Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Injured in an Accident With a Commercial Car? 5 Factors That Will Affect Your Claim



Auto accidents and the process of dealing with the consequences are always going to be hectic events, but getting into a collision with a commercial vehicle will be more stressful than other accidents. In fact, most drivers don’t realize how much more stress this can add. 

Here is a quick glimpse of five important factors that could affect your claim after an accident with a commercial car.

What Type of Coverage the Driver Has


Some drivers might be surprised to hear that insurance for commercial vehicles is much different than private insurance. A company will likely have robust insurance for their commercial vehicles in order to protect their assets, and that type of coverage is going to have a huge impact on your claim and what type of compensation that you receive.


The Extent of the Injuries


As a general rule, you should immediately begin looking at attorneys if your accident resulted in any type of injuries. An injury is going to make your claim much more complex, and you need to be sure that you get fair compensation for your medical bills and suffering. 



For severe or life-altering injuries, the claim might escalate into a legal battle that is brought before a judge.

The Extent of the Damage


Most insurance policies have a cap on how much they are going to pay out for damage to physical property. That being said, some states will allow you to sue the other party if the insurance policy doesn’t fully cover all of the damage. Those situations often occur when a company only has the bare minimum coverage for its fleet.


Determining Who Was at Fault


One of the most important variables in this equation will be who caused the accident. That being said, every state has slightly different rules regarding which parties are going to be at fault, and that is why you need to work with an experienced attorney. 

In some municipalities, you will be responsible for part of the compensation if you were partially responsible for the accident itself.

Legal Representation


Most businesses want to get through these scenarios as quickly as possible, and that is why they will sometimes offer an immediate settlement if you sign paperwork saying that you won’t sue. Unfortunately, those settlements aren't always fair. 

Most experts agree that car accident victims should speak with a legal professional before accepting any money. Commercial vehicle wreck attorneys will help you determine if the settlement is fair, or if you should sue for injuries and damages. 

They’ll also be able to help guide you through each process, depending on what you decide.

Following an accident, your health should always be your primary concern. If you feel like you might have any type of injury, then you must immediately head to the hospital for a comprehensive medical checkup.


Tuesday, April 14, 2020

9 Things to Check When Purchasing a Land in Colorado



Investing in the land is the right thing to do, no matter what might affect the world. Because of COVID 19, a lot of things got stuck in the world, including the economy. You need to plan on investing your money in the right things so that you can get profit. Investing in land is one of those things.

These days, you can purchase lands in a variety of ways using so many resources. But, since the government is auctioning some of the properties at their disposal. You need to try to buy it. One main reason why you should consider that is because it is affordable and another reason to invest in it is that the documents are going to be perfect.

There are certain things that you need to keep in mind when you are going to make any purchase. You need to search and buy land for sale in Colorado by following the steps that we did mention below.

Set the Budget: You need to avoid making any purchases before understanding the budget that is in your hands. Take time to check your finances to see how much money you have in your hands. Speak with your family if necessary to see if they are okay with your investment idea.

After you get their approval, counsel with them about the finances and how it is going to affect your family. Only after you get a clear idea of things, you need to proceed forward. You should never skip this step if you want to make any investment in the real estate world.

Understand the Zoning Restrictions: Yes, this is the second thing that should be of concern to you. Take the time to check this aspect before you make any investment. The government indicates which areas you can use for agriculture purposes and which ones you can use for a residential or commercial complex.

Hence, this is the first thing that should be of concern to you when you are investing money into the purchase of the land. If you skip this step, you might end up buying a wrong piece of the property and end up regretting later.

Learn About the Water Source: Water is one of the most crucial aspects that you should worry about before purchasing land. Check with the seller to see if they can provide you with relevant documents to indicate that there is enough water in the area.



If you are planning to do agriculture, you must see if the water source supply is enough to do farming. If the answer is yes, that is a good sign. You need to plan on purchasing it if it meets all the requirements.

Understand the Climatic Conditions: Yes, this should be of concern to you, especially if you are planning to use the land you purchase for agriculture. Take time to check the climatic conditions in that area by checking online. You will get accurate information, and this information will help you in your buying decision.

Even if you are planning to construct a house and stay there, this information is going to be vital. Hence, this is something that should be of concern to you when you are purchasing a land. Buy land for sale in Colorado only after you do the necessary checks.

Check the Photos: Before you visit a place, you should first ask the seller to share with your some photographs and videos of the property. This information will give you a glimpse of the property. You can then decide whether you should plan on purchasing that land or if you should go for another piece of land.

Visit the Site: If you like the pictures and videos, the immediate next thing that you should plan on doing is to visit the place to see for yourself. Check the land to see if it looks appealing to your eyes and if it fits your investment plans. If the answer is yes, go ahead and take your ideas to the next level.

The Market Rates: The next thing that needs to be of worry is the market rate for the area. Take the time to check the local rates in the market before you negotiate the price or before you set yourself a budget for the auction. This way, you are going to make a wise decision.

Check the Documents: Now, this is one of the crucial things that need to be of concern to you. Take time to check the documents. Seek legal assistance if necessary before you invest your money into the property. This way, you are not going to lose any money.

Safety Aspects of the Property: Lastly, this is the most vital thing that you need to check for before investing your money. Take time to inspect the property. Only if you feel it is safe and secure, go ahead and make the purchase.




Thursday, April 9, 2020

How to Evaluate Your Homeowner's Insurance for Better Deals


While homeowner's insurance is a crucial part of owning a home, that doesn't mean you should be paying more than you have to. As with other types of insurance, it's important to evaluate your homeowner's insurance regularly to ensure you're getting the best deal. 

The process of finding these better deals, though, can be a bit tricky. To help you navigate through the red tape, here are some tips to help you evaluate your homeowner's insurance for better deals.

Consider Changes


Unless you have some type of special arrangement with your insurance company, you probably only pay your homeowner's insurance bill once a year. A lot can happen in a year, though. While most life changes won't affect your insurance rates, some will. 

Therefore, it's important that you think back through your past year to figure out if any changes that have happened could net you a lower premium.

Shop Around


Just as you should with your auto insurance every six months, you should be willing to shop around for new homeowners insurance every year. Different companies can offer different rates as they change their rate schedules, which could result in big savings for you. 



In some cases, you can use a quote aggregator that will provide multiple quotes at the same time. Just be sure to read the fine print on these sites to ensure the rate you see is actually the rate you'll receive.

Check Your Coverage


There are some insurers that try to get more money out of their customers by providing more insurance coverage than is necessary. That's why it's crucial that you comb over your homeowner's insurance policy to make sure that your coverage actually fits your needs. 

In some cases, the coverage that is provided is meant to satisfy minimum standards. Other lines of coverage, however, can be changed, saving you a nice amount of money.

Check for Discounts


Safe practices around your home make you a lower risk for insurance companies. In many cases, lower risk means lower cost when it comes to your insurance coverage. That's why it's a good idea to check with your insurance company for any discounts that they offer that you're not currently receiving. 

Discounts for security systems, smoke detectors, deadbolt locks, and other home safety devices are commonly available, so make sure your insurance company knows you have these devices in place.

While it's important to shop around to ensure you're getting the best deal, it's also important to consider the value you're receiving from your current insurer. In some cases, even if your current insurer doesn't have the very best rate, they may still offer the best value based on responsiveness, customer service, willingness to pay, and other qualities. 

Therefore, do your best to balance the need to save money with the need to be protected in the event that you face some type of covered loss.


Tuesday, April 7, 2020

4 Questions You Should Always Ask Your Auto Loan Lender



If you're looking to buy a new car, you are probably also looking to get an auto loan. You shouldn't just sign on the dotted line right away when you get an offer, though—you need to make sure you're working with the right auto company. Below are four of the questions you should definitely ask any prospective auto loan lender.

How Much Will I Pay?


First, you need to know how much you're going to pay for your vehicle in total, not just what you are going to pay on a monthly basis. Many people take out loans thinking that they're saving money by having a low monthly payment. 


The combination of the interest rate, servicing fees, and the length of the repayment term can actually cause them to spend far more than they assume. Take all those factors into account and ask your auto loan lender for the total price of the loan.


How Do I Pay?


Next, you'll want to find out your options for paying. Find out when your payment is going to be due and how you're going to be expected to pay. Learn whether or not the lender takes online payments and what other types of payment they might take or prefer. 




This is also a good time to figure out what happens if you make a payment early or if you make payments more than once a month.

What Happens in an Emergency?


You also need to know what happens in an emergency. Who do you contact if you are unable to make a payment? What happens if your car is totaled? What do you need to do if something radically changes your income? All of these are questions that you need to ask before you sign. That way, you’ll be prepared for any worst-case scenarios that might come up.


How Do I Access My Information?


Finally, figure out how you access your information. Some states might need you to present a letter from the lienholder to register your car, for example, while others might just need the contact information from the lender. 


You may also want to be able to access your payoff information to determine how to pay off your car more quickly. Most lenders will be able to direct you to a website that will give you all this information and more.

Don't be afraid to ask your lender questions. The more information you get now, the better prepared you will be for your loan. If you can do your research before you buy, you'll be able to get the car that's right for you at a price you can actually afford.


Monday, April 6, 2020

5 Ways It’s Not Too Late to Boost Your Retirement Savings


With all of the expert advice out there pushing us to start investing in our 20s and 30s, you might be tempted to think that, if you’re over the age of 50, your retirement savings are a lost cause.

You could not be more wrong about this.

There are plenty of strategic steps that you can take to boost your retirement savings and ensure a comfortable lifestyle. Here we highlight five simple ones available to everyone.


1. Check in with your plan.


Where are you at in your savings goals? Consider how much money you have, and from what sources you’ll draw income: any distributions, Social Security, and any other sources you may have. Estimate how much you’ll have to pay for taxes. Gauge how any investments are performing. Figure out what you can expect your monthly after-tax income to be.

Now is a great time to take the temperature of your retirement portfolio and then consider consulting with an expert to determine if there are any steps you should take to adjust course. There may be options available to you now that you either didn’t have before or don’t know about, and so some expert perspective tailored to your situation might come in handy.


2. Leverage catch-up contributions


Most retirement accounts offer some degree of catch-up contributions once accountholders reach the age of 50. The IRS is actually the main driver determining the limits behind catch-up contributions. These are actually specifically intended to help you ‘catch up’ on the contributions you couldn’t make when you were younger, for whatever reason.



Hand-in-hand with this is the idea of leaving your retirement accounts alone. Resist any temptation to take early withdrawals or otherwise tamper with the money you have already put away; unless, of course you are facing a major emergency, although even then you may want to consider first exhausting all other options.


3. Diversify your assets


Sticking to the usual blend of mutual funds and stocks might only get you so far. Consider diversifying the assets in your retirement accounts to help hedge against risk from any one asset performing poorly.

And if you’ve considered moving away from fiat currency into buying assets like gold or crypto, consider doing so within a self-directed IRA. Doing so can offer you significant tax benefits over a regular purchase, from tax-deferred contributions through tax-free growth.


4. Take on side gigs


Some money coming in is better than no money coming in, and diversifying your sources of income reduces the likelihood of your bringing in no money at any particular point in time. Maybe you start monetizing a hobby you enjoy, or find some part-time work helping people or a business that you love. In today’s gig economy, there are also a ton of work-from-home remote options, many of which could leverage any professional training or work experience that you have.

While many people want to stop working when they retire, it can also be good for your long-term mental health to continue doing something and staying connected.


5. De-bloat your lifestyle


This is applicable to any age, but it might be easier to implement now as your life will depend more closely on you and perhaps your partner, as opposed to children and other surprises that can pop up along the way. If you’re brutally honest with yourself, what do you actually need in order to live in a way that you find fulfilling? And, in parallel, what do you want to achieve in order to have lived a fulfilling life?

For example, many people want to travel, but many don’t know where to start. Instead, they are engulfed by fearfulness regarding how much it may cost, and they never get started in planning out a trip. They spend money somewhat mindlessly on items for their home that they don’t really need or really want, but the habit brings them some immediate novelty. 


What if, instead, they confronted the thing they actually want to do–travel–and mapped out a plan of action to make it happen? What if they moved into an RV and spent their days traveling around the country?

At the end of the day, the single best thing you can do for your retirement is to get clarity on what you want, and to be deliberate about your actions—and where you place the money you have. This will help you reach not just your financial goals, but also your retirement and life goals.


Sunday, April 5, 2020

Money Tight? Here’s 4 Tips for Saving and Making Do During a Crisis



When money’s tight, people are forced to make tough choices about spending and saving whatever cash they have. If you have a plan in place beforehand, though, you can navigate even the worst financial crises in the best possible way. Here are four tips that will help you and your family manage in tough times.

Establish an Auxiliary Stream of Income


One of the best things you can do to ensure you come through hard financial times well is to start a secondary stream of income that isn’t tied to your main job. Whether you’re going to offer freelance services online, mow lawns or just get a part-time job on the side. 


Finding a secondary way to make money can make all the difference between disaster and mild belt-tightening. This second income stream can help to insulate you from losing your job or make it easier for you to deal with unexpected expenses.



Cook All Your Meals at Home


You’d be surprised how much money you waste by eating out every year. Even a $30 dinner out once a week adds up to $1,560 each year, and most people spend considerably more than that on restaurant meals. By cooking all of your meals at home and opting for budget-friendly dishes, you can radically reduce your eating expenses.


Cut Back on Recurring Bills


Most people think of their bills as fixed expenses, but this isn’t always the case. Switching internet providers or revisiting your mobile phone plan can help you save money on essentials. 


You can also cut nonessential bills, such as entertainment subscriptions and gym memberships. It’s even possible to save money on your basic financial services by exploring free checking account options or looking for banks that charge lower fees.

Drive Less, Walk More


If you’re really in a tight spot, even finding money for gas can be a problem. Grocery store trips and getting back and forth to work are obviously essential. You’d be amazed at how much driving you can save yourself by walking to the things nearest to your home. 


If your destination is within a couple of miles, walk instead of drive. You’ll not only save money but also give yourself a dose of healthy exercise.

These are just a handful of the hundreds of creative ways to save money when your finances are tight. If you put these principles into practice, you can reduce your expenses and get through the hard times with flying colors.



Join 1000's of People Following 50 Plus Finance
Real Time Web Analytics