13 August 2009 0 Comments

Credit Crunch Continues

The wait for the end of the credit crunch has never been any less anticipated. The large companies that have been the bedrock of economies are folding their mats each and every other day as the life line of Credit for these companies is becoming more difficult to access. The reported unemployment rate is increasing thus spelling doom to the economy. Just how much time will it take to stop the credit crunch?

This situation of the credit crunch is predicted to worsen in the year 2009. Job opportunities are expected to fall drastically, so much so that keeping a job would be a privilege. It is time for action from the governments. This should not be politicized, but instead, complementing actions should be initiated.  These must be concrete actions and not trial and error such as the UK’s action to cut taxes.

As has been the case in USA, the governments should underwrite some of the debts. Companies that provide the largest number of employment should be provided with cheap credit and their debts underwritten. The banks have been equally hit by the crunch and are now more careful when it comes to lending their money.

The limited access to the bank’s credit facility has forced many small and large companies to seek alternative credit at a time when they need it most. The only alternative is to access government loans.  This may be burdensome to the tax payer but is the best alternative.  Hopefully with such interventions, the close of the year 2010 may bring some hope.

12 August 2009 0 Comments

Credit Crunch Causing More People to Seek Insolvency

According to the latest stats from the Insolvency Services, more individuals and corporates are seeking insolvency than before. This could mean that the effects of the credit crunch are just beginning to bite and may continue for quite some time as reported by a popular Solicitor in Hampshire.

There has been an increase of 60% in compulsory debt liquidation in the first quarter of 2009 in England and Wales and a 7% rise compared to the previous quarter. In actual counts, this is about 600 compulsory liquidations and 3,362 creditors’ voluntary liquidations. These are however 65% greater than the corresponding quarter during the previous year.

Over 1,783 Corporates claimed insolvency in the first quarter of this year. This comprises of receiverships, administration and company voluntary arrangements. In total it was a 50% rise compared to a similar period last year. 

Similarly individual insolvencies grew by 19% in England and Wales during the second quarter compared to the same period of last year. About 20,000 bankruptcies represented a rise of 0.5% with over 10,000 IVAs representing 3.6%.
Debtors are increasingly issuing their own petition for bankruptcy in the first quarter of 2009; 86% petitions were made which is higher than a similar period in two consecutive years 

Professional advice from an Insolvency Solicitor Southampton is essential for a successful insolvency claim. With the internet finding a solicitor has been made that much more easier. All you need to do is search from credible websites or employ credible business directories to find an affordable professional service.

16 July 2009 0 Comments

IVA’s and Personal Debt Relief

An Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) is a debt management plan that is tailored to provide personal debt liquidation services. These are tailor made financial solutions to those in debt, which is an important feature since every family or individual has unique situations that got them into to debt.

In general an IVA will run for at least 5 years after which all debts must be cleared off. This is based on renegotiated repayment instalments and interest rates. During this period and thereafter, the debtor is protected from the creditors and the plan itself has complete protection and no risks.

An IVA results in a lowered amount of debt because of the reduced interest rates. This can be to the tune of some 60-65%. The monthly repayment rates are also negotiated to the lowest possible amount that you can afford. The new monthly repayment method is based on a percentage of the total amount of debt.

Although the principles are almost similar to that of debt consolidation, IVA is different in that it does not lead to an increase in debts or creditors. It provides true debt relief and not just a transfer of debt. Debt consolidation only provides a temporary relief by deferring the debt repayment. To achieve real debt freedom, apply for an IVA today.

The debt management plan developed under an IVA also offers you a specific debt free formula that will give you peace of mind over a long period of time. All solutions are nevertheless specific to your income and spending patterns.

15 July 2009 0 Comments

Bankrupt? IVA is the Perfect Solution

Being declared bankrupt is not a good thing for a debtor who has plans to invest in the future. Bankruptcy denies you the opportunity for future borrowing by permanently posting a record of you as being an unworthy credit  person. An Individual Voluntary Arrangement for debt repayment is a far better alternative to bankruptcy. This is how it works:

Under an IVA, the individual debtor will arrange with the creditor to have a percentage of the debt owed reduced. This can be reduced to say by 60% and upon repayment, the debtor is free. The maximum period allowed in this arrangement is 5 years.

The difference between an IVA and bankruptcy is that in the latter, the debtor publicly declares his or her inability to repay a debt and is therefore not expected to pay any of the unpaid debt. With an IVA, the borrower pays a percentage of the remaining debt. 

An IVA is definitely the best alternative for a borrower with a ballooning debt. You will also be protected from repaying large amounts of the interests charged.
You may need a professional counsellor for advice and to help you decide whether to apply for bankruptcy or an IVA. He or she will also help you develop an appropriate plan.

The IVA debt management plan is good because it will not be made public unlike a bankruptcy declaration thus has no stigma attached to it. You also get to reduce the debt you owe by up to 75% or renegotiate for favourable monthly repayments, giving you complete debt freedom after 5 years.

4 June 2009 0 Comments

Choosing the Best Debt Management Company

The long term objective of debt management services in the UK is to provide financial freedom for the debtor, while also providing immediate relief from huge debts.  Debt management companies are many in the UK and provide revenue and expenditure evaluations, debt resettlement services between creditor’s bankruptcy, renegotiating credit repayment, bad credit repayments, debt arrears repayment and many others.

The companies that provide these debt management services are regulated by government policies and regulations. These policies and regulations are aimed at protecting the debtor from exploitation in repayment or interests charged. After all, the goal is to have the debtor get out of debt as soon as possible and also to assure the debt manager of repayment of the money.

Getting the services of a debt management company in the UK grants the debtor access to a number of privileges. These include access to more loans which would otherwise have been blocked to anyone with poor credit rating. The debtor can also negotiate for affordable monthly repayments, lower interest rates and even bankruptcy handling by the debt manager.

When choosing a debt management agency, you will need to consider their own credit score and ability to negotiate for cheaper loans. This is to avoid incidences of your debt manager failing to repay the debt and creating a new problem. It is advised that you visit several of debt management companies before settling on any particular one. The best agencies are the government backed ones or the not for profit institutions that provide debt management.

2 June 2009 0 Comments

Managing a Restaurant During the Credit Crunch

In big economies such as the United States of America where spending was a bottomless pit, people have turned around and are now conscience not only of how they are spending but also what they are spending their money on. Every dollar spent on items such as food, clothing or cars is expected to buy the best in both quantity and quality.  The factors determining spending have shifted from trend or fashion to savings that can be made. Because there is no guarantee of a job tomorrow, the need to save for a rainy day is now the greatest deterent of spending.

The worst hit is the hospitality industry. Therefore, restaurants are seeking to beat the recession by introducing special offers that are more attractive. Quality service at affordable rates is the order of the day. This is now what they are required to do in order to meet the expectations of the few clients who still dine out in a bid  to cheer up family members or friends during hard times.

In turn, the restaurants have turned to cost cutting measures such as finding cheaper suppliers through bulk purchase, use of fuel efficient equipment, dealing with online suppliers and buying from just one retailer to maximize on bulk discounts. The saving is then passed on to the clients in an attempt to maintain their custom.

When ordering supplies for the catering business, it is advised that you do so direct by telephone for effective bargains. This also ensures that you buy quality products that can withstand the pressures of a professional kitchen. Therefore both quality and price should determine choice when it comes to cheaper catering equipment. This is the only way of providing quality service to those eating out.