Wealth Finance
The 12 Scams of Christmas
The holiday season is a great time for giving, but sadly, there always seem to be people who want to prey on our generosity and good cheer in order to rip us off. But you dont have to be a victim.
In the video below, Money Talks News founder Stacy Johnson offers tips to avoid holiday scams and to make sure that your charitable giving goes where it belongs. Check it out, and then read on for more…
Avoiding holiday scams isnt hard. Lets take a closer look at the five Stacy mentioned, then round out the list with another seven.
- Fake holiday help. Getting a seasonal job can be a great idea. In fact, it is one of our 5 Best Ways to Make More Money. But there are people out there preying on those who need work. Common scams to look out for include all manner of work-from-home jobs. I
Q&A: ACOs not profitable for hospitals
Even with the major revisions to the final regulations for accountable care organizations (ACOs), uncertainty remains. The risks and technical challenges hospitals will face in transforming to the ACO model are daunting and require consideration.
Q: You made the case that “hospitals are not designed to benefit from an ACO model” and that they will only lose money by trying to become an ACO. Does that mean the entire Medicare Shared Savings Plan and even the ACO model are bound to fail? ?
A: I think saying it is “bound to fail” is a bit of an overstatement. It is still in the best interest of all of us if we can work together to keep patients healthy. If any group or organization does an excellent job at care management and maintaining efficiencies, there is the possibility that the money left over in the ACO pot once the patient is properly cared for and the funds doled out could be incentive to the right organization. My
Why the euro MUST be saved – at any cost
Its without exaggeration to say that the European Union is at crisis point. Students of political and economic history might well be told in years to come that this week in November was a watershed for European monetary union – in the form of the single currency at least – and even for the EU itself.
Unusually warm autumn sunshine could not dispel the bleakest of moods in Brussels this morning, even before the Vice-President for Economic and Monetary Affairs sat down to deliver the EUs latest growth forecasts.
Italian bond yields had yesterday sailed above the 7 per cent mark, leading many – despite some intervention from the European Central Bank today – to conclude there is now way back for the Unions third-largest economy but to seek a bailout.
One which would be all but impossible for the EU and IMF to deliver and which would therefore place impossible strains on the economic structure underlying the Union.
Then Olli Rehn delivered his statement: Growth has stalled in Europe, and there is a risk of a new recession.
Commerzbank’s Greek Exposure Wipes Out Third Quarter Profit
The massive debt crisis in Greece has created yet another victim among European financial institutions.
Commerzbank – which is 25-percent-owned by the German government — posted a 687-million euro ($949-million) loss in the third quarter, including a write-down of 798 million euros ($1.1 billion) related to its Greek assets.
Under terms of the recent rescue package agreed to by Eurozone leaders in Brussels, holders of Greek debt would be compelled to take a 50 percent write-down.
In the year-ago quarter, the bank posted profit of 113-million euros.
“With a view to the ongoing uncertainty regarding Greeces financial solvency and with regard to the EU summit on October 26 [in Brussels], the positions held by the bank were depreciated by 52% of their nominal value,” Commerzbank said in a statement.
As a consequence, Commerzbank, which is Germany’s second largest bank, scrapped its profit targets for next year.
Struggling With Student Loans? Here’s What to Do
By Guest Blogger | Oct 28, 2011
This story is a guest post from Angelia Millender, VP Student Affairs, Broward College. Ms. Millender is the interviewee in the video below.
President Obama has announced some action steps to help people who are faced with the financial burden of repaying their student loans in this troubled economy. Whether you are a current student or a graduate, there are some simple tips that can answer some of your questions on this complex matter and help you to determine the best course of action.
Tip 1: Know exactly what you owe. Start by using the National Student Loan Database System to find the balance due on all your school loans. This database includes information on all student loans that a borrower has taken throughout his or her educational career.