Start Rich 的部落格

MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - Jan. 3, 2012) - National Bank of Canada ("National Bank" or the "Bank") (TSX: NA.TO - News ) announced today that the Bank has completed its acquisition of the full service investment advisory business of HSBC Securities (Canada) Inc. ("HSBC Securities") and certain assets related to the segregated fund and insurance business of HSBC Securities Insurance Agency (Canada) Inc. (together the "Full Service Investment Advisory Business").

The transaction is another major step in implementing National Bank's strategy to expand across Canada and add scale to its wealth management platform. When combined with the recently completed acquisition of Wellington West, the Bank's brokerage arm, National Bank Financial ("NBF"), through its 1,030 advisors, now manages $80 billion in assets on behalf of more than 350,000 clients.

"We are pleased to welcome HSBC Securities' full service investment advisory clients, investment advisors and employees to our growing family across Canada" said Luc Paiement, Executive Vice President, Wealth Management, Co-President and Co-CEO of NBF. "With the recent acquisitions, we are now one of the largest brokerage firms in Canada and well positioned to serve the wealth management needs of investors in every community across the country".

About National Bank of Canada

National Bank of Canada is an integrated group that provides comprehensive financial services to consumers, small and medium-sized enterprises and large corporations in its core market, while offering specialized services to its clients elsewhere in the world. National Bank offers a full array of banking services, including retail, corporate and investment banking. It is an active player on international capital markets and, through its subsidiaries, is involved in securities brokerage, insurance and wealth management as well as mutual fund and retirement plan management. National Bank has over $156 billion in assets and, together with its subsidiaries, employs 19,431 people. The Bank's securities are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: NA.TO - News ). For more information, visit the Bank's website at www.nbc.ca . To access National Bank's financial education portal, visit www.clearfacts.ca .

Money toys and games for kids in their preschool years are easier to find than you might think.

Piggy banks provide a way for young children to keep their money safe, and to start saving it.

A toy cash register allows children to play with money and learn basic math and money skills.

Money-themed books, such as "Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday" or " A Bargain for Frances," are a great way for parents to spend time with their kids while talking with them about money.本文出自 Mr.J ....

Millions of Americans have suffered financially as a result of the recent credit crunch, and many of them have been left with damaged credit reports. One way of starting to repair such damage is by obtaining a secured credit card . With these, you deposit a sum up front, usually a minimum of $200-$500, which normally becomes your credit limit. You then demonstrate financial responsibility by making regular on-time payments.

You may earn interest on your security deposit, though that's unlikely to be over 1 percent per year. But in all but one case, you'll pay much more interest than that on your outstanding balance.

Providing you use your new secured card responsibly, and you choose one that reports your activity to all three big credit bureaus ( Experian , Equifax and Transunion), you may well qualify for a mainstream credit card with some perksin a year or two.

Consumer Action recently published the results of its latest survey of secured credit cards, and its report was both authoritative and informative. It found one such product (the Applied Bank Platinum Visa) that charged 0 percent APR on outstanding balances. However, the attractively low APR is offset by its monthly fees, which came in at the equivalent of a hefty $119 per year.

Among the best deals Consumer Action found were HSBC's Orchard Bank Classic MasterCard and the Orchard Bank Visa Classic . These both have great credit card rates of 7.99 percent APR on their secured versions, and reasonable annual fees of $29-$59. HSBC also provides a 25-day, interest-free grace period on purchases you clear each month. Most, but not all, issuers provide grace periods on secured cards.

Companies that provide expensive, short-term loans to desperate borrowers face tougher regulation by the government.

Pressure over the activities of companies providing payday loans led the prime minister's office to say on Wednesday that a code of practice to protect vulnerable borrowers could be introduced. David Cameron's spokesman also said that a cap on the often extortionate interest rates had not been ruled out, but indicated that a voluntary code of practice was preferred.

Payday loans are small, unsecured loans to tide people over until their next pay packet. Campaigners argue that their high cost means poor borrowers can be sucked into a cycle of debt.

The prime minister's spokesman said: "We know there are concerns about these companies and the way they operate. We want to ensure that vulnerable people are properly protected and are working with the industry and consumer organisations to ensure that people have the protections they need.''

Asked if he would consider an interest rate cap, which some campaigners want, he replied: "That is not a new issue. It has been looked at in the past. Clearly it is an issue that we can look at. The approach at the moment is to consult with consumer organisations and the industry and look at whether there is a way we can protect vulnerable people."

Consumer complaints about debt-relief providers have doubled since 2009. But by the time you complain, it's usually too late. F ear not. Here are five red flags that could mean you're being fleeced by your debt-relief provider - before the money goes missing from your pocket.

At first glance, seeing the cavalry charging to your aid after sinking into a serious debt disaster might well be a relief to consumers. Debt-relief companies are one of the least-regulated industries in the U.S., and there is no shortage of charlatans, fraudsters and scam artists waiting to separate you from your money. While the U.S. Federal Trade Commission does track down some fraudulent debt-relief companies " especially bogus foreclosure relief firms " individual states handle the bulk of the law enforcement responsibilities linked to debt-relief scams.

In Massachusetts, for example, The Office of Consumer Affairs reported over 3,000 consumer contacts over potential debt-relief fraudsters, and the state reported six out of 13 foreclosure-relief firms demanded up-front payments despite a law against such payments in the Bay State.

State Not Happy
The state isn't happy about the issue. "By charging up-front fees with no guarantee of success, these companies can further harm a consumer's situation instead of improve it," said Barbara Anthony, Massachusetts' undersecretary of the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation.

It wasn't until the recent mortgage crisis that homeowner or lenders were very accepting of the short sale process. Traditionally thought of to be an equal to foreclosure, many homeowners never considered pursuing a short sale as an alternative. Having viewed the ultimate goal as keeping the home, many saw short sales as an equally negative outcome of mortgage debt.

Homeowners On Board

As the housing and mortgage lending industry has changed dramatically over the last few years, many homeowners have been forced to seek out options for relieving their mortgage debts. Unfortunately, not all of the available options are always possible. For example, loan modifications are a highly sought after option when mortgage debts become unbearable. Allowing the homeowner to both keep the home and get caught up on payments, a loan modification is the option of choice. However, strict qualification standards and stubborn lending practices have made securing one difficult for too many.

These days more homeowners are now volunteering for short sales rather than risk the damaging effects of a foreclosure. Although homeowners may still have to walk away from the home, protecting their credit and future chances at securing another mortgage have become top priority. Future lenders look more favorably on a short sale than a foreclosure because it demonstrates the homeowner's intent and effort in resolving their debts. However, we can't deny that even a short sale is more damaging than a loan modification or keeping out of financial hardships. But when times get tough, the focus shifts from desired goals of keeping a home to necessary goals of getting out with minimal damage.

Lenders On Board

"Some of our customers just moved into their first home and need to furnish it. Some had it and lost it. Some could never afford it otherwise," Lebow said.

He priced a reupholstered, cream-colored 1940s Baker sofa at $700 and it went fast. He wasn’t surprised, saying, "Old Baker pieces are the highest quality."

Some of his favorite items are a $1,265 Baker chest that’s a 1705 Queen Anne burl pecan reproduction, a $345 Christolfe teapot and a $1,380 19th century Japanese Ikebana basket for floral arrangements.

The most expensive items are two paintings for sale for $6,000 each by Tino Zago and Larry Horowitz.

"That’s substantially below gallery," Lebow said, adding that he sold a pop art piece by Julian Stanchyk from a generous donor to a New York collector for $15,000. "It had never been on display. I put all good things on Craigslist."

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- In accordance with the Fitch Report titled 'U.S. Banks - Sovereign Support: When Does it End' dated Dec. 15, 2011, Fitch has lowered the Support and Support Rating Floor for Regions Bank to '5' and 'NF' from '4' and 'B', respectively, and removed the Rating Watch Negative.

There are no implications for Regions Bank's long- or short-term Issuer Default Rating or issue-level ratings as a result of today's action.

Fitch has downgraded the following ratings, and removed the Rating Watch Negative:

Regions Bank

--Support to '5' from '4';

Dec 12: Are you planning on taking a vacation or attending a business meeting in another area of the world? If so, you will need to find an airport that offers international flights. These airports are commonly referred to as international airports.

If you live in or around the Atlanta, Georgia area, there is a good chance that you will be turning to the Atlanta International Airport for assistance.

The Atlanta International Airport, also commonly referred to as the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is conveniently located in Atlanta, Georgia. Its convenient location means that it is the travel choice of millions of Americans, many of which are traveling out of the country. Aside from its location, another one of the many reasons why the Atlanta International Airport is so popular is because of the number of commercial airlines it houses. There are currently twenty-six airlines that offer incoming and outgoing fights through this popular airport, many of which are international flights.

If you are interested in using the Atlanta International Airport, to get to your next destination, you are advised to take the time to famialrize yourself with the airport. This is especially important if you have never been to the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport before. The size of the airport can make it confusing, especially for first-time travelers. For that reason, you are advised to famialrize yourself with the airport layout before leaving. It is not only important to examine all of the airport terminals, but how you can get to each terminal as well.

In addition to examining the layout of the airport, you also want to familiarize yourself with the practices of the airport, namely the security screening process. Since the Atlanta International Airport is known as a large and highly used airport, you will find that the screening process takes time. That is why it is advised that you arrive early for your flight. Although it is still advised that you arrive in advance, the Atlanta International Airport offers a service that is offered by few. That service involves letting you know, in advance, what the wait times are for most security checkpoints. You can easily see this information on the bottom right-hand corner of the airport's main webpage. That webpage can be found at www.atlanta-airport.com.

How long have they been in this business?

Grants Appliances made their start about eighty years ago as a hardware-cum-appliance store in the city of Joliet, Illinois. Growing steadily, the total number of operating stores has now increased to ten. Grants Appliances now offers every major brand of appliance & television, plus various other specialty brands, along with the same affordable prices mentality that was followed during its beginning. In Grants great deals and savings are directly passed on to the customers.

Do they ever run sales?

At Grants Appliances things are made simpler for both the store as well as the customers by running low prices every day. Occasionally, special purchases are also made, but there is a limited supply as well as advertising by the manufacturers in order to avoid disruption of retail marketplaces. Grants has always made available package pricing for any multiple piece order to ensure best deals possible for the customers.

What makes them different?