dealing with foreclosure is that everyone in the family should pull together to learn all that they can about foreclosure, and what steps you can take to avoid it.

First off, do not make the mistake of avoiding important phone calls from your mortgage company or bank. Don’t go a long time without contacting them to make some sort of payment arrangements.

If you try to dodge the situation, you will only make it worse, and could definitely could lose your home if your lender does not think you are a responsible, reasonable person who is willing to do what it takes to keep their home and avoid foreclosure.

Foreclosure does not make you stupid, or a failure. It is just a house at the end of the day; however, everyone does need a place to live. You also want to do what you can to prevent foreclosure because it would mean losing all the money you have already put into the home.

Foreclosure would also mean a black mark on your credit score which can make life a great deal harder in the future. So do whatever you can within your means to avoid foreclosure if at all possible.

People faced with the threat of foreclosure feel as if they are the only person in the world this has ever happened to. One look at the nightly news will tell you this is NOT the case.

There ARE ways of finding out more, and people willing to help you. So put your pride aside, and ask for help. Chances are you were struggling financially long before foreclosure reared its ugly head.

So part of the trouble is that a great number of us are uneducated about foreclosure, while still others of us think we ‘know’ about foreclosure but have actually received wrong information.

For example, unscrupulous companies might tell you that they can make your foreclosure go away, but what you are really doing is signing over the deed to your house and ending up a renter.

It is not the worst thing in the world to happen, since you still have a roof over your head, but it is unfair if you have been tricked into it. And as we said above, you will have lost every bit of equity you might have put into the home, and any chance of using it as a sound investment.

Because of being uneducated about what foreclosure is all about, and the many different things that could be done to avoid foreclosure, too many people really are losing their homes to foreclosure.

There is a lot you can do to avoid foreclosure, and the first thing is to make sure that you really are financially stable enough to afford the home that you have bought. If every penny is going towards keeping it, you have overextended yourself and need to look at either bringing your payments down somehow, or bringing extra income in.

We never know what is coming around the corner in life, so far too many people over-extend themselves on credit cards, car lease agreements and so on. Then they are unemployed, the cost of gas goes through the roof, they become ill and can’t work, and so.

What should you do if any of this happens to you? The first thing you should do is look at your budget. If you have not got one, look in the Money section of this website for lessons on how to make one.

The next thing you should do it tell your bank. It is better to let them know of a potential situation which might arise, and then never happens, than to hope it will go away and not take steps to deal with it.

If anything unfortunate occurs that would cause you to fall behind on your monthly mortgage payments, don’t dodge the bank, phone and ask for an appointment.

Let them know what has happened, when you think you can pay, what steps you are taking to solve the problem. Discussing your financial issues with a professional can put you on the right path, not the path to foreclosure.

Planning for this sort of eventuality is something far too few people do. No one wants to think about foreclosure when they buy a house, but as we are advised by the experts with regard to asset management, know your budget, and have an emergency fund set by for a rainy day which should cover at least 6 months of your day to day expenses,

Knowing what to do in a time of crisis can truly be a lifesaver for many people. Understanding that foreclosure does not mean that you’re a loser can hopefully remove the fear and angst, and help you deal with foreclosure in a much more pro-active way.

With your budget in hand, get your priorities straight: roof over your head, utilities, food. Then try to determine if there are any changes that could be made that will save you some money each month to help you make up for the missed mortgage payment or the emergency situation you are dealing with which has caused you to fall behind.

Having a positive attitude toward your budget and asset management will also help you stay in the black and out of the red and avoid foreclosure.

For more information from the government on the steps you can take to avoid foreclosure, you can visit:

http://www.hud.gov/foreclosure/index.cfm]]>

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The Threat Of Foreclosure Is On The Rise, Part 3

Continued from Part 2

Foreclosures are definitely going to keep on rising, even with attempts by the government to bail out this situation. The biggest disaster would be if banks failed as a result of this foreclosure fiasco. Bear Stearns already collapsed under the weight of bad debt from houses that had to go through foreclosure proceedings. Most banks profits are at a standstill, or a 90% drop since last year.

Foreclosure is happening all over the United States and that is why it is so vital that you try to learn more about ways to prevent foreclosure from happening to you and your family. You should never take the loss of your home and major investment lightly. If you are buying a home in this rock-bottom market, make sure you factor foreclosure into your equation.

Careful forward planning will remove a lot of your financial worries and anxiety over owning a home, and given the economy going into recession, we should all definitely be trying to come up with some plans to help manage our bills each month and possibly even save ourselves some extra money. Put the plastic away, brown bag it for lunch every day, cut down on takeaway, or lattes.

Your home is the most important thing you own, but you don’t own it until you’ve paid every last cent on it. So you need to protect your investment in that home and avoid foreclosure. Stick to your budget and pay down debt, then remain debt free. Check your terms on your mortgage and find out if there are any penalties for early repayment (this might seem silly to you, but that is how the banks make their money, from all the interest you pay on the loan!) If there is no penalty, then go for it.

Even an extra $10 a month will help if it is the difference between being in debt for ages (think those minimum payments on your credit cards-again, they are making all their money from the interest you pay!) and getting out of debt as rapidly as possible.

If there is a penalty, once you are debt free, save that money in an interest bearing account, and start looking at safe short term investment opportunities, such as treasury bills, to keep growing your nest egg.

You might find that using these strategies, you can not only avoid foreclosure, you will be on the road to better asset management and true financial freedom.

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The Threat Of Foreclosure Is On The Rise, Part 2

Foreclosure notices are being sent out left and right at the moment, and many families are being faced with the stark reality check of knowing that they just can not afford their home any longer–or won’t be able to if they don’t start acting now to get themselves out of the red hole of debt.

The important thing is to educate yourself, and realize there is no quick fix for the problems which have probably been accumulating over time.

The other thing you should realize is the sacrifices will be worth it in the long run if you are just patient. The first thing you need to do is make sure that you do not render yourself homeless. You must also have enough to meet your utility bills and foods. Those are the basics.

Anything else is totally optional, and only if it is within some sort of sensible budget. A car may be essential for getting to and from work, or if you live in an area where there really is no public transportation. The high price of gas and home heating oil has really hit us hard in the past couple of years, so you are not alone in your struggles, and there are plans from various oil companies that can help.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help, or too proud. If your financial woes have come about as a result of illness, what payment plan options do you have for your medical bills, medications, and so on. Many of the big pharmaceutical companies have assistance programs, and many chain stores carry generics, some of which are prices at only $4. They are buying in bulk, and pass the savings along to you.

You can go to the library and look up all sorts of information for free in books, magazines, and on the internet. There are lots of non-profits that help with issues to do with money management and coping with financial problems. It may be hard to know where to start, but often just looking for the answer to one question will open you up to all sorts of possibilities so you can get yourself back on track financial and avoid foreclosure.

Start thinking of different things that you could do as a family to try to save yourselves a little bit of money here and there, because it not only all adds up in the short term, at the end of 6 months or a year, you will be very surprised to see just how much money you were actually able to save, or to use to pay down debt.

If you have far too many credit cards, consider talking to the lender yourself to explain your situation and ask if you can have a lower APR. You have probably seen loads of offers for 0% APR. So it is in their interests to keep you rather than let you go off to the other lender, so there is room for compromise. If things are looking so bad that you can barely make the minimum payments on your cards each month, consider a non-profit debt management service. They negotiate for the best APR and basically give you a pay down plan.

Let’s face it, it is ridiculous to save for your kid’s college education if you are swimming in debt. So get your budget in order, and above all, draw up a plan to prevent foreclosure which you can show to the bank or mortgage company. Look at all the real life examples at America’s Debt Diet of how people who looked as though they might lose everything, house, equity and investment in the house, and good credit rating, were able to haul themselves back from the brink by making financial management their second or even third full time job.

You do have the ability to make things better for yourself and for your family if you educate yourself, but it is a tough economy and things might just get worse before they get better. The only sure thing is that nothing is going to improve without some hard work and determination. Even if you don’t think you are at risk of foreclosure at the moment, educate yourself now. Draw up contingency plans as to what you would do if you were ever to lose your job, or become ill, and not be able to make your mortgage payments on time.

Learn more in : The Threat Of Foreclosure Is On The Rise Part 3

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The Threat Of Foreclosure Is On The Rise, Part 1

Even though interests rates are not really that high at the moment, the purchasing of homes all around has definitely taken a downward slide.

There are so many people that never have had the opportunity to experience the great joy of getting to purchase their own home, while still others have seen their dream become a nightmare in recent months.

Paying rent on homes throughout the years seems like a huge waste of money, when it could be going toward building equity in a home. Investing in a home in the hopes that the value will go up.

But since our economy has gotten so bad lately, it is difficult enough to even keep food on the table, let alone make those large monthly payments. The government has brought the interest rates down, but if you were on a fixed rate mortgage, chances are that has not really helped you.

The threat of foreclosure is extremely stressful, but don’t get paralyzed like a deer in the headlights. It is really important to talk to someone about your foreclosure situation before it gets out of hand.

In this article we will talk about the threat of foreclosure that has definitely been rising throughout the country. While it is absolutely unbelievable just how difficult these times have gotten for many, it IS possible to do something about it if you are willing to take action.

With our lives being so full of stress as it is, thinking about the possibilities of possibly losing your home through foreclosure can seem overwhelming.

If you find that you are struggling just to make ends meet then perhaps you need to think about making some changes in your life that might make it possible for you to cut down on expenses and make your mortgage payments more manageable.

Read more in: The Threat Of Foreclosure Is On The Rise Part 2

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Common Questions About Probate Answered

In this article, we want to deal with some of the most common questions regarding probate.

What is probate?

Probate is the process by which an estate left by a loved one who dies or “decedent” is administered, process and ultimately transfered to the heirs and beneficiaries of the estate.

The estate is first inventoried, then any debts against the estate are paid, any moneys due to the estate are collected, and then the remaining assets are distributed to the beneficiaries and heirs.

What property is excluded from the probate process?

Any property that is held by the decedent and someone else jointly or as “joint tenants with right of survivorship,” any property in a trust account that are “payable on death (POD) or “transfer on death TOD)” to a named person or persons, and any insurance or retirement benefits that have a named beneficiary will not go through the probate process.

Why does the property have to go through probate?

The probate process exists to protect all parties involved. Probate endows the executor or personal representative for the estate to handle the assets legally. Then, probate allows creditors the opportunity to make claims against and collect debts from the estate before the property ownership is transfered to the heirs and beneficiaries.

What are the normal steps to the probate process?

The probate court will appoint an executor in the case of a will, or a personal representative or administrator in the case of no will involved. The executor or administrator will accomplish the following tasks: care for the property, receive payments due to the estate, pay all legitimate debts against the estate, gather name, addresses, and other pertinent information of interested parties, pay all outstanding taxes against the property, and finally, distribute the remaining assets to the heirs and beneficiaries.

What are the costs of probate?

Each type of document that is filed in probate has a separate cost associated with it, typically around $200 per document. There can be attorneys fees charged for handling each part of the process, but these fees mostly must be approved by the probate court. The executor or administrator can also be paid a percentage of the estate for handling the case.

How long can probate take?

The length of probate cases vary from case to case. If the estate is relatively small, does not require filing state income tax, and has no complex creditor issues, the case can be settled in as little as six months. However, several factors can stretch out the process. If the estate must go through a tax audit, or if someone contests the will for any reason, the process can be delayed up to several years. Most probate cases are resolved anywhere from nine months to one year.

What about a will?

It is always a good idea to have a will properly drawn up. A will will make sure that your assets and property end up with the person or persons you intend. You can also name your own executor and settle any matters of dependent children in the will. It is always a good idea to review your will with an attorney to make sure that it meets your current needs. If you do not make out a will, your property will be distributed according to the inheritance laws of the state where you live. Will or not, your property will go through the probate process; a will just gives you more control in the outcome.

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