Would you fail a liquidity test too?

The inspiration for this article comes from two sources. One the article about BCE takeover falling apart and the other today being Black Friday in the US. At first glance you may have a hard time figuring out how these two events are connected, however upon closer inspection they are essentially about the same thing.

The Ontario Teachers Pension Plan take over of BCE (Bell Canada Enterprise) quickly evaporated this week thanks to a 5 line clause in their agreement. The basis of that clause was a solvency test which they failed, in layman’s terms, their debts outweighed their assets. Black Friday, the day where retailers hope to finely get into the black (profitability).

Take a look at your own life, if you were faced with a life emergency and were forced to liquidate everything, would your debts outweigh your assets? Answering the following questions will give you a better idea.

Do you own your own home or do you rent?

Did you use 100% financing to purchase your home?

Are you leasing your car, truck or van?

Do you have money put away for a rainy day? The rule of thumb is 3 months salary.

Are you saving for your retirement? If not you should start and soon. See my friend Steve and think about direct deposit so you would not miss it. Retirement may come sooner than you think and the government may not have any money left ( thanks to all these bailouts) to subsidize your retirement with OAS or CPP.

The point that I am trying to make is this, do you own your stuff or does someone else? If you rent you are helping someone else build equity. If you bought your home with zero down (100% financing) you run the risk of not being able to get what you paid for it if you were forced to sell it if your local market is now depreciating. Also if you leased your vehicle you also run the risk now more than ever of having to pay more than it is worth at the end of  your lease to keep it.  

There is no better time than now to take a look at your own personal financial situation. Call my office today for a no obligation debt analysis so you can see where you are at and to get an opportunity to get a plan to eliminate all your debts in a very short period of time.

Cheers,

Pat

 

p.s- You can find me on Twitter,Linkedin, Facebookand friendfeed.

 

Citigroup gets rescued!

Today the news came out that Citigroup (Citifinancial’s parent) received a government bailout. They received a 20 Billion dollar cash injection, this is after they have already received 25 billion earlier this year. Now don’t get me wrong, I am all for stabilizing the economy. Many pundits said that if Citi failed it would de-stabilize the whole banking system. While I do not exactly disagree with making sure that the big banks are liquid, in this case couldn’t a suitor been a good solution? Wells with the help of Berkshire Hathaway could have made this happen, as they are one of their largest shareholders. What do you think? 

The auto industry is sill looking for 25 Billion and have been thus far been left out in the cold. However the CEO’s and the executives of the big three really shot themselves in the foot by showing up in Washington last week by private jets. They would really convey the need for funds if they limited the excessive expenses and focused on their bottom line. They are saying if they go bankrupt the results could be catastrophic, by that we mean over a million jobs lost. 

The fact is that our economy’s are in rough shape. Our government leaders really have their work cut out for them. We can still do our part, and by that I mean making sure that we are all in the best possible financial shape to ride through these tough times. To do this, feel free to contact my office today for a no risk debt analysis, so we can show you how to maximize your income and use it to become debt free sooner.

Cheers,

Pat

p.s- You can find me on Twitter,Linkedin, Facebookand friendfeed.

Analysis of paralysis!

I find that far too often that people are complaining that they hate their job, don’t have enough money, are too fat, too skinny, too tired or whatever. They get caught up in a cycle of complaining and they fail to do anything about their situation. They over analyze their situation but do not take any action to improve it. They are suffering from an analysis of paralysis! Here is the answer, just do something! You may not succeed on the first try and many do not, however the trick is to learn what is working and what is not and to keep trying until you succeed. 

If you make money doing what you enjoy then you are never working. Find a way to make some money doing something that you are passionate about. Even if it is part time.  

Want more money? Heck who does not! Find out why you are alway short on cash. For one month track all your income and expenses. This will give you an idea of where you stand. Next I would advise that you sit down with a Financial Advisor, one like my friend Steve Cox. They are experts in helping people to create a roadmap to take them where they want to be. If part of that road map is to get a better handle on your debts then Steve will let me know and I gladly help you out with that.

Not happy about your physical condition? Although I have a background as a personal trainer, It has been many years since I have worked in this field. Even though I continue to work out regularly. Consult an expert at your local gym or Y(M or W)CA for a plan that is right for you.  

We all have challenges. What you may not realize is that we also have the answers. We just have to do something about it. Take action and persist until you succeed.

Cheers,

Pat

p.s- You can find me on Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook and friendfeed.

Signs that you may be in need of a bailout and what you can do about it!

Unless you have been living on a deserted island some where you are probably aware that we in the midst of some interesting and challenging economic times. Big business are lining up for bailouts, the markets are just one roller coaster ride after another, yet we ( the consumer and tax payer) are the engine that runs the economy and where can we turn if we need help?

Here are some signs that you may be in need of a bailout and what you can do about it:

1) More than 40% of your income is going to service your debt.

2) Your balance is higher than 90% of your credit limit.

3) You are using one credit card to pay another.

4) You have been late more than once in paying your creditors ( not utilities). 

5) You have or are receiving calls about money you owe.

6) You are living paycheck to paycheck.

7) You think the light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming train.

8) You are stressed about the money you owe.

9) Your debts are keeping you up at night.

10) You feel like you are working only to pay your bills!

There is a better way! If you are a home owner, the lowest cost of borrowing is against your home. That is because it is  a secured loan. Contact me today and we can look at combining all your debts into one simple payment, also providing you with a plan to pay it off quickly and efficiently if you qualify. Start focusing on designing your life instead of just paying your bills and you will be surprised how different your life can be. I would recommend that you sit down with a financial advisor like my friend Stephen Cox to help you design out your long term financial plan. 

Cheers,

Pat

 

Citi Financial shuts doors to brokers!

Here is the note that I received from Citi Financial a few hours ago. What this basically means is that there are fewer and fewer choices for consumers and brokers alike. So right now if you have less than perfect credit your options are Wells Fargo or a private lender. Let’s hope that Wells sticks it out.

Cheers,

Pat

November 4, 2008

RE:         Broker Agreement with CitiFinancial Canada, Inc.

CitiFinancial Canada, Inc. has taken the decision to exit its broker referral business.  As such, we are hereby providing you written notice of termination of the aforementioned agreement (the “Agreement”), effective immediately.

Please be advised that we will honour any pending mortgage transactions in respect of which we have provided a signed commitment to your office, provided that we receive any outstanding documentation and are able to close the transaction on or before December 3, 2008.  

We will be in contact with you or your designee to discuss and finalize the following:

(1)     Return and/or destruction of information or materials that are confidential or proprietary to CitiFinancial Canada, Inc., if any is in your possession; and

(2)     Return and/or destruction of information or materials that are confidential or proprietary to Broker, if any is in our possession.

Please note that any provision in the Agreement, which by its sense and context is meant to survive expiration or termination of the Agreement, including, but not limited to, covenants, and all confidentiality and indemnification provisions, shall survive this termination.

We thank you for your consideration herein; it has been a pleasure working with you.

Sincerely,

_______________________

MARY BABICH

Senior Director, Operations

CitiFinancial Canada, Inc.

 

Thinking of throwing in the towel?

With all that has been happening in the financial markets these past few weeks, I would not blame you if that is what you have been thinking. However don’t do it, and here is why. 

1) Boom always follows the bust. As corny as it sounds, hard times never last, but good people do. My favorite investor Warren Buffet has a saying that rings true ” Be greedy when others are fearful and fearful when other are greedy”. There is no better time than now to prepare for your best financial future.

2) Have a plan. Your life may not be perfect right now, but you should know where you are going. You would not get in your car to go on a vacation with out a destination in mind. However many people go through life with out any clear objective. Begin with your end in mind, so get off your rear end and develop a plan and see your objective.

3) Clean your house. By that I mean your financial house. If you are to get out of this financial crisis smelling like roses, then you need to get your finances in order. Trim the fat and cut out any unnecessary expenses. Systematically eliminate all of your debt and start building true wealth.

I would be honored to help you develop your plan to eliminate your debts. Please feel free to contact me at my office so we can get you on the road to true financial freedom.

Cheers,

Pat

Are you in a rut or digging your grave?

How we feel about our own finances has an effect on the market as a whole. Well now you may be saying that you feel less optimistic because the markets have been going in the toilet lately. It’s sort of like the chicken and egg scenario. Didn’t this all start with the demise of the sub prime mortgage market. If you remember that all started when people were unable to keep up with their mortgage payments and started to lose their homes. It sort of has a snow ball effect don’t you think.

The real difference between a rut and a grave is the depth! So stop digging and put down your shovel. There are solutions and there is a better way.

1) Stop looking at your feet and start looking at where you want to go. Begin with the end in mind, and with that I mean that you should have a clear vision of where you want to go.

2)Take action now. Don’t get caught up in analysis of paralysis. Just do something, and learn from what you do until you find out what works.

3) Expect to succeed. Hoping and praying will kill you. Expect to achieve your end result. If your boat overturns in the middle of the lake, you don’t hope to make it to the shore, you find the closest point and swim your butt off and get there. Be persistent and find a way. 

If your current financial crisis finds you buried up to your eyeballs in bills, there is a better way. Contact my office today so we can show you how to systematically eliminate all your debts so you can build true wealth.

Cheers,

Pat

Lower your debt with your mortgage!

“Where does it all go?”You’re looking at your T4 from last year or maybe your most recent pay stub. Sure many people wish that those numbers after the dollar sign were a litter higher but it’s the vanishing act that alarms your the most. Tax time is especially sobering: you can see how much money you made…. but your credit card is still maxed out and you don’t have much to show for a year’s income.

If you are looking for the holes in your wallet start by making a list of your debts. Are your credit cards teetering at the top of their limits? Do you make regular use of your overdraft protection at the bank? Do you have escalating tax liabilities? What about any department store cards? Do you know what interest rate you are paying on them? Have you added it up? Many Canadians are startled to see how much they are actually paying to service their debt.

Industry Canada, which monitors consumer data, reports interest rates for department store credit cards as high as 28%! Even competitive rate credit cares will often run at 18% or more. This is also at at time when mortgage rates are dropping.

Why do banks and department stores charge such high rates? These are unsecured debts, meaning that if you default on the debt the lender has no easy recourse to recover the money. Not surprisingly they charge a higher interest rate, and sometimes a MUCH higher interest rate, to compensate for the higher risk that an unsecured debt represents. A house is considered a reliable security, so mortgages often offer the best rates anywhere.

Consider this then. If you have equity in your home, you can take advantage of attractive mortgage rates to save a bundle on interest charges. Compare current mortgage rates with the rates charged on your other debts. Seek some professional advice on whether it might pay to do some restructuring and roll your other debt, such as your credit card debt and tax liabilities into your mortgage. You can consolidate your debt into fewer payments and save some money on interest and improve your cash flow at the same time.

You have a few options: A secured line of credit could provide you with funds up to 75% of the value of your home, minus any mortgage debt on the home. You can look forward to a substantial reduction in the interest rate and all you need to pay each month is interest, ( this is both good and bad). You can do the math on this comparison yourself, or talk to a mortgage professional like us. If you are carrying credit card debt you will be shocked at what you can save with a secured line of credit.

You could also consider increasing your existing mortgage. If your mortgage is coming up for renewal, this the perfect time to reorganize and consolidate your debts at today’s excellent rates. Even if you are in the last year or two of your mortgage, it may make sense to restructure your finances and roll in your other debt at a much lower rate.

Your best option will be clear to you once you have discussed your situation with a mortgage professional. So feel free to contact my office today to see how we may be able to help you.

Cheers,

Pat 

What is money anyway?

As all the world’s financial markets are losing trillion’s of dollars almost daily, I am having to think “What is money anyway?”

It is more than pieces of paper with pictures of deceased notables on it as Anthony Robbins says. Some say that it is financial currency for the value placed on the exchange of service from one party to another. But it is more than that as well. Below is the definition that I like the best. 

“It is the physical representation of value that rises and falls in ourselves, within us. Not within ‘things’ outside of us, but within us. For without us, what can the value of a thing, such as a car, be to us? Nothing, at least not to us. In other words, it is we, the observers, that place value in things, but this value is really value in us – we give value to the material things. The material things have no ‘money’ value in themselves – we give that to them. So, money is the external physical representation of a particular section of our internal value, within us, within you.That is why a house or a block of shares valued at $1 million today can fall to a valuation of half a million dollars tomorrow when fear is introduced into the hearts of those involved. The fear kills a portion of the internal values of the participants and that is reflected by the paper money, the ‘body’ of value.”*

So how does this all apply to our current financial crisis? Let’s think of the sub prime mess that we are currently still suffering through. Lenders were creative with their borrowing requirements, and as a result lots of people who otherwise would not have been able to afford a home now had one. These same lenders then sold their books of mortgages to investors for the value that they put on them. Everything was working fine until people were not able to make their payments, thus changing the value of the book of mortgages. As a result investment firms and banks who bought these books of mortgages (or still have them on their books) are now unable to find investors to buy them and are now suffering massive losses.  As these banks and investment firms are dropping like flies, it is unraveling our confidence in the financial system as a whole.  Of course, panic in the market does not mean that you should panic yourself! In this environment it is vital to be clear about what does, and what does not, need you to respond.  Those who are strongest financially stand to gain enormously, as perfectly sound assets are sold off at fire-sale prices. 

To minimize the effects of this financial meltdown personally, then you must make sure that you are in the best financial shape possible. That means paying off your debt as quickly as possible and having cash available in your portfolio to invest in the market as the buying opportunities present themselves. Contact my office now and leave a message, if you are interested in checking out a new way to pay off your debt quickly so you can then have more cash available to take advantage of the buying opportunities.

Cheers,

Pat

* Taken from David Cameron Gikandi’s “Happy pocket full of Money“.

Who is calling the shots?

Unless you were living under a rock or had your head in the sand, you probably know that most of the central banks lowered their key lending rates yesterday by 50 basis points. This was in response to the ongoing financial crisis that seems to be gripping the world.

The strange part for us Canadian’s is that usually when the Bank Of Canada lowers it’s key lending rate, the major banks usually follow with the same immediate cuts to their prime rate. However this did not happen yesterday, the Bank of Canada drops the rate by 50 basis points and the major banks only cut their prime rate by 25! Their reason for the rebellion, they say according to a Globe & Mail article is that they are already feeling too much pain because of an increase to their lending costs.

How many billions of dollars were injected into our financial system in the past few weeks? How many more do they need? Our banking system is vastly different and more stable than  our friends in the US. Where they have hundreds of banks, we have 5 large players. 

These banks can not possibly be suffering as much as the small business owners and countless home owners across the country who really need the to reduce their borrowing costs. It just looks like they are putting their profits ahead of what is good for their clients.  I am hoping that this is only temporary, if they do this again, then what would we really need a central bank for if our banks are just going to march to the beat of their own drum.

Cheers,

Pat