How Can I Make My Online Store More Secure?

Online identity theft has become a global concern as more websites offer items for sale. To ensure you are shopping and selling securely with very low danger to your customers, an SSL security certificate will need to be purchased and installed on your website.

What Is An SSL Certificate?

SSL stands for Secure Socket Layer and it simply is in laymen's terms a digitally coded shopping system. The security of these certificates is coded in such a way and in so many layers that it is nearly impossible for hackers to steal information being sent online. While no system is 100% hacker proof these certifications show your customers they can order with confidence from you as you have done what is needed to keep their data secure.

Where Can I Get An SSL Certificate?

There are many sources that offer certification, and at a wide variety of prices. Be sure you investigate the company you are purchasing from to be sure you are getting exactly what you pay for before buying. Determine what type of SSL security certificate you will need for your current and future website plans and goals.

When selling any products online security is an important issue. For those who simply offer affiliate products, the company you have affiliated with has their own SSL certificate and you will not need one of your own. For any site that sells their own products, either created by them or purchased for resale, security is their responsibility.

What Types Are There?

There are two types of SSL certificates, shared and single owner. For those just starting out in online sales the shared option may be best as the cost is less. However, the hosting service will be listed as the certificate owner, not your website. This can affect your business reputation negatively if your customers happen to notice this fact.

Single owner certificates are a good investment if you have the budget for it since your domain name will be listed as the owner of the certificate during any transaction that is made. You may also take the certificate with you if you change web hosting services for your site.

Many hosting sites offer bundle packages that include domain name, SSL certificates and hosting all for a monthly fee. This type of service can give your web site the stability your customers are looking for when they purchase online. The other option is to have hosting secured, then purchase the SSL and domain name and register it with the hosting site.

What Will This Security Do For Me?

Sales will increase with better security in the ordering process. Visitors to your site will see the SSL secure ordering logo right on the page to inform them they can purchase from you with confidence their information will be safe.

What Are The Various Things You Will Need To Know About HIPAA Training Methods

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) stipulates that all employees of covered entities will need to be provided adequate training by their employers. HIPAA has various security and privacy rules that need to be followed to ensure compliance of the Act. The employers will usually arrange for training in classroom sessions or through the online medium.

The duration of the training period usually last for a couple of hours. The training and examination can be completed in one single session or there can be multiple sessions held for this purpose.

There are various training methods that can be followed depending on the specific polices of the covered entities in this regard. Irrespective of which training method is followed it is important that it complies with all the specific requirements of HIPAA.

HIPAA Training Methods Explained In 5 Easy Steps

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act has many administrative, physical and technical safeguards and these need to be followed for compliance of the Act. The HIPAA act has a total of sixty seven polices and these have been divided into different categories. These policies are then broadly classified into administrative, physical and technical and employees can proficiency in all of them through the various training methods that are arranged by employers. All the rules and regulations of HIPAA are covered in the various training sessions that are conducted by hospitals, clinics and health insurance companies for their employees. These training methods will ensure that all polices of HIPAA are complied with. The employees are also encouraged to ask questions regarding the various provisions of the act. After the successful completion of the training program, it will become necessary for all employees to pass the examination that is conducted in this regard. There are usually a minimum percentage of marks that need to be acquired for passing the examination and getting the certification. If an employee fails to get the requisite marks they would be required to undergo the training program once again and pass the examination. You would be able to download all the material that will be required for the training from the website of HIPAA. The website will also contain recent amendments of HIPAA and this need to be part of the training program. Although the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act do not stipulate any certification there are many websites that provide certification to employees who successfully complete the training course and subsequent examination.

There are many websites that provide free online training to individuals who want to gain knowledge in HIPAA rules and regulations. It would be advisable that you check the reputation of the website that is providing the training.

There are many stringent penalties for noncompliance of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. The penalties can vary from fines to imprisonment depending on the nature of the violation and repeated offenders will also lose the right to conduct business. When employees are adequately trained they will be able to fully compliant with the various provisions of HIPAA.

Australians Should Compare Health Insurance Policies for Pre-Existing Condition Coverage   

Humic Acid Definition and Benefits

There are a number of chemicals that exist. One of the most interesting chemicals around is humic acid. This chemical is one of the basic elements of organic things such as coal, streams, lakes and ocean water. This substance is produce by dead organic matter so it is in a way a recycled element as well. One thing to note is that this substance is not a single acid but rather a combination of multiple acids. These acids include carboxyl, phenolate, dibasic acid and also tribasic acid. With humic acid you will have the means to supplement soil in agriculture and also use it as a supplement for nutrition as well. As a result this substance has many beneficial uses.

When it comes to humic acid one of the most common uses for this chemical is for agriculture. This acid is a supplement for soil and therefore helps provide many benefits. When you supplement soil you will make it softer and also healthier. As a result it will have more of the proper nutrients and therefore make growing foods and plants easier. If someone is a farmer then using this acid product will greatly help them produce crops of food more easily and efficiently. By using this substance those in agriculture will have one thing they can use which will allow them to accomplish their tasks and be more productive.

Another good thing about this acid is that it can be used as a nutritional supplement. Since eating a healthy diet is essential to being healthy, it is always helpful to have supplements so that you can have optimal nutrition at all times. By using this acid you will have the means to get more of the nutrients you need to stay healthy, increase energy and also help build muscle. Using this acid is great for all people especially bodybuilders and athletes. The acid will help these people improve their performance along with giving them the means to more easily boost their energy levels, increase muscle mass and endurance. This will also give them the ability to be healthier as they will be sure to get proper vitamins and other things they need.

Fortunately for consumers, you can get this acid product with ease. You can go to various retail stores that sell these products or you can go online. If you are looking to get this product at retail stores you will want to find out and make sure that the product you are looking for has this particular acid. If you go to a website you will want to look for the same thing. During the process of looking for this acid product you will want to one's that are either for gardening or nutritional supplements. Once you find the product you are looking for, then all you need to do is order it online and then wait for this product to be shipped to your home or office.

Efficiency And Profitability: How To Get The Best Out Of Your PPC Campaign Management

Exposure and recognition is very important for your company. It doesn't matter whether you're engaged in selling a product or offering a service, what matters is that your consumers know your business exists. So you'll spend quite a bit on advertising and promotions. Luckily you don't have to be tied to a pricey campaign using mainstream media because now your business can rely on the increasing power of the Internet. How does PPC campaign management figure into your web-based marketing?

PPC, or pay-per-click, is one of the many ways your business can drive traffic to your website. You advertise on another website, also known as the publisher, and when the publisher's site visitor clicks your ad, they are directed to your website. It's like advertising on TV or print media in that you'll only buy airtime or space from popular TV programs or magazines. Naturally, you'll also want to specifically target your market so you'll only advertise on TV programs or magazines that attract your market segment, whether it's stay-at-home mums or young, upwardly mobile professionals. To truly get results from your PPC campaign, you'll want to be sure that the website you're advertising on does indeed drive the ideal number of traffic to your website and that such traffic can translate into actual customer.

There are PPC management tools you can use to sort through click-through rate (CTR) and quality scores, both of which help you determine whether you're running a high-performing ad. A PPC management tool can also help you mass edit if you need to tweak several ad campaigns, even on different search engines, saving you a lot of time from going through all your ads. A management tool would certainly be a lot easier to effectively run your PPC campaigns but outsourcing it to a PPC specialist would be the smarter way to guarantee that your campaigns drive the ideal website traffic.

Using a PPC specialist will free you up to better manage your company and to look after other aspects needed for running it smoothly. A PPC specialist can develop the best strategy that works for your company and targets your market effectively. It can optimise your keywords, your landing pages, and your overall marketing campaign. It can run the necessary tests needed to make sure that the PPC campaign you've got will work. It can maximise your click-throughs and conversions. In other words, it can simplify your Pay Per Click management so that your campaigns become efficient and profitable.

There are plenty of opportunities for your business to get maximum exposure and recognition these days. By using a pay-per-click campaign, along with your other web marketing efforts, you'll have a good chance of getting more visits to your business site. By relying on PPC specialists, you not only ensure you get those visits but you'll also see those visits turn into paying customers.

Casino's Popping Up Leads To Negative Impact on Economy

Casinos and other forms of gambling are popping up in almost every state. Every other day you hear of a new Indian Tribe that is looking for recognition. Once they receive their recognition, investors look to back these people up and in turn a new Casino is born. People all over the United States are using their paychecks for a chance to win big. In turn all of the local businesses are suffering to the point where they are now starting to file bankruptcy. Eventually, someone in political power will finally admit that the amount of money taken in from taxes on gambling is significantly less than the hardship created with the economy. Most states take in millions of dollars from their casinos, scratch tickets and lotto, but they don’t want to deal with the negative impact on the local businesses. Everyone knows there is a problem, but no one wants to face it.

People have no problem in spending hundreds and thousands of dollars at the Casino's but will quickly get upset when gas rises ten cents per gallon or their child needs more school supplies. One mother told me she was very upset that the school system did not completely cover a field trip and that it would cost her $15.00 for each of her two children. She called the school and complained. This same person had no problem the night before losing $1,300.00 at the local casino. There's no logic to this situation. In another situation, a person would steal sweet and low, butter and rolls from her local diner. She had money in her wallet but that was reserved for gambling. In both of these situations family members knew they had a gambling problem only after they noticed their quality of life was changing.

Everyone now knows someone who has a gambling problem. They don’t understand how this has happed to a loved one, but they know something has to change. The same situation occurs when you find out your brother is an alcoholic. You can’t close down every bar and you can’t bring back prohibition. You have to face it head on and look for alternatives to help your brother.

People now are beginning to speak out as the epidemic continues. A lot of people don’t even realize they have this addiction until their resources run out. Gamblers tell their friends I won $2000.00 at the Casino on Saturday, but they neglect to tell them they lost $5000.00 and the week before. Bad information is being spread in turn the recipients of this information head to the casino in an attempt to win big. If everyone won Casino’s would be out of business.

I have seen thousands of gambler’s lives destroyed because they do not know how to quit. Through education we can succeed at finding alternatives to help these people. You may find the following websites helpful:

I Stopped Gambling So Can You http://www.istoppedgambling.com/

Stop Gambling Books

[http://www.stopgamblinginformation.com/][http://www.stop-gambling-books.com/]

Compulsive Gambling Addiction

[http://www.compulsive-gambling-addiction.org/][http://www.compulsive-gambling-addiction.org/]

Lesser Known Facts About Identity Theft

Many facts about identity theft are now common knowledge. Identity theft has been rising every year for at least a decade, and it has exploded wildly along with the growth of the Internet. Some hackers steal personally identifiable information and then sell it in private forums to other, would-be thieves. Phishing websites collect your personal information to facilitate identity theft, the list goes on.

Yet there are lesser known facts about identity theft that may help shape your plans to prevent it and how to monitor for it.

Many, but not quite a majority, of cases of identity theft involve family members and close friends. Parents have used a child's Social Security Number to get credit cards and even home mortgages after their own credit is shut down. Unfortunately, this ruin's their child's credit just as they are starting their own lives. And many financial institutions won't let the loans be forgiven unless the child presses charges against the relative. Making up a Social Security Number (SSN) on a credit card application is identity theft as well as fraud. Since credit reporting is based on the Social Security Number, using a false one results in them checking someone else's credit. Illegal aliens using your Social Security Number are committing identity theft as well as fraud, whether they use your name as well or only your SSN along with their name. This is done to pass background checks and determine if they are legal to work in the United States. Identity theft has also involved American born children of illegal aliens. Once the child has a Social Security Number, the parent uses that SSN to work and apply for credit. Unfortunately, the teenager can discover they now have a long work history and are at risk of audits by the IRS when they try to work at a fast food joint. The IRS may say they owe taxes on another job or have to explain the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) claimed when they were a minor. Impersonating someone's identity is increasingly used to gain access to health benefits. From using another's Medicaid card and ID to listing the health insurance information of a friend, this permits someone not entitled to the benefits to get free or discount care. Unfortunately, it also adds incorrect information to the correct person's medical records. This can result in bills sent to someone who never even received care. In rare cases, the medical insurance cap is reached and the person paying the health insurance premiums is unable to get care due to the health insurance fraud. If someone is working using your Social Security Number and then claims retirement benefits, the payments go to whomever retires first. If it isn't you, you will face an uphill battle to prove the money is going to the wrong person. And there are as of yet no court cases in which the person received the benefits paid to the identity thief. Basic shredding of your bank statements is sound advice but of limited use. Anywhere your Social Security Number and contact information are listed is vulnerable to ID theft. Your doctor's office can be hacked and your personal information stolen as easily and reliably as the Department of Motor Vehicles. An attorney's records include the SSN, address and phone number, allowing those who steal legal records to gain access to even more information for identity theft. You cannot control the information security of all of these hundreds of locations where this information is stored.

While you can never be 100% safe from identity theft, it's important to remain alert. Catching identity theft early is the key to preventing financial ruin. There are services to help protect your identity, but everyone's situation is different, so this may not be the best option for you.

Return of Premium Critical Illness Insurance

The need for supplemental health insurance policies has never been greater than it is today in 2012. Over the past twenty years working Americans have seen the costs for their medical coverage skyrocket. Even in cases where the employer pays 100% of the employee-only premium for medical insurance, the cost for dependents has increased significantly. To combat these increases most working Americans have seen their financial exposure increase through higher deductibles and coinsurance as well as the elimination of co-payments. Today it is not unusual to see individual out-of-pocket exposure as high as $5000 or more and in many cases it is as much as $10,000.

While a potential out-of-pocket exposure of $5,000 may not appear to be financially devastating, the facts tell a very different story. According to a Cambridge Hospital / Harvard University 2007 study 62.1% of all bankruptcies were directly related to a medical event. That is up by 50% since the same study was done in 2001. What is striking is that 75% of these bankruptcies were individuals that were college educated and had medical insurance. And despite what many insurance agents and financial may think disability income would not have been much help. Very often the problem is the medical condition of a spouse or child that results in the primary breadwinner missing work. But this only explains why a critical illness policy may have value.

The Statistics about Critical Illnesses

In order to justify the sale of critical illness insurance most agents use these statistics:

1 out of 2 people will be diagnosed with cancer 5 million people will suffer a heart attack each year Every 20 seconds someone has a heart attack

But these statistics belie a more important truth,most people will not be diagnosed with cancer than will. For people under 35 years of age the risk of cancer is 1out of 69. Consider this fact from the Heart Foundation: there are 8 million women living with heart disease but only 35,000 are under age 55.

Those statistics do not mean that an individual should not buy critical illness insurance, because they most definitely should since there is no way to know whether you are that 1 in 69 that will be diagnosed with cancer this year or that you are in the 35,000 women that will be diagnosed with heart disease. And that is why return of premium policies are so important!

ROP - A Great Buy

As I stated earlier, the position of most financial advisors is that the return of premium rider does not make good financial sense. I will tell you that they are dead wrong! Working Americans would be hard pressed to find a better use of their insurance dollars. It is true that the rider generally increases the base premium for any supplemental health policy by 40% to 50%. But that ignores the fact that is the individual does not get diagnosed with a qualifying medical condition he will receive a check for 100% of the premiums paid, less any claims. With one of my carriers that check is paid every twenty years and the insured still retains the policy at the initial premium. Here is an example from one insurance company:

A male non-smoker under age 39 can purchase a $10,000 Critical Illness policy for a low $76.80 annually. That same policy with return of premium would be $121.20, a difference of $44 annually. At the end of twenty years assuming no claims that individual would receive a check for $2424. If the insured had invested that $44 annually he would have had to have earned more than 10% on that money to generate the same $2424 he will receive. Since the average Working American is living paycheck to paycheck, return of premium insurance provides the best of all possible outcomes.

There is a huge need for critical illness insurance and even greater need to have a policy where the insured benefits financially regardless of outcome.

Control Your Sales Calls From The Start

Sales calls that you control are what all salespeople want. I am a big believer that questioning is the most important skill for sales professionals. In order to stay in control of your sales calls, whether by phone or in person, you need to be the one asking questions most of the time. To be the one asking questions most of the time, you have to get to questioning right from the start of your sales calls. This issue's tip is about how to make this transition quickly with finesse, whether you are calling by phone or are in person. To accomplish this, you will need to eliminate beginning your sales calls with long-winded "presentations" about your company. This may seem counter-intuitive. You may have reasoned that your prospect doesn't know who you are, and needs your introductory "presentation" as background for a sales discussion. Although this is the mode many of us are used to, the reality is different. If you politely give your customer a valid business reason for you to ask questions from the start, you will find that virtually all of your customers will let you do this. You will then be able to spend most of your valuable time investigating what your customer wants and needs. OK so here's how you do this. Once your sales calls have started and you have established rapport, you say something like the following:

"Mr. Jones, I am with XYZ Company, and we help companies to [insert your benefit here]. What I would like to do today is ask you a few questions to see if it makes sense for our companies to do business together. How does that sound to you?" You can modify the above to your own style, but let me first show you what makes this opening work. In reverse order, you are asking permission to ask questions, you are stating that your purpose is to see if it makes sense to do business together, and you are suggesting a common benefit of doing business with your company. By asking permission to ask questions, you establish the format of your sales calls, and put yourself firmly in charge. In stating that you want to see if it makes sense to do business together, you are saying that this is a mutual decision, and that you aren't just out to sell them something that they may not need. By suggesting a common benefit of doing business with you, you are giving a prospect, who may not know much about you, a reason to continue with the sales call. Until a prospect has decided that you understand their business problems, a simple benefit of doing business with you suffices to get your sales calls started. If your company is a known quantity in your market or to your prospect, you can skip the benefit completely as the prospect already has a reason and context for the discussion. There's no need for long-winded openers on your sales calls. © 1999-2004 Shamus Brown, All Rights Reserved.

Aromatherapy Turnkey Websites - For Business and Pleasure

The art of aromatherapy has been around for many years, and is becoming increasingly popular with people from all over the world. It is a massive market and thousands are being spent on essential oils and various other products every year. If you practice aromatherapy or even if you are interested in this topic then you might want to think about purchasing an aromatherapy turnkey website to cash in on this trend.

A turnkey website is one that is already set up, and all you need to do is start promoting it. If you are simply interested in aromatherapy for pleasure, then you can use the website to write about the different essential oils, and your experience with them. You can share your passion with other like-minded people online. You will also be able to write reviews about different products such as candles, burners, oils, and diffusers, and add your affiliate link to earn some extra pocket-money.

We could all do with earning some extra money in these tough economic times, so why not monetize your aromatherapy turnkey website in different ways too. You can apply for an AdSense account, and when someone clicks on these ads you will earn some money. AdSense is a great way to earn money with little effort because your website visitors do not even need to purchase anything. When your website becomes popular you can also offer advertising space to other aromatherapy websites and vendors who will happily pay you to promote them.

These kind of turnkey websites are not only beneficial to those that use aromatherapy for pleasure - they can be useful for those in the health and wellness business too. You will be able to use the website to reach out to a wider market online, and to advertize your health and wellness services, as well as your aromatherapy products. Those without a beautiful looking website in this business are losing out to competitors that do.

Those in this business can also benefit from how convenient a turnkey website is. All you need to do is open up your favorite search engine and search for turnkey websites for sale. You will then be able to purchase a website you like, and be up and running in no time. No more paying through the nose for web designers and waiting for your website to be developed. A turnkey aromatherapy website will already be set up and ready for you to take over the online world.

Google AdSense - Tips For Having Success

When it comes to making money with Google AdSense, you will want to do a few preliminary things to keep your business afloat. As we all know, traffic can be a tough thing to get depending on your business. One of the toughest niches to get traffic from and earn money with is the "make money online" niche.

Most of the people in this niche aren't getting a lot of sales. This is due to them not getting enough traffic, having a high price point, and simply competing with the "big dogs" of this niche. If this is your first time being introduced to online marketing and the world of e-commerce... you have to make sure your marketing plan is very good.

But not only that, you also have to ensure that you're taking the easiest route to earn a decent living online. Now I've been doing internet marketing for the past 10 years, and I can truly say that the best way (and fastest way) to start earning money online is with Google AdSense.

Google AdSense is merely an advertiser program where you host ads on your website, and get paid for each time someone clicks on your ad. Now don't get confused by this. If you attempt to click on the ads yourself, Google will find you and ban your account. You want to make sure that you're only using 100% legal traffic, that can turn your website or blog profitable.

Now believe it or not, you will have to do a bit of work with Google AdSense. There are some niches that can earn you up to $7 a click, and there other niches that can earn you up to 10 cents a click. It depends on your niche, and more often than not... the niche that is producing the $7 a click, is extremely competitive. So find a niche that isn't so competitive, and start earning money with that niche right away.

One thing that you don't want to get caught up in is untargeted traffic. Sure you could piggyback off of social media sites, and drive thousands of visitors to your blog immediately... what would be the point of that if none of them clicks on your AdSense ads? I'm willing to bet that a small niche that is getting you 100+ visits per day will earn you more money with AdSense than an entertainment blog that gives you a surge of 50,000 hits.

Don't believe me? Try it out for yourself and see. You will see that I'm right. And while we're on the subject of traffic, you should know that you need a lot of it if you want to become successful in your business. Stick with legit traffic strategies instead of those that merely waste your time.

You will want to use a lot of the free marketing tactics out there. You have article marketing, video marketing, forum marketing, blogs, podcasts, and a whole slew of other strategies out there. There tons of ways to get traffic to your blog... the only thing that is important though is that you physically go out there and start using them today.

Blogging isn't hard and it can be incredibly fun. Keep at it everyday and you will see that you can have a blogging business that is earning you a lot of money all in your spare time.

Good luck with using these tips to earn more money blogging today.

Important Things To Consider When Deciding On A Burial Package For Your Deceased

Funeral planning is one of those things that none of us can really avoid. The reason is pretty simple. Everyone has a definite life span. While the same may vary from person to person, one thing is certain. All of us will reach that point when we are going to die. Hence, we also have to properly prepare for such an eventuality. However, it is also a reality that planning for a funeral can be both physically and emotionally exhausting. Burying the dead can take its toll on our physical endurance due to so many concerns. Also, we can definitely feel the emotional effects of seeing our loved ones go.

There are a number of essential details that need to be factored in so we can give the last moments of a person's life the proper respects. These will also make it more efficient for us to dispose of the remains. So first off, you have to decide on the kind of casket you will be using. This will generally depend on how you want the body to be dealt with. Funeral parlors offer various types of caskets and each one has a specific process in disposing of the body. Basically, these methods can be grouped into three: burial, cremation, or entombment.

If you choose burial, you will also need to purchase a cemetery plot apart from the casket. Thus, it would be practical to choose a bigger plot which can accommodate more caskets later on. This will spare you the additional expense in the future. But if you choose cremation, you don't need to buy an expensive casket. Since the body will be heated into ashes, the casket will only be used during the viewing in funeral homes. As for entombment, it would also require a casket because it will be placed above ground, usually in a mausoleum or tomb.

Next, you have to decide on the ceremony. Others want to have a traditional service while there are those who prefer a quieter one. Most of the time, the deceased may indicate the ceremony that he wants in his last will and testament. That's why it's very important to refer to this document. Last but not the least, also consider the cost. There are a lot of funeral homes offering complete burial packages these days. You have to choose one that best suits the will of the deceased as well as his budget. It's especially the case of he didn't provide for the same in his will.

Business Partners & Marital Partners Will The Marriage Survive - Part I

With today's economy, and the layoffs occurring as a result of these economic conditions, more and more people are opting to start their own business. Due to the low start up costs, the prevalence of home-based businesses is on the rise, many of these started by husband and wife teams.

With the move from the corporate world to the home-based, couples are finding that a new set of problems are occurring. In the corporate arena, two major areas of importance are profits and communication with employees. This is done through evaluations, reviews, meetings, or a company newsletter outlining company policies and news. All administrators realize that a happy and informed employee is more efficient and productive; in effect, increasing their profits.

Research on martial separation and divorce indicates two of the main causes of separation and divorce are communication and money, very much like corporate concerns. In the past, spouses worked in their respective jobs, and came home to discuss what was going on in the work place. In effect, they were sounding boards for one another. With the move to the home front, especially with starting up businesses together, the sounding boards are gone.

In effect, placing couples in a start-up business can cause a myriad of problems, previously seen only in the corporate world, in addition to the normal stumbling blocks of starting up a business. Too many couples working together are not practicing good communication skills. Lack of communication, can cause one spouse to feel that he or she is carrying all the business and monetary responsibility.

Keep Your Marriage Solid

If you and your spouse have decided to run a business together, be sure to discuss and outline the following:

Delineate responsibility. Decide who is going to handle what business matters. In addition, be sure you both know how to accomplish these functions. Unfortunately, illness occurs - you need to be able to back up each other in all aspects of the business. For example, if one of you does all the bank statements, be sure your spouse understands how this is accomplished, so if necessary, they can also handle this responsibility. If you have a set procedure you follow and a way you want it done, make up an outline, so it is accomplished in the manner you want.

Marketing, return calls, daily correspondence, invoicing, weekly and/or monthly expenses, supplies, calendaring, appointments, deposits, bank statements, implementation of the business plan, attendance at meetings (e.g. Chamber mixers, National groups, User groups, etc.) all need to be taken care of. You will have to split these responsibilities between you. Again, be sure you know how each is implemented, so in an emergency, you can back each other up.

Delineate responsibilities according to likes and dislikes and who will do the best job. We all have our little niches, and if it is something we like and do well, we can accomplish it better and more efficiently. Once the responsibilities have been delineated, make up a schedule for each item you both need to deal with. Again, you must be able to act as each others back up.

Marketing is a major obstacle. Most individuals do not like to use cold calling as a medium to promote their business. Be sure both of you are involved. Do not let one person handle this. In addition, develop a marketing strategy. Will you market daily, weekly, monthly? What kind of marketing will you do-advertising, cold calls, direct mail, etc. Again, be sure you both are involved. This is important because money and marketing are tied together. The more you market, the more aware the marketplace will be of the services you offer. If only one individual is marketing and monies are fluctuating, there is more tension between the partners to make the business successful. No one individual should have to carry this on their shoulders, or perceive that they do. In addition, with both spouses marketing, one person cannot blame the other for the success or failure of the business.

The Most Important Tool

Remember, the most important tool you both have is communication. Don't expect your spouse to read your mind. Keep the marriage and business separate. It's difficult, especially if you are home-based, but it can be done. If you have a problem with the way your spouse is accomplishing a task in the business environment, discuss it immediately. Do not wait. Do not let this build into anger that is transferred to your personal relationship. Remember that keeping your business and personal relationships separate is very important to the survival of both your business and your marriage.

In Part II of this article we will discuss how to implement this strategy.

Copyright 2000, DeFiore Enterprises

Free Personal Alarm Systems for Senior Citizens

Senior citizens have a unique set of concerns that require a unique solution. Elderly people are naturally more susceptible to injuries and illness, which means they should be able to get in contact with someone who can help them immediately if something bad happens. This is where modern technology steps in. By getting a personal alarm system that is connected to a home security system senior citizens can get help with the touch of a button.

Many times, these personal alarm systems can be obtained for free through disability charities and other organizations that service elderly people. This is a nice benefit, because often, senior citizens are on fixed incomes and cannot always afford to have a home security system installed. Most of the time, these free personal alarm systems are installed at no cost to the homeowner, which means there really is no reason why a senior shouldn't have one in his or her house.

However, it is important to note that even though the equipment and installation are generally provided at no cost to the senior citizen, there is a monthly monitoring charge that typically must be covered by the homeowner. The cost of this service varies, but senior citizen and disabled groups can usually negotiate a discounted fee that equates to about $1.00 per day. Therefore, the cost to homeowners for 24-hour monitoring is approximately $30.00 per month.

Before you say that you don't have the extra money to pay for monthly monitoring, you should know what you get for that fee. You have access to call operators that are trained in medical emergencies 24 hours a day. Upon receiving your call through your personal alarm system, these operators will quickly assess the situation and determine which authorities need to be sent to your house. Typically, they send the police for security matters, the fire department for smoke and fire dangers and an ambulance for medical emergencies.

You will never be placed on hold if you use your alarm system to alert the monitoring company. Therefore, you will get the assistance you need almost immediately. Your name, address and medical history will pop up on the operator's screen as soon as you call. This makes assessing the situation much easier and much quicker.

Without this feature, you could end up getting injured or ill and not being attended to for many hours, or even days. Is it worth $30 a month to avoid a situation like this? The answer is a resounding yes.

A Big Fish Story

Ketchikan, located in southeast Alaska, is a good place to fish for halibut. Sally and John Balch live in Ketchikan and have a favorite spot nearby to halibut fish. It's a secret spot, so don't ask where it is.

The Balches were fishing there one Sunday and having good luck landing cod and halibut, so they decided to stop about mid-morning. Sally started pulling in her gear and felt a tug on the line.

It was more than a tug, really. Sally said that she thought she had snagged the bottom of the ocean. Sally reeled in the line with all her strength, tired, and turned the rod over to her husband.

John and Sally fought the halibut over the course of the next hour. They reeled it to the surface three times, but each time the halibut regained strength and swam back down to the bottom of the ocean.

After more than an hour the tired Balches were successful in subduing the halibut, and after another hour were able to bring the halibut into their boat.

Back in Ketchikan the Balches towed their boat over to the local lumber yard where John works and used the fork lift to unload the halibut from their boat. A crowd gathered to listen to repeated tales of the adventure, and the Balches filleted the fish and gave away pieces to anyone who wanted a piece.

They had plenty. The halibut was 7 feet long and weighed 323 pounds. And Sally caught the large halibut with a bargain $39 Penn rod and reel combo.

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Fraud Judgments

In general, fraud-based judgments are stronger than regular judgments when the judgment debtor files for bankruptcy protection. However, fraud judgments are not invincible, and default fraud judgments are still only default judgments. My articles are my opinions, and not legal advice. I am a judgment broker, and am not a lawyer. If you ever need any legal advice or a strategy to use, please contact a lawyer.

Most judgments, and almost all non-fraud judgments are discharged (voided) when a debtor discharges their debts in a bankruptcy court. As soon as the debtor files for bankruptcy protection, they get an automatic stay. All creditors, even those with fraud judgments, must immediately stop all collection activities until they get permission in writing from the bankruptcy court that they may proceed.

When a debt gets discharged, it is game over and the creditor will not be paid. The bankruptcy court assumes most debts are dischargeable. However, there are exceptions that can be claimed by a creditor, which may result in a bankruptcy court declaring that a particular debt is non-dischargeable.

While most debts get discharged when a debtor successfully discharges them in bankruptcy, there are some debts that cannot easily be discharged, if they are brought to the attention of the bankruptcy court. When it is proven that the debt was the result of fraud, willful and malicious injury, embezzlement, larceny, or a marriage settlement agreement or divorce decree, the bankruptcy court will usually determine and make an order that those types of debts are non-dischargeable.

In theory, a judgment for fraud, especially one that highlights and proves most or all of the red flag badges of fraud (classifications of types of wrongdoing), is bankruptcy proof; however that bankruptcy immunity is not automatic or cheap. When a debtor files for bankruptcy protection, the creditor must then bring their fraud judgment to the attention of the bankruptcy court.

If the fraud judgment is a default, the bankruptcy court will likely require a prove-up hearing and a motion for a new summary fraud judgment. Re-proving fraud and the expense of hiring a lawyer is all the responsibility of the creditor.

For a bankruptcy judge to order that a money judgment is non-dischargeable, the creditor must file a formal objection to their debt getting discharged. If the creditor proves that the basis for their judgment was for one of the general misconduct exceptions, the bankruptcy court will usually declare the debt to be non-dischargeable. When that happens, the automatic stay is lifted and the creditor is then free to use every legal method to recover their judgment, while most or all of the other creditors lose, because their debts were discharged.

Collecting an Unpaid Judgment Against a Judgment Debtor Who Uses Several Aliases